JUN LAN

After the initial display of strength, the guards at the entrance did not dare to Jun Lan. She strolled around casually taking in the present conditions. Though there was no drastic improvement, there were no chains binding the slaves. This alone was enough was for Jun Lan to relax a bit.

Everyone seemed to fear her and respect her as they kept their gazes to the floor. Even the guards spoke in respectful tones, after all she was the new lord of the Phoenix Trading House.

At present, the slaves are busily engrossed in their daily activities. They did not dare to lift their heads even at the sound of her echoing footsteps. Their frail bodies and hunched backs made them look even more pitiful. Only a few raised their heads and their soulless eyes made her heart quiver.

As she was observing the servants, she felt a sharp gaze on her profile. Halting in her steps, Jun Lan turned around to meet with a pair of scrutinizing eyes. Their gazes collided head on and as if suddenly realizing his blunder the young boy abruptly lowered his head and continued sweeping the floor with the broom.

Jun Lan observed the boy intently; he was frail and thin, his clothes in tatters and rags. What made Jun Lan frown is the boy's eyes, those were not the eyes of those who drowned in slavery instead those eyes seemed to hide a vast amount of knowledge.

Sub-consciously, Jun Lan stared into the empty space behind the young man. Though it seemed dark and empty, Jun Lan had a faint feeling that someone is hiding in the shadows. Her intuition was never wrong and the thought of someone invisible watching her sent chills down her spine.

' Don't be scared.' Chanting that in her mind, Jun Lan calmed her racing heart.

Acting as if nothing happened, she swiped her gaze away coolly and strode forward with the guards trailing behind her.

As soon as Jun Lan left the place, the boy who had his head lowered all this time stared towards the empty space and discreetly made some hand signs.

In the shadows, a young girl who was older than Jun Lan by a few years sat still like a rock. Her blue eyes observed his hand signs in concentration. Afterwards, she closed her eyes as she began chanting.

A moment later, a transparent scroll separated from her body. The young boy's eyes had no astonishment as if this type of magic was beneath his stature. His eyes lowered only when the scroll flew away from the building without catching anyone's notice.

___

Inside a floating palace, a man who had his eyes closed twitched a bit on hearing the hissing sound which almost seemed to disappear with the faint blowing sounds of the wind.

With a slight movement of his hand, the transparent scroll landed in his hands. With a single flick of his finger, the scroll disintegrated into the thin air and a ghastly voice spoke.

" The opponent is a female aged thirteen, has a spirit beast- not sure of its rank and I believe that it is injured, possesses no cultivation or magic but an extremely beautiful and intelligent one at that. She noticed Kai and I believe that she found him suspicious. However, she failed to notice me. "

The man who listened to all this slowly parted his eyelids to reveal a pair of blood red orbs. The red eyes were hauntingly beautiful and could scare a person at the same time.

" Yujin!"

" Master, I know what to do." In a few moments, a voice answered respectfully.

" Hmm." The man closed his eyes and resumed his sleep after hearing his guard's answer.

___

In spite of her identity being unknown, Jun Lan had unknowingly become a target for a certain mysterious man.

Oblivious to all these facts, Jun Lan was now addressing the group of servants in the trading house.

" Those who have families and wish to return are free to go. And those who wish to be on their own are also free to leave."

Ignoring the looks of bafflement on their faces, she continued " Those who don't have anywhere to go can stay here as normal workers. You are no longer servants from now."

Silence permeated through the air and Jia Feng cleared his throat as if wanting to explain something. Jun Lan raised her hand and shook her head and the latter immediately fell silent.

" And the issues of your slavery bonds will be resolved by our Head Jia Feng."

Before the poor man could completely process her words, Jun Lan gave him a series of instructions " Cancel the contracts of those who want to leave. Prepare new contracts for those who want to stay- a workers contract for a period of 5 years and standard wages. I will leave the remaining to you and I will visit you later. "

" I will do my best, young master." Recovering from his shock, Jia Feng hastily nodded.

After affirming him with a slight nod, Jun Lan focused her gaze on the place where the young boy stood. As if sensing her gaze on him, he lifted his head and stared at her without any fear. His gaze seemed to see right through her facade, goosebumps erupted on her skin at this thought.

' Something is wrong with him.' Jun Lan bit her cheek and a deep knot formed in the space between her brows.

As if reading her thoughts, an eerie smile spread on his face which made Jun Lan confirm her initial suspicions.

' Something is definitely wrong!'

Just when she was about step down the platform and question the boy, he disappeared from his place.

If Jun Lan said that she was not scared, then she was definitely lying. The young boy had a dark and eerie air around him, and he seemed inhuman to her. His gaze seemed predatory, and she was the prey in his eyes.

Her intuition was telling that something was wrong, very wrong but she had no idea of what it is.

' Don't be scared. At the most, you will die and this is not your first encounter with death.' Preparing herself for the worst, Jun Lan exited the trading house and strode in the opposite direction of her residence.