Chapter 144: Large Auction

Wang Changsheng circled the room, unable to discern Li Qiwen's intentions, and then left.

He went to Wang Mingyuan's study, where Wang Mingyuan handled clan affairs. A thick stack of letters lay on Wang Mingyuan's desk, and he was reviewing their contents while eating.

Ever since the "Listening to the Wise" suggestion box was introduced, a large volume of letters piled up on Wang Mingyuan's desk every month. While most of these suggestions were not very useful, a small number were good due to the collective wisdom. Most importantly, the box's presence significantly boosted the clan members' enthusiasm.

"Dad, you can look at them after you finish eating! It won't delay anything."

Wang Mingyuan nodded, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and said, "Sheng'er, Changfeng and the others sent word that in a few months, White Dragon Valley will host a major auction. Its scale will surpass even the Jade Field Dharma Assembly, and it's rumored to attract Core Formation cultivators. An auction of this magnitude is extremely rare. Do you want to attend? There might even be Heaven-Earth Spirit Water available."

Even before Wang Changsheng returned from the Ghost Abyss, Wang Yaozong had instructed Wang Mingyuan to send a group of clan members to White Dragon Valley in Wei State. After three years of development, the Wang family had established a firm foothold there, opening a restaurant. Some clan members had also infiltrated other shops as assistants to secretly gather information about Wang Changxue.

"A major auction? Is Second Patriarch going?"

"I spoke with Second Patriarch. He said the clan couldn't be left unguarded and that you should go. For caution's sake, it's better if you go alone. Once you arrive in White Dragon Valley, Changfeng will meet you."

Wang Changsheng nodded and replied, "Okay, I'll depart for White Dragon Valley later."

He could now simultaneously control seven puppet beasts, his strength having greatly increased. He wasn't concerned about encountering danger; bringing Qi Refinement cultivators along would actually be a hindrance.

Three years ago, clan members from the Wang, Huang, and Chen families were all attacked. Wang Changyu narrowly escaped harm, but the true culprit behind the attacks weighed heavily on the Wang family cultivators. As a result, Wang clan members venturing out had to travel in groups.

With Wang Changsheng already at the third layer of Foundation Establishment and aided by his puppet beasts, Wang Mingyuan was not concerned about him encountering danger.

Upon learning that Wang Changsheng was heading to White Dragon Valley in Wei State, Liu Qing'er repeatedly cautioned him to mind his safety.

Wang Changyue, on the other hand, hoped Wang Changsheng would bring back some delicious food for her. She was quite interested in array formations and was currently studying them under Wang Yaozhen.

After having dinner with his family, Wang Changsheng departed from Green Lotus Mountain under the cover of night.

Qingyun Tower was a newly opened restaurant in White Dragon Valley. Wang Changxing was the manager, and all the other staff, from waiters to chefs, were local Wei State residents.

Logically, they should have opened an artifact refining shop or a puppet shop. However, the Wang family didn't produce many puppet beasts to begin with, and transporting them long distances to White Dragon Valley for sale wouldn't yield much profit.

Given the unique circumstances of Wei State, Wang Mingyuan appointed Wang Changxing as manager. Wang Changxing had started working at a young age, was skilled in dealing with people, and had experience working in restaurants, making him a proficient manager.

To better conceal their identities, Wang Changxing didn't employ clan members. Instead, he hired several spirit chefs at high salaries and personally developed some new dishes. With Wang Changfeng's deterrent presence, Qingyun Tower gradually established a firm foothold.

At midday, during dining hours, Qingyun Tower was packed, and business was booming.

"Fellow Daoist Li, long time no see! Please, come right in, I've saved a seat for you!"

"Boss Xue, take care, and please come again!"

Wang Changxing stood at the entrance, warmly greeting customers who came in to dine.

Suddenly, a young man in a blue shirt approached Wang Changxing with a smile and asked, "Manager Wang, my private room hasn't been given away, has it?"

Seeing the young man in blue, the smile on Wang Changxing's face deepened further. "No, no, Senior, please come in," he said.

