After leaving the Black Seal Auction Hall, Xiao Yan headed straight back to his hotel room, resting there for some time until the auction's start time approached. Then he emerged from his meditative state, dressed with a well-fitted, flowing black robe, and calmly stepped out of the hotel, making his way once again toward the auction hall. When Xiao Yan reappeared at the hall's entrance, the dense crowd of people and the loud, chaotic noise—filled with murmurs, arguments, and shouting—left him momentarily stunned. He had not expected such a large turnout, and indeed, it was no surprise that this grand event stood as a major highlight within the Black Angular Region. After gently pushing through the crowd, he found himself slightly exasperated and had to retreat. In the Black Angular Region, it wasn't like in the Gamma Empire—here, people were far less patient. To simply cut in line meant receiving a flurry of punches, often from dozens of others. The residents of the region were far less gentle than those from outside, and it was quite common for a disagreement to escalate into a fight, with someone drawing their sword and cutting through the crowd. The crowd of people emitting continuous cries of distress gradually dispersed. Xiao Yan scanned the surroundings before his gaze settled on an alternative passage outside the auction hall's main entrance. This passage contrasted sharply with the one he had just been in—wide and spacious, its floor adorned with a red carpet. Around it, several dozen black-robed men stood with cold, impassive expressions, exuding an aura of fierce, oppressive solemnity that intimidated the surrounding crowd, effectively creating a vacuum zone in this passage. As Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the scene, he caught sight of a group of figures stepping into the red-carpeted passage. His eyes followed them, finally resting on a particularly pale and handsome young man positioned at the center. From his outward appearance, he seemed only in his early to mid-20s, yet the subtle energy pulses occasionally radiating from him—causing faint ripples in the air—indicated that his strength was likely at the very least at the Spirit Realm level. "This person... quite impressive, and yet so young? It seems the Black Angle Domain truly harbors many talents." Gazing at the pale young man with a touch of astonishment, Xiao Yan murmured to himself. "Hey, over there—looks like someone from the Blood Sect!" "Indeed, those eccentric fellows. The one in the middle must be Fan Ling, the Deputy Sect Master of the Blood Sect. Heh, I heard recently that the disappearance of a senior elder from the Eight Gates was linked to him." "His body is completely devoid of blood—drawn out as if forcibly drained. Such a spectacle would only interest the Blood Sect, yet it's surprising that they dared to come all the way to the Eight Gates' headquarters." "What's there to be afraid of? His father is a fifth-tier powerhouse on the Black List, while Yuan Yi is still far behind him. Moreover, the Blood Sect's influence surpasses that of the Eight Gates. How could they dare to move on Fan Ling without fearing his father's wrath—wouldn't he send an army to wipe out Black Imprint City?" Hearing the murmurs spreading among the crowd, Xiao Yan's mind finally began to clear. He glanced once more at the pale young man and mentally noted the name—Blood Sect. Noticing the slightly different gaze directed at him, the young man, about to enter the auction hall, suddenly paused, slightly inclined his head, and cast a cold, emotionless glance toward Xiao Yan, who was completely concealed beneath his black robe. The young man's brow furrowed slightly, hesitated, and then, with a touch of curiosity, stepped into the hall. "Indeed, the Black Angular Region doesn't have many ordinary people," Xiao Yan thought, feeling as though he were being watched by a vampire bat in the dark. He spread his hands, a quiet chuckle forming in his heart. Shortly after that group from the "Blood Sect" entered the auction hall, several more batches of people followed, and from the murmurs around them, it was clear that each and every one of these individuals belonged to a powerful faction within the Black Angle Region—this indeed surprised Xiao Yan. Standing at the now-empty, quiet carpeted corridor, he glanced at the bustling, crowded entrance and found himself at a loss for words. "For heaven's sake, it's just a worn-out VIP card—what's so fancy about it? This Eight-Door Society is purely profit-driven. I've successfully auctioned over fifty thousand items, yet not a single VIP card has been offered to me." As Xiao Yan scanned the carpeted corridor, a thin, slightly hunched man who had been pushed aside by the crowd glanced at it and muttered under his breath, though his eyes clearly revealed a sense of envy. "A VIP card?" "Heard that, Xiao Yan's mind stirred, and he recalled that when the others entered the corridor, they had all apparently pulled out a card. With his hand brushing against the jade bracelet at his sleeve, a jade card leapt out. Xiao Yan remembered the old man in the appraisal room had called this a second-tier VIP card. 