Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The summit of Firmament Peak seethed with voices. The highlight of the once-a-century Firmament Trade Fair-the Firmament Auction-was about to begin inside the Heavenly Dome Hall. Countless cultivators streamed in from every direction, carrying invitations of various colors. Only after strict inspection were they allowed into the magnificent hall.
Han Li mingled with the crowd, still wearing an inconspicuous gray robe, his aura restrained to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. He followed the stream of people through the inspection and entered the hall. Its interior was far more spacious than its exterior suggested; clearly, a Spatial Expansion Formation had been employed. Thousands of white jade meditation cushions were arranged in concentric rings, rising tier by tier around a floating circular auction platform. Countless pieces of moonlight stone studded the surrounding walls, illuminating the hall as brightly as daylight without the slightest glare.
Han Li found a seat near the edge where he would not readily attract attention. His gaze remained lowered, but his spiritual sense swept silently across the hall like the most sophisticated radar. In the front-row seats reserved for honored guests, he spotted Venerable Xuanzhen of the Taizhen Sect resting with his eyes closed. Beside him sat the Core Formation Daoist who had approached Han Li before, occasionally scanning the crowd as though searching for something. The Black Fiend Venerable of the Black Fiend Cult sat upright on the other side, his expression dark. Behind him, Elder Feng and the others swept their fierce gazes around the hall. The leaders of the Shadow Killer Sect, Heavenly Tower Fort, Spirit Controlling Sect, Covering Moon Sect, and the other major powers were all present. The atmosphere seemed calm, but beneath the surface, hidden currents surged.
Clang!
A clear, resonant toll rang