"Master, do you know about the Jiyue Auction happening soon?" Chen Da asked.

Ye Shi, puffing his cheeks, replied, "Uncle Chen, stop calling me master. I'm just a butcher now. Calling me master is weird, isn't it?"

Chen Da laughed awkwardly, "It's just habit, but if not 'master', what should I call you?"

"Just call me Shi," Ye Shi suggested with a shrug.

"That doesn't seem right," Chen Da said, troubled.

"It's fine. A phoenix that has lost its feathers is no better than a chicken. I was never a phoenix to begin with. 'Shi' is fine," Ye Shi said nonchalantly.

Chen Da shook his head helplessly, "Don't say that."

"Shi, the Jiyue Auction is starting soon. I heard there will be many valuable items," Chen Da mentioned.

Ye Shi scoffed lightly, "What's the use of good items when I can't afford anything? Just the entry ticket costs ten yuan stones. They're practically robbing people!"

Ye Shi bit his lip in dissatisfaction. He was helping out at a restaurant, earning one yuan stone a day, which amounted to just thirty yuan stones a month, hardly enough for his needs.

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After some thought, Chen Da said, "Master, spending a bit to see the world might be good. Young Master Mu Chen will probably be at the auction. If we go, we might even see him..."

Ye Shi rolled his eyes, "Spend ten yuan stones just to see that wastrel? He must think highly of himself! I'd have to be insane to spend yuan stones just for that."

...

Mu Chen lay on his bed with a book about Bone Shrinking Technique in front of him.

The technique allowed one to shrink their body. It could be used for concealing one's identity by shrinking the body or even changing facial bones to alter one's appearance.

Mu Chen's body gradually shrank to the size of a six or seven-year-old child.

Then, his body slowly grew back to its original size.

Mu Chen amusingly kept shrinking and growing himself, fascinated by the process.

When Mu Chen walked out of the room, Ren San was startled, "Young Master, you've advanced to a nine-star."

Mu Chen nodded, "Yes."

Mu Chen had innate talent but had previously neglected his body. After some time spent conditioning and solidifying his foundation, his strength naturally improved with ample yuan stones.

"Young Master, the eldest young master came by today. Hearing you were resting and not to be disturbed, he left," Ren San informed.

Mu Chen nodded, "I know." Mu Hong had been increasingly impatient lately. Recently, another servant had mentioned the matter of the pill, likely having been bribed.

Unbeknownst to Mu Chen, the Spirit-breaking Pill was worth at least three hundred thousand yuan stones, but the original owner had sold it for merely twenty thousand. The pill that the original owner sold ended up in Mu Yuanhang's hands, allowing him to advance to a martial spirit and surpass Mu Yuanfeng.

With Mu Chen's butterfly wings fluttering, Mu Yuanfeng became cautious, and everything changed.