Scheme (Second Update)

Heaven Dou Auction House.

Ning Fengzhi took his leave, departing the private room with Gu Rong and Xue Qinghe.

Huo Yuhao watched their retreating figures, propping his chin on his hand as he sank into thought.

He understood perfectly well that Ning Fengzhi's earlier offer to help investigate the Four Affiliated Clans had merely been polite talk and could not be taken seriously.

Given the scale of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it should not have been difficult for them to uncover the Speed Clan's exact location.

It was simply that, at the Heaven Dou Auction House, with outsiders nearby, it truly was not a suitable place for an in-depth discussion.

It seemed he would have to find time to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for tea and have a proper talk with Ning Fengzhi about life and ideals.

He was determined to obtain the Crystal Dragon Blood Ginseng and had the ability to do so. The biggest issue now was where exactly the Speed Clan was hiding.

At that moment, the auction house president knocked and entered the private room, pulling Huo Yuhao back to reality.

"My lord, these are the proceeds from the Mystic Water Pill auction, totaling 6.65 million. Please inspect them." The president respectfully offered up a stack of Black Gold Cards with both hands.

Each Black Gold Card had a storage limit of one million Gold Soul Coins.

This time, the president had brought a full seven Black Gold Cards.

Huo Yuhao lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertips.

The president immediately understood. He placed the cards on the table and stepped back three paces.

Huo Yuhao picked up six of the Black Gold Cards from the table one by one.

"Can the auction house issue bounty notices?" Huo Yuhao asked in a low voice.

"Yes. What type of bounty would you like to issue, my lord?" the president asked respectfully.

"Issue a bounty for me. Investigate the current exact locations of the Four Affiliated Clans that broke away from the Clear Sky Sect more than a decade ago."

"For every clan located, the reward will be one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. The rewards can stack, and the bounty funds will be deducted from this." Huo Yuhao cast a domineering glance at the Black Gold Card left on the table, his hands folded together as he remained calm and composed.

"Understood. Our auction house will announce this bounty immediately," the president said respectfully.

"You may leave," Huo Yuhao said calmly.

The president respectfully withdrew.

Only Huo Yuhao remained in the entire private room.

"Are you not worried that issuing a bounty so openly will alert the enemy?" Electrolux's figure silently appeared in the private room.

"Old Yi, did you notice that fellow disguised as a man?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"Is her identity special?" There was a hint of curiosity in Electrolux's tone.

"On the surface, she is playing the role of the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. The Heaven Dou Auction House is backed by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family," Huo Yuhao said.

"You intend to use someone else's hand to investigate this matter?" Electrolux asked.

That meant the bounty notice would reach the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. Huo Yuhao was deliberately exposing his target.

"I can't place all my hopes on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Huo Yuhao said with a shrug.

Electrolux nodded slightly.

The bounty he had issued directly targeted the Four Affiliated Clans, so there was no possibility of exposing his true objective.

If the Heaven Dou Imperial Family investigated it, that would save them the trouble of doing so themselves.

"You just said that the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire is merely the identity she plays on the surface. Then what is her true identity?" Electrolux asked, stroking his beard.

"The Spirit Hall Young Master," Huo Yuhao said calmly.

Electrolux instantly understood. His purpose in doing this was to notify Spirit Hall.

Killing two birds with one stone.

He would use the powers of both the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and Spirit Hall to investigate the current residences of the Four Affiliated Clans.

As for alerting the enemy? This information would not be leaked at all.

So that was it.

Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue.

She received a request from the president of the Heaven Dou Auction House.

In his message, the president stated that the seller of the Mystic Water Pill had issued a bounty at the auction, seeking the strongholds of the Four Affiliated Clans that had once belonged to the Clear Sky Sect.

This sent Qian Renxue into deep thought.

What did he want with the Four Affiliated Clans?

Revenge?

Or did he intend to gather them together again? Was he a remnant of the Clear Sky Sect?

To figure out his purpose, the best course of action was to follow his trail and see why he wanted this information.

Thus, Qian Renxue suppressed the news and ordered the auction house not to leak it.

Then, in her capacity as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, she issued an order for people to begin investigating the matter and gathering clues.

In addition, she summoned Spirit Hall's Shadow Guards to her bedchamber.

A pitch-black figure emerged from the corner shadows. The instant it saw Qian Renxue's back, it dropped to one knee.

"Greetings, Young Master."

"Pass down the order. Investigate the current residences and present circumstances of the Four Affiliated Clans that once served the Clear Sky Sect," Qian Renxue said calmly.

"Understood." The shadow guard disappeared into the darkness once more.

Qian Renxue's expression remained calm, though cold golden light flickered in her eyes.

Let's see what you truly intend to do once you learn the exact clues.

Several days later.

After Spirit Hall conducted a carpet-like search, they finally locked onto one of the Four Affiliated Clans.

The Strength Clan.

This clan was rather cunning. It had actually hidden itself in the southern district of Heaven Dou City.

If Spirit Hall's covert agents had not been spread across the continent and specifically investigated the matter, they truly would not have discovered an affiliated clan right under their noses.

Xue Qinghe packaged the information and sent it back to the auction house.

Let's see how you deal with a former affiliated clan of the Clear Sky Sect.

Xue Qinghe watched and waited.

At the same time.

Heaven Dou City, a high-class inn.

Huo Yuhao was currently basking in the sun before the floor-to-ceiling window.

He had been living quite comfortably these past few days, focusing on relaxing his mind to benefit his cultivation.

He had only recently obtained his Second Soul Ring, and the Soul Power in his body had surged directly to the bottleneck of level thirty. However, he was not suited to obtain his Third Soul Ring anytime soon.

Therefore, cultivation was not suitable for him at the moment. Training his physique and relaxing his mind were more important instead.

Before long, he received news from the auction house.

The auction house's efficiency was indeed impressive.

He did not know whether this was the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's handiwork or Spirit Hall's.

Huo Yuhao unfolded the secret letter, which clearly recorded detailed information about the Strength Clan.

"...currently residing in Heaven Dou City, Southern District." Huo Yuhao softly read out the specific address recorded in the letter.

He casually folded the letter and set it down on the table.

Huo Yuhao knew very well that this was bait.

The other side had cast out the bait because they wanted to see his reaction toward the former affiliated clans of the Clear Sky Sect and judge his nature from it.

Yet Huo Yuhao was utterly fearless. He feared no faction.

His confidence came from the cards he held. In truth, very few could threaten him.

The only one in this era who could make him feel pressure was Beast God Di Tian, sleeping within the Star Dou Great Forest!

"The Strength Clan... Titan, huh?" Huo Yuhao muttered to himself.

He recalled the first-generation Force Hall of the Tang Sect.

He vaguely remembered that the hall masters of the Four Great Halls had seemingly all been Eight Ring Soul Douluos, with Yang Wudi's combat strength being the most outstanding among them.

With the strength of an Eight Ring Soul Douluo, he could directly contend with a Nine Ring Titled Douluo.

He immediately ordered someone to prepare a carriage, intending to go take a look in person.

The Strength Clan should know where the Speed Clan's lair was, but how should he pry open Titan's mouth? That was a question worth considering.