Wait a minute, where is my master?

Luan Baoyi, the second son of the Luan family, felt especially unlucky today.

First, he lost face at the auction and offended a great talent, the Seventh Princess of Great Xia.

Then, when he tried to arrange a meeting with that auctioneer named Wu Li, he was flatly rejected.

Feeling gloomy, Luan Baoyi deliberately lingered in the auction house to avoid another encounter with Xia Yunzhao.

But then, he ran into Xia Yunzhao again.

"..."

Luan Baoyi, looking at the familiar figure in front of him and that familiar rabbit mask, felt a shadow over his heart.

"I've already apologized, and I even deliberately hid to let you pass. It's not like you need to block the entrance just for that, I only let out a harsh sentence!"

With this thought whirling in his mind, Luan Baoyi's anger surged from his heart and his courage grew at the edge of his nerves. Clenching his teeth and stomping his foot, he strode directly to Xia Yunzhao.

He bowed deeply!

"Seventh Prince, I was rude at the auction. If you are still angry, please propose a solution. Whether to kill or to flay, I, Luan Baoyi, will comply with your wishes."

After all, aside from him and Xia Yunzhao, there were only his two personal guards in this dead-end alley. It wasn't in front of a big crowd, so what was wrong with admitting a mistake and being a little humble?

He, the second son of the Luan family, might be a playboy, but he was not stupid.

Moreover, the Seventh Princess of Great Xia had always been known for her kindness. She couldn't possibly do anything to him over a few words exchanged in anger, could she?

His father was a Duke, after all.

That whole "whether to kill or to flay, I will comply with your wishes" was just a figure of speech.

Xia Yunzhao held the Imprint Jade Token in her hand.

Looking at the second son of the Luan family bowing deeply in front of her, asserting his willingness to comply with any punishment, her eyes suddenly gleamed. Under the mask, her fresh and elegant face revealed a mischievous smile.

She looked just like a little girl plotting something naughty.

...

In an underground chamber of a residence.

Manager Shi was respectfully reporting the auction's proceedings to a shadowy figure.

"Prince, that little Taoist does indeed possess a considerable amount of Bone Marrow Cleansing Spirit Liquid.

My subordinates in the water tank didn't come into contact with it, but the Spirit Liquid in that wooden barrel is all genuine. Moreover, its Spiritual Energy and efficacy are far stronger than the bottle we auctioned, almost as if... as if it had been taken out of the Spiritual Spring just a few days ago.

Therefore, I suspect that the missing Spiritual Spring from the Jade Spring Immortal Mountain might be in the hands of the backing sect of that Taoist."

After receiving the report, the shadowy figure remained silent for a long while.

The elder surnamed Shi did not speak either, maintaining a respectful bow.

He was very familiar with his master's temperament; the one thing the master hated most was being interrupted while deep in thought.

"Who else in the auction house knows about this matter?"

"Reporting to the Prince, there were two maids present, and I have already taken care of them. However, there is also a female auctioneer named Wu Li, who is affiliated with the Store Manager from the Zhang family's side. If I acted against her, it might be difficult to explain to the Zhang family."

The auction had originally been under the influence of three forces: the Zhang family from Shangjing City, the current Right Chancellor, and this mysterious shadowy Prince.

Of course, the Right Chancellor had been killed by Xia Xuanmin in the Demon Sect attack a few days ago.

So now, only the Zhang family and this Prince remained in the auction.

And the "Store Manager" mentioned by Manager Shi was the point man for the Zhang family at the auction.

He, on the other hand, was the eye that the Prince had planted in the auction.

After hearing this, the shadowy figure casually said, "Send the information about that female auctioneer to the butler in the mansion. He will arrange for someone to handle it."

"As you command, Prince."

After their conversation, the chamber fell silent again.

It was only after a full cup of tea's time that the shadowy figure slowly spoke up.

"Was my niece Yunzhao present at the scene today?"

