Chapter 29: Nolan Auction House

That matter had not drawn Li Tan’s attention back then, but thinking about it now, it does seem a bit suspicious.

The city lord didn’t die of illness; instead, he was poisoned by a counterfeit pill formula deliberately given by the alchemist to Ming De. This was clearly a premeditated assassination. Moreover, the astonishing speed with which the entire Ming family was overthrown afterward was unusually strange, as if everything had been prepared in advance, just waiting for Ming Chengyun’s death.

The most crucial point, however, was that the downfall of the Ming family coincided almost exactly with that of the Li and Lin families. To say there was no connection between them—nobody would believe that. “Hehe, if you want to come, just do. Oh, by the way, was that alchemist who prescribed the pills introduced to you by someone?”

Li Tan asked.

Ming Ren nodded in surprise, “How did Brother Li know that?”

“That’s none of your concern. Just tell me who introduced him, won’t you?”

“That’s fine. The alchemist was introduced by General Chen Yuanxun. He’s a renowned general from Linjiang, with top-tier cultivation skills.”

“Chen Yuanxun…” Li Tan mused, pinching his chin thoughtfully while rapidly considering in his mind: “I’ve heard of him before. He was a general held in high trust. Why would he betray us? Was it for profit?

To sway him, the price must have been enormous. Interesting. Once my dantian issue is resolved, I should probably pay him a visit. I might learn some unexpected intelligence.”

Ming De, puzzled by Li Tan’s contemplative expression, asked, “What about General Chen?”

Li Tan chuckled lightly, “Nothing much. I just recalled some rumors about him.”

Ming De instantly forgot his confusion and exclaimed excitedly, “You’re referring to the tale of him single-handedly slaying a general of the demon race, aren’t you?”

It seemed this kid greatly admired Chen Yuanxun.

Thinking this, Li Tan casually brushed off a couple of comments. Ming De, not minding at all, chattered on about Chen Yuanxun’s great achievements until Li Tan, growing weary, finally interrupted him.

“Umm…” Zhou Tong, who had been silent for a long time, stepped forward hesitantly. “Now that we’ve arrived here, I’ll take my leave first.”

Ming De stopped his eagerness to continue storytelling and asked with concern, “Where are you heading, Uncle Zhou?”

Zhou Tong let out a long sigh, “Over ten of my brothers perished to beasts because of my greed. I must now settle their families.”

Ming De thought for a moment and grew even more worried, “What about afterward?

I remember Uncle Zhou is all alone now, right?”

Zhou Tong nodded, offering a bitter smile, “Yes, I’ve always been alone. I was afraid of endangering any girl if I ever died in the wild. Once I settle matters in Linjiang, I’ll probably head elsewhere, perhaps never returning.”

This place of sorrow stirred painful memories.

Understanding Zhou Tong’s feelings, Ming De refrained from voicing his original suggestion of “why not work at the city lord’s mansion.”

“Then, young master, savior, I’ll bid you farewell. I’m afraid I can’t repay your kindness in this lifetime. In my next life, I’ll gladly serve you as an ox or a horse.”

With a deep bow to his two saviors, Zhou Tong departed.

“This parting might be a final one,” Ming De sighed with some sadness.

Li Tan recalled his own fallen comrades who had died for him years ago, feeling a surge of emotion. He shook his head to dispel the gloomy thoughts and also took his leave.

From a distance, Ming De shouted, “I’ll visit the Lin family someday.”

Dusk had arrived. The stream sparkled as it had the day before, with women still pounding their clothes beside it, and even the birds returning to their nests seemed to be the same ones from yesterday.

At this time, there was still about an hour or so before complete darkness. Li Tan, not eager to return to the Li family to deal with a mountain of troubles, walked onto the bustling street.

“If you make another sound, I’ll catch you and stew you into soup!”

Li Tan glared fiercely at the young eagle just waking up in his palm.

“Goo goo goo!” Completely unimpressed by Li Tan’s threat, the young eagle began squirming furiously and even defecated.

Li Tan, with a dark expression, took some yellow paper from an old man selling candied haws by the roadside to clean his hand, then ruffled the young eagle’s head.

Defecating in someone’s hand—no grand sage of the demon race had ever dared such a thing. In a way, this young eagle had accomplished a feat worthy of shaking the annals of history.

Luckily, it seemed to understand the concept of moderation, calming down before Li Tan could truly lose his temper.

Without any hesitation, Li Tan grabbed the young eagle and leisurely strolled through the street.

At present, unless one was a stingy appraiser at an auction house, no one could possibly identify the young eagle as a young demonic beast.

Actually, Li Tan hadn’t come to the street merely to kill time. He intended to go to the auction house to sell an inner pill he had and also inquire about medicinal herbs.

Speaking of this, it’s necessary to talk about the auction house.

As everyone knows, Linjiang is dominated by the three major families, with the city lord’s mansion playing a coordinating and balancing role to prevent any single family from becoming too powerful. The auction house maintains a neutral stance because it belongs to the headquarters in the imperial capital, a level far beyond the small families of Linjiang.

This was precisely why Li Tan chose to approach them.

Although it was merely a branch, as long as one could provide sufficiently valuable treasures, they could mobilize the entire auction house’s resources to find whatever the treasure provider needed, with absolute transaction security guaranteed.

Besides the auction house, there were many other neutral forces in Linjiang, but that’s a topic for another time.

Lanuo Auction House, with its pointed roof and square walls, had an extremely unique architectural style, easily distinguishable like most so-called major powers.

At this moment, outside the luxurious building of Lano Auction House, arrived a mysterious customer wrapped entirely in a thick black robe.

It was none other than Li Tan.

Li Tan walked through the magnificent gate. Though it was a hot day, his peculiar attire attracted attention, but no one approached to inquire. The auction house was a place teeming with all sorts of people, so encountering someone unusual wasn’t surprising.

Inside was a golden and resplendent oval hall. Glazed lamps cast a golden glow upon the exquisite floor. The walls were adorned with numerous paintings and ornate decorations. High-end transparent display counters showcasing various items encircled the hall, where salespeople smiled as they peddled their dubious wares.

Low-grade pills, low-grade treasures, and low-grade medicinal herbs were the main items sold before the auction officially began. Naturally, there was also a small appraisal office responsible for handling various appraisal tasks. Valuable treasures would be reported and handed over to more senior appraisers for further evaluation.

Li Tan didn’t have a VIP card or anything to prove his extraordinary status, so he ignored the second floor and headed directly to a slightly shabby room marked with an appraisal office sign, which looked rather modest compared to the surroundings.

Upon opening the door, a faint fragrance greeted his nose. The interior was brightly lit, filled with various flowers and plants, giving the illusion of a botanical garden.

“Esteemed guest, this is premium fox incense, highly favored by many nobles and officials, and it perfectly complements your noble demeanor.”

A flattering voice sounded. The appraiser here was a young, handsome man in his twenties, wearing tight black silk trousers, a white inner shirt, and a blue outer robe. With practiced ease, he bowed respectfully, one hand across his chest.