Chapter 28 - Hidden Artifact

Jin Ye stepped into Black Lotus Hall, the underground auction house hidden beneath the Merchant Quarter.

He kept his pace slow, his black robe blending into the sea of bidders. No one here knew his name, but that didn't matter. He wasn't here to make connections. He preferred to blend in.

The auction hall was built in a circular layout, with private booths lining the upper levels while general bidders took their seats on the floor.

Jin Ye chose a spot near the middle, not too exposed, but with a clear view of the room. He scanned the attendees, already picking out the ones who mattered.

Three groups stood out immediately.

First, the Zhao Clan. Sitting in a private booth, their expressions tight, their movements calculated. Zhao Wu had been one of theirs, and his death had cost them. Now they were here restocking lost resources.

Second, a group of rogue cultivators. Scarred men in worn leather armor, mercenaries, most likely. They weren't here for luxuries—they were here to buy survival.

Third, an alchemist faction. Noble-backed cultivators, all focused entirely on the alchemy-related items up for sale. They weren't warriors, but they held power in their own way.

Jin Ye let the information settle. He wasn't planning to compete for scraps. The real treasures wouldn't come until later in the auction.

For now, he waited.

The first items were standard fare—Qi-infused weapons, basic cultivation manuals, alchemy herbs.

Jin Ye stayed quiet, watching.

People lunged at anything that seemed remotely valuable, throwing down gold like it meant nothing. Sect disciples, rogue cultivators, nobles—all fighting over things they probably didn't even need.

That was the difference between them and him.

They wanted things.

Then, something caught his eye.

Up in one of the upper-level booths, a group of masked disciples in crimson robes sat, watching the auction in silence.

Crimson Veil Sect.

Jin Ye barely spared them a glance.

Zhao Wu had only been an outer disciple. That meant his death was a footnote, not a crisis. If they had noticed, they certainly weren't going to mobilize their sect over it.

For now, they didn't care about him.

And that was exactly how he wanted it.

As the auction continued, something interesting finally appeared.

A box of refined Beast Core Fragments was brought onto the stage, their golden glow pulsing with condensed Qi energy.

Jin Ye raised an eyebrow.

These weren't just ordinary beast cores—they'd been carefully processed, refined down to their purest state.

Exactly the kind of thing that could accelerate cultivation.

"Starting bid: Two thousand gold taels."

Jin Ye stayed silent. He wasn't here to throw money around like an idiot.

"Two thousand five hundred."

"Three thousand!"

"Three thousand five hundred!"

A voice rang out from the Zhao Clan booth. Confident. Arrogant.

Jin Ye smirked. Perfect.

He leaned back, watching the bid climb higher, letting them fight over it.

"Four thousand!"

The Zhao Clan won the bid.

Jin Ye could feel it—the subtle shift in attention.

Not from the Zhao Clan. Not from the mercenaries or noble-backed alchemists.

From the Crimson Veil Sect booth.

A masked disciple, his presence barely noticeable, leaned forward slightly. Not enough to draw real attention, but enough for Jin Ye to know he was being watched.

He didn't react.

Zhao Wu had only been an outer disciple, nothing more than an expendable asset to the sect. But still, sect disciples rarely acted alone. If the Crimson Veil Sect was here in numbers, it meant they had a reason.

And while that reason wasn't him yet, he knew it could be.

A lesser cultivator might have felt threatened. Might have reconsidered staying.

Jin Ye?

He smirked and placed another bid—paying them no mind.

For a brief moment, the masked disciple's fingers twitched.

Then he leaned back.

No challenge.

Jin Ye filed that away. Not hostile. Not yet.

But they knew he was the one that killed Zhao Wu and that was enough to be cautious.

The next item was nothing like the others.

The auctioneer cleared his throat, hesitating, as two attendants carried in a folded robe, faded and damaged, its fabric looking more suited for a beggar than a cultivator.

"This next item… is an unknown-grade relic," the auctioneer said slowly, his usual confidence slightly wavering. "It was recovered from an old ruin near the Fallen Cloud Abyss. We have been unable to determine its true grade or properties, but…"

He paused, glancing at the robe with barely hidden greed.

