“Dad, what are you thinking? Lin Yun and I are just friends. There’s no such thing as ‘out of my league’ when it comes to friendship. Besides, he owed me a favour before,” Jin Yao’er said, pouting.
She then turned to Lin Yun with a grin, “Lin Yun, am I right?”
“Absolutely, we’re friends, so we interact as equals, no matter our status,” Lin Yun replied, smiling.
…
Having resolved his grudge with the Xingwu Emperor, Lin Yun could now visit the Xingwu Empire without concern.
After all, he had many ties and connections there.
After settling matters, Lin Yun visited the Heavenly Sword Sect and caught up with friends like Du Yuanzi and the Wanderer. Since he was already in the Xingwu Empire, it was no trouble to make the trip.
With an Immortal’s speed, travel was swift.
After visiting his friends, Lin Yun planned to head to the Tianqian Empire to investigate an Immortal named Si Hongyi.
This man was the enemy of Old Ancestor Xu Yun.
Back on Earth, Lin Yun had accepted Xu Yun’s inheritance, which enabled him to quell the demon clan war single-handedly.
In accepting the inheritance, Lin Yun agreed to Xu Yun’s condition: kill Si Hongyi within five hundred years, by any means, whether personally or through a hired assassin.
When Xu Yun died, Si Hongyi had not yet reached Immortality.
With Lin Yun’s current strength, killing him would be effortless.
However, Si Hongyi was a human Immortal, which gave Lin Yun pause, so he hadn’t acted.
Additionally, Si Hongyi was an Immortal under the Tianqian Empire. Killing him would surely provoke the Tianqian Emperor, another factor Lin Yun had previously considered.
In the past, despite Lin Yun’s fame in the Heavenly God Palace, he couldn’t compare to a figure like the Tianqian Emperor.
Now, having reached tenth on the Heavenly List, Lin Yun was on equal footing with the Tianqian Emperor.
He decided to investigate Si Hongyi first before making a final decision.
Thus, Lin Yun took a teleportation array from the Xingwu Empire to the Tianqian Empire.
…
Tianqian Empire.
After arriving outside the capital, Lin Yun murmured, “I’ll start by getting some information on Si Hongyi.”
As an Immortal, Si Hongyi’s detailed information wouldn’t be available for purchase in the city.
So, Lin Yun contacted the master of the Xiaoyao Building, asking for a dossier on Si Hongyi.
The master, astute as ever, didn’t inquire why Lin Yun needed the information, only asking where to send it.
Lin Yun instructed him to deliver it to the Xiaoyao Building’s main branch in the Tianqian Empire, where he would collect it.
After contacting the master, Lin Yun entered the capital.
…
The Tianqian Empire’s capital was vast and bustling.
After asking for directions, Lin Yun made his way to the Xiaoyao Building, the main branch for the entire empire. The building was expansive and grandly constructed.
Upon arriving, Lin Yun noticed a massive crowd of cultivators gathered in the large plaza before the building, creating a lively atmosphere.
“Oh? Is there some event?” Lin Yun was surprised by the scene.
While the Xiaoyao Building was known for its thriving business, such a gathering was unusual. Lin Yun estimated at least a hundred thousand cultivators, with more arriving.
Observing their attire, demeanour, and speech, these were no ordinary cultivators but members of prominent families, major sects, and powerful factions.
Of course, to the current Lin Yun, these so-called major sects, renowned families, ancient clans, and super families within the empire were insignificant.
“Friend, what’s going on here?” Lin Yun asked a purple-robed cultivator.
“You’re here and don’t know? There’s a treasure auction today,” the cultivator replied.
“Treasure auction? I had no idea. I just arrived and saw this,” Lin Yun said.
“This auction is high-end, meant for wealthy families and major factions. You’d better not ask, little brother. It’s not for ordinary rogue cultivators like you,” the purple-robed cultivator said.
Lin Yun gave a wry smile at this.
It seemed the cultivator mistook him for an ordinary rogue cultivator. Understandable, given Lin Yun’s plain black robe and solitary appearance, which made him look young and unremarkable.
Prominent families often prioritised appearances, dressing extravagantly.
Major sects wore distinctive robes, easily recognisable.
“The auction hall’s gates are open. I’m off,” the purple-robed cultivator said, heading with his clan members towards the entrance, unwilling to linger with Lin Yun.
“It’ll take time for the dossier to arrive. Since there’s an auction, I’ll check it out,” Lin Yun said, looking at the entrance with a smile.
Cultivators of Lin Yun’s calibre were often solitary, and it had been a while since he’d participated in such mundane events.
He wasn’t there to compete for treasures; few items could catch his eye now.
Even at such a high-calibre auction, the items typically wouldn’t interest him.
Lin Yun just wanted to enjoy the atmosphere and, if there were decent resources, perhaps buy some to refine Qiankun Crystal Stones.
He joined the queue to enter the venue.
During the wait, he noticed some late-arriving groups cutting to the front and entering directly.
These were usually from powerful or influential factions, and no one in the queue dared protest.
With Lin Yun’s current strength, status, and background, revealing his identity would surely grant him immediate entry, perhaps even with the venue cleared for him.
But he chose not to.
It had been a long time since he’d blended into a crowd of ordinary cultivators. Entering early wouldn’t change the auction’s start time.
“Hmph, why do they get to cut in?” a voice complained behind Lin Yun.
Turning, he saw a young woman with several clan members, dressed in fine attire.