The young man in blue was, of course, Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changxing led Wang Changsheng to a private room on the third floor. Closing the door, he activated the room's sound-proofing array.

"Third Brother, is there any news about Second Sister?"

Wang Changxing shook his head and sighed. "No. For the past three years, Elder Brother and I have been secretly trying to find news about Second Sister, but there's been no progress. It's as if she vanished suddenly. She had almost no friends, so her disappearance didn't attract anyone else's attention."

Wang Changsheng was a bit disappointed. "Never mind, let's not talk about that anymore. Where's Elder Brother?"

"Elder Brother has been cultivating in the market city. He's befriended some Foundation Establishment Seniors, but it seems there hasn't been much progress on that front either. Ninth Brother, you should rest first. Later, I'll take you to see Elder Brother."

Wang Changsheng nodded in agreement.

He inquired about Qingyun Tower's operations. Upon learning that its business was thriving, Wang Changsheng was very pleased and praised, "Third Brother, you truly have a knack for this; no one else could have managed it as well as you."

"Heh heh, I don't have your and Elder Brother's aptitude. I'm just a little better at dealing with people. You must be exhausted from rushing here from Green Lotus Mountain. Please, sit down first. I'll go tell the kitchen to prepare something delicious for you."

After he had eaten his fill, Wang Changxing arranged accommodation for Wang Changsheng.

That evening, Wang Changsheng met Wang Changfeng in a secluded courtyard.

To conceal their identities, Wang Changfeng and Wang Changxing publicly claimed the surname Li.

After not seeing each other for a few years, Wang Changfeng's aura had grown significantly stronger. He was already at the peak of the first layer of Foundation Establishment, not far from reaching the second layer.

Wang Changfeng seemed very happy to see Wang Changsheng.

The three brothers drank and chatted. Wang Changsheng updated them on the clan's recent situation, and Wang Changfeng recounted their experiences over the past few years.

Wang Changsheng frowned and asked, "Elder Brother, you've been here for over three years. Is there not a single clue? Can't you even identify a suspect?"

Wang Changfeng hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "It's not that there are no clues. Second Sister was working at Hundred Spirit Tower at the time and suddenly disappeared. The people at Hundred Spirit Tower claimed complete ignorance when questioned, which is truly strange. You know Second Sister's character; she would never offend major powers. The Hundred Spirit Sect, which backs Hundred Spirit Tower, is highly suspicious. However, this is just our speculation. There's no concrete evidence pointing to the Hundred Spirit Sect, and since they are one of Wei State's Five Sects, with immense power, we simply cannot afford to provoke them."

"The Hundred Spirit Sect? Why would they capture Second Sister? Didn't she work for Hundred Spirit Tower? If she made a mistake, she should have been punished or dismissed."

"We don't know about that. However, about a month ago, someone sent me a letter that Second Sister wrote herself." Wang Changfeng took out a piece of paper and handed it to Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng's gaze swept over the letter, and a puzzled expression appeared on his face.

The letter contained only one small line of text: "Second Patriarch, Dad, Third Uncle, I am well. Stay away from the Four Great Sects of Great Song."

"Judging by the handwriting, this was indeed written by Second Sister. She's telling us not to get too close to the Four Sects of Song State, but she didn't provide a reason. It's truly strange."

"A storm is brewing; Second Sister must be warning us! I've made inquiries, and this is the first time Wei State's Five Sects are holding such a large-scale auction. Previous auctions were never this grand and attracted cultivators from multiple countries. Furthermore, in recent years, Wei State's Five Sects have lowered their disciple recruitment threshold, bolstering their forces. I fear these peaceful days won't last for many more years."

Wang Changfeng said meaningfully.

"Heh heh, since Second Sister has warned us, we can prepare in advance and strive to minimize any losses."

Wang Changsheng nodded in agreement. If Wang Changxue was still alive and had personally written this letter, the Wang family could indeed minimize their losses by preparing in advance.