Normally, when one monk made a show of force, another of equal standing would rise to match it, unwilling to be overshadowed.
The pride in strength brought about the injustice against the innocence of fairness.
What's left to discuss?
But this time, no one responded.
No defiance.
No flair.
That silence said more than words could.
Someone stronger was here.
Stronger than any of them.
The female auctioneer took a careful gulp, swallowing her saliva down her throat as she steadied herself again.
Her gaze fanned the crowd, discerning the same uniformed expression, fear and awe.
Then, as if a collective bolt of thought cut through the air, the same conclusion struck every mind in the venue.
A Golden Core cultivator?
They began to suspect.
But for the foundation building monks in the venue, they had a different idea.
Such a vision, strong enough to subconsciously pull them into that senior's Divine mind, that wasn't something what a normal Golden Core cultivator could do.
'Either a peak golden core ancestor is here or... ' Someone made a bold guess, fearfully peeking the uppermost private room from his spot, 'A nascent soul ancestor is here?'
!!!
He wasn't alone, almost everyone else that had seen the vision thought the same.
No normal golden core cultivator could pull such a scene, especially having such a vast Divine mind that seemed to be as endless as the night sky.
Here? Why would someone at that level come to a place like this?
A few guests swallowed hard, their confidence shriveling.
Their backs drenched in cold sweat!
'This region isn't known for having Nascent Soul Ancestor figures on the surface'
But they knew, there were several Nascent Soul figures hidden behind the scene. Backing those huge second rate forces.
They had their own agendas coming into tonight's auction. Some had planned for more than just bidding.
A group of mindless thieves that doesn't know the depth of this 'abyss' they walked into.
Yet after hearing that voice, those thoughts vanished.
Stealing something after the auction?
Please. Such behavior was beneath them now.
Just like that, all the red flags in their heads turned green. Forest green.
Clean conscience activated.
Then, under Ilya's quiet command, the elegantly dressed woman walked to the center of the stage.
Her outfit left little to the imagination, cut high at the thighs, draped low at the chest, clinging to every curve, and the spotlight trailed her steps.
The surrounding lights dimmed softly, drawing every gaze to her as the focal point of the room.
She was tall, poised, and undeniably built to turn heads.
A face that belonged on a painting, a body that belonged in dreams.
Some lustful men even openly gawked her body as if she was a piece of meat ready to be served on a silver plate.
She noticed this, and she doesn't mind the attention. Instead, she craved for it.
A smile plastered over her face, and she began.
With a gentle wave of her hand, she raised her voice.
The tone carried easily, not by sheer volume, but boosted subtly with spiritual energy, spreading evenly across the underground venue.
"Welcome, everyone, to tonight's auction, our first official event under the Purple Cloud Pavilion."
"Under her lady, My lady, Miss Ilya as the head of this chamber."
She smiled, her fingers moving with practiced grace. "We won't waste your time. Let's begin immediately."
As she moved, the slit along her thigh revealed even more, drawing a light stir from the crowd.
At her signal, two black-cloaked figures appeared from the side, their faces covered by smooth, featureless masks. One held a small, ornate box.
They walked to a raised platform in the center and set the box down carefully, then stepped aside in unison.
The host approached, her fingers light as she opened the lid.
A soft shimmer escaped as she glanced inside, then turned back to the guests, her smile widening.
"For the first item of the night, we present a precious Second Grade Foundation Building Breakthrough Pill."
She extended one hand outward, her voice steady, every word clear. "Those of you here know what this means. According to the current market, the starting bid is 50,000 low-grade spiritual stones. Minimum increments of 10,000."
Then, as the lid's opening widened slightly more, a burst of fragrance exploded into the air, rippling across the venue as a round of exclamation echoed from the crowd.
"A breakthrough pill! As the first item?! Such extravagance!"
"So bold! So bold! The owner of this chamber is actually willing to put such a precious item for the first round"
"Aren't they afraid of rouge cultivators?"
"Afraid? Bah, even if a group of Golden core monks dared to come here, they will die under that Senior's hand"
"What a taboo thing to say"
The crowd exploded into hot discussions.
They understood.
For any small force without a Foundation Building cultivator to their name, this pill could change everything.
It wasn't just medicine, it was a foothold into true power.
A way to establish a formidable force in this region.
Because, without a foundation building monk in charge, the force wouldn't be worthy enough to hold a piece of land.
No one had expected a heavy-hitter like this to be the opening act.
Even within the VIP rooms above, a few figures stirred, visibly moved by the auction's boldness.
Then, the dam broke.
"60,000!"
"80,000!"
"Damn it! 100,000!"
Voices came from every direction, overlapping as raised hands shot up from all corners.
The excitement in the hall surged instantly.
The host, however, didn't falter.
She remained calm and attentive, picking out each bid with ease.
Her hearing caught each movement and call without missing a beat.
The price kept climbing, fewer and fewer people still competing as it rose.
Mostly were the vip rooms bidding now.
Up in the highest private room, Liam leaned back comfortably, accepting another delicately sliced piece of fruit from Ilya.
She offered it with quiet smile in her eyes, her fingers brushing his lightly as he accepted.
He looked down over the crowd with mild amusement, lips curling slightly. "Look at them, scrambling for a chance at the next realm."
His voice was casual, almost lazy, "The path of immortality is never ending, despairing even as one's own lifespan neared it's end"
"Once the time ticks, the light gradually dimmed, and so goes for a cultivator's hope to reach the next realm"
"Plus... " He paused, touching his chin, and a smile over his face.
"They won't be able to hold onto it anyway. Best thing for whoever wins is to stay here and breakthrough directly. The ones who try to bring it back to their sects or families… well, their trip home won't be smooth."
At his side, Ilya continued her quiet task, slicing another fruit.
Her posture deliberately curved just enough to catch his eye, shoulders arched, movements smooth.
She knew exactly how she looked, and she didn't mind flaunting it.
She'd been trying to tease him for a while now.
But no matter how subtle or overt she got, Liam remained unbothered.
Calm. Composed.
Not even the slightest twitch of his brows when she bent just a bit too low.
Unshakable, she thought.
'How stoic can a man really be?'
Below, the bidding war thinned. Only three voices remained.
Among the crowd, one frustrated monk sighed, patting his storage pouch twice.
"Damn… I thought I was doing well with a hundred thousand low-grade stones."
"Welcome to the real world, friend," another monk replied, giving him a sympathetic look. "There's always someone richer. Always someone stronger."
"Well, screw it. I'm hitting the brothel later to ease the pain."