"Come on, stop overthinking things," Lu Xuan muttered.

Ye Chen snapped back to reality. "Oh, right, Master. My apologies."

Lu Xuan and Ye Chen quickly departed.

Watching the pair disappear, Elder Mu smiled faintly and immediately reported the matter to the Sect Master.

The Sect Master was astonished. "No wonder Fuyao and Ye Chen are so fiercely loyal to him! That brat certainly knows how to buy affection! Twenty million Contribution Points, just gone, spent like that!"

Elder Mu added, "The bad news is, the Contribution Points left by Qingxuan Saint are almost entirely depleted by Lu Xuan."

The Sect Master was left speechless.

The next day, Ye Chen was up early, bustling around the thatched hut, preparing a meal for Lu Xuan. He then went to Lu Xuan’s cave dwelling to say goodbye.

"Master, I'm leaving now. The food is in the hut; you just need to warm it up later."

Lu Xuan responded groggily, "Oh. Mm. Right. Sure..."

Ye Chen rubbed his nose and chuckled. What profound dream is Master having now? He then soared into the sky, a divine rainbow manifesting beneath his feet, heading toward the Grand Dao Hall.

The plaza in front of the Grand Dao Hall was already crowded. The Peak Masters of the various peaks had arrived, each bringing their top True Disciples.

Liu Xuan, draped in a long gown that perfectly showcased her figure, radiated a faint, alluring glow. She smiled seductively at Ye Chen. "Junior Brother Ye Chen, you made it."

All eyes turned to Ye Chen. The Peak Master of Ethereal Peak covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Ye Chen, where is your master?"

Ye Chen glanced around, realizing that top prodigies like Fang Yan, Luo Lingkong, and Liu Xuan were all accompanied by their respective masters. He forced a smile. "My Master is... busy."

At that, the Peak Masters couldn't help but burst into laughter. Busy? What could Lu Xuan possibly be busy with? Sleeping and eating, obviously.

The Body Tempering Peak Master chuckled, "Ye Chen, be honest. You've been on Azure Mystery Peak for three months. What exactly does Lu Xuan busy himself with every day?"

Ye Chen fell into deep thought, momentarily stumped. He realized his master genuinely did nothing all day on Azure Mystery Peak. No cultivation. Lu Xuan’s daily routine consisted of eating, sleeping, painting, reciting poetry, and reading storybooks...

Yet, this didn't diminish his awe and respect. Ye Chen firmly believed that a supreme figure like his master simply transcended the need for conventional cultivation. Even Elder Yao was astonished by Lu Xuan’s lifestyle; the Yao Family’s Old Ancestors spent their lives in secluded cultivation, never having time for such leisure. Elder Yao had concluded this was the gap: the Yao Ancestors were clearly on the first floor, while Peak Master Lu was on some unknowable, transcendent floor. Elder Yao secretly speculated that Lu Xuan was cultivating the Grand Dao Scripture, aligning himself with the Heavenly Dao through a philosophy of non-action.

Reflecting on this, Ye Chen stated with utmost seriousness, "My Master exists in a state of 'detachment' and 'non-action.' He is perhaps cultivating the Grand Dao Scripture itself."

"Pfft!" The Peak Master of Ethereal Peak immediately covered her lips, shaking with laughter.

The other Peak Masters were also roaring with amusement. Non-action? Cultivating the Grand Dao Scripture? How did that brat Lu Xuan manage to hoodwink Ye Chen so thoroughly? He had completely brainwashed the boy!

The Sect Master sighed and shook his head. "Forget about Lu Xuan. This time, Elder Mu will lead the team to the Ancient Inheritance Secret Realm. Once you are inside, you must maintain contact. If anything happens, help each other! Internal conflict among Grand Dao Sect disciples is strictly forbidden!"

As his voice faded, the Peak Masters sobered, nodding gravely.

Moments later, Elder Mu, clad in gray robes, slowly emerged from the Grand Dao Hall. He spread his right hand, and an immense, ancient spirit boat instantly materialized in the sky. The vessel was massive, like a floating mountain, covered in terrifying Dao patterns.

"Everyone aboard!" Elder Mu soared up and stepped into the spirit boat.

Ye Chen, Fang Yan, Liu Xuan, and the other top True Disciples quickly followed. The Peak Masters of Sword Peak and Ethereal Peak also boarded. Elder Mu was leading the expedition, accompanied by several other Peak Masters.

Boom! With a thought, Elder Mu activated the spirit boat. A terrifying force erupted, tearing a rift in the void. The vessel transformed into a divine rainbow and shot toward the distance. The void trembled, and space warped in its wake.

After the massive spirit boat vanished into the firmament, the Sect Master gazed toward Azure Mystery Peak and muttered, "The Cangxuan Old Ancestor wants to investigate Lu Xuan again. I suppose I should bring Lu Xuan over." With that, the Sect Master rose into the air and flew toward Azure Mystery Peak.

***

Cangzhou. Willow City.

Dawn was breaking on the second day, but the sky was choked with heavy, dark clouds, promising rain. Wang Man and Qing Yan had been taking shifts guarding the Drunken Immortal Pavilion all night.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, Wang Man stared intently at an Alchemy Pavilion across the street. He vaguely saw several figures moving in and out, buying pills multiple times throughout the night. Hmm? That seemed suspicious. However, these individuals were only in the Profound Sovereign realm. Wang Man sent out several wisps of divine sense to probe them further.

