Robin was now the center of attention at the auction house, having just secured an item for a hefty sum; every move she made naturally drew the most gazes.

"Look, the little princess is making a move again!"

"Is she going to drive the price up by another few hundred million this time?"

"Ah, if only such a wealthy young lady could become my son's bride; our whole family could skip twenty years of struggle!" one man sighed wistfully.

"Isn't your son just a month old?" someone nearby shot him a glare.

The host on stage had naturally seen Robin raise her paddle. Although he was still unclear about the whisper he'd just heard, it was currently business hours, and he couldn't afford to be distracted. He quickly composed himself and continued, "That guest bids eight hundred thousand Diamond Coins. Are there any higher offers?"

What excited him most was seeing Robin bid. She had given him a huge surprise earlier. Even though he didn't know why Robin had fallen silent afterward, that wasn't the immediate concern. He was now wondering if the price would breach the hundred-million mark again!

However, he clearly overlooked one thing: everyone present had witnessed Robin's decisiveness and knew that trying to outbid her was futile. Rather than letting the auction house profit, it was better to concede gracefully!

Moreover, all of them vaguely sensed that Robin must be a person of significant standing; they felt it was best not to offend someone like that if possible!

Therefore, the moment these people saw Robin raise her paddle, even those inclined to bid higher fell silent!

The host called out for a long time, but receiving no response, he finally brought down the gavel, declaring the item sold to Robin!

And what exactly was this item, and why had Zhong Shenxiu been so agitated?

In truth, even Zhong Shenxiu hadn't anticipated such a coincidence. The item was none other than the "Spirit Taming Stone," another essential material for forging Medium Bags!

Zhong Shenxiu was now beginning to suspect that the heavens were assisting him, urging him to craft the Medium Bag sooner rather than later!

At this moment, Zhong Shenxiu had returned to his seat. He didn't take the "Spirit Taming Stone" from Robin but instructed her to put it away safely. Then, he sent a private transmission telling Robin not to worry about Keni!

The auction continued, and Zhong Shenxiu subsequently acquired five more lots, all of which were antiques the crowd considered rather unremarkable!

After some time had passed, the host on stage was replaced by someone older and much more composed. As soon as he stepped up, he cast a meaningful glance toward Robin, his expression seeming to convey: Please support my efforts generously later on!

The crowd knew that the auction for the truly valuable treasures was about to begin!

Several wealthy patrons who had remained quiet until now were visibly rubbing their hands together, as if they had been conserving their energy specifically for this moment!

In contrast, Zhong Shenxiu found little interest in the subsequent lots; the more valuable the item, the less it caught his eye!

What these magnates considered treasures struck Zhong Shenxiu as utterly vulgar!

Time trickled by. Watching these tycoons fight tooth and nail over objects of little worth struck Zhong Shenxiu as amusing!

As the auction neared its conclusion, the final, show-stopping item was revealed: a "War Relic"!

It was a suit of armor in relatively well-preserved condition, and surprisingly, its starting bid was a staggering three million Diamond Coins!

Zhong Shenxiu felt a pang of regret; he suddenly realized he had sold his previous "War Relics" far too cheaply, not realizing they fetched such a price here!

After a spirited contest, this "War Relic" was eventually acquired by Ander, meaning his trip hadn't been entirely in vain!

As the assembly began to disperse, a staff member approached and respectfully handed Robin a small booklet detailing the items scheduled for auction over the next few days.

The sky outside had darkened completely, but "Dream Evening City," famous for its night market, was now at its peak vibrancy. The streets were thronged with people in clusters of three or five, and various cries of vendors rose and fell incessantly.

Zhong Shenxiu had no interest in browsing the night market and returned directly to the inn.

The moment he and Robin entered the room, they heard a loud thud—Clyde had dropped to his knees in deep emotion.

Robin, standing beside him, was slightly startled. She glanced at the old man; though he was a stranger, she didn't speak to inquire about his identity!

Zhong Shenxiu gave Clyde a look, his brow furrowing slightly. Without any visible movement, he effortlessly levitated Clyde into the air, then stated coolly, "That custom is not practiced here!"

Clyde was utterly astonished at that moment. A massive, invisible force had suddenly lifted him, and what terrified him more was that he had seen Zhong Shenxiu make no discernible motion—how had he done it?

"I represent the Claudie Family, offering our deepest gratitude for saving and caring for my young mistress!" Seeing that he could not remain kneeling, Clyde bowed his head respectfully.

Zhong Shenxiu ignored him and walked straight to the bed, slumping down onto it. "Grandpa Clyde, I told you, Xiao Xiu dislikes this sort of thing!" Keni said from the side.

