The golden-robed host chuckled warmly and said, “My name is Yu Qi, and I am the Pavilion Master of this Seven Stars Sea Pavilion in Tianshui City. Though I hold this position, I am still a disciple of the Tai Xu Heavenly Palace.”
“Oh?” Dongbo Xueying nodded slightly.
This wasn’t surprising, as the Seven Stars Sea Pavilion was backed by the three great sacred lands—Tai Xu Heavenly Palace, Ancestor Island, and Yaoguang Holy Realm. Its key members were likely dispatched by these three.
Every major city had a Seven Stars Sea Pavilion, each with its own Pavilion Master.
“Elder Dongbo, please follow me,” Pavilion Master Yu Qi said enthusiastically, leading the way. “For this grand event, our branch in Tianshui City has only fifteen participants. Later, we will compete with other branches to bid for treasures, making the competition much fiercer. I’ve heard that many Chaos Realm experts have been drawn to this event, some even traveling from distant places like the East Lin Sacred World.”
Dongbo Xueying was intrigued.
Bidding simultaneously across different branches—now that was interesting.
“Please,” Pavilion Master Yu Qi ushered Dongbo Xueying into a room where maidservants were already waiting, holding wine jugs. The room had a large window overlooking a distant platform.
“This treasure event is called the ‘Chénqún Grand Auction’ because the most valuable treasure is a rare artifact named ‘Chénqún.’ To be honest, I’ve never heard of it before. Apparently, many Chaos Realm experts from other sacred worlds have come specifically for it,” Pavilion Master Yu Qi explained. “By the way, before we proceed, I’ll need to assess the treasures Elder Dongbo has brought to determine your maximum bidding limit.”
“Understood,” Dongbo Xueying waved his hand.
Whoosh!
A dense array of treasures filled nearly half the room—items Dongbo Xueying intended to sell.
“So many?” Pavilion Master Yu Qi was surprised but immediately began appraising them. As a Pavilion Master, identifying treasures was a basic skill, and he worked even faster than Dongbo Xueying had in the past.
“These treasures can be exchanged for 385 Meta Stones,” Pavilion Master Yu Qi said with a smile. “That’s enough to purchase some rare treasures.”
Time passed.
Pavilion Master Yu Qi chatted with Dongbo Xueying, and before they knew it, an hour had gone by. Finally, a woman in purple robes appeared on the platform outside the window. Her demeanor was extraordinary as she smiled and scanned the surroundings. “I am Ming Yu, one of the nine Elders of the Seven Stars Sea Pavilion. Today, I will preside over this Chénqún Grand Auction!”
Dongbo Xueying was startled—Star Master Ming Yu? A Chaos Realm expert from the Yaoguang Holy Realm.
Beside him, Pavilion Master Yu Qi quickly explained, “Star Master Ming Yu is merely a projection. She must currently be presiding over the event at a Seven Stars Sea Pavilion in one of the major cities within Yaoguang Holy Realm’s territory.”
“Let’s begin directly,” the purple-robed woman said with practiced ease. She extended her hand, revealing a crimson flower in her palm, its petals so vivid they seemed to drip with dew. With a flick of her wrist, the flower transformed into a woman clad in red armor.
“This is a Unity Realm puppet lifeform with strength equivalent to clearing the third level of the Star Tower,” the purple-robed woman announced. “The starting bid is 100 Meta Stones.”
“110 Meta Stones.”
“111 Meta Stones.”
Voices chimed in from various directions beyond the window.
Pavilion Master Yu Qi explained, “These voices are bids from participants across different branches. If you bid, Elder Dongbo, your voice will also resonate in every branch.”
Dongbo Xueying watched with interest but had no intention of bidding for the Unity Realm puppet. His treasures were limited, and he needed to use them wisely.
The bidding was cautious, especially as the auction progressed. Increments often came in single Meta Stones, sometimes with long pauses—even last-minute bids just as the purple-robed woman was about to close the round.
…
“36 Meta Stones,” Dongbo Xueying called from the window, his voice echoing around the platform.
