Cangzhou Ye Family

Just as everyone was rubbing their hands in anticipation,

a sinister voice rang out from Box Number One in the auction hall.

"I am a disciple of the Cangzhou Ye Family. I ask my fellow cultivators to give us some face. My Ye Family thanks you all here."

The moment the words fell,

the auction hall became so silent one could hear a needle drop.

Inside Box Number Seven,

Chen Daoxuan sensed a strange atmosphere brewing in the auction hall, utterly unlike the harmonious, heated mood from moments ago.

On the auction stage,

the Zhou Family elder's face immediately darkened upon hearing this, but he seemed wary of something and looked as though he dared not voice his anger.

Seeing that no one spoke, the voice from Box Number One rang out again. "Since that is the case, Ye thanks you all for your favor."

The Ye Family cultivator cupped his hands arrogantly and said smugly, "Ten thousand Spirit Stones!"

The Zhou Family elder on the auction stage looked awful, but constrained by the rules, he still said in a low voice, "The guest in Box Number One bids ten thousand Spirit Stones. Is there anyone offering more?"

He called out several times in succession, yet no one responded.

Seeing the Zhou Family elder continue to ask, the Ye Family cultivator in Box Number One grew somewhat impatient and urged, "Fellow cultivator Zhou, please hurry. Can't you see that everyone has given up bidding?"

The Zhou Family elder ignored him and continued asking.

At this, the Ye Family Foundation Establishment cultivator's expression turned thoroughly ugly.

He wanted to flare up, but seemingly mindful that this was Zhou Family territory, he could only force down his displeasure.

Inside Box Number Seven,

Chen Daoxuan suddenly heard hurried panting beside him. He turned and saw Thirteenth Uncle Chen Xianhe with a savage expression, looking as though he wanted to choose someone and devour them.

"Thirteenth Uncle, what's wrong?"

Chen Daoxuan asked with concern.

"The Ye Family! The Ye Family!"

Chen Xianhe groaned in pain, like a man possessed.

Chen Daoxuan had never seen Thirteenth Uncle, who had always been so kind and amiable before him, reveal such overwhelming killing intent.

He seemed to understand something. Turning toward Box Number One, he asked in a low voice, "Does my Chen Family have a grudge against the Cangzhou Ye Family?"

"A grudge! A blood-deep grudge!"

Chen Xianhe's eyes reddened, the corners of his eyes splitting as he gritted his teeth.

Hearing this, Chen Daoxuan made up his mind.

Just as he was about to bid,

a rough voice sounded from Box Number Six. "Hold it! Who says no one's bidding? I bid eleven thousand and one Spirit Stones!"

Those arrogant words completely shattered the frozen atmosphere in the auction hall.

"Twelve thousand and one Spirit Stones!"

"Think carefully, fellow cultivators. Are you truly choosing to become enemies with my Ye Family?"

Seeing this, the Ye Family cultivator in Box Number One panicked and openly threatened them.

At that moment,

the rough voice in Box Number Six sounded again. "Hey, Zhou Family old man, someone keeps threatening us. Is your Zhou Family going to do anything about it?"

At these words,

the Zhou Family elder suppressed a smile and said, "I ask the guest in Box Number One to follow this auction house's rules. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to ask you to leave."

Inside Box Number One,

Ye Xiuchen's face flushed red, True Yuan surging throughout his body as though he would strike the next instant. As the greatest of Cangzhou's Cultivation Families, when had the Ye Family ever suffered such humiliation?

But remembering that this was Guang'an Prefecture, and recalling the Ye Family's awkward circumstances in recent years, Ye Xiuchen had no choice but to endure it.

"Thirteen thousand Spirit Stones!"

Following the auction rules, he named a price painful enough to make his heart bleed.

"Fourteen thousand and one Spirit Stones!"

"You..."

Hearing that detestable bidding voice from Box Number Six, Ye Xiuchen could no longer restrain himself. He abruptly rose to his feet, and the might of a Foundation Establishment cultivator erupted in full.

