As soon as Elder Chen finished speaking, Lu Renkuang immediately clasped his fists in salute.
"Only fitting," he said, his eyes brimming with murderous intent as he scanned the crowd.
"If anyone dares to spread word of this, I will show no mercy!"
Luo Pengfei also quickly voiced his stance, both to show respect to Chen Jiudao and to salvage his own dignity. The pent-up frustration from earlier erupted as his terrifying aura suppressed the entire hall.
Only Xu Baichuan seemed distracted, offering a perfunctory response without revealing much emotion.
Even so, the guests were filled with wariness, hurriedly bowing and responding in unison.
"Rest assured, esteemed lords, we will never speak of this!"
As the pledges echoed, murmurs of indignation also arose.
"Not just the lords—if anyone dares to spread rumors, I’ll be the first to deal with them!"
"If this gets out, how could we ever show our faces in the city again?""Hah! I doubt that. Brother Liu, you just claimed to be a righteous man, speaking so smoothly and earnestly. Do you really feel such shame?"
"Shut your damn mouth! That was just a tactical move. Would you dare say a single word against Master Yi?"
"You insolent fool! How dare you disrespect me?"
The crowd gradually reverted to their usual ferocious demeanors, the gathering of villains now at each other’s throats. It seemed everyone had bottled-up grievances to vent, and the atmosphere grew tense, teetering on the brink of violence.
With Yi Feng absent, everyone acted like they were untouchable.
The hall was on the verge of descending into chaos worse than ever before.
Fortunately, Chen Jiudao’s stern expression once again subdued the rowdy crowd.
"Gentlemen," he intoned, his voice laced with authority.
"Today’s auction has concluded. If anyone wishes to cause trouble in the Treasure Pavilion, I will gladly oblige."
His commanding tone, infused with pressure, silenced the room.
Though a powerful expert had disrupted the event today, not just anyone could get away with such an act—Sunlight Island was far from a place of harmony and goodwill.
The guests lowered their heads and fell silent, only dispersing after a long while, murmuring among themselves.
Xu Baichuan slipped away quietly, not uttering another word the entire time.
Watching the old fox’s hurried departure, Luo Pengfei grew increasingly suspicious. After a brief pause, he turned to the elder behind him.
"Find out immediately where Master Yi is staying," he transmitted coldly before boarding his sacred beast-drawn carriage and leaving.
In the blink of an eye, the hundreds of guests scattered like startled birds, none daring to speak out of turn.
The Treasure Pavilion finally returned to tranquility.
But the moment the doors closed, Chen Jiudao, who had been standing calmly with his hands behind his back, suddenly coughed up a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth!
Lu Xinlan gasped in shock, and Liu Yuantai and the others rushed forward in alarm.
"Elder Chen!"
"Elder Chen is seriously injured?!"
"Quick! Fetch the pavilion’s treasured elixirs!"
Amid the flurry of panic, Chen Jiudao raised a hand to stop them.
"It’s nothing," he said.
"I merely forced myself to retract my techniques, causing a backlash of Dao energy. It’s not serious—a short rest will suffice."
He took a seat nearby, and the surrounding crowd eased slightly.
Lu Xinlan retrieved a pill from her ring and presented it respectfully.
"Elder Chen, you came all this way to assist us, yet you were injured in the process. Xinlan is deeply ashamed. Please accept this pill."
Glancing at the cyan pill in her jade-like hand and her remorseful expression, Chen Jiudao smiled and nodded, returning the courtesy with a fist salute.
"You flatter me, Miss Lu. Since you are so generous, I’ll humbly accept this fourth-grade Foundation Restoration Pill."
The exchange left onlookers green with envy.
Their admiration for Lu Xinlan grew, though a few couldn’t hide their pained expressions at the sight of such a precious pill being given away. Not everyone possessed her magnanimity.
Chen Jiudao paid no mind, turning to Lu Xinlan beside him.
"Today’s events were indeed unexpected, and you lost a fifth-grade Soul-Calming Herb. But in my view, this may yet prove to be a blessing."
Lu Xinlan nodded slightly. "Indeed. That Master Yi’s cultivation is extraordinary—at least at the fifth-grade realm. The favor of such an expert is far more valuable than the herb."
Her subordinates exchanged helpless glances, not daring to interject.
Only Liu Yuantai seized the chance to chime in, saving face.
"Absolutely," he said.
"Had Elder Chen not been present, our branch would have suffered both loss of face and resources. Thanks to Elder Chen’s intervention, the auction ended in profit rather than loss!"
"Such an outcome is already immensely fortunate!"
