Divine Emperor Demon Emperor

The assault on the Celestial Spirit Auction House was a massive headache for the Taiqing Academy’s upper echelons. What would they do if the Celestial Spirit Auction House truly refused to let the matter go?

While the Taiqing Academy was busy discussing countermeasures, Chairman Qian had already rushed to Fire City. The first thing he did was find Lin Yun. Only after seeing that Lin Yun was unharmed did he finally feel relieved.

Then, the two went to the Martial Arts Training Ground in the rear courtyard. Looking at the courtyard full of corpses, Chairman Qian let out a cold snort when they came to Chairman Nie’s body.

The front courtyard had been completely reduced to ruins after yesterday’s battle. Lin Yun and Chairman Qian went to the small courtyard where Lin Yun was staying, and Chairman Qian was the first to speak.

"The Taiqing Academy is simply too audacious! To dare to attack the Celestial Spirit Auction House and openly murder Chairman Nie... I must report this to the headquarters."

Hearing Chairman Qian’s words, Lin Yun didn’t tell him about Qing Zhu. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Chairman Qian, but he didn’t want to complicate matters. Since everyone now believed that the Taiqing Academy was responsible for last night’s attack on the Celestial Spirit Auction House, Lin Yun decided it was best not to muddy the waters.

After speaking, Chairman Qian immediately took out a Sound Transmission Stone and reported the situation at the Fire City branch to the Celestial Spirit Auction House Headquarters in the Central Domain.

In just one hour, Chairman Qian received a message from headquarters. According to the leader of the headquarters, Chairman Qian was to temporarily remain in Fire City to handle the aftermath. The headquarters had also dispatched experts who were on their way to the Eastern Domain. They would certainly reach Fire City in less than half a month.

Chairman Qian relayed the headquarters’ reply to Lin Yun without hiding anything. What surprised Lin Yun was the strength of the experts dispatched by the Celestial Spirit Auction House Headquarters this time...

There were three with the Gold Order, as many as ten with the Silver Order, and fifty with the Copper Order. With a lineup like this, one could only imagine that the Celestial Spirit Auction House was truly enraged and had no intention of negotiating with the Taiqing Academy.

Three Gold Order members meant three Saints. Ten Silver Order members meant ten peak Spirit Realm experts. Fifty Copper Order members meant fifty Celestial Spirit Realm experts.

A force of this magnitude was enough to annihilate any of the powers in the Eastern Domain.

’As expected of the center of the Celestial Spirit Continent. These overlord factions of the Central Domain are countless times stronger than those in the Eastern Domain.’

Just as Chairman Qian received the news from headquarters, Lin Yun also received a message from the Qingfeng Saint. He told Lin Yun that he had also been dispatched to the Eastern Domain this time, and that the three Gold Order members had been given a single order: slaughter everyone in the Taiqing Academy.

The Celestial Spirit Auction House was thoroughly enraged. After discussing these matters, Chairman Qian also departed in a hurry. With Chairman Nie dead, there were many things that required his attention.

Lin Yun sat alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, lost in thought. Just then, Lu Bingning and the other two women came and sat down beside him. Seeing Lin Yun’s expression, the young Mo Qingliu pouted and asked.

"Brother Lin Yun, you look so troubled all the time. Is something still bothering you?"

Hearing Mo Qingliu’s words, Lin Yun smiled and shook his head. The only thing he couldn’t figure out right now was Qing Zhu’s true objective.

Lin Yun wasn’t naive enough to believe that Qing Zhu was doing all this just to help him destroy the Taiqing Academy. She definitely had her own agenda; he just hadn’t figured it out yet.

Because he didn’t know what Qing Zhu’s goal was, Lin Yun had held a card back. He had Luo Feng and the others turn back to Wind City instead of heading directly to Fire City, telling them to wait there for his news.

’First, I need to see what Qing Zhu is planning.’ Lin Yun did not underestimate this woman in the slightest. She was far too capable, and her methods were far too ruthless.

Now that everyone from the Taiqing Academy had withdrawn, the various major families of Fire City also learned that the academy had attacked the Celestial Spirit Shelter the previous night. At present, all of them had quieted down.

They were afraid—afraid that the Celestial Spirit Auction House’s fury would be turned on them. If even the Taiqing Academy was nothing more than an ant that could be crushed at will, what did that make their small families? In the eyes of the Celestial Spirit Auction House, they probably didn’t even qualify as ants.

Since he couldn’t figure it out, Lin Yun decided to stop thinking about it for now. He would wait for the experts from the Celestial Spirit Auction House to arrive before deciding anything.

He made small talk with the three women. For now, the danger had passed. Lin Yun figured his injuries would fully heal in a few more days, so there was no rush to deal with other matters.

Fire City fell silent once more, but this time it was an eerie silence. The Disciples of the Taiqing Academy had all withdrawn, and the major families kept to their homes. At this moment, in the most luxurious restaurant in Fire City, Qing Zhu sat in a lavish private room, gazing out the window. Just then, Aunt Lan pushed the door open, entered, and sat in the chair opposite Qing Zhu, saying with a light chuckle.

"I’ve found out. The Celestial Spirit Auction House has absolutely no intention of leaving the Taiqing Academy a way out. They’ve sent three Gold Order members alone."

Hearing Aunt Lan’s words, Qing Zhu smiled faintly and said softly, "Since that’s the case, it’s time we paid a visit to the Taiqing Academy. As for those Black Attendants, let them lie low in Fire City for now."

Qing Zhu’s smile was full of confidence. Everything was proceeding exactly according to her design, without the slightest deviation.

Unaware that Qing Zhu had already left Wind City, Chairman Qian, having finished dealing with the aftermath, found Lin Yun again that evening. He suggested that Lin Yun should take this opportunity to bring the Taiqing Academy under his command and make it his own power.

Hearing Chairman Qian’s words, Lin Yun smiled faintly. ’This guy is far too naive.’ The Taiqing Academy and the Flawless Palace were both part of the Six Great Forces of the Eastern Domain; it wasn’t a faction one could simply absorb at will.

’I’m only at the Celestial Spirit Realm right now. The idea of making the entire Taiqing Academy submit to me... I don’t think that’s possible.’

Besides, he didn’t even know what Qing Zhu was planning yet. He hadn’t even considered annexing the Taiqing Academy.

Sitting in the courtyard and drinking with Chairman Qian, Lin Yun didn’t dwell on the unrealistic notion of taking over the Taiqing Academy. Instead, he asked, "By the way, Chairman Qian, how is the preparation of the medicinal ingredients for your son coming along?"

Lin Yun hadn’t forgotten about Chairman Qian’s son. After all, if that little girl Mo Qingliu hadn’t kicked the poor guy’s family jewels into oblivion, Lin Yun would never have met Chairman Qian in the first place.

Hearing Lin Yun bring this up proactively, a flash of emotion crossed Chairman Qian’s eyes. He hadn’t said a word, yet Lin Yun had brought it up himself. It showed that Lin Yun’s promise back then wasn’t just a perfunctory gesture.

"They’re almost all gathered. However, two of the ingredients are very difficult to find, so it might take a little more time. Thank you, Young Master Lin, for remembering my humble son’s condition," said Chairman Qian.

"I promised you back then, Chairman Qian, that I would cure your son’s injury. I’ve never forgotten that," Lin Yun said with a smile.

Lin Yun’s gesture truly touched Chairman Qian. Given their current relationship, even if Lin Yun didn’t treat his son, Chairman Qian probably wouldn’t have said anything.

But the fact that Lin Yun still remembered the matter truly moved him.