Hidden connection

"Please follow me," Manager Zhao said to Long Chen.

Manager Zhao led Long Chen out of the VIP lounge, their steps echoing softly on the polished marble floors. They arrived at a discreet back door that opened into a dimly lit room.

As Long Chen entered, his eyes fell upon the fallen starflower—a botanical marvel that had once towered at ten feet but now rested within a glass pill bottle, no larger than the length of his palm.

Soon, they arrived at a back door. As Long Chen entered, his eyes fell upon the mesmerizing fallen starflower, carefully placed in a glass box. Mysteriously, the flower, which had once stood at ten feet tall, now measured only the length of his palm.

"This is the fallen starflower and the jewelry you auctioned," Manager Zhao explained, his voice tinged with reverence. "And here, the breakthrough pill for auctioning the cultivation manual in our auction house."

Long Chen's gaze shifted between the minuscule flower and the unassuming pill. He had embarked on this journey with a singular purpose, and now, its fruition lay before him.

"We sold your item for 1,750,000 spirit stones," Manager Zhao continued, his tone businesslike, "and after removing our commission, you have 1,575,000 spirit stones. You initially bought the flower for 100,000 spirit stones. Thus, the total amount you will receive is 1,475,000 spirit stones. How would you like to receive your payment?"

Long Chen considered his options. "Do you have a convenient way of storing the spirit stones?"

Manager Zhao offered a suggestion. "If you like, we can help you store your money in the black market. You will have full authority over it."

"Black market?" Long Chen questioned, his memory failing to recall such an institution. He had been sheltered from the outside world by his mother during his formative years, only learning about the Jade Dragon auction house recently.

"The black market is akin to a bank," Manager Zhao clarified. "They specialize in storing valuables for their customers. You will receive a card that signifies your ownership of your assets."

"Okay, help me store the money in the black market," Long Chen decided, recognizing the convenience of such a service.

"I will do that now. Do you have any other requests?" Manager Zhao inquired.

Long Chen handed him a list containing rare ingredients and herbs. Manager Zhao examined the list, his expression turning contemplative.

"The herbs on this list are not easily found," he admitted, a hint of concern in his eyes. "It will require some time to gather them all."

Long Chen nodded understandingly. "I can wait."

"Very well, I will go and make the arrangements for you," Manager Zhao said before departing, leaving Long Chen alone with his thoughts and the promise of new opportunities that lay ahead in his cultivation journey.

Soon, Manager Zhao returned, holding a silver card. "All your money has been stored in it; anytime you want to withdraw, you can go to the nearest branch of the black market."

Long Chen took the card, the box containing the flower, the jewelry, and the pill, then left the back door, exiting the auction house.

As Long Chen left, Manager Zhao immediately bowed.

"Greetings, master," Manager Zhao said, his voice filled with respect.

"What do you think about him?" An old man, richly dressed in a long gold robe, emerged from the shadows.

The old man was none other than the appraiser. It turned out that the appraiser was the family head of the Ming Family and the owner of the auction house. He had pretended to be an appraiser to get closer to Long Chen.

"I don't see anything strange about him. He might have found it by luck," Manager Zhao said.

"If you check the scroll, you'll notice it was just made. I don't believe he can find a cultivation manual by pure luck. I checked him and didn't find any trace of cultivation around him. Either he is hiding his cultivation level or he is just a normal human," Ming Wei said as he looked at the door that Long Chen had just passed through.

"Whether he is a powerful cultivator or a normal human, I will find out on his next visit," Ming Wei said with a sharp gaze.

"Should I send men to track him?" Manager Zhao asked.

"No, what if he is a cultivator? It will tarnish our reputation if we try to secretly find out about our customer's identity," Ming Wei said.

"Something about him feels familiar. Wait... His eyes are gold. I have seen someone with those eyes before," Ming Wei said with a pondering expression.

As Ming Wei pondered the familiarity of Long Chen's gold eyes, Manager Zhao couldn't help but be intrigued. "Who could you be thinking of, Master Ming Wei? Do you think there's a connection between this customer and someone from your past?"

Ming Wei's gaze remained fixed on the spot where Long Chen had departed. "I can't be certain yet, but those eyes... they remind me of someone from a long time ago. Yes, it's the Li family," Ming Wei said as he found an answer.

The Li family is one of the greatest and most feared families in the whole of the Yihua Empire. Their unique ability made them the highest among the five great aristocratic families. But no one knows where they currently are since they left the Yihua Empire.

"Keep an eye on this young man, Manager Zhao, but discreetly. We don't want to arouse any suspicions."

Manager Zhao nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The mysterious aura surrounding Long Chen and his unique eyes piqued Ming Wei's curiosity, and it was clear that he intended to uncover the truth behind this enigmatic customer.

As the enigmatic Long Chen departed from the auction house, the intrigue and uncertainty surrounding him deepened. Manager Zhao and Ming Wei, the owner of the auction house, sensed that there might be more to this young man than met the eye, especially with his distinctive gold eyes.

Ming Wei's revelation about the Li family, one of the most powerful and elusive families in the Yihua Empire, added another layer of mystery. It seemed like Long Chen's presence had awakened dormant memories and connections from Ming Wei's past