"S–sect master, please… calm yourself," one of the elders beside her murmured, his voice low.
After all, having a foundation building monk running amock in this place wouldn't be advisable, especially now.
With a powerful expert supervising this place, the spiritual pressure so powerful that everyone suspected him to be a Nascent Soul Ancestor of the human race, the elders felt great horror just by thinking of it.
Nie Baoyan, middle-stage Foundation cultivator and current sect leader of the Violet Needle Sect. The youngest sect leader in the region, one of the few women sect leader in the region, and even a genius that was nurtured for that position since she was a child.
Basically, she was a pampered princess that spent most of her time in a garden rather than the true world.
Her sharp reaction had been enough to make even her own followers hesitate, shoulders stiff and eyes darting as though they feared she might lash out at them next.
But one Elder stood his ground, gritting his teeth, and politely persuaded her to not do anything dangerous.
Hearing his words, Nie Baoyan could only swallow her anger and sat down, crossing her arms over her chest.
The sense of clarity was still there.
And the reason was simple.
The talisman that had appeared moments ago was no ordinary treasure.
It was the very sort of treasure she had been determined to claim, the kind that could tilt a sect's fortunes overnight.
Really, having such a talisman in a third rate force like them would undoubtedly be beneficial.
She had moved to secure it without hesitation, pushing her bid forward with the quiet confidence of someone used to getting what she wanted.
And then, just like that, her attempt had been swept aside.
A calm hoarse voice accompanied with the raise of a familiar hand from among the seats down there.
Not by a rival sect she expected.
Not by one of the known powers in the hall.
Not even by a famous monk that she would've known his identity and perhaps gave him face.
But by a figure who, until now, had remained utterly still, hidden under a cloak of indifference. A nameless bidder, seated as if nothing on display had been worth the effort until this single moment.
Mysterious expert?
Hidden powerhouse?
Powerful Senior?
What a bunch of rubbish!
She gritted her teeth, fists clenched and without a doubt, she was holding back her anger from lashing out. She didn't believe none of those nonsense, hell... If she was allowed to, she will personally expose this pretender on the spot.
If not for the 'true' powerhouse sitting in charge of this place, the one that she confirmed herself to be an authentic expert, she would've attacked the so called mysterious expert already.
The memory of it sent a faint pulse of irritation through her.
Her jaw tightened as she replayed it, the ease with which her bid had been ignored, the way no one even seemed surprised that hers had been overruled.
It left her with the uncomfortable taste of dissatisfaction pressing against her chest.
She had been treated as a spoiled princess throughout her life, and being overshadowed like this made her felt irritated.
"Tch." She clicked her tongue softly, though her voice when it followed was sharper, laced with scorn. "What so-called hidden expert? He's nothing more than wet paper. Once soaked, he'll crumple just as easily."
The words were cold, but the elders near her didn't relax.
No one wanted to openly agree or disagree, but silence in itself said plenty.
Finally, one elder gathered enough courage to speak, his tone hesitant, almost whispering. "S–sect master, you…?"
The question didn't finish.
Nie Baoyan's eyes snapped toward him, violet irises narrowing into something sharp to pin him in place.
The elder froze mid-breath, lips pressed together in regret. The air around them grew heavy for a moment.
Then, just as quickly, Nie Baoyan's expression shifted.
Her glare softened, curving into a faint smirk, as though she had caught herself and deliberately reined in her temper. Without a word, she reached for the side table, lifting an apple into her hand.
Her fingers turned it lazily, the smooth red skin rolling over her palm as she studied it.
Her violet eyes half-lidded, watching the fruit as if her irritation had been transferred into it.
When she closed her grip, the sound was quiet but unmistakable, crunch. The apple gave way instantly, its flesh collapsing, pulp and juice dripping between her fingers.
Strangely enough, the way the apple was crushed wasn't exactly due to external pressure alone. Instead, if one paid close attention to it, there appeared to be numerous tiny holes embedded.
Like a deflated balloon that was punctured by 1000 needles...
The sect's reputation surely does lived up to it's name.
Then, under the Elder's eyes, Nie Baoyan shifted and turned her gaze towards them.
Her smirk deepened. "I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking the same," she said lightly, almost playful now.
She tossed what remained of the fruit from one hand to the other, then let it drop to the floor with an idle flick. "We'll wait. Once this little auction ends, we'll see who makes the first move. A fat sheep like this…"
She brushed her sticky fingers clean with a cloth, pausing before adding, "…must not be let go so easily."
The apple rolled across the floor, its crushed remains leaving a faint streak, before one of the servants silently bent to collect it.
The room felt quieter after her words, though the elders knew it wasn't silence born from calm, it was the silence of a shared understanding.
In all honesty, they were tempted themselves. But to be cautious, they wouldn't be the first one to jump out and test how deep the water is...
A soft chuckle left her lips, casual, but with a weight that pressed against everyone listening.
The elders exchanged glances with each other, their expressions grim but resigned.
Can they refuse?
They can't...
None spoke. None dared to offer counsel now.
They all understood perfectly well what she was implying. The cloaked figure who had outbid her would not be allowed to leave that easily.
Such a fat sheep...
This was not about rules or fairness.
The Pavilion might sell rare treasures to anyone who could pay, but it would not raise a hand to protect its buyers afterward.
Once a transaction was complete, what happened outside these walls was no longer their concern.
Everyone here knew that, and Nie Baoyan intended to use it.
It was basically a universal law, anything that happened outside would be none of the Pavilion's concerns.
Meanwhile, down there within the hall, the cloaked man himself remained seated.
He placed his bids without hesitation, his voice calm, neither hurried nor arrogant. There was no flicker of doubt, no pause to weigh the reactions of others.
Like a person who was enjoying a sightseeing trip over the November. No hurry, no rush, and probably no sense of urgency either.
The atmosphere in the hall slowed down around him, praise from some, silent plotting from others, but Liam seemed utterly unmoved.
It didn't matter whether they whispered his name in admiration or cursed it with quiet resentment.
Their thoughts, their schemes, their judgments, none of it reached him.
In a way, Liam's goal for now was for his strength and ultimately for his safety.
Make money...
Buy eggs...
Refine puppets...
And become stronger..
Such a simple four rules idea.
As for whether the pavilion would be willing enough to intervene among the monk's affairs after the auction. He disliked such an idea...
He wasn't trying to be a saint. He wasn't stepping into the role of a villain either.
He was simply indifferent. Indifferent to anyone and anything outside the circle he had chosen to protect. But of course, for a person of interest such as this 'Mysterious expert'.
Liam had different plans for him, a plan that would surely add in a bit more depth to the 'Lore' that he was faking.