Jiang Tianfang was momentarily surprised when he heard Shun Long's words, before he followed his line of sight soon after, as his gaze landed on the patriarch of the Murong family barely a moment later.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Tianfang nodded his head and said solemnly
''Nephew Shun, you should be careful then. I will be waiting for you in the Northern Sovereign's city.''
Of course, Jiang Tianfang didn't know what Shun Long wanted to do with Murong Tian in the first place. Even in his wildest dreams, the idea of Shun Long dealing with a peak rank 9 Dao Emperor didn't even pass through his mind.
At most, Jiang Tianfang thought that Shun Long may have needed Murong Tian's help, or that his target was someone from the Murong family.
At the same time that Jiang Tianfang left Shun Long's private room, Murong Tian handed over the 3.4 million high-grade spirit stones to the experts of the 'White tiger chamber of commerce' before he received the purple-colored earth flame and placed it inside his spatial ring.
Although earth flames were rare and unique treasures, they were still inanimate objects and could be stored inside spatial rings just like any regular treasure.
The only reason why the 'White tiger chamber of commerce' had a powerful Dao Emperor openly suppress the earth flame instead of putting it inside a spatial ring, was simply to let the experts present take a look at the earth flame itself.
The experts inside the private rooms were all about to leave now that the auction had finally ended, when suddenly, a deep, hoarse voice resounded from one of the private rooms, immediately attracting their attention.
''Patriarch Murong, can we have a talk?''
Whether it was the white-robed, silver-haired woman from the 'White ice city', Zhuan Jie from the 'Black mist valley', senior Xiao from 'Lord Zhu's garden' or even the 7th general from the Northern Sovereign's army, Zi Hu, the 4 Sovereign realm experts all halted their steps as they turned their attention towards Shun Long's private room soon after.
In the eyes of these 4 experts, the black-robed person inside that private room was a complete mystery.
He was someone that none of them could see through as he had completely concealed his own cultivation base, and yet such a person had come to participate in the auction without even trying to bid for the earth flame once.
This was why after they heard Shun Long suddenly addressing Murong Tian, the 4 Sovereign realm experts were all surprised.
Of course, it wasn't just these 4 Sovereign realm experts who were surprised, as Murong Tian himself was also stunned as he stared at the silhouette of the mysterious black-robed person inside that private room.
Naturally, as the patriarch of the Murong family, Murong Tian wouldn't just meet with everyone who asked to meet him. However, Sovereign realm experts were a different matter, and Murong Tian understood this as well.
Murong Tian knew that this was even more so for the black-robed person who had just spoken to him.
After all, Murong Tian himself was a peak rank 9 Dao Emperor who was only a step away from breaking through to the Sovereign realm.
In fact, if he wanted to, he could even attempt to breakthrough to the Sovereign realm at any time.
The only reason he had yet to begin his breakthrough, was because he was still waiting until he was fully confident that he would succeed.
With his current level of strength, Murong Tian was confident that even most early-stage Sovereign realm experts like Zi Hu couldn't fully hide their cultivation bases from him, unless they were training in an immortal-grade cultivation technique that allowed them to perfectly hide their strength from others.
Thus, in Murong Tian's eyes, Shun Long was either someone who was training in such an immortal-grade cultivation technique, or he was a middle-stage Sovereign!
Regardless of whether this black-robed person was a middle-stage Sovereign realm expert or not, Murong Tian knew that his Murong family couldn't afford to ignore him,
After a moment of silence, Murong Tian cupped his hands at Shun Long and said in a calm manner
''Fellow daoist, since you wish to talk with me, how can I possibly refuse? Why don't you follow me back to the Murong estate? I will gladly hold a banquet for you so we can become better acquainted with each other!''
Contrary to Murong Tian's expectations however, Shun Long merely shook his head and rejected this suggestion before he answered
''There is no need. I won't stay for too long in the city, so there is no need for a banquet. Let's just go to a random restaurant instead. You can choose the place.''
Shun Long hoarse voice was filled with calmness as he stared at Murong Tian.
Indeed, the moment that Shun Long rejected his offer to go to the Murong estate to hold a banquet, Murong Tian's eyes narrowed without saying anything.
After all, the main reason why Murong Tian had suggested for them to go to the Murong estate, was because of how safe that place was.
Even if Shun Long was a middle-stage Sovereign, he wouldn't be able to leave the Murong estate completely unharmed if anything happened.
After all, the Murong estate was the place where the old ancestor of the Murong family and the other experts of the family cultivated.
The moment that Shun Long rejected his offer, Murong Tian was about to shake his head and return back to the Murong estate, but after he heard the second part of Shun Long's sentence, the patriarch of the Murong family fell silent before he responded a few moments later
''In that case, let's go to the 'Burning noble restaurant'.''
