The several old monks had skin of a faint golden hue, and faint halos of light had grown behind their heads. They walked into a VIP private box and vanished from sight.

“Have these old monks cultivated the Golden Body?” Ye Fan had heard tell of the Buddhist Golden Body on the other end of the star domain.

“Even people from the Western Desert have come. The great Emperor Wushi’s legacy is truly world-shaking — the reach of this is immense!” Li Heishui exclaimed.

Suddenly, his expression tightened. He transmitted by divine sense, “Over there — an existence even more terrifying than the Azure Flood Dragon King has arrived!”

Ye Fan followed his gaze and saw a man of around forty years, with fair, clean skin, a tall and lean build, and sharp, gaunt features.

“Who is he?”

“This man is Xu Tianyong, the third great outlaw of the Northern Region — grandfather of Xu Yuan and Xu Heng.” Li Heishui introduced.

Ye Fan took careful note, memorizing his appearance. This was a supremely terrifying figure. He had personally suppressed Xu Yuan — he absolutely could not be exposed, or disaster would follow.

Before long, Ye Fan saw the imperial prince of Great Xia and the white-robed little nun escorting a middle-aged man who wore a dragon crown and golden dragon robes.

That middle-aged man was extraordinarily martial in bearing. Faintly, nine true dragons coiled about him, curling upon his golden battle garment. And above the dragon crown atop his head, a dragon’s head had materialized from dragon qi, awe-inspiring to behold.

“This must be an important figure from the Great Xia imperial clan. Dragon qi taking form, manifesting a true dragon’s head — this is the expression of having cultivated the Supreme Emperor Scripture to an extremely profound realm.” Li Heishui was shaken.

Many formidable figures had come, the vast majority of whom were unrecognizable. The splendidly ornate auction hall was packed to capacity — a sea of heads in every direction.

Now, neither Ye Fan nor Li Heishui harbored any worry. With members of every Holy Land present, that damaged divine medicine was sure to be auctioned off for an astronomical price.

Li Heishui said, “I’ve already made inquiries. It seems the Holy Lord Yao Guang was grievously wounded — mainly because the last time she was struck at her very foundation by the Peacock King’s Primal Chaos Precious Seal. In the assault on Purple Mountain this time, she nearly perished.”

Ye Fan couldn’t help but glance toward an inconspicuous spot in the crowd below. The Old Daoist of the Red Dragon sat there without so much as glancing at any of the Holy Lands.

Truly having nothing to fear — last time he had personally gone to kill Holy Lord Yao Guang. Yet he dared come here.

Then again, thinking about it, one could understand. The Holy Lands and the Thirteen Great Outlaws had reached a temporary truce, cooperating to use the ancient Heaven-Devouring Jar to assault Purple Mountain. The Old Daoist of the Red Dragon sitting here was hardly remarkable under those circumstances.

Dang…

A resonant divine bell rang out. The Celestial Demon Treasure Pavilion fell quiet. The auction was about to begin.

At this point, fewer people were coming and going. The important figures and great forces that needed to be here had nearly all arrived — no need to wait further.

At the very front stood a yellow-diamond dragon platform — crystalline and shimmering, flowing with golden radiance, magnificent beyond compare, carved entirely from yellow diamonds.

A white-haired elder ascended the dragon platform and announced the commencement of the auction.

Sixteen young women stood on either side of the dragon platform — all from the Celestial Demon Palace, naturally all demonesses — graceful and enchanting, bodies draped in pink gauze. They would be responsible for presenting the auction items.

At the outset, a few minor items were transacted, the highest selling price no more than two thousand catties of source. Everything proceeded without incident.

“The fourth auction item — a piece of ancient precious jade, with a reserve price of one thousand catties of source.” The white-haired elder on the yellow-diamond dragon platform announced.

A demoness young woman stepped forward with light, lotus-like steps, her hair swaying, bearing a zitan wood tray. On the tray lay a piece of ancient jade, its luster warm and rich, its veining patterns delicate and intricate.

Ye Fan’s heart lurched. This piece of jade was far too familiar. It was absolutely an Emperor’s Jade!

It was a fragment of the jade left behind by the great Emperor Wushi, and he had not expected to encounter it here — put up for auction with a reserve price of merely one thousand catties of source. This was practically laughable.

Were its origins known, not even ten thousand catties would be spoken of — a hundred thousand catties would drive people to madness.

“Does this piece of jade have any special significance?” Someone in the auction hall called out.

