Chapter 55: Sanctuary for Yun Mei Auction

Xiao Yunmei’s crimson lips parted slightly. “I want a patron.”

“You?” Zhou Chen asked. “Are you saying that the Yunmei Auction House isn’t backed by a family clan, but is entirely your own enterprise?”

At first, Zhou Chen had assumed the Yunmei Auction House was managed by Xiao Yunmei’s family. Unexpectedly, it was solely her venture.

If that was the case...

A smile appeared on Zhou Chen’s face.

In this era, cultivating alone in the city meant who knew when one might successfully form a Core Formation. Moreover, if one’s cultivation hit a bottleneck and required pills to break through, they’d have to wander aimlessly searching for alchemical materials.

So Zhou Chen had been thinking of establishing a business dedicated to sourcing rare treasures and cultivation resources for himself.

However, Zhou Chen lacked experience in business and had neither the heart nor the time to manage such an enterprise personally.

He had considered cooperating with various cultivation families, but after witnessing the open and covert struggles within the Cai family, he understood these great clans were entangled in complex internal politics, making them unsuitable as allies.

As for Yunmei Auction House, Zhou Chen was very pleased.

If it truly belonged to Xiao Yunmei, then partnering with her to expand and strengthen it—gathering treasures from across the nation and even the world for his own use—would be immensely beneficial for his cultivation path.

In response to Zhou Chen’s question, Xiao Yunmei sighed.

“Yunmei Auction House was founded by me, but I am a member of the Xiao family.”

Zhou Chen remained silent, knowing there was more to her story.

Xiao Yunmei hesitated before continuing, “Though I am of the Xiao family, I have reached this point without relying on the family’s power.”

“Don’t laugh, but my mother was the star performer at a club, and my father is the current head of the Xiao family. So my existence is a blemish on his life.”

“If I hadn’t shown an extraordinary business acumen from a young age, I would’ve long since disappeared amid the family’s internal power struggles.”

Zhou Chen was unmoved by Xiao Yunmei’s tragic background. “And then? Don’t tell me now that you’ve grown the Yunmei Auction House, the Xiao family wants a share of it.”

“Sigh… Worse than that, I have a half-sister. Her mother is a lady from another noble family, married to my father as his legitimate wife.”

“After graduating, my half-sister also started an auction company.”

Under the family’s preferential treatment, her auction house quickly rose, but it still couldn’t compete with Yunmei Auction House. So the family’s plan was to have me share part of my resources with her company.”

“If I refuse, the Xiao family will withdraw their protection from Yunmei Auction House. But I’m not worried about other clans attacking us. The truly dangerous ones would be those families eager to swallow Yunmei Auction House after we fall out with the Xiao family!”

Zhou Chen understood.

Great families were indeed despicable.

As an illegitimate daughter, Xiao Yunmei held no status in the Xiao family. The family’s previous protection of Yunmei Auction House was purely in preparation for a grand gift to that legitimate Xiao lady upon her graduation.

Compared to an illegitimate daughter, only a lawful wife’s offspring were truly considered family.

If forced to hand over Yunmei Auction House, Xiao Yunmei would never agree.

Hence, they used a slow, simmering method, gradually diverting Yunmei Auction House’s profits to her half-sister’s company.

In this way, all auction house interests remained firmly in the family’s hands.

As for Xiao Yunmei, once stripped of all profits, bankruptcy would not be far behind.

Without Yunmei Auction House, her standing in the Xiao family would plummet, and she might end up a mere pawn in arranged marriages.

This was the ugly face of great families—truly nauseating.

To avoid such a grim fate, Xiao Yunmei sought out Zhou Chen to discuss cooperation.

Yunmei Auction House needed a new protector—one that could firmly shield it and deter all covetous forces.

Over the years running the auction, Xiao Yunmei had come into contact with various cultivators and rare cultivation treasures.

She knew that beyond martial artists, there were immortal cultivators from the ancient times—those few who stood at the pinnacle of the world.

But accidental cultivators barely reaching the Qi Refining stage were useless to Yunmei Auction House.

Only those like the Luo woman or Zhou Chen himself, who had already laid foundations in immortal cultivation, could provide true protection.

“Seeking to attach yourself to the strong, but what can you offer in return?” Zhou Chen sipped his tea casually.

Xiao Yunmei replied, “Yunmei Auction House has channels nationwide to acquire all manner of treasures, even overseas branches.”

Zhou Chen stated his terms: “I’ll give you a list of rare materials I need. I want your people across the country and the world to gather them for me.”

Xiao Yunmei nodded. “Anything else?”

This was not difficult for Yunmei Auction House. They only needed to print Zhou Chen’s list into illustrated manuals, and staff would pay special attention to such items during acquisitions.

Zhou Chen added, “Also, keep an eye out for news related to immortal cultivators—such as sudden natural phenomena or the appearance of monsters.”

Xiao Yunmei inclined her head. “What substantial benefits do you seek in return?”

Xiao Yunmei suspected that strong cultivators like Zhou Chen were inherently greedy.

Given Yunmei Auction House’s precarious position, she feared Zhou Chen might ask for too little, limiting the aid he could provide.

She knew cultivators valued karmic balance; taking too much without reciprocation would harm Zhou Chen’s path.

Zhou Chen actually did have something he wanted.

“Do you have any storage treasures?”

Xiao Yunmei frowned. “Storage treasures? You mean those small items that hold vast inner spaces?”

Zhou Chen brightened. “Exactly those!”

Xiao Yunmei shook her head. “In July, we auctioned off a ring-type treasure, but it was won by that female elder who competed with you for the pill furnace today.”

Zhou Chen sighed in regret. Storage rings were superior to storage pouches.

More importantly, there might be other treasures inside, a rare opportunity indeed.

“Storage-type treasures require special attention. If any appear in the future, acquire them at all costs!”

Xiao Yunmei beamed. “Senior, are you willing to protect Yunmei Auction House?”

Her smile’s allure surged, and her captivating essence naturally emitted an astonishing charm.

For an immortal cultivator like Zhou Chen, this was highly enticing.

After all, the alluring essence was a furnace-ding aptitude, much more potent than that of ordinary people.

Zhou Chen cleared his throat, suppressing the restless heart within.