Qin Ruqing and her group didn’t rush to leave after the auction ended.

Firstly, they hadn’t received their spirit stones from the auction yet, and secondly, they expected the Yang family had more to discuss with them.

Sure enough, after sitting quietly for a while, the anticipated knock on the door came.

Yang Wenxu came in, his face showing excitement.

His first glance upon entering the room landed on Qin Ruqing, looking at her as if she were a walking gold mine.

“Miss Qin, you’re amazing! The three groups of Vitality Pills were auctioned for fifty-two thousand spirit stones!”

Qin Ruqing stood up, smiling with her hands behind her back. “It has nothing to do with me. It’s the reputation of the Yang Family Auction House. If it were at an ordinary small family, the price wouldn’t have been driven up so high.”

Flattery, who wouldn’t indulge in it? If Qin Ruqing wanted, her sweet talk could bewilder anyone.

Yang Wenxu first nodded in acknowledgment to Luwei and the others before sighing, “The truth is, my Yang family knows it well. Without these Vitality Pills and the marketing plan Miss Qin provided earlier, our Yang family wouldn’t have gained such fame today.”

Qin Ruqing just smiled. “So, are there still people throwing rotten eggs at your family’s door?”

“Definitely not anymore. Now they’re gathering around our Yang family to gather information. Instead of throwing eggs, they might as well throw spirit stones!” Yang Wenxu’s face flushed with pride.

After expressing his admiration, he took out a storage ring.

“These are the spirit stones from the auction. Miss Qin, please verify.”

Perhaps due to the prosperous refining industry in Xiling, their storage rings were also exquisitely made.

Considering Qin Ruqing’s status as a female cultivator, the style was delicate.

The slim body of the ring was set with a transparent fire attribute crystal.

Even if used purely as a decoration, it was valuable, not to mention its storage function.

Qin Ruqing took it, swept her spiritual awareness inside, her eyes glittering after a brief scan.

She smiled and said, “Brother Yang, it seems there are quite a lot more spirit stones in here than expected?”

In normal auction practices, the split between the auction house and the seller is usually 30-70 or 40-60.

Some unscrupulous auction houses might even push it to 50-50.

Initially, before the auction, she and the Yang family agreed on a 30-70 split — she would get 70%.

But now, having received the spirit stones, the Yang family had actually given her 80%.

Yang Wenxu spoke earnestly, “Miss Qin, you’ve helped the Yang family tremendously. Our auction house was on the brink of closure, unable to present decent items and gradually losing the trust of the people.

By the end of the year, we might have lost our auction rights to the Celestial Bureau. Now, with this auction, we’ve met half of the year’s performance requirements in advance. This way, we can hold on for another year.”

“The Yang family cannot thank Miss Qin enough. Originally, we should have given you only 10%, but the Celestial Bureau strictly mandates that the split cannot be less than 20-80. So, we had to inconvenience Miss Qin.”

As he spoke, Yang Wenxu unexpectedly took out another storage ring. “The first one contains the auction’s spirit stones. This one is a token of the Yang family’s gratitude to Miss Qin.”

He handed the new storage ring to Qin Ruqing.

With just a glance, Qin Ruqing could tell that not only had the Yang family returned the extra 10%, but they had also given her an additional “small gift”.

Tsk. How generous!

While thinking so in her mind, she firmly pushed back the offering in her hand, stating, “Inter-family cooperation must adhere to rules. Initially, lowering the Yang family’s share ratio was already giving face to the Qin family. It wouldn’t be appropriate for the Yang family to offer additional thanks.”

Yang Wenxu clearly disagreed, attempting to directly press the storage ring into Qin Ruqing’s hand, but she dodged it, saying, “Brother Yang, acting like this might make me hesitate to cooperate with the Yang family next time!”

This tug-of-war was reminiscent of elders giving red envelopes during the Lunar New Year, with parents and relatives pulling back and forth.

However, while red envelopes might be declined with polite excuses, Qin Ruqing truly did not want this token of gratitude today.

Thus, she shut it down with a single sentence.

Indeed, this straightforward approach worked wonders.

Yang Wenxu froze in place.

Qin Ruqing added, “The Yang family is an excellent partner. Even without this token, the Qin family appreciates the sincerity of the Yang family’s cooperation.”

These two statements, one after the other, clearly conveyed Qin Ruqing’s firm stance.

If Yang Wenxu persisted, he would be seen as disrespectful.

Sure enough, after hesitating for a moment, Yang Wenxu sighed and withdrew his hand. “Very well, as Miss Qin says.”

Qin Ruqing invited Yang Wenxu to sit down and promptly changed the subject, asking, “Why haven’t we seen the esteemed Grand elder of the noble family?”

This question revived Yang Wenxu’s spirits a bit.

He replied, “After the auction ended, the elder was surrounded by guests asking about the Vitality Pills. As Miss Qin suggested earlier, he didn’t reveal much, making it all mysterious and intriguing.”

