Heading to the Commandery City

After leaving the secluded cultivation chamber, Gu Fan met Zhu Huai in the hall.

At the sight of Gu Fan emerging from seclusion, the latter's expression immediately changed.

However.

After some hesitation, he still stepped forward and said quietly, "Auction Master, word has come back from the royal capital..."

"Oh?"

Gu Fan raised an eyebrow, then asked, "What did they say?"

"They... they..." Zhu Huai stammered. Looking at the utterly composed Gu Fan, he finally said, "The royal capital sent back only one word..."

"What word?"

"No..."

No-in other words, they had rejected Gu Fan's request to take over the Profound Heaven Auction House in Yanshan Commandery City!

At those words, Gu Fan's eyes immediately turned cold.

By now, he also had a rough idea of who had made this decision.

The eighteen grand elders!

Because if it had passed through the lineage head's hands, the reply would certainly have contained more than a single word!

However.

Even if the elders had refused him, did Gu Fan look like someone who would obediently follow orders?

Since he could not take over the auction house in Yanshan Commandery City, he would simply establish one himself!

With the Ten-Thousandfold Return System, what auction house in this world could compete with his?

None!

At that thought, Gu Fan immediately said, "In that case, send word back to the royal capital and tell them to appoint another auction master for Guangyang City."

With that, he strode back to pack his luggage.

Behind him, Zhu Huai initially thought Gu Fan had accepted his fate, but then realization dawned on him, and his expression changed as he said,

"Auction Master! These are orders from the royal capital!"

"Bullshit orders..."

Cursing, Gu Fan rounded a corner and disappeared from Zhu Huai's sight.

Seeing this, the latter could not help letting out a long sigh.

Outside the gates of Guangyang City.

Atop a battered carriage, Gu Fan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing calmly at Guangyang City's walls.

This city.

It was the starting point of his arrival on the Mysterious Heaven Continent, and the beginning of his transformation.

Although he had spent only ten days here, those very ten days had turned him from an ordinary person without the strength to truss a chicken into a cultivator at the Spirit Sea Fourth Heaven.

His inner journey through it all could only be called rocky.

Just as Gu Fan was lost in recollection, the heads of the major lineages and some other familiar faces approached from the city gates, led by the city lord.

"Auction Master Gu!"

The city lord looked up and called out, interrupting Gu Fan's thoughts.

He lowered his head and immediately saw a group of people looking at him, their faces full of smiles.

Lineage Head Miao, Lineage Head Huang, Lineage Head Liu, several mercenary groups... hmm, Commander Mad Wolf was nowhere to be seen.

Besides them, there were many familiar faces from the first auction.

Seeing them, Gu Fan immediately cupped his hands and smiled.

"Have you all been well?"

"Hahaha! Auction Master Gu, why didn't you tell us you were leaving Guangyang City? You should have let us come see you off!"

Lineage Head Liu, whose lineage had already slipped to medium-sized status, spoke with a laugh.

"Exactly, exactly! Auction Master Gu, you're my benefactor. I, Huang Sheng, would feel ashamed if I didn't see you off!"

"..."

The corner of Gu Fan's mouth twitched slightly.

See me off?

Why did that sound so strange...?

Still, he quickly smiled and cupped his hands. "Thank you all for keeping me in your thoughts. But those bound by fate will meet again, even across a thousand miles. It's time I set out. Everyone... take care!"

With that, he leaped into the carriage. Uncle Fu, the driver, immediately tugged the reins, and the battered carriage swayed as it rolled forward.

Watching the carriage leave.

Everyone standing there could not help sighing softly.

Even the city lord sighed under his breath. "After this farewell, I fear we may never meet again..."

Before he could finish, however, voices from behind left him stunned.

"Ah! Our fortuitous opportunity has gone..."

"What a pity, what a pity! To think my Liu Lineage fell a little behind in this fortuitous opportunity. If Auction Master Gu could have stayed a few more days and held a few more auctions, my Liu Lineage might well have soared because of it!"

"Oh, fortuitous opportunity! Why couldn't you wait here a few more days...? I sold off all my property... only to be met with your departure... ah!"

"..."

At this moment.

The royal capital, the Gu Lineage.

"You're saying... that brat abandoned the auction house and went to Yanshan Commandery City?!"

Inside the great hall, the Gu Lineage's first elder set aside what he was doing and frowned at the second elder.

"Precisely. He even sent word back asking us to send another auction master to Guangyang City to take over the auction house."

"What is he trying to do?"

The first elder's brow furrowed even deeper.

Since Gu Fan's request to take over the auction house in Yanshan Commandery City had already been rejected, the local auction master would pay him no heed even if he went there.

In that case, why was Gu Fan still going?!

No matter how he thought about it, the first elder could not understand.

"Could there be someone in Yanshan Commandery City intending to help him?"

At this point, the second elder spoke with a dark expression.

If so, someone was trying to seize this opportunity to make a move against the Gu Lineage.

And Gu Fan was the pawn being used!

"Mm... keep a close eye on this."

The first elder stroked his beard and nodded, but then said, "Still, their efforts are doomed to be wasted. I examined Gu Fan's body fifteen days ago. He won't last much longer. And we must make absolutely certain that nothing goes wrong at this lineage tournament!"

"Mm."

The second elder nodded. "I'll instruct our people in Yanshan Commandery City to teach him a lesson, so he'll obediently return to Guangyang City instead of stirring up more trouble."

The two discussed the matter for a while, their conversation revolving around Gu Fan.

Not far away, Gu Changge, dressed in black robes, raised his head and asked, "Elders, are you speaking of that God-Devouring Physique from back then?"

Hearing this, the second elder turned toward him and nodded with an unusual look in his eyes. "That's right. That very God-Devouring Physique."

"Oh?"

Gu Changge raised an eyebrow, then said, "That God-Devouring Physique is nothing but a cripple now. Is he worth such a fuss from you two elders?"

"Changge!"

The first elder rebuked him mildly. After the reprimand, he earnestly instructed him, "Although he is already a cripple, he is still a member of the main branch, no matter what. Only by driving him out of the royal capital can we ensure the lineage head willingly hands you the position of young lineage head at the lineage tournament fifteen days from now."

"Mm."

Hearing this, Gu Changge nodded slightly, but did not take it very seriously.

Even if that God-Devouring Physique were still in the royal capital, he was confident he could make the lineage head hand him the position of young lineage head!

In this world, the strong reigned supreme.

And as it happened, he had absolute confidence that he was... the strongest of the Gu Lineage's younger generation!

Yanshan Commandery City.

Outside the city gates.

A battered carriage slowly approached, creaking and groaning.

Gu Fan lifted the curtain and immediately saw four boldly written characters atop the city gate ahead-Yanshan Commandery City!

"Young Master Gu, we've arrived at Yanshan Commandery City. Where shall we go next?"

"Let's head to... the Profound Heaven Auction House first."

"Yes!"