The Servant Clan Blocking the Way

Moonlight spilled like water across the streets of Heaven Dou City.

Jiang Ming returned to his original appearance and blended into the crowd as he entered through the city gates.

There were even more guards at the gates than yesterday.

Every carriage entering or leaving had its curtains lifted for inspection, and every pedestrian was questioned.

Dugu Yan had truly stoked quite a blaze.

Jiang Ming entered the city without issue.

He stopped in an empty alley, and his spiritual power spread out like ripples across water.

The surrounding space became incomparably clear within his perception.

Then, Jiang Ming's figure silently vanished from where he stood.

Space Shift.

Inside the study of the Crown Prince Mansion, a barely perceptible spatial ripple spread outward.

Jiang Ming was already standing before the desk.

The study was empty, and the candles on the candelabrum had yet to be lit.

Only the moonlight from outside shone in, laying a silver-white sheen across the desktop.

Jiang Ming casually picked up the brush and ink on the desk and wrote a note.

It contained only a few keywords.

[West City cellar Dugu]

[Shrek death]

[You owe me two favors]

The corner of Jiang Ming's lips curled upward slightly.

When Xue Qinghe saw this note, anyone with half a brain would be able to guess who had left it.

Put those keywords together, and it meant...

Dugu Yan was in a cellar in the western part of the city.

Dugu Bo had gone to Shrek to kill someone.

I did these things, and now you owe me two favors.

As for how to quietly investigate that cellar in the western part of the city, and how to use Dugu Yan's whereabouts to befriend Dugu Bo...

That was her problem!

After infiltrating the Heaven Dou Empire for so many years, what was the point of infiltrating at all if she did not have even this much ability?

She might as well go home and have babies!

Half an hour later, Heaven Dou Auction House.

The entrance to the auction house was brightly lit, with two rows of scantily clad maidservants greeting every guest with smiles.

Those who could enter Heaven Dou Auction House were either wealthy or noble.

The guards at the entrance took quite some time just to inspect invitations.

Jiang Ming had no invitation.

But he had several bags of Gold Soul Coins in his Soul Tool.

After all, he had fought in spirit battles in Suotuo City for so long. He had some money.

With money, he did not have to worry about getting in.

"Sir, please present your invitation."

A guard at the entrance stopped Jiang Ming.

Though his tone was polite, his eyes carried a hint of disdain.

"I don't have one. It's my first time here."

"I heard the auction house has lower-tier seats?"

Jiang Ming casually took out a heavy money pouch from his Soul Tool and weighed it in his hand.

"Yes, yes!"

"The entrance fee for third-class seats is ten Gold Soul Coins."

"The entrance fee for second-class seats is twenty Gold Soul Coins."

The guard's eyes immediately lit up at the sight of the money pouch, and his attitude became eager.

"Second-class."

An entrance fee of twenty Gold Soul Coins was already no small expense for ordinary people.

But to Jiang Ming, it was a drop in the bucket.

After all, a single Gold Soul Coin was enough to cover an ordinary family's expenses for an entire month!

"This way, sir!"

Led by a maidservant, Jiang Ming passed through a red-carpeted corridor and headed inside.

Just then, a rough voice sounded behind him.

"Move aside, move aside! Don't block the way!"

A father and son strode over.

The middle-aged man in front was broad and burly, his every step brimming with force.

A young man followed behind him.

He looked as though he had been carved from the same mold as his father, built like a young bull.

His clothing was quite luxurious, but the silk was stretched taut over his muscles, making it look extremely awkward.

The father and son both radiated the air of nouveau riche.

Yet the Soul Power fluctuations faintly emanating from them were not weak.

One was a Soul Ancestor.

One was a Soul Grandmaster.

"Can just any stray cat or dog enter Heaven Dou Auction House now?"

"You dare come to an auction house dressed like that? I'm afraid you can't even afford the cheapest auction item, can you?"

As the young man passed Jiang Ming, his gaze swept over Jiang Ming's plain blue-green clothes.

"Isn't that Tai Nuo and Tai Long from the Strength Clan?"

"It really is that father-son pair!"

"The Strength Clan specializes in beating the young, then having the older ones come. Beat the older ones, and then the old ones show up."

Several guests around them began discussing it.

Tai Long.

The moment Jiang Ming heard that name, he immediately understood where this father and son came from.

The Strength Clan!

Tai Tan's grandson, Tai Long!

Tai Tan's son, Tai Nuo!

After the Clear Sky Sect closed itself off, the Strength Clan had still prospered.

What they relied on was precisely this shameless spirit!

But...

They were quite rich!

"Sir, the third-class seats are this way. Please follow me."

The maidservant urged him softly, somewhat embarrassed.

But Jiang Ming stopped and calmly looked at Tai Long.

"What? Not convinced? Was I wrong?"

Tai Long became even more energized when Jiang Ming looked at him.

Jiang Ming looked at him.

For about three seconds.

Then he smiled.

"You're right. I came here to broaden my horizons."

"There's nothing shameful about broadening one's horizons."

Jiang Ming's tone was so mild that no fault could be found with it.

One Soul Ancestor!

One Soul Grandmaster!

It would be fine if everyone went their separate ways peacefully.

But if they kept stirring up trouble...

His first kill would soon be born!

Tai Long had probably not expected the other party to back down so easily. For a moment, he did not know what to say.

Tai Nuo, however, gave Jiang Ming's back an extra glance.

He felt there was something off about the boy's reaction, but he could not say what exactly was wrong.

"Enough, enough. Don't lower yourself to the level of someone like him."

"Your grandfather said there are several good items at today's auction. We need to keep a close eye on them. Don't delay proper business."

Tai Nuo tugged at his son's sleeve.

The father and son swaggered into the first-floor VIP area.

The casual seating on the second floor consisted of semi-open private compartments. The location was not bad, and they could clearly see the auction stage at the center of the first floor.

Under the maidservant's guidance, Jiang Ming sat down, propped his elbow on the armrest, and casually swept his gaze across the entire auction house.

Meanwhile, in the study of the Crown Prince Mansion.

"This... That boy is simply outrageously bold!"

Xue Qinghe looked at the note on the desk and casually tossed it into the incense burner.

Flames spread across the note and quickly burned it to ashes.

"Dugu Yan is in a cellar in the western part of the city?"

"If I directly send people to rescue her, it will instead create the impression..."

"As if I knew where she was, so..."

Xue Qinghe raised her head and looked at the moonlight outside the window.

She needed a witness!

For example, a certain general who was very close to Xue Xing, but sometimes liked to stay out of things!

It was decided, then!

Ge Long!

An hour later.

"Your Highness! I completely understand how you feel."

"But the western part of the city has already been searched almost completely. There is simply no sign of Dugu Yan."

"We should give up as well!"

Ge Long frowned as he looked at Xue Qinghe.

He was truly confused.

Xue Qinghe had inexplicably invited him to join the search.

Although many powerful and influential nobles had joined the search party.

The vast majority were merely going through the motions.

They just wanted Dugu Bo to remember their faces afterward.

After all, competing with Prince Xue Xing for a favor was the kind of thing that could get you punished behind the scenes!