Ling Xian stood at the edge of the dark cavern, the air still humming with the residual heat of the Primordial Celestial Flame Seed now nestled deep within his soul. Faint embers flickered across his skin, reacting to the ancient fire now bound to him. Despite the heavy toll on his body, his eyes burned with clarity, focused and unwavering.
"Once you reach the peak of this realm—when your cultivation stands at the pinnacle of the Heaven Ascension Realm—return to me. If you still prove worthy… you will not only gain the complete Primordial Celestial Flame, but I… shall descend with you."
The flame spirit's words echoed in his mind, their weight not just a promise, but a challenge. Ling Xian exhaled deeply. "I'll return," he murmured, stepping out of the cavern and vanishing into the forest shadows.
As the forest gave way to stone roads and busy streets, Ling Xian's mind lingered on the surreal encounter. The flame spirit, proud and intelligent, had tested every fiber of his being. Her final test—allowing her flames to pierce not just his flesh, but his soul—was still fresh in his memory. Though he had succeeded, it came at a cost. His body was still healing, and his cultivation remained at the Early Meridian Opening Realm.
But now, a new task demanded attention: the city auction. The last rare ingredient he needed to complete the special breakthrough pill Yan Ruyin needed would be auctioned tonight. He needed to attend—and fast.
His steps quickened as the distant walls of the city came into view.
Ling Xian arrived at the bustling city just as the afternoon sun began to dip. People moved with purpose; the energy in the air was different—excited, expectant. He immediately made his way to the inn they had rented.
The front desk manager, a middle-aged man with dull eyes and a forced smile, looked up as Ling Xian approached.
"I'm looking for my companion—the woman I came in with yesterday. Where is she?"
The man rubbed his neck awkwardly. "She left this morning. Didn't say where."
Ling Xian's expression darkened. "Did she leave a message? A note? Anything?"
The manager simply shrugged. "Not that I know of, Young Master."
His heart skipped a beat. Yan Ruyin wasn't someone who wandered off without a word. A feeling of unease stirred in his chest. Trying to stay calm, he turned and left the inn.
Out in the crowded street, his eyes scanned every face, but there was no sign of her.
He closed his eyes and activated his divine sense—a sharp, honed perception that rippled through the city's energies. The sudden flood of noise, emotion, and cultivation waves nearly overwhelmed him, but he pushed through.
Moments passed.
Then—he found her.
A familiar spiritual presence—cool like moonlight, yet fierce—hovered near the auction house gate.
He let out a relieved breath and moved swiftly in her direction.
Yan Ruyin stood calmly outside the grand auction hall, her snow-white robe swaying in the wind, runes flickering subtly across its surface. She looked up as he approached, a hint of amusement in her expression.
"You look like you ran through a firestorm," she said lightly.
"What do you think."
She blinked. "You're serious?"
He doesn't answer it properly and didn't elaborate. "Let's go. It's almost starting."
Before they stepped inside, Ling Xian reached into his storage pouch and handed her a few items.
First, a set of three talismans inscribed with ancient characters—each one layered with defensive arrays.
"These will shield you if something unexpected happens during my absence."
Then, two fist-sized monster cores—gleaming, but with an odd shimmer of silver lightning within them.
Yan Ruyin raised an eyebrow. "These aren't normal monster cores."
"They've been refined using an ancient method. A powerful alchemist will likely compete for them. They'll fetch a good price."
She accepted them without hesitation. "If we auction these off, then these would be sold for a good price."
Ling Xian paused, then pulled out two scrolls sealed with crimson wax. He handed them to Yan Ruyin as well.
"These are two pill recipes I recovered from ancient ruins. One is a Soul Resonance Pill—helps with breaking through bottlenecks in the Core Vein Realm. The other is the Heavenroot Essence Pill, for nurturing injured spiritual roots. Both are extremely rare."
Yan Ruyin accepted them, stunned. "You're planning to auction all these?"
He nodded. "Let them be sold as I'm lacking spiritual stones. You may go and submit to auction house. "
She glanced at him, puzzled. "You don't care about the attention?"
He smirked faintly. "What's there to be worried, as no one can harm us. "
The auction house bustled with cultivators from every corner of the region. Decorative lanterns illuminated the hallways, each flickering flame imbued with spiritual light.
A manager wearing robes of deep red and gold approached them with a respectful bow.
"Are you the ones who submitted the refined monster cores and rare pill formulas?"
Ling Xian nodded without giving his real name.
"Please follow me to your private box," the manager said.
As they walked, a glowing rune suddenly appeared before the manager—an urgent spiritual message. His eyes scanned it, and he abruptly halted.
He turned to them with renewed deference. "My apologies. You have been granted access to our highest VIP box."
Yan Ruyin frowned. "That's... odd."
The luxurious VIP room was spacious, decorated in gold-threaded drapes and carved jade furnishings. Barrier formations hummed around them, ensuring total privacy.
Yet outside the room, whispers began to circulate.
"Who are they?"
"That guy's just Early Meridian Opening Realm! And she's what, Core Vein Middle Stage?"
"VIP treatment? They must have a backer."
Yan Ruyin crossed her arms. "We're drawing attention. Too much of it."
Ling Xian didn't answer immediately. He sat still and reached outward with his divine sense, focused and sharp. He traced the path of the manager's message back to its sender.
His eyes narrowed. "So it was him... Ming Shen."
The merchant who had sold him the Sun-Frost Divine Furnace—and someone who clearly knew more than he let on.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the door to the VIP box opened quietly.
Ming Shen entered, smiling in that familiar, enigmatic way.
To be continued…