The scars inflicted upon the Azure Market of Penglai by Wang Lin’s devastating spirit seal had, in a mere two days, vanished. Mages of the Jade Treasure Sect had conjured stone from the four corners of the realm, weaving it anew into the market’s very fabric.

This swift restoration came at a steep price. The number of mages mobilized and the spiritual stones expended soared to astonishing heights. Yet, when the auction’s trumpets blared, the Azure Market stood whole once more, its splendor undimmed.

The Penglai auction was the heart of the Azure Market, a matter of utmost import. The items offered were of unparalleled worth, drawing powerful ancients, masters of potent arcane arts, who flocked to Penglai for this very event.

The auction was staged upon the grand plaza at the heart of Penglai’s main city. Entry was not for all; only those bearing an invitation jade could pass the watchful eyes.

A cordon of Jade Treasure Sect mages, numbering in the hundreds, surrounded the plaza’s thousand-foot perimeter, barring unauthorized entry.

As the auction’s hour drew near, the great ancients of various sects arrived, presenting their jade invitations to gain entrance. Wang Lin, too, felt a stir of interest in this spectacle. His face serene, he transformed into a streak of light, heading directly for the main city.

As Wang Lin traversed the market, every mage who beheld him bowed their heads in deference. His visage was now etched in their memories, a figure they dared not offend after the events of the past days.

Soon, Wang Lin stood at the city’s edge. While the Jade Treasure Sect mages staunchly denied passage to the uninvited, they recognized Wang Lin instantly. Their eyes widened in awe, and they parted, making way without so much as a glance at his credentials.

Within the thousand-foot circle surrounding the plaza, roughly a hundred mages loitered. Most were in the stages of Insight or Purity Nirvana, while those who had achieved Shattered Nirvana were fewer in number.

Wang Lin’s arrival caused a ripple of attention through the crowd. Bows were offered on all sides, and some even approached him, seeking conversation. Wang Lin responded with polite composure, his gaze sweeping the throng until it fell upon Li Qianmei in the distance. She met his eyes, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes shining like distant stars.

Scarcely had Wang Lin set foot within the plaza when a red-robed elder, accompanied by four middle-aged mages, hastened towards him. Even from afar, the elder boomed with jovial cordiality, “It is an honor to our Jade Treasure Sect that Daoist Lü graces our auction with his presence!”

Wang Lin recognized the red-robed elder as one of those who had visited his inn in recent days, representing the Jade Treasure Sect. “Greetings, Elder Cao,” Wang Lin replied with a smile, offering a slight bow.

The elder’s demeanor was marked by deference. He dared not underestimate this white-clad youth, harboring a subtle dread, particularly when he recalled the death of Wu Qing.

During their previous meeting, the elder had discerned an uncommon bearing about Wang Lin, far surpassing that of ordinary folk. His composure, his steadiness, and the fleeting hallucinations that flickered at the edge of his mind when their eyes met had all caused him unease.

He had related his impressions to the sect leader, who, after a period of deep contemplation, had decreed that no disciple of the Jade Treasure Sect on Penglai should give offense to this man. “Whether he is truly a member of the Divine Sect or not, and whether or not he is associated with our Jade Treasure Sect, his effortless slaying of Wu Qing alone earns him our respect.”

Elder Cao engaged Wang Lin in light conversation for a few moments, then, glancing at the sky, he said with a smile, “Daoist Lü, the auction is soon to commence. If you have any treasures you wish to offer, you must make haste.”

Wang Lin pondered for a moment. He did possess several items he wished to sell, hoping to garner more Yuan crystals. Hearing the elder’s words, he smiled and replied, “Indeed, I have two treasures I would like to offer for auction.”

“Ah? Treasures worthy of Daoist Lü are sure to be extraordinary,” Elder Cao said, his interest piqued.

Wang Lin did not speak further. He raised his right hand and made a grasping gesture in the air. Immediately, a spatial rift appeared before him, and from within emerged two objects enveloped in dark light, flying directly towards the red-robed elder.

The elder’s eyes gleamed as he glanced at Wang Lin. His expression remained neutral, discerning the restrictive seals on the two treasures. He refrained from probing their capabilities with his spiritual sense, allowing the gazes of the nearly hundred mages surrounding the plaza to converge upon them. Only after they had taken in the objects’ appearances did he accept them. Wang Lin offered a wry smile and a slight bow.

The elder cleared his throat and said softly, “I will deliver these items to the elders in charge of the auction. Rest assured, Daoist Lü.” With these words, he bowed and departed with his retinue. “A clever fellow, that elder,” Wang Lin murmured, his gaze following the elder’s receding back.

After the red-robed elder’s departure, other mages approached Wang Lin, seeking conversation. Among them were the white-robed scholar and the alluring young woman he had encountered at Cang Songzi’s private gathering.