“This jade carries a Dao resonance, suggesting it may have been the personal jade of some great figure from ancient times.” The white-haired elder introduced.

Everyone examined it closely. Ultimately all shook their heads. No one made a bid.

On the ancient jade was a faint, blurred imprint — exactly one section of the nine dragon veins. However, it showed only a corner, not the full length of a dragon’s body.

“This jade was broken at just the right place — displaying only a corner of the mountain range, not the full dragon vein. Even those who have seen Purple Mountain and the nine dragon veins cannot recognize it.” Ye Fan felt excited.

Now, with the great Emperor Wushi’s legacy stirring the world, had anyone recognized it, the resulting uproar would be earth-shattering.

At this moment, Ye Fan’s mood was more stirred than it had been when he cut out the world-rare treasures.

“One thousand catties of source.” He bid the reserve price.

“Two thousand catties of source.” Suddenly, a voice came from another VIP private box, countering him directly.

Ye Fan recognized the voice — it was the man in embroidered robes who had come with Wu Ziming. His brow furrowed at once.

“Three thousand catties of source.”

“Four thousand catties of source.” The man in embroidered robes continued to raise the bid.

Li Heishui was puzzled. “It’s just a broken piece of jade. What do you want with it?”

The jade was of supreme importance, and Ye Fan had no way to say so — doing so would bring catastrophic consequences.

He had to obtain it, but had no wish to overpay like a fool. He smiled. “It’s an ancient jade from tens of thousands of years ago. I want to collect it as a curiosity. If they want it too, let them have it — five thousand catties of source. If they go above that, they can take it.”

“Six…” That side started calling out a six, but ultimately did not finish the bid.

In the end, Ye Fan purchased the ancient jade for five thousand catties of source. Though he had spent several thousand extra catties, it was absolutely worth it.

To enter and exit Purple Mountain, the Emperor’s Jade was indispensable — it was the one and only key left behind by the great Emperor Wushi. Were its origins known, it would be a scene of mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

It could open the great Emperor Wushi’s legacy. Ye Fan had set his sights on the Wushi Scripture without compromise.

The many great figures present in the Celestial Demon Treasure Pavilion paid no attention to the opening minor items — all were waiting for the ancient divine medicine. Yet they had no idea that a heaven-defying ancient jade had just slipped right past them.

A fortunate thing too. Otherwise, this place would have erupted into an earth-shaking battle.

“Wu Ziming and his lot deliberately drove up the price to target us.” Li Heishui was very displeased.

Ye Fan was in high spirits and had no intention of dwelling on it. “We’ll settle the score with them at the Holy Land stone squares in due time.”

Finally, the main event arrived. A young demoness carefully cradled a scroll of white silk and carried it up to the yellow-diamond dragon platform.

“A handwritten record left behind by a great power upon their passing, with a reserve price of thirty thousand catties of source.” The white-haired elder announced in a resonant voice.

Hong!

The auction hall erupted at once. Many were visibly agitated. Numerous Supreme Elders from the great sects moved to bid for this item.

“Forty thousand catties of source!”

“Fifty thousand catties of source!”

“This old man bids seventy thousand catties of source!”

“Eighty thousand catties of source!”

…

The scene was intensely heated. A crowd of elders competed with raised bids. Many of the younger cultivators could only watch with envy — they had no way to participate.

“These old fellows are like they’ve been given some kind of mad tonic — their eyes have all gone red!” Li Heishui laughed.

“Watch what you say. In a place like this, someone may be able to intercept even divine sense transmissions.” Ye Fan cautioned.

In the end, the handwritten record of this departed great power was auctioned off for the staggering price of one hundred twenty thousand catties of source — truly astonishing.

On the yellow-diamond dragon platform, the white-haired elder announced, “Next — an ancient rare treasure will be auctioned.”

The entire auction hall fell silent in an instant. A pin dropping could be heard.

The sixteen demoness young women, though of considerable cultivation, were at this moment drenched in sweat, panting softly, their strength sapped. Together they carried in a large, battered bell — about one meter in height, ancient and unadorned, giving no outward indication of anything remarkable, resembling an ordinary bell.

Everyone was startled. These young women were within the Palace’s secret realm, and yet they were struggling so greatly — testament to the bell’s extraordinary weight.

The white-haired elder of the Celestial Demon Palace stepped forward and personally received it, carrying the dim and lusterless great bell up to the yellow-diamond dragon platform and placing it at the very top for all to see.

“Broken — already destroyed.”

