As the energy ring extended upward, the ground of the auction platform slowly cracked with a low, resonant sound of metal joints shifting, revealing a stairway extending deep into the earth, now visible to the countless onlookers in the hall. The stairs materialized, and then an elderly man in a golden robe stepped forward with a gentle smile. As he appeared, a profound and overwhelming aura began to emanate from within him, gradually sweeping through the vast hall, silencing the previously bustling noise. "Such a powerful presence—this man must be Master Mo Tianxing of the Black Emperor Sect," Xiang Yan remarked, his eyes slightly narrowed as he gazed at the elder in the golden robe, in awe. "Agreed," Xiao Yi nodded. Mo Tianxing's strength was no less than that of the immortal old man from the Ten Scorpions Sect back then, and perhaps even surpassed him slightly. "Hehe, I am Mo Tianxing. I'm sure many of you have already met me before. Today, as my Black Emperor Sect hosts this auction, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your presence." As Mo Tianxing stepped onto the stage, his gaze slowly swept across the surroundings, pausing slightly at certain spots, and his warm laughter resonated clearly in the ears of every attendee. His words also prompted laughter from several influential groups seated in the VIP section. The Black Emperor Sect, a long-standing power in the Black Angle Region, has remained steadfast for decades, with an extensive network of connections. Mo Tianxing himself is particularly well-connected, and many of the strong contenders present have either deep or more casual ties with him. Hearing the waves of laughter, Mo Tianxing smiled, then shifted his gaze, circling the room before finally settling on a VIP section—precisely where Xiao Yan and his companions were seated. His eyes lingered on Xiao Yan, who sat in the center. Feeling his gaze, Xiao Yan lifted his eyes as well, meeting them for a moment before Mo Tianxing offered him a warm, friendly smile. "Heh, I'm sure all of you have been eagerly anticipating this auction. So, I won't waste any more time with boring pleasantries." Under the countless sets of eyes watching him, Mo Tianxing spoke calmly, "However, I'd like to remind everyone of the auction's rules—everyone should be familiar with them. Should anyone dare to act uppity and show their mettle on our Black Emperor Sect's grounds, I'll say something sharp right in front of all these people. And if that person doesn't bow out, they'll surely find themselves unable to live or die at ease!" "Indeed, a true Grand Duelist—such grace and presence..." Feeling the sharp intensity in Mo Tianxing's words, Xiao Yan couldn't help but shake his head. With just his personal strength, he had successfully intimidated the powerful cultivators from all directions of the Black Corner Region—truly, a Grand Duelist of exceptional caliber. From a lofty vantage point, all could see the silver platter, upon which various objects glowing with a soft light were arranged. "Ah, now comes our opening course—the technique of 'Finger Arts'." The white-haired elder smiled, pointing to a silver platter in front of him, upon which lay a scroll of pure white. "The 'Sky-Feather Finger Technique,' a mid-tier divine rank finger art, has always been relatively rare. Though its cultivation may prove somewhat challenging, it often yields unexpected advantages when employed in combat. Given that all of you are no ordinary individuals, I'm sure you're well aware of how difficult it is to counter finger arts." "Taking the scroll, the white-haired elder smiled gently, 'Based on the true value of the Tian Yu Finger, the starting bid should have been at least thirty thousand coins. However, since it's the very first item, the Master personally decided that the opening bid would be set at ten thousand coins, with an upper limit of eighty thousand. Whoever reaches this upper limit first—regardless of how much anyone else subsequently bids—will secure ownership of the Tian Yu Finger. Everyone, this is a rare opportunity—don't miss it!' Clearly seasoned in battle and exceptionally experienced in auctions, the elder only needed to apply a little skill to instantly energize the atmosphere in the hall. For most of the attendees, ten thousand coins wasn't an extravagant amount, and indeed, as the elder had mentioned, the Tian Yu Finger's true value far exceeds this figure. As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of bidding voices rose in unison throughout the vast hall." Hearing the rising calls of bidding from around him, even Xiao Yan couldn't help but regard the white-haired elder with fresh respect. He hadn't expected that within Black Emperor's Hall, talent truly flourished. This time, he had come to the auction specifically hoping to find some combat techniques he would be satisfied with—particularly intrigued by the so-called finger-based combat techniques. Yet, despite his interest, he had decided not to purchase the Heavenly Feathers Finger Technique. Though it was slightly more affordable in terms