White Dragon City

White Dragon Hill lay in the central-western region of the Northern Heavens Continent.

Several hundred years ago, this land had been a brutal battlefield where countless powerful figures had fallen, including more than a few Supremes.

Rumor had it that they had buried their lifetime treasures here, drawing generation after generation of treasure hunters to search the land.

Some had indeed found rich troves of relics, or even the legacies of powerful figures, rewriting their destinies and rising to fame.

With its vast hills, numerous Spirit Beasts, and abundant natural treasures, the region, while not renowned across the continent, had always remained bustling with people seeking opportunities.

Their Spirit Treasury mission would take them here.

High in the sky, several streaks of light raced through the clouds toward the outline of a towering city at the distant horizon.

Leading them was a tall, straight-backed figure in black-Mu Chen.

Three graceful young women flew beside him, their flowing clothes lending them an elegance that drew the eye.

"White Dragon City is just below," Mu Chen said, his voice carried clearly to the three women by his spiritual energy. "It's the largest city in the White Dragon Hill region."

He paused, glanced back at the three women, and smiled. "Let's settle in White Dragon City first, then look around and enjoy ourselves. There's no rush with the mission."

Luo Li nodded lightly, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall in the wind. Her glass-clear eyes gazed calmly at the increasingly distinct outline of the distant city.

Tang Qian'er's bright eyes, meanwhile, sparkled with curiosity and anticipation. White Dragon City was far livelier than any city in the Northern Spiritual Realm!

At his words, Wen Qingxuan merely cast Mu Chen an indifferent glance without saying anything, leaving her thoughts unreadable.

With Mu Chen setting the pace, they flew swiftly, arriving above White Dragon City in just a few breaths.

The city was quite magnificent. Its black stone walls rose several hundred yards high, giving an impression of indestructible solidity.

At its enormous gates, streams of people wove together, pouring endlessly into the city.

Merchant caravans lumbered forward with carts laden with goods, travel-worn bands of adventurers hurried in and out carrying weapons and bundles, and lavishly dressed cultivators entered at a leisurely pace, surrounded by guards.

Mu Chen chose an inn that looked both impressive and clean.

Built of dark timber and gray stone, the inn had a broad frontage, with strings of red lanterns hanging beneath its eaves.

They stepped inside to find a spacious dining hall on the ground floor, where quite a few guests were already eating.

The sharp-eyed waiter noticed their exceptional bearing and hurried over, all smiles. "Will you four be dining or staying?"

"Staying. Two superior rooms," Mu Chen said.

Tang Qian'er flushed faintly and glanced at Luo Li. Seeing that she had no objection, Tang Qian'er said nothing either.

"Certainly!" the waiter answered readily, briskly leading the four to the counter to check in.

Behind the counter stood a wiry innkeeper. He did not even look up as they approached, merely asking, "How many days?"

"Three days to start," Mu Chen replied.

"A superior room is one thousand Spirit Coins a day. Two rooms come to two thousand a day, six thousand for three days. With a two-thousand deposit, that's eight thousand altogether," the innkeeper quoted.

Mu Chen was about to take out the money when Wen Qingxuan casually tossed a cloth pouch onto the counter beside him with a dull thud.

Mu Chen looked at Wen Qingxuan, but she merely turned her face away, her high ponytail tracing an arc through the air.

"You're taking me on this mission, so I'll cover all our expenses!"

"Lead the way," she said.

The waiter nodded and bowed hurriedly, then led them up to the third floor.

Their two adjoining rooms stood at the end of the corridor. Opening the windows revealed a quiet little courtyard behind the inn, with an ornamental rockery, flowing water, and a few clumps of green bamboo-a pocket of tranquility amid the bustle.

Naturally, Wen Qingxuan took a room to herself.

Once they had settled in, Mu Chen suggested, "Shall we look around the city's trading district?"

"Sure!" Tang Qian'er was the first to respond. She had been curious about the city from the start.

Neither Luo Li nor Wen Qingxuan objected.

The four headed out again. According to the waiter's directions, White Dragon City's largest trading district lay in the west of the city.

It covered an immense area, its crisscrossing streets forming something like a maze.

Crowds surged through it, shoulders brushing shoulders.

Mu Chen's own bearing was restrained, so he did not stand out particularly among the crowd.

But with Luo Li, Wen Qingxuan, and Tang Qian'er walking together, the effect was entirely different!

Luo Li wore a simple blue dress, her silver hair falling like a waterfall. Her cool, unearthly beauty resembled a secluded orchid in an empty valley.

As she walked, she carried an air of quiet detachment that clashed with the surrounding clamor, making her all the more striking!

Wen Qingxuan's red dress caught the eye. She was tall, and her exquisite face bore an innate pride. Wherever her gaze swept, it seemed to exert an invisible pressure.

Her proud, coldly alluring bearing was like a rose amid flames, thorny and dazzling!

Tang Qian'er wore a light-colored fighting outfit, her ponytail tied high and her pretty face brimming with youthful vitality.

Her bright eyes surveyed her surroundings curiously. Lively and charming, she was like a little deer in the woods, fresh and endearing!

The three women had entirely different temperaments, yet each was a peerless beauty.

Walking together, they drew almost every gaze wherever they went.

"Ahem." Mu Chen gave a light cough, and a pressure descended, sending a chill through those watching from every direction. They withdrew their gazes timidly.

As they strolled around, the four really did buy quite a few things. Mu Chen gave the two women plenty of lovely gifts and received quite a few himself.

"I heard the stallholders say there's an auction farther inside. Shall we take a look?" Mu Chen suggested.

None of the three women objected.

Deep within the trading district stood a grand, freestanding building: White Dragon City's largest auction house, the Nine Summers Auction House!

Admission alone cost tens of thousands of Spirit Coins per person. Its caliber was clearly worlds apart from the trading areas outside.

Wen Qingxuan paid, securing admission for all four outright.

"If anything catches your eye at the auction, buy it. There are plenty of Spirit Coins, so spend as you please!"

"A rich lady really knows how to splash out!" Mu Chen remarked.

Luo Li rolled her eyes lightly at him. Although Tang Qian'er had never heard the term before, she found it oddly fitting and silently agreed.

Wen Qingxuan gave a soft huff, seemingly quite pleased, and led the way through the auction house doors.

When it came to talent and cultivation, she might not measure up to Mu Chen, but when it came to family wealth, there was plenty to be said.

The auction house was circular, with a round auction platform at its center, raised several feet above the floor and paved with white jade.

Around the platform, fan-shaped tiers of seats rose upward, with enough room for several thousand people at a rough estimate.

Nearly half the seats were already occupied. Figures filled the hall, and the hum of conversation made its popularity plain.

Mu Chen and the three women found four adjoining seats near the front and sat down.

Not long after they took their seats, several gazes came their way from different directions, naturally drawn once again to the three women.

Mu Chen's expression remained calm as he released another faint trace of his aura.

It was like the icy water of a deep pool. Though it lasted only an instant, it sent a chill through the watchers' hearts. They hastily withdrew their gazes, no longer daring to stare so openly.