Chen Jiudao chuckled at the praise.
"You flatter me, Brother Liu."
But his eyes gleamed with deeper amusement as he continued.
"However, I’ll shamelessly accept that credit."
"This auction wasn’t just a small win—it was a windfall!"
The declaration stunned the crowd.
Even Lu Xinlan widened her beautiful eyes, as if realizing something.
"Elder Chen, are you saying…?"
Chen Jiudao stroked his beard, his gaze sharp.
"Tell me, do you all truly believe Master Yi’s cultivation is merely fifth-grade?"
The question sent hearts racing, and the room buzzed with shock.
Noticing their disbelief, Chen Jiudao smirked proudly.
"You’re all thinking too small."
"I’ve met several fifth-grade experts, yet none possessed Master Yi’s overwhelming presence. Even a peak fifth-grade wouldn’t have made me lose all will to fight!"
"Without a doubt, Master Yi is at least at the fifth-grade Great Perfection realm—possibly even sixth-grade!"
S-sixth-grade?!
Gasp—!!!
Liu Yuantai sucked in a sharp breath. Everyone had assumed Yi Feng was a fifth-grade expert, which explained Chen Jiudao’s deference.
A fifth-grade Soul-Calming Herb was rare, but it couldn’t directly enhance cultivation, so its value wasn’t astronomical. Trading it for a favor wasn’t a terrible loss.
But Master Yi’s true strength far exceeded expectations?!
This was an absolute windfall!
Lu Xinlan shot to her feet, her composure shattered.
So close!
Had Elder Chen not been here, they would have offended a quasi-sixth-grade expert—and the Treasure Pavilion would have been reduced to rubble!
The realization struck like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone pale-faced yet brimming with reverence for Chen Jiudao.
To stand firm before a sixth-grade sovereign, salvage the situation, and even secure his favor with just a fifth-grade herb—this was the prowess of the Nine Paths Venerable!
Lu Xinlan trembled with excitement, her fingers clenched tightly.
"To think Master Yi’s cultivation is so formidable! I assumed he was fifth-grade—how shortsighted of me. Thanks to Elder Chen, this auction turned into a massive gain!"
Her joy mounting, she added eagerly,
"Later, I’ll present another gift—a jar of three-thousand-year Tea Crystal—to express my gratitude!"
"To forge ties with Master Yi, the fifth-grade herb was already worth far more than its price. Even in the Inner Islands, experts of his level are exceedingly rare. Elder Chen, do you think we should prepare additional gifts to visit him?"
If Lu Xinlan was restless, the others were downright terrified.
And for good reason.
Sixth-grade experts were nearly mythical figures. Even if Yi Feng’s rank wasn’t fully confirmed, his strength alone was enough to stir any faction’s interest. In the Seventy-Two Islands, he’d be a heavyweight—let alone encountering him in the Outer Islands.
No one could remain calm in such circumstances.
Faced with Lu Xinlan’s inquiry, Chen Jiudao swelled with pride.
The earlier humiliations had now transformed into quiet triumph. He was the one who’d connected them to Master Yi—a feat no one else could match.
Frankly, this was the kind of story one would boast about for a lifetime.
But recalling Yi Feng’s terrifying killing intent, Chen Jiudao’s expression turned grave.
After a long pause, he spoke solemnly.
"Miss Lu, this matter requires careful deliberation."
"A master like Yi Feng is domineering in speech and unpredictable in action. Rashly disturbing him might backfire—he is no ordinary man one can easily approach!"
"In my opinion, we should first discreetly investigate Yi Feng's preferences and intentions before making further plans. The young mistress has already earned his favor, gaining the upper hand. There's no need to rush this matter."
The words carried a hint of self-praise, yet they were not without reason.
Indeed, Yi Feng was no ordinary figure one could casually befriend. The thought that she had already secured his goodwill—akin to a heaven-sent opportunity—filled Lu Xinlan with excitement.
"Elder Chen speaks wisely."
"For today's auction, Elder Chen's contributions are unparalleled, and everyone else has also worked hard. We shall close the gates for three days to celebrate this victory. At the same time, dispatch people to locate the master's whereabouts. This matter must not be leaked!"
Lu Xinlan took her seat and issued the orders, stirring waves of joy within the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
Meanwhile, in the quieter western district, Luo Pengfei moved discreetly in plain attire.
The streets were filled with low-level cultivators; not a single peak-level Saint could be spotted even after half a day.
His steps grew increasingly hesitant as he frowned and turned to send a voice transmission:
"A master like Yi Feng—how could he possibly reside in such a place?"