The North Azure Auction had been underway for three days.
During those three idle days, everyone had speculated endlessly about the true nature of the final lot.
And now, beneath the gaze of the entire crowd, Li Dongshan finally revealed the last auction item.
"Divine Weapon, the Wishful Exquisite Ring!"
"Honored guests, the Wishful Exquisite Ring possesses both offensive and restraining abilities! It can change in size at will—small, it is no larger than a bracelet; large, it can span several zhang!"
"When used to attack, it is like a mountain!"
"Spiritual Light flickers across its surface, snaring souls and hooking spirits. It can bewilder the mind!"
"..."
Upon the central round platform, Li Dongshan passionately and excitedly introduced the functions and wonders of the Divine Weapon, the Wishful Exquisite Ring.
"The final lot is actually a Divine Weapon!"
Inside his private room, Chen Ping'an's expression stiffened.
A Divine Weapon!
Since it was called a Divine Weapon, it naturally possessed extraordinary mysteries and boundless marvels!
A Divine Weapon's power was astonishing. Every movement made while wielding one carried tremendous might. Unfortunately, only Grandmasters were qualified to unleash a Divine Weapon's true power!
At the Grandmaster Realm, liquid True Qi condensed into a solid form, generally called True Force, though it could also be called True Essence.
Without True Essence to drive it, it would be difficult to bring out a Divine Weapon's power to its fullest!
A Divine Weapon far surpassed so-called Quasi-Divine Weapons! Divine Weapons were rare and extraordinarily precious; even Grandmasters might not possess one.
Ordinary Grandmasters would have only Quasi-Divine Weapons at their side for their entire lives.
Yet now, such a priceless Divine Weapon had appeared at an auction. Without question, it held an astonishing temptation for Grandmasters.
With the aid of a Divine Weapon, even a Grandmaster's combat strength could increase by at least twenty percent!
Of course, unlike treasured artifacts, Divine Weapons required refinement through True Essence and nurturing through spirituality. One could not simply pick one up and immediately unleash its greatest power!
"What a fine item," Chen Ping'an said with a faint sigh.
Unfortunately, his financial resources were limited at present. He was destined to have no fate with this Divine Weapon.
The appearance of the Divine Weapon, the Wishful Exquisite Ring, drove the auction's atmosphere to its peak.
"Divine Weapon, Wishful Exquisite Ring! Starting bid: eighteen hundred Origin Crystals! Each raise must be no less than twenty Origin Crystals!" Li Dongshan's face was flushed, and he was brimming with excitement.
"Eighteen hundred and fifty Origin Crystals!"
"Nineteen hundred Origin Crystals!"
"Two thousand Origin Crystals!"
"..."
Bidding calls sounded intermittently throughout the auction hall. They all came from the top-floor private rooms, with many voices emerging from rooms that had long remained silent.
Although the bidding was fierce, only five or six private rooms were truly involved. The voices from those rooms were either ethereal, deep, or domineering.
At this moment, those participating in the bidding naturally held nothing back. None concealed their auras; as their voices vibrated through the air, they brazenly revealed their Martial Path Realms.
Chen Ping'an's senses were keen, so he perceived it immediately.
"Grandmasters! Grandmasters have made their move!"
"The Xue Family Grandmaster of the Seven Constellation Vein Sealing Hand, Senior Xue!"
"Senior Wang, the Blazing Sun Palm!"
"Senior Gu, the Ice Soul Divine Needles!"
"Senior Zuo, the Netherworld Divine Fist!"
"..."
Among the auction attendees were well-informed people who recognized the identities of these Grandmasters. Everyone present was secretly astonished.
The number of Grandmasters attending this North Azure Auction far exceeded their expectations.
Grandmasters!
They condensed the Flower of Spirituality, tempered their Martial Will, and possessed lifespans of three hundred years! Even across all of Azure Dragon Province, they were indisputable great figures!
And now, so many great figures had gathered within this auction hall.