Meanwhile, the auction at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was about to begin. Cultivators streamed into the hall.

The gray-robed steward from yesterday approached Ji Fuyao’s room, bowing respectfully. "Esteemed guest, the Pavilion Master has arranged private room number four for you. You may participate in the auction from there."

The steward quickly escorted Ji Fuyao and Qing Yan into the private room. The room was protected by countless seals and restrictions, designed to block divine sense and spiritual probing—impossible to penetrate for anyone below the Great Emperor realm. Yet, Ji Fuyao and her group had a clear view of the entire auction floor, including the numerous cultivators seated in the general area below.

The steward left, handing Ji Fuyao a communication jade slip and promising to appear instantly if she activated it. Ji Fuyao surveyed the hall. It was lavishly decorated, gleaming with gold and jewels, the various levels radiating brilliant divine light, clearly demonstrating the pavilion's deep resources.

Just then, a tall platform slowly rose from the center of the auction floor. Standing on it was an incredibly alluring and seductive young woman. Clad in a purple dress that accentuated her voluptuous figure, the gown was slit high, revealing her long, flawless, snow-white legs—a truly devilish physique.

The crowd gasped. "It's Auctioneer Fei Ya!"

Fei Ya was a legendary auctioneer at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, known for selling even the most ordinary items for exorbitant prices. Seeing the captivating beauty, some men were visibly aroused, some stood stiffly, and others were furtively preoccupied with their hands...

Fei Ya smiled, a look of utter charm, and her voice, soft and intoxicating, echoed through the hall. "The auction officially begins... Mmm..." The crowd roared its approval.

Fei Ya slowly produced a treasure box. Opening it, she revealed a Spirit Sword of the Profound Venerate tier. Her voice, sweet enough to melt bones, announced, "The first item, the Azure Edge Sword, starting bid is one hundred thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones. Each subsequent bid must not be less than one thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones!"

"One hundred and ten thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones!"

"One hundred and twenty thousand!"

The bidding quickly escalated. In private room number four, Qing Yan frowned slightly. "Such common items? Is this some kind of joke? Is it just to build up to the final treasure?"

Another Dragon Guard muttered, "Where is that damned Wei Yan? We've tried contacting him with the jade slip, but there's no reply."

Ji Fuyao looked at Qing Yan. "How are Ye Beichen and the others prepared?"

Qing Yan replied gravely, "Your Majesty, they are ready. They can enter Willow City at any moment."

Several more items were auctioned off, all selling for ridiculously inflated prices. Qing Yan's eyes flashed. "These prices are absurd. They're just low-tier spirit artifacts and pills. This is a waste of Your Majesty's time."

Ji Fuyao frowned slightly. She suddenly had a sense of impending doom.

Boom! Rumble! Outside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, lightning flashed, and a deep, muffled thunderclap sounded, as if the sky itself were collapsing. Violet-gold lightning condensed in the void. Heavy, ominous clouds gathered above, enveloping Willow City and the surrounding tens of thousands of miles in a field of thunder.

A powerful, oppressive natural aura manifested, giving Ji Fuyao and her guards a feeling of extreme danger, like eggs stacked precariously on a pile. Something major was about to happen. A sinister atmosphere, completely discordant with the auction hall, was brewing. Not just Ji Fuyao, but Qing Yan and the other Dragon Guards felt it too. The eerie tension made the hairs on their arms stand up.

Qing Yan looked at Ji Fuyao with deep respect, frowning as she asked, "Your Majesty, I don't understand. If Wei Yan intends to fight us, why not attack directly? If he intends to surrender, why not immediately swear a Heavenly Dao Oath? What is he trying to do?"

Ji Fuyao's eyes glowed as she scanned everything within the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Just then, outside the pavilion, Wang Man's divine sense tracked the movements of the suspicious individuals. These people were moving back and forth, constantly circling!

He noticed something even stranger. Besides those few, many people throughout Willow City were taking turns entering and exiting various shops and buildings, creating the illusion of a bustling, prosperous city. In reality, they were all... acting!

Crack! As a thunderclap boomed, a flash of lightning struck Wang Man's mind. What the actual hell! These people were all actors! They weren't citizens of Willow City at all! They were just putting on a show!

Instantly, Wang Man nervously transmitted a message to Ji Fuyao. "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. We have entered Willow City, and it seems we are surrounded by forces sent by the traitor Wei Yan..."

Before Wang Man could finish, Ji Fuyao stated calmly, "We have walked into a Life and Death Situation."

At the same moment, thunder roared in the sky again, and the torrential rain began to pour down! From the heavens to the earth, thunder, rain, and dark clouds filled Willow City with a terrifying, palpable killing intent.

Fei Ya's intoxicating voice suddenly changed, becoming utterly cold and sharp. Her voice rose dramatically, completely unsuppressed by the thunder. "Esteemed guests, the final, most prized treasure to be auctioned today is..."

She extended her slender, jade-like hand and pointed directly at Ji Fuyao's private room. "The final treasure to be auctioned today is... Private Room Number Four!"

In that instant, murderous intent erupted, fully revealed.