Annihilation Origin's Lost Sphere · Seeking a Master in Vain

Yao Jiyue stood on the auction platform, her fair hand slightly raised, her slender fingers flicking, and a starlight screen slowly rotated and condensed in front of her, a simple and mysterious scroll quietly floating in the air.

Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice, like a distant celestial melody, echoed throughout the entire Star Abyss Auction Temple:

"The second lot is a Nameless painting."

"It has no name, nor does it need one."

Before the words were finished, the scroll slowly unfurled in the starlight. The painting depicted no mountains, rivers, flowers, birds, or figures, but rather—

Starlight overflows, and countless paths crisscross the sky.

At the beginning of the image, there is a deep-space particle order composed of billions of particles, with microscopic forces like molecules, atoms, and ions spreading out below, rotating layer by layer, as if it were the primordial whisper of the universe.

Above that, a vortex of gray logic surges forth, each stroke outlining an endless cycle of intertwined cause and effect, the collapse and reconstruction of destiny.

Deeper still, strands of reincarnation patterns meander slowly around the Yin-Yang double snake totem, and at the deepest part of the entire painting, an indescribable "reverse reasoning" and "order of annihilation" are revealed, and even the "law" itself seems to be melting away at the edge of this painting.

This is not a painting, but a diagram of the convergence of all principles!

"According to the secret history of our Radiant Abyss Chamber of Commerce, this painting was created by a reclusive hermit of the Silent Mystery Realm in the middle Source of Epochless Limitless Evolving True Flow Domain, using the method of 'self-derived'."

"The painting contains the fundamental principles of granulation, the reflection of cause and effect, the reverse gray chain, and the structure of Tao and law... Each viewer's gaze is different, because the logic within the painting will change with the viewer's consciousness."

"This item is neither a weapon nor a cultivation technique, yet its value far surpasses that of any divine weapon."

Yao Jiyue smiled faintly as she finished speaking, and gently parted her lips:

"This painting... starting bid: 10,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal."

Boom!!!

This single sentence seemed to ignite the entire base of the temple!

From the highest throne and inner ring platform to representatives of various clans and Fate Soul cultivators, everyone showed expressions of shock.

"What? The starting bid is 10,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal?"

"Are you crazy? This is equivalent to the value of one hundred Limitless Resonance Crystal Fragment!"

"But didn't you see the flowing Dao patterns in that painting? It's actually a logic-based gray chain self-circulating configuration! That's the fundamental logic that only a master of the Silent Mystery Realm can comprehend!"

"Let alone ten thousand... if one could truly glimpse even a fraction of the true meaning within the picture, its value would be a hundredfold!"

Cultivators from all sides discussed the matter animatedly, their voices filled with astonishment and excitement. Several high-level cultivators at the Soul Realm even closed their eyes to sense the faint logical fluctuations emanating from the painting, afraid of missing even the slightest opportunity for enlightenment.

On the high seat within the inner ring, Chi Ning leaned slightly closer to Qin Yu and whispered:

"Junior Brother Qin... this painting is extraordinary. It is said that every viewer sees something different in it, and if one's comprehension is high enough, one can even deduce a unique destiny skill belonging to oneself."

Shen Yuzhi echoed in a low voice, "Moreover, this painting cannot be forcibly taken; it can only be obtained through a transaction. If it is forcibly taken, the scroll will self-destruct."

Mo Zhiyan's eyes lit up. "If I could obtain this painting... I might truly have a chance to touch the threshold of the 'Annihilation Dawn' realm!"

Qin Yu, however, simply gazed at the painting, his expression calm, a profound glint in his eyes.

What flowed within the painting was not merely logic, causality, and rules... He also seemed to sense a faint echo of the Azure Ring's will, as if the entire painting were whispering to him, "You are already in the painting."

At this moment, Yao Jiyue's clear voice rose again:

"Distinguished guests, the bidding for the second item—an Nameless scroll—is now officially open."

An unprecedented surge of logical fervor swept through the entire temple.

As soon as Yao Jiyue finished speaking, the Nameless scroll suspended in mid-air released a slight logical fluctuation, as if countless particles were resonating and vibrating in the air. The originally heated conversation in the auction temple instantly subsided, leaving only a restless atmosphere bursting forth from the suppressed emotions.

Suddenly, a steady and deep voice rang out from the outer side seat:

"I'll offer 15,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal."

Everyone raised an eyebrow. Although it was unexpected, it was also reasonable. After all, although this painting had no offensive power, it was a pure carrier of intuitive logic, belonging to the top-level collectibles that could change one's destiny, and its value was far more than just an auction.

