Thousand Illusions Necklace

“Oh, if it isn’t Miss Ziyun. You’ve returned. What brings you to us today? More poison pills, I presume?”

Just as Yan Yun was consumed by the fear of Yan Kun discovering her, the young woman attending the counter, who had observed Yan Yun lost in thought for quite some time, could not help but inquire.

This particular girl, Jin Tianqiao, was the Qianjin Pavilion’s dedicated procurement specialist, and Yan Yun had dealt with her on numerous occasions.

“Ah? Oh, yes, um, Miss Jin, please, could you assess the value of these poison pills?” Yan Yun stammered, pulling out the concoctions she had personally refined with a noticeable tremor in her hands.

Jin Tianqiao, observing Yan Yun’s overt distress, appeared distinctly perplexed. Meanwhile, Yan Kun, drawn by an undeniable curiosity, continued to approach.

The sound of footsteps steadily drawing nearer from behind sent Yan Yun’s heart leaping into her throat.

‘Impossible. Even disguised as I am, can I still be recognized?’

Yan Kun swiftly positioned himself beside Yan Yun, then, looking down upon her with a sidelong glance, his eyes brimmed with suspicion.

‘What are you panicking for, kid? Calm yourself. Don’t act like you have something to hide,’ Yan Lingyun urged with a swift mental warning.

Yet, Yan Yun desperately wanted to retort, ‘I do have something to hide! It’s easy for you to say when you’re not in my shoes.’

“Oh? Second Young Master Yan, are you also here to make a purchase?” Jin Tianqiao greeted him instantly, noticing Yan Kun’s arrival.

Having operated within Qifeng City for many years, Qianjin Pavilion ensured its staff, including Jin Tianqiao, were intimately acquainted with the city’s prominent figures.

“Oh, no, nothing of the sort,” Yan Kun replied, seizing the chance to reveal his true intention. “I merely found this young lady’s appearance strikingly familiar, as if I’d encountered her somewhere before, and wished to confirm my suspicion.”

At his words, Yan Yun instinctively shot him a sharp glance.

In that single exchange, their gazes, as if imbued with an inherent animosity, clashed like two bolts of lightning.

“Eh…?” Yan Kun murmured, a growing unease settling within him. “This profound sense of familiarity… it can’t be, can it?”

Observing the sharpening intensity in Yan Kun’s gaze, Yan Yun instantly averted her eyes, stating coolly, “Young Master, I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. I certainly don’t recall ever having met you.”

Yan Kun stroked his chin thoughtfully before finally replying, “My apologies, perhaps I was indeed mistaken.”

With that, he turned and departed, though the glint in his eyes clearly indicated his suspicions remained. He would undoubtedly make a visit to the Jiang family upon his return.

Only after his departure did Yan Yun finally exhale, a long, quiet sigh of relief.

“Miss Ziyun, is everything alright?” Jin Tianqiao inquired once more, her brow furrowed. “You seem terribly on edge.”

Yan Yun swiftly composed herself, her demeanor shifting back to calm.

“It’s nothing; I was merely lost in thought,” she replied smoothly. “However, Miss Jin, does your esteemed merchant association happen to possess any magical artifacts capable of altering one’s outward appearance?”

Jin Tianqiao paused, taken aback by the unexpected question. She tilted her head slightly, pondering for a moment before a flicker of recognition crossed her features.

“A disguise artifact? You know, you’re in luck! Such artifacts are exceedingly rare and highly valuable. As it happens, our merchant association is hosting an auction very soon, and among the items is a treasure called the ‘Thousand Illusions Necklace.’ This artifact allows the wearer to freely alter their appearance according to their own will.”

Yan Yun’s eyes immediately brightened; this was precisely the item she required.

“Truly? An auction? Your merchant association hosts auctions?” Yan Yun pressed, her voice laced with eagerness.

Jin Tianqiao looked at Yan Yun, a puzzled expression clouding her face at such a question.

“Miss Ziyun, you aren’t from Qifeng City, are you? Our Qianjin Pavilion holds auctions almost every three months, and the next one is scheduled for just a week from now.”

How could Yan Yun possibly know such details when no one had ever bothered to inform her about the workings of the cultivation world?

“Ah, well, that’s true,” she admitted, a slight flush on her cheeks. “I am not from Qifeng City; I’ve come from a neighboring region.”

Jin Tianqiao nodded in sudden understanding.

“Oh, no wonder! I kept thinking, with Miss Ziyun’s distinguished bearing, you must surely be a young lady from a prominent family. Yet, I couldn’t recall anyone of your description within Qifeng City.”

This seemingly innocent remark instantly put Yan Yun on edge.

For Jin Tianqiao’s words, by their very nature, implied she had conducted an investigation into Yan Yun.

Reflecting on it now, there had been several occasions when, shortly after Yan Yun departed from Qianjin Pavilion, Yan Lingyun would warn her of someone trailing them.

With Yan Lingyun’s assistance, Yan Yun had successfully eluded her pursuers multiple times. Now, it was undeniably clear that these trackers had been agents of the Qianjin Pavilion.

“You… you’ve been tracking me?” Yan Yun’s violet eyes narrowed, a cold glint appearing within them.

