Auctioning the Blood Lion Thunder Cloud Painting

After Matthews finished killing the men, he contacted Asolun and Fiona, who had gone out to find food. Although it had already started to rain, Matthews and his group did not linger for too long.

A month later, Matthews rode on the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, followed by Fiona on a Cloud-Patterned Horned Horse, as they arrived at the capital of the Furio Empire.

"Young Master, is this the capital city where you lived?"

Fiona looked at the majestic capital, asking with a face full of excitement. Matthews nodded and led her straight into the city.

Matthews opened the door to his long-abandoned smithy. Seeing that it didn't look like it had been left uncleaned for a long time, he concluded that the little girl Mia must have been coming by to tidy up.

"It's a bit simple here. Clean it up in a bit, and you can stay in that room!"

Matthews' place was a blacksmith shop, containing only two main bedrooms and a small storage room for materials. Now that he was a Level 9 Warrior, he didn't plan on smithing anymore, so he cleared out the small storage room for Fiona to live in.

In the evening, while Matthews was sitting in the courtyard meditating, Mia and Winter arrived near the small courtyard by carriage. Mia looked at the lights shining in the courtyard from afar and urged happily, "Hurry, my brother is back!"

Once they reached the entrance of the shop, she jumped off the carriage and rushed into the courtyard.

"Brother!"

She pounced into Matthews' arms like a little monkey. Matthews helplessly hugged her just as he had when she was a child, comforting her for a moment before smiling and saying, "Look at you, you're a grown woman now, yet you're still the same as when you were little!"

"I will always be Brother's sweet little sister!"

"Go on, I'm not falling for that. You didn't trick me out of money for dresses any less when you were little; you're probably trying to swindle your brother out of gold coins again!"

Mia scoffed and let go of Matthews with a look of disdain.

"Pfft, I don't know who was the stingy one back then, spending so much money on his own clothes and only giving me ten silver coins to buy a dress!"

Looking at the little girl who was just as dismissive of his frugality as she was in childhood, now grown into an eighteen-year-old young woman in the blink of an eye, Matthews patted her head dotingly.

"Sister, don't worry, Brother definitely won't let anyone bully you in the future!"

"Pfft, who would believe you? I'm a Level 6 Mage now!"

After saying this, Mia looked at the twelve-year-old girl standing behind Matthews and asked, "Brother, who is she?"

"Her name is Fiona, she is my maid."

At this time, Winter also stepped forward to greet them. Matthews nodded upon seeing this, then invited him to stay for a meal before Winter took his leave.

After Winter left, Matthews called Mia aside into the courtyard and said, "You are a grown woman now. I didn't object to you associating with him before, but from now on, don't bring him home so easily!"

"Brother!"

Matthews looked at Mia and said, "If you like him, let him come to ask for your hand."

Mia nodded and agreed to Matthews. Under the moonlit night with sparse stars, Matthews chatted with his sister about the recent changes.

"It's getting late, go back to sleep!"

Now that he was at the Level 9 realm, simple training was no longer enough to improve his strength in a short period of time. Therefore, he planned to stay here to properly contemplate and consolidate his recent gains.

One day, while Matthews was in his room in seclusion painting, he saw Winter arrive at the courtyard gate once again.

"Big Brother, I'm here!"

Winter was blocked by the maid Fiona, who warned him, "The Young Master is currently painting, Young Master Winter, please wait a moment."

"But!"

The Blood-Eyed Mane Lion bared its teeth at Winter, and Winter waited honestly for a moment. Once Matthews sensed him, he spoke up, "Come in!"

After Winter entered, he saw Matthews inscribing a title on a painting. He subconsciously read it aloud: "Blood Lion Thunder Cloud Painting!"

He saw a blurry figure standing in front of a giant rock, while opposite him, a Blood-Eyed Mane Lion exuded a fierce aura. Thunder clouds rolled in the sky, and it seemed as if something terrifying was gestating within them.

"Boss, what is this you've painted?"

"Your realm is not high enough, so naturally, you cannot understand it."

Matthews then explained to him, Fiona, and Mia, who had just walked in, "This is the scene from when I battled the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion!"

Matthews did not explain the secret of the "momentum of heaven and earth" depicted in the painting. He had realized the momentum of heaven and earth while fighting the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, and this painting captured that very moment.

For their level as Level 6 Mages, such things were still too far beyond their reach.

"Right, what did you come to see me for?"

Winter looked at Mia, then at Matthews, before saying, "I came to invite Mia to the auction a month from now!"

"That works out well. I'm short on money to buy a new house, so I'll send this painting to be auctioned!"

A month later, on the way to the Imperial Capital Auction House, Matthews and Winter were in the same carriage.

"My sister told you, right?"

"Yes!"

Seeing him nod, Matthews continued, "What are your plans?"

"I have already sent word home; the family will reply soon!"

Seeing this, Matthews didn't ask further. Upon arriving at the auction, Winter led Matthews to a private box on the second floor. The auction house staff recognized Matthews this time and were much more enthusiastic than when he was a Level 6. Matthews sighed inwardly; sure enough, when you have strength, you are met with smiling faces everywhere.

At the same time, Wood, who had already married Matthews' first love, Kelly, was accompanying his older brother in another box on the second floor. Wood was only a Level 7 Mage now, while his genius brother, Kane, was already a Level 9 Mage.

"Brother, that painting by Matthews is going to be auctioned soon."

Kane looked at his younger brother, who had been obsessed with saving face his entire life. News had reached the Imperial Capital that Matthews had broken through to a level nine warrior and killed a level nine mage from the Church of Light along with a level nine angel. This had infuriated his competitive brother, especially after discovering a painting that Matthews had gifted to Kelly inside her room.

Watching Wood, who was filled with hatred, Kane calmly said, "I told you long ago that strength is the foundation of everything."

"I know, brother!"

Kane looked at Wood, sighed, and said, "Sigh, leave the rest to me to handle!"

There were not many items in the auction that Matthews liked; he only bid on a decent magic staff to give to his younger sister, Mia. Afterward, he also purchased a piece of Cold Jade, a special stone found at the bottom of deep lakes. It emitted a chilling aura and was suitable for crafting weapons for water-attribute cultivators.

Finally, the time came for the auction of the Blood Lion Thunder Cloud Painting by Matthews. After the auctioneer announced the starting price of two hundred thousand gold coins, Wood was the first to shout, "Two hundred and ten thousand gold coins!"

After several rounds of bidding, the price had already reached eight hundred thousand gold coins.