of rank, it didn't quite capture his attention. With Xiao Yan's current discernment, unless it were a Ground-Rank technique, he found it difficult to be truly enthusiastic. After all, he was no longer the young, impressionable boy from Wutan City who had once been delighted simply by any technique casually offered by Yao Lao. Leaning gently against the soft back of the chair, Xiao Yan slightly narrowed his eyes, knowing that the auction had only just begun, and the truly outstanding items were still to come. At present, the offerings being presented held little appeal for most of the guests seated in the贵宾 lounge—indeed, not a single person on the VIP section had yet raised their hand to bid for the so-called "Heavenly Feather Finger." With his finger lightly tapping the armrest, Xiao Yan listened to the steadily rising prices in the auction hall and couldn't help but shake his head. What had started at a mere one hundred thousand had, through the elder's maneuver, surged all the way to five hundred and seventy thousand, and the trend showed no sign of slowing. Under Xiao Yan's seemingly detached, theatrical gaze, the bidding continued for approximately fifteen minutes before finally settling. At that moment, the price of one hundred thousand was sealed at eight hundred thousand—by a single, decisive bid. The elderly man with white hair smiled warmly at the gradually fading bidding sounds in the center, eighty thousand—already exceeding the intrinsic value of this scroll of combat technique. In a typical auction, such a price would surely have been hard to achieve. However, given the initially low starting bid of ten thousand, the results had been surprisingly successful. With a gentle tap of his silver mallet three times, the scroll of mid-level heavenly feather finger was smoothly secured. Following this strong opening performance, the atmosphere within the auction hall began to warm up. Capitalizing on the growing momentum, the white-haired auctioneer successively unveiled other auction items. Thanks to their excellent quality and the enthusiastic, compelling praise from the elderly man, all the items fetched favorable prices. It seemed clear that Black Emperor Sect would indeed reap substantial profits from this auction. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that this auction hosted by Hei Huang Sect has drawn such a large crowd is no mere coincidence. In terms of the quality of the items offered, it undoubtedly represents the most precious collection that Xiao Xin has seen in recent years. Of course, this rarity is judged from the general perspective—true treasures that would deeply resonate with strong contenders like Xiao Xin and his peers have yet to emerge. As time passed, the auction, thriving under such intense momentum, continued for nearly an hour, with the quality of the items steadily rising, further fueling the growing excitement within the hall. When this fervor lasted for approximately two hours, the items now being auctioned were already prompting strong bids from the elite guests seated in the premium section, with several even making萧In feel a strong urge to step in and bid—though after careful consideration, they ultimately held back, choosing instead to purchase only what best suited their needs. The atmosphere within the auction hall grew even more vibrant due to the competitive bidding among these prominent figures seated in the premium section. As the participating factions came from all corners of the Black Corner Region, most of them were either indifferent or even adversarial, and whenever such rival factions encountered one another, they invariably raised their bids fiercely, determined not to be outbid. This unwavering determination left many observers in awe—indeed, it was no surprise that these well-known powers of the Black Corner Region commanded such substantial resources, far surpassing the capabilities of ordinary participants. As for those who had been fiercely advocating for it, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel momentarily at a loss, his body lazily leaning against the back of the chair, his teacup gently swaying, sending ripples across the surface of the tea. Under Xiao Yan's seemingly detached gaze, the white-haired elder on the auction stage sold a sharp weapon embedded with a five-stage magic core, then, with a mysterious air, took from a serving maid a silver platter containing a scroll of vivid crimson, resembling flames. "Heh, everyone, this combat technique is rather rare—it's a scroll-based technique, though somewhat specialized. Still, its rank is quite high, reaching mid-ground stage. Moreover, it's said to have been left behind by a once-renowned Supreme Combat Master who once dominated the continent hundreds of years ago. Its value is truly exceptional." Hearing the Elder with the white hair speak of the techniques of measuring and competing, Xiao Yan, who had previously been lazily leaning against the back of his chair, suddenly felt intrigued, and for the first time, cast a keen, interested gaze toward the auction stage.