'What are you staring at? Are you trying to die!' As if sensing Xiao Yan's gaze shifting from within his black robe, the thin, wiry man instantly grew fierce, glaring at him fiercely. Ignoring this nervous man, Xiao Yan moved steadily toward the carpeted corridor, straightening through the man's expression of astonishment." "Hmph. This guy..." Seeing Xiao Yan's actions, the thin man immediately gave a dismissive sigh. He had himself witnessed Xiao Yan being pushed aside by the crowd earlier, so naturally, he didn't believe that this plainly dressed man could possess a VIP card from Black Seal Auction Hall. After all, such a card wasn't granted to those with merely solid strength—it required either exceptional prowess or the successful auction of over two million items to earn even a third-tier VIP card. Two million—such a sum was beyond the reach of most people in Black Angular Region. This was evident from Xiao Yan's own experience: he had only earned five thousand gold coins after escorting a merchant all the way to Domar. Even a strong Duoshishi-level fighter managed that feat, let alone others. In this world, money wasn't easily earned. Otherwise, why would prominent Duoshishi, Duolings, or even Duowang-level fighters have to resort to becoming assassins? Of course, the profession of a medicinal alchemist—so highly coveted—was naturally left out here, given the stringent innate requirements that made it a dream for nearly ninety percent of potential aspirants. Precisely because of these factors, the lean man observed Xiao Yan's actions and found himself subtly condescending. Yet this disdain did not last long; his stern expression soon grew rigid, as Xiao Yan had only paused briefly on the carpeted corridor before confidently stepping onto the luxuriously soft red carpet. "Damn it! Even with a VIP card, you're still crowding in—what's wrong with you?" His eyes, flushed with envy, especially brightened when, upon entering the auction hall, he glanced back at the scene. At that moment, the lean man was so frustrated he kept rubbing his temples, clearly sensing the mocking gaze emanating from beneath Xiao Yan's black robe. … Entering the corridor, the light was slightly dim. Walking straight to the end and then turning a corner, a colossal auction hall suddenly came into view, leaving Xiao Yan momentarily breathless. This auction hall was far larger than any he had seen before—the dense rows of seats and the nearly entirely crystal-constructed auction platform were particularly striking. The attendant wandered through the vast space for nearly ten minutes before stopping near the crystal auction platform, pointing to a seat and offering a gentle smile to Xiao Yan before bowing and retreating. Stepping into the spacious hall filled with elegant, plush seating, Xiao Yan sank into a chair, the softness of the fabric so inviting that he felt an almost irresistible urge to curl his body into it. Turning back to gaze at the ordinary chairs behind him, he sighed once more—this was indeed privilege, born from money and power. Sitting quietly, Xiao Yan's brow lifted slightly as he raised his gaze toward a row of seats some distance ahead. There, Fang Ling, the junior chief of the Blood Sect whom he had previously met at the entrance, was gazing at him with a slightly unusual expression. Frowning slightly beneath his black robe, Xiao Yan paid no immediate attention, closed his eyes, and simply waited in quiet stillness for the auction to begin. "Junior Chief, what's wrong?" The handsome young man with a pale complexion slowly drew his gaze back. Beside him, the elder, whose face also seemed pale, asked softly. "Nothing much, just that the person seems odd. And strangely, I feel an unusual... sense of apprehension toward him," said Fan Ling, shaking his head with a light chuckle. "Heh, perhaps the junior master has mistaken something. Though our blood sect's cultivation techniques are extremely cool and naturally inclined to be wary of intense flames, even at that level, such flame is rare—few people in the Black Angle Domain possess it." The elder smiled. "Perhaps that's true." The young man nodded. Those individuals who possessed such fiery vitality were all among the peak strength contenders within the Black Corner Domain, yet this black-robed figure clearly did not belong to that elite group. With that, he ceased his internal speculations and directed his gaze toward the crystal platform, murmuring softly, "I wonder if the news is genuine. Should it be true, Father has pledged that no matter what it takes, we must secure it!" "Heh, Young Master, don't worry—Master has already made discreet preparations. Even if the item ends up in someone else's hands, it will surely remain within ten li of Black Seal City!" the elder said with a low, assured tone. "That sounds perfect," the young man replied, a cold arc forming at the corner of his mouth. Gradually closing his eyes, he settled into quiet anticipation, waiting for the auction to begin. As Fan Ling closed his eyes, several power factions nearby were quietly exchanging murmurs. Should anyone happen to listen in, they would notice a common theme—something mysterious, seemingly the very final item of this auction!