Swept by that pressure, Chen Daoxuan, seated in Box Number Seven, felt an immense terror well up from the depths of his heart.

How could this be?

Chen Daoxuan found it hard to believe. He knew his strength was far beneath that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but he had never expected that he could not even withstand the lingering force of a Foundation Establishment cultivator's erupting aura.

This was far too outrageous!

Chen Daoxuan believed that although his cultivation was only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, his strength was by no means weak among Qi Refining cultivators. He could even be considered among the very best.

A High-grade First-tier Magical Artifact, the Flying Snow Sword; the Chasing Wind Sword Art at the Perfection stage; the Overturning Rain Sword Art at the Great Accomplishment stage.

In terms of explosive power alone, Chen Daoxuan absolutely ranked at the very top among Qi Refining cultivators. His only shortcoming was that he could not sustain it for long.

Even so, he could barely endure even a Foundation Establishment cultivator's aura, much less fight one head-on.

Chen Daoxuan reckoned that if the two truly fought, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could very likely kill him in a single strike.

Thinking that he had just wanted to interfere in a contest between Foundation Establishment cultivators, he could not help feeling lingering fear.

No matter how safe Guang'an Prefecture was, if this Ye Family cultivator flew into a rage from humiliation and killed him on the spot, would the Zhou family members kill this Ye Family Foundation Establishment cultivator over a mere Chen Family cultivator like him?

Probably not.

After all, the Ye Family was Cangzhou's greatest Cultivation Family, and its family ancestor was a genuine Golden Core cultivator.

How would the Zhou Family dare provoke such a formidable enemy for his sake?

The final outcome would only be that the Zhou Family suppressed the matter and pretended nothing had happened.

As for the life or death of a minor Chen Family cultivator like him, who would care?

At this thought, a chill ran down Chen Daoxuan's back. Though he did not know what grudge existed between the Chen Family and the Ye Family, it likely had something to do with the twelve Immortal generation cultivators of the Chen Family who had died in battle fifty years ago.

As his thoughts churned,

the situation at the scene suddenly changed again.

"What? Is this the character of Ye Family cultivators? You can't afford the price, so you want to seize it by force?"

The rough voice from Box Number Six rang out once more, accompanied by an aura even more terrifying than Ye Xiuchen's.

"You little Ye Family brat, others may fear your Ye Family, but I, Lei Zhen, do not!"

"A seventh layer Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

"He's actually a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator!"

"..."

As the two drew swords and bent bows against one another, the auction hall instantly descended into chaos.

When Ye Xiuchen sensed the other man's Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes.

But remembering that this was the Myriad Star Sea, Guang'an Prefecture of the Zhou Family, not the incomparably chaotic Cloud Country Battlefield,

Ye Xiuchen's heart settled slightly. Though fierce in appearance but weak at heart, he sneered, "Hmph! No wonder cultivators from Cloud Country call us Myriad Star Sea cultivators overseas barbarians. You truly are unbearably crude!"

Little did he know that this indiscriminate insult completely enraged the Foundation Establishment cultivators present.

Chen Daoxuan noticed that even one or two Qi Refining cultivators had joined the bidding.

By now, the matter had turned into a complete farce.

Ye Xiuchen knew clearly that no matter what, he would not be able to buy the Zhou Family's Water Spirit Pearl today.

"Hmph! My Ye Family has truly learned Guang'an Prefecture's way of receiving guests today. I, Ye Xiuchen, will remember this humiliation well!"

With that, he flicked his sleeve and left in anger.

Seeing the Ye Family cultivator depart, the crowd erupted in cheers like victorious soldiers.

"Get lost! What Ye Family cultivator bullshit!"

"A worthless coward who fled battle, and you still dare run wild in our Guang'an Prefecture!"

"..."

Hearing the accusations of the many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the auction hall, Ye Xiuchen's face turned livid, but he said nothing.