The clear chime of the bell resonated gently throughout the auction hall, and as the sound rose, the previously intense clamor of voices gradually softened. Countless pairs of eyes turned toward the crystal platform, glowing with eager anticipation. "Ah, everyone, I'm sure you've all grown a bit impatient by now. Well, then, I'll skip the formalities and the stiff pleasantries that might otherwise bore you." The elderly man in a sumptuous robe, with silver hair, smiled warmly at the dense crowd, his gaze subtly sweeping over the key powerhouses seated in the front rows. His strong, clear voice echoed through the hall. As an experienced auctioneer, he knew precisely what the audience wanted to see—and what they wished to avoid—so he promptly set aside the usual introductory remarks. Indeed, his move earned a resounding round of applause, even earning a slight nod from the blood-tempered, ice-cold young deputy master of the Blood Sect. "As an annual auction event, I'm confident that this one, hosted by our Eight-Door Society, will surely not disappoint you," the elder said, lightly clapping his hands. "I now announce: the Black Seal City Auction is officially beginning!" As the elder's words resonated, a brilliant, intense light erupted from the grand crystal platform. After a moment, the light gradually faded. On the platform, before the white-haired elder, a long sword of pure, vivid blue shimmered under the illumination, radiating a crisp, cold luminescence. The energy traces flowing along the blade clearly indicated that it was a magically forged weapon, meticulously crafted by a master artisan. "This sword is named Hanfeng, forged from cold iron—its sharpness is such that it can cut through steel as if it were mere silk. Perfectly embedded upon its surface is a third-rank ice-element magical core. Should any of you who cultivate water or ice attributes wield it in battle, its power will surely be amplified. A true masterwork, an essential companion for any journey abroad. Should any of you be interested, do not hesitate to spend your hard-earned coins—though money is indeed precious, it must be enjoyed within the bounds of good health, after all, right? Hehe." The elder held the azure longsword in his hands, and as he did, a gentle tremor ran through the blade, releasing a subtle chill that rose in the form of a faint, ethereal white mist. Turning to the auction hall, he smiled warmly and said, "The starting bid is one hundred thousand. Please, go ahead." "The magic-core weapon...?" Looking at the long sword, Xiao Yan murmured, yet showed little enthusiasm. These days, he had grown fond of the grand, dynamic weapon—the Xuanzhong Chi, which delivered powerful, resonant attacks—so switching back to the slender, flowing long sword felt rather unnatural. Consequently, he didn't participate in the bidding, knowing that the truly exceptional items were still to come. Of course, while Xiao Yan showed little interest, that didn't mean others didn't. For combatants, a well-suited weapon was much like a medicine pot in a pharmacist's hands—essential, daily-use equipment. Thus, as the white-haired elder spoke, a steady stream of bidding sounds rose throughout the auction hall. The first bid, after a few minutes of bidding, was successfully secured by a slender, enthusiastic man for fifteen thousand gold coins. After the smooth running of the first auction, the auction platform soon began to reveal an astonishing array of treasures—armor, combat techniques, cultivation methods, medicinal herbs, and more. On one occasion, Xiao Yan even found himself momentarily stunned by a young beauty brought up on stage. Though she appeared only about twelve or thirteen years old, her figure was remarkably developed, truly embodying the ideal of a youthful, full-figured girl. Her timid expression instantly ignited the masculine desires of the seasoned men in the audience, who transformed into wolves in their fervor, ultimately securing a price of nearly 130,000—making the white-haired auctioneer burst into laughter. Sitting comfortably in his chair, Xiao Yan calmly observed the various awkward displays around him, gently closing his eyes, waiting for something that would truly move him. Early in the auction, no particularly striking or electrifying items had emerged to truly ignite the atmosphere, and the bidders present were mostly limited to a few individuals seated in the back. The powerful, well-funded factions occupying the front rows had yet to place a single bid. "Hehe, this pill is called the 'Severing Spirit Pill.' I'm sure many of you have heard of it. It helps those who have been struggling to reach the peak of the Battle Master rank to break through their barriers and make a decisive leap. Moreover, this is a two-pattern-level pill—those who take it and are fortunate enough may even see their strength surge dramatically, possibly jumping two stars." The white-haired auctioneer gestured to the pill in the jade bottle, smiling warmly. As soon as he finished speaking, waves of excitement rippled through the auction hall. Countless people stared intently at the jade bottle on the silver tray. Such a pill, capable of helping someone transcend the class barrier, was truly rare—even within the Black Angle Domain. Though only a single character separates Battle Master from Grand Battle Master, only upon reaching the latter does one truly enter the