Chapter 44 – The Oriole's Crest
The Auction House Revealed
The black-clad cultivators descended the ridge, their leader stepping forward with practiced ease. His robes were plain, but the medallion at his belt caught Lin Xuan's eye: a phoenix in mid-flight, etched in red lacquer.
Bai Liang's eyes widened. "The same crest as the talisman we found on those bandits…"
The man smiled faintly. "Bandits, you say? No. They were ours. Guards who failed to return."
The disciples stiffened. The Red Phoenix Auction House was not a sect, not bound by cultivation oaths, but their reach was vast. They were merchants of the rare and forbidden, a power that influenced entire regions without lifting a sword. And now they stood in Cloudsky's path.
Lin's grip on his spear tightened. So this is the oriole watching from behind the cicada.
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Bai, Mu, and Wen's Combination
The enemy forces surged first, confident in numbers.
Bai Liang's Saber: His upgraded Azure Sky Severing Saber Art carved arcs of azure light that split both armor and qi barriers alike. Where he cut, the enemy staggered back, their techniques unraveling.
Junior Sister Mu's Flames: Her Heaven-tier Flame Controlling Scripture wove in perfect sync, phoenix-shaped fire sweeping into gaps left by Bai's strikes. Together, their arts created a dance of blade and flame.
Senior Brother Wen's Sword: His blade carved the empty spaces, precise and inevitable. Where saber and flame forced enemies to retreat, Wen's sword was already there, ending them in single clean strokes.
Three disciples, three paths—but together they were a storm. Enemies fell faster than they advanced, and even the hardened auction house fighters faltered under the relentless rhythm.
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Lin Xuan vs. the Leader
The leader laughed softly as he drew a curved blade, qi flaring with mercenary sharpness. "The rumors were true. Cloudsky's outer brats are sharper than they should be. Let's see if you bleed, boy."
Lin Xuan stepped forward, not with the Heavenstorm Lance, but with a new art he had taken from the Scripture Pavilion.
Flickering Shadow Steps
Original form: A movement technique at the Profound tier, allowing the user to create faint afterimages by bursting qi into their limbs. Effective for dodging, but limited in precision.
Upgraded form: When Lin elevated it, the technique transformed into Heaven-grade Shadow Mirage Steps. His afterimages weren't illusions—they were echoes of spatial distortion. Each "step" split him into phantoms that struck as one, confusing enemies with attacks from impossible angles.
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The Duel
The leader's curved blade slashed, carving the air with sharp arcs. Lin's form split into three, then five, each spear strike whistling with elemental energy. The leader deflected one strike, only to have another tear through his guard from a blind spot.
"What—?!" The man backpedaled, blood trailing from his sleeve.
Lin pressed harder, Mirage Steps weaving with his spearwork until it seemed as though an army of Lin Xuans fought at once. Every thrust carried fire, lightning, and space distortion. The leader's arrogance cracked, his grin fading into a grimace as he realized this was no ordinary disciple.
"You…" he snarled, eyes narrowing, "…are not what you appear."
Lin's answer was cold steel: the Blackstorm Pike flashing down, striking the leader's blade and forcing him to his knees.
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The Question of the Auction House
The last of the black-clad cultivators fell under Bai, Mu, and Wen's combined assault. The leader, bloodied and panting, raised his hands in surrender.
"We are not your enemies," he spat, eyes flicking to the orchid behind them. "The Red Phoenix Auction House seeks resources, not war. If the orchid were in our possession, we would have paid handsomely for it."
The disciples exchanged looks. Wen's brow furrowed. "If you're not our enemy, why hide in shadows and strike when we are weakened?"
The man laughed bitterly. "Because in this world, boy, if you ask openly, you get nothing. But if you take… you might get everything."
They bound him and left him alive, but unease lingered.
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Aftermath
As the disciples harvested the Heart Orchid, Lin Xuan's thoughts weighed heavy. The demonic sect was an obvious foe—but the Auction House? Their motives were profit, not destruction, yet profit could turn them against Cloudsky just as easily.
"They are not enemies," Lin murmured as they prepared to leave, "but they are not allies either. If we see them again, we'll need to know which they've chosen to be."
Bai glanced at him. "And if they choose wrong?"
Lin's eyes hardened. "Then they'll find Cloudsky doesn't forgive."
The orchid's glow faded into Wen's jade compass as they stored it carefully. Their first ingredient was secured. Their path, however, had only grown darker.