Chapter 250: The Winner — The Holy Spirit Cult
As time passed, the bidding between the top factions grew fiercer and fiercer.
"Twenty billion gold soul coins!"
When Shrek Academy called out this price, the entire hall erupted into murmurs of disbelief.
Yet the intensity continued to climb, as though these astronomical sums meant nothing.
Of course, when one considered what was at stake—an opportunity to ascend to godhood—who among them wouldn't risk everything for a chance to obtain the Immortal Spirit Energy?
Those without the strength or wealth to compete simply watched in silence, eager to see which faction would ultimately claim the divine treasure.
Jiang Li stood at the podium, sweeping a calm gaze over the crowd.
He had already begun to guess who would emerge victorious.
First to be eliminated was, naturally, Shrek Academy. After hiring the Pavilion's services earlier, they had expended most of their foundation. The purchase of the Heart of Origin had cost them tens of billions more. There was no way they could match the remaining powers now.
The Soul Beast race, as expected, had not made a move, leaving one faction above all others poised to take the prize—the Holy Spirit Cult.
Of all the forces qualified to compete, the Cult alone had yet to secure a truly exceptional treasure in this auction. It was their time.
Minutes passed in breathless succession.
"Fifty-six billion gold soul coins!"
When Zhongli Wu called out the price, silence fell across the hall.
The Sun Moon Empire, the Body Sect, and all other competing powers reluctantly withdrew.
The amount was too astronomical—beyond what they could afford.
"Damn it… the Holy Spirit Cult took it after all," Yan Shaozhe muttered, bitterness thick in his tone.
They had given everything to prevent exactly this outcome—to stop the Cult from obtaining the Immortal Spirit Energy and creating a new god.
If not for their earlier expenditures, perhaps they could have matched the bid.
But now, unable to compete further, they could only watch helplessly as the Holy Spirit Cult strengthened itself and grew into an even greater threat to the entire continent.
This unease wasn't limited to Shrek. Every other major faction felt the same knot of dread tighten in their hearts.
The Cult already stood among humanity's most powerful forces, its Evil Soul Masters both brutal and cunning.
To draw the Cult's attention was to guarantee disaster.
Now, with the Immortal Spirit Energy in their hands, their influence would surely rise to terrifying new heights.
Many silently vowed that once this auction ended, they would warn all their disciples to avoid provoking the Cult at all costs.
Its three Ultimate Douluo alone could annihilate entire sects with ease. Survival now meant quiet caution and patience.
Jiang Li saw that no further bids were coming and nodded to himself.
Just as he had predicted.
The Holy Spirit Cult had been conserving its strength all along, waiting for a god-related treasure to appear—then striking with everything they had to claim it.
"Fifty-six billion once."
"Fifty-six billion twice."
"Fifty-six billion three times."
"No further bids! The Immortal Spirit Energy is sold for fifty-six billion gold soul coins!"
Jiang Li confirmed it thrice, then lowered his gavel, sealing the transaction.
As the crowd settled, Gu Yuena cast a calm glance toward the Holy Spirit Cult's corner before looking away again.
In her eyes, they were indeed the strongest among the human factions—but still far from worthy of concern.
She had already scanned their ranks; there were no quasi-god-level experts among them.
Without someone at that level, even possessing the Immortal Spirit Energy wouldn't birth a true god.
There was nothing for the Soul Beast race to fear.
And the Cult, if wise, would never dare provoke them.
If Gu Yuena truly acted, the entire continent—human and beast alike—would crumble like dust. Her only real concern remained the gods of the Divine Realm above.
"At last, it's ours!"
Zhongli Wu and Long Xiaoyao both exhaled in relief, excitement flashing across their faces.
They could already picture it—one of them ascending, the Holy Spirit Cult rising to dominance under the shelter of a newly born deity.
"According to the Pavilion's explanation, to reach a fifty percent breakthrough rate, one needs to be at the quasi-god level," Long Xiaoyao said thoughtfully. "Both Xishui and I are still in the second stage of Ultimate Douluo. Who knows when we might advance? Every breakthrough requires opportunity and luck."
"Then we'll simply wait," Zhongli Wu replied with a casual smile. "We'll keep the Immortal Spirit Energy until the Pavilion releases more treasures that can help us advance to the next realm. There's no rush."
At least now, no other power could use it against them.
"Still," Long Xiaoyao sighed, "if only we had also acquired the Heart of Origin earlier—I and Xishui might already be quasi-gods by now."
Zhongli Wu's expression flickered. He, too, regretted letting that chance slip away, but it didn't matter anymore.
They had claimed the greatest prize. The rest would come in time.
As the crowd gradually recovered from the shock, their attention once again turned toward the stage—awaiting the next item.
Jiang Li noticed the energy had calmed and wasted no time.
He raised his right hand, and a new object materialized upon the platform—a brilliant head soul bone radiating intense vitality.
A pulse of crimson light filled the chamber—it was unmistakably a hundred-thousand-year-level soul bone.
"Hold on—a head soul bone? At this stage of the auction? That can't be all—there must be more to it."
"Exactly. This is the later stage of the auction; a mere soul bone wouldn't appear now unless it hides something remarkable."
"Everyone knows that soul bones usually only grant skills. Perhaps this one contains an additional power?"
The crowd murmured among themselves. Even the calmest of them wore thoughtful looks.
It wasn't that a hundred-thousand-year soul bone lacked value—it was simply that its timing felt wrong.
At this point in the auction, there had to be more to it.
(END CHAPTER)
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