790
Shun Long nodded his head, and under the eyes of all the surrounding experts present, he followed Murong Tian out of the 'White tiger chamber of commerce', as they headed for the 'Burning noble restaurant'.
''What does that guy want with the Murong family? Don't tell me that he intends to join them...'' The Sovereign realm expert from 'Lord Zhu's garden', senior Xiao mumbled in a low voice as he watched Shun Long and Murong Tian leisurely walk out of the 'White tiger chamber of commerce'.
Of course, it was no wonder that 'senior Xiao' would be worried about this.
After all, the Murong family already had 2 Sovereign realm experts and Murong Tian himself was already on the cusp of breaking through to the Sovereign realm. If another Sovereign realm expert really joined them, especially if that person was a middle-stage Sovereign, then the Murong family could truly start becoming a threat to the other peak powers in the northern part of the central region.
The beautiful silver-haired woman from the 'White ice city' shook her head while her eyes were staring intensely at Shun Long's back, almost as if she was trying to discern his identity behind his black robes, before she answered calmly a few moments later
''That's unlikely. Even if that person really is a rogue cultivator, there is no reason for him to choose to join the Murong family when he could join any of us. He probably has something to take care of in Murong city that requires Murong Tian's help.''
The 7th general of the Northern Sovereign's army, Zi Hu nodded his head as he agreed with her, and after he threw one last look at Zhuan Jie, he snorted before he left the 'White tiger chamber of commerce'.
Zhuan Jie had a murderous look in his eyes as he stared at Zi Hu's back, before he too left the building a few moments later.
..
The 'Burning noble restaurant' was located in the heart of Murong city, and it was the biggest and most luxurious restaurant inside the city.
In fact, this restaurant was owned by the Murong family, and only cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above were allowed to step foot into its premises.
However, the reason why Murong Tian chose this restaurant to meet with Shun Long wasn't because it was owned by the Murong family.
Instead, it was because of how close this place was to the Murong estate.
If Shun Long really had any bad intentions, Murong Tian could simply retreat back to the Murong estate where the 2 Sovereign realm experts of the Murong family were cultivating.
By then, even a Sovereign realm expert wouldn't have a chance to kill him.
The moment that Murong Tian appeared in front of the 'Burning noble restaurant', the waiters at the entrance all stared at him in disbelief, before one of them bowed and called out in a trembling voice
''P-Patriarch!''
Murong Tian didn't even throw a single glance at the waiter as he turned around to look at Shun Long behind him and said
''Let's go inside.''
The moment that the manager of the 'Burning noble restaurant' heard that the patriarch of the Murong family had come to visit, the manager hurriedly came out to welcome him, before he personally led Murong Tian and Shun Long to the best private room of the restaurant.
''Patriarch, if there is anything you need, you can simply call for me. I will be waiting right outside!'' The manager said respectfully as he bowed deeply at Murong Tian.
In reality, the manager of the 'Burning noble restaurant' was also a member of the Murong family, which was why he was even more respectful to Murong Tian than the waiters.
Murong Tian waved his hand in a dismissive manner without even looking at the manager, as his eyes stared calmly at Shun Long.
The manager then bowed and closed the doors of the private room without daring to say another word, leaving just Murong Tian and the black-robed Shun Long inside the private room
Seeing that it was just the 2 of them left, Murong Tian stared at Shun Long and said calmly
''Fellow daoist, now that it's just the 2 of us left, I hope that you can be sincere enough to reveal your identity to me.''
Although Murong Tian's voice was calm and unhurried, Shun Long could sense that his aura was the exact opposite, as it was about to explode at any time.
The moment that Shun Long tried to attack him, Murong Tian would either choose to retaliate if he could, or if the gap between them was really as big as he thought, he would then do everything he could to leave the 'Burning noble restaurant' and retreat back to the Murong estate.
Of course, Shun Long wasn't surprised that Murong Tian didn't seem to trust him one bit.
After all, it wouldn't make sense for him to trust him, when Shun Long hadn't even shown his face to him.
At the same time, Shun Long knew, that the main reason why Murong Tian had agreed to meet with him, was because Murong Tian couldn't sense his strength and didn't want to offend him just yet, and because as the patriarch of the Murong family, he naturally wouldn't show weakness in public for no reason.
As the patriarch of the Murong family, if he avoided meeting someone simply because of that person's strength, Murong Tian wouldn't only end up offending a Sovereign realm expert, but he would even end up becoming a laughingstock in Murong city.
Besides, since they were still within the premises of Murong city, even if the person who wanted to meet with him was a middle-stage Sovereign realm expert, Murong Tian was certain that Shun Long couldn't instakill him unless he was someone at the same level as the old ancestor of the Murong family!
But of course, the number of experts who were at the same level as the old ancestor of the Murong family in the northern part of the central region were less than 20, and Murong Tian knew that it was unlikely for Shun Long to be one of them.
Nodding his head, Shun Long smiled before he removed his black robes.