Back at "Banyan Shade Dwelling" inn, after setting up layer upon layer of restrictions, the atmosphere in the room remained heavy. The brief conflict in the dark alley was like a basin of cold water, awakening what little侥幸 remained from just arriving. The Shadow Snake Pavilion's shadow had enveloped this City of Rogue Cultivators far earlier than they'd anticipated.
"This token," Liu Yun placed the black token carved with a coiled snake on the table, her fingertip tracing the cold surface, brows tightly locked, "is confirmed to be Shadow Snake Pavilion's. Their power here is likely deeply entrenched. We killed their people—though we handled the traces, it's hard to guarantee no other eyes saw us enter that alley."
Tang Xiaoqi sat by the window, gazing at the street below that still flickered with lights even late at night, his gaze calm: "No matter. If soldiers come, generals meet them. Since we've come, we can't hide in the shadows forever. This conflict can be considered sounding them out—letting them know we're not soft persimmons to be easily squeezed. Next, they'll either increase their search efforts or change tactics. We can observe through this."
He paused, then asked: "Senior Sister, during your daytime investigation in the city, did you hear any other news about the Shadow Snake Pavilion, or similar to 'Soul-Controlling Jade' and strange soul power?"
Liu Yun shook her head, somewhat vexed: "Mostly scattered rumors, hard to distinguish true from false. Some say Shadow Snake Pavilion remnants are gathering at secret strongholds everywhere, seemingly planning big moves; others say they've split internally because their lair was destroyed... As for 'Soul-Controlling Jade,' such secrets—ordinary rogue cultivators have no way of knowing."
The clues seemed to end here. In this massive and chaotic city, wanting to find information about the Shadow Snake Pavilion's core secrets, especially regarding Xu Zhan's whereabouts and the "Soul-Controlling Jade," was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Just then, a light knock came from outside the room—the fat shopkeeper's voice, with his habitual enthusiasm: "You two guests, have you rested? This humble one has some news you might find interesting."
Xiaoqi and Liu Yun exchanged a glance, both seeing alertness in the other's eyes. Xiaoqi waved to remove part of the sound insulation restriction, speaking low: "Shopkeeper, please come in."
The fat shopkeeper pushed in, face full of smiles, his gaze quickly sweeping the room. Seeing only Xiaoqi and Liu Yun, he lowered his voice: "Sorry to disturb your peace. Just now I heard several regular customers chatting below and learned some news—thinking you two are newcomers, it might be useful, so I took the liberty to come inform you."
"Oh? What news?" Xiaoqi asked, showing nothing.
"It's about the 'Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House.'" The fat shopkeeper rubbed his hands, eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "Three days from now, the auction house will hold a once-in-ten-years large auction. They say this time there are exceptionally many good items, attracting quite a few sects and noble families from surrounding provinces, even some mysterious figures."
An auction? Xiaoqi's heart stirred slightly. This kind of large auction was often a convergence point for all sorts of rare treasures and confidential news.
The fat shopkeeper continued: "I hear one of the finale treasures this time is quite peculiar—not some divine weapon or rare pill, but a fragment from the core area of an 'ancient battlefield.'"
"A fragment?" Liu Yun questioned.
"Correct, a fragment neither gold nor jade, of unknown material." The fat shopkeeper described, himself carrying some curiosity. "They say the fragment is shrouded with an extremely ancient and pure 'soul power'—any spiritual sense probing into it will feel a tremor, even seeing some blurry ancient battle phantoms. The Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House invited several appraisal masters, but none could fully determine its origin and use—only judging it to be related to ancient 'soul path' inheritance, possibly containing world-shaking secrets."
"Ancient fragment containing strange soul power? Related to the soul path?" Xiaoqi's heart suddenly pounded! He suppressed the waves in his heart, his face remaining calm. "Sounds quite interesting. Shopkeeper, do you know what this fragment specifically looks like? Which ancient battlefield does it come from?"
