Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Lin Tian smiled.

He took two steps forward, walked to the very front of the bow, looked at Liu Suifeng, the three young men, and the towering sword peaks below.

Then he said softly:

"I want to pass."

Three words, plain and unremarkable, lacking any grandeur.

But Liu Suifeng's expression changed drastically.

He sensed an aura emanating from the handsome middle-aged man who looked ordinary but was actually a wealthy gentleman.

That aura... was like an abyss, like a prison, unfathomable.

Even a slight leak caused him, a third-level Celestial Being, to stiffen up, his true essence to stagnate, and he almost lost his balance while riding his sword.

A terrestrial deity!

Cold sweat beaded on Liu Suifeng's forehead. The three youths behind him were even worse off, their faces deathly pale, swaying precariously.

"Senior..." Liu Suifeng's voice trembled, "This junior was blind to your greatness... Please, please forgive me, senior..."

Lin Tian ignored him.

He steered the dragon boat and continued to fly forward.

Liu Suifeng quickly led his three disciples to step aside, standing with their heads bowed, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The dragon boat flew past them, heading deep into the Boundless Sword Sect.

Liu Suifeng finally breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He watched the dragon boat disappear into the distance, still feeling lingering fear.

"Elder, that person..." a young man asked in a low voice.

"Shut up!" Liu Suifeng hissed. "No one is allowed to tell anyone about what happened today!"

He paused, then added, "Immediately send a message to the sect leader... no, I'll go myself."

On the dragon boat.

Long Ao smugly said, "Hehe, that old man was terrified, wasn't he? Rules, huh? In front of Big Brother, no rules matter!"

Shi Yao gently patted him: "Say less."

Lin Tian remained silent, still standing at the bow of the ship, looking down.

Dragon boats flew over one sword-like peak after another.

You can see that there are indeed many disciples gathered in the plaza at the summit, as if they are holding some kind of ceremony.

As the dragon boat flew by, many people looked up and pointed, but no one dared to stop it.

After flying for about fifteen minutes, the tallest sword peak appeared ahead.

At the summit stands a magnificent palace, entirely white, as if constructed of jade.

There was a square in front of the palace, which was now filled with people, probably numbering in the thousands.

As the dragon boat flew by, a figure flew out from the palace.

He was a middle-aged man wearing a gray robe. He had an ordinary appearance, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, like two drawn swords.

He stood in mid-air, looking at the dragon boat, his gaze falling on Lin Tian at the bow.

The two exchanged a glance.

Just one glance.

Then the middle-aged man in the gray robe nodded slightly and stepped aside.

The dragon boat flew smoothly over the core area of ​​the Boundless Sword Sect and headed north.

After the dragon boat had flown far away, the middle-aged man in the gray robe slowly landed on the square in front of the palace.

An old man came forward to greet him; it was Liu Suifeng.

"Sect Master, that person..." Liu Suifeng said in a low voice.

"Very strong." The gray-robed middle-aged man—Sword Nameless, the sect leader of the Boundless Sword Sect—slowly uttered two words.

"Stronger than you?"

Jian Wuming was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Much stronger."

Liu Suifeng gasped.

Jian Wuming is a Celestial at the Ninth Level.

He's much stronger than him... what level of skill would that be?

"But he meant no harm."

Jian Wuming said again,

"I was just passing by. Send word that what happened today must not be told to anyone. Also... investigate the origin of that dragon boat."

"Yes."

Jian Wuming looked up, gazing in the direction where the dragon boat had disappeared, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Such a powerful figure suddenly appearing in Lanyue Prefecture... is it for the Qianbao Chamber of Commerce's auction? Or... something else?

He had a vague feeling that something was about to happen in Lanyue Prefecture.

On the dragon boat.

Lin Tian remained standing at the bow of the ship. Shi Yao walked to his side and asked softly, "Master, that person just now... was he the Sect Master of the Boundless Sword Sect?"

"Mm." Lin Tian nodded.

"He seems...very strong."

"It's alright," Lin Tian said.

"He has good talent in swordsmanship, but unfortunately he took the wrong path. If he can come to his senses, he has the potential to go even further."

Shi Yao nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

The dragon boat continued its journey.

The next few days passed peacefully. We flew over mountains, rivers, and towns.

When they occasionally encounter other flying magical artifacts or cultivators, they usually keep their distance. The Sword Dragon Boat's imposing presence makes it clear that it's not to be trifled with.

On the evening of the seventh day, a huge city appeared ahead.

The city was built against the mountain, with towering walls stretching for miles. Inside, pavilions stood tall and lights shone brightly; even from a distance, one could feel its bustling atmosphere.

We've arrived in Yanjing.

Lanyue Prefecture is the most prosperous place among the seven prefectures of Zhongting.