Clyde's expression turned somewhat awkward, leaving him momentarily unsure of what to say.

Just then, Zhong Shenxiu broke the silence, asking in a flat tone, "Hey, old man, are you interested in working for me?"

Clyde blinked, then a wave of joy washed over him. He had actually been intending to bring this very topic up with Zhong Shenxiu!

From his recent exchange with Keni, he knew that Zhong Shenxiu was currently establishing a "Dark Merchant Guild" and desperately needed capable assistants. Clyde happened to have the relevant experience, having managed the former "Claudie Family" affairs himself. He was just thinking about how to bring it up when Zhong Shenxiu unexpectedly broached the subject first!

"This old man is willing to serve with all my might," Clyde replied, his expression extremely serious.

Zhong Shenxiu nodded, saying no more to him, but turned to Keni: "Nizi, his matters are now yours to handle!"

Keni paused, surprised that Zhong Shenxiu had used her intimate nickname, which gave her a feeling that bordered on bittersweet laughter. However, she clearly didn't mind, simply nodding with a slight smile.

For Keni, too much had happened today, swinging her from deep sorrow to utter joy; it all felt like a hazy dream!

"Young Master, this old servant has a request," Clyde’s demeanor suddenly became solemn. He had intended to kneel again, but catching himself, he stopped, recalling the recent incident.

It had to be said that Clyde's adaptability was remarkable. In just a short time, he had started calling Zhong Shenxiu "Young Master," and his manner was completely natural, showing no hint of pretense.

But this also revealed the depth of Clyde's heartfelt loyalty to Zhong Shenxiu; it wasn't just because Zhong Shenxiu had given him a new lease on life, but more significantly, Keni was now his woman!

"Speak," Zhong Shenxiu remained a man of few words.

"Young Master, although our 'Claudie Family' suffered persecution, some of our members still survive in this world. However, these people are currently imprisoned by those few great families in secret locations, living a life worse than death. We implore the Young Master to intervene and rescue them," Clyde said, visibly moved.

His own son had been imprisoned by members of the Alfred Family. If not for Alfred using his son as leverage, Clyde would have long since chosen death!

Now that he was free from that abyss of suffering and understood Zhong Shenxiu's might, his first priority was naturally to rescue those clan members still trapped in torment!

Keni also learned only today that many clan members were still alive. When she fled, she had no idea what happened next, believing all her kin had been slaughtered, unaware that those families had spared some lives purely to extract secrets!

With Keni's current strength, she could certainly annihilate the families who had slaughtered her kin, but effortlessly rescuing her imprisoned relatives was no easy feat, as she didn't know their location. Just like this time—if Zhong Shenxiu hadn't intervened, she couldn't have saved Clyde!

Zhong Shenxiu didn't reply immediately. Instead, he turned to Keni, as he knew nothing of these matters.

Although Keni remained silent, her eyes clearly pleaded with Zhong Shenxiu for assistance!

"Tell me the details," Zhong Shenxiu then focused his gaze back on Clyde.

Clyde rejoiced, knowing this meant Zhong Shenxiu had agreed. He immediately began recounting everything he knew in detail.

In truth, he didn't know much, having been a prisoner for over a decade. He only knew which families were most likely holding his kin; beyond that, the clues were vague!

But that didn't matter. As long as Zhong Shenxiu knew which families were involved, he could use his abilities to trace the threads and uncover the whole truth!

"Three days. Wait for my news!" Zhong Shenxiu mused for a moment. Hearing this, both Clyde and Keni felt a collective wave of relief. They knew that if Zhong Shenxiu had said it, he was confident of success!

At this moment, Keni looked at Zhong Shenxiu with a peculiar expression. The problem that had tormented her for so long, Zhong Shenxiu could resolve in just three days. This gave her a sudden, almost marvelous feeling—a feeling as if she had finally found someone who could shelter her from the storm, someone who would carry the burdens so she wouldn't have to face everything alone anymore!

A woman's greatest happiness was finding a worthy pillar of support, and for Keni, Zhong Shenxiu was undoubtedly that existence!

"Thank you, Young Master," Clyde said, suppressing his excitement.

He thought of his son incessantly, and now that he finally had hope of hearing news of him, excitement mingled with a deep anxiety—he just prayed his son was safe!

"I need to rest now," Zhong Shenxiu suddenly interjected, abruptly shattering the mood.

Clyde blinked in surprise, taking a moment to process the words before responding, "Then this old servant will take his leave!"

With that, he actually departed!

After a moment of silence, Zhong Shenxiu turned to Keni and asked, "Did you book a room for him?"

This time it was Keni's turn to be startled. She had been so engrossed in talking with Clyde that she had completely forgotten that detail!

:… ECH is in closed state.