The Auction Begins

In the Black Corner Region, the grandest auction of the Black Seal Auction House began amid the eager anticipation of the crowd.

The auction hall was brilliantly lit and packed to the rafters.

The noisy voices of the crowd mingled, forming a churning sea of sound.

When the bell rang, the entire hall fell silent in an instant, every gaze fixed on the auction stage.

The curtains slowly parted, and an auctioneer dressed in lavish robes stepped gracefully onto the stage.

He smiled, swept his gaze across the hall, and announced in a ringing voice, "Welcome, everyone, to the Black Seal Auction House! This is the top-tier auction held once every three years, hosted by the Eight Fan Gate!"

As his voice faded, dazzling fireworks suddenly burst above the stage, their multicolored light illuminating the entire auction hall.

At the same time, stirring music rang out, as if playing the overture to this grand occasion.

The audience below was instantly fired up, their cheers echoing throughout the hall.

The influential figures in the VIP section also straightened in their seats, anticipation gleaming in their eyes.

The auctioneer gave a gentle wave, and a beautiful maid walked onto the stage carrying a tray covered with red cloth.

The auctioneer paused deliberately to build suspense, then swept the red cloth away, revealing the first item up for auction.

The first item was a pill. It was round and smooth, its color like burning crimson flames. Faint phoenix-feather patterns adorned its surface, as though a phoenix bathing in fire were about to spread its wings and soar.

The moment the red cloth was removed, the entire auction hall erupted into a clamor. What an explosive start.

Yao Chen was the first to look at the pill. He turned to Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian and said,

"This is the Phoenix Feather Sky Flame Pill, a Sixth-Grade Pill. I didn't expect them to start the auction with a Sixth-Grade Pill. I'm looking forward to what comes next."

"This pill is called the Phoenix Feather Sky Flame Pill, and it is a Sixth-Grade Pill. It contains an extremely immense and violent energy. After taking it, one's Dou Qi cultivation can increase tremendously, helping cultivators break through bottlenecks. It may even grant the user the special ability to control flames. The Phoenix Feather Sky Flame Pill also has wondrous healing properties. Whether the injuries are internal or external, it can restore the wounded in a short time and bring them back to life."

The auctioneer vividly extolled the merits of the Sixth-Grade Pill.

"The starting bid is five hundred thousand. Each increase must be at least fifty thousand. Let the bidding begin."

"The starting price for this Sixth-Grade Pill is only five hundred thousand gold coins. The organizers must be willing to take quite a loss to draw in the crowd."

Hearing the auctioneer announce the price, Yao Chen couldn't help but feel curious about the organizers.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand."

"Six hundred thousand."

After a round of fierce bidding, the price had reached two million.

"Two million five hundred thousand."

In another VIP room, a middle-aged man dressed in a dark red robe spoke coldly.

He was Fan Lao, the Blood Sect's leader. The lively auction fell silent as soon as he spoke. Some who had still wanted to raise their bids didn't dare once they saw it was him.

The Blood Sect was one of the four great powers of the Black Corner Region. Fan Lao, a Four-Star Dou Emperor and its leader, was ruthless and vicious. Few dared to provoke him when he had his eye on something. After all, compared to a Sixth-Grade Pill, their lives mattered more.

As for the other great powers, Jianan Academy rarely meddled in affairs outside its walls, while the Black Emperor Sect and Demon Flame Valley were willing to do Fan Lao a favor. After all, their target was the final showpiece: the ancient soul skill.

"Sect Master Fan has bid two million five hundred thousand for this Phoenix Feather Sky Flame Pill. Is anyone else willing to raise the price?"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Congratulations to Sect Master Fan on winning this Phoenix Feather Sky Flame Pill for two million five hundred thousand!"

As the auctioneer brought down the hammer, Fan Lao won the pill.

Yao Chen looked toward Fan Lao in the neighboring VIP room and casually flicked his hand. A gentle breeze bearing a Soul Imprint drifted toward Fan Lao.

The difference in their strength was so great that Fan Lao didn't notice a thing. He only wondered why there was a breeze blowing into the room.

After the Sixth-Grade Pill was sold, the next two items were an advanced Black-tier Dou Technique with a wind affinity and an advanced Black-tier cultivation method. However, the techniques were too specialized to interest the powers in the VIP rooms, and none of them bid. The two items were bought by minor factions for six hundred thousand and eight hundred thousand respectively.

Next, another beautiful maid walked onto the stage carrying a tray covered with red cloth.

The cloth was lifted, revealing a blood-red scroll at the very center of the tray.

"Everyone, the next item up for auction is an Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique, the Earth-Splitting Mountain-Crushing Strike. When this Dou Technique is used, Dou Qi frantically gathers around the practitioner's fist, palm, or weapon, forming a powerful surge of energy. With the practitioner's attack, that power erupts in an instant, crashing into the ground or the target with the force of mountains being overturned and seas being parted. Its might can split the earth across a wide area, causing the ground to collapse and forming enormous chasms and pits. The surrounding rocks and mountains will crumble and tumble under this force. Enemies struck by it will suffer an immense impact and shock; their meridians and bones may be severely damaged, and they may even die on the spot. Even opponents a level higher will struggle to withstand this terrifying power, capable of splitting mountains and cracking the earth."

As the auctioneer spoke about the Earth-tier Dou Technique, the auction hall grew lively once more. Though an advanced Black-tier technique and an Earth-tier Low-grade technique were only one grade apart, the latter could increase a cultivator's combat strength several times over.

"The starting price for this item is zero, with no upper limit on bids. Let the auction begin."

"One million!"

The moment the auctioneer finished speaking, a bidder eagerly called out a price.

"Three million!"

The price instantly shot up to five million.

Fan Lao in the VIP room immediately called out six million, but this time, the Black Emperor Sect and Demon Flame Valley weren't willing to let the Earth-tier Dou Technique slip away.

"Six million five hundred thousand!"

Mo Tianxing, the Black Emperor Sect's leader, promptly raised the price again.

"Seven million!"

Fang Yan, the Great Elder of Demon Flame Valley, called out, unwilling to be outdone.

Seeing the Black Emperor Sect's leader and Demon Flame Valley's Great Elder continuing to raise the price, Fan Lao grew anxious and called out to them,

"Sect Master Mo, Great Elder Fang, this Dou Technique would suit the Blood Sect's cultivation method very well. Would you two be willing to let it go?"

"Don't joke, Sect Master Fan. This Dou Technique would suit Demon Flame Valley quite well too."

Fang Yan, Demon Flame Valley's Great Elder, openly rebuffed Fan Lao without giving him any face.

Seeing this, Fan Lao was about to give up competing for the final soul skill in order to secure this Earth-tier Dou Technique.

"Gentlemen, I won't take part in the bidding for the final showpiece. Would you two do me this favor?"

Hearing Fan Lao say that he would withdraw from the bidding for the final soul skill, Fang Yan and Mo Tianxing considered it for a moment, then replied to Fan Lao in unison,

"Sect Master Fan, Demon Flame Valley (the Black Emperor Sect) will do you this favor! We hope you'll keep your word."