The fox's expression did not change.
Not outwardly.
Her turquoise eyes remained calm, cool, unreadable.
But inwardly, her thoughts were already racing.
*Two thousand…*
Her tail almost twitched. Almost.
*For scraps?*
To her, that was exactly what these were.
Leftovers. Spoils she had never considered particularly valuable.
And yet here, in a place like this, they were worth enough to make Shen Tu look as though he might faint.
The fox felt something warm stir in her chest.
Not excitement.
Not greed.
Something sharper.
Satisfaction.
Because she had been right.
Power mattered.
But options mattered more.
And wealth—real wealth—meant freedom.
Still, none of that showed on her face.
She simply gave the faintest nod.
"Proceed."
The badger inclined his head once.
"As you wish."
The horned attendant stepped forward at once, ready to begin cataloguing the items.
But before he could, the fox's divine sense stirred again.
A flicker of spiritual light passed through the room.
Then another sword appeared.
This one was longer than the first.
Its blade was pale silver, clean and elegant.
But what truly drew attention was the pressure it carried.
Sharper.
Heavier.
More refined.
The badger's eyes narrowed instantly.
He stepped closer.
His spectacles caught the lamplight as he studied it.
"…Another."
He paused.
Then, for the first time, a note of genuine approval entered his voice.
"Mid Earth-grade."
"Metal affinity."
"Superior forging."
"Minimal use."
Shen Tu stared at the blade, then slowly turned to the fox as though he were beginning to suspect she had robbed an entire sect treasury.
The fox ignored him.
The badger looked up again.
"With this added…"
He recalculated quickly.
"Revised estimate: twenty-eight hundred to three thousand mid-grade spirit stones."
Even the horned attendant's composure cracked this time, if only slightly.
A single consignment of this scale, from an unknown fox beast, was not normal.
Not even for Ironroot Hall.
The fox's lips curved faintly.
Better.
That sounded much more reasonable.
The badger straightened.
"Ironroot Hall will place your lot in tonight's main sequence."
"Would you like your identity concealed from bidders?"
The fox gave him a flat look.
"Obviously."
The badger gave a short nod.
"Done."
He paused, then his gaze sharpened faintly.
"Then all that remains…"
"…is whether you intend to buy anything dangerous with what you earn."
The fox smiled.
This time, slowly.
Sharply.
"That depends."
She tilted her head slightly.
"What are you hiding in the final lot?"
The badger's whiskers twitched.
The faintest sign of amusement.
For the first time since she entered, he looked almost entertained.
"You're bold."
The fox's smile did not fade.
"I'm curious."
The badger studied her for a moment longer, then adjusted his spectacles.
"Final lots are not announced in advance."
His tone was professional again.
"Not fully."
He paused.
"But…"
His sharp eyes flicked over her.
"You've brought enough value that a little reassurance is not unreasonable."
Shen Tu straightened instantly.
He was already hanging on every word.
The horned attendant remained silent, but even he was clearly listening now.
The badger tapped one claw lightly against the blackstone table.
"Tonight's auction has twelve lots."
"Most are what you would expect."
"Rare herbs."
"Spirit ores."
"A few techniques."
"One high Earth-grade defensive spirit tool."
The fox's ears twitched faintly.
Useful.
But not enough to truly interest her.
Then the badger continued.
"Lot Eleven…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…is a fragment of an ancient concealment formation."
Shen Tu sucked in a breath.
The fox noticed immediately.
Interesting.
The badger went on.
"Damaged."
"Incomplete."
"But if repaired…"
"It could conceal a cave, dwelling, or force from divine sense far above its original grade."
The fox's eyes sharpened.
Now that was useful.
Especially for what she planned.
But the badger was not finished.
"Lot Twelve…"
He paused, as though weighing whether to speak at all.
Then he said:
"A map."
The fox blinked once.
"A map?"
The badger nodded.
"To an old human ruin."
"Deep within White Bone Tiger territory."
"A sealed place."
"Untouched for at least three hundred years."
Silence settled over the chamber.
Even Shen Tu had gone still.
The fox's expression did not shift, but inwardly, her thoughts sharpened instantly.
White Bone Tiger territory.
Meihu.
Their mission.
And now, possibly, a hidden ruin in the same territory.
A ruin meant treasure.
Resources.
Danger.
Opportunity.
Either way, it mattered.
The badger's eyes rested on her.
"The map alone is incomplete."
"But paired with the auction's access token…"
"It can lead the buyer to the outer seal."
He paused.
"It will draw monsters."
The fox's lips curved slowly.
Predatory.
Perfect.
She had come here for one fox.
And suddenly, the night had offered her something far more useful than revenge.
It had offered her leverage.
The fox did not speak immediately.
Her turquoise eyes remained fixed on the badger.
Calm on the surface.
But something behind that calm had shifted.
Like a lock turning quietly into place.
A decision forming.
Shen Tu, standing slightly behind her, felt it too and instinctively fell silent.
Even Little White had stopped drinking for once.
The badger watched her closely.
Not pressuring.
Not rushing.
Simply observing.
The fox finally exhaled softly through her nose.
"…Interesting."
She paused.
"Very."
Her tail swayed once behind her.
Slowly.
Thoughtfully.
Then she glanced toward the horned attendant.
"Lot Eleven and Lot Twelve…"
Her voice was even.
"…are they available for preview?"
The attendant hesitated for half a breath, then nodded.
"Yes."
"Qualified bidders may inspect fragments of Lot Eleven."
"As for Lot Twelve…"
He paused slightly.
"The map will not be fully revealed."
"Only a projection of its outer path."
The fox hummed softly.
Expected.
Of course something like that would not be fully exposed.
Otherwise, the Hollow would already be in chaos.
She shifted her gaze back to the badger.
"And the opening bids?"
The badger adjusted his spectacles again.
"Lot Eleven: eight hundred mid-grade spirit stones."
"Lot Twelve: starting at one thousand."
Shen Tu visibly flinched.
Not because it was too much.
Because that was only the beginning.
The fox, however, only smiled faintly.
That kind of price meant competition.
And competition meant information.
And information meant movement.
She stepped back slightly from the table.
"All items I consigned."
She paused.
"Put them in the main auction."
Her eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"I want them seen."
Shen Tu snapped his head toward her.
"My Lady—?"
But the badger simply nodded once.
"As you wish."
The horned attendant finally moved, carefully gathering the items into secured spirit seals and preparing them for circulation.
The fox turned slightly, already finished with the discussion.
Her attention was elsewhere now.
Deeper in the Hollow.
Toward the auction hall.
Toward Lot Eleven.
Toward Lot Twelve.
Toward Meihu.
Toward White Bone Tiger territory.
Shen Tu quickly fell into step beside her again.
"My Lady…"
His voice was lower now.
"This is getting dangerous."
The fox did not even look at him.
"I know."
She paused.
"That's why it's interesting."
And with that, she walked out of the appraisal chamber, already no longer thinking about what she was selling.
Only about what she was about to take.