Taking refuge at the auction house, a Nine-Star Dou Zhe

Disregarding the drain on his lightning attribute Dou Qi, Zhou Changqing activated Thunderclap Flash several times in succession and turned down several streets before finally slowing down.

"Whew..."

Breathing a slight sigh of relief, Zhou Changqing did not stop, but hurried toward the Mittel Auction House.

He was not safe yet.

Since someone had already chosen to strike, the forces watching him had clearly begun to lose patience.

No one knew when the next attack would come, so he needed to find somewhere safe as quickly as possible.

He was a returning customer who had visited the Mittel Auction House three times and brought it considerable profits.

The auction house was undoubtedly his best choice of refuge for now. Besides, having spread its auction houses throughout the empire and become its richest enterprise, Mittel ought to have at least some credibility.

He reached the end of the main street in the city center.

The enormous Mittel Auction House came into view.

Zhou Changqing walked straight toward it.

"Young Master Zhou, you're here? Please come inside. I'll notify Miss Ya Fei right away."

Seeing a youth approach, one of the guards flanking the entrance recognized his face, smiled, and hurried forward a couple of steps to welcome him.

Zhou Changqing nodded. "Sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all, no trouble! Xiaohua, take Young Master Zhou to the waiting room."

His easygoing manner made the guard wave his hands repeatedly, though the smile on his face grew more genuine.

Not daring to delay, the guard summoned a maid to attend to him.

"Greetings, young master. Please follow me."

Led by the maid, Zhou Changqing soon arrived at a reception room on the second floor of the auction house.

After dismissing the maid, Zhou Changqing set down his bundle and straight saber, then sat in a chair.

"Hiss... That fucking hurts. A Dou Technique used by a Dou Shi really isn't something to underestimate. I almost couldn't withstand it."

The moment he sat down, Zhou Changqing's face twitched. He sucked in a sharp breath and could not help muttering.

Then he rolled up his left sleeve and examined his elbow.

The skin around his elbow had turned purplish red, clearly bruised.

Ever since he had begun practicing his cultivation method and converting his Dou Qi, his strength had advanced at a gratifying pace. In two months, he had risen from a One-Star Dou Zhe to a Five-Star Dou Zhe, then spent another four months advancing from a Five-Star Dou Zhe to a Nine-Star Dou Zhe.

And that was without the aid of pills or heavenly treasures.

Such a terrifying cultivation speed would rank among the very best even across the entire Northwest Region.

But however gifted he was, the limitations of his cultivation level, cultivation method, and Dou Techniques meant that even as a Nine-Star Dou Zhe, Zhou Changqing's combat strength could not compare to a Dou Shi's, much less contend with a Middle-Tier Dou Shi.

(P.S. When Xiao Yan was a Dou Zhe, even after learning a Xuan Tier Dou Technique, he still couldn't beat a Dou Shi and was chased around by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Only after learning a Di Tier Dou Technique did he kill a Two-Star Dou Shi, at the cost of suffering backlash.)

For that blow to injure him this badly despite his metal attribute Dou Technique and Dou Qi, which far surpassed most other attributes in both defense and attack, showed just how powerful the middle-aged man's Dou Technique had been.

If he had not had an Iron-Cleaving Mortal Weapon capable of easily piercing a Dou Shi's defenses, and if that middle-aged Dou Shi had not underestimated him, escaping so smoothly today would hardly have been easy.

He moved his arm around, confirmed that no bones were broken, and only then lowered his sleeve.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Just then, footsteps drew closer, and soon the waiting room door was pushed open.

"Little brother Changqing, what took you so long? I've been waiting ages for you. Oh, and the things you requested last time have arrived."

A soft, alluring voice tinged with laughter arrived before its owner. Then a seductive woman in a red brocade robe walked in, her waist swaying.

When she saw Zhou Changqing in the room, her smile deepened.

Seeing her enter, Zhou Changqing stood and smiled faintly. "I suspect you weren't waiting for me, Sister Ya Fei, but for what I brought."

Unbothered by his teasing, Ya Fei approached with graceful steps and a bright smile. "I wanted both the goods and to see you, little brother. Those two things don't conflict in the slightest."

"I don't believe that. Why would the esteemed Head Manager and Chief Auctioneer of the Mittel Auction House miss a nobody like me?"

Zhou Changqing replied with a smile, then gestured with his chin at the bundle on the nearby table. "There, the goods are here. Handle them as you see fit, Sister Ya Fei. Same arrangement as before. I'll make a list of what I need later."

"Oh... I meant every word. To think you'd see me that way, little brother Changqing. You've broken my heart!"

"Besides, you're wrong about that. You're no nobody. The things you brought caused quite a stir in Wutan City for a good while. Who knows how many people have come here clamoring to buy them? They've nearly driven me mad."

At his words, Ya Fei merely glanced at the bundle on the table before ignoring it. Instead, she put on a wounded expression and gazed at Zhou Changqing reproachfully.

Enchantress!

That plaintive tone, coupled with the near-tearful look on her seductive face, sent the blood surging through Zhou Changqing's body, and he could not help cursing inwardly.

Sure enough, one could say Ya Fei lacked talent and strength, but no one could say she lacked beauty.

She occupied the thoughts of most men in Wutan City, and even Mu Zhan, a genius from the Imperial Capital, had been unable to forget her for years. That alone showed just how captivating this woman was.

"Ahem."

Clearing his throat twice to interrupt the conversation, Zhou Changqing hurriedly said, "Stop teasing me, Sister Ya Fei. Let's talk business first."

"Business? What business?"

Hearing this, Ya Fei immediately returned to her usual demeanor and asked, somewhat puzzled.

After all, this was not their first meeting. They had dealt with each other three times already. They might not have been particularly close, but they could at least be considered ordinary friends.

Otherwise, how could someone of Ya Fei's standing banter like this with a youth?

Of course, Zhou Changqing's exceptionally handsome looks, along with the considerable profits and customer traffic he brought the auction house, also played a part.

Without any hesitation, Zhou Changqing asked frankly, "It's nothing major. I just wanted to ask if you could arrange somewhere for me to stay, Sister Ya Fei. Going home might be a little inconvenient for me lately."

"Inconvenient to go home?"

Ya Fei paused, even more puzzled, but she did not refuse. She nodded. "Of course. Changqing, you're a major client of the auction house. We have no reason to turn down such a small request."

"And even if the auction house wouldn't allow it, you still have me, don't you? As long as you don't mind, little brother Changqing, you can simply stay with me."

"With a little brother as handsome as you, I certainly wouldn't lose out."

As she spoke, Ya Fei teased him alluringly, then stepped forward and rested her bent arm on his left shoulder.

"Mm..."

At that touch, Zhou Changqing's expression shifted slightly, and a faint sound escaped his throat involuntarily.

Seeing this, Ya Fei grew curious and was about to ask what was wrong.

But before she could speak, she noticed that Zhou Changqing was holding his left arm rather strangely. It even trembled slightly.

Her curiosity deepened, and she could not resist reaching out to roll up his sleeve and take a look.

"Sister Ya Fei, don't!"

Zhou Changqing tried to reach out and stop her, but he was too late.

Ya Fei had already lifted his sleeve and seen his purplish-red elbow, blood seeping through the skin.

"Little brother Changqing, what happened? Don't give me some tired old excuse about falling!"

Her beautiful eyes widened in shock, and Ya Fei abruptly looked up at Zhou Changqing.

(End of chapter)