Qin Xiao remained cautious and avoided the main entrance. Instead, he slipped through the member-exclusive back door, leaving the auction house quietly.
Upon returning straight to his residence, he happened to cross paths with Lin Tiancheng and his daughter as they prepared to leave for a banquet. Qin Xiao stated plainly that he was feeling unwell and would skip it. Seeing him stay behind, Yun Man promptly decided to remain as well.
Lin Tiancheng could hardly object. Since Qin Xiao could not cultivate, occasional physical discomfort was normal, and Yun Man was his constant shadow. Yet his own daughter had no such luxury; she was required to attend.
What transpired at the evening banquet remained unknown to Qin Xiao, nor did he care. After handing Yun Man a Saint Origin Spirit Fruit, he retreated to cultivate.
The night passed without incident. By the next morning, everyone had gathered at Pure Yang City's largest arena.
Heavenly Clothes Pavilion was entirely absent today. Having no realistic chance of success, they needed to regroup, especially after suffering heavy setbacks while Chen Shunyi's pressure mounted.
Whether by design or coincidence, the strongest factions had yet to cross paths, facing only minor opponents and sweeping their matches three-to-one with ease.
Such bouts revealed nothing of true substance, so Qin Xiao soon lost interest, sitting cross-legged to meditate on the sidelines.
Even so, watchful eyes lingered on him. Word had spread that morning that the mysterious fourth-floor patron had entrusted the Black Tortoise Armor to the Immortal Dao Merchant Association for repairs, an arrangement the association had accepted, placing the item safely in their custody.
Yet whispers had already identified this mysterious figure as Qin Xiao. Paper could not forever wrap fire, though few expected the truth to surface so swiftly.
Lin Tiancheng had naturally caught wind of the rumors, though he struggled with how to broach the subject.
"Sect Leader, if you have something to ask, just spit it out. Why keep staring at me like that?"
Unable to bear Lin Tiancheng's persistent gaze any longer, Qin Xiao broke the silence.
"Qin Xiao, was the mysterious buyer on the fourth floor yesterday you?"
Lin Tiancheng had already tried probing Lin Shimeng, only to be told to ask Qin Xiao directly-a clear sign of a grown daughter slipping away from her parents.
"It was me. I borrowed the Spirit Stones, and the item has been handed over to the Immortal Dao Merchant Association."
Qin Xiao had his story ready, spinning the tale with ease.
"I know about the item since the association made a public announcement. But why would they lend you such a staggering amount of Spirit Stones? And where on earth did you get a prestigious Membership Card?"
Lin Tiancheng understood the treasure was no longer in Qin Xiao's hands, but the logistics baffled him. How could anyone secure a loan of two billion Spirit Stones? Did the boy's face really carry that much weight?
"It's a complicated matter, Sect Leader, so don't dwell on it. It was a loan anyway. If it can't be repaid, the sect isn't on the hook; they took the item back, so the debt is settled."
Qin Xiao brushed the inquiry aside with vague complexity, leaving little room for further questions.
"I see. Very well, I won't ask further."
In truth, Lin Tiancheng had already formed his own conclusion.
At the previous night's banquet, he had learned that the contested artifact was a fragment of the Black Tortoise Armor. Such a legendary item should never have appeared at a public auction. It stood to reason that once the bidding escalated, the Immortal Dao Merchant Association realized their error and engaged Qin Xiao as a shill to reclaim it quietly, avoiding public scandal.
Moving the item from one hand to the other incurred no actual loss of the artifact or expenditure of funds-a brilliant stroke of damage control. As for why Qin Xiao was chosen, his life-saving ties to Ling Wushuang likely explained it, accounting for the association's public statement returning the item for repairs.
It was a sound scheme to recoup losses. Otherwise, relying on Qin Xiao alone, where could he possibly conjure one and a half billion Spirit Stones?
Lin Tiancheng felt justified in his deduction; it was the only logical explanation. Torture would not have convinced him that Qin Xiao possessed two billion Spirit Stones on his own.
Elders from the other major sects arrived at similar conclusions after questioning their returning disciples, noting that Ling Ruoxue had been present in Qin Xiao's private room. The arrangement clearly reeked of a pre-arranged facade.
While they disdained such tactics, the supreme value of the Black Tortoise Armor made the association's actions understandable. Lacking concrete proof, some matters were best left unsaid.
Unaware of their elaborate speculations, Qin Xiao would have gladly embraced the title of shill had he known.
His current worry lay elsewhere-desperate rogue cultivators might still target him, paying little heed to whether the treasure remained in his possession before demanding a personal search.
"Master, why must I fight every single match while she never steps into the arena once?"
Stepping down from another effortless victory, Lin Shimeng glared at Qin Xiao in open resentment.
"Ah, those were mere opponents of no consequence-trifles for someone of your talent. Rest assured, perform well and your master will reward you handsomely afterward."
Qin Xiao had no intention of exposing Yun Man during these early minor matches. Revealing her true depth too soon would ruin his plans to hook three prospective disciples.
"What kind of reward?"
At the mention of compensation, the grievance vanished from Lin Shimeng's expression as she pressed for details.
"Something truly exceptional, far surpassing anything I've given you before. Consider this mere preparation. Keep your spirit up!"
Qin Xiao offered vague reassurance to pacify her. Yun Man had grown considerably stronger after consuming the Saint Origin Spirit Fruit the night before, and keeping her concealed was crucial for catching opponents off guard later.
"It's a promise, then."
Confident in Qin Xiao's bottomless wealth, Lin Shimeng dropped her objections. Since these opponents were mere stepping stones, she treated the bouts as a warm-up.
To outside observers, however, Qin Xiao's strategy appeared entirely different.
"Tianyuan Sect's foundation is truly waning. They rely entirely on Lin Shimeng for every match, desperate to project an illusion of lingering strength. They fail to realize this only exposes her techniques and habits, sealing their eventual elimination."
City Lord Yu Chengfeng shook his head slowly.
"Fifth Brother, do not be so hasty. The two seated in their rest area remain inscrutable; they likely harbor hidden trumps for later."
Deputy City Lord Yu Heguang disagreed with his brother's assessment.
"Twenty-seventh Brother, you worry needlessly. Coming from Central Province, you are unfamiliar with Tianyuan Sect. Lin Shimeng is already their Holy Maiden and the Sect Leader's daughter; she represents their absolute ceiling. What hidden strength could remain? If any existed, they would not expose their Holy Maiden so early."
Yu Chengfeng smiled indulgently.
"Indeed. It seems I overthought the matter."
Hearing his elder brother's reasoning, Yu Heguang conceded the point.
Similar sentiments echoed among the other sects, all convinced that Lin Shimeng was Tianyuan's ultimate combatant. Fall her, and the sect fell with her.
The preliminary matches continued through midday until the top eight contenders were established.
With nearly all eight advancing on consecutive wins, rankings defaulted to the previous year's standing: Pure Yang Sect first, Immortal Dao Merchant Association second, Mysterious Yin Sect third, Pure Yang City fourth, Tianyuan Sect fifth, Mysterious Yin City sixth, Heavenly Clothes Pavilion seventh, and an established veteran family eighth.
"The top eight are set. The next stage will proceed by drawing lots for pairwise duels, dividing the contenders into the upper four and lower four. Once all rankings are locked, challenge rounds will commence."
The master of ceremonies stepped onto the platform to announce the upcoming rules as the morning matches drew to a close.