On the stairs.
Yang Cheng walked alone at the front.
Behind him, the many big shots of Chanzhou and Heavenly Heart Island followed step by step.
From their words came two shocking pieces of news.
The auction actually hadn't ended. But because "Chen Cheng" wanted to leave, all the big shots directly stopped the auction and personally came out to see him off.
Also, all those big shots were treating "Chen Cheng" with respect.
For the younger generation of Chanzhou watching this scene, the impact was absolutely unmatched.
Earlier, everyone thought "Chen Cheng" only got into the second floor because he was relying on Xu Qingxue.
But now, Xu Qingxue was following behind "Chen Cheng."
"A true man should be like this."
Huang Yu said in shock.
One man's aura overshadowed all the big shots present. What kind of presence was that!
"Who exactly is he?"
Jiang Hengwu's beautiful eyes widened, her gaze toward Yang Cheng shining brightly.
Her Jiang family was just an ordinary small family on Heavenly Heart Island, only a little better than common households.
When she heard Divine Medicine Valley was coming to Great Zhou to open up a market, she sensed an opportunity and came along with their advance team to Chanzhou.
Because her Jiang family had ties with the Ouyang family, she stayed at their residence and met Ouyang Xue and Tang Xingyu.
Through Tang Xingyu, she got to know "Chen Cheng."
At first, she was just curious. She couldn't understand why someone as outstanding as Tang Xingyu valued "Chen Cheng" so highly.
In her heart, like Ouyang Xue, she felt "Chen Cheng" wasn't worthy of Tang Xingyu.
But later events slowly changed her opinion.
At Wanlu Manor, Zhou Chong and the others acted like terrified mice when they saw Fo Ye.
But Fo Ye, upon seeing "Chen Cheng," treated him with deep respect.
At that moment, she realized Chen Cheng was extraordinary.
Still, maybe because of Ouyang Xue and Zhou Chong's words, she almost believed Chen Cheng was just Fo Ye's illegitimate son, and didn't take him seriously.
When she met him again this time, she had no particular thoughts. She just saw it as meeting an old acquaintance, and since she already thought well of Chen Cheng as a person, her attitude toward him was friendly.
But at this moment!
All her past thoughts about Chen Cheng collapsed.
Looking at that lone figure walking ahead, treated with deference by all the big shots, Jiang Hengwu's mind went blank.
She finally understood why Tang Xingyu valued Chen Cheng so much.
It turned out Tang Xingyu already knew Chen Cheng's identity was extraordinary.
Compared to her, Jiang Hengwu realized her own judgment was sorely lacking.
Ding!
[System has detected Jiang Hengwu's spiritual fluctuations. The host has once again conquered Jiang Hengwu's heart, making her infatuated with the host.]
[Does the host wish to lock in Option Two and obtain a mid-grade spirit spring?]
"What the hell?"
Yang Cheng was stunned.
He had long tossed this mission aside. He didn't expect it to pop up again.
And he hadn't done anything with Jiang Hengwu. He had barely even spoken to her.
So how was it that her heart was suddenly conquered and obsessed with him?
Yang Cheng remembered clearly. In his past life, he spent three whole years and poured endless effort into winning Jiang Hengwu's heart.
'Jiang Hengwu, it seems even though I spent three years with you in my past life, I still barely understood you.'
He ignored the task again.
Deep down, he was still resistant to Jiang Hengwu and unwilling to get involved with her—even if it was a mission.
At the same time.
Ouyang Xue was also dazed.
"How can this be?"
"I thought you dared face Fang Wunian only because you had Xu Qingxue as your backing. But it turns out you yourself are an even greater backing."
Now she finally understood why Chen Cheng could dismiss Zhou Chong and Fang Wunian, why Fo Ye treated him so reverently.
It wasn't because Chen Cheng lived off a woman.
It was because his own identity was terrifying.
She still didn't know exactly what identity he held, but it was enough to make all those big shots bow their heads.
Zhou Chong, meanwhile, was trembling all over.
At this moment, he finally realized he was in real trouble.
Those who were flattering Chen Cheng were all people the Zhou family could never afford to offend.
If they all had to treat Chen Cheng with respect, and he had already offended him, the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became.
Fang Wunian's face was also pale.
But when he noticed his father wasn't among the ones fawning over Chen Cheng, he let out a small sigh of relief.
It seemed his father wasn't afraid of Chen Cheng, so maybe he didn't have to be either.
Even so, he wouldn't dare mock Chen Cheng again, and he was even afraid to be noticed by him.
Soon, Chen Cheng and Xu Qingxue were escorted out of the tavern by the group of big shots.
Outside the tavern.
Lin Shu was already waiting with a carriage.
"Master, do you want to move against the Fang family?" Xu Qingxue asked.
"No rush for now," Yang Cheng said. "Right now, all the major factions probably already suspect my identity, but they can't be certain, since the imperial inspectors are still in Hecheng."
"If I make a move on the Fang family, my identity will be fully exposed, which would hurt my plans."
He had deliberately sent the imperial inspector team to Hecheng to draw attention from Chanzhou's powers.
That way, they would think the Crown Prince was in Hecheng, and suspicion of him would lessen.
