The vortex in the Black Forest

Time turned back two hours.

The Black Forest.

A battle was taking place outside a cave that reeked to high heaven.

Clang!

The sound of a sword being drawn rang out.

A young man dressed in fitted white clothes, with a shattered star emblem on his chest, drew his longsword and charged swiftly forward.

Ahead of him.

A giant bear radiating a lustrous white glow roared and charged toward the young man on all fours!

Soon.

The two collided!

An immense force sent the young man staggering backward, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"Damn beast!"

He cursed furiously, but a cold sneer followed immediately.

Although his internal organs had been injured, he had also managed to slash a gruesome, bloody gash across the Giant Light Bear's neck!

There it was.

The wounded Giant Light Bear seemed enraged by its injury. Its eyes turned bloodshot as it charged at the young man again.

But just a few breaths later.

This first-tier beast at perfection finally collapsed to the ground, its vitality shattered by the Sword Qi within its body.

At the sight, the young man could not help exhaling a breath of turbid air.

Then, supporting himself with his scabbard, he made his way step by step into the foul-smelling cave ahead.

The cave was dimly lit.

But the young man still spotted the treasure that beast had guarded in a corner-the Spirit Heart Lotus!

The Spirit Heart Lotus was a low-grade second-tier natural treasure.

An exceptional treasure that could improve aptitude and comprehension, as well as deepen one's cultivation!

It was the very reason he had come!

"Spirit Heart Lotus... I finally found you!"

The young man's breathing grew heavy, but he soon scanned his surroundings warily.

Before he left, his master had warned him about the dangers of the Black Forest.

Here, murder and robbery were commonplace.

There were even tragedies where a tiny quarrel led to a fight to the death!

And so.

Only after checking warily and confirming that no one was around did he step forward to pluck this treasure.

Yet just then.

An utterly arrogant voice rang out behind him.

"The Spirit Heart Lotus! The Mad Wolf Mercenary Group is claiming this treasure!"

The words had barely fallen.

The young man immediately turned around and looked at the speaker.

The newcomer was none other than Commander Mad Wolf. Besides him, over a hundred members of the Mad Wolf Mercenary Group had surrounded the cave!

At the sight, the young man's expression changed, and he inwardly sensed trouble.

Sure enough, Commander Mad Wolf gave a sinister smile. "I've been watching this beast for two days, and you brat went and cut in front of me! Well? How do you plan to compensate me?"

"Hmph! I am a disciple of the Shattered Star Sect's seventh elder! A mere mercenary group like yours wants compensation from me? Have you eaten a bear's heart and a leopard's gall?!"

Despite being surrounded, the young man stood straight-backed and replied coldly.

The Shattered Star Sect.

A powerful sect within the Great Qian Dynasty.

Experts gathered within it like clouds, and as the seventh elder's disciple, the young man was undoubtedly an outstanding talent of the younger generation!

Commander Mad Wolf's expression shifted at his words.

But a moment later, a three-foot longsword appeared in his hand, and he brazenly lunged at the young man!

At the same time, an order steeped in killing intent rang out.

"Kill him!"

As his words fell!

Over a hundred mercenaries of the Mad Wolf Mercenary Group drew their weapons and charged at the young man with savage expressions!

In the Black Forest, the strong ruled. If someone was weak yet held a supreme treasure, they had to die!

Soon.

Under the combined assault of Commander Mad Wolf, who had reached perfection in Body Tempering, and over a hundred Body Tempering Realm cultivators, the young man, whose internal organs were already injured, lasted only a few breaths before being mobbed to death in bitter frustration.

What killed him was the sword in Commander Mad Wolf's hand.

"This incomplete sword technique... really is satisfying."

He pulled the bloodstained blade from the young man's back and spoke with a hint of satisfaction.

The surrounding mercenaries all gazed greedily at the Spirit Heart Lotus in the corner.

A second-tier treasure.

It was their first time seeing one in the Black Forest!

Just then, however, someone beside him asked worriedly, "Commander, we killed a Shattered Star Sect disciple... won't that bring trouble?"

