Translator: AnubisTL
After gathering prominent figures from across the lower realm, the Ten Thousand Treasures Grand Gathering, long-awaited by cultivators of all levels, finally commenced in Heavenly Treasure Capital, Wind Origin Domain!
The minimum requirement to attend this grand gathering was cultivation at the pseudo core formation stage, with core formation realm cultivators being commonplace.
Nascent Soul cultivators like Li Qing were also present in significant numbers, as the event had drawn the elite from various domains of the lower realm.
Whether any divine transformation stage old monsters were secretly hidden among them remained unknown!
However, it was clear that in such a grand auction, the Nascent Soul cultivators held the true power. The core formation realm cultivators were merely there as supporting characters.
As the central palace of Heavenly Treasure Capital trembled slightly, the immortal city's protective formation erupted with dazzling, boundless spiritual light.
In the next instant, the colossal central palace suddenly soared into the sky, its golden and jade-adorned halls now radiating unparalleled splendor.
"The Heavenly Treasure Grand Hall... I hear it was personally refined by Wan Shengtian himself. When its full power is unleashed, it's said to surpass even the magic treasures of Nascent Soul cultivators."
"That's not the most astonishing part. Look beneath the hall—that's the Formation Core of Heavenly Treasure Capital's protective Grand Formation. When the hall and the Grand Formation combine, even Nascent Soul cultivators who try to force their way in will meet their doom here!"
"Combining a formation with a magic treasure? Truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship!"
"..."
Amidst the murmurs of awe and the gazes of reverence, the Heavenly Treasure Grand Hall, propelled by the immortal city's Grand Formation, had already ascended to a high altitude.
"Hahaha! Fellow daoists, please enter the hall! The Ten Thousand Treasures Grand Gathering is about to begin!" True Monarch Wan He appeared outside the hall, clasping his hands in a respectful bow toward all the cultivators in the immortal city below.
As soon as his words fell, figures shot into the sky, answering the call of the Nascent Soul realm master.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Cultivators from across the immortal city unleashed their various techniques to soar into the heavens, their eyes fixed on the magnificent hall above.
Some cultivators soared through the void, others activated spirit boats, while some stood atop flying swords and other magic treasures. There were even those riding demon beast mounts.
This awe-inspiring display left the remaining low-level cultivators within the city, who hadn't received invitations, gazing up with envy and reverence.
Most of these cultivators were at the foundation establishment or qi refining realms—hardly worth mentioning in the current gathering of elites in Heavenly Treasure Capital.
Witnessing the elegant display of power by so many high-level cultivators stirred a mix of emotions within them.
Li Qing's actions were far from ostentatious. He quietly channeled his mana, blending into the crowd as he ascended step by step.
His attention was primarily focused on the Heavenly Treasure Grand Hall and the formation art beneath it. He hadn't expected to find such a perfect combination of magic treasure and spirit formation here.
"Truly enlightening," he murmured. "Though not fully integrated, the hall and formation art complement each other ingeniously, leveraging the strengths of both."
"The formation art enhances the hall's power, which in turn nourishes the city's formation art. This is fundamentally different from the Zhong Clan's Golden War Boat."
Li Qing observed the scene with meticulous detail, as he planned to refine the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation Diagram later, which would also require combining formation art and magic treasure power.
He watched as closely as possible, hoping to glean some useful details.
"When I refine the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation Diagram in the future, I can't just set up the formation art independently like this. I'll need to refine a formation diagram to contain the formation art first, and then refine several killing swords."
Though there were still significant differences, Li Qing found some inspiration in the scene.
As he continued observing, Li Qing approached the magnificent and opulent golden palace floating in the sky.
Boom!
With a slight display of his nascent soul realm cultivation base, the surrounding cultivators scattered like frightened birds, fearing they might obstruct the path of this venerable Nascent Soul cultivator and incur his wrath.
Upon entering the Heavenly Treasure Grand Hall, Li Qing was immediately struck by the hidden depths within.
"Interesting. The space inside is far larger than it appears from the outside. The refining process of this hall must have been quite extraordinary."
Li Qing marveled before continuing deeper into the hall.
Inside the hall, the seating arrangement could be roughly divided into three tiers. At the center stood the auction platform, heavily guarded by restrictions, clearly intended for showcasing the auction items.
Around the platform, individual seats were arranged, reserved for cultivators of lower cultivation levels.
It was hard to imagine that core formation realm cultivators, who commanded immense respect in the outside world, would be relegated to such seats here. It was indeed a bit cramped.
Of course, the seats weren't packed shoulder to shoulder. The core formation realm cultivators were scattered throughout, with those who knew each other well clustering together.
After all, the hall was quite spacious, so the seating arrangement didn't truly embarrass these core formation realm cultivators.
Finally, there was the upper tier of the hall. This area featured independent pavilions and pavilions, floating dao platforms, and private boxes for enhanced privacy.
From this vantage point, one could easily survey the entire auction venue. Moreover, it offered various delicacies, spirit wines, and spirit teas for patrons to enjoy.
In addition to these, several beautiful female servants knelt nearby, awaiting orders. Upon closer inspection, these servants were all at the late qi refining realm, a rather impressive feat.
Such meticulous preparations were clearly aimed at attracting Nascent Soul cultivators like Li Qing!
Li Qing ascended to the upper level of the auction platform, intending to find a secluded private room. However, he was soon greeted by a chorus of greetings.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Limitless, please join us! Let's share a drink!"
"Our last meeting was far too brief. Why not join me at my table, Fellow Daoist Limitless?"
