Aunt Chen Awaits, High Stakes at the Auction

The Chen Family was one of the Nine Great Families of the Yuande Continent.

They originated from Golden Eclipse City, one of the six domains of the Great World State.

The family was famous for their skill in creating powerful defensive and offensive formations.

During the dispute between the Frostfire Dragon Venerable and Liu Zong, they helped Liu Zong craft the formation that invoked the Sealing Sword of the Sacred Cloud Mountain.

On the whole, the Chen Family had an enviably rich history in the cultivation world due to their achievements in formations.

At this time, Chen Xiaosheng was the head of the family.

However, if something were to happen to him and he couldn't continue his duties as house head, the leadership would pass to his elder sister.

Chen Yuxuan.

Only if she chose to step down would Chen Fan, the next in line, become the head of the Chen family.

In simpler terms, Chen Yuxuan was considered the first seat, and Chen Fan was the second seat. If both of them couldn't take on the role of family head, the responsibility would fall to Chen Ruyi, the only remaining scion of the Chen family's main house.

The first seat was the main focus for everyone in the Chen family and the Nine Great Families overall.

She was renowned as the most beautiful female cultivator in the Great World State.

Chen Yuxuan had a bold and carefree personality.

She was known for her love of alcohol, gambling, and her narcissism about her unmatched beauty.

She could spend a whole year doing nothing to help the Chen family or the lower-class sects under her because she was lazy and believed that as a beautiful woman, she had the right to do as she pleased.

However, when Chen Yuxuan heard that the young lord of the Liu family was active in the cultivation world, she took immediate action.

It was unusual for someone like her, who typically ignored outsiders, to eagerly pass on information about the Disciple Market Auction to Liu Ming through Maomao.

She was excited to meet Liu Ming and even decided to handle some issues within her sects in the Greater World State before attending the auction.

Family members hadn't seen the beautiful woman work this hard since Liu Changsheng, so they were sure that Liu Ming must be someone very interesting.

If someone as laid-back as Chen Yuxuan could be intrigued by him, who were they to ignore him?

━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━

Finally, Liu Ming and his female companions arrived at the place where the biggest event in Immortal Cloud City would be taking place.

The Huo Family Auction House.

This auction house was a massive, beautifully designed building that dominated the Auction Quarter.

This quarter was quite different from the Commercial District, even though both areas were focused on trading.

The Auction Quarter was known for hosting one of the largest auction houses in the four world states of the Eastern Reaches. The name of the area was designed by City Lord Duan to highlight its role as a central hub for high-value transactions.

Here, items were ten times more valuable than the best ones you'd find in the Commercial District!

While the Commercial District was a bustling place for citizens and traveling merchants to set up shop, the Auction Quarter catered mainly to elite families and branded merchants.

"Wow, this place is unnecessarily fancy."

Liu Ming glanced around with mild surprise.

The blonde-haired beauty, who was still clinging to Liu Ming's arm, looked surprised.

"It's not fair that they get to enjoy all this luxury."

She spoke with a frown. Then, she pretended to be sad, using it as an excuse to snuggle even closer to her young lord.

However, it was true...

The people in this district were dressed in nothing but luxury.

It was clear that this was one of the wealthier parts of Immortal Cloud City, and it highlighted just how much commoners were looked down upon in society.

"Is something wrong, Brother Ming?" Chen Ruyi asked.

"I wonder which ones are the Nine Great Families..."

"Oh, we'll talk about that when the auction starts."

"Alright then..."

Liu Ming noticed that most people here were from top families, but now and then, he saw patriarchs from lower-class sects visiting with their disciples.

There were even some middle-class sects with both their patriarch and sect master present.

It was well known that to succeed in the strict political system of sects, one often had to set aside their pride and do things that might publicly embarrass them.

So, whether someone was a patriarch or not didn't always determine if they would attend the auction. What mattered most was making sure their sect had enough disciples.

Liu Ming agreed with this approach.

That was why he was here.

Soon, Su Yan spotted a man waving at them from the grand entrance of the Huo Family Auction House.

"Uhm, Young Master..."

She tapped Liu Ming on the shoulder, prompting him and the two women with him to look back.

Su Yan pointed at the man and said, "I think we're supposed to go in through there."

Liu Ming smiled and replied, "Oh, great!"

Chen Ruyi and Yu Lan let go of Liu Ming's arms.

"Alright then..."

He flicked his wide-sleeved robes and tucked his hands behind his back as he made his way through the crowd of silver-spooned nobles to the lengthy stone steps of the auction house.

The man waiting at the entrance greeted them warmly.

"Welcome, Patriarch Liu!"

Despite his friendly demeanor, it wasn't clear how he already knew Liu Ming or why he was so welcoming.

'Most of the other esteemed figures in the cultivation world haven't been very welcoming to me. Then again, I can't say I've really tried to build well… the best relationships with them either. Eheh… err…'

Liu Ming's face showed a strange smile.

Chen Ruyi placed her fist in the palm of her other hand and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Auction Master Shihong."

The man before them was a senior member of the Huo Family and in charge of the Huo Family Auction House.

He was a stout, middle-aged man with medium-length black hair that looked slightly faded. His face lacked any strong masculine features and had a boyish charm, which contrasted with his robust, solid build.

Auction Master Shihong gestured toward the grand doors of the auction house.

"Shall we go in?"

He kept his gaze on Liu Ming, clearly wanting to share something privately and not wanting Liu Ming's subordinates or Chen Ruyi to overhear.

"Okay..."

Liu Ming nodded and walked in with a unruffled steps, followed by Auction Master Shihong and the three beauties.

Once inside, the stout man leaned closer and whispered.

"Watch your back at this auction. You have plenty of fierce competition, but more importantly, there are a lot of people who want you dead. You're the top target of the hallmasters from the Sword God School."

He glanced around to make sure foreign ears didn't overhear domestic information.

"I'm aware. It's only natural for them to seek revenge."

The young patriarch wasn't surprised that the hallmasters of the Sword God School wanted him dead. It was easy for Liu Ming to push these concerns aside and focus on gathering more information.

Auction Master Shihong gave Liu Ming a very reassuring pat on the back.

"I've tightened security around the perimeter. I hope you make it through the ten days of the auction safely. Enmity with a sect is serious business, even for someone as strong as you."

The man had genuine concern for such a young fellow.

Liu Ming's eyes narrowed, "I understand."

"Now, to take you to your Aunt Chen."

"Eh?"