As several sides continued bidding, Martial Wills faintly intertwined throughout the hall, filling the area with a peculiar force field. Many people within it could not help but feel the urge to kneel in worship.
Chen Ping'an, however, felt nothing.
In terms of combat strength, he had already firmly entered the Grandmaster realm. In truth, he did not hold much awe toward these Grandmasters.
Still, lack of awe did not mean Chen Ping'an dared to be careless.
After all, these Grandmasters were no ordinary Grandmasters! Aside from Netherworld Divine Fist Zuo Jiadao, whose seniority was somewhat shallower, the Grandmasters present were all veteran Grandmasters. The provincial Grandmaster chronicles had records of every one of them!
Especially the Gu Family's Ice Soul Divine Needle Gu Qingchan. Her Martial Path Realm had reached the perfection of Jade Balance Early Stage and faintly touched upon Jade Balance Middle Stage.
Most importantly, Gu Qingchan possessed the Divine Weapon Mystic Ice Divine Needle. Supplemented by her cultivation art and divine techniques, her Killing Power might not be inferior to that of an ordinary Jade Balance Middle Stage expert!
"Twenty-five hundred Origin Crystals!"
A domineering, sharp voice rang through the auction hall.
Chen Ping'an followed the sound and found that it came from top-floor private room 002.
It was Blazing Sun Palm Wang Xu, the Wang Family Grandmaster from Azure Dragon Province City!
"Twenty-six hundred Origin Crystals! Wang Xu, you are renowned for your palm techniques. The Wishful Exquisite Ring does not suit you!" A voice as heavy as a mountain range sounded from within the field.
Seven Constellation Vein Sealing Hand, Xue Shishun!
"Brother Xue, whether the Wishful Exquisite Ring suits me is not for you to decide! Twenty-seven hundred Origin Crystals!"
"Twenty-eight hundred Origin Crystals! You two should stop competing. This Wishful Exquisite Ring is better suited to this humble woman!"
"..."
Several Grandmasters spoke without restraint in the auction hall, openly confronting one another, their words filled with no shortage of threats.
Without question, this had already faintly violated the auction's rules. Yet Li Dongshan, the auction host, played deaf and dumb, standing on the platform as though he had noticed nothing. He wore a smile, but bitterness filled his heart.
Though his combat strength was not bad, how could he dare rashly involve himself in a clash between Grandmasters?
If he accidentally offended even one of them, his good days would likely be over!
"Twenty-nine hundred Origin Crystals!"
"Three thousand Origin Crystals!"
"..."
The bidding in the auction hall continued, as did the clash of Martial Wills between the Grandmasters. Chen Ping'an listened to their exchanges. The others were fine, but when he heard Gu Qingchan refer to herself as this humble woman, he could no longer hold back and could not resist making a comment.
"This humble woman!? At her age, she still calls herself that?"
If he remembered correctly, according to the provincial Grandmaster chronicles, Ice Soul Divine Needle Gu Qingchan was already one hundred and fifty-two years old!
Hm!
Wait!
Compared to a Grandmaster's three-hundred-year lifespan, an age of one hundred and twelve did not actually seem all that old. Among Grandmasters, she could even be considered in the prime of life!
Calling herself this humble woman did not seem like much after all!
Especially someone like Gu Qingchan, who remained in her prime among Grandmasters. Her cultivation had even touched upon Jade Balance Middle Stage. In the future, she might not necessarily
be unable to advance another step and truly set foot in the Jade Balance Middle Stage.
Even among Grandmasters, there were naturally ranks of high and low.
If Gu Qingchan could enter Jade Balance Middle Stage, immerse herself in it for some years, cultivate several presentable divine techniques, and supplement them with corresponding secret arts and Divine Weapons, she might not be unable to achieve unrivaled fame!
Grandmasters of this caliber stood far above ordinary Grandmasters!
