Zhang Wen glanced quietly to the side. He saw Ming Yuan forcing his expression to remain calm. He sat still, trying to steady his breathing, but inside it was anything but peaceful. Pain, anger, humiliation, and guilt churned violently within him, threatening to spill from his eyes at any moment.
Zhang Wen said nothing. He merely released a thin veil of water that spread subtly around Ming Yuan, concealing all the turbulent emotions within. Even if someone looked directly at him, they would see only a quiet young man sitting in silence like any ordinary cultivator.
Then Zhang Wen turned his gaze back to the man in black.
"What about mid-level intelligence on the Cloud Pavilion Trade Hall, and general information on the Gu Clan, the Phoenix Clan, and the Chaos Sacred Land. How much?"
The man in black did not rush to answer. He paused briefly as if weighing the matter, then replied in the same calm tone.
"Nine thousand two hundred top-grade spirit stones."
Zhang Wen did not bargain in the slightest. He raised his hand, and a massive amount of top-grade spirit stones poured onto the table like a cascade of light. The man in black nodded in satisfaction and immediately began his report.
"Let us begin with the Phoenix Clan. This matter has caused considerable shock over the past few months, but the news has been deliberately suppressed by several forces."
"The Phoenix Clan leader excavated the sacred bones of his daughter's fiancé. However, this was not done through coercion."
Ming Yuan's fingertips twitched slightly, yet Zhang Wen maintained his calm.
The man in black continued clearly. "That man agreed to the exchange of his own will. The terms were that he handed over his sacred bones to the Phoenix Clan in exchange for several Emperor-level treasures."
"The Phoenix Clan accepted the deal. More importantly, both sides jointly decided to annul the engagement. The reason was that the man was being hunted by the Gu Clan and did not wish to drag the Phoenix Clan into the conflict. At the same time, the Phoenix Clan had no intention of confronting the Gu Clan either, especially now that the Gu Clan has awakened a Great Emperor ancestor."
"But before the Gu Clan could take action, that man was taken away by the Supreme Elder of the Chaos Sacred Land. Witnesses reported seeing a flying vessel descend at the borders of the Phoenix Clan before departing openly without concealing its aura in the slightest."
Zhang Wen listened in silence. His expression did not change in the slightest, yet within his mind, every thread began to connect at once. Sacred bones. An exchange. Emperor-level treasures. And being drawn into the Chaos Sacred Land.
The man in black slid his finger across another page of the intelligence scroll before continuing.
"Next, the Gu Clan."
"The Sacred Daughter Gu Lanyue and Gu Yisheng, the clan leader's son, have both joined the Chaos Sacred Land as true disciples."
He added calmly,
"The Gu Clan has begun large-scale purchases of metal-element resources, formation stones, explosive stones, and treasures that support the path toward the Great Emperor realm. These acquisitions span many cities, including Sword Heaven City. It is widely believed they are preparing for war."
The man in black paused briefly before changing topics.
"As for the Chaos Sacred Land itself."
"Over the past year, the sacred land has accepted an abnormally high number of disciples. However, this was not done publicly. Instead, recruitment was carried out through special channels. Many elders were personally dispatched to search for talents. Our estimation is that they are preparing to send disciples to the Upper World."
Zhang Wen frowned slightly.
The man in black continued.
"Do you remember the man whose sacred bones were excavated, the one I mentioned earlier? During the assessment of his potential, it was discovered that his aptitude surpassed even that of a Great Emperor. As a result, he was immediately granted the status of candidate for the next Sacred Inheritance."
He then moved on.
"Next, the Cloud Pavilion Trade Hall."
"This trade hall is jointly led by five individuals. All five possess cultivation at the peak Nirvana realm. It ranks tenth in wealth within Sword Heaven City."
"However, they possess no powerful background and are not supported by any Saint-level force. They are a newly established organization, yet they have managed to attract a large number of powerful cultivators in an extremely short time."
After finishing his report, the man in black spoke once more.
"This concludes our mid-level intelligence. Would you like information of deeper classification?"
Zhang Wen shook his head. He had no spirit stones left to spare.
Once the exchange was complete, Zhang Wen rose from his seat without another word. The man in black merely bowed slightly before retreating back into the void. The luxurious reception hall returned to silence, as though nothing had ever occurred.
The two stepped back through the spatial gate and descended the narrow wooden staircase, returning to the old inn below. The elderly man behind the counter still leaned against the table as before. His half-closed eyes opened slightly as he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Thank you for your patronage… Do visit again, should fate allow."
Zhang Wen gave a slight nod before leading Ming Yuan out of the inn at once.
As they stepped away from the western district and returned toward the heart of the city, the atmosphere changed as though they had entered an entirely different world. The noise of the crowd, the whistling of flying swords cutting through the sky, and the dense spiritual energy of Sword Heaven City surged around them once more.
Yet Ming Yuan perceived none of it.
His aura churned violently. His eyes were bloodshot. Anger and suffocating resentment threatened to burst from his body at any moment.
Zhang Wen raised his hand.
A thin, transparent sphere of water formed around the two of them, quietly isolating all external sounds.
"Are you angry?" he asked calmly.
Ming Yuan clenched his fists and nodded without hesitation.
Zhang Wen continued, his voice slow but firm.
"I understand. But there is one thing you must remember clearly. No matter how angry you are, stay silent. The greater your anger, the more you must remain silent."
He walked forward a few steps, then turned back to look directly at Ming Yuan.
"Once we reach the White Dragon Trade Hall, leave everything to me. Do not let emotion come before benefit under any circumstances. If the voices in your head are too loud, then do not open your mouth at all."
Ming Yuan drew a deep breath and nodded again. Though the fury still burned within him, those words forced it to sink deep into his heart.
Not long after, the two came to a stop before the White Dragon Trade Hall.
The building was tall but visibly worn. The signboard was faded. Cracks ran faintly along the walls. The defensive formations were weak, and the spiritual energy within was so thin it was barely different from that of an ordinary shop.
Zhang Wen understood at a glance.
This place truly stood on the verge of collapse.
He turned to Ming Yuan and spoke calmly.
"Just follow me."
Ming Yuan nodded.
Together, they stepped inside.
Inside the trade hall, silence reigned.
The reception counter stood empty. There were no customers at all. Only a single young woman sat behind the counter, quietly reading a book. When she noticed someone enter, she looked up in alarm.
Zhang Wen walked straight toward her.
"I wish to meet the leader of the White Dragon Trade Hall."
He continued without any detour.
"I want to purchase this trade hall."
The young woman froze for a moment, then hurriedly stood up and ran upstairs to the second floor.
Not long after, she returned and respectfully invited the two of them upstairs.
The reception room on the second floor still retained a trace of its former luxury, though signs of age clung stubbornly to every corner.
The door opened.
A beautiful woman stepped inside first. Her expression was calm and cold, her posture dignified, though beneath that composed exterior lay unmistakable exhaustion.
Ming Yuan's heart trembled violently.
He recognized her at once.
She was Zhen Yi, a direct disciple of his mother.
Behind her followed three elderly men and another young woman. The aura of the Nirvana Realm radiated from their bodies. Together with Zhen Yi, there were five people in total.
They sat down opposite Zhang Wen and Ming Yuan.
No one spoke, yet the atmosphere instantly became tense.
But before anyone could open their mouth—
Pshh!
All five of them stiffened in shock.
Their eyes widened. Their limbs twitched uncontrollably. Then their bodies collapsed back into their chairs, completely unable to move.
Their auras were sealed in a single breath.
Ming Yuan's eyes widened in disbelief.
He could not sense anything at all. There was no fluctuation of power, no attack, not even a visible movement.
Yet he knew one thing with absolute certainty.
All of this was Zhang Wen's doing.
Zhang Wen sat down calmly, his gaze sweeping over the five figures who had unknowingly absorbed his poison. From the very beginning, he had never come here to negotiate.
"Don't panic," he said lightly. "I simply dislike wasting time."
A translucent curtain of water instantly formed, enveloping the entire room and isolating it completely from the outside world.
Only then did Zhang Wen turn his eyes toward the woman seated before him, his expression unhurried and calm.
[Name: Zhen Yi]
[Cultivation Level: Heavenly Cavern Level 1 (Collapsed)]
[Special Body: Lotus of Flame Body (Heaven Rank)]
[Luck: White]
[Affinity: 5]