Chapter 11 The price of Arrogance

By midnight, the central square of Blackstone Town had been completely transformed.

The standard wooden stalls of the local peasants had been shoved aside. In their place stood a massive, hovering pavilion made of dark, shimmering star-iron that floated precisely three feet above the muddy ground. Heavy, purple silken banners drifted in the wind, stamped with the emblem of an eye staring through a rift—the official mark of the Void Merchant Guild.

Surrounding the floating pavilion were twelve guards armored from head to toe in foreign, glowing star-iron plates. They didn't carry normal steel swords; instead, they held heavy, double-pronged halberds that crackled with arcs of blue spatial energy. Every single guard was an elite at the Peak of the Silver-Bone Realm, their breathing perfectly synchronized.

The wealthy upper class from neighboring cities and supreme regional sects had already arrived, their luxurious carriages clogging the streets. Elegant young masters dressed in jade-woven robes and old sect elders with long white beards walked up the floating steps of the pavilion, flashing their gold-plated invitation tokens.

At the edge of the crowd, Logan’s group arrived.

Lord Vance walked at the front. True to his Capital upbringing, once he put on his spare, midnight-blue imperial silk robes and adjusted his gold hair clip, his majestic, arrogant aura returned flawlessly. He walked with his chin held high, looking down on the regional sect masters as if they were peasants.

Right behind him walked Logan, dressed in simple, unadorned white robes, his posture straight, his expression completely bored. Next to Logan was Mei, who was wearing an oversized leather vest she had found in the Mayor's guardhouse, her hand tightly gripping the hilt of her hidden kitchen cleaver, her eyes darting around like a terrified but determined feral cat.

As they approached the floating steps, a star-iron guard stepped forward, raising his crackling halberd to block their path. "Halt. This is a private cosmic auction. Only those with a minimum asset verification of ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones or an official Imperial pass may enter."

Before Logan could even speak, Lord Vance stepped forward, his eyes flashing with a practiced, aristocratic rage. He reached into his sleeve, pulled out a heavy, purple jade token stamped with the Imperial Dragon Seal, and slammed it directly into the guard's armored chest.

"Open your blind eyes, you cosmic vagrant!" Vance hissed, his voice dripping with pure Capital arrogance. "I am Lord Vance, Chief Imperial Inspector of the Third Court! I am here on a secret asset procurement mission under the direct verbal decree of the Emperor himself! You dare block the crown?"

The star-iron guard looked down at the purple jade token. The Imperial Dragon Seal was genuine, radiating a faint, royal Qi that couldn't be faked. The guard’s posture instantly shifted, lowering his halberd as he bowed deeply.

"Please forgive my ignorance, Lord Inspector," the guard said, his voice echoing mechanically from behind his visor. "The Void Merchant Guild welcomes the Imperial Court. Please, enter the grand suite."

"Hmph. Better," Vance snapped, snatching his token back with a sharp flick of his wrist. He turned his head slightly, giving Logan a subtle, trembling look that silently screamed: Please don't let me die tonight.

Logan simply gave him a small, approving nod.

As they walked up the floating steps and entered the main auction hall, the sheer scale of the cosmic guild became clear. The interior of the pavilion was ten times larger than the exterior—a classic application of spatial folding arrays. Thousands of velvet seats surrounded a central, glowing obsidian stage, and the air was thick with the scent of rich spiritual incense.

They were led directly to a private, elevated balcony enclosed by a translucent crystal screen, overlooking the entire stage.

Logan sat down on the plush leather chair, his eyes scanning the crowd below. He could feel the heavy, latent spiritual energy radiating from several hidden VIP booths across the hall. The Emperor's secret move to contact the guild had clearly drawn some heavy hitters to this tiny border town.

"The auction is about to begin," Logan murmured, leaning his head back as his chest gave another small, faint throb of physical pain. He clenched his fist tightly under his sleeve, his golden primordial qi silently suppressing his mortal limitations one more time. "Let's see how much this Emperor's name is worth on the cosmic market."

The heavy bronze gongs of the Void Merchant Guild echoed through the grand spatial hall, cutting through the loud chatter of the wealthy cultivators. The thousands of velvet seats below were entirely packed.

On the central obsidian stage, a beautiful woman dressed in glowing, star-woven silk robes stepped into the light. Her voice was amplified by a sound-expanding array, echoing clearly into every private balcony.

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Midnight Gala of the Void Merchant Guild," she smiled, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Tonight, we bring treasures from across the universe. Let us not waste your precious time. We shall begin with our first item."

She waved her hand, and a star-iron pedestal rose from the center of the stage. Resting upon a silk cushion was a glowing, jagged crystal that pulsed with a volatile, bright red light.

"A Peak-Tier Fire-Attribute Beast Core from the outer cosmic rifts. Perfect for any cultivator looking to temper their Silver-Bones or break through to the Qi Foundation Realm. Starting bid: One thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"One thousand five hundred!" a sect elder shouted from the lower floor.

"Two thousand!" another barked.

Inside the elevated private balcony, Lord Vance was sitting stiffly on the edge of his leather seat, his hands shaking so violently that he kept spilling premium spiritual tea onto his clean robes. Logan sat beside him, completely relaxed, his eyes casually scanning the inventory sheet. Mei stood right at the crystal screen, her hands pressed against the glass, her mouth open in absolute awe.

"Wow..." Mei whispered, her eyes tracking the glowing red core. "Logan, do you think that red rock would cure your fake lung rot?"

"No," Logan replied quietly, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the armrest. "That core is far too chaotic. Forcing that into my current vessels would turn my physical organs into ash. We are only here for the lotus."

"T-Young Master Vanguard," Vance stammered, his voice cracking as he leaned over. "The Stellar Core Lotus is the final item. When the bidding starts, what... what exactly do you want me to do? If I bid too high, the guild will immediately demand an imperial asset verification check!"

"Then let them check it," Logan said, a cold, elegant smile playing on his lips. "You are an official representative of the Crown. If the Emperor wants to secretly buy items to subdue a threat, he shouldn't be stingy with his pocket change. Just keep bidding until I tell you to stop."