-Fei Fei, what's going on? What is this scale?
Paul asked, alarmed by her behavior.
This was the first time he had seen her so shaken.
-I have to leave, immediately.
She said, with panic in her voice and fear in her eyes.
Seeing this, Paul didn't hesitate and immediately cast a shadow jump spell on her, sending her straight to the mansion.
As much as he wished to know what was going on and why this scale terrified her so much.
There was no way he would ignore her fear.
No one even noticed the spell being activated, which was one of the perks of using the shadow element, and before Paul focused on the auction, the price soared to over 500,000,000 gold coins.
He was not interested in buying the scale, but he had to remain to collect their money as well as the items they bought in the second half of the auction.
So he waited patiently for the whole event to come to an end, which took the next half an hour as the bidding over the scale was fierce.
In the end, it was sold to a woman from a wealthy family, whom Paul remembered from the banquet at the city lord's mansion.
-With this, the Auction comes to an end.
Congratulations to all of you who managed to win the items that picked your fancy, and for those of you who were unsuccessful, I wish you better luck next time.
The items are now available for retrieval.
The servants will lead you to the private rooms to finish the transactions.
The host said with a smile before bowing like an actor in a theater and leaving the stage.
Without losing any time, Paul left the room.
The servant guided him to a different room where the items he and Fei Fei bid on were waiting for him, along with the money from the auction as well as from the side deal he had made.
-Please inspect the items as well as the money; we have already deducted the fees as well as the price of the items you and your companion bought.
The servant girl inside the room said politely.
Paul inspected the Fiery ginseng and monkey wine to be sure he was not being scammed before he took a look at the spatial device containing the money.
1,830,000 crystal coins, as well as a small mountain of gold coins, were inside.
Andrew did the math in his head, and it was all there.
-There is no need to transfer the money; the spatial device is a gift from the owner.
The servant stopped him before he started transferring the money.
-Additionally, we prepared a secret passage, if you wish to leave without being seen.
She added.
-Thank you, but that won't be necessary.
Paul declined, politely.
-Also, thank the owner for the gift and for all the help he has provided.
He said before using the shadow jump and disappearing right in front of her eyes.
The moment he arrived at the mansion, all the ladies ran to him.
-Paul, what happened at the auction?
Anna asked, visibly shaken.
-I wish I knew.
Where is Fei Fei?
-She came back and went straight to the mirror array and locked herself inside.
Wei Lan said, pointing at the mirror dome around the swimming pool.
-She would not tell us what happened, no matter what we tried, so we waited for you in hopes of getting an explanation.
She added.
-I'd like to have an explanation as well.
Paul said, walking in the direction of the array.
When he got inside, he was shocked.
Fei Fei was sitting on the ground, curled up in a ball, and shaking.
-Fei Fei, what's wrong? What was that scale?
He asked, with a soothing voice, while gently hugging her from behind.
For a long moment, she didn't say anything, but he didn't pressure her to respond,
allowing her to calm down.
Feeling his arms around her, she slowly stopped shaking, but was still silent, like she didn't know how to answer his question.
After a long while, she finally breathed a sigh before speaking.
-That was my scale, from before the restrictions were placed on me.
In my clan, when a dragon reaches maturity, a single scale is removed, an array is placed on it, and it is locked away in the treasury under constant guard.
She started to explain quietly.
-This is the equivalent of a soul jade for humans, but it has many more uses than just informing the family that I'm alive.
It can also show them my cultivation level and lead them to me if it's close enough.
Additionally, it is every dragon's instinct to get their lost scales back at all costs, so it can be used to lure us out if we are in hiding.
Lastly, it could allow me to regain my previous powers as it is used as a medicine of last resort.
If used in a restoration ceremony, it has the power to fully restore any dragon, even if they are near death.
-So this scales appearance…
-Yes, it was a trap set for me.
Fei Fei finished for him.
-If it were not for the mallet sound at the beginning of the auction and the shadow jump you cast on me, it would have succeeded.
She added, shuddering at the thought, as there was only one reason for her family to want to find her after all this time.
-Please tell me that you didn't buy it.
She asked with sudden realization.
-I didn't, it terrified you, so I didn't want this thing anywhere near you.
He calmed her down.
Fei Fei sighed a breath of relief.
-If you had bought it, I think you might have been dead by now.
The condition to meet with the seller was most likely an attempt to lure me out.
There is no way that my clan would let this scale end up in human hands, so whoever bought it is almost certainly dead by now.
-Then why are you hiding in this array right now?
Paul asked.
-It can block anyone from sensing what is inside, so it can prevent whoever is looking for me from finding me.
The scale will lead them straight here if it's within a 500-meter radius of me, and since their trap at the auction failed, they can simply walk around the city with it until it reacts to find me.
She explained.
-Furthermore, I will be drowned out if I sense it again, so can you add a sense cancellation from this side to the array as well?
She asked with a pleading expression.
-I will.
He promised, while trying to figure out a way to get rid of whoever it was that was trying to find his woman.