Five days flew by amid a packed schedule.
Wang Shaojie's possible revenge never came. Then again, it made sense. Sun Moon Academy was Jing Hongchen's territory; even Crown Prince Xu Tianran wouldn't dare lay a hand on him, much less a member of a collateral branch of the imperial family.
Early morning, outside the Hongchen Duke Mansion.
Meng Hongchen was chatting away with Ye Guyi, grinning from ear to ear, while Xiao Hongchen leaned against a gatepost, thinking through their plans for entering the Star Dou Great Forest.
Less than a minute later, Jing Hongchen emerged from the mansion at an unhurried pace. The old man had changed into dark civilian clothes, with no insignia of the Hongchen Family.
They were heading into enemy territory with three children in tow, so he had naturally made thorough preparations. In fact, he had brought two Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shells with him. Even a Limit Douluo would have trouble taking him down without a scratch.
He glanced over the three of them.
"Everyone's here, right? Then let's go."
With that, Jing Hongchen sprang into the air. Two slender golden wings unfurled behind him, lifting him slowly upward.
The Flight Soul Tool he used was biomimetic. Its wings were thin and supple, without the slightest hint of metal. Pale golden light flowed across them, yet no Soul Power seemed to be emitted. With nothing more than a gentle unfurling, they carried Jing Hongchen into the sky.
The pair of wings, thin as cicada wings, suddenly blazed with golden light. The three of them felt a golden veil descend from above, and in the next instant, they were enclosed within it.
Then, the three of them shot skyward as if borne by clouds and mist.
Only then did they realize that Jing Hongchen's Flight Soul Tool had suddenly expanded a thousandfold. Enveloped in a layer of golden light, they floated behind him. Two enormous golden wings, each ten meters wide, beat gently.
Meng Hongchen let out a "wow," gripping the edge of the light barrier with both hands, her nose nearly pressed against it.
Everything outside turned dreamlike, but inside the barrier, it was as steady as a motionless room. There was no wind, no shaking, and even the weightlessness of rising had been reduced until it was almost imperceptible.
If not for the scenery outside rushing past, they would never have guessed they were flying at high speed. Xiao Hongchen lowered his eyes to the ground below.
Ming Capital's streets, buildings, and crowds were shrinking at a visible pace. The whole city looked like a map being rolled up.
Ye Guyi stood quietly beside him, gazing at the clouds drifting past outside the barrier. Her fingers rested lightly against its inner surface. It was her first time riding a Flight Soul Tool of this caliber.
After reaching the border of the Star Luo Empire, Jing Hongchen guided the Flight Soul Tool higher and higher.
Only after they had climbed above five thousand meters did he stop ascending and fly toward the interior of the Star Luo Empire. Once they had passed through the empire's line of scouts, he immediately dropped to an altitude of two thousand meters, and their speed surged.
Several hours later, a city spanning more than a thousand square kilometers, stretching over a hundred li in every direction and rising a hundred meters high, appeared in Xiao Hongchen's field of vision.
As the capital of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City was undoubtedly the empire's largest city and its political, cultural, and economic center. It was known as the imperial capital that would never fall.
Star Luo City's walls soared a hundred meters high and were a terrifying hundred meters thick, built entirely of solid rock. The outer city's broadest main road was wide enough for sixteen carriages to pass side by side in both directions.
Though it could not rival Ming Capital, it was still the second-largest city on the continent.
Jing Hongchen landed in a wooded area on the western outskirts of Star Luo City.
After handing out cloaks to the three of them, he led them into the city with the crowds.
The auction would be held that evening, so the four of them first booked rooms at the Star Emperor Hotel.
Xiao Hongchen had just settled in, hoping to enjoy some quiet in his room, when the door swung open.
"Bro! Come shopping with us!"
"...You can go without me. I'm resting."
"No. Grandpa said we can't go off on our own."
"There are two of you. That's not going off on your own."
Meng Hongchen was stumped for a moment, then switched to her tried-and-true tactic: pleading.
"Brooo, come on. I haven't been shopping in ages. The last time was the day before yesterday! Can you bear to leave your adorable little sister wandering all alone through the unfamiliar streets of Star Luo City?"
"Aren't you going with Ye Guyi?"
"That still counts as being all alone!"
Am I even a person? Am I really not a person?
"Guyi, Meng says you're not a person."
"No, no, that's not what I meant!" Meng Hongchen hurriedly explained to Ye Guyi.
"I know."
Meng Hongchen sighed in relief, then turned to glare at Xiao Hongchen. "Bro, you're trying to drive a wedge between us!"
Xiao Hongchen leaned against the headboard, hands laced behind his head, and replied evenly, "I was just helping her translate."
"Translate what? Guyi, don't listen to him. He's been like this since he was little." Meng Hongchen clung to Ye Guyi's arm and huffed. "Come on, let's go shopping. We're not taking him."
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
Ye Guyi turned her head and whispered something in Meng Hongchen's ear.
Meng Hongchen's eyes lit up. Then she let go of Ye Guyi, came back, and grabbed Xiao Hongchen by the sleeve. "Come on."
"...Didn't we agree you weren't taking me?"
"I changed my mind."
Meng Hongchen hauled Xiao Hongchen off the bed and dragged him out the door. As they passed Ye Guyi, he glanced at her. "What did you tell her?"
Ye Guyi kept her gaze forward and her steps steady. "Nothing."
And so, Xiao Hongchen was dragged out shopping for half the afternoon.
Everything Meng Hongchen bought was left for him to carry.
Truth be told, though, he was enjoying himself.
That evening, outside the Star Emperor Hotel.
Jing Hongchen had changed into a dark formal outfit. When he came downstairs, the three of them were already waiting by the entrance.
Xiao Hongchen and the others soon arrived at the auction venue.
The Starlight Auction House.
From the outside, its façade was barely three meters wide, its sign somewhat faded and its two wall lamps dim. It looked no different from any other shop on the street.
Jing Hongchen pushed open the door. Inside was a staircase descending underground, with a red carpet and wall lamps, but no staff to guide them. The four of them went down about twenty meters before the attendant at the registration desk accepted their invitations and handed them four masks.
Beyond a simple wooden door, the scene changed in an instant. All they could see was a dazzling expanse of gold. A broad passageway gleamed with gold and splendor, its lavish decor even more extravagant than that of the Star Emperor Hotel where they were staying.
At the far end of the passageway hung one magnificent crystal chandelier after another. Yet they did not make the place feel cramped, for the passageway was a full five meters high. The lighting was a soft, warm yellow, and against the golden walls, the richly layered world of gold was enough to dazzle anyone.
Jing Hongchen handed the three of them the auction paddles they had just received.
"If you see anything you like, feel free to bid on it. There's nothing in this auction house that the Hongchen Family can't afford."
Xiao Hongchen and the others followed a hostess into a private booth.
One of the young women walked up to the smooth wall and pressed it lightly. The wall gradually transformed into a huge soul-guidance screen.
The optical screen gradually came into focus. Patterns appeared on either side, while the center showed what looked like an auction stage. The stage appeared small, but it was crystal clear on the screen.
Before long, a beautiful, melodious woman's voice rang out, and the auction hall fell silent.
"Welcome, honored guests, to the Starlight Auction House. Our auction is about to begin. Please take your seats."
The wall lamps, which had already been dim, gradually darkened further, while the lights on the auction stage grew brighter.
A woman in a purple gown walked onto the stage from one side of the hall. She looked to be around thirty, with elegant, delicate features and a faint smile on her face. She moved with graceful, willowy steps.
The auction officially began.
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