“Take action!”
The gaunt elder, witnessing the scene, let out a low shout without hesitation. He raised the massive silver hammer in his hand and struck fiercely at the center of the stone platform.
With a thunderous boom, a flash of lightning erupted within the cyan barrier, and a silver arc as thick as a bowl descended from the sky, slashing directly toward the towering dark-green tree.
This elder of the merchant alliance was well aware that, as fellow Great Ascension cultivators, directly attacking the other party would likely be futile in the short term. Thus, he shifted his target to the suddenly emerging giant tree.
Though he didn’t know what sinister purpose this tree served, destroying it couldn’t possibly be wrong.
Seeing this, the other three elders also acted without hesitation.
The hum of seven or eight treasures resonated as they converged in mid-air, merging into a colossal mountain of radiant light that descended with overwhelming momentum.
The mountain emitted countless auspicious rays, and before it even landed, countless invisible threads shot down densely, seemingly intent on riddling both the platform and the two figures atop it with holes.
The black-robed man beneath the barrier let out a wild laugh. With a flicker of his figure, he blurred and vanished into the giant tree.
As for the long-bearded elder, he remained expressionless as he formed a hand seal and transformed into a streak of light, also disappearing into the tree.
Boom!
The silver lightning struck the tree in a flash.
The towering tree, dozens of feet tall, crackled with electricity across its surface, emitting a charred odor before rapidly withering into ashes.
Yet, the black-robed man and the long-bearded elder, who should have been inside the tree, were nowhere to be seen.
“They escaped.”
The gaunt elder was stunned, almost unable to believe his eyes.
The other three merchant alliance elders exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock.
This place had long been fortified with multiple layers of formations by their alliance, including at least five or six flight-restriction arrays. Yet, someone had managed to escape right under their noses using some form of object-based teleportation—an utterly inconceivable feat.
“No need to panic. This is a pocket realm, fortified like an impenetrable fortress. Where could they possibly run? Wait—no! These two actually obtained an entry talisman exclusive to our alliance’s elders and tore through the restrictions, truly escaping the pocket realm. All four elders, follow me in pursuit immediately!”
The voice of Ming Zun, the alliance’s overseer, echoed from high above. Initially calm, it quickly turned furious as his divine sense detected something amiss.
A golden streak shot through the sky, vanishing into the distance after a few flickers.
The faces of the gaunt elder and the other three darkened as they also summoned their escape lights, transforming into streaks of radiance in pursuit.
Left behind in the plaza were the bewildered foreign races who had attended the auction.
Hu Yushuang, her face pale, stepped back onto the stone platform and forced a smile as she offered a few words of reassurance.
Inside their floating chambers, the Great Ascension cultivators, including Han Li, observed the shocking turn of events with varying expressions.
Yet none of them left their chambers. Moving about now could easily lead the alliance to suspect them of being accomplices or opportunists.
Even if some coveted the Ancestral Dragon’s blood, risking the alliance’s wrath, the black-robed man and his companion’s confident demeanor suggested pursuit would be futile.
These old monsters, all cunning and experienced, naturally avoided such fruitless endeavors, opting to remain still and adapt to the situation.
As expected, the alliance’s Great Ascension cultivators returned swiftly.
A hum resonated on the stone platform as a milky-white teleportation array appeared, and Ming Zun emerged with the four alliance elders, his expression grim.
Their unchanged auras indicated they had lost track of the black-robed man and the long-bearded elder.
The beautiful woman hurried forward to greet them.
Ming Zun waved her off and ordered, “Send word immediately to distribute images of these two throughout the alliance. We must uncover their origins and locate them as soon as possible.”
“Yes, I will see to it at once.” Hu Yushuang bowed and vanished with a hand seal.
Meanwhile, inside his floating chamber, Han Li wore a pensive expression.
Suddenly, he reached into the air, and a dark-green wooden sword materialized in his grasp.
He examined the sword’s intricate patterns with two fingers, his eyes flickering with thought.
Beside him, Xue Po and Zhu Guo’er exchanged glances but dared not interrupt his contemplation.
“Fellow Daoists, though the final auction item encountered an issue, the special auction for cross-continental teleportation slots will proceed as usual today, and I will personally oversee it,” Ming Zun announced calmly to the crowd.
This declaration stirred murmurs but surprised few.
Unlike typical auctions, where the finale marks the end, the alliance’s auction always concluded with the teleportation slots—a tradition rarely canceled.
However, the overseer personally presiding over the auction was unprecedented.
Though most had no interest in the slots, they perked up slightly.
Han Li, roused from his thoughts, set aside other concerns.
Compared to the elusive and dubious “Ancestral Dragon’s blood,” securing cross-continental teleportation to reunite with Nangong Wan was his true priority.
The subsequent bidding proceeded smoothly.
Perhaps because all slots were redirected to the Blood Sky Continent or due to limited interest, Han Li secured several slots at prices slightly above the base, bringing him quiet satisfaction.
“Today’s auction concludes. You may now leave the pocket realm. We apologize for any shortcomings,” Ming Zun said with a slight bow once the final slot was auctioned.
The foreign races in the plaza, though harboring mixed thoughts, rose and voiced polite acknowledgments before departing under the guidance of alliance attendants.
Soon, only the Great Ascension cultivators in their floating chambers remained.
“Today’s incident has embarrassed us. Never in our alliance’s history has an auction item been stolen. Thus, I pledge that anyone who aids in capturing those two will be richly rewarded—three requests within our power and the Ancestral Dragon’s blood as payment,” Ming Zun declared coolly, scanning the floating chambers.
“Is this true?”
“Will the alliance honor this promise?”
The Great Ascension cultivators gasped, some voicing disbelief.
The alliance’s offer was staggeringly generous, even to them.
“The alliance may not be the mightiest force in the Spirit Realm, but we value our reputation. This pledge stands until the matter is resolved. Mobilize your disciples or clans to hunt these two,” Ming Zun replied with a dry laugh.
“With your word, I am reassured,” the Mayfly elder said with a dark chuckle, exuding confidence.
“Brother Ming, may I ask—when you pursued them earlier, did you truly lose sight of them? What kind of teleportation could bypass so many restrictions?” another Great Ascension cultivator inquired cautiously.
“We caught up outside, but they had prepared a temporary teleportation array nearby and escaped. How they concealed it from our patrols is baffling. As for their initial escape method, it’s one I’ve never seen before,” Ming Zun admitted with a frown.
“Thank you for your candor. I know how to proceed,” the cultivator replied, asking no further questions.
Others posed queries about the Ancestral Dragon’s blood and the black-robed man, but Ming Zun’s answers remained vague.
Soon, some Great Ascension cultivators began departing in streaks of light, unhindered by the alliance.
“Let’s go. We’ve no time to hunt those two. We’ll await the teleportation to the Blood Sky Continent—it shouldn’t take long,” Han Li said, rising abruptly.
Xue Po and Zhu Guo’er bowed in agreement. Moments later, a green haze enveloped three figures as they shot toward the pocket realm’s exit.
Back in his residence, Han Li issued a few instructions before retreating to his chamber.
Seated cross-legged, he flicked his wrist, and a golden streak shot from his storage bracelet—a radiant golden page, one of the Golden Jade Book’s inner pages he had acquired at the auction.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage