The Riverside Heights development site looked nothing like the project Amelia had imagined.She had expected an empty stretch of land waiting for construction to begin.Instead, the moment her car turned onto the access road, she saw activity.Several construction vehicles were parked along the edge of the property.A group of workers in orange safety vests moved between stacks of building materials.A temporary steel fence had been erected around part of the site, with several security personnel stationed along it.Amelia’s eyes narrowed.“Are they already building?”Lisa had told her that Kingsgate had not authorized Lockwood to begin construction yet.The project had only just been awarded.So why was there already equipment on the property?The Lockwood vehicle stopped near the entrance.Amelia stepped out.A man in a dark security uniform immediately approached.“Good morning.”“Good morning.”Amelia looked beyond him.“Who is responsible for this site?”The man’s expression beca

The Blackthorn residence was unusually quiet that evening.Unlike most wealthy estates in Cloud City, there were no guests arriving through the gates and no servants moving hurriedly through the halls.Only the faint ticking of the grandfather clock in the main study broke the silence.Mason Blackthorn stood beside the large window overlooking the estate grounds.His hands were clasped behind his back, and his expression was unusually grim.Across from him sat his younger sister, Gwen.Neither had spoken for several minutes.They were waiting.Then the study doors opened.Both siblings immediately turned.A man entered the room.He wore a dark suit, but his face remained concealed beneath the shadows of the room.He didn’t bother with pleasantries.“Report.”Mason straightened.“We’ve investigated the matter you assigned to us.”“And?”Mason hesitated.“We haven’t found anything.”The man’s eyes narrowed.“Nothing?”“Nothing reliable.”Gwen finally spoke.“Cloud City’s major families

Sebastian sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed as faint energy circulated through his body.Since obtaining the Azure Celestial Vessel, everything had changed.His shattered cultivation foundation had been rebuilt.The Imperial Dragon Art was once again flowing through his meridians.But the sensation was still unfamiliar.Too weak.That was the only conclusion Sebastian could reach.He opened his eyes.A faint trace of disappointment appeared in them.Before his foundation had been destroyed, his strength had stood at a level few people in the world could even comprehend.Now, despite having rebuilt his foundation, he was still only beginning to recover.The Twelve Heavenly Treasures were not optional.They were the foundation of his path back to the peak and beyond.He needed the remaining eleven.Sebastian stood and walked toward the window.Cloud City stretched beneath him, bright beneath the afternoon sun.His phone rang.Sebastian glanced at the screen.Bruce.He answe

Two days before the Celestial Crown Auction...Sebastian sat in the back of the Cadillac, quietly reading the latest report Bruce had handed him.The auction was becoming more complicated.At first, the Celestial Frost Metal had appeared to be nothing more than a rare artifact being sold by a private collector.But the deeper Bruce investigated...The stranger it became.Sebastian turned another page.“The auction organizer.”Bruce sat across from him.“The Celestial Crown Auction is controlled by an organization called the Celestial Exchange.”Sebastian looked up.“Celestial Exchange?”“Yes.”“They've existed for almost twenty years, but they've deliberately kept a very low profile.”“Who controls them?”“No one knows for certain.”Bruce handed him another document.“They operate through several registered companies. None of them appear particularly important.”“Hotels. Investment companies. Auction houses. Private equity firms.”“They're all legally independent.”Sebastian's eyes na

The auction hall had fallen completely silent.Four hundred million dollars.Sebastian’s bid still hung in the air.Nobody expected it.Even the experienced bidders in the room exchanged stunned looks.Four hundred million dollars for a piece of unidentified metal was an absurd price.Daniel Mercer remained composed on the stage, though even he couldn’t hide the faint surprise in his eyes.He looked toward the anonymous bidder.The man sat quietly in his seat.For several seconds, he didn’t move.Then…He slowly raised his bidding card.“Four hundred and fifty million.”A murmur swept through the hall.Bruce’s expression tightened.Sebastian remained completely calm.He had expected it.The man wasn’t going to surrender easily.Sebastian raised his card.“Five hundred million.”The hall became even quieter.Someone quietly whispered,“Who is that man?”“No idea.”“Five hundred million for that?”“He must know something.”Sebastian ignored the voices.His attention remained on the anon