It was worth mentioning that the Heavenly Luo Sect's Grandmaster, Seven Absolute Old Man, had once reached this level during his prime!
It was only that in recent years, with his lifespan nearing its end, Seven Absolute Old Man had cherished and preserved himself. He had not fought for many years, and his prestige was no longer what it had once been!
Over the years, no one knew exactly what step Seven Absolute Old Man had reached.
Had his cultivation fallen and declined!? Had he barely maintained himself and stagnated!? Or had he... taken another step forward!?
"So this is a Grandmaster's Martial Will!? Though intangible and formless, it carries an immense sense of oppression! Even top experts at the Profound Light High Realm cannot completely ignore pressure of this degree. In battle, they would be bound hand and foot! Under such circumstances, forget exceeding one's limits—simply performing normally would be harder than climbing to heaven."
Chen Ping'an sensed the strange force field crisscrossing through the space and marveled inwardly. Given such an opportunity to experience Grandmaster methods, he naturally would not let it slip away easily.
Many people in the auction hall felt the might of Grandmasters firsthand and believed the trip had been worthwhile.
As the Grandmasters bid, the price of the Wishful Exquisite Ring continued to rise. The farther it went, the more the pace of bidding gradually slowed.
Clearly, even with a Grandmaster's wealth, continuing to bid required certain sacrifices. Some would even need to sell off part of the resources on their person.
"Thirty-six hundred Origin Crystals!" As an ethereal and pleasant voice rang through the auction hall, the bidding for the Divine Weapon Wishful Exquisite Ring finally reached its end.
After Li Dongshan confirmed three times, no one chose to continue bidding. In the end, the Divine Weapon Wishful Exquisite Ring was sold to Gu Qingchan, the Gu Family Grandmaster, for the lofty price of thirty-six hundred Origin Crystals.
As the final lot settled into the dust, Li Dongshan loudly announced that this North Azure Auction had officially drawn to a close.
With the auction over, the hall's closure and temporary controls were also lifted. The attendees rose to their feet, preparing to leave in an orderly fashion.
Inside his private room, Chen Ping'an stood up and prepared to depart. There were far too many people attending the auction; leaving with the crowd would make him utterly inconspicuous.
With this matter concluded, it was time for him to return to Five Peaks Mountain City! There were still plenty of matters waiting to be handled!
Boom!
Just as Chen Ping'an was about to leave the private room, a tremendous bang suddenly sounded outside.
What was that!?
Chen Ping'an's heart skipped a beat!
The sound was loud, nothing like an ordinary fight!
Upon the central platform, Li Dongshan's expression turned grave as he looked toward the source outside the auction hall. Vajra Subduing Demon Chain Xue Kunsheng stood high above, brows tightly furrowed as his gaze swept over the entire venue.
Boom!
Another tremendous bang rang out, louder than the last!
"What was that sound!?"
"What happened?"
"I don't know! It sounded like it came from outside!"
"What is happening outside?"
The sudden sounds caused the auction hall to erupt into commotion.
A vast clamor could faintly be heard outside the hall, and it showed signs of growing ever more intense.
"Look over there! There's a fire!"
"No, it's not a fire. Something seems to have suddenly exploded into flames!"
"It's not just one place—there are several!"
"Quick! Go take a look!"
"..."
Those who first stepped out of the auction hall immediately discovered what was happening. Several places within the North Azure Stronghold were filled with flames that reached the sky and rolling black smoke. It was not an ordinary fire, but a sudden explosion of flames. Accompanied by the thunderous blasts, the fires had instantly become enormous.
"Something happened outside! Hurry and go!"
"What happened?"
"..."
The whole crowd instantly became incomparably agitated. Amid the noise, several cries of alarm suddenly rang out.
"Ah!"
"No!"
"Pfft!"
Blood splattered through the field as people actually began fighting directly inside the hall.
"Murder! Run fast!"
"Don't, don't kill me!"
"You're courting death!"
"Ah!"
"..."