The fat shopkeeper shook his head: "That's unclear. The auction house keeps finale treasure information extremely confidential—these are all leaked through gossip. But they say to appraise this fragment, the auction house even damaged a Golden Core stage advisor's spiritual sense—shows its extraordinariness."
He looked at Xiaoqi and Liu Yun's expressions, smiling: "If you two are interested, might as well go take a look. Even if not bidding, it's good to broaden your horizons. However, participating in the auction requires either an introduction or paying a substantial deposit to prove financial means. This humble one can help obtain entry qualifications, just the handling fee..."
Xiaoqi immediately understood his meaning, taking out a bag containing five hundred low-grade spirit stones and handing it over: "Thank you for your trouble, shopkeeper. Please obtain two ordinary seat entry qualifications for us. This is a deposit—after it's done, there will be additional thanks."
The fat shopkeeper accepted the spirit stone bag, weighed it, and his smile grew even brighter: "Of course, of course! Leave it to me! I guarantee good seats for you two!" He paused, then lowered his voice to add: "Also, during the auction, all sorts of people will be in the city—do be careful, especially... don't flash your wealth." He glanced meaningfully at Xiaoqi, apparently having heard or guessed something about the dark alley conflict.
"Thank you for the reminder, shopkeeper." Xiaoqi nodded.
Only then did the fat shopkeeper contentedly take his leave.
The room door closed again, restrictions rising once more.
Liu Yun immediately looked at Xiaoqi, eyes questioning: "You think that fragment..."
Xiaoqi took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as a sword: "Ancient battlefield, strange soul power, related to the soul path... Senior Sister, don't you think this description could very well be of the same source as the 'Soul-Controlling Jade' or that power affecting Father's soul?"
The information Aunt Su passed clearly stated that the "Soul-Controlling Jade" was in the Shadow Snake Pavilion headquarters' Ten Thousand Souls Hall, and the Ten Thousand Souls Hall obviously couldn't be separated from soul path and demonic soul power. This suddenly appearing fragment containing powerful ancient soul power was extremely likely to have some connection with the power the Shadow Snake Pavilion pursued, perhaps even with the "Soul-Controlling Jade" itself!
"Even if not directly related, this item is certainly extraordinary." Xiaoqi stood up, pacing in the room. "Shadow Snake Pavilion people will likely target this fragment too. This auction—we must attend!"
This might not only be an opportunity to find clues, but also a stage to understand the Shadow Snake Pavilion's movements, even to indirectly clash with them.
"But our spirit stones..." Liu Yun was somewhat worried. Though they had some savings, facing this level of auction, especially for finale items that multiple powers might target, they might fall short.
"No matter." A decisive light flashed in Xiaoqi's eyes. "We don't necessarily need to bid for it. Participating in the auction, the primary purpose is to confirm whether that fragment is related to the clues we're seeking; second is to observe which powers are interested in this fragment, especially... the Shadow Snake Pavilion!"
He looked at Liu Yun: "Senior Sister, in the next two days, let's act separately. You continue gathering more detailed news about the auction and that fragment in the city—be careful. I... need to prepare some things."
"Prepare what?" Liu Yun asked.
Xiaoqi didn't directly answer, only touching his storage bag, which contained various "prototypes" Second Senior Brother had stuffed him with, also some useless materials he'd collected from the secret realm and past experiences. More importantly, there was his capability as a pill refiner and possessor of the Purification Source.
"Perhaps we can use another method to 'earn' enough spirit stones, or... exchange for the information we want." The corners of Xiaoqi's mouth curved in a meaningful arc. In this chaotic city, strength wasn't only reflected in cultivation—sometimes, some special abilities might open unexpected situations.
Green Banyan City's waters, because of this upcoming auction, became even more turbid, even more turbulent. And Xiaoqi knew that beneath these surging undercurrents might lie hidden the light of clues they desperately sought.
The second volume "Secret Realm Inheritance" slowly drew to a close amid the rising wind of the auction, with new challenges and opportunities surfacing. Tang Xiaoqi's journey officially shifted from the sect's protection to a broader, more cruel real cultivation world. His legend was turning a new page.