[In the 289th year, through the Heavenly Mechanism Chessboard, you foresaw that something good would happen if you went out today. As it happened, you had not toured Jiancheng in a long time. For decades, you had been cultivating within the clan grounds, and your children knew Jiancheng better than you did.]
[Since you happened to have time to stroll outside, you invited your wife to go out and have some fun. Jiang Wen was somewhat surprised to hear that you wanted to take her out. "Husband, it is rare for you to have time away from cultivation. Is there anywhere you want to go?"]
[Hearing your wife Jiang Wen's words, you guiltily rubbed your nose, then embraced her affectionately. "I'll set aside more time to accompany you from now on. You choose where we go today. I'll go wherever you want."]
[Looking at your handsome, guilty face, Jiang Wen kissed your forehead, then pulled you to the largest garden in Jiancheng. Along the way, many women gazed at you with blazing enthusiasm. Realizing something, you took out an Earth Grade Treasure Artifact, making it impossible for others to see you clearly. Jiang Wen had given you this artifact several years ago.]
[And so, you accompanied your wife from noon until dusk. Once the sun had set, you happened to pass Jiancheng's Auction House. Only when you saw the items written on the sign outside did you realize that today was Jiancheng's grand auction, held once every few decades. Remembering the Heavenly Mechanism Chessboard's hint, you realized something and brought your wife into the Auction House.]
[After you handed the Auction House's Jade Token to the guards, they immediately went inside. Before long, the person in charge of the Auction House came out and warmly invited you into a private VIP room.]
[After entering the Auction House, you watched item after item appear on the stage, but none interested you. As time passed, the lots were auctioned away one after another, yet you still did not see the item indicated by the Heavenly Mechanism Chessboard.]
[Two hours later, the Auction House had already sold dozens of items. After an Earth Grade treasure box was bought away, something wrapped in red cloth was brought onto the stage. Just as everyone waited expectantly to see what lay inside, the auctioneer pulled away the red cloth, revealing a box. When it was opened, a crystal-clear pearl the size of a fist appeared.]
[The Auction House staff then said, "This is an unidentified Treasure Pearl, found by a Great Power of the Void God Realm within a Secret Realm. Although this pearl appears to give off no aura, and its grade as a treasure material cannot be determined, the other items that Great Power obtained from the Secret Realm were at least Mysterious Grade, with quite a few Earth Grade Treasure Materials among them."]
["Therefore, we have decided to auction this Mysterious Treasure Pearl at the price of a Profound Grade High Rank item. While there is a high chance that this pearl is Mysterious Grade Treasure Material, there is also a small possibility that it is Earth Grade material. If the honored guest who buys it can determine that it truly is Earth Grade Treasure Material, they will make a fortune." Afterward, the staff announced a normal price for a Profound Grade High Rank material.]
[Once the staff finished speaking, the entire venue fell silent. No one was willing to bid. Things like this, whose grade could not be determined and which had no records, were usually merely Mortal Grade items. It was only that their owners refused to believe they were ordinary goods. If someone consigned many items to the Auction House and threw in an extra item to be auctioned, the Auction House would usually accept it. As for whether anyone would buy it or whether it would go unsold, that was not something the Auction House needed to consider. They would collect their commission according to the listed price regardless.]
[In truth, you had reacted the moment the Treasure Pearl appeared. Though you could not determine its grade either, since the Heavenly Mechanism Chessboard considered it a good thing, it surely would not be too bad. Besides, to you, this price was little different from giving it away for free. The price of a Mysterious Grade Treasure Material was something you did not even put in your eyes.]
[When you saw that no one spoke up, you announced the minimum price for the item.]
[As soon as you spoke, everyone became extremely curious about which fool had bought it, vainly hoping to strike it rich. One had to know that in this world, true treasures could usually be recognized at a glance. There was no chance for anyone to stumble upon a hidden treasure.]
[When they turned their heads and their gazes landed on you, however, they quickly lowered their heads again. The words hovering on the tips of their tongues were swallowed back down at once.]
[Although they could not see your face clearly due to the artifact and did not know your true identity, they could make a basic judgment from your clothing that you were at least a member of the Ye Family's Direct Lineage. The Ye Family was Jiancheng's strongest power apart from the authorities.]
[Those whom their Lineage sent to the Auction House were not fools, and there would be none of that clichéd pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger. Martial Artists generally had long Lifespans. Without sharp enough eyes, such Lineages or factions would have long since been wiped out.]
[You paid no attention to the others' gazes and simply continued watching the next lot appear at the Auction House. Though you had felt some reaction toward this Treasure Pearl, you could not be certain it was what you were searching for today. You planned to remain until the end of the auction.]
[As lot after lot appeared on stage, the atmosphere grew increasingly fervent. Yet because the later items were not particularly valuable, you never made another bid. Only after the auction ended did you leave with your wife.]
[In an alley outside the Auction House, a sharp-mouthed man in gray clothes, his face somewhat gloomy, watched your retreating figures and whispered, "Boss, should we make a move? Those two do not seem very strong, and they are disciples of a great Lineage. They definitely have plenty of money on them. If we kill them, we can leave Jiancheng and hide somewhere else for a while. Just like before, no one will notice insignificant people like us."]
[Beside the sharp-mouthed man, a tall Blue-Clad Man smashed his fist against the sharp-mouthed man's head and roared, "Do you have even a shred of sense? Do you know who they are? They are clansmen of the Ye Family, one of Jiancheng's great powers!"]
[The Blue-Clad Man seemed rather proud that he had recognized them. After pausing for a moment, he continued, "They are not on the same level as our last target. If you dare touch people like them, forget whether we can escape— even if we do escape, they will drag us back and kill us." As if still not satisfied, he struck the sharp-mouthed man's head hard again.]
["You are going to make me die of stupidity. Is there nothing inside that head of yours? If you keep acting this foolish, I'll report it to the Great Chieftain when we get back. Next time, I will not bring an idiot like you along!"]
[Hearing the Blue-Clad Man's words, the sharp-mouthed man did not dare talk back. He merely raised a hand to block the fist that kept striking his head, unable to understand what he had done wrong.]