“The final auction item this time is truly invaluable; otherwise, this junior would never dare to suggest that Lord Ming invite the four elders out of seclusion,” Hu Yushuang said respectfully.
“It’s nothing. It’s only four or five days, and it won’t delay our cultivation. Little Hu, no need to entertain us old folks. Continue with the auction,” the gaunt elder said with a smile. The other three stood expressionlessly nearby, showing no intention of speaking.
“Please wait a moment, elders. This junior will quickly auction off these three final items,” Hu Yushuang replied before turning and beckoning to the three palace-robed women.
Immediately, the three women stepped forward, stopping just a few feet away from her and standing motionless.
Meanwhile, the four elders of the merchant alliance flickered and appeared at the four corners of the stone platform, sitting cross-legged.
At this moment, the many foreign races in the plaza were astonished to see the Helian Merchant Alliance dispatch four Mahayana elders at once.
It seemed the final auction items were indeed extremely rare, or else such a grand display wouldn’t have been necessary.
After a brief incantation by Hu Yushuang, the light screen on the silver tray vanished, revealing a small, grayish banner.
The banner was only half a foot long, with a pale gray shaft and a surface devoid of any spiritual light, save for a few faint, unknown yellow runes inscribed on it—utterly unremarkable at first glance.
However, the small gray banner was densely covered with seven or eight pale silver talismans, yet it still emitted waves of eerie fluctuations, causing the surrounding space to appear strangely hazy.
“Everyone must be familiar with the name of the ‘Chaotic Myriad Spirit Ranking.’ This list records the most powerful treasures in this realm. Some of the lower-ranked spirit treasures might even be in the possession of fellow Daoists present. But as for the higher-ranked Profound Heaven treasures, I doubt many have seen them with their own eyes,” the woman said with a charming smile, sweeping her gaze across the plaza.
“Fairy Hu, are you implying that the final auction item is a Profound Heaven treasure?” a foreigner at the Body Integration stage couldn’t help but ask.
“Giggle, you’re all clever. What I hold in my hand is indeed a Profound Heaven treasure—specifically, the ninth-ranked ‘Sky-Overturning Banner’ on the Myriad Spirit Ranking,” the woman chuckled, raising the small banner.
“What? The Sky-Overturning Banner!”
“Impossible! This Profound Heaven treasure has been missing for years!”
“Back then, seven or eight major clans on the Tianyuan Continent were severely weakened over this treasure, and two smaller clans were even wiped out entirely. Who would have thought it would reappear today?”
Instantly, the entire plaza erupted in excitement, with whispers spreading like wildfire.
Even the Mahayana elders in the flying pavilions were mostly stunned.
“The Sky-Overturning Banner… I’ve heard of it. For such a treasure to appear at an auction is truly unexpected. The Helian Merchant Alliance truly lives up to its reputation as a superpower,” Han Li murmured, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as he looked at the woman on the distant stone platform.
Beside him, Xue Po and Zhu Guo’er were wide-eyed, their expressions filled with disbelief.
“Let me ask one thing—is this truly the Profound Heaven treasure listed on the Myriad Spirit Ranking? Heh, if it really is, I can’t believe the merchant alliance would willingly auction it instead of keeping it for themselves,” the Mahayana elder who had previously competed with Xue Po for the Golden Marrow said coldly.
“Your insight is as sharp as ever, elder. If what I held were the complete, original item listed on the Myriad Spirit Ranking, our alliance wouldn’t dare to display it so openly, no matter how powerful we are. Just a few ancient True Spirits coming after us would spell endless trouble. However, when I said this is the Sky-Overturning Banner from the ranking, I wasn’t lying,” Hu Yushuang replied with a slight bow, her tone solemn.
“From your tone, it seems there’s more to this treasure. Stop beating around the bush and explain clearly,” another unfamiliar Mahayana elder spoke slowly.
“Of course. While most fellow Daoists here have heard of the Sky-Overturning Banner and its brief appearance in history, few know that its true form was split into two—a Yin Banner and a Yang Banner. What I hold is only the Yin Banner. Used alone, it can only unleash the power of a Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure. Only when both banners are reunited can it exhibit the full might of a Profound Heaven treasure. Otherwise, our alliance would never have put it up for auction,” the beautiful woman explained hastily.
“Split into two!”