Of course, by now he wasn't very afraid of their suspicion anyway.
After all, the great net had already been laid down for a long time, just waiting to close.
Half a day later.
Fang Muxian returned to the Fang family and quickly gathered all the senior members together.
"Who knows the background of this Chen Cheng?" Fang Muxian asked.
"Father, I know a little," Fang Wunian eagerly replied.
Fang Muxian was a bit surprised. "Speak quickly."
Fang Wunian then told him everything he knew about Chen Cheng.
"So, you had already offended Chen Cheng long ago?" Fang Muxian said.
"That's right." Fang Wunian nodded. "Father, this person is very close to the Xu family. He's no good for our Fang family…"
"Didn't Xu Qingxue remind you to tell me to go and apologize to him?" Fang Muxian interrupted.
Fang Wunian froze. "She did remind me."
"Then why didn't you tell me?" Fang Muxian glared at him.
"He's just a yellow-mouthed brat. How could he be worth our Fang family's attention…" Fang Wunian started.
Before he could finish, Fang Muxian slapped him flying.
"Father?" Fang Wunian's front teeth fell out. He looked at Fang Muxian in disbelief.
"Idiot." Fang Muxian's face was full of fury. "I was wondering why this person targeted our Fang family and Elder Zhang, yet ignored me and gave the Zheng family an opportunity. Turns out it was you, you little beast, stirring up trouble!"
"Patriarch, Wunian has always been outstanding. Why be so angry with him over an outsider?" someone quickly tried to persuade him.
"Do you even know what happened in the second-floor auction hall today?" Fang Muxian roared.
He then described everything that had taken place upstairs.
After listening, all the Fang family seniors gasped in shock.
Fang Wunian himself felt as if thunder had struck him.
"This person is actually so terrifying."
"What do we do now? Our Fang family offending such a figure is a huge disaster."
Everyone was full of worry.
"If only Wunian had told the patriarch when Xu Qingxue reminded him, maybe none of this would have happened," one elder suddenly said.
At that, the other elders looked at Fang Wunian with harsh expressions.
"Wunian, from today onward, the spirit mine in your hands will be handed over to Fifth Brother to manage," Fang Muxian declared.
Fang Wunian's face instantly turned ashen.
The spirit mine was one of the Fang family's most valuable assets.
Because he controlled that mine, he had always been treated as the most promising heir.
Now Fang Muxian stripping him of that authority was the same as stripping him of his inheritance rights.
"Patriarch, then how should we deal with this Chen Cheng?" the Fang family seniors asked anxiously.
"No need to worry." Fang Muxian said, "The Southern Guardian Prince's ambitions are obvious. After I learned of this, I've been preparing escape routes for our Fang family."
"Divine Medicine Valley is one path. But the more important one is Chu Chen, the prodigy from the Azure Jade Realm."
"I've already made secret contact with him. At the right time, we can seek his protection."
"What if Chen Cheng refuses to give even Chu Chen face?" someone asked.
"That would be even better." Fang Muxian sneered. "With someone like Chu Chen, how could he ever tolerate anyone going against him? If Chen Cheng dares slight him, then only death awaits him."
"That's true. Even when the Crown Prince killed Chu Chen's younger brother Chu Han, Chu Chen publicly issued a battle challenge to the Crown Prince."
"Speaking of which, this Chen Cheng and the Crown Prince even share the same character 'Cheng' in their names. Both are terrifying prodigies, and their ages aren't far apart either."
"Chen Cheng's identity has always been mysterious. Could it be he's actually Crown Prince Yang Cheng?"
As they discussed, suspicion arose about Chen Cheng's true identity.
"Unlikely. The Crown Prince's imperial inspector team is still in Hecheng," Fang Muxian said. "And there's never been any rumor that His Highness the Crown Prince was skilled in alchemy."
"That's true. No one could be such a freak—Crown Prince is already perfect in sword dao, how could he also be perfect in pill dao?"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The next three days, Chuncheng grew more and more lively.
Because the Crown Prince's imperial inspector team was about to meet the Divine Medicine Valley delegation here.
After the meeting, it might open a huge cooperation between Great Zhou and Heavenly Heart Island.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
In Chuncheng, at River-Viewing Tower.
This was the city's most famous old tower, standing tall for over 3,000 years.
Today, the Crown Prince and Divine Medicine Valley were scheduled to meet here.
At dawn, River-Viewing Tower was already swarming with people.
Several li away from the tower.
Yang Cheng walked along the street and found a tavern with an empty seat.
He had just sat down when—
"Chen Cheng."
Someone called out.
Yang Cheng looked over and saw it was Jiang Hengwu.
But she wasn't alone.
There were three others with her, not Ouyang Xue or Zhou Chong.
"You two know each other? Perfect, let's share a table," said a girl beside Jiang Hengwu.
"Chen Cheng…" Jiang Hengwu looked at him, her eyes uneasy.
After seeing his noble bearing, she already felt nervous facing him.
"You can go find another table," Yang Cheng said bluntly.
He had already recognized the girl beside Jiang Hengwu. It was her cousin Jiang Yuerou, a woman whose bones reeked of petty greed.
He never wanted too much contact with Jiang Hengwu. With Jiang Yuerou there, he wanted even less.