The setting sun had completely sunk below the horizon, and dusk closed in, draping Wutan City in a veil of deep blue.
The clamor of the central square had long since faded, leaving only cold flagstone paths and scattered lights glowing in the distance.
At the edge of the square, within the enormous shadow cast by an abandoned warehouse, Mo Lin sat cross-legged.
A faint icy-blue mist lingered around him, nearly blending into the night itself, while his aura was long and weak.
His all-out battle against Instructor Ruo Lin had not damaged the foundation of his cultivation, but it had nearly drained every last trace of Dou Qi from his body. Waves of dull pain and emptiness from overuse ran through his meridians.
He focused his mind and circulated the Yin Yang Feather Transformation Art with all his strength. This mysterious technique of extraordinary origin now revealed its remarkable healing effects.
The incomparably pure icy Dou Qi no longer carried its usual sharp and tyrannical nature. Instead, it became gentle streams, like snowmelt at the start of spring, carrying a cool vitality as it slowly flowed through his somewhat parched, burning meridians, carefully nourishing and repairing the fatigue and damage left by the fierce battle.
The ultimate icy power originating from the Snow Emperor's Origin displayed a unique calming and restorative quality when healing. Wherever the chill passed, the searing pain swiftly subsided, replaced by a clear, cool sense of comfort.
About half an hour passed quietly in the silence.
Mo Lin slowly opened his eyes. The faintly dim gleam in his gaze, caused by excessive expenditure, had already receded inward, and some color had returned to his pale cheeks.
Though he was still some distance from returning to his peak state, at least he could move without issue, and his basic ability to protect himself had returned.
"Hmph, that fight was satisfying enough, but you nearly emptied all the trump cards you worked so hard to build up." In the Sea of Consciousness, Ice Empress's trademark snort rang out, carrying a hint of haughty displeasure.
Yet on closer consideration, there was an unmistakable trace of satisfaction beneath her tone.
After all, with the body of a mere Dou Master, he had fought a Five Star Great Fighter head-on for over a hundred exchanges without losing. In the end, he had even forcefully turned the situation around with his preliminary grasp of a proto-domain and that stunning Imperial Sword strike. Such a record was enough to move anyone who knew the full story.
The Snow Empress's cold, ethereal voice followed, like an icy spring striking jade. "Only by fighting with all one's strength can one understand the limits of one's own power and clearly recognize one's shortcomings.
"This battle has greatly benefited your control over your suddenly increased strength and sharpened your combat skills in battle. However, a proto-domain touches upon the rudiments of laws and consumes enormous energy. It is not something your current realm can easily wield. You must be exceedingly cautious in the future."
Mo Lin replied inwardly, carrying the relief of exhaustion and the joy of harvest. "Thank you, Teachers, for protecting me. This battle was fraught with danger, but it also gave me much... It was worth it."
He rose to his feet and stretched his somewhat stiff limbs. Feeling the Dou Qi gathering once more and slowly flowing through his Qi Sea, a complicated smile tugged at his lips.
The exhilaration of clashing with a powerful opponent was real, but the Five Star Great Fighter's storm-like full-force assault had also acted as a mirror, allowing him to see more clearly the limitations and insignificance of his current realm.
He took out a wide, nonreflective black cloak from his storage ring and draped it over himself with practiced ease.
The large hood fell low, completely concealing his handsome face, sharp gaze, and every expression that might reveal his emotions beneath deep shadows.
In an instant, the genius youth who had fought the strong while weak in the square, displaying dazzling brilliance and drawing countless eyes, vanished. He became once more the Black Robe Man, with an obscure aura, mysterious and impossible to fathom.
"It is time..." Mo Lin muttered softly, his voice muffled beneath the hood.
He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the night and landing precisely upon the brightly lit cluster of buildings in the city center—the Mietel Auction House.
After making Manager Ya Fei, famed for her shrewdness and competence, wait for so long, the flames of anxiety and anticipation in her heart must have burned fiercely enough by now.
After all... a hungry fish would be more eager, and more likely to bite the hook.
His figure moved, like a ghost blending into the night. He silently swept through the quiet alleys and raced toward the auction house.
The streetlights stretched blurred shadows behind him. The evening wind brushed past, lifting a corner of his cloak with a fluttering rustle.