"Trouble?"

"Hmph!"

Commander Mad Wolf snorted coldly. With a second-tier treasure within arm's reach, he would dare kill even a member of the royal family, let alone a Shattered Star Sect disciple!

Merely thinking of the second-tier treasures auctioned at the Profound Heaven Auction House left him salivating with envy.

Now that he had encountered one, with victory assured at that, he naturally had to seize it!

However.

For a sect as large as the Shattered Star Sect, finding the killer was not impossible if they truly wanted to...

Commander Mad Wolf's gaze grew inscrutable. After briefly sweeping his eyes over the mercenaries, he said, "I'll entrust this Spirit Heart Lotus to the Profound Heaven Auction House for auction. Every one of us here will receive a share of the spirit stones it fetches!"

"Thank you, Commander!"

The mercenaries were instantly overjoyed at his words and hurriedly gathered around Commander Mad Wolf to thank him.

Some, however, saw through his rather sinister intentions...

Time returned to the present.

The Profound Heaven Auction House.

Gu Fan emerged from the secluded cultivation chamber and went straight to Zhu Huai.

"Auction Master, you've come out of seclusion?"

Zhu Huai was exceedingly respectful.

Now, he firmly carried out Gu Fan's decisions without the slightest resistance.

For the facts had proven that under Gu Fan's leadership, the Profound Heaven Auction House was indeed flourishing more than ever!

"Mm."

Gu Fan nodded, then asked, "How are the auction preparations coming along? Any treasures?"

"No."

Zhu Huai sighed and shook his head. "Just ordinary things, as always."

Hearing that, Gu Fan was somewhat disappointed too.

Just then, however, an arrogant voice rang out outside the door.

"Steward Zhu! I, Commander Mad Wolf, have come to auction a treasure!"

Commander Mad Wolf?

Hearing this, Gu Fan and Zhu Huai immediately opened the door and looked outside.

A maid stood to one side with her head lowered, while Commander Mad Wolf scanned the hall with an unbridled expression.

Upon seeing the two men emerge as the door opened.

The mercenary commander raised his eyebrows and strode over.

"Auction Master Gu! It's been days since we last met, but it feels like three autumns!"

Commander Mad Wolf greeted him with a trace of respect in his tone.

He had spent a week in the Black Forest, so the scene that remained most vivid in his memory was Gu Fan's Black Baleful Intent Snake swallowing three Spirit Sea Realm cultivators in one gulp.

Gu Fan nodded without speaking.

Seeing this, Zhu Huai hurriedly asked, "Commander Mad Wolf, may I ask what you wish to auction?"

"This isn't the place to talk..."

"Please, come inside!"

With a premonition stirring in his heart, Zhu Huai immediately invited him into a side room.

Inside the side room.

The three sat together.

Commander Mad Wolf wasted no words. He took a jade box from his storage ring and opened it.

In an instant.

A fresh fragrance filled the entire private chamber.

"This is... the low-grade second-tier natural treasure, the Spirit Heart Lotus?!!"

Seeing the treasure, Zhu Huai immediately cried out in surprise.

Having served as steward for so many days, he had long since prepared himself thoroughly, so he recognized this treasure at once.

"That's right. It is indeed the Spirit Heart Lotus!"

Commander Mad Wolf looked at Zhu Huai and Gu Fan.

The former sounded excited, and his eyes still held disbelief.

The latter, however, remained utterly unruffled.

It was as though a basin of cold water had been poured over the pride that had just risen in Commander Mad Wolf's heart, quickly bringing him back to his senses.

A second-tier treasure?

Auction Master Gu had brought out eight of them!

"You intend to have the Profound Heaven Auction House auction it?"

At this point, Gu Fan spoke.

The Spirit Heart Lotus. Although his expression was calm, ripples had already stirred in his heart.

If the Profound Heaven Auction House auctioned a second-tier treasure, what would the system's critical multiplier return?!

Third-tier?

Truthfully, Gu Fan already felt an intense hunger sweeping through him at the thought of a treasure of that level!