After transmigrating into the body of the protagonist's childhood friend, he was targeted by a

Lin Zhixu's heart tightened. "Then you..."

Yu Linzhou, however, raised his index finger and gently pressed it to his lips, cutting him off. "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask. Tell me when you're ready to talk about it."

Lin Zhixu pursed his lips, but ultimately didn't ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue.

Yu Linzhou didn't rush him. He pulled him to sit down on the soft couch and stuffed a peeled spiritual fruit into his hand, telling him to enjoy the auction.

"Since you're already here, relax."

Lin Zhixu sat in the chair, looking at the huge light screen in front of him.

Every move in the hall and the expression on everyone's face was clearly visible.

He also saw the same group of scions of prominent families he had met on the street a couple of days earlier.

Liu Shuyan sat upright beside his elder, expressionless.

Gu Zhinan was whispering to his companion, his eyes shining as he looked around with curiosity that showed he had never seen anything like it before.

After watching for a moment, he finally understood why everyone was desperately trying to climb up.

The feeling of having everything under one's control, of looking down on all living beings from a high vantage point, is indeed very exhilarating.

After waiting for about half an hour, the spiritual light in the arena gradually dimmed.

The conversation subsided like a receding tide, and everyone held their breath in silence.

The auction is about to begin.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the private room.

Lin Zhixu turned his head warily toward the door, but Yu Linzhou didn't even change his posture, casually waving his hand to open the door.

Standing outside the door was the manager who had done business with Lin Zhixu in the black market.

The old man bowed respectfully to Yu Linzhou: "Master, why didn't you let me know you were coming? I could have arranged a new seat for you."

Yu Linzhou leaned lazily against the soft couch. "This place is fine, no need to trouble yourself. What brings you here?"

The old man straightened up and explained his purpose: "The Wen family head is leading the effort, and all four major families of Nanling have items they want to submit to the auction. However, the black market rules state that they don't accept anything that isn't a rare and precious item, and they also charge a 5% commission."

"Most of the items they have aren't considered rare or valuable, so we've come to ask for your opinion: should we accept them or not?"

After listening, Yu Linzhou curled the corners of his lips: "You've been in the Black Tower for so many years, do you really need to ask me about such a trivial matter?"

The old man smiled and said, "Since you're here, I should at least ask what you think."

Yu Linzhou chuckled and cursed, "You're so glib," then said calmly, "I have no connection with those so-called Four Great Families. I don't need to consider anyone's feelings. Just follow the rules."

The old man immediately understood.

It seems the master doesn't have much affection for the Wen family either; otherwise, given his personality, he would have taken care of them if they had even a slight relationship.

Just as the old man was about to take his leave, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Lin Zhixu sitting next to Yu Linzhou.

He paused for a moment, recognizing the face.

Isn't this the same boy who obtained the Azure Glazed Branch from the black market and then boldly made a deal with him?

His gaze swept back and forth between Lin Zhixu and Yu Linzhou, and a meaningful smile slowly appeared on his lips.

No wonder the master sent him a telepathic message that day, asking him to take good care of the child.

He was wondering why his master, who rarely showed himself, would suddenly make an exception for a mere Qi Refining cultivator.

Looking at the scene before him now, if he still doesn't understand, he'll have truly wasted his life.

"Look at me, I'm really getting old, even my eyesight isn't good anymore." The old man lowered his head. "Master, young master, please rest, I'll take my leave now."

He left decisively, closing the door behind him.

Lin Zhixu felt uncomfortable under that meaningful gaze, and his ears burned slightly.

What exactly is the awkward situation that arises when an office romance is suddenly exposed?

……

After the old man left, he went to another secluded room.

Inside the house, the heads of the four great families had been waiting for a long time.

The head of the Wen family looked at the closed door with unease.

The other three family heads also remained silent, creating a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

"Patriarch Wen, do you think that person in the black market will meet with us?" Patriarch Gu was the first to lose his composure.

Patriarch Liu chimed in, "Indeed, these things we have are rare treasures in the eyes of ordinary cultivators, but the black market might not even be interested in them. We don't want to end up not even being able to cross the threshold and becoming a laughingstock."

The head of the Wen family wasn't very confident either: "Whether it works or not, we have to try. These things have been sitting in our hands for at least a hundred years, and we might not even use them until we die. Rather than letting them gather dust in the storeroom, we might as well take this opportunity to sell them or exchange them for some usable ones."

The group sighed upon hearing this.

Although it's hard to hear, it's the truth.

What's the difference between a treasure that's no longer useful and scrap metal?

Just then, the door opened.

The four of them stood up almost simultaneously, their eyes fixed on the doorway.

The waiter bowed and ushered an old man in, then silently closed the door.

The head of the Wen family was startled, thinking that the old man was the legendary master of the black market.

He quickly stepped forward, excitedly cupping his hands in a respectful bow: "Senior, you must be the master of the black market? This junior, Wen Changshan, greets you, Senior!"

The other three family heads also followed suit, each displaying an increasingly respectful demeanor.

The old man did not immediately ask them to stand up. Instead, he slowly walked through the four people and went straight to the main seat to sit down.

He picked up the tea offered by the waiter, took a sip, and then raised his eyelids slightly: "I am not the master of the black market, but merely a minor manager. If you wish to see the master, the four of you are probably not qualified."

The four men's faces stiffened simultaneously, and they were all somewhat displeased.

What do you mean? A mere manager dares to be so arrogant; he's showing them no respect whatsoever!

Although they may not be considered top figures, they were still local tyrants, and they had never received such treatment before.

The old man put down his teacup, and his aura of power spread out silently.

In that instant, the four of them felt as if a mountain had suddenly pressed down on their shoulders, and their knees buckled uncontrollably.

The Gu family head, whose cultivation was the weakest, even swayed twice, only managing to stay upright by gritting his teeth.

The displeasure in my heart was instantly replaced by horror.

Such overwhelming pressure! This is definitely not the power of an ordinary manager.

They dared not think too much about it. If even a mere manager had such cultivation, how terrifying must the true master of the black market be?

Could it be some powerful Nascent Soul cultivator?

The four of them quickly changed their minds and lowered their stance.

The four secretly rejoiced that they hadn't shown their dissatisfaction earlier; otherwise, this trip might not have been about business, but about making enemies.

The head of the Liu family, being both flexible and assertive, said, "My lord, please calm your anger. We know we were wrong. We were blind to your greatness and offended you. Please forgive us."

The other four also realized what had happened and quickly apologized.

"Please calm down, sir!"

The old man took in the four people's reactions before slowly withdrawing his oppressive aura.

His expression remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.

He gestured for the four to sit down, saying, "Gentlemen, there's no need to be nervous. Although I am merely a steward, my master is very busy and has entrusted me with all matters concerning the black market. Therefore, my words still carry some weight."

The four nodded, embarrassed.

"My surname is Liu. You may all address me as Steward Liu."

The four men said in unison, "Manager Liu."