The major factions' regret

The night was black as ink.

An hour had passed since the auction ended.

During that time, news of the auction had spread throughout Yanshan Commandery City at a terrifying speed.

In streets and alleyways, talk of the second-tier supreme-grade martial technique could be heard everywhere.

"Have you heard? The Profound Heaven Auction House auctioned off another second-tier supreme-grade martial technique!"

"The Profound Heaven Auction House? A second-tier supreme-grade martial technique?"

"Exactly! But it was the auction house on Linnan Street. The head of the Song Lineage won the bid for that second-tier martial technique."

"Hey! Brother, may I ask if what you said is true?"

"What's true?"

"That the Profound Heaven Auction House auctioned off a second-tier supreme-grade martial technique?"

"Of course it's true. It was the grand finale, and I was right there. There was a sea of people, and each bid rang out louder than the last..."

"..."

Upon hearing the man's words,

the expressions of several young people nearby, dressed in sect robes, immediately changed.

They were the sect disciples who had left the auction house early, planning to hunt for treasures elsewhere.

Now that they heard the news, they were naturally filled with bitter regret!

Who could have imagined it?

The Profound Heaven Auction House, which they had thought was deceiving them, had actually auctioned off a second-tier supreme-grade martial technique at the very end!

Since leaving the auction house,

they had searched the major treasure shops of Yanshan Commandery City, yet not a single treasure they found was as precious.

This only made these sect disciples feel all the more that they had missed a great opportunity!

Apart from them,

the other major factions,

such as the head of Blowing Snow Academy and the other four great Lineages, were also bitterly regretful!

After the auction of the third item began, they had left one after another. Some private rooms had even been completely deserted, their occupants utterly unconcerned about what would be auctioned.

Yet because of that very action, they had missed an invaluable treasure, allowing the Song Lineage to snap it up!

At that thought,

the major factions throughout Yanshan Commandery City were tormented by regret!

Meanwhile,

at the Yan Lineage estate.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ear-piercing crashes rang out one after another from a hall.

The Yan Lineage's fifth elder stood trembling in a corner, not daring to look at the furious Yan Nantian.

After leaving the auction house, the latter had returned straight to the Lineage and immersed himself in cultivation, losing all awareness of his surroundings. He had not received the message the fifth elder sent him, resulting in the head of the Song Lineage winning the Four Directions Ghost Saber!

In the end,

it was only because the fifth elder was so unwilling to accept it that he returned to the Lineage, disturbed Yan Nantian's cultivation, and told him everything that the latter learned what had happened!

But even though he knew now, it was too late.

Yan Nantian's fury made his hair bristle, and he flew into a rage inside the hall!

"Why didn't you return to the Lineage and tell me?"

Smashing a plate with his palm, Yan Nantian glared at the fifth elder.

"Lineage head! ...I was the only one at the auction house! Even if I returned, I wouldn't have made it in time!"

"Even so, why didn't you tell that auction house to wait a while?"

"Lineage head!"

At the mention of that auction house, anger surfaced on the fifth elder's face. "I did tell them, but those people were utterly brazen. They wouldn't give our Yan Lineage the slightest face! The way I see it, they clearly saw the Song Lineage head there and deliberately tried to curry favor with the Song Lineage!"

"They wouldn't give us face? Currying favor with the Song Lineage?!"

Yan Nantian's expression suddenly turned cold.

His heart was filled with rage.

The Song Lineage had obtained the second-tier supreme-grade martial technique. If their head successfully cultivated it, even if Yan Nantian broke through to Spirit Sea Eighth Heaven, he would be no match for him!

More importantly,

Yan Nantian practiced saber techniques, whereas the head of the Song Lineage practiced sword techniques!

A precious pearl left to gather dust!

He could not accept it!

Just then,

the fifth elder, who hated the Profound Heaven Auction House to the bone, quietly transmitted his voice. "Lineage head! That auction house... is a fat sheep!"

Hearing this, Yan Nantian immediately turned to look at him.

Greed filled the fifth elder's eyes as he slowly said, "I investigated. Neither of that auction house's two supreme-grade martial techniques was entrusted to them by someone else... They put them up for auction themselves!"

"And! That auction house owner only just arrived in Yanshan Commandery City. Where did he get those treasures? I suspect..."

The fifth elder's gaze grew strange, and Yan Nantian immediately picked up where he left off. "You suspect... he had a fortuitous encounter and obtained the second-tier supreme-grade martial techniques that way?"

"Exactly! Lineage head, when the auction ended, that owner even declared that there would be more treasures auctioned tomorrow!"

As those words fell,

both men's eyes lit up.

"Lineage head! Why don't we..."

"No."

Yan Nantian firmly shook his head.

The Yan Lineage was the foremost Lineage in Yanshan Commandery City. Who knew how many eyes were watching them?

If they robbed the Profound Heaven Auction House over this, the resulting trouble would certainly make life difficult for them!

Besides, the name Profound Heaven Auction House also made him feel that this would be somewhat thorny.

That name was not one to trifle with, not to mention that the owner's surname was Gu!

But... how could a disciple of the Gu Lineage really come to Yanshan Commandery City to establish another Profound Heaven Auction House?

At that thought,

Yan Nantian said quietly, "We cannot act ourselves, but we can kill with a borrowed blade!"

"Lineage head, you mean?"

"Contact the Venomous Snake Den!"

"This is their line of work to begin with. Having them strike at the auction would be perfectly in keeping with their trade... Also, send two elders along with them!"

"Yes, Lineage head!"

The Venomous Snake Den.

An outlaw faction that ran rampant throughout the Great Qian Dynasty.

They... even dared to rob the royal capital, let alone Yanshan Commandery City!

At the same time,

in the Black Forest outside Guangyang City.

"No... don't kill..."

A despairing wail rang out, and the shouting man's head was severed with a single stroke of a sword.

Only as they looked at the man who had died unwillingly did a ripple cross the faces of those around him, all dressed in Shattered Star Sect robes.

"Seventh elder! This was the last mercenary of the Mad Wolf Mercenary Group."

"With him dead, the only one left among those who harmed our junior brother back then is their leader, Mad Wolf!"

"Mm."

An old man with white hair and a white beard nodded coldly, then asked, "Have you found Gu Fan?"

"Reporting to the seventh elder, word came from the sect that Gu Fan has arrived in Yanshan Commandery City..."

"Yanshan Commandery City?"

"Yes! He established a Profound Heaven Auction House there..."

"In that case... let us head back and find him."

"Yes!"

"..."

As their words faded,

the hundred-odd members of the Shattered Star Sect immediately set off for Yanshan Commandery City.

At the same time,

inside a dark, deep cultivation chamber, a gaze like the newborn morning sun shone out.

"Spirit Sea... Eighth Heaven."

Gu Fan murmured.