Gathering of Heroes

The Miteer Auction House was under heavy guard today.

The guards, who usually only stood watch at key locations, were now stationed every three steps and posted every five. Clad in uniform silver armor and wielding refined steel spears, their eyes were as sharp as hawks. The fierce Dou Qi radiating from their bodies made any idlers attempting to approach recoil in hesitation.

A long red carpet was laid out before the massive bronze gates.

Every guest permitted to step onto the red carpet was required to present a costly, gold-stamped invitation.

Their status was either wealthy or noble.

The spacious auction hall had been completely renovated. Dozens of massive moonstones embedded in the dome emitted a soft, bright glow, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daylight. The floor was covered in thick, dark red carpeting that absorbed the vast majority of ambient noise. Rows of comfortable chairs crafted from amethyst wood were arranged in a fan shape, encircling the massive auction stage in the center.

At this moment, the hall was already bustling with noise, every seat occupied.

The air was thick with a mixture of various formidable auras, colliding and intertwining to form an invisible, oppressive web that hung over everyone's heads.

The front row was reserved for the top local powers of Wutan City.

Jialie Bi sat in a brocade robe, his face as gloomy as water. He occupied the leftmost seat, followed only by a family elder with a restrained aura. His gaze, like a venomous snake waiting to strike, remained fixed on another figure to his right.

Aoba Pa.

The helmsman of the Aoba Clan appeared radiant today. He chatted and laughed with Elder Gu He beside him, seemingly completely oblivious to the murderous glare Jialie Bi was casting his way. When their gazes occasionally met in the air, invisible sparks would erupt, causing the surrounding air to grow a few degrees more scorched.

Two groups sat in the central positions.

One was the representative of the City Lord's Mansion, a middle-aged scholar with a gentle smile and refined temperament. He spoke in low tones with the person beside him, his attitude impartial and airtight.

The person he was conversing with was none other than Master Otto, the president of the Alchemist Guild's Wutan City branch.

This second-grade alchemist had acted uncharacteristically today; instead of his iconic alchemist robes, he wore casual attire. Yet, even so, the unique soul pressure he exuded kept the surrounding experts from daring to underestimate him in the slightest. He was followed by several young alchemists from the guild, who were looking around with curiosity, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

However, it was not these local powerhouses who made the atmosphere in the hall so heavy.

It was the unfamiliar faces sitting in the back rows.

A burly man carrying a giant sword as wide as a door occupied two seats by himself. He sat with his eyes closed, resting. His exposed arms were covered in hideous scars, and a sharp, peerless Geng Metal Qi pricked people's skin with pain, even while he slept.

Not far away, a person shrouded entirely in a wide black robe sat quietly in the shadows of a corner. No one could see his face; they could only see the eyes peeking out from beneath the hood—shrewd and cold, like a hunting hawk in the dead of night.

There were also small sects from surrounding cities, dressed in uniform attire and led by steady-looking elders, occupying their own section. They whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with vigilance and caution as they looked toward the VIP seats in the front.

Every one of these people possessed strength not inferior to the elders of the three great clans of Wutan City.

They were all sharks drawn in by the two words: "Heavenly Flame."

The entire hall was like a powder keg on the verge of eruption; it would take only the smallest spark to detonate it instantly.

Just as this oppressive atmosphere was about to reach its peak:

Clang—

A crisp bell chime resonated throughout the venue.

Behind the auction stage, the heavy, dark red velvet curtains slowly parted to both sides.

The noisy hall fell silent in an instant.

Thousands of gazes converged on a single point.

A fiery red silhouette stepped out amidst the attention of the masses.

Today, Ya Fei wore a custom-made Crimson Flame Cloud Qipao. Intricate cloud patterns were embroidered onto the fabric with gold thread, tightly hugging her breathtaking, perfect curves. As she moved with lotus steps, a length of snow-white, slender calf was revealed intermittently through the slit in her skirt, inviting endless imagination.

A perfectly charming smile hung on her pretty face, and those soul-stealing peach-blossom eyes swept across the room, seemingly capable of snatching the souls of every male present.

The moment she appeared, she seized control of the entire venue with her stunning charm and powerful aura.

On the second floor of the auction hall, inside the most secluded VIP chamber.

The light was dim.

Su Chen sat quietly in a soft armchair.

Before him was a massive, specially crafted one-way crystal. From here, he could take in every scene in the hall below, while those below could see nothing of this room.

This was his first time seeing the lineage of experts from this corner of the Jia Ma Empire so directly.

His gaze swept calmly across the distinct faces below.

He saw the resentment and greed in Jialie Bi's eyes.

He saw the triumph and anticipation on Aoba Pa's face.

He saw the caution and neutrality of the City Lord's Mansion representative.

He saw the fanaticism and longing in the eyes of the Alchemist Guild group.

And he saw the undisguised vigilance and murderous intent in the eyes of those strange experts from outside the city.

Greed, anticipation, vigilance, murderous intent, fanaticism, calmness...

Countless emotions intertwined to form a vivid and realistic "portrait of the living," clearly reflected in his pitch-black pupils.

This was the storm he had stirred with his own hands.

This was the pack of wolves he had lured after tossing out that "key."

A strange sensation slowly welled up within his heart.

That was not mere nervousness, much less fear.

It was a sense of absolute control, as if he were standing outside a chessboard, watching every piece begin to move along the trajectories he had preordained.

He slowly raised his hand; beneath the shadow of his bamboo hat, his five fingers were slender and pale.

He could feel the blood within his body accelerating slightly.

That was excitement.

An excitement belonging solely to the grand strategist, one who held the entire Wutan City—and perhaps even the future of the entire northeastern region of the empire—in the palm of his hand.

Downstairs, on the auction stage.

Ya Fei walked to the front, her red lips parting slightly. Her crisp, melodious voice, carrying a hint of lazy magnetism, was transmitted clearly into everyone's ears through the sound-amplifying magic stone.

"Welcome, everyone, to my Miteer Auction House."

"This humble one, Ya Fei, represents the Miteer Chamber of Commerce in thanking all you powerful experts for traveling from afar to grace us with your presence."

Her voice paused, and those peach-blossom eyes swept slowly across the room; everyone touched by her gaze felt their hearts skip a beat.

"I am sure I know why you have all come, and you yourselves are well aware of it too."

She did not play coy, instead cutting straight to the point. This crisp and efficient style only served to earn the favor of all the experts present.

"As for that wondrous item capable of stirring up the winds and clouds, I can guarantee that it will not disappoint a single soul."

"Its value will absolutely exceed the imagination of anyone here."

She skillfully reignited the flame of "anticipation" in everyone's hearts.

"However, according to the rules, before we bring out our grand finale, there are a few appetizers I hope will bring a smile to your faces."

Ya Fei clapped her hands lightly toward the backstage.

"And so, I announce."

Her voice rose sharply, filled with passion and infectious energy.

"This Miteer grand auction is now..."

"Officially underway!"

Before the words had even faded, a graceful maidservant, carrying a silver tray covered with a red cloth, walked elegantly onto the stage.

The atmosphere in the hall was completely ignited at this moment.

Everyone knew that this was only the beginning.

The true storm was yet to come.