Several days passed. Tang Yin sat at a table alone while drinking wine and eating food. He was attentively listening in on the conversations going on around him. The inn had become a place Tang Yin used to gather intel and information on what had been happening in Maple Leaf City over the past few days.
"Did you hear, apparently many families sent out their disciples to go to the Demonic Beast Mountain to look for herbs and materials because of that false rumour from last week."
"No one has returned to Maple Leaf City. Many families, including the 3 main families sent out many cultivators to go and investigate this matter, I even heard that the 3 main families mobilised their Physique Transformation Realm elders." A scrawny-looking man told his interested partner the news he had heard over the past couple of days, little did he know, Tang Yin had heard him, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
He had expected this, which was why he returned to Maple Leaf City. Tang Yin knew when to advance and when to retreat. His action of making all the cultivators he had lured to the Demonic Beast Mountain disappear was an incredibly high-profile action, a matter as big as this could not be ignored so easily.
"Other than this, I heard that the Nie family is hosting a large auction, and most of the families within Maple Leaf City will attend. There's also a rumour that the Nie family sent an invitation to the local sects around Maple Leaf City, but I don't know whether this is true." The scrawny man yawned as he kept on yapping on and on about everything, whether it was a piece of big or small news, the scrawny man talked about all of it.
'Hm, an auction? I've never been to one before, I'm rich now, maybe I should go and see. Besides, I already have a ticket.' Tang Yin looked like his interest had been piqued once he heard about the auction, he had heard a lot about auctions when he was just a servant boy, but never attended any. He wanted to see what an auction was like.
Tang Yin got up and left the inn.
Once Tang Yin left the inn, he headed to a place that could allow him to learn more about the auction. The place he was headed to was where a Nie family member was located.
Tang Yin arrived before a shop, the shop was massive and decorated in a flashy manner, it stood out like a sore thumb among all the shops on the street. The name of the shop was 'Nie Gambling Den'. This shop belonged to the Nie family; it was one of their sources of income. The shopkeeper was a disciple of the Nie family, he would know a lot about the upcoming auction.
Tang Yin wore his black cloak and mask after leaving the inn, he did not want anyone to identify him. Tang Yin casually walked into the gambling den. When he walked in, he saw many tables surrounded by 3 to 4 men each. There were weird lines and diagrams on the tables, it was most likely the setting of the gambling that would take place. The men around each table were arguing and negotiating loudly.
Tang Yin had never been interested in gambling nor did he know how it worked, in his opinion, it was a waste of time and money.
The gambling den was split into 2 floors. On the first floor was where mortals gambled with mortal currency such as bronze, silver and gold. The second floor had a similar layout to the first floor and the exact same tables with the same lines and diagrams drawn on them. This floor was for cultivators only, they would gamble with Low-grade Spirit Stones.
The number of cultivators on the second floor was in the single digits, while the mortals on the first floor were innumerable. From this, Tang Yin could tell that gambling was not popular among cultivators.
None of this mattered to Tang Yin though, he was here for the Nie family member who ran and looked over this place for the Nie family.
A skinny servant boy wearing simple robes with the Nie family name on them came forth towards Tang Yin, he politely asked "Sir, which game would you like to participate in?". Tang Yin nonchalantly replied, "I'm not here to gamble, I want to meet the shopkeeper, bring me to him."
The skinny servant boy was stunned, he was told to be polite to all the people who walked into the gambling den. Thus, he could not refuse Tang Yin, but he could not bring him to the shopkeeper either, he would be punished harshly for interrupting the shopkeeper with whatever he was doing.
Tang Yin saw the servant boy's hesitation and understood what was happening. If any random cat or dog walked into the gambling den asking to see the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper would become far too busy. Thus, he stated only big spenders and VIPs were allowed an audience with him.
"This…" The skinny servant boy could not see Tang Yin's face due to the black cloak and mask he wore. "This is a matter between cultivators, lead me to the shopkeeper." Tang Yin coldly cut off the skinny servant boy, he did not have time to waste with the boy.
The moment the servant boy heard the first half of Tang Yin's sentence he shuddered; an incredibly respectful expression appeared on his face. "This way, please." He would rather get heavily punished by the shopkeeper than face the wrath of a cultivator, at least he would get to keep his life this way.
The skinny servant boy bowed slightly while gesturing for Tang Yin to go first.