As they reached the place, Lin Xiao Tian stopped and looked at Han Leu with a questioning gaze, because what stood before them was far too... disappointing. A small, desolate shop stood there, its structure worn and dull, as if it had been abandoned long ago or perhaps never visited at all.

Seeing the name carved above it, everyone grew even more stunned. Hēi Xū Gé (Black Ruin Pavilion). Lin Xiao Tian’s face twitched slightly as a thought surfaced. At least make the name sound trustworthy.

Seeing everyone’s expressions, Han Leu gave a feeble grin and spoke awkwardly. "Do not worry, Sect Master, it is truly legitimate," he said, though his tone lacked any convincing power.

Hearing this, they stepped inside, only to find the interior even worse than the outside. There was no one in sight, and items were scattered everywhere in messy piles, as if no one had bothered to organize anything for years.

Just as they were observing, a small shadow suddenly leapt forward and latched onto Han Leu, causing him to scream out loud as a pile of items nearby collapsed. Dust filled the air, and as it settled, they saw a tiny figure clinging to him, rummaging through his robes while muttering.

Han Leu hurriedly tried to steady himself as the figure refused to let go. "Master Hao, please let me go, I have brought guests," he said in a panicked tone.

Hearing this, the small figure finally turned its head, revealing the face of a very old man, wrinkled and aged, yet strangely small in stature. Before Han Leu could say anything else, the old man snapped immediately.

"Forget the guests, where is my money, you bastard," he shouted, his voice sharp. "You still owe me a million spirit stones."

Han Leu quickly tried to explain, his tone turning hurried. "Master Hao, they are big buyers, you said if I brought big buyers you would clear my debt."

Hearing this, the small old man paused for a moment before slowly sliding down, then turned his head toward Lin Xiao Tian and the others, a crooked, almost sinister grin forming on his face.

He was barely half the height of a normal man, his hunched body wrapped in loose, faded robes that looked as if they had seen decades of neglect, the Robes hanging awkwardly over his thin frame. His beard was long and tangled, stretching unevenly down his chest, while his hair stuck out in wild clumps, giving him an almost ridiculous appearance at first glance.

Yet his eyes completely ruined that impression, sharp and restless, constantly shifting with a calculating glint as if weighing the value of everything in the room in an instant. His grin widened slightly, revealing yellowed teeth, and despite his small, almost laughable figure, there was something deeply unsettling about him, like a hidden dart.

As Lin Xiao Tian saw this, a chill ran down his spine. Have we just been sold...

Just as they instinctively stepped back, the doors behind them slammed shut, and spiritual lamps lit up one by one, pushing away the darkness. The small figure casually summoned a tall chair, climbed onto it, and then stood proudly as he spread his arms.

"Welcome, my great patrons, welcome to the greatest auction house in the southern part of the continent... the Black Ruin Pavilion," he declared grandly, though his appearance made it difficult to take him seriously.

Chu Yue leaned slightly toward Lin Xiao Tian and whispered under her breath. "Looks like your elder is not that trustworthy."

Lin Xiao Tian sighed softly and replied calmly. "At this point, we can only trust him and see where it leads."

He then stepped forward and gave a slight bow toward the old man. "I am Lin Xiao Tian, Sect Master of the Celestial Origin Supreme Sect," he said.

Hearing this name, the old man nearly toppled from his chair before catching himself, his eyes locking onto Lin Xiao Tian with a strange expression, as if he had just lost some invisible bet.

He grunted and waved his hand impatiently. "Fine, fine, just speak quickly, what do you want, I do not have all day."

Hearing this, Lin Xiao Tian stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the chaotic interior as he spoke calmly. "Well, Pavilion Master, we are entering the secret realm this time, so we will need some resources, and a few rare and important ones," he said, his tone casual as if discussing something trivial.

Hearing this, the old man did not look surprised at all, instead letting out a low groan as if he had heard the same request a thousand times. Lin Xiao Tian did not mind it and slowly turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you have any Nether Queen Scales," he asked.

The moment those words fell, the old man’s gaze changed, his expression turning slightly strange as he looked at Lin Xiao Tian with a hint of confusion. "Why would you need something like that, Sect Master," he asked, his tone no longer as careless as before.

Lin Xiao Tian gave a faint grin but did not answer immediately, his thoughts drifting toward the nature of those scales. Nether Queen Scales... something most people would not even dare to touch.

Those scales belonged to a rare third-grade creature known as the Nether Scale Bee, a species that was completely unsuited for this region, which made them extremely difficult to find. Even among poison-type materials, they were considered abnormal, not because of their strength, but because of their effect.

The moment one consumes it, for an entire hour they become immune to almost all forms of poison, but at the same time, the scale itself releases a toxin inside the body, forcing both poisons to clash violently.

His eyes flickered slightly. The result is not death... but an hour of extreme agony as the body becomes the battlefield, and only after that does the scale release its own antidote and cleanse everything.

He remembered the darker stories associated with it, his expression turning slightly strange. There were people who used it as a form of twisted indulgence, chasing that extreme sensation again and again.

But the truth behind it was far worse.

The so-called detoxification is not perfect, traces remain hidden inside the body, and after repeated use, that poison accumulates silently until one day... the person simply drops dead without warning.

For a period of time, those scales had spread like a plague among certain circles, turning into a dangerous trend before people finally realized the consequences. After that, the Nether Scale Bees were almost wiped out, leaving behind only scattered remnants in hidden places.

Lin Xiao Tian’s gaze returned to normal as he looked at the old man again, his faint smile still present.

"I just happen to have a use for them," he said lightly.

Hearing this, the old man gave him a strange look before speaking, his tone no longer casual. "You must know its true effect then, Sect Master," he said slowly, "in that case I will not ask for much... fifty thousand spirit stones per scale."

Hearing that number, Lin Xiao Tian felt as if someone had torn his heart apart on the spot, his face stiffening for a brief moment. Fifty thousand... for a single scale, this old bastard is truly ruthless.

Seeing the change in his expression, the old man clicked his tongue and continued smoothly. "Sect Master should understand, you will not find these anywhere else," he said, leaning slightly forward. "I am already lowering the price because you came with Han Leu, he is, after all, a good friend of mine."

He said this with a mischievous grin that only made Lin Xiao Tian’s eye twitch further. Good friend my ass, this dwarf is clearly robbing me in broad daylight.

Lin Xiao Tian slowly calmed himself, taking a breath as his thoughts settled. He is right though... this is not something I can find elsewhere, and if the plan works, the return will be far greater.

He looked at everyone briefly, then spoke decisively. "I need fifty scales."

This time, the old man was genuinely stunned, his expression turning strange as he looked at the group again. Fifty... what kind of madness are these people planning, they look proper, but their tastes...

As that thought passed his mind, he nodded mechanically before adding. "In that case, you might also need a Nether Bloom."

Hearing this, Lin Xiao Tian sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "We are not using it for that, Pavilion Master, just bring the scales."

The old man looked at him with clear disbelief before shrugging slightly. "As you say... young master."

Lin Xiao Tian’s face twitched at the sudden change in address, but he ignored it and continued. "I will also need some high-tier talismans and instant activation arrays," he added calmly, already moving to the next part of his preparation.

"Well, whatever you desire shall be yours, young master," the man said, his lips curling into an uncouth, knowing grin.