As Isshin walked through the area, he noticed the artifacts displayed all around him.
None of them were for sale. They were there to show the influence of the auction house. Just from looking around, it was clear this place had access to things most cultivators would never even see.
Ancient weapons rested behind glass. Strange minerals still carried faint traces of qi. There were even broken relics, likely recovered from old ruins.
Isshin didn't recognize most of them, but he could tell they weren't ordinary.
After walking around for a while, he found the section where people could auction their own items.
A worker approached him and asked what he needed. After a short exchange, Isshin was led to a private room to meet one of the hosts responsible for preparing items.
The room was simple. Quiet.
Once they sat down, the host spoke politely.
"So, what item would you like to auction?"
Isshin didn't say anything at first. He took out the Dark Jade Crystal and placed it down.
The host's expression shifted slightly.
He tried to stay composed, but it was obvious he understood what he was looking at.
The crystal had a deep, dark glow. Something inside it moved slowly, like energy flowing beneath the surface.
"I assume you're new here," the host said with a small smile. "It's a pleasure to have you."
Isshin didn't respond immediately.
"Repeat after me," Raijin said.
"I would like to speak with whoever is in charge here, if possible," Isshin said.
The host paused.
Requests like that usually meant nothing. One item wasn't enough to reach someone at the top.
But before he could respond, Isshin added,
"I have more things to show later."
That changed everything.
"Please wait here," the host said, standing up.
He kept a calm face, but inside he was already thinking ahead. Someone bringing a treasure like that and casually asking to meet the owner wasn't normal.
He made his way up the building.
The higher he went, the quieter it became.
At the very top, the structure opened up into a wide space, with only a large shade overhead.
Felix was there.
Sitting still. Cultivating.
The energy around him felt different. Controlled, but dense.
Before the host could even step forward, a pressure hit him.
Felix's qi filled the area.
It wasn't violent, but it was overwhelming. The host couldn't move any closer.
That's why there was always someone stationed there.
He turned to the guard and explained everything.
The guard listened without interrupting.
This wasn't just any guard. He was Felix's right hand, someone trusted to handle matters when Felix was occupied. His cultivation had already reached the early stage of the Spirit Refinement Realm.
After hearing everything, the guard went up.
A few moments passed.
Then he came back down.
"Bring him up."
The host returned quickly.
"The owner will see you now."
Isshin stood up and followed him.
They moved through the building, climbing floor after floor until they reached the top.
Felix was still sitting there.
Eyes closed.
But the pressure from before was gone. He had already suppressed it.
Isshin walked closer and stopped a few steps away.
For a moment, nothing happened.
He didn't know if he should speak or wait.
So he stayed quiet.
Then Felix spoke.
His eyes were still closed.
"Which celestial being gave you that crystal?"
Isshin froze.
He knew he had to be careful. One wrong answer, and Felix might start asking questions he didn't want to deal with.
After a brief pause, he decided to keep it simple.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you."
The reaction around him shifted immediately.
The host stiffened. The man behind Felix adjusted his stance slightly, ready for something to go wrong.
But Felix didn't react.
"It's fine," he said. "What else can you offer?"
Isshin paused for a moment.
"I have more dark jade crystals."
Felix tapped his finger lightly, thinking. His eyes stayed on Isshin the entire time.
Then he spoke.
"Give me ten dark jade crystals. In return, you'll have my support, my resources, and I'll make sure you get what you want at the auction."
Isshin thought about it.
Ten wasn't a small amount.
But the offer was worth it.
He nodded and handed them over.
Felix checked them briefly and confirmed they were real. After that, he didn't ask anything else.
"Considering your age, you have good potential," Felix said. "You can join my sect if you want."
There was no pressure behind it.
Whether Isshin accepted or not didn't matter to Felix.
But the others were clearly surprised. They hadn't expected Felix to make that kind of offer so casually.
"Which sect?" Isshin asked.
"Divine Sword Sect."
Isshin paused for a split second.
That was the same sect he had already "joined" earlier.
Explaining that would only make things complicated.
"S-sure. I don't mind," he said.
"Good. After the auction, you'll come with me," Felix replied.
Isshin nodded.
For a moment, he wondered if he should call Felix his master.
He decided not to.
That could wait.
The auction started soon after.
Since Felix had already taken the crystals, Isshin didn't need to sell anything anymore. He focused on watching instead.
But he was curious, "what were those crystals used for anyway?" Isshin asked Raijin. "The crystals are core items to create pills, they can be used to make what is considered a high tier pill in this planet. I plan
on teaching you alchemy later on, since it is a huge part of cultivation although not everyone is an alchemist"
Isshin understood.
The first few items passed quickly.
Nothing special.
Felix stayed above, observing everything. His presence alone kept the entire place under control. No one tried anything reckless.
Isshin waited.
Then—
"Our next item… the Strike of Jupiter!"
A piece of frozen lightning appeared. It looked like it had been locked in place, unmoving.
"Created by the legendary Master Shen," the host continued. "Its power rivals the Thunder God Jupiter. Anyone who cultivates it can gain power beyond measure."
Raijin reacted immediately.
"It's fake," he said. "But… it's close."
Even he sounded slightly impressed.
"To imitate something like that… get it," he added. "No matter what."
The bidding started.
"Two million… five million…"
Isshin raised his hand. "Six million."
"Ten million!" another group responded instantly.
Isshin didn't hesitate.
"Twenty million."
The entire room went quiet.
People turned to look at him.
The other faction stood up immediately.
"This kid doesn't have that kind of money! Stop wasting time and finish the auction!"
Before things could escalate, Felix gave the order silently.
The host nodded.
"Sold."
The decision was final.
The faction left, clearly angry, but they didn't push it further.
Felix watched everything carefully.
Isshin hadn't shown interest in anything else.
Only that one item.
And it wasn't obvious.
Most people wouldn't have understood what it really was.
But Isshin did.
That confirmed it.
Felix already suspected it earlier, but now he was sure.
The celestial being backing Isshin…
Wasn't somewhere else.
It was with him.