"What did you say? There’s an Earth Rank peak combat skill at the auction house in Trade Town?!"

"Divine Weapons? Really?"

"Damn, a pseudo-Tao treasure? You must be mistaken, right? How could anyone put up a pseudo-Tao treasure for auction?!"

The inner area of the Abandoned Plains was in an uproar. An Earth Rank peak combat skill, Divine Weapons—these are the top-tier skills and weapons among the strong in the inner area, and that pseudo-Tao treasure is a mark of deep heritage in great forces.

Now, they are up for auction at an auction house. If not for the major forces still having some sense, knowing better than to provoke the Canghai Trade Alliance, there might have been thoughts of seizing them by force. Those who could make it to the Abandoned Plains are not to be trifled with.

After Pang Guang took Jiang Chen’s items, he didn’t auction them that same night. With Jiang Chen’s approval, Pang Guang postponed the auction for five days. During those five days, he utilized the influence of the Canghai Trade Alliance to spread the news of the auction items throughout the entire Abandoned Plains.

During these five days, Jiang Chen and his companions both rested and awaited the auction, while also receiving information from the Canghai Trade Alliance’s investigation into the Six Major Forces.

The five days passed quickly, and major forces from the Abandoned Plains flocked to the trade town where Jiang Chen and his companions were, eager for the upcoming auction.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In a lounge on the third floor of the Canghai Trade Alliance’s auction house, Jiang Chen was flipping through information on the Six Major Forces when a knock on the door sounded.

"Come in!"

Jiang Chen put down the Jade Slip in his hand and raised his head to call out.

Click!

The door opened, and Pang Guang walked in from outside. "Brother Jiang, someone wants to see you."

"Who wants to see me?"

Jiang Chen asked in confusion, while Yan Hu and Yun Tao in the same lounge also looked up.

"A few days ago when you arrived, I mentioned that there were two groups of people looking for you. One group was Yun Tao’s, and the other group has just arrived now."

Pang Guang smiled lightly and said in a low voice, "It’s people from the Gold-devouring Rat Clan."

"Gold-devouring Rat Clan?"

Jiang Chen was slightly taken aback, exchanged a glance with Yan Hu, contemplated briefly, and said softly, "Where are they?"

"In the large lounge upstairs,"

Pang Guang gestured outside.

"Let’s go see what they want from me."

Jiang Chen said calmly.

After the battle with Qi Shan, Jiang Chen had been unconscious for several days, and upon waking, Yan Hu had already informed him of what had transpired.

This made Jiang Chen’s impression of the Gold-devouring Rat Clan drop considerably, but due to Jin Ming’s connection, he still wanted to see what those from the Gold-devouring Rat Clan intended to do.

In the large lounge.

An elder with a grim face sat in a chair; beside him, Jin Wenhao tightly held Jin Kai, while in front of them, Jin Wushu knelt there, covered in blood, his face deathly pale, and his half-closed eyes showing signs of wavering.

Jin Kai’s fist still had fresh blood on it, and the lounge was somewhat disordered, indicating that some conflict had just occurred—more accurately, a one-sided beating!

"Bastard! Jin Wushu, why don’t you run again, huh?!"

Jin Kai furiously glared at Jin Wushu knelt on the ground, "Weren’t you brave enough to run back to the Abandoned Town alone? Why don’t you try running again now?"

As he said this, Jin Kai was about to rush forward to strike again.

"Kai, that’s enough; if you hit him again, he’ll die!"

Jin Wenhao held Jin Kai tightly, urging him anxiously.

"Such a bastard deserves to be beaten to death!"

Jin Kai roared angrily.

"Third Elder, say something!"

Jin Wenhao struggled to hold Jin Kai back, using the Power of the Great Dao, and turned his head to shout at the grim-faced elder sitting there.

The grim-faced elder glanced at Jin Wenhao and spoke indifferently: "It’s useless to talk to me; the Great Elder said that Jin Wushu’s life is in the hands of Mr. Jiang."

Jin Wenhao was momentarily stunned and said in surprise, "Third Elder, I know the Great Elder has a fondness for Jiang Chen, and he even saved us, but this doesn’t mean... we need to curry favour with him?"

"Curry favour?"

The grim-faced elder gave Jin Wenhao a look and said blandly: "There are very few people in this world worth our Gold-devouring Rat Clan currying favour with, and that Jiang Chen..."

The words faded, and in Jin Wenhao and Jin Kai’s minds, the voice of the grim-faced elder rang out: "He is one of those few."

Jin Wenhao and Jin Kai were stunned, and Jin Kai stopped struggling to hit Jin Wushu, stupidly looking at the grim-faced elder.

"The Great Elder smelled the scent of Life Origin Star and Lord Ancestral Dragon on Mr. Jiang, and the scent of Lord Ancestral Dragon wasn’t newly formed, it was inside him long ago."

"After the last meeting, the Great Elder secretly investigated Mr. Jiang. Mr. Jiang suddenly appeared in the Mingqian Realm over two years ago, but the aura of Lord Ancestral Dragon on him dates back more than five years. This indicates something that, as the Clan Leader’s sons, you should understand."

The voice of the grim-faced elder echoed in Jin Wenhao and Jin Kai’s minds once again.

Their faces changed, their entire bodies trembling slightly.

"He, he, he is..."

Jin Kai stammered, catching a glimpse of Jin Wushu kneeling on the ground from the corner of his eye, and hurriedly shut up.

"It must be so!"

The grim-faced elder nodded slightly, glancing at Jin Wushu: "If this matter causes Mr. Jiang to bear a grudge against our clan, do you think our clan has time to wait? Can we wait for another chance?"

Jin Wenhao and Jin Kai shuddered, their faces suddenly turning grave.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The door was knocked, Jin Wenhao’s face changed, and he quickly ran to open it.

"Pang... Brother Jiang!"

At first glance, Jin Wenhao saw Pang Guang, about to greet him, and immediately saw Jiang Chen behind Pang Guang, exclaiming happily.

"Let’s talk inside!"

Pang Guang reminded softly.

Jin Wenhao quickly stepped aside from the doorway, and everyone stepped into the lounge.

Glancing around the lounge, Jiang Chen was slightly stunned, noting Jin Wushu’s weak condition with surprise and then turning his gaze to the grim-faced elder sitting there.

The elder scrutinized Jiang Chen, sniffed lightly, and rose to cup his fist towards Jiang Chen: "Mr. Jiang, this old man is Jin Liang, Third Elder of the Gold-devouring Rat Clan. I’ve come specifically to apologize to you for the matter involving Jin Wushu."

"You are too kind, Senior."

Jiang Chen cupped his hands in return, but a look of slight puzzlement appeared in his eyes.

The Gold-devouring Rat Clan was making a big deal out of this. Although only three people had come to apologize for Jin Wushu, Jiang Chen couldn’t sense the aura of the elder, which clearly indicated to Jiang Chen that this elder was either a Saint or a Semi-Saint!

A Semi-Saint had personally come to apologize, leaving Jiang Chen slightly at a loss.