The crowd broke into uproar. One side of the great bell was completely missing — strictly speaking, this was half a bell.

“Why bring out a broken bell?” Someone asked loudly, not understanding.

“Everyone — do not dismiss it lightly. This is an ancient rare treasure.” The white-haired elder’s expression was solemn.

“What is it, exactly?”

The white-haired elder said, “This object was discovered by someone in an abandoned ancient mine. Its age is beyond reckoning — at the very least, it has a history of fifty thousand years.”

“There are many ancient objects in the world. Age alone does not confer preciousness. What are its origins?” An elder-generation figure asked.

“This is no ordinary bell. It is a weapon once offered up by an ancient great figure who stood with one foot on the threshold of the ancient sage’s realm.”

As the white-haired elder finished speaking, the auction hall broke into a clamor. Many elder-generation figures grew agitated and began calling out bids rapidly.

“Seventy thousand catties of source!”

“Eighty thousand catties of source!”

“One hundred thousand catties of source!”

…

In this moment, even members of the great Holy Lands joined in the bidding.

Though the bell was already broken and could no longer be repaired, residual laws still remained within it — worth deep study for any great figure.

The scene was intensely feverish. Groups of elders kept loudly raising their bids — all of them members of super-scale forces.

“These decrepit old fellows — now it’s some other stimulant!” Li Heishui muttered.

Ye Fan laughed. “Your grandfather is in the mix as well.”

Li Heishui: “…”

In the end, the broken great bell sold for the staggering price of one hundred eighty thousand catties of source — extraordinary beyond words. One could only imagine how astronomical the price would be were it intact.

“Now — the final rare treasure of the auction will be presented. It can be called peerless, for a second one can never be found in this world.”

The white-haired elder spoke with feeling. He personally descended from the yellow-diamond dragon platform and carried up a flawlessly white jade cauldron, placing it at the highest position on the platform.

The jade cauldron stood barely a foot tall, its lid sealed upon it — airtight, hermetically closed.

“I believe everyone has already learned what it is. Yes — it is an ancient divine medicine, cut out of a stone by a young friend of ours!”

The auction hall broke into clamor — impossible to quiet. Many stood up from their seats. This auction had been attended specifically for this divine medicine.

Of course, many had come simply to witness it. They could not possibly afford to buy it — it would surely go for an astronomical price, and would most likely end up in the hands of one of the great Holy Lands. No one could compete with them.

The white-haired elder opened the white jade cauldron and removed the divine medicine. Though it was sealed within ice-source, a faint, delicate fragrance still drifted out, refreshing body and mind.

Light blue root and stem shimmered with a crystalline radiance. The milky-white medicinal roots were indistinguishable from human feet — merely much smaller.

“The years are too vast — even the name of this human-shaped divine medicine is unknown to anyone today. Search the entire great wilderness of this age, and you would be hard pressed to find such a human-shaped divine medicine again. Its reserve price is one hundred fifty thousand catties of source!”

Sss!

Everyone drew a sharp breath. This divine medicine was truly a peerless rare treasure, but it was far too damaged — its true value absolutely no more than one hundred fifty thousand catties of source.

Yet the reserve price had been set here outright. It was plain that the final transaction price would be outrageous.

A brief silence — then many shouted out high bids.

“One hundred sixty thousand catties of source!”

“One hundred eighty thousand catties of source!”

“Two hundred thousand catties of source!”

…

Even Xu Tianyong, the third great outlaw, rose to his feet and called out a sky-high price.

At the sight of this, the crowd of elders all sat back down. They knew they had no chance — this was a contest among Holy Lord-level figures.

Indeed — the Holy Lands began making their bids. Several Holy Lords were personally present, seated in VIP private boxes.

“Those old bald heads have moved too.” Li Heishui was elated. The several old monks with the halos glowing behind their heads drove the price directly to two hundred fifty thousand catties of source.

And the several mysterious great figures from the Central Continent, wearing dragon crowns, added another fifty thousand catties of source in a single breath!

Sss!

Ye Fan drew a sharp breath. “It seems these people truly intend to enter Purple Mountain — they are preparing in advance, purchasing divine medicine to save their lives!”

Li Heishui said, “Since so many great figures are here — let’s go ahead and auction off that gnawed fruit as well.”

Ye Fan nodded. “Correct. As soon as the divine medicine is sold, immediately have the Celestial Demon Treasure Pavilion put up that fruit with the dog-tooth marks for auction.”

“Hahaha… I want to see which Holy Lord ends up buying it, and what expression they make.”