"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Limitless, you're truly a busy man! I sent you no fewer than ten invitations, yet I still haven't had the pleasure of seeing your true face."
It must be said that Li Qing had become quite the sensation in Heavenly Treasure Capital. His display of power in his battle with the Black Flood Dragon King and his casual suppression of the demon race's Golden Bear King had earned him the respect and friendship of many.
Li Qing's response was equally courteous and impeccably polite, showing no arrogance whatsoever.
As he replied, Li Qing caught sight of the Black Flood Dragon King, now in human form.
With their grievances settled, the Flood Dragon Clan elder nodded in acknowledgment upon seeing Li Qing. While his demeanor wasn't overly warm, this simple gesture alone left a deep impression on the Nascent Soul cultivators nearby.
Everyone knew how arrogant the Flood Dragon Clan was. This seemingly simple nod carried profound meaning.
Few present were worthy of the Black Flood Dragon King's attention, yet Li Qing had earned this recognition—a rare feat in this world.
"Hmph!"
Of course, for every attempt at friendship, there was also animosity.
In a secluded private room further inside, the burly Golden Bear King watched Li Qing's popularity with a cold snort.
Li Qing simply ignored him.
The auction assembly was about to begin. Starting a conflict here would be a surefire way to completely alienate the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild—a foolish move indeed!
In the end, Li Qing politely declined the invitations of his fellow Nascent Soul cultivators and chose a private room for himself.
As soon as he sat down, a charming female attendant brought in exquisite spirit food. Instead of leaving after setting the dishes down, the attendant lingered, adopting a seductive pose and brazenly exposing her most alluring features.
A delicate fragrance, unique to virgins, wafted into Li Qing's nostrils, but he remained unmoved. "You may leave," he said coldly.
The attendant's charming face paled instantly, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Senior, have I offended you in some way?"
"You're overthinking it. I simply prefer some peace and quiet," Li Qing replied indifferently.
At these words, the attendant's complexion improved slightly. After a slight bow, she gracefully retreated from the room.
It wasn't that Li Qing was averse to women. He was, in fact, quite uninhibited. In a private, secluded setting, he wouldn't mind experiencing the warmth of a woman's embrace.
However, this was a bustling gathering of cultivators, a spectacle that drew all eyes. He had no intention of engaging in such intimate activities in such a boisterous and conspicuous environment.
Though the private room offered excellent privacy, shielded by a restriction that blocked divine sense detection, it still felt as if they were under someone's watchful gaze.
After a considerable wait, True Monarch Wan He finally stepped onto the stage. He was going to personally preside over this grand auction!
For a Nascent Soul cultivator to host an auction assembly was an extremely rare occurrence!
"Hahahaha, thank you, fellow daoists, for gracing us with your presence at the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's auction assembly!"
"As always, this auction assembly will feature items from both the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild and our esteemed fellow daoists present here today."
"The rules of the auction assembly are simple: I hope everyone will prioritize harmony and cooperation, as the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild believes in prosperity through amicable relations!"
"Of course, since this is an auction, the highest bidder will prevail. However, some items cannot be solely valued in spirit stones, so we will also employ a barter system for certain lots."
"Our dedicated appraisal team will be on hand to authenticate the items' authenticity."
With that, True Monarch Wan He gestured towards a long table behind the stage.
The crowd followed the direction he pointed, and soon gasps of astonishment erupted.
"They're all Nascent Soul cultivators!"
"Hiss, the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's hidden strength is truly unfathomable. Just their appraisal team alone has four Nascent Soul cultivators!"
"Wait, aren't those the branch heads from the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's various domain branches?"
"..."
Amidst the chorus of exclamations, Li Qing also caught sight of the appraisal team. To his surprise, he recognized an old acquaintance among them.
True Monarch Tianbao!
Indeed, the very True Monarch Tianbao who had helped him so much in the past was now part of the appraisal team.
"No wonder I haven't seen him in the immortal city lately. I never expected him to appear here."
Li Qing wasn't overly surprised. True Monarch Tianbao was more than capable of serving as a branch head for a great domain, possessing vast knowledge and experience. He was perfectly suited to appraising treasures.
For the cultivators from various domains, the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild and its appraisal team were undoubtedly trustworthy.
"Finally, after the auction concludes, you may pay a certain amount of spirit stones to use the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's teleportation array to leave this place!"
"Hehe, with the help of Fellow Daoist Tianxing, the one-way, non-directional teleportation array within the immortal city has been fully repaired, ensuring that all fellow daoists can bid without any worries!"
"Therefore, you may now bid freely on any item that catches your eye!"
With these words, the auction assembly officially began. True Monarch Wan He waved his hand, and several strongmen carried a heavy, deep brown crystal onto the stage.
The crystal was not transparent, appearing somewhat murky overall. However, everyone present was a cultivator—who among them wasn't sharp-eyed and sharp-eared? Even if they couldn't see clearly, they could always use their divine sense to investigate!
Soon, someone discovered that within the deep brown crystal, there were several creatures resembling true dragons!
At this sight, everyone in the audience gasped in shock.
"What is this? Are those dragon-shaped creatures inside actually true dragons?"
"Impossible! They're so majestic—if they're not true dragons, they must be flood dragons!"
As soon as this was said, everyone's gaze turned toward the private room where the Black Flood Dragon King was seated.
Were they really auctioning off flood dragons right in front of their king? Surely the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild wouldn't be so audacious?
But soon, everyone noticed that the Black Flood Dragon King remained completely still, appearing surprisingly calm.
True Monