Chapter 250: Cloud Empire (70)

While Bai Zhu left to have dinner with the other leaders of the external forces, Kyrian entered the carriage together with Mei Li and the others.

The door closed with a soft sound, and soon the horses began to move through the wide streets of the Capital of Clouds.

The sky had already completely darkened. Spiritual lanterns illuminated the avenues, casting golden light over the tall and elegant buildings. Even at night, the city remained alive. Cultivators walked through the streets, merchants were still negotiating, and carriages constantly crossed the districts.

For a few moments, no one spoke.

The silence inside the carriage was comfortable but heavy with the tension that still lingered after the day’s battles.

It was Mei Li who broke the silence first. She leaned slightly forward, clearly excited.

“Congratulations, Leader. You truly represented the Blood Court well.”

Her eyes shone.

“Your feats in the Coliseum will certainly spread just like what happened with Dong Zhen in the past.”

Yan Ling let out a soft laugh right after.

“Hehe… besides that, we all made a small fortune betting on you from the beginning.”

She crossed her arms, satisfied.

“Now maybe we can buy something at the auction with our own money.”

Kai nodded in silence, while Li Fen merely observed Kyrian discreetly, still clearly impressed.

Kyrian remained looking out the carriage window. The city lights slowly passed before his eyes.

“Hmm.”

That was all he replied. But no one seemed bothered. They were already used to his direct manner.

The carriage continued for a few more minutes until it crossed the limits of the fifth district. The streets became quieter, less crowded. The Crimson Lotus residence soon appeared ahead, illuminated by red lanterns attached to the main gate.

The carriage stopped. Everyone stepped down.

The night air was cool and silent, completely contrasting with the constant noise of the Coliseum. As soon as they entered the residence, Mei Li suddenly turned around.

“Why don’t we eat together?” she suggested.

“To celebrate Kyrian’s achievement of fifteenth place in the Coliseum.”

Kyrian opened his mouth to refuse.

The words almost came out automatically. But he stopped. He thought for a moment.

In the past few days, he had spent almost all his time fighting. The dinner would be short. It would not interfere with his plans.

He nodded.

“Alright.”

Mei Li’s face immediately lit up.

Shortly after, everyone was gathered in the main hall. The table was quickly prepared with simple but well-made dishes. Grilled spiritual meat, Qi-infused vegetables, and light wine were placed before them.

The atmosphere was relaxed. Very different from the battlefield.

As they ate, the conversation naturally returned to the Coliseum fights. Yan Ling was the first to comment.

“The fight against that shadow cultivator was absurd.”

Kai agreed.

“But the last one was worse. I thought you were really going to be hit.”

Mei Li rested her chin on her hand.

“The audience went completely crazy when you bled.” She laughed softly.

“You should have heard the nicknames that started to appear.”

Kyrian slightly raised his gaze.

“Nicknames?”

Mei Li nodded, clearly amused.

“Yes. Leader, what do you think of… Battle Monster? Or maybe Ice Aberration?”

“I also heard ’Frozen Demon’ and ’Eyes of Frost.’” Yan Ling added.

Kai let out a low laugh.

“They’re pretty strong nicknames.”

Everyone looked at Kyrian, waiting for some reaction. He simply continued eating for a few seconds before answering calmly.

“I don’t care about that.”

“Call me whatever you want.” He took another sip of his drink.

The simple response ended the subject, but no one seemed disappointed. For them, that was exactly what they expected.

Dinner continued for some time, with light conversations and comments about the techniques seen in the Coliseum. For the first time since arriving in the capital, the group seemed genuinely relaxed.

When they finished, Kyrian stood up first.

“I’m going to rest.”

Everyone nodded. He walked through the silent corridors of the residence until he reached his own room.

He closed the door. The silence immediately returned.

Kyrian slowly removed the Blood Court robe and placed it over a nearby chair. His body still felt the accumulated fatigue from the battles. Small cuts stung lightly.

He lay down. The white ceiling remained before his eyes as his mind began organizing numbers.

Spiritual stones. Rewards from victories. Gains from bets. Coliseum payments.

He began to calculate.

After all the fights and bets, he had accumulated approximately two hundred thousand mid-grade spiritual stones. Adding the fifty thousand stones received from Nan Feng Yu and the other leaders…

Two hundred and fifty thousand.

A small smile appeared on his face.

“I believe that is more than enough…”

The auction was finally within his reach. With that amount, he would be able to compete for the items he truly needed.

His body slowly relaxed. Fatigue won. And Kyrian quickly fell asleep.

…

The following days passed without major events.

Kyrian went out a few times around the city alongside Mei Li, observing the growing movement of the capital. He also visited Duke Rong’s residence again and discussed the auction and the Coliseum.

But most of the time, he remained at the Crimson Lotus residence.

If there was something that had truly changed, it was the Capital of Clouds itself. The city was different. Much more crowded.

Cultivators arrived daily from every corner of the empire and even beyond it. Luxurious carriages crossed the streets, rare spiritual beasts could be seen being led by servants, and powerful specialists circulated openly.

Everyone had the same objective. The Centennial Auction of the Cloud Empire.

Conversations in taverns, markets, and streets revolved solely around it. Rumors about ancient treasures. Legendary spiritual weapons. Pills capable of altering destinies. Lost techniques.

The anticipation grew with each passing day.

Until, after three days of waiting.

The day finally arrived.

Kyrian opened his eyes early in the morning. Soft light passed through the window.

A light knock echoed on the door.

“Leader, are you awake?” Mei Li’s voice came from the other side.

Kyrian stood up immediately.

“Yes.”

He opened the door. Outside, they were all gathered.

Bai Zhu, Mei Li, Yan Ling, Kai, and Li Fen.

All dressed formally, clearly prepared for the event.

The atmosphere was different. More serious. More anticipatory.

Bai Zhu crossed his arms, smiling slightly.

“So… the day has finally arrived.”

Kyrian observed the group for a moment. Then, he nodded. Without saying anything else, he closed the door behind him.

And together, they headed toward the auction.

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