The dragon boat landed ten miles outside the city.

Lin Tian put away the dragon boat, and the three of them walked into the city. This was the rule: unless there was special permission, no flying magical artifact was allowed to fly directly into Yan Jing City.

The city gate was very high and wide, with a constant flow of people coming and going.

The soldiers guarding the city wore bright silver armor and conducted a thorough inspection, but when they saw Lin Tian and his companions, mainly because of their extraordinary demeanor, they asked a few simple questions and let them pass.

Once inside the city, it became even more lively.

The streets were wide enough for eight horse-drawn carriages to run side by side, and shops lined both sides with fluttering flags.

Restaurants and teahouses were bustling with activity, and cloth shops and banks were packed with customers.

The streets were crowded with people of all kinds: ordinary people, monks, merchants, officials... a dazzling sight.

Long Ao couldn't take it all in; he looked around frantically, shouting out every now and then.

"Look, big brother!"

"Wow! That girl is so pretty! And she's wearing so little..."

Shi Yao pinched his ear: "Behave yourself!"

Lin Tian remained calm.

He led the two men through several streets to a relatively quiet neighborhood.

The houses here are all very large, with high walls and deep courtyards, and stone lions at the entrance, clearly indicating that they belong to wealthy families.

Finally, they stopped in front of a huge mansion.

The mansion occupied a vast area, with its vermilion gates tightly shut, studded with copper nails that gleamed in the setting sun.

Above the gate hangs a black plaque with gold lettering, bearing the two large characters: Lin Mansion.

The handwriting is average, but the style is very powerful.

There were two people standing at the door.

One was a handsome and resolute middle-aged man, wearing a blue long gown, standing straight with his hands behind his back.

The other was a smiling, chubby man wearing a brocade robe.

Upon seeing Lin Tian, ​​the handsome middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"Young master."

It was Yuan Tiangang.

The fat man beside him quickly bowed and said, "This humble one, Qian Mancang, greets Young Master Lin."

Qian Mancang is one of the heads of the Qianbao Chamber of Commerce in Yanjing.

Lin Tian nodded: "Let's go inside and talk."

Yuan Tiangang pushed open the door, and the group went inside.

The mansion was even larger inside.

The front yard, middle yard, and back yard have pavilions, towers, rockeries, and ponds—everything you could want.

The servants and maids moved among them, and when they saw Lin Tian, ​​they all stopped and bowed respectfully.

As Lin Tian walked and looked around, he realized that this mansion must have been prepared in advance by Yuan Tiangang.

The location, size, and furnishings are all just right.

It's neither too flashy nor beneath one's dignity.

Not bad.

Upon entering the main hall, everyone took their seats.

The maidservant served tea and snacks, then withdrew.

Qian Mancang rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with smiles: "It's an honor to have Young Master Lin here. The auction starts the day after tomorrow at the Jubao Pavilion in the city center. Here's the invitation."

He handed over a gold-embossed invitation.

Lin Tian took it and casually placed it on the table.

"What's the final item up for auction?" he asked.

Qian Mancang hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice: "The specifics... I don't know too much. I only know that it's related to ancient ruins."

Ancient ruins?

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow.

That's interesting.

"Are there any other good things?" he asked again.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Qian Mancang quickly replied.

"This auction is quite large, with many good items. Heavenly-rank cultivation techniques, divine weapons, rare medicinal herbs, elixirs, talismans... all are available. The detailed list will be delivered to your residence tomorrow."

Lin Tian nodded: "Okay, I understand."

Qian Mancang tactfully got up to take his leave. Yuan Tiangang saw him out.

Only Lin Tian, ​​Shi Yao, and Long Ao remained in the main hall.

Long Ao finally couldn't hold back any longer and leaned closer: "Big brother, are we really going to the auction? Is there anything I can use? Like dragon blood, dragon scales, or something..."

"You wish." Lin Tian glanced at him.

"Stay put and don't cause trouble."

Long Ao shrank back: "Oh."

Shi Yao asked softly, "Big brother, how long will we be staying here?"

"We'll see," Lin Tian said. "We'll talk about it after the auction. By the way, you and Xiao Hei can wander around the city and buy some things you like. If you don't have enough money, ask Yuan Tiangang."

Shi Yao's eyes crinkled into a smile: "Okay."

Just then, Yuan Tiangang returned. He walked to Lin Tian's side and whispered, "Young Master, there's news."

"explain"

……

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow.

Sure enough, they were all there for the auction.

This is getting interesting.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The tea is excellent, with a delightful aroma.

He looked out the window.

As darkness fell, the lanterns in the mansion gradually lit up, casting warm yellow glows.

Night has begun in Yanjing.