Red Witch

The moment Luo Yang stepped past the towering crimson gates, a shift in atmosphere greeted him.

Gone was the chaotic hum of the outer marketplace. In its place was quiet elegance, like stepping into a sacred temple of wealth and power.

The floor beneath him was carved from shimmering spirit jade, cool and smooth to the touch. Golden runes flowed like water across the walls, channeling spiritual energy through the room. Soft music drifted from a distance, a haunting flute melody that calmed the mind and sharpened focus.

A curved staircase led to upper levels, and ornate private booths overlooked a central auction stage lit by hovering lanterns.

Cultivators in luxurious robes mingled in small clusters, their conversations polite but laced with undercurrents of tension. Sect elders, rich merchants, mysterious rogue experts—this hall was filled with people who could shake cities with a single decision.

Yet, as Luo Yang walked through the grand hall, heads turned. Not with disdain or curiosity—but with wariness.

They didn't recognize him, but the guards' greeting had been loud enough for many to hear.

"Your Highness."

That phrase alone demanded respect.

From a shadowed balcony above, a sharp-eyed man in white robes observed the newcomer. His cultivation pulsed faintly—early core spirit, at least.

"Someone from the Great Luo Dynasty? In Dragon Feng City?" the man murmured, stroking his beard. "Why now?"

Luo Yang walked calmly through the inner auction hall. Many people glanced his way—some with curiosity, others with respectful smiles. After all, they had heard the guards call him "Your Highness." That meant one thing in this world.

He was someone from the royal family.

Even though no one knew who he was, his noble air and fine clothes made it clear: he wasn't someone they could afford to offend.

Just then, the atmosphere in the hall shifted.

A soft silence spread. All eyes turned toward the grand staircase at the front of the hall.

A woman was walking down, and every step she took drew attention like fire in the dark.

Luo Yang turned his head—and for a moment, even he forgot to breathe.

She looked like she was in her early thirties, with the charm and beauty of a mature woman. Her skin was smooth and pale, like jade. Her long red hair flowed past her waist, with faint orange streaks that shimmered like flame.

She wore a red and brown robe that hugged her figure tightly, leaving her smooth belly partly exposed. The top of her robe was bold, revealing the curves of her full chest. Her dress had high slits that showed off her long, sexy legs with every step. Each movement was soft, yet tempting, like she didn't walk—but swayed.

She wasn't dressed like a queen or a noble lady.

She was dressed like a seductress. A real witch.

Her beauty wasn't the cold kind that made people bow. It was the kind that made their hearts race. It was Jiu You—the Red Witch. The leader of the Red Feng Sect.

Luo Yang stared at her. Now he understood why people called her a witch.

She didn't need to speak. Just her appearance made the men around her lower their heads or glance quickly away. No one dared to stare too long, and yet… none could stop themselves from peeking.

"So this is her," Luo Yang thought. "The woman feared by sects and admired in silence."

At that moment, the System chuckled inside his mind.

"Heh… after that Flame Rabbit, this is the second gift of the cultivation world. Look at those legs, that waist, that fire in her eyes. Your world could never give you this. And just so you know—she's not the most beautiful one. You'll meet even more breathtaking women later."

Luo Yang smiled lightly, still watching.

Jiu You's eyes swept across the room. When her gaze fell on him, it stopped—just for a second. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled.

It wasn't a wide or obvious smile—just the faint curve of her lips. But that tiny shift in her expression was enough to stir the air around her.

She had seen many people in her life. Cultivators from distant sects, arrogant nobles, and ruthless warriors from the Dragon Burial Mountain. But she could usually tell what kind of person someone was with just one glance.

And this young man… he wasn't ordinary.

His clothes, his posture, his calm expression—even the way he ignored the attention in the room—it all spoke of someone with a higher status. Even if she was the most powerful person in this region, a peak Golden Core expert and leader of the Red Feng Sect, she knew her limits.

She couldn't afford to offend someone from the Great Luo Dynasty.

This city, Dragon Feng City, sat between the edges of three mighty kingdoms. On one side, the vast Dragon Burial Mountain; on the other, the borders of three great empires. And among those three, the most feared and respected was the Great Luo Dynasty.

Their ruler—the Blood Dragon Saint—was a legend. A figure even saint cultivation expert feared. No one dared to provoke him. And the young man sitting calmly before her carried the same bloodline. Saint realm, a realm where countless people can only imagin, could not reach even in their dream.

She walked toward him slowly. The soft click of her heels echoed on the jade floor. Her curvy figure swayed slightly with each step, drawing more glances from the crowd. But her expression was composed, polite.

As she approached, she offered a graceful bow. "Greetings, Your Highness. I am Jiu You, Sect Leader of Red Feng Sect."

Luo Yang looked at her without surprise. His expression was calm, even slightly casual as he was not real prince.

"Luo Yang," he replied simply.

But the moment he said his name, something flickered in her eyes. Luo Yang. She had heard that name before.