It's indeed news about the fetal pearl.

The Third Elder of the Gu Family scrutinized Chen Chang'an carefully.

Something was off!

His cultivation was indeed at the first level of the Divine Transformation Realm, but why couldn’t he clearly discern the man’s age?

As a half-step Great Emperor, the Third Elder should have no trouble determining someone’s age.

Yet with Chen Chang'an, he couldn’t see through him at all.

He appeared young, brimming with vitality, yet there was a sense that his age wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

Could it be that this man was blessed with great fortune, shrouded by the will of heaven, making him impossible to read?

If that were truly the case, then he might indeed be the one their ancestor had been waiting for.

But to be certain, they needed to observe his reaction to the news.

“Your name is Chen Chang'an?”

“Is it just a coincidence, or are you the same person who’s been causing an uproar in the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty lately?” the Third Elder asked skeptically.

“Third Elder, how could that be possible?”

“He’s only at the first level of the Divine Transformation Realm—he couldn’t possibly have that kind of power.”

“Didn’t you say the Chen Chang'an who stirred up trouble in the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty must have reached the Great Emperor Realm?”

Gu Fengyao refused to believe that the man before her could have any connection to the Great Emperor Realm.

Hearing her words, the Third Elder also found it strange.

After analyzing the rumors, he had concluded that Chen Chang'an’s strength must have reached the Great Emperor Realm—otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to move so swiftly.

But the Chen Chang'an in front of him was only at the Divine Transformation Realm, and there was no sign of concealed cultivation.

Could they really be two different people?

Was the world truly so full of coincidences?

Though the Third Elder was well-traveled and knowledgeable, he couldn’t immediately decide—after all, coincidences were not uncommon in life.

He had encountered plenty himself.

“Which Chen Chang'an it is doesn’t matter.”

“What matters is the news I’m about to share.”

“Chen Chang'an, why did you spend such a fortune to buy this information?”

The question caught Chen Chang'an off guard. Why did his reason for buying matter?

If they hadn’t been selling, he wouldn’t have bothered!

“The reason is simple—I wanted to know what the news was.”

“Is there a problem with that?” Chen Chang'an replied.

“Well…”

“No, there isn’t.”

“The news concerns a certain pearl.”

Pearl?

At those words, Chen Chang'an’s expression shifted. So it really was about the Embryonic Pearl?

To think that one of them had ended up in the hands of the Gu Family—how unexpected.

A family of their stature shouldn’t have had any ties to the Chen Family of the past. Had they stumbled upon it by chance?

The Third Elder noted Chen Chang'an’s reaction.

It was him after all!

Their ancestor had said that whoever reacted to the mention of the pearl was the one he had been waiting for.

“It really is you!”

“The ancestor once said that whoever showed interest in this news was the person he sought.”

“If someone bought the information but remained indifferent upon hearing it, they would have wasted their spirit stones for nothing.”

“Chen Chang'an, our ancestor wishes to meet you.”

Meet him?

Why would the Gu Family’s ancestor be waiting for him?

And how did he know about Chen Chang'an’s connection to the Embryonic Pearl?

Honestly, Chen Chang'an was now deeply intrigued. Who was this ancestor, and how did he know so much?

“Third Elder, is he really the one the ancestor has been waiting for?” Gu Fengyao asked in surprise.

“Yes, it’s him,” the Third Elder confirmed.

Gu Fengyao gave Chen Chang'an a puzzled look, still unable to understand why the ancestor would be interested in him.

And what was this pearl all about?

“I can go to the Gu Family, but not right now.”

“You have other matters to attend to?” the Third Elder asked.

“Yes. I still have unfinished business with the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty.”

Unfinished business?

The Third Elder and Gu Fengyao both froze.

So he really was that Chen Chang'an?

“The Chen Chang'an causing chaos in the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty—it’s really you?” Gu Fengyao gasped.

“Did I ever say it wasn’t?”

“But your cultivation…”

“It’s a bit low, but it’s fine. Doesn’t affect my performance.”

Chen Chang'an’s words left Gu Fengyao speechless.