Immediately afterwards, more sounds rang out:

I'll offer seventeen thousand.

I'll offer 18,000.

I'll offer 20,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal!

The price soared rapidly, each bid causing a stir. The atmosphere in the temple grew increasingly tense, and countless onlookers gazed at the painting with burning desire and greed in their eyes.

Near the front of the inner ring road, a middle-aged man with silver hair snorted coldly and raised his voice:

"Twenty-five thousand!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur arose among the people around him.

"That must be Luo Qianyin from the Fallen Heaven Mystic Clan... That old bastard actually made a move too."

"Hasn't he always scoffed at items that involve enlightenment? Could it be that this painting truly contains the primordial principle of the Wuji?"

A cultivator behind them couldn't help but whisper, "That's enough to buy a Saint-level Soul Weapon..."

However, just as everyone thought the gavel was about to fall, a clear and slightly languid voice suddenly rang out from the Ring Master ring:

"I offer 30,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal."

In an instant, the entire room fell silent.

A moment later, an uproar erupted!

"Thirty... thirty thousand!? Is he insane!?"

"This isn't within the price range for Heavenly Abyss Soul Crystal anymore?!"

"Who on earth could possibly afford 30,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal?"

All eyes instantly focused on the Ring Master. All that could be seen was a young man in a long robe with blue and silver patterns slowly taking his seat. He had a cold and stern face and star-like eyes. He lazily picked up his teacup, as if he were just uttering an insignificant everyday remark.

Chi Ning's expression changed slightly, and she said softly, "It's him... Cen Zhaoling, a core disciple of the inner sect of the Glazed Immortal Hall."

Shen Yuzhi frowned. "Even Cen Zhaoling is here... It seems he's also very interested in this painting."

"No wonder he was able to cultivate the Triple Reverse Wheel Structure." Mo Zhiyan swallowed hard. "This guy has his own Destiny Spirit Domain in the middle level; 30,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal might just be..."

Before he could finish speaking, someone whispered, "That's equivalent to the price of a hundred Limitless Resonance Crystal Fragment... Is this painting really worth that much?"

No one dared to question him. At this moment, Cen Zhaoling silenced all his competitors with just one sentence.

A rare flicker of emotion finally appeared in Yao Jiyue's slightly parted eyes.

She said slowly, "Thirty thousand Annihilation Starlight Crystal —any higher bids?"

The scene was deathly silent.

Until the Starlight Bell tolls three times-

"Done."

Yao Jiyue lowered her slender hand, and the scroll trembled gently in the air. A chain of dark blue light wrapped around it before being sealed into the auction array and flying towards Cen Zhaoling.

The entire venue was as silent as a fallen star.

"This... this is what real rich people are like," a cultivator couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Many other cultivators looked at Cen Zhaoling with complex emotions, envy, and even a hint of awe.

Thirty thousand Annihilation Starlight Crystal —only a handful of people in the entire Source of Epochless · Middle Layer could produce such a fortune in one go.

Just as the thunderous aftershocks of the sale of 30,000 Annihilation Starlight Crystal had not yet completely subsided, the entire space of the auction temple suddenly fell silent.

Yao Jiyue walked lightly to the center of the main stage, her slender fingers lifted slightly, her jade lips parted, and her voice, clear as moonlight melting into a lake, slowly uttered:

"Alright everyone, next up is the grand finale of this auction."

As soon as the words were spoken, an octagonal life-pattern array platform slowly rose from the center of the main stage. A spherical object covered by a black cloth floated on it, shrouded by seven layers of silent pattern seals, which even divine sense could not penetrate.

The cultivators frowned slightly, their expressions solemn, clearly unable to discern what was hidden beneath the black cloth.

Yao Jiyue smiled slightly, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings:

"This last item was personally acquired by the Vice Elder of the Radiant Abyss Fate Splendor Auction Hall from the mid-level forbidden area of the Source of Epochless."

Her tone suddenly changed, her voice clear and crisp like thunder:

Starting bid: One piece – Silver Starlight Crystal.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

"What?"

A Silver Starlight Crystal? Are you kidding me?

"This... this shouldn't be happening, isn't this just a ploy to trick us into bidding?"

Do you think we'd believe something so simple?

Many cultivators below the stage questioned in hushed tones, while a few sharpened their gazes, realizing that this item was extraordinary.

Yao Jiyue's smile remained unchanged as she gently raised her delicate hand and touched something with her fingertips.

"As the grand finale item, it is naturally extraordinary... Those who desire it need not ask about the price, but only about—fate."

