“What do you mean by this, fellow Daoist?” The female cultivator within the silver mist immediately spoke in a frosty tone.
The other cultivators present were equally stunned by this turn of events.
Han Li smiled faintly, keeping one hand firmly on the wooden box while patting his storage pouch with the other, sending another jade box flying toward her.
“I only trade for Demon Essence Diamonds. I have no interest in anything else,” the female cultivator reflexively caught the jade box but said with displeasure.
“Fellow Daoist, why not take a look inside the box before making such a statement?” Han Li replied with confidence.
The female cultivator hesitated, then cracked open the lid slightly and glanced inside. Immediately, a gasp of surprise escaped her lips, filled with delight.
“Fine! The Five Elements Jade is yours,” she said with a light laugh, quickly snapping the half-opened lid shut and stowing the jade box away before turning back as if nothing had happened.
The surrounding cultivators were left utterly bewildered. None had seen what was inside the third jade box Han Li had produced, leaving them puzzled as to why the woman had suddenly agreed to the trade for the Five Elements Jade.
Some speculated whether Han Li had offered a third Demon Essence Diamond. But the idea that someone could possess two was already astonishing—a third would be beyond belief. Most dismissed the notion, assuming Han Li had instead offered some other treasure to sway the woman.
Regardless, numerous gazes lingered on Han Li—some envious, some jealous, and some harboring ill intentions.
Han Li ignored them all, instead focusing on the faintly discernible silhouette of the woman hidden within the silver mist. His brow furrowed slightly. He hadn’t noticed before, but now, looking at her blurred figure, he suddenly felt an inexplicable familiarity.
Could it be her? A bizarre thought flashed through Han Li’s mind, startling even himself. Though her voice was entirely different, for cultivators like them, altering one’s voice was as easy as breathing.
His thoughts racing, Han Li couldn’t resist activating his Brightsight Spirit Eyes. Though the mist still obscured much, he could now make out her figure more clearly.
The result left him with an odd expression.
Though still somewhat indistinct, the female cultivator appeared to be none other than the Heavenly Lure Saintess. Yet, lacking Han Li’s ocular abilities and with his altered voice, she remained oblivious to his identity, contentedly returning to her seat with his third Demon Essence Diamond.
Han Li felt a strange mix of amusement and exasperation. The material he had gone to such lengths to obtain had ultimately come from an enemy—an ironic twist indeed.
Suppressing his peculiar emotions, Han Li swiftly stowed away the Five Elements Jade and the Gold Essence before returning to his seat.
He cared little about the origins of these materials. With his primary objective achieved and an unexpected acquisition of such a large chunk of Gold Essence, he had saved himself considerable future trouble. This amount was enough to refine most of his sword formation. With just a bit more Gold Essence, he could fully restore his thirty-six Emerald Swarm Swords—a thought that filled him with satisfaction.
In the following exchanges, another thirty or forty cultivators came forward to trade treasures. However, with materials like Demon Essence Diamonds and Five Elements Jade already exchanged, the atmosphere grew lackluster. Most transactions were rushed, and few succeeded in securing what they sought.
Though a few decent items surfaced, none managed to reignite the crowd’s interest. Eventually, after the last cultivator returned to their seat, no one else stepped forward.
The figure in white mist, who had presided over the exchange, calmly returned to the jade table.
“Since all fellow Daoists have concluded their trades, we shall now proceed to auction the final treasure of this gathering—the most valuable item of the event,” the figure announced before clapping twice.
At the hall’s entrance, spiritual light flickered as two male cultivators entered. Surprisingly, neither wore concealment talismans, revealing their true appearances as they strode toward the center.
A stir ran through the crowd—most recognized them as the black-crowned elder and the square-faced man who had appeared at a certain royal estate. One was at the early Nascent Soul stage, the other at mid-stage, both being prominent elders of the Ye Clan often tasked with external affairs.
While most cultivators were puzzled, a select few remained unfazed—they had come specifically for this treasure and now perked up with anticipation.
The black-crowned elder stepped forward, nodding to the figure in silver mist before addressing the assembly. “No introductions are needed—most of you know us. To be brief, this treasure is something our Ye Clan has spent countless resources and a century preparing. Recently, several allied sects have sought to acquire it. Unable to refuse any, our elders decided to auction it here today, allowing fate to decide its owner.”
With that, the square-faced man exchanged a glance with the elder, who reluctantly produced a foot-long square box from his sleeve. After a reluctant pause, he handed it to the figure in silver mist.
“Since the introduction is done, I’ll spare further words. Let us all witness this treasure’s true form,” the figure in white mist chuckled, shaking the box. The lid flew open, and a fist-sized sphere of dazzling yellow light slowly rose from within.
The moment it emerged, the light pulsed as if sentient, emitting a low hum. The figure in silver mist solemnly formed hand seals, casting several spells before pointing at the light and uttering a command.
The radiance flickered wildly, then spun rapidly before dimming to reveal a small, palm-sized yellow seal. Its surface shimmered with layers of intricate golden and silver runes, each flash revealing entirely new patterns—each more profound and mystifying than the last.
Moreover, the sheer density of spiritual energy emanating from the seal, though stable, left every cultivator present wide-eyed with shock.
“This treasure is called the Mountain-Leveling Seal, a replica of the ancient Heaven-Holding Seal. According to Ye Clan tests, while it possesses only a tenth to a fifth of the original’s power, it can flatten mountains and split earth with ease. In the hands of a sufficiently powerful cultivator, it might even reach a third of the original’s might—though doing so would damage the seal irreparably.”
As the figure spoke, the seal expanded and contracted rhythmically, its latent power palpable to all.
Even without this demonstration, the mere mention of a Heaven-Holding Treasure replica was enough to captivate every cultivator present.
Han Li froze upon hearing “Heaven-Holding Treasure replica.” After painstakingly gathering materials for his Three Flames Fan, he never expected such a treasure to appear here.
Unfortunately, his knowledge of Heaven-Holding Treasures was limited, and he had never heard of the “Heaven-Holding Seal.” He couldn’t gauge how his Three Flames Fan would compare once completed.
As if reading his thoughts, the Great Derivation Spirit chimed in, “No need to worry. This Mountain-Leveling Seal only has a fraction of the original’s power. The Three Flames Fan I designed can unleash up to 40% of the Seven Flames Fan’s might—or even 50% if pushed. Though both are offensive treasures, your fan should surpass this seal in raw power.”
“Mm, that aligns with my expectations. I can’t wait to forge the Three Flames Fan. With it, even late Nascent Soul cultivators wouldn’t intimidate me,” Han Li murmured in response.
“Don’t assume the Great Jin is like the Heavenly South, where such replicas are rare,” the Great Derivation Spirit sneered.
“What do you mean?” Han Li asked, startled.
“During my travels in the Great Jin, I learned that the top sects—like the Heavenly Demon Sect and the Ten Thousand Demons Valley—each possess at least one Heaven-Holding Treasure replica. The most infamous is the Ten Thousand Demons Banner in the valley, said to rival even the original due to the countless souls it’s absorbed. Other major sects likely have their own replicas too—how else could they endure for so long?”
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