Intrigue was exactly what they wanted.

After chatting briefly, Yang Wenxu suddenly remembered something and said, “Miss Qin mentioned the Sandboat Skateboard last time, expressing interest. The Yang family’s inventory happens to have some spares, so I brought them for Miss Qin this time.”

With that, he took out four storage pouches and placed them on the table rather than handing them to Qin Ruqing directly.

Interestingly, each pouch was placed in front of each person’s seat.

Qin Ruqing’s smile deepened. “These are just what we need. No need to decline out of politeness. Thank you very much, Brother Yang.”

Yang Wenxu seemed visibly relieved.

After he left, Lu Wei picked up the pouch in front of her, scanned its contents, and smiled. “There’s a Sandboat Skateboard inside, and quite a few extras.”

“Originally, the skateboard was just an excuse. The spirit stones from the Vitality Pills auction belong to the Qin family, while these four pouches are solely for our ‘tip’. It seems they were prepared a long time ago.”

As Qi Rong inspected the items inside the pouches, he remarked, “Sister, why did you reject his earlier gift but accept these pouches?”

Qin Ruqing sighed deeply. “Because some things are too hot to handle. The spirit stones from the auction split, even though our family got 80%, were within the rules. Going beyond that would have put the Yang family in an awkward position. As for these four pouches, they’re just for us younger generation.”

“The gift has been offered. If we decline it, the Yang family might start to suspect,” Tang Zifeng said thoughtfully, sensing Qin Ruqing’s hidden meaning in her words.

She seemed hesitant about continuing to collaborate with the Yang family.

Lu Wei also looked at Qin Ruqing. “The Yang family has always treated us with courtesy and consideration. They are good partners.”

“Hey, why are you all looking at me like that? The Yang family has been good to us this time, and I’m not the kind to burn bridges after crossing them. I don’t have plans to discard them once they’ve served their purpose!” Qin Ruqing retorted.

Qin Ruqing pursed her lips. “But sometimes, things aren’t as simple as you think.”

She turned to Tang Zifeng. “Tang Zifeng, you come from a prominent family background. Tell me, if we were to acquire a Vitality Pill for the Western Ridge cultivators at an auction, but the quantity falls short, what would be your next move?”

Tang Zifeng’s dark pupils flickered slightly.

After a moment of thought, she replied, “The plight of the Western Ridge cultivators won’t be resolved overnight, nor with just a few Pill. If I were from one of those families, while the Pill is important, finding a sustainable source and the person who can refine it would be crucial.”

Qin Ruqing nodded solemnly, leaning back against the soft cushion behind her. “Exactly. This auction seems to be ending, but for us, it’s just the beginning. Many eyes will be watching us. I’m inclined to continue collaborating with the Yang family, but they’ve attracted a lot of attention with this Pill. If I reveal more valuable items, whether the Yang family can protect us remains to be seen.”

“So, while a second collaboration with the Yang family is possible, we need to find a stronger ally before that happens!”

They lingered until dusk before leaving the auction venue.

Due to its geographic location, Qin Ruqing felt that night fell earlier in the Western Ridge.

After bidding farewell to the Yang family, they lingered for a while.

By the time they left, the sky had turned completely dark.

Four figures clad in dark robes silently exited the auction venue and swiftly navigated through the streets.

Qin Ruqing, the leader, led the way with the highest cultivation level.

Qirong followed silently for a while, but suddenly noticed that his sister seemed to be heading in a direction that didn’t lead back to their inn.

He opened his mouth to ask but closed it immediately upon seeing his sister’s serious expression beneath her hood.

He wasn’t foolish; combining her earlier words with her current actions, he quietly quickened his pace and discreetly positioned himself beside Qin Ruqing and Lu Wei.

Surprisingly, without discussion, the four of them headed in the opposite direction of their inn.

Qin Ruqing whispered, “One at three o’clock, one at seven o’clock. Tang Zifeng, handle the one at three o’clock quietly. Don’t cause a scene.” Saying this, she headed towards the seven o’clock direction.

“Qirong, scatter towards the other directions!”

Qirong sighed softly.

Lu Wei and Tang Zifeng acted accordingly, conveying their readiness through action.

The four of them dispersed in different directions.

Qin Ruqing moved without a sound, concealed behind a wall.

The person tracking them wore night clothing and practiced a special stealth technique; to an ordinary person passing by, he would be completely invisible.

But Qin Ruqing was different. To her, this bumbling scout was as obvious as a light bulb in the night.

With her innate perfected body, she had sensed his presence the moment they left the auction venue.

Now, Qin Ruqing had applied a concealment charm to herself and somehow maneuvered behind the scout.

A thin flame appeared in her palm, emitting no light but winding like a red thread around her hand and wrist.

Placing her hand on the ground, the flame thread slithered like a snake towards the scout. Before he could react, it tightly bound him.

As he attempted to shout, the flame at the end of the thread transformed into a palm shape, firmly covering his mouth.

The burning flame singed his face, accompanied only by a faint sizzle and the smell of seared flesh, but no sound escaped.

Seeing his evident pain, Qin Ruqing swiftly struck the back of his neck with her hand, rendering him unconscious.

He wasn’t dead, just knocked out.

Qin Ruqing clapped her hands lightly, murmuring to herself, “I used to favor explosive artistry before. In recent years, I’ve come to appreciate the beauty of silent operations.”

She glanced towards Tang Zifeng’s direction.

Sensing that both scouts weren’t of low cultivation, and knowing she and Tang Zifeng had the highest skills among their group, she had called on him for assistance.

Qin Ruqing trusted Tang Zifeng’s skill with hidden weapons and hoped she was safe now.

Meanwhile, Tang Zifeng knelt silently behind a wall, his angular face calm as a statue.

He showed no emotion, neither nervousness nor the ferocity of imminent battle.

His fingers traced a pattern, and five specially crafted throwing knives glinted coldly in his palm.

Without using spiritual sense, he relied solely on his eyes to lock onto the target’s aura ahead.

With a skilled flick of his wrist, the knives shot forward.

The five knives, infused with spiritual energy, swiftly found their marks—joints of the black-clothed individual’s hands and legs, causing intense pain that instinctively made him cry out.

The final knife inserted into his throat stifled any further sound.

When Qin Ruqing found Tang Zifeng, she saw him kneeling silently beside a black-clothed figure that appeared to be a corpse, surrounded by blood on the ground.

His handsome face was tense, showing signs of distress.

As Qin Ruqing approached, his first words were, “He’s almost dead.”

Qin Ruqing also observed the grim scene.

Five throwing knives: four at the joints, and one embedded in the throat. It was clear the person was on the brink of death.

She clicked her tongue in acknowledgement, not blaming Tang Zifeng for his precise skills.

Walking over, she knelt down and took out a small jade bottle, pouring a white liquid into the mouth of the black-clothed person.

It was a healing pill, effective for treating injuries.

Fortunately, the knife in the person’s mouth prevented Qin Ruqing from needing to pry it open.

The Pill flowed down the blade, slowly beginning to heal the person’s injuries.

While sending a message to Lu Wei and the others, Qin Ruqing remarked, “If I manage the killing, I also have to manage the saving. Tang Zifeng, you know this is expensive!”

Tang Zifeng earnestly acknowledged his lack of proficiency in this business, nodding as he said, “I’ll improve.”

As they spoke, Lu Wei and the others arrived.

Upon seeing the scene of carnage, Lu Wei showed surprise but not fear.

Children of the Qin family were trained from their days in the school Academy to hunt and kill monsters; bloodshed was nothing unfamiliar to them.

Lu Wei asked, “Were these people here to assassinate us?”

“It’s not that extreme. They probably just wanted to gather information and see where we’re staying,” Qin Ruqing replied.

Lu Wei nodded. “What do we do now? This one still has a pulse. Should we interrogate him to eliminate future risks?”

As she spoke, her hand rested on the hilt of her sword she always carried, ready to strike if Qin Ruqing gave the word.

Qin Ruqing chuckled, “No need, Third Sister. I just saved this person with great effort and even fed him some pill. It’d be a waste to kill him now.”

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, brewing up a plan. “If we want information, let’s do it openly. Sneaking around like this isn’t good. These two lying here won’t be a problem; let’s exert some effort and carry them back.”

Tang Zifeng silently watched Qin Ruqing’s clear profile.

Given the situation, carrying them back so blatantly seemed like a direct challenge.

Suddenly remembering Qin Ruqing’s advice about being cautious, he thought, “She does have a point about being cautious.”

Before he could say anything, Qin Ruqing turned to him and asked, “Do you know who this person belongs to?”

Tang Zifeng’s eyes flickered.

He hesitated briefly before replying, “Judging by the attire, he should be from the Tang family.”

Qin Ruqing nodded, “Ah, he’s from your family then. You can carry this one.”

And so, under the cover of the dark night and high winds, they left the two nearly lifeless bodies at the main gates of the Tang and Lin families respectively.

On their way back, Lu Wei asked, “Xiao Wu, do you think our hideout will be exposed?”

Qin Ruqing nodded solemnly, “It hasn’t been exposed yet. Today’s spies were taken care of, but…” She paused, lightly tapping her palm, “Against truly powerful forces, our actions are never hidden.”

“Truly powerful forces…” Lu Wei and Tang Zifeng exchanged a glance, both thinking the same thing.

“Is it the Bureau of Celestial Affairs?” Lu Wei asked, seeing Qin Ruqing nod. She continued, “Qingqing, if the Celestial Bureau is paying attention to us, why are you so excited?”

Qin Ruqing’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she smiled confidently.

“Because I want the Celestial Bureau to notice us!”