Chapter 160: Chapter 137: Luoxia Treasure Vault (Part 2)

Song Changsheng picked it up and saw that it was a Tier Three Low-Grade Celestial Thunder Shock Talisman.

Among the many types of Talismans, the Metal and Thunder attributes were widely recognized as the most destructive, with Thunder Attribute Talismans being the absolute strongest.

Although this Talisman was only Tier Three Low-Grade, its value alone exceeded fifty thousand Spirit Stones. The auction house was being extremely generous.

Song Changsheng was overjoyed. He had finally added another trump card to his arsenal. He cupped his hands and said, "Please, Hong Xiu, thank Elder Yi on our behalf for this generous gift. We’ll take our leave now."

"Please wait, you two gentlemen. My master has instructed that from now on, you are both honored guests of our establishment. This is your token of status; please accept it.

With this token, you’ll receive VIP treatment at our establishment, including a private room for auctions. You’ll also get a twenty-percent discount on all bids and purchases. And if you entrust us to auction your items, we’ll only charge a five-percent commission."

Hong Xiu smiled and produced two exquisite metal cards. They were silvery-white, engraved on both sides with intricate patterns that gave them a grand and impressive air.

This was an unexpected delight. Naturally, Song Changsheng and Xu Yunhe had no reason to refuse. ’A twenty-percent discount, after all... that’s quite tempting.’

After leaving the auction house, Xu Yunhe stopped and looked up at the highest floor, but there was nothing to see.

Song Changsheng sighed to himself. ’As things stand, they’re from two different worlds. They’re fated to be mere passersby in each other’s lives. It can never work out.’

He clapped Xu Yunhe firmly on the shoulder, as if trying to transfer some of his strength to him. "Stop looking, Yunhe. We still have to go to the City Lord’s Mansion."

Xu Yunhe turned away without a word, without a moment’s hesitation...

「Inside the auction house.」

Xia Wanyun, having just finished bathing and changing her clothes, sat before her vanity. She beckoned to a sweet and docile maidservant. "Tianxiang," she asked, "have the two gentlemen who rescued me left yet?"

Tianxiang replied respectfully, "Hong Xiu just saw the two gentlemen out."

"They’ve already left..."

Xia Wanyun stared blankly into the Glazed Mirror before her, lost in thought. Her mind drifted back to the bamboo forest, the scene of the white-robed, sword-wielding figure deeply etched into her memory, impossible to forget.

"Well, well. Still thinking about them, are we, Young Miss?" a grating voice called out as the harsh-looking woman Song Changsheng had met earlier entered the room.

The words were utterly disrespectful. A frosty expression immediately settled on Tianxiang’s pretty face, and she shot the woman a furious glare. Yet, intimidated by the woman’s status, she didn’t dare take any further action.

The harsh woman paid Tianxiang’s glare no mind. With a cold expression, she said, "Young Miss, you returned with your virtue intact. That is the only reason they received their reward, and the only reason you are still our Young Miss.

Don’t blame me for not warning you, but you must not entertain any improper ideas. Otherwise, you’ll only bring harm upon yourself and others."

"You..."

Tianxiang couldn’t hold it in anymore and started to step forward to argue.

But Xia Wanyun stopped her without saying a word.

The harsh woman was satisfied with Xia Wanyun’s compliance. She turned with a sway of her hips, but paused at the door. "The Lord Steward has given an order," she said. "To prevent a repeat of the last incident, the Young Miss is to remain quietly in her room from now on. You will no longer be needed to host the auctions."

CRACK.

After the harsh woman swaggered out, the eyebrow pencil in Xia Wanyun’s hand snapped in two...

After concluding their business at the auction house, Song Changsheng and Xu Yunhe headed straight for the City Lord’s Mansion. Since they had only completed half of the mission regarding the Evil Cultivator, they knew they couldn’t expect to receive that particular reward.

Fortunately, they had slain the Living Puppet. According to the City Lord’s Mansion’s Bounty Order, this meant they could enter Luoxia City’s Tier Two Treasure Vault and choose three items.

On the way there, the two of them decided how to split the three items.

Xu Yunhe would take one item, and Song Changsheng two. As compensation, Song Changsheng gave him the Red Jade Vermilion Fruit he had previously received from his clan.

The Red Jade Vermilion Fruit could be used to refine a Dragon Ascending Pill, an elixir that helps Foundation Establishment Cultivators break through bottlenecks. Among Tier Two Spirit Fruits, its value was in the highest echelon, so Xu Yunhe was certainly not getting a raw deal.