hall of mastery in the cultivation journey. This represents a near-qualitative leap. Thus, many had remained frozen at the peak of the Battle Master level, hesitating to take the next step. Yet all these issues could be easily resolved with just one Qingling Pill, which is why even the leading powers in the front row have shown a touch of interest. After all, a single Qingling Pill can cultivate a senior Battle Master, and from a long-term perspective, the deal is quite advantageous. Though peak强者 dominate in the Black Angle Domain, Battle Masters remain the backbone of many factions—having more of them is undoubtedly beneficial. There were clearly many people interested in the two-pattern Qingling Pills, and within less than a minute, the initial bidding price had been surpassed. Xiao Yan sat quietly in his chair, his fingers crossed, listening to the steadily rising bids. A faint, gentle smile began to form on the face beneath his black robe—far beyond his expectations, the Qingling Pills had been embraced so warmly in Black Angle Domain. Based on the current momentum, he now believed that sufficient funds were available to procure all the ingredients needed for the Fuzi Ling Pills. Bidding sounds rose and fell continuously throughout the hall. Within just ten minutes, the price of a single Qingling Pill had climbed from 350,000 to around 480,000. By this point, however, the bidding had noticeably slowed down—since a single pill now cost 480,000, two would amount to nearly a million, a price that many found quite substantial. "550,000." "Right when the price hovered at 490,000, a slightly cold, lazy voice finally rose from the front row. Hearing the sudden jump to 550,000, Xiao Yan raised his head slightly, his slightly astonished gaze fixed on the young deputy chief of the Blood Sect, murmuring to himself, 'He's also interested in the Qingling Pill?' The Blood Sect's deputy chief's bid immediately brought a hush to the bustling auction hall. Those who had intended to raise their bids again exchanged glances, hesitated, and reluctantly settled back in their seats—though they had sufficient funds, they felt clearly outmatched when compared to the Blood Sect. With that, they decided simply to give up. '560,000.' However, just as Xiao Yan had thought the price would settle at 550,000, a soft voice suddenly broke in. The gaze followed the call, finally settling on a middle-aged man dressed in gray skeletal robes seated in the front row. His brow lifted slightly, and he murmured to himself, "The Black Skull Tomb people..." The Black Skull Tomb was one of the formidable forces within the Black Horn Domain. It was said that their practiced techniques were particularly strange, and their elemental affinity leaned toward a rare dark attribute. Though the tomb housed a relatively small number of members, each one was an elite strength. Their relations with the Blood Sect were often tense, with frequent conflicts, though due to the strong leadership on both sides, they had yet to engage in a decisive battle. Upon hearing the bidding, the junior sect master of the Blood Sect grew noticeably colder, glanced sideways at the man who remained expressionless, and scoffed, "Fifty-eight thousand." "Fifty-nine thousand," the man replied, maintaining his composed demeanor, speaking calmly and unhurried. All eyes were focused on these two. Several of the front-ranking factions remained passive, merely watching with keen interest to see just how high they could push the price. "Master Young of the Blood Sect, fifty thousand is already excellent for a single two-rune Qingling Pill. If we go higher, we’ll start to incur a loss, and moreover, we’ll need to retain funds for our final bidding push," the elder beside the young master whispered, noticing that he still intended to increase the price. "Sixty thousand." The young master of the Blood Sect furrowed his brows, paused thoughtfully, and then announced his final offer—he had already decided that if the other side matched it, he would withdraw from the bidding altogether. Yet, surprisingly, after the young master of the Blood Sect made this announcement, the previously expressionless middle-aged man said nothing and simply sat back in his chair. A faint trace of disdain now appeared on his otherwise impassive face. The actions of the middle-aged man startled Fan Ling, the deputy chief of the Blood Sect, who then seemed to grasp the meaning, a cold, sinister smile playing at his lips. He murmured, "Excellent. If my father decides to act this time, I'll handle Mo'lhahn personally. I want him to experience the agony of his blood draining away." After successfully auctioning off two Qingling Dan, the subsequent items failed to fetch high prices—some were even purchased after just one price increase, which left the auctioneer on stage somewhat disappointed, as this directly impacted his performance and income. Fortunately, this slump lasted only for about fifteen minutes before it suddenly surged, even causing Xiao Yan to look momentarily stunned by the items being offered. The auctioneer's hand trembled, and the scroll slid down suddenly, revealing itself at once. To everyone's sight, a pair of smaller, slightly ghostly black bat wings emerged, exuding a faint eerie aura. "Indeed..." gazing in wonder at the delicate pair of wings, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, murmuring to himself.