"Investigation? What is your investigation based on? The truth, or the status of the guests?" Ye Xuan demanded.

"They were the ones who provoked us first. So many people here witnessed it. You’re not going to skip even that basic of an investigation, are you?" Luo Cheng also spoke up.

As soon as he finished, many Martial Artists in the regular area immediately started nodding.

These Martial Artists were all the type to enjoy a good spectacle.

For a moment, the patrol members were caught in a dilemma.

If this were a normal auction, they wouldn’t have wasted their breath; they would have simply taken Ye Xuan and Luo Cheng away. But today was the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s annual grand auction. Acting so rashly would have a huge impact on the Pavilion’s reputation.

As guards, they couldn’t afford to take that responsibility.

"What’s going on here?"

Just then, a middle-aged man in a manager’s uniform walked over.

After hearing the situation from the patrol members, the man immediately cupped his hands toward Ye Xuan and Luo Cheng. "Gentlemen, today is the day of our Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s annual auction. For you two to cause such a major incident at our entrance has already disturbed the peace of the event. Asking you to cooperate with our investigation shouldn’t be too much to ask, right?"

The man was well-mannered, and his tone was polite rather than severe.

But Luo Cheng immediately retorted, "Sir, it’s not that we won’t cooperate, but they were clearly the ones who provoked us first. On what grounds are you taking us away for investigation?"

The middle-aged manager offered a slight smile. "Young Master, these two are VIPs of our auction, while you are merely ordinary guests. When the details of the situation are unclear, we must first prioritize protecting the interests of our VIPs. I hope you can understand."

"But rest assured, our Heaven-Reaching Pavilion treats VIPs and ordinary guests with absolute equality in the face of the truth. As long as the investigation shows you didn’t start the trouble, we will release you immediately. We will also let you enter the auction hall first as compensation and issue a warning to the other two."

"This whole thing is just a small matter. Gentlemen, please do our Heaven-Reaching Pavilion a courtesy. There’s no need to blow things out of proportion. Don’t you agree?"

It had to be said, the middle-aged manager was a smooth operator. His words were pleasant, or at least not off-putting.

"Did you hear that? Heh heh, we’re VIPs, and you two are just a couple of paupers. When push comes to shove, of course they have to protect our interests first! If you ask me, you two should just obediently let the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion haul you in for questioning. Stop standing here and embarrassing yourselves."

"Haha, a dignified young master from a great family being hauled away for investigation by the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. This will be big news in the Imperial Capital!"

"Tsk, tsk, Brother Luo, tomorrow you’ll be a role model for our generation in the Imperial Capital. An experience like this... we’d never be so lucky! Only a young master from a great family who buys a regular ticket could enjoy such generous treatment. Hahaha."

Wang Jie and Gu Yun roared with laughter, mocking them relentlessly.

"Gentlemen, that’s enough," the middle-aged manager said, turning to them.

Wang Jie and Gu Yun fell silent, but the mocking sneers on their faces only widened. The smugness and arrogance deep in their eyes were obvious to all.

"You two, please come with us." The middle-aged manager waved his hand, and several guards immediately stepped forward.

Luo Cheng’s face was ashen. He felt a deep sense of humiliation, but facing the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, he didn’t dare resist.

"Hold on," Ye Xuan suddenly barked.

"Yes?" the middle-aged manager asked, looking over.

"I believe you’re arresting the wrong people. You should be taking those two for investigation instead." A faint smile played on Ye Xuan’s lips.

"Sir, are you determined to disrespect the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion?"

The middle-aged manager’s expression darkened instantly, looking quite unpleasant. He had been perfectly reasonable, so why were these two so determined to be difficult?

This was a minor issue. They just needed to come with him, and regardless of who was right or wrong, there would be no major consequences.

But if they insisted on making a scene, then they couldn’t blame the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion for using force.

Ye Xuan smiled faintly. "Respect isn’t given by others; it’s earned. Didn’t you just say you have to protect the interests of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s VIPs? Just because they are VIPs, does that mean we can’t be VIPs too?"

"Haha, you’re VIPs? VIPs who line up in the regular queue!"

Hearing this, Wang Jie and Gu Yun couldn’t help themselves and burst into laughter.

"Kid, get your eyes checked. Being a VIP isn’t something you just say with your mouth; you need a Token." Wang Jie took out a Token and waved it in Ye Xuan’s face. "See this? A silver Token. Do you know what this represents? It represents that this young master is qualified for an Earth Level private room in the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. One Earth Level room costs ten million Profound Coins. Do you have that, you pauper?"

Wang Jie held the silver Token, laughing arrogantly, flecks of his spit nearly landing on Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan waved a hand in disgust and said disdainfully, "It’s just a stupid little card. Look at how arrogant you are. You have one, so what? So do I."

