Chapter 88: Infiltrating the Silvercrest Clan

The old man led Rhain and Seris up the grand, spiraling staircase toward the second floor of the Mirravele Auction House.

They stepped into a lavishly decorated VIP section reserved specifically for the Solari Clan.

The tables were already laden with exquisite spirit fruits, roasted delicacies, and jugs of premium wine.

The most prominent feature of the room, however, was the massive, transparent crystal window that offered a sweeping, unobstructed view of the grand auction stage and the sea of seats below.

Rhain unceremoniously threw himself onto the central velvet couch, casually draping his arm over the backrest while keeping Seris close to his side.

He perfectly maintained Jarek’s arrogant, indifferent posture, picking up a spirit grape and tossing it into his mouth.

Down below, the venue was rapidly filling up.

Rhain’s disguised eyes calmly swept across the massive hall.

The sheer density of experts gathering in one place was astonishing.

Within just a quarter of an hour, he could sense more than thirty powerful auras radiating the pressure of the peak of the Spirit Manifestation Realm.

Just this gathered group alone would be more than enough to flatten all of Greymist Town into dust.

Suddenly, a massive commotion rippled through the auction house.

It wasn’t the arrival of another expert, but rather a single, striking figure.

Stepping into the VIP corridor was a young woman draped in an elegant, flowing silver dress.

Her skin was as flawless and delicate, and her features were exquisitely carved, radiating an aura of profound nobility and grace. She moved with a gentle, confident elegance that instantly attracted more attention than all the peak Spirit Manifestation Realm experts combined.

Whispers erupted like wildfire.

"It’s Lady Liana!"

"The Silvercrest Clan Patriarch’s daughter... the most beautiful girl in Mirravele City!"

"My Goddess, she is even more breathtaking in person."

From the Solari Clan VIP box, Rhain looked through the transparent crystal glass.

His dark grey eyes evaluated the girl objectively. She was indeed quite beautiful, possessing a rare, refined charm that commanded the room.

However, his gaze naturally drifted to the veiled girl sitting stiffly beside him.

"But still not as beautiful as Seris.’ Rhain noted inwardly.

"Why are you looking at me?" Seris asked with a puzzled expression.

Rhain smiled, and leaned in, his lips brushing closely against Seris’s ear.

"Seris," he whispered softly, dropping the slurred drunkenness of Jarek for a split second. "Go out there and befriend her."

Seris blinked, her pale purple eyes widening in confusion.

"With her?" Seris whispered back. "Why would I be friends with her?"

"We need a bridge to the Silvercrest Clan," Rhain replied smoothly. "When you approach her, don’t mention her looks. Tell her you are a ’huuuuge admirer’ of her martial talent."

Seris frowned slightly, clearly unconvinced. "Will that even work?"

"It will. All women like to hear praises, even if they are lies," Rhain stated with absolute, analytical certainty. "Just praise her talent. She’ll do the rest."

Seris turned her head, shooting Rhain a highly unfriendly, suspicious look.

"Since when did he become such an expert on what women like to hear?’ she grumbled inwardly.

Still, despite her quiet dissatisfaction, she gave a small, obedient nod.

Rhain loudly clicked his tongue, playing up his drunken Jarek persona. "Go get me some sober-up tea from the lower floor! And don’t dawdle!" he barked, shoving Seris lightly toward the door. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The Solari Clan elders merely chuckled at his usual abrasive behavior, briefly stealing a few glances lustfully as she quietly slipped out of the VIP room.

In the lavishly carpeted VIP corridor, Liana was just about to enter the Silvercrest Clan’s designated box when a soft, polite voice called out.

"Excuse me... Lady Liana?"

Liana paused and turned.

She saw a slender girl with striking silver-blue hair, her face hidden behind a sheer white veil.

Usually, Liana found strangers approaching her exhausting.

It was always the same routine: men drooling over her beauty, or women offering thinly veiled envy disguised as compliments about her dress or her face.

But Seris stepped forward, intentionally projecting the aura of the second level of the Essence Condensation Realm, and bowed her head slightly.