The three were not strangers, and they exchanged polite words. Suddenly, a tremor shook the plaza, silencing the surrounding area. The shaking intensified, and soon, with a thunderous roar, the ground around the plaza cracked and split. Sixteen colossal stone steles emerged!

These massive steles rose from the earth, slowly reaching a height of a hundred feet before halting. Then, a halo of light enveloped them. At the same time, the ground continued to shake, and forty-odd smaller steles broke through the surface outside the sixteen, stopping at a height of some ten feet.

And it did not end there. Beyond the forty-odd steles, nearly a hundred more, each fifty feet tall, emerged in a continuous surge, ultimately forming a circle – a great stele array!

Most of the mages present had participated in auctions before and were not surprised. They dispersed and, according to their cultivation and status, sat cross-legged on the steles.

Wang Lin’s expression remained calm. He took a step forward and landed on one of the sixteen steles at the forefront, sitting down cross-legged. No one seemed surprised by his choice of seat. It was, in fact, expected.

Looking around, he observed that the other mages seated on these front steles were all ancients of Shattered Nirvana. He recognized the majority of them. As most of the mages settled into their places, a graceful figure approached Wang Lin’s stele. Li Qianmei winked at Wang Lin and quietly sat beside him. “I am leaving soon,” she whispered, as if to herself.

She sat to Wang Lin’s side. A breeze stirred, causing her dark hair to dance. Several strands brushed against Wang Lin’s face, and the sweet fragrance of the fair maiden wafted to his nostrils. The scent was faint, like Li Qianmei’s tranquility, calming the soul.

The auction had begun. A square-faced elder of the Jade Treasure Sect floated above the plaza, showcasing the first item for sale: a bell-shaped artifact adorned with images of ferocious beasts.

Noticing that her hair had brushed against Wang Lin, Li Qianmei’s cheeks flushed. She quickly gathered the stray strands and casually tied them back. “When?” Wang Lin asked, his voice low as he watched the Jade Treasure Sect elder describe the artifact’s attributes. “After the auction,” Li Qianmei replied softly, her gaze fixed on the distant sky, lost in thought. “I will send you.” Wang Lin spoke calmly.

At that moment, the bell was sold, and the Jade Treasure Sect elder produced the second item: a medicinal pill.

Li Qianmei smiled gently, turned to Wang Lin, and looked at him with her bright eyes. “How will you send me? Will you send me away from Penglai…?”
“Yes,” Wang Lin nodded, still not looking at Li Qianmei.

Li Qianmei gazed at Wang Lin’s profile, thought for a moment, and said softly, “Or will you send me to the Ninth Order Starfield?” Wang Lin hesitated and remained silent. “Or will you send me to the Demon Sect, to fight alongside me against the invasion of the fierce beasts?” Li Qianmei’s voice was melodious, like the sound of her flute, lingering in Wang Lin’s ears. Wang Lin remained silent. Li Qianmei turned her head away and sighed softly.

At this moment, the second item was sold, and the Jade Treasure Sect elder brought out the third item: a painting, devoid of mountains, yet filled with flowing rivers, lakes, and seas, so vividly realistic as to seem alive.

“I wasn’t supposed to leave so soon; there were still things I needed to confirm. But yesterday, my master sent a message, saying that the number of fierce beasts emerging from the rift in the Demon Sect has suddenly increased… Disciples from all sects in the Ninth Order must quickly go to assist. Who knows when I’ll be able to return…” Li Qianmei said after a long silence. “May your journey be safe,” Wang Lin said slowly. “I didn’t intervene in your battle with Wu Qing because…” Li Qianmei hesitated, but Wang Lin interrupted her. “I understand,” Wang Lin said calmly. Li Qianmei looked at Wang Lin, and after a long time, she said softly, “Do you really understand…?” Wang Lin didn’t answer, but looked at the landscape painting in the Jade Treasure Sect elder’s hand. The surrounding mages continued to bid for the painting. After a moment of silence, he said, his voice resounding throughout the area, “I want this painting.”

As soon as he spoke, the other bidders stopped, glanced at Wang Lin, and then stopped bidding. No one dared to compete with Wang Lin. The story of Wu Qing had already spread. In addition to greed, another reason for Wu Qing’s death was that he had bid against this fierce man.

Wang Lin waved his right hand in the air and took the painting from the Jade Treasure Sect elder’s hand. He opened it and looked at it before putting it away. For the first time, he turned to look at Li Qianmei’s beautiful and tranquil eyes. “I’ll give it to you!” Wang Lin handed over the painting.

Li Qianmei was silent for a long time, then smiled, took the painting, pursed her lips, stood up, and said softly, “If you find the person my Broken Sky Sect is looking for, please tell him that the Broken Sky Sect invites him.”

After she finished speaking, she didn’t look at Wang Lin again. Her figure rose like a dancing butterfly, and her black hair instantly turned into a stunning blue. Amidst the gazes of the surrounding mages, she slowly departed. She always held the painting in her hand. “Forget each other in the pugilistic world… is that so…”