Noticing Yan Yun’s displeasure, Jin Tianqiao hastily shook her head and waved her hands in a gesture of dismissal.

“Oh, Miss Ziyun, please, you misunderstand!” Jin Tianqiao quickly explained. “Given your frequent visits to Qianjin Pavilion to sell your poison pills, we simply wished to gain a deeper understanding of you to facilitate future collaborations. To be frank, your poison pills are exceptionally popular within our establishment.”

After a moment’s careful consideration, Yan Yun conceded that such behavior aligned with the nature of merchants, and thus, she chose not to dwell on the matter further.

“Very well,” she responded, “but I do hope that should any matters arise, you will address them directly with me. There’s no need for secrecy; I find such clandestine behavior quite distasteful.”

Jin Tianqiao nodded instantly.

“Understood. Now, will Miss Ziyun be attending this auction? I must tell you, this particular event promises far more than just the Thousand Illusions Necklace. There will be numerous other unexpected treasures, and I anticipate that all the prominent powers within the city, as well as those from the surrounding regions, will surely be in attendance.”

Setting aside all other considerations, Yan Yun was absolutely determined to acquire the Thousand Illusions Necklace. However, a premonition told her it would command an exorbitant price.

“Alright. In that case, may I inquire about the approximate cost of this necklace?”

Jin Tianqiao promptly retrieved a ledger, quickly flipping through its pages until she located the relevant information.

“Ah, here we are,” she announced. “This artifact has a starting bid of one million low-grade spirit stones, and its final price is projected to reach approximately three million.”

At the mention of such a sum, Yan Yun’s face immediately fell.

‘Damn! That expensive? This… even if I sold myself, it wouldn’t be enough! It’s hopeless. It seems I’m out of luck,’ Yan Yun despaired inwardly, her hopes instantly dashed.

Only the great families and powerful cultivation sects could possibly afford such a staggering price.

However, it seemed she had overlooked something crucial, prompting Yan Lingyun to offer a timely reminder.

‘Don’t lose heart, kid,’ Yan Lingyun urged. ‘Have you forgotten that half-divine artifact from last time?’

Yan Lingyun’s reminder proved exceptionally timely.

‘You’re right, I’d completely forgotten!’ Yan Yun exclaimed. ‘I have no immediate use for that item anyway. It’s high time I unlocked its true value.’

With renewed determination, Yan Yun turned her gaze back to Jin Tianqiao.

“Miss Jin,” she began, a shrewd glint in her eye, “I have a substantial business proposition. Are you interested?”

A broad smile swiftly blossomed across Jin Tianqiao’s face at Yan Yun’s words.

“A substantial deal, you say? Then we absolutely must find a more private setting to discuss it thoroughly.”

Jin Tianqiao quickly found a temporary replacement for her post, then personally escorted Yan Yun to a secluded private room nearby for their discussion.

Unbeknownst to Yan Yun, Yan Kun, plagued by his suspicions, had already made his way to the Jiang family estate.

“Second Young Master Yan, what brings you here?” the guards at the entrance quickly inquired.

Yan Kun offered a terse, indifferent reply.

“I’m here to seek out my foolish younger brother, the one who never steps foot outside the family gates.”

With that, he strode inside.

The guards were long accustomed to Yan Kun’s frequent visits and showed no surprise.

No sooner had Yan Kun stepped through the entrance than he encountered Jiang Wei.

“Oh? Brother Yan Kun, you’ve come to visit little brother Yan Yun again?” Jiang Wei greeted him cheerfully.

“Hmph!” Yan Kun scoffed, his face set in a stern expression. “I merely stopped by to see if this foolish younger brother of mine is behaving himself within the Jiang family. It’s been over a year, and he hasn’t returned home even once to visit. What an unfilial son!”

Jiang Wei simply offered a small smile.

“That boy,” she chuckled, “rarely ever leaves his quarters. We barely catch a glimpse of him a few times a year.”

Without another word, Yan Kun proceeded directly toward Yan Yun’s living quarters.

Reaching the residence, he unceremoniously shoved the door open.

“Hey! Third Brother, what are you up to?”

To his dismay, upon stepping inside, he found the room utterly vacant.

“No one here? Where could she have gone?” Yan Kun mumbled to himself, then extended his divine sense to scan the vicinity, confirming Yan Yun’s absence from her residence.

He then stepped back outside, inquiring throughout the Jiang family estate, yet no one seemed to know Yan Yun’s whereabouts.

‘That girl! With Qifeng City’s current perilous situation, how dare she wander off? She’s practically begging for a beating. And what was that overwhelming sense of familiarity?’ After a spell of contemplation, Yan Kun simply settled himself down in the courtyard of Yan Yun’s residence.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Yan Yun had successfully concluded a substantial transaction with Jin Tianqiao.

“Hehe, Miss Ziyun, do take care, and remember the auction in a week’s time!” Jin Tianqiao, beaming with unconcealed delight, bid Yan Yun farewell at the main entrance.

She had never anticipated such a significant deal would fall into her hands.

Yan Yun had sold the half-divine artifact, which had a starting price of two million, with projections that its final auction price could potentially soar to five million.

With such substantial funds, Yan Yun now felt confident she could secure the Thousand Illusions Necklace.