The purple-robed woman on the platform held a jade vial, smiling as she surveyed the room.
“37 Meta Stones.”
“38 Meta Stones.”
The price climbed steadily.
Soon, Dongbo Xueying shook his head. The vial contained a pill that aided cultivation—a type of treasure he valued highly. He considered purchasing it for his wife and son or for his own use, but only if the price was right. If it became too steep, it wouldn’t be worth it.
After all, he was still young, and his home universe had a long epoch ahead. As his strength grew, he could obtain even better cultivation aids. There was no need to rush.
…
The treasures on offer ranged from over 30 Meta Stones to several hundred. Yet the grand finale—the “Chénqún”—had yet to appear. Its starting bid was 1,000 Meta Stones. Based on the bidding patterns, Dongbo Xueying estimated the final price would likely double.
Finally, the twenty-second treasure was unveiled.
The purple-robed woman extended her right hand, revealing a black tome forged from what appeared to be dark metallic sheets, its surface wreathed in shadowy energy.
“Another priceless treasure,” she declared.
Dongbo Xueying knew at once that such treasures typically fetched hundreds of Meta Stones.
“In the East Lin Sacred World, there once lived a prodigious Ancient Cultivator known as the ‘Dark World Sovereign,'” the purple-robed woman said. “I’m sure many of you here have heard of him.”
Dongbo Xueying blinked.
Heard of him?
Not at all.
“Though only at the Unity Realm, he cleared the sixth level of the Star Tower,” the purple-robed woman continued. “His strength rivaled that of a Chaos Realm expert!”
Dongbo Xueying was stunned. Clearing the sixth level? Even among the current Inner Hall Elders of Tai Xu Heavenly Palace, none had achieved such a feat.
“The supreme technique he created was called ‘Dark World,'” the purple-robed woman said, gazing at the black tome with a sigh. “Sadly, he perished while still at the Unity Realm. Had he reached the Chaos Realm, his potential would have far surpassed mine—he might have even cleared the eighth level of the Star Tower, with the ninth not entirely out of reach.”
“As an Ancient Cultivator, he specialized in manipulating illusory worlds. Typically, such worlds excel at trapping or bewildering foes, with weak offensive capabilities. But he took a unique path—he constructed worlds solely to nurture killing techniques. Each world existed to birth a single, devastating strike.”
“Before enemies could even approach him, the world’s power would coalesce into a single attack, descending with terrifying force.”
“…”
The purple-robed woman elaborated further, as was necessary for a supreme technique. Buyers needed to understand its essence, strengths, and suitability before committing.
Yet Dongbo Xueying’s mind was ablaze.
It was as if lightning had split the darkness, illuminating his thoughts.
“A world constructed purely to nurture a killing technique?”
“A single world, devoted to a single strike?”
“All its power concentrated into one attack?”
Ideas surged through his mind like sparks. Sometimes, all one lacked was a single insight. The direction of the “Dark World” technique struck Dongbo Xueying with revelation—his own greatest strength lay in the “Illusory Dao,” a path without even a cosmic-level supreme technique, yet the first he had mastered at the Void God level.
But the Illusory Dao was indeed weak in combat, leaving him at a loss—until now.
“A killing technique… a world built for it.”
Countless ideas took shape in his mind, though he knew well that inspiration was only the first step. Creating, testing, refining, and perfecting a supreme technique was an arduous task—especially one of such devastating power.
His earlier techniques, like “Dao Wind Wave” and “Fish-Dragon Slaughter,” had cosmic-level foundations. Without them, forging something from nothing would have taken far too long.
“This technique is mine,” Dongbo Xueying resolved.
“The ‘Dark World’ is the only surviving copy—a unique original. The starting bid is 150 Meta Stones,” the purple-robed woman announced.
Silence filled the room.
No one bid.
“151 Meta Stones,” Dongbo Xueying called from the window after a deliberate pause, his voice resounding across the platform and echoing through every branch of the Seven Stars Sea Pavilion in the sacred world.
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