The City Lord’s Mansion was located in the southern part of the city, covering a vast expanse of land. It was responsible for maintaining the daily operations of all of Luoxia City and represented the single most powerful faction within its walls.

Its highest leaders were, of course, the three City Lords, each of whom had their own private cultivation grounds. The mansion itself was staffed by their disciples, grand-disciples, or fellow martial brothers.

The person who came to greet them was Elder Qianri, whom they had met before. He was a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator and the junior martial brother of the Great City Lord, a position that afforded him extraordinary status.

"So it was you two who slew the Living Puppet?" Elder Qianri had a kindly appearance and treated them both with the utmost courtesy.

"Yes, Elder. The two of us killed it together. We have the body as proof," Song Changsheng said, retrieving the battered puppet from his Qiankun Bag and placing it before Elder Qianri.

Elder Qianri only needed a single glance to confirm it was the Tier Two Top-Grade Puppet. He couldn’t help but smile. "You two are truly promising young talents, to be able to slay even a Tier Two Top-Grade Puppet. You have saved Luoxia City a great deal of face."

"A mere puppet is nothing more than a trivial annoyance to the City Lord’s Mansion, something you could crush with the turn of a hand. The two of us were just lucky," Song Changsheng replied humbly.

"Not at all, not at all." Elder Qianri chuckled. Only he truly understood the immense impact this turmoil had on Luoxia City.

The timing of the incident had been far too coincidental, occurring precisely when the City Lords and the mansion’s main forces were all tied up. Otherwise, the culprits would never have had a chance to escape.

"Luoxia City always honors its word. Come, follow me."

With a wave of his hand, Elder Qianri stored away the ruined puppet and then personally led the two toward the Treasure Vault.

This Treasure Vault was located hundreds of feet beneath the City Lord’s Mansion, protected by layer upon layer of Restrictions and guarded with extreme vigilance. Even a Purple Mansion Cultivator would pay with their life for trying to force their way in!

Even with Elder Qianri leading them, they were subjected to an extremely rigorous inspection before finally being granted entry.

Deep underground, after passing through a long corridor, the group finally arrived before the Treasure Vault. It was a Bronze Gate, dozens of feet tall, its surface covered with intricate patterns and obscure ancient Runes that bore the heavy marks of time.

Before the Bronze Gate sat three cross-legged elders, all shrouded in black robes.

The moment he saw them, Song Changsheng’s heart jolted. Of the three, the two flanking the center were both Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivators. Their auras were restrained, yet they felt faintly stronger than even Elder Qianri.

The elder in the center looked ancient and decrepit. His exposed knuckles resembled rotting wood, and he looked as though he might pass away at any moment.

But the aura he emanated sent a chill down the spines of Song Changsheng and Xu Yunhe. This was a powerful Purple Mansion Cultivator, one even stronger than Dongtian Xie or Yi Wenqing.

’He’s not one of the three City Lords, yet he possesses a Purple Mansion Cultivation... As expected of Luoxia City, head of the Seven Eminent Clans. You truly can’t judge it by ordinary standards.’

Song Changsheng was amazed. ’This is what it means to have a deep foundation built over ages. You can never know how many hidden trump cards these old, established powers truly possess.’

Elder Qianri respectfully cupped his hands. "Martial Uncle."

The elder didn’t even lift an eyelid, his voice raspy. "Is it over?"

"It is. These two fellow Daoists have slain it."

"Hmph. A puppet devouring its master... I haven’t heard of that in years. And it was slain so easily?" the elder mused. "No matter. It must have been fated. Take them inside."

The elder opened his eyes, and for a fleeting moment, a flash of lightning flickered within them, making the hair on Song Changsheng’s and Xu Yunhe’s bodies stand on end.

Thankfully, the elder only glanced at them for a moment before retracting his gaze. He and the other two guardians waved their hands, and a stream of light shot out from each of them, striking the towering Bronze Gate.

RUMBLE...

The Bronze Gate flared with brilliant light and slowly slid open, creating a gap just wide enough for them to pass through before stopping.

The group bowed respectfully to the elders before stepping inside. The moment they crossed the threshold, the terrifying pressure vanished, and Song Changsheng’s taut nerves finally relaxed.

"Please, feel free to choose, fellow Daoists."

As Elder Qianri’s voice echoed in their ears, Song Changsheng instinctively looked up and was instantly frozen in place, utterly stunned...