"I am sorry to intrude," Seris said, her voice soft and full of perfectly feigned admiration. "But I just had to speak to you. I have always been a huge admirer of your incredible talent."

Liana blinked, genuinely taken aback.

"My... talent?"

"Yes," Seris nodded earnestly, forcing down the embarrassment bubbling in her chest.

At only nineteen years old, Liana had already reached the fifth level of the Essence Condensation Realm.

While not the absolute pinnacle of Mirravele City’s younger generation, it was unquestionably the mark of a true genius.

Yet, because of her peerless beauty, her hard-earned cultivation was almost always completely ignored by the public.

"To reach the fifth level of the Essence Condensation Realm at your age... it is truly inspiring," Seris lied shamelessly, recalling Rhain’s exact instructions. "Everyone always talks about your appearance, but I have always looked up to your profound dedication to the cultivation path."

Liana’s eyes widened, and a bright, genuinely cheerful smile blossomed on her flawless face.

It felt incredibly refreshing to hear.

"You are too kind!" Liana said, her tone instantly warming up. She used her Spiritual Sense to lightly sweep over Seris, her smile growing even brighter. "But you shouldn’t sell yourself short! To reach the second level of the Essence Condensation Realm at your age means you are quite talented yourself."

Behind the white veil, Seris’s face flushed a deep, embarrassed crimson.

She felt terrible for lying so blatantly. "I-I just work very hard... so that I can become a strong cultivator like you, Lady Liana."

Hearing this, Liana’s mood soared to the skies.

She liked this veiled, soft-spoken girl more and more by the second.

"There’s no need to be so formal," Liana laughed softly, stepping forward to gently take Seris’s hand. "What is your name, sister?"

"It’s Seris."

"Seris. What a beautiful name," Liana beamed. "Why don’t you come sit with me in my VIP box? We can chat more about cultivation there."

Seris’s eye twitched slightly at the request, her mind scrambling for more lies to feed the eager Silvercrest prodigy, but she obediently nodded. "I would be honored."

Back in the Solari VIP box, Rhain watched through the glass as the doors of the Silvercrest box closed behind the two girls.

Everything was falling perfectly into place.

A short while later, the heavy essence lanterns illuminating the massive auction hall slowly dimmed.

On the grand stage below, a brilliant spotlight snapped on.

From behind the velvet curtains stepped a mature, breathtakingly beautiful woman wearing a form-fitting crimson slit dress.

Her mere presence commanded all the attention of every expert in the room.

The mature, breathtakingly beautiful woman in the crimson slit dress stepped into the center of the brilliant spotlight.

Every single gaze in the massive hall instantly locked onto her.

She offered a graceful bow, with an enchanting smile on her face.

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Mirravele Auction House," her smooth, melodious voice echoed through the grand hall. "I am Vanya, and it is my honor to be your host for tonight’s grand event."

The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause.

Madame Vanya was a legendary figure in the commercial district, known just as much for her ruthless business acumen as for her peerless beauty.

She raised a slender hand, and the applause immediately died down.

"I know the rumors that have been circulating through the city. I know exactly what all of you are waiting for," Madame Vanya smiled, "So forgive me to cut short the tedious pleasantries, and commence immediately. For our very first item..."

With a dramatic flourish, she pulled the velvet cloth away from a pedestal, revealing a glowing, silver-bladed halberd that pulsed with undeniable energy.

"A Rare-Grade Artifact: The Crescent Gale Halberd!"

The audience below erupted into a frenzy.

"A Rare-Grade weapon as the opener?"

"Incredible! I must have it!"

"If this is just the appetizer, what in the world is the finale going to be?"

Vanya’s smile deepened as she listened to the frenzied whispers.

"The starting bid is twenty thousand Aetherium Crystals! Each increment must be no less than five thousand! Let the bidding commence!"

"Twenty-five thousand!"

"Thirty thousand!"

"Forty thousand!"

The bidding began with absolute vigor.

The numbers skyrocketed in mere seconds, climbing from a modest starting price of twenty thousand Aetherium Crystals to forty thousand in the blink of an eye.