At the same time, atop the Mietel Auction House, within the manager's office lavishly decorated to the extreme and overlooking the nightscape of half the city, a very different scene was unfolding.
Ya Fei irritably closed the ledger in her hands, which recorded the astounding results of that day's auction, and casually tossed it onto the expensive sandalwood desk with a soft sound.
She raised her slender jade fingers and massaged her slightly throbbing temples.
Night had already deepened outside, and the city lights had just begun to shine. Yet the mysterious Black Robe Man, who occupied such immense importance in her heart, was still nowhere to be seen.
Ever since the auction that had sold for the astronomical price of 1.78 million and thoroughly shocked the entire city had ended that day, she had almost constantly anticipated meeting him again.
The tremendous success brought by that bottle of Companion Purple Crystal Source had indeed made her famous within the family, temporarily suppressing much of the doubt and criticism against her and placing her in the spotlight.
But Ya Fei knew full well that all of it was like foam floating on water—seemingly brilliant, yet terribly fragile.
An unprecedentedly successful auction might bring impressive results and temporary prestige, but it could not fundamentally change her difficult position of lacking truly powerful support within the deeply entangled Mittel Family.
The "Ice Emperor Hai Bodong" casually mentioned by that mysterious man was the real reason her heart churned and even kept her awake at night!
Ice Emperor Hai Bodong! The Grand Elder of the Mittel Family, a true Dou Emperor expert who had vanished for many years without a trace!
If she could truly use this opportunity to connect with that legendary figure, or even gain his support... Just thinking of such a possibility made Ya Fei's heartbeat accelerate uncontrollably and her blood surge.
That would mean she possessed enough confidence to face every open and hidden attack within the family, and perhaps... the qualifications to contend for greater, more alluring authority!
But ever since that day, the man had vanished as though he had evaporated from the world.
She had dispatched her most trusted confidants and used several secret channels to investigate him in the shadows, yet she had not obtained even the slightest useful information.
This long and uncertain wait, mixed with both longing and unease over the enormous temptation of the future, made even this manager, normally known for her calmness, shrewdness, and social finesse, unable to avoid becoming somewhat restless and unable to remain completely composed.
She stood and walked to the enormous floor-to-ceiling window with slightly anxious steps, gazing down at the sparse carriages, horses, and pedestrians on the street below.
Under the neon glow outside the window, her beautiful, alluring face showed a trace of exhaustion that she could not conceal, along with an even deeper expectation.
Her long jade fingers unconsciously tapped lightly against the cold window frame. Her proud D-cup curves rose and fell in a breathtaking rhythm beneath her tight cheongsam as her breathing grew slightly hurried.
"Could it be... he changed his mind? Or perhaps what he said that day was merely a casual joke?" An unsettling thought flashed uncontrollably through her mind, causing Ya Fei to press her red lips tightly together.
Just then, the heavy, soundproof rosewood office door was lightly knocked upon.
"Come in." Ya Fei instantly gathered all her outward emotions, took a deep breath, and turned around. By then, her face had already returned to its usual flawless, composed, and alluring professional expression, while her voice regained its customary soft sweetness.
A sharp-eyed confidante dressed in a maid's uniform gently pushed open the door, quickly walked to Ya Fei's side, and respectfully reported in a lowered voice, "Manager, that Black Robe Man... has arrived. He is waiting in VIP Room Three."
He had come!
Those two words seemed to possess strange magic, and Ya Fei's enchanting peach blossom eyes lit up instantly.
All the pent-up irritation, unease, and uncertainty vanished in an instant, replaced by the sharp, excited gleam of a hunter finally seeing prey she had patiently awaited step into the trap.
She swiftly suppressed the excitement in her heart and quietly instructed the maid, "Use the tin of Snow Peak Jade Dew that I have kept in my collection. Brew tea and send it over. Without my orders, no one is to come within half a step of the VIP room. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Manager. Rest assured." The maid understood immediately and bowed as she withdrew.
After the maid left, Ya Fei quickly walked to the dressing mirror and carefully adjusted her appearance, ensuring she was in her best condition.
She looked at the face in the mirror, one that combined allure and shrewdness, and a confident smile curved her lips.
Whatever his purpose was, she had to seize this opportunity!
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