Though still an egg, the Golden Horned Beast had already regained a faint consciousness.
However, Luo Feng possessed the inherited Soul Seal left by Hu Yan Bo, fully capable of possessing the Golden Horned Beast, eliminating the need for soul-burning as in the original timeline.
Soon, under Babata's guidance, Luo Feng began the possession process.
Meanwhile, Han Jue was busy with his own preparations.
The First Universe Bank's auction, open to all three-star and higher customers across the Qianwu Universe Nation, was about to begin.
This auction carried far more prestige than the standard Qianwu regional sales. This was an internal auction held by the Qianwu branch of the First Universe Bank itself, featuring treasures useful even to Immortals among its most prized lots.
While three-star customers were welcome to participate, the auction primarily targeted Immortal customers of four-star rank and above. Ordinary three-star customers weren't even informed of the auction's existence. They could only enter if accompanied by a four-star customer willing to vouch for them.
"Master, this time we'll focus on purchasing cultivation supplies for the Star-Eating Grass," Rimuru advised.
With his Six Eyes abnormal ability, Han Jue didn't need to buy treasures to aid his understanding of the Original Laws. He already possessed excellent weapons and a Force suit, so there wasn't much else he required. He would simply browse the offerings and see if anything particularly valuable caught his attention.
"Let's see what they have," Han Jue said with a slight smile.
The Virtual Universe
Han Jue produced his auction invitation. With a thought, he commanded, "Teleport."
Whoosh!
The next moment, his figure vanished from the Black Dragon Mountain island, transported to a strange dimension.
The Qianwu branch headquarters of the First Universe Bank within the Virtual Universe materialized around him.
This enormous city bustled with countless people amid beautiful scenery, filled with all sorts of rare flowers, plants, and trees. Any of these botanical specimens, if they existed in reality, would be treasures that could attract cosmic powerhouses from across entire starfields.
"Hello, sir! Welcome to the auction held by the First Universe Bank." A staff member approached immediately, her demeanor professional and warm. "As a four-star customer, you're entitled to a seat in the second-floor stands. Here's your seat number."
Because four-star customers had been marked in the system early on, Han Jue was warmly escorted inside by the staff member upon arriving at the auction entrance. His entrance drew the attention of many nearby Domain Masters loitering outside.
"What genius would be so fortunate as to receive a four-star account?"
"I had to request intervention from a Universe Lord, and I paid a considerable price just to gain entry to this auction!"
"Let's not discuss that. I heard there's a, "
The people outside chattered incessantly, creating a cacophony of voices, but it had nothing to do with Han Jue.
Inside the Auction Hall
Upon entering the auction hall, Han Jue observed that it was divided into three distinct levels.
The first floor, the main hall, accommodated three-star customers. Millions of seats stretched across the vast space, each measuring six meters wide and ten meters deep, occupying an enormous area.
The second-floor stands were reserved for four-star customers. Each stand was relatively independent, measuring a hundred meters in length and width. Drinks and refreshments were provided, with dedicated staff on hand to serve.
The private rooms on the third floor were exclusively for five-star customers. They were basically reserved for Marquis-level beings and rarely saw use at regional auctions like this one.
"There won't be too many Domain Masters participating in this auction," Rimuru commented as Han Jue settled into his stand. "Most attendees will be Immortal-level beings."
Han Jue nodded in understanding.
More than 100,000 Domain Masters already occupied seats in the hall below. While the number seemed impressive, it paled in comparison to the attendance at the standard Qianwu auctions.
Most Domain Masters with sufficient financial resources came here to purchase items they couldn't normally access, treasures and techniques beyond the reach of conventional markets.
The surrounding stands were shrouded in thick fog, making it impossible to determine whether anyone occupied them.
After a considerable wait, a clear voice suddenly echoed throughout the auction hall.
"Everyone!"
The vast space instantly fell silent as all conversation ceased. Every attendee consciously stopped talking, their attention riveted to the stage below.
The auction had officially begun.
Han Jue's eyes focused intently on the stage, anticipation building within him.
Meanwhile, Elsewhere in the Universe
"Brother Hong!" Lei Shen's voice rang out with barely contained excitement.
"We finally succeeded!" His tone carried both relief and triumph.
"Yes." Hong's voice sounded slightly weaker than usual, but a genuine smile lingered on his face, softening his typically stern features.
After more than five months of grueling effort, the two had finally passed the Universe Mercenary Apprentice Assessment.