As soon as the words were spoken, the layers of seals rippled like water, and the last life line gently shattered.

With a soft sound, the black cloth quietly slipped down.

At that moment, a burst of brilliant, silent light erupted from the main stage!

A crystal-blue sphere suddenly appeared, about a foot in size, with an extremely deep void color. Countless tiny starlight and fragments of time floated on its surface, as if the entire silent sea of stars had been condensed into it!

It was neither crystal, nor soul stone, nor life core, but some kind of unnamed wonder!

Its body seems to be a folding and entanglement of different times and spaces. Within the center of the sphere, tiny galaxies can be faintly seen running and twisting, and even causal particles float on its surface, as if the eye of the origin of destiny is slowly opening!

A cultivator in a green robe suddenly stood up:

"This... this is... the original crystalline state before the life essence solidified!?"

Another Soul Seal master, pale-faced, was nearly speechless:

"No... that's a 'logic stream,' I see it! It's not a physical entity, but a nascent, concrete concept of Recognition Annihilation!"

"No... the internal structure of that sphere is a rotational dimensional structure, which cannot be analyzed...!"

Exclamations of surprise rose and fell.

Before everyone could recover from the shock, an old man with his eyes closed suddenly opened them, his voice booming like the heavens and earth churning:

"I saw the reverse flow of the 'Annihilation Primal Orbit'! This sphere... is connected to the 'Nameless Source of Logic'!"

"This thing... is neither an ordinary artifact nor a divine weapon... it wasn't created at all, but rather—a reflection of some kind of fragment of the world itself!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was thunderstruck.

The entire auction temple was eerily quiet.

At this moment, only one voice echoed in the hearts of countless cultivators:

"Just one Silver Starlight Crystal..."

Whoever gets it will be blessed!

Yao Jiyue stood quietly, ignoring the burning, restless, and frenzied gazes of the people below the stage.

Her eyes were serene as she softly uttered four words:

"Gentlemen—the reasons are your own."

After Yao Jiyue uttered the words, "Gentlemen, the reasons are your own," the entire auction temple instantly fell into an almost frozen silence.

After a moment, a young man dressed in a silver-blue battle robe finally stood up, frowned, and asked:

"Miss Yao Jiyue... you said that anyone with the right fate can take this item, but what does 'right fate' mean?"

This question immediately ignited a wave of curiosity in the audience.

"Yes, shouldn't ownership of such a mysterious item be determined by its price?"

"What do you mean by 'by chance'? Isn't that a trap?"

"If it were really that simple, would it even be our turn?"

Many cultivators discussed the matter animatedly, with many looking doubtful and others showing eagerness in their eyes.

Yao Jiyue remained composed, standing in the center of the light array where radiance and starlight intertwined, her robes fluttering like the brilliance of the moon in the sky.

Her gaze swept across the surroundings, her voice both distant and clear:

"This item was brought back from the 'Realm of Disorder - Annihilation Abyss Crystal Vein' by the Vice Elder of the Radiant Abyss Fate Splendor Hall thirty-seven years ago."

"During this time, countless Soul Seal Masters, Structure Masters, and Logic Analysts attempted to decipher its internal structure... but no matter who it was, even the three peak Chaos Realm Ancestors within the hall, none could elicit the slightest reaction from it."

After much deliberation, we've finally reached a conclusion—

With a wave of her right hand, the crystal sphere slowly rose and hovered in the air, reflecting billions of rays of light, like a vortex of destiny.

"This item does not accept 'purchase' nor acknowledge 'logical analysis.' Its essence may be related to 'the resonance of Fate Soul.'"

"So--"

She pointed gently:

"Everyone present may take turns probing their divine sense into the crystal. Whoever can trigger its primal reaction, causing even a wisp of starlight to tremble, will be considered to have a destiny with this object—and may take it directly. Not a single crystal is required."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience.

"... Does it really have to be activated by divine sense?"

"This thing doesn't recognize the strength of energy at all... it's 'resonance'?"

"I've never seen an auction like this before, it's absolutely incredible!"

"What's terrifying is that it came from a forbidden area... Could it be some kind of seal?"

How will you know if you don't try? What if it really is 'fate'?

Just as everyone was stunned by these new rules, Yao Jiyue on the main stage gently stepped back to the side of the crystal, her gaze gentle yet unwavering:

"Now that the gate for guiding divine consciousness has been opened, everyone—who is willing to be the first to try?"

A pale blue starlight emerged from the crystal, like an inviting hand reaching out from the silent Milky Way, awaiting the response of fate.