The wheels rolled over the obsidian paving laid along the Imperial Capital's central axis, producing a dull, weighty rumble.
That utterly inconspicuous Black Ironwood Carriage passed through the ceremonial guard jointly assembled by the Alchemist Guild and the Mittel Family beneath countless gazes filled with awe, curiosity, and bewilderment.
It did not stop, nor did it offer any greeting.
It simply, calmly, entered this whirlpool of power known as Sacred Jia Ma.
The convoy did not head for any posthouse or inn. Instead, under the personal guidance of Nalan Ye, the Mittel Family's chief steward in the Imperial Capital, it drove straight toward the eastern district.
The eastern district was where the Imperial Capital's true elite gathered.
Every inch of land here was more expensive than gold. Ordinary wealthy merchants did not even qualify to own a toilet here.
At last, the convoy stopped before an estate sprawling across an enormous expanse of land.
This estate and that tiny auction house in Wutan City were concepts from two entirely different worlds.
Its towering walls were built from rare azure jade, their surface flowing with a warm, lustrous sheen beneath the sunlight. Two ferocious stone lions carved from entire blocks of black iron rock stood on either side of the vermilion gates, silently displaying their owner's prestige and wealth.
Above the gates hung a plaque carved from sandalwood, bearing two gilded characters written in bold, soaring strokes.
Mite'er.
This was the Mittel Family's true foundation in the Imperial Capital.
Deep within the estate, inside a tranquil and elegant courtyard.
Far removed from all noise and commotion, the air was suffused with the faint fragrance of sandalwood and exotic flowers, calming the mind.
After dismissing all the servants, Nalan Ye personally led Su Chen into an extravagantly furnished reception hall.
His