Ironically, the assessment itself hadn't been particularly difficult. The task required them to travel to a dangerous planet to retrieve a specific item, and the indigenous threats there hadn't posed significant danger to warriors of their caliber.
However, on that planet, they'd encountered someone claiming to be the eleventh prince of the Silverblue Empire. This prince had attempted to steal their spatial rings, along with the items they needed for the assessment.
Hong and Lei Shen both knew the Silverblue Empire controlled the Milky Way Galaxy as a primitive civilization, and its ruler appeared to be merely a Domain Master-level cultivator.
The prince himself possessed limited personal power, though he traveled with a number of Stellar-level slaves as bodyguards and attendants.
Seeing Hong and Lei Shen possessing spatial rings without any visible slaves accompanying them, the prince had decided to seize their belongings, assuming they were easy prey.
Hong and Lei Shen had originally intended to purchase Stellar-level slaves for protection and assistance, but they'd ultimately decided against it. They felt that relying on slaves' help wouldn't provide them with meaningful combat experience, so they'd ordered their purchased slaves to follow at a distance. This decision had made them appear vulnerable, drawing the prince's unwanted attention.
Being targeted this way, how could they tolerate such presumption?
Neither of them possessed timid personalities, so they'd immediately decided to strike back and teach the arrogant prince a lesson he'd never forget.
Taking advantage of the planet's unique terrain, the two Earth warriors and their distant slaves had methodically lured the prince into an elaborate trap.
Hong, a former assassin with decades of experience, had devised numerous tactical approaches. Together, they'd dispatched the prince's slaves one by one, leaving the royal brat terrified and begging for mercy.
Determined to eliminate any future threats and prevent retaliation, the two had ultimately killed the prince and claimed his considerable wealth for themselves.
With the prince's death behind them, they'd been able to complete the Universe Mercenary Apprentice Assessment successfully and officially become trainee mercenaries.
"That wasn't easy," Lei Shen said with a heavy sigh, his expression reflecting the weight of their recent actions. "Brother Hong, do you think the Silverblue Empire's royal family will seek revenge after we killed that prince?"
Hong frowned, clearly pondering the implications of this question with his characteristic thoroughness.
Finally, he shook his head slowly.
"That prince claimed to be ranked eleventh in succession, so he probably wasn't an important member of the royal family. Furthermore, Teacher Luo Feng has used a secret method to obscure Earth's coordinates within the cosmic network. Even if the Silverblue Empire's ruler wanted to retaliate, they wouldn't be able to locate Earth's actual position."
"That's a relief," Lei Shen said, breathing more easily.
"Rather than worry about that," Hong continued, his tone turning more serious, "we should focus on our current situation."
Quite a few people had been participating in the Universe Mercenary Assessment on that planet at the same time as them.
Among those participants were members of the Hundred Tigers Building, one of the four major civilian organizations within the Black Dragon Mountain Empire.
A Level One elite from the Hundred Tigers Building, someone who'd been on good terms with the prince and traveling as part of his entourage, had also been present during the conflict.
Naturally, this Level One elite had also been eliminated by Hong and Lei Shen during the fighting.
At this point in their development, Hong had reached the fourth level of Domain mastery, while Lei Shen had achieved the second level.
In terms of genetic energy cultivation, both men were advancing rapidly. Relying on various treasures and resources provided by Luo Feng, they'd each reached approximately the third level of Stellar rank.
With such formidable strength combined with their Domain abilities, it had been perfectly reasonable for them to defeat and kill an elite from the Hundred Tigers Building.
Therefore, after the two departed from the assessment planet, they'd been immediately targeted by the Hundred Tigers Building organization, which sought vengeance for their fallen member.
Just as the two were contemplating countermeasures to this new threat, Lei Shen suddenly spoke up, his voice carrying surprise. "Brother Hong, representatives from Three Axe Mountain just sent us an invitation to join their organization!"
Hong felt momentarily startled, then discovered that he too had received an identical invitation through his virtual universe interface.
"A meeting in the Virtual Universe?" Hong murmured thoughtfully, his sharp mind already analyzing the implications.
Three Axe Mountain stood as the strongest and most prestigious of the four major civilian organizations within the Black Dragon Mountain Empire. Its founder was an Immortal-level being, a true powerhouse who'd established the organization over 100,000 years ago.
If Three Axe Mountain was extending an invitation now, while the Hundred Tigers Building was seeking revenge, it suggested interesting possibilities.
Hong's eyes gleamed with calculation as he opened the invitation to examine its details.
Perhaps this conflict would resolve itself more elegantly than expected.