"But we can confirm it cannot be destroyed by normal means."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the auction hall.

"Starting bid: One thousand gold taels."

Silence.

The hesitation was instant.

Nobody could identify what the robe was. Nobody wanted to risk thousands of gold on something that might be worthless.

But Jin Ye?

He had already seen through it.

To the others, it was a tattered, damaged robe. To him, it was a relic of profound significance.

His vision pierced through the surface, sensing the traces of hidden runic inscriptions buried deep within the fabric.

This was not just some old robe.

It was a treasure.

A treasure that nobody else in this room could recognize.

The corner of his lips curled upward.

"One thousand gold," he said, his voice steady, calm.

A few heads turned his way, but no one raised the bid.

No one else could see it.

And that was fine by him.

"One thousand gold going once… twice… Sold!"

The auctioneer looked almost disappointed at the lack of bidding war, but Jin Ye didn't care.

The moment the robe was placed into his storage ring, he knew—this was the real prize of the night.

Now, he just needed to figure out what it was.

Jin Ye let his fingers brush against the old robe now sitting within his storage ring, his Qi lightly probing the hidden inscriptions woven into the fabric.

On the surface, it looked worthless—tattered, damaged, barely hanging together. But the moment he touched it, he could feel the traces of something ancient, something powerful.

Even in its ruined state, it refused to let its essence be fully seen.

A proper refinement process would be needed before he could understand its full capabilities.

Still, he had no regrets.

Others had spent thousands of gold on alchemy ingredients, beast cores, and weapons.

He had spent one thousand on something that might be worth more than all of them combined.

Jin Ye's smirk widened slightly.

He had walked into this auction looking for a single advantage.

He might have just found something priceless.

The auction had ended, and the underground hall was beginning to empty as bidders collected their winnings.

Jin Ye moved through the side corridors, choosing a quieter exit to avoid unnecessary attention. He had what he came for—there was no reason to linger.

Or so he thought.

Bai Xueqing moved through the dimly lit corridor with the effortless grace of someone born to command attention. Her robes, woven from fine violet silk, shimmered faintly under the glow of spirit lanterns, their embroidery depicting delicate ice lotus patterns—a stark contrast to the sharpness in her gaze.

Her beauty was cold yet refined, like a blade hidden beneath layers of silk. High cheekbones, flawless porcelain skin, and deep violet eyes that carried both intelligence and arrogance. Her long, ink-black hair was partially tied into a neat bun, jeweled pins glinting subtly as she walked.

She exuded a quiet, unshakable confidence.

Yet, when she smirked slightly at Jin Ye, there was a hint of something more playful, more dangerous.

A noble beauty—one accustomed to being admired.

"You have an interesting eye for treasure," a voice spoke smoothly from behind.

She stood near one of the stone pillars, her elegant yet sharp gaze studying him as if trying to decide what to make of him.

He raised an eyebrow, unbothered. "I didn't take you for the type to chase after someone after an auction."

She smiled faintly, crossing her arms. "I don't. But I couldn't help but notice you spent good money on something no one else thought was valuable."

He let the silence stretch, waiting.

Finally, she tilted her head slightly. "Are you planning to enter the Azure Sky Sect's entrance exam?"

Jin Ye met her gaze, the slightest flicker of amusement in his silver eyes. "What if I am?"

Her lips curled just a little, a knowing expression. "Then how about we team up, you clearly have some skills."

Jin Ye exhaled lightly. Interesting.

She wasn't just testing him—she had already considered this possibility before speaking to him.

A noble heiress, making alliances before even stepping into the sect.

Smart.

But he wasn't the type to rush into agreements.

"That depends," he said casually. "What's in it for me?"

Bai Xueqing's smile didn't fade. "Let's just say, it's always better to have someone capable watching your back when walking into an unknown battlefield."

Jin Ye let the words hang in the air for a moment, then smirked.

"Maybe. We'll see."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving her with her own thoughts.

The entrance exam was coming.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one preparing for it.