Chapter 109: Visitors from the Long Family

Just as Wen Hongcai was lost in thought, the door to the secret room finally swung open. "Brother Lin, you've finally emerged from seclusion! The auction is about to begin. I was worried you might miss it!"

"Thank you for your concern, Pavilion Master Wen," Lin Xiaobao replied with a smile. Although he knew Wen Hongcai's attitude toward him was likely due to Chen Zhong, the man had treated him well. While one could not become close friends with someone like him, Lin Xiaobao believed in returning favors.

"Here is your gold card, and your VIP card for the auction. You are in Private Room Two." As Wen Hongcai handed over the two cards, he explained, "Private Room One is reserved for Xuanyang Palace. Since we are all family anyway, I assume you won't mind, Brother Lin?"

Family? Did that fellow Chen Zhong have some connection to Xuanyang Palace? Lin Xiaobao had not asked about Chen Zhong's background back then; he had helped refine the pills purely out of respect for Chen Zhong's loyalty. However, Lin Xiaobao did not expose the matter. Accepting the two cards, he said, "You are too polite, Pavilion Master Wen. I will follow your arrangements."

"Shall we go together then?" Wen Hongcai asked, seeking Lin Xiaobao's opinion. After all, Lin Xiaobao had just emerged, and Wen Hongcai also needed to rush to the auction venue to oversee the preparations.

"No need. I'm sure you have many matters to attend to today, Pavilion Master Wen. I won't take up your time." Seeing a trace of disappointment on Wen Hongcai's face, Lin Xiaobao added, "I will remember the help you have given me during this time."

"You are too kind, Brother Lin!" Wise men did not need everything spelled out. Having secured Lin Xiaobao's promise, Wen Hongcai immediately bowed with cupped hands and escorted Lin Xiaobao out of Xiaoyao Pavilion.

Perhaps due to a shift change, or because the previous attendant had already been fired by Wen Hongcai, Lin Xiaobao did not see that blind fool when he stepped outside.

After bidding farewell to Wen Hongcai, Lin Xiaobao walked slowly toward the auction house.

"Young Master Lin, the young mistress asked me to bring you to her as soon as I saw you." As Wen Hongcai retreated back into Xiaoyao Pavilion, Uncle Zhang immediately appeared by Lin Xiaobao's side. However, Uncle Zhang no longer showed any disdain toward Lin Xiaobao. Instead, he behaved with a touch of respect. After all, Wen Hongcai had personally escorted Lin Xiaobao to the door just now. Even Yun Keke's uncle, Yun Zhongtian, might not receive such treatment.

"Where is Keke?" Lin Xiaobao asked casually.

"The Second Young Lady is already at the entrance of the auction," Uncle Zhang replied. Though his mind was filled with questions, as a servant, he knew what he should and shouldn't ask.

"Perfect. I was planning to head there anyway. Shall we walk together?" Lin Xiaobao nodded. He held a favorable impression of Uncle Zhang, who had always been loyal to Yun Keke.

"You're here? Are you alright?" Seeing Lin Xiaobao appear, Yun Keke finally breathed a sigh of relief. On the way back, she had heard that Lin Xiaobao was interested in Xiaoyao Pavilion's auction. Because they had signed a master-servant contract, unless Lin Xiaobao willed it, Yun Keke could not contact him through their mind-link.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Lin Xiaobao asked, noticing the anxiety in her brow.

Yun Keke sighed softly. "Although we found the demon core, my brother's condition is getting worse. Third Uncle said that even with the demon core, it might be too late to save him."

Looking at Yun Keke's pitiful and lovely face, Lin Xiaobao patted her shoulder and said, "After the auction is over, I'll go with you to see him."

Since he had signed a contract with Yun Keke, Lin Xiaobao did not mind helping her within his ability. Besides, although he had not lashed out back at the Yun residence, he was still quite displeased with Yun Zhongtian and his son. He was more than happy to cause them some trouble.

"Thank you!" Although Lin Xiaobao's cultivation level was not very high, Yun Keke had complete faith in him. She believed that if Lin Xiaobao was willing to help, her brother might truly be saved.

"A good dog doesn't block the path!" Just then, Long Xiuping's arrogant voice sounded from behind Lin Xiaobao.

"Long Xiuping, watch your mouth! This isn't the Long family residence where you can do whatever you want!" Seeing Lin Xiaobao insulted, Yun Keke naturally would not stand for it and barked back sharply.

"Does the Long family think there is no one left in the Yun family?" At that moment, Yun Zhongtian walked out from somewhere.

Although the Yun family suffered from intense internal strife, Yun Zhongtian did not hesitate when facing external enemies. In fact, this was common in every family. If a family's internal conflicts grew so severe that they could not unite against outsiders, then that family was not far from ruin.

"What grand posturing, Brother Yun!" A middle-aged man stepped out from behind Long Xiuping. He looked to be about the same age as Yun Zhongtian, but Lin Xiaobao secretly scanned him with his spiritual sense and discovered that the man actually possessed a cultivation of the Great Perfection of the Dao Heart. This was a full two stages higher than Yun Zhongtian's mid-stage Dao Heart.

After cultivating his Spiritual Mind Wave to the third stage, Lin Xiaobao could discern the strength of those with higher cultivation levels than his own based on the frequency of their external aura fluctuations.

"Are you... Long Yinfeng?" Yun Zhongtian seemed to realize something, and his face suddenly changed.

Long Yinfeng laughed heartily and said, "I didn't expect Brother Yun to still remember my existence. I thought that because I have been cultivating in Wuxiang Palace all these years, Blood Wind City had long forgotten about someone like me!"

Wuxiang Palace was a quasi-first-rate sect within the Xuesheng Empire. Although its strength was slightly inferior to Xuanyang Palace, it was still a well-known name among the cultivation sects, far beyond what small sects like Fengxue Pavilion could compare to.

Long Yinfeng had been scouted by an elder of Wuxiang Palace in his youth and taken into the sect. No one expected him to return to the Long family at this time. What was even more terrifying was that Yun Zhongtian realized he could not see through the other man's cultivation. One must know that Yun Zhongtian was already the strongest cultivator in the Yun family.

"Long Yinfeng has returned?"

"It seems the ranking of the four great families of Blood Wind City is about to be reshuffled!"

"I heard he was also an extremely formidable figure in Wuxiang Palace!"

At the entrance of the auction, people were constantly entering. When the dispute between the Yun and Long families broke out, many curious onlookers naturally stopped to watch. Upon hearing Long Yinfeng's name, they couldn't help but begin to whisper among themselves.

The power of the four great families had always maintained a certain balance. The sudden addition of Long Yinfeng to the Long family was bound to break this equilibrium, as could be seen from the Long family's attitude toward the Yun family just now.

In recent years, the Yun family had weakened and was already on the verge of becoming the weakest of the four great families. It seemed the Long family was planning to make an example of the Yun family first.

"I didn't expect that in less than thirty years, Brother Long would return after completing his studies. Truly, congratulations are in order!" Realizing the shift in their relative strength, Yun Zhongtian immediately tried to smooth things over.