"Reporting to the Prince, yes. Moreover, the Seventh Prince also scolded the Luan family's second son because of that young Taoist."

Manager Shi took the opportunity to speak to adopt a more comfortable position.

"A wastrel is of no concern.

You go and thoroughly investigate the origins of this young Taoist and his relationship with Yunzhao.

I will assign Master Li to go with you. The two of you should cooperate well. If this person truly has a connection to the Spiritual Spring behind him, when I ascend to the throne, I will remember your contribution."

After saying this casually, the shadowy figure dissipated into the darkness of the chamber.

Manager Shi, who had been tense all this time, finally straightened up.

The heart in his aged chest throbbed with excitement, the second time it had happened that day.

The first time was because of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Spirit Liquid, and the second time, strictly speaking, was also because of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Spirit Liquid.

Ah, the chance of a lifetime!

The Luan family's second son could be a wastrel because his ancestors had helped establish the Great Xia dynasty with the Xia family.

Manager Shi had always been aware of his master's ambition for the throne, and Old Man Shi had long been on this ship, or else he wouldn't have earned such trust.

In the past, because his cultivation was not high, even if the Prince succeeded in taking the throne, he could only follow and sip some soup.

But now, with this promise, Manager Shi had become one who could share in the feast!

The Bone Marrow Cleansing Spirit Liquid seemed merely a simple substance for broadening meridians and refining the essence and marrow, equivalent to the effort of decades of cultivation.

A cultivator at the beginning of their journey, even after using it, would just be a low-level cultivator and couldn't cause much upheaval.

But!

If large quantities of this substance were available and a vast number of cultivators with potential were cultivated and then deployed in military formations, that would be a terrifying force!

Manager Shi understood this point, and so did the shadowy Prince, which is why both placed such importance on this item.

Having put away the communication magic artifact, Old Man Shi first sent details of Wu Li's whereabouts to the housekeeper of the Prince's mansion. The woman had been residing in the Tianxiang Building long term and would therefore not be difficult to investigate.

Then he contacted Master Li, preparing for them to act separately, with him investigating the young Taoist's background and Master Li probing the young Taoist's strength.

After all, with the Demon Sect causing trouble recently, if any discovery were made, they could just blame it on them.

Moreover, as Master Li was a cultivator at the Divinity Transformation Realm, it was safe to assume that even if there was no significant finding, nothing untoward would happen.

After making all the arrangements, Old Man Shi hummed a tune and turned to leave the secret room.

He felt as if the opportunity of a lifetime was waving at him.

...

Tianxiang Building, Room No. 3 for distinguished guests.

Wu Li changed into a purple silk robe, which she wore loosely over her body.

Her two long, snowy white legs were intermittently visible beneath the cover of the robe.

She deeply understood the thoughts of men; sometimes, directly seeing something meant one wouldn't cherish it. Instead, this kind of faint, veiled appearance would cause a longing to explore and uncover it.

Wu Li leaned on the soft couch, pondering whether to capture the young Taoist outright with thunderous methods when he entered the room or to take a gentler approach and gradually plot against him.

Her confidence stemmed from good reason; when she gave the Age Chicken cage and Imprint Jade Token to Jin Xu, his momentary pause certainly indicated he had used his Spiritual Sense to check them.

Since he had checked, he must have discovered the jade token, and since the young Taoist had discovered the token but hadn't raised the alarm, the matter was almost certainly true.

As she thought about it, a knocking sound came from the door.

Wu Li tightened the silk robe on her body and adopted a seductive gaze. She moved her long legs and walked to the door to open it.

At the same time, she let out an extremely soft and sweet sound, as if her mouth were filled with a green dumpling.

"Little Taoist, this girl... darn, why is it you?"

Standing outside the door was none other than Luan Baoyi, looking eager and impatient.

Meanwhile, the lower floors of the Tianxiang Building were already surrounded by two groups of night watchmen.

On the rooftop of a building two miles away, an assassin dressed in black clothes watched the scene below intently.