Lin Mu stepped forward, taking the lead. "We're here to send a message."
"To whom?" she asked, not looking up from her ledger.
"To Lady Kang, Owner of the Great Kang Auction House."
That made her blink—but she still didn't lift her gaze. "I'm afraid that level of communication must go through the Eastern Immortal Court's diplomatic trade channels. If you have a formal request, we can—"
Lin Mu cut her off by placing something small and golden on the desk.
The woman paused, brows furrowing. Slowly, she looked down—and her eyes widened.
A golden crescent token, stamped with the sigil of a soaring crane with the constellation of virgo formed from small gems on it. The personal VIP token of the Great Kang Clan. This wasn't some ceremonial badge—it was authority incarnate, a mark of those who had earned the direct favor of Lady Kang herself, something given perhaps once a decade.
She squinted. "I… I'm not familiar with this…"
'Still taking us lightly.' Lin Mu thought.
