"These two are honored guests of Ice Fortress," Shi Boying said, her voice steady but lacking the warmth she had shown earlier. "I will be overseeing the auction shortly and cannot attend to them myself. Liangyue, see to their needs. Make sure to explain the key items that will be presented at Snow Lotus Palace. Don’t treat them lightly.”
Her tone was calm and pleasant yet far less enthusiastic than it had been with Luo Chen earlier. From this disparity in attitude, it was clear that this Foundation Establishment cultivator did not hold much weight in her eyes.
Her interlocutor, however, didn’t seem offended. She accepted the arrangement with grace, as if it were only natural.
She turned to Luo Chen and Wang Yuan, extending her hand in invitation. “This way, Fellow Daoists.”
Luo Chen and Wang Yuan exchanged a glance and followed her without a word.
***
Snow Lotus Palace was spacious, but still several times smaller than Icewave Palace. As they walked toward the auction hall, their conversation started to flow naturally.
“May I ask your names, Fellow Daoists?” Qiu Liangyue inquired politely.
“I am Luo Chen.”
"Wang Yuan," the other replied.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Qiu Liangyue said with a graceful smile. "I am Qiu Liangyue, disciple of the Ice Fortress and currently serving as a steward of Snow Lotus Market."
After introducing herself, she took out a catalog, clearly intending to guide them through the items that would appear in the auction. Yet the moment her gaze fell upon the list, her expression shifted. A faint crease formed between her brows.
"Wang Yuan?" she murmured.
“Yes?” Wang Yuan looked up with quiet composure. “What is it, Fellow Daoist Qiu?”
Her frown deepened as she searched her memory. The name sounded oddly familiar. After a pause, she asked in a tentative manner, "Are you perhaps... from Dahe Market?"
Wang Yuan didn’t hide it and simply nodded.
Seeing that Wang Yuan was about to say something more, Luo Chen quickly jumped in. “We came from Dahe Market a few years ago. In a way, you could say we’re neighbors, Fellow Daoist Qiu.”
Snow Lotus Market lay just upstream from Dahe Market; they were not far from each other. In fact, the Nangong family, with whom Luo Chen was well acquainted, had once moved there from Snow Lotus Market.
That "neighborly" connection seemed to warm the atmosphere at once. Meeting someone from one’s hometown in a foreign land was always comforting.
Qiu Liangyue smiled. “I thought the name sounded familiar. Back in Dahe Market, there was someone reputed to be the strongest of the Qi Refinement Realm, and he too was called Wang Yuan. So I wasn’t mistaken. I never imagined that after all these years, a rogue cultivator like you would truly manage to reach Foundation Establishment."
Wang Yuan cast a glance at Luo Chen but remained silent.
Luo Chen perked up and said, “Isn’t that also true for you, Fellow Daoist Qiu? I remember Fairy Liangyue was one of the most renowned female rogue cultivators across several markets. Now you’ve not only reached Foundation Establishment but also joined Ice Fortress. Truly admirable!”
A touch of pride flickered across her features at the mention of her current status. Yet with Luo Chen standing before her, already at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, she did not dare act superior.
After exchanging a few modest words, Qiu Liangyue’s expression softened, and a trace of deep emotion surfaced in her eyes. "Foundation Establishment... it is truly a bitter struggle for rogue cultivators like us."
Luo Chen nodded solemnly. “You’re absolutely right.”
Qiu Liangyue brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and let out a quiet sigh. "Back then, I ran from one market to the next just to find a Foundation Establishment pill. I have attended countless auctions, yet I have never managed to obtain one. Especially in your Dahe Market. The people there were even more ruthless than those in Glowing Stream Market, which is infamous for being overrun with raiders."
Luo Chen gave a dry laugh. “Well, being so close to the Great Million Mountains, always dealing with demonic beasts... it is only natural that people became a bit rough."
Perhaps it was because once a cultivator reached Foundation Establishment, no one praised their perseverance or cared for their hardships, but Qiu Liangyue seemed unusually talkative now. Her words carried the weight of past bitterness.
She continued, “I once bought some cultivation resources at a black market, but I hadn't even gotten far before some brutish raider ambushed me. I had to detonate a precious blood talisman I’d just won at an auction....”
Luo Chen’s mouth twitched when he heard that, but he nodded compassionately. “That’s truly disgraceful behavior.”
Wang Yuan, who had been silent and expressionless the entire time, suddenly stiffened.
Qiu Liangyue looked at Luo Chen and suddenly remembered who he was.
Luo Chen was not merely a fellow cultivator. He was the Fire Spirit Lord, one of the most sought-after Foundation Establishment figures in all of Tianlan Immortal City. His name alone resounded like thunder.
She spoke sincerely, “I believe such raiders were a minority in Dahe Market. If you had been there back then, with your chivalrous heart, you would never have stood idly by.”
Wang Yuan turned his head at just the right moment, staring at the icy wall ahead. Reflection showed his bald crown, and his clenched teeth betrayed the storm within.
Luo Chen wore a look of righteous sorrow and declared, “At that time, I was too focused on cultivating and unaware of such things. If I had been there, as you said, I would’ve given that brute what he deserved and shown him that Dahe Market is no lawless land!”
Crack!
A cracking sound came from someone’s knuckles.
Qiu Liangyue gave Wang Yuan a puzzled look.
Wang Yuan forced a stiff smile. “Just loosening up my joints. No big deal.”
She accepted the explanation with a nod before continuing, “But you know what they say, misfortune might sometimes turn into a blessing. After barely escaping that raider, I was chased by more people from Dahe Market. In desperation, I fled into a nearby mountain, and there, I accidentally stumbled upon the abandoned cave residence of an Ice Fortress Foundation Establishment cultivator. Not only did I find refuge, but I also discovered a Foundation Establishment pill inside the storage pouch. With it, I succeeded in breaking through. Later, I used his token to gain entry into the Ice Fortress."
Qiu Liangyue sighed deeply, as if her hardships had finally borne fruit. “Now, I’m no longer all alone in this world.”
Luo Chen cupped his hands with impeccable timing. "That is truly wonderful news. Congratulations, Fellow Daoist."
Qiu Liangyue laughed lightly. "I would not go so far as to call it worth celebrating. Still, if I ever meet the brutish raider who drove me to such desperation back then, I might even feel the urge to thank him."
Luo Chen raised his thumb with a grin. “What a noble character! Such magnanimity, truly admirable, Fellow Daoist!”
Qiu Liangyue waved it off. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. The thanks would be for the opportunity that pushed me toward Foundation Establishment. After that, I’d kill him without hesitation. Otherwise, how could my heart ever be at peace?"
Her tone still bore the casual ruthlessness she’d acquired during her days as a rogue cultivator. Gratitude and vengeance coexisted within her words, sharp and unrestrained.
Luo Chen cast a glance at Wang Yuan. He cleared his throat twice before steering the conversation elsewhere.
"Since you made the long journey to Tianlan Immortal City, I imagine you must have passed through Dahe Market on the way. How are things there now?"
At the mention of Dahe Market, Qiu Liangyue’s expression changed. The light in her eyes dimmed, and her cheer faded into solemnity.