A bit low? The gap was enormous!

A Divine Transformation cultivator displaying Great Emperor-level strength?

Was he even human?

“You’re not hiding your cultivation?”

“Why would I? Is my cultivation something to be ashamed of?”

“Monster!”

“You’re the real monster here!”

“Well, thank you for the compliment.”

“Here, take back the spirit stones from earlier.”

“No need. The ancestor said that if it truly was the person he sought, the spirit stones… would be waived.”

Waived?

Well, that was a pleasant surprise.

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Once I settle matters with the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty, I’ll come find you.”

“Very well.”

Without lingering, Chen Chang'an left the auction house with Gu Xian'er, now armed with knowledge of the Embryonic Pearl.

“Third Elder, is Chen Chang'an really not concealing his cultivation?”

“But Divine Transformation Realm…”

Gu Fengyao still couldn’t wrap her head around it. This defied all logic.

Even the most prodigious geniuses could only manage limited leaps in power—how could Chen Chang'an make it seem so effortless?

“This man holds many secrets. I can’t see through him.”

“Perhaps that’s why the ancestor values him so much.”

“Fengyao, how is your relationship with them?” the Third Elder asked.

“Huh? Relationship?”

“We only met today—what kind of relationship could there be?”

“I was even planning to snatch Gu Xian'er away from him earlier.”

“But now it seems… being his maidservant isn’t such a disgrace after all.”

Maidservant?

Only then did the Third Elder recall Gu Xian'er—his attention had been entirely on Chen Chang'an before.

The third-ranked prodigy on the Human Ranking was just a maidservant?

If word got out, many would be furious.

Those in the top ten of the Human Ranking were all proud talents—how could their pride endure being outshone by a mere servant?

Meanwhile, outside the auction house, various factions waited. Some were merely curious, while others, like Yin Gongyu, had ulterior motives.

When Chen Chang'an and Gu Xian'er stepped out, many were taken aback.

Two youngsters?

Could it really be them?

“It can’t be these two, can it?”

“There’s hardly anyone left inside—they were the last to come out.”

“No way. They don’t look like they could afford that many top-grade spirit stones.”

“Maybe they were just slow?”

"It's hard to say. Maybe we should wait a bit longer. The person who actually won the auction probably hasn’t come out yet."

Chen Chang'an emerged, but no one paid him any attention. The crowd outright ignored both him and Gu Xian'er.

In their minds, someone so young could never be the one in possession of over two million top-grade spirit stones.

"Young Master, these people… how shallow."

Back at the inn, Gu Xian'er couldn’t hide her disdain for them. Judging by appearances alone—how utterly superficial.

"It’s a matter of perception. Perfectly normal."

"They’re simply making judgments based on their own understanding."

"Honestly, it’s for the best. Saves us from unwanted trouble." Chen Chang'an replied with a faint smile.

"That’s true. I wonder when Senior Huang will arrive."

"Young Master, do you really think the bead you need is in the Gu Family?" Gu Xian'er asked.

"Since the Gu Family’s ancestor mentioned the bead, even if it isn’t in their possession, he must at least know something about it."

"We’ll have to pay the Gu Family a visit, one way or another."

Chen Chang'an had no choice but to go to the Gu Family. But before that, there was still the matter of the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty to settle.

Originally, he hadn’t been in any hurry, but now, with news of the bead surfacing, Chen Chang'an couldn’t help feeling impatient.

Meanwhile, outside the auction house, the crowd waited and waited, yet no one else emerged. Yin Gongyu’s expression grew increasingly grim.

"We’ve been tricked!"

"It must have been those two—those two from earlier!"

"Does anyone remember where they went?"

"Ah… Your Majesty, we didn’t pay attention to those two."

"Find them! In this imperial capital, I refuse to believe a man and a woman can simply vanish!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll—"

"Your Majesty, why are you still here? Someone from the palace has arrived."

Just as Yin Gongyu was about to order the search, news of the palace messenger made his heart skip a beat.

"Have our reinforcements arrived?"

"Indeed!"