With that, Ye Xuan produced a Token. It was palm-sized and, under the sunlight, emitted a yellow halo.

"A copper Token?" Wang Jie was stunned. "You brat, you actually have a private room too?"

The private rooms at the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion were divided into Celestial, Earth, Profound, and Yellow Levels, while the Tokens corresponded to gold, silver, copper, and iron.

Therefore, upon seeing the yellow Token in Ye Xuan’s hand, the first thought in Wang Jie’s mind was ’copper Token.’

After the initial shock, he immediately sneered. "It’s just a copper Token. The price of a Profound Level private room is only one million Profound Coins—ten times less than our Earth Level room. You two still can’t escape being investigated."

At this, Wang Jie adopted a lecturing tone. "VIPs have ranks too, kid. Don’t think you can act all high and mighty just because you have a copper Token."

Ye Xuan didn’t reply, merely giving him a mocking glance before turning to the middle-aged manager and saying coldly, "He’s right. VIPs do have different statuses. Now, aren’t you going to take those two in for investigation?"

"Yes, yes."

Cold sweat broke out on the middle-aged manager’s forehead. He immediately snapped at the guards beside him, "What are you waiting for? Take those two away."

"Which two?" a guard asked, confused.

"Are you idiots? These two, of course!" The middle-aged manager practically roared, pointing directly at Wang Jie and Gu Yun.

Wang Jie and Gu Yun hadn’t even processed what was happening before they were surrounded by a group of guards.

This dramatic turn of events left everyone dumbfounded.

"What... what are you doing?" Wang Jie shouted in shock and anger. "We are Earth Level VIPs of your Heaven-Reaching Pavilion! You must have made a mistake!"

"Sir, what is the meaning of this? Are you looking down on our two great families?" Gu Yun added, his face dark.

"My apologies, gentlemen. This person is a Celestial Level VIP of our Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. And in our Pavilion, Celestial Level VIPs are supreme."

"Celestial Level VIP? Are you mistaken? How could those two get a gold Token? This is clearly copper, you must be seeing things!" Wang Jie yelled, his gaze falling upon the Token in Ye Xuan’s hand. When he got a good look, his eyes went wide.

He hadn’t seen it clearly before, with the sun in his eyes. Now that he could see it properly—what copper Token? The one in Ye Xuan’s hand was a brilliantly glittering gold Token.

’How could the Luo family possibly have a gold Token?’

Their eyes were wide as saucers, their faces masks of utter disbelief.

There were only thirty Celestial Level private rooms in the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, and they were not for public sale. To get one, an individual had to be from a major, influential power. The Luo family, a mere noble house, wouldn’t have been qualified to receive a gold Token even at the height of its power.

But at this moment, they didn’t have the luxury of thinking about all that.

"Take them away," the middle-aged manager barked. Wang Jie and Gu Yun were immediately led away by the menacing guards toward the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s interrogation room.

"We are VIPs of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion! You can’t do this to us!"

"We are the young masters of the Wang and Gu families! Has your Heaven-Reaching Pavilion considered the consequences of doing this?"

Wang Jie and Gu Yun shouted furiously.

But the only response they received was the guards’ powerful grips and indifferent eyes.

"Esteemed VIPs, please forgive my earlier offense."

The middle-aged manager said respectfully, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

Of the four levels—Celestial, Earth, Profound, and Yellow—the Earth, Profound, and Yellow levels could all be bought with money. Only the Celestial Level could not be purchased. Therefore, in the eyes of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s staff, only Celestial Level VIPs were true VIPs.

"Gentlemen, Celestial Level VIPs do not need to queue, not even in the VIP line. As soon as you show your Token, a dedicated staff member will escort you inside."

Seeing Ye Xuan remain silent, the middle-aged manager spoke again.

"Then lead the way."

Ye Xuan thought for a moment and nodded.

’Originally, I hadn’t planned on taking out this gold Token, because doing so would expose my identity as the one who commissioned the Pill of Eternal Youth. The situation just now simply forced my hand. Now that it’s out, I’m not bothered. With the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s standing and rules, even if they know my identity, they would absolutely not expose it to other powers. Of this, I’m very confident.’

And so.

Under the astonished gazes of the many ordinary Martial Artists and noble young masters, Ye Xuan and Luo Cheng were respectfully escorted by the manager into the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, no queuing required.

This scene left everyone speechless.

The ordinary Martial Artists in the regular area, in particular, felt as if a stampede of mythical beasts was rampaging through their minds.

’Whose young master was that? The Luo family’s?’

’Now that’s fucking badass! He has the most prestigious gold Token but doesn’t even use it, queuing up in the regular line instead. That’s just too low-key.’

’If it weren’t for this commotion, no one would have ever known that two of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion’s Celestial Level VIPs had been queuing in the regular line.’