A Green Star Card!
It was actually a Green Star Card!
The crowd, which had just quieted down, instantly exploded in disbelief and excitement.
"A Green Star Card? That's the third-tier VIP card, right?!"
"Holy shit! I heard that to become a Green Star VIP of the Tianxing Auction House, your total transactions must exceed a million high-grade spirit stones!"
"A million?! Just what kind of fortune is that?"
"No wonder that cloaked senior subdued a Golden Core cultivator like it was nothing. Her background must be terrifying!"
"Wait, you're telling me that the Young Sect Master Yu and Tianyin Sect's Yu Mingxi are actually ranked below her in VIP status? That's insane!"
Voices overlapped in shock, envy, and awe.
All those earlier looks of disdain and resentment were instantly replaced by fear and reverence.
Yu Mingxi's expression darkened to an ugly mix of blue and white. He never imagined that the mysterious cloaked woman would not only crush them in strength, but even outrank them in identity within the Tianxing Auction House.
A Green Star Card wasn't just a symbol of wealth—it represented status, power, and favor. Whoever owned one was someone the auction house treated as a top-tier client. And the kind of wealth and influence that came with that… was far beyond what any loose cultivator could have.
His earlier words suddenly felt ridiculous and laughable.
Yu Xiaotang's pupils contracted sharply, and the color drained from her face. She stared at Xie Zhaolin with a mixture of shock and confusion, a faint trace of unease flickering in her eyes.
A Green Star Card? That was beyond what she'd expected.
As the Young Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect, she only possessed a Yellow Star Card, yet that cloaked figure—a supposed loose cultivator—had one level higher?
Impossible.
She knew it couldn't be just because of strength. Behind that card must be an influence or fortune powerful enough to shake entire regions. That unsettling sense of familiarity and dread in her chest grew stronger.
Xie Zhaolin ignored the noise and the ugly faces around her as if they didn't exist.
"Let's go," she said flatly to the maid, her hoarse voice calm, indifferent, and utterly detached, as if none of this had anything to do with her.
The maid quickly bowed even lower than before, her tone almost trembling with respect. "Yes, honored guest, please follow me."
She stepped aside and carefully led the way forward.
Xie Zhaolin followed at a steady, unhurried pace, leaving the stunned crowd behind without a glance.
When she passed by Yu Xiaotang, her steps didn't even falter. She didn't spare her a single look, not even from the corner of her eye.
That pure, deliberate indifference was more humiliating than any mockery.
Yu Xiaotang clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms, her face pale with fury—but she didn't dare utter a sound.
Yu Mingxi's face was also dark, but he too didn't move to stop her.
Rules were rules. In Tianxing City, especially within the auction house, no one dared to challenge them. The two could only watch helplessly as that black-cloaked figure disappeared deeper into the VIP passage.
This confrontation ended not with a fight, but with absolute suppression—both in power and in status.
But deep in Yu Xiaotang's heart, a thorn had been planted.
That black-robed cultivator… who exactly was she?
Her instincts screamed that this wouldn't be their last encounter.
Meanwhile, Xie Zhaolin followed the maid through a quiet corridor until they reached a refined private room on the second floor.
The box was tastefully decorated and luxurious, overlooking the entire auction hall below. A faint fragrance of calming incense filled the air.
The maid poured her a cup of spiritual tea, then respectfully bowed to take her leave.
"Wait."
Xie Zhaolin's voice stopped her in her tracks.
The maid turned around, lowering her head. "Honored guest, do you have any orders?"
Xie Zhaolin didn't answer immediately. She walked to the window, gazed down at the bustling crowd below, and spoke after a moment of silence.
"I remember that my VIP card was a Yellow Star Card. Why did you say earlier that I now hold a Green Star Card?"
She remembered this clearly. When she'd left three days ago, her card was indeed Yellow Star tier. To qualify for a Green Star Card, one needed a far higher transaction record and credit level—something she hadn't reached.
But the maid didn't look surprised or nervous. She bowed even deeper and replied respectfully, "You remember correctly, honored guest. Your previous card was indeed Yellow Star."
"However," she continued after a short pause, "yesterday, Elder Ge gave a special order to upgrade your status to Green Star. I'm only following his instructions."
Elder Ge personally ordered it?
Xie Zhaolin's gaze flickered under the cloak.
She'd only met that man twice—once a year ago, and once just yesterday. Even though her transaction this time was massive, it still shouldn't have been enough for an instant upgrade.
So this was clearly a deliberate gesture of goodwill—from Elder Ge, or perhaps someone behind him.
She couldn't help a cold, quiet laugh in her heart. No one offers favors for nothing.
Still, a gift handed to her door wasn't something she'd refuse.
A Green Star Card meant better privileges, faster service, and higher priority in special situations.
For her, it was all benefit, no loss.
As for whatever hidden motive they had...
She'd deal with it when it came.
With her current strength and trump cards, as long as a Nascent Soul old monster didn't personally make a move, she was confident she could handle anything.
Her thoughts settled, and she made her decision.
After a brief silence, she said calmly, "I see."
The maid's shoulders relaxed slightly, her smile turning more genuine.
"Since your level's been upgraded, we'll need to replace your old card with a new one," she said carefully. "Would you please hand me your Yellow Star Card so I can exchange it for the Green one?"
Xie Zhaolin didn't hesitate. She pulled the glowing yellow card from her storage ring and handed it over.
"Thank you."
"Honored guest, you're too kind." The maid accepted it with both hands and bowed again. "Please wait a moment. I'll be right back. If you need anything in the meantime, you can ring the bell on the table."
With that, she slipped quietly out of the room.
Silence settled.
Xie Zhaolin sat down by the soft couch near the window, her gaze falling on a delicate jade slip lying on the table. It contained the full catalog of today's auction items.
She picked it up and sent her divine sense into it.
As expected of a grand auction held only once every ten years, the list was dazzling.
Rare spirit herbs, precious ores, finished pills, magic treasures, secret manuals, beast materials—everything imaginable was up for bid.
And some of them, even she found tempting.
Her eyes finally stopped on the final listed item—the Soul-Nurturing Sapling.
Starting bid: one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones.
===
It must be interesting when she finally knew that 'person behind' this auction house is Jiu Jiu