The crowd instantly descended into utter chaos. Some fled, some shoved through the masses, and some fought back. Screams and sounds of slaughter filled every corner.
In an instant, blades and swords flashed while fierce winds surged!
Standing high above, Xue Kunsheng's gaze was like lightning. With a single glance, he locked onto a thief intending to create chaos and begin a massacre. He leaped down from above, his figure flashing.
Bang!
He chopped down with one palm. The thief, whose cultivation was only at the Inner Qi Realm, was killed in a single strike amid a cloud of blood mist.
"Vajra Subduing Demon Chain is here! Who dares cause disorder!"
True Qi surged all over Xue Kunsheng's body, and his voice boomed like thunder, instantly echoing throughout the entire auction hall.
Yet the chaos among the crowd continued. Fighting broke out everywhere, and for a time, no one could tell who was a thief and who was merely resisting.
The crowd surged madly toward the exits, while the Town Pacification Office's elite forces within and outside the hall began moving as well.
"The Town Pacification Office is here! Thieves, surrender at once!"
"We are here—do not fear!"
"..."
Those words did not have much effect. The fighting within the crowd continued without pause. It was not that people did not want to stop; the situation was simply too chaotic, and no one dared lower their guard rashly.
"Take down everyone who fights!" Xue Kunsheng made his decision without hesitation and shouted his command.
"Yes!" The many Town Pacification Office elites answered in unison, carrying an indescribable air of authority.
Buzz—
Profound Light flashed between Xue Kunsheng's brows. As True Qi surged, Gold and Silver Twin Chains shot from his sleeves. Condensed True Qi caused the faint sound of clashing metal to ring from the twin chains.
Screech!
Wrapped in True Qi, the silver chain became a straight line and directly pierced a thief not far away. The silver chain subdued demons and slew enemies; it was not something an ordinary Inner Qi Realm cultivator could contend with. In one move, it took a life.
"Evil Extremity Path!"
Xue Kunsheng's eyes were sharp. Within only a few breaths, he had identified the origins of the techniques used by several people fighting nearby. As an evil-path force, the Evil Extremity Path possessed many wicked methods for rapidly producing Martial Path experts. Though such experts could survive for only a few years, their combat strength and methods were not bad. They were exceptionally suited for training dead warriors!
With a flick of the silver chain, he killed another enemy!
"And the Rising Dragon Path!"
Besides the Evil Extremity Path, there were also bandits from the Rising Dragon Path at the scene! Both were major players in stirring up chaos!
In order to sabotage the stability of the trade routes, these unorthodox factions had truly gone to painstaking lengths! They had planted so many hidden pieces here; who knew how much thought they had spent on this beforehand.
Their earlier overt activities had been meant to weaken these covert measures!
After planting so many hidden pieces, they had chosen the gap after the auction ended to strike without warning, hoping to catch them off guard!
What a loud clatter that abacus made!
Only, what a pity.
With him stationed in North Azure Stronghold, facing a grand event like the North Azure Auction, naturally he would not have made no preparations. They had long since devised the appropriate contingency plans and arrangements.
"Since you've come, then none of you are leaving!"
Xue Kunsheng's gaze was icy as the Gold and Silver Twin Chains moved in unison, weaving through the crowd. Though the situation was incomparably chaotic, as long as they followed the plan, they would be able to swiftly quell it.
Yet Xue Kunsheng's confidence did not last long. In barely any time at all, several more thunderous explosions rang out from outside the venue. Clearly, explosive fires had broken out in several more locations.
"My lord, this is bad. Explosive fires have occurred at several places within the stronghold, including Secluded Elegant Courtyard, Azure Mystery Pavilion, and Five Blessings Pavilion. The casualties are unknown. Bandits have appeared throughout the surrounding areas, wreaking havoc and causing enormous disorder."
Amid the chaos, Liu Gongxi, having received the latest report, ran over with an ugly expression to deliver his report.
Before you continue