“Yin and Yang Banners!”
The plaza erupted in murmurs once more, with many showing sudden understanding.
“So this is only half of the Sky-Overturning Banner. But Profound Heaven treasures are highly sentient. Since the Yin Banner has appeared, the Yang Banner must have resurfaced as well. Does your alliance have any leads on the Yang Banner?” a deep voice inquired from another flying pavilion.
The question silenced the plaza, as it struck at the heart of everyone’s curiosity.
“Elder, you jest. If we had any clues about the Yang Banner, we would have sought it out long ago. We wouldn’t be auctioning the Yin Banner alone. Even this Yin Banner was obtained by sheer chance. We truly know nothing about the Yang Banner’s whereabouts. Now, having explained everything, I’ll briefly demonstrate a fraction of this treasure’s power. Though it can’t unleash Profound Heaven might, it should suffice for everyone to verify its authenticity,” the woman replied respectfully before shaking the small banner open.
The previously dull gray banner suddenly buzzed loudly, emitting streams of yellow mist that condensed into countless yellow flowers, instantly engulfing the entire stone platform.
A moment later, the woman’s low incantation echoed from the platform, followed by a sharp cry. The yellow flowers began spinning rapidly.
The spiritual energy of the entire cave world trembled, then surged toward the platform, vanishing into the flowers.
A deafening roar erupted as the flowers glowed brilliantly, swelling in size and spreading rapidly across the plaza’s sky.
Within moments, the sky above the plaza was entirely filled with giant yellow flowers.
The foreigners below quickly scanned the flowers with their spiritual senses, their expressions shifting.
Each could clearly sense the terrifying power contained within the flowers.
What unnerved them more was the instability within the flowers, as if they could explode at any moment.
But then, a cold snort came from one of the flying pavilions:
“Hmph, no need for further demonstration. Whether this is a Profound Heaven treasure or not, we old folks can tell. Besides, such treasures aren’t for ordinary hands. Start the auction!”
As soon as the words fell, a gust of azure wind swept out from the pavilion, causing the yellow flowers to scatter and vanish, clearing half the sky in an instant.
“Understood! This junior will begin the auction immediately!” Hu Yushuang said nervously, shaking the banner again. A strange ripple spread out, and the remaining yellow flowers disappeared without a trace.
The woman reappeared on the platform.
“The Yin Banner of the Sky-Overturning Banner officially begins its auction! Starting price: 300 million spirit stones! If bidders lack sufficient spirit stones, they may offer treasures of equivalent value!” she announced solemnly, the banner in her hand returning to its dull state.
“500 million spirit stones!”
Before the woman could finish, the Mahayana elder who had spoken earlier declared the price without hesitation.
Most of the Body Integration and Void Refinement stage foreigners in the plaza fell silent.
500 million spirit stones was far beyond their means.
It seemed these final auction items, like those in past merchant alliance auctions, would be monopolized by the Mahayana elders.
But in the Spirit Realm, power dictated everything.
Faced with such insurmountable gaps in wealth and strength, the foreigners could only swallow their frustration, not daring to show any discontent.
“500 million for a Profound Heaven treasure? You jest, fellow Daoist. I bid 800 million,” a woman’s laughter rang out from another flying pavilion, raising the price significantly.
“Hmph, if this were the complete Sky-Overturning Banner, it’d be priceless—no amount of spirit stones could buy it. But for half that can only match a Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure? My offer was already generous. Since you think it’s worth more, it’s yours,” the first bidder snorted, withdrawing.
Silence fell over the other pavilions—whether swayed by the elder’s words or harboring other concerns, no one else bid.
The woman who had bid second paid no heed, chuckling as she addressed Hu Yushuang:
“Little Hu, since no one else is bidding, shouldn’t you declare me the winner?”
“Of course. This junior will ask three more times. If no one else…” the beautiful woman forced a smile.
But before she could finish, a calm voice echoed across the plaza:
“900 million.”
Xue Po and Zhu Guo’er in the flying pavilion turned in surprise toward Han Li, who had just made the bid.
“950 million.”
“1 billion.”
“1.03 billion.”
Han Li’s bid seemed to awaken the other Mahayana elders, sparking a flurry of offers that quickly pushed the price to 1.2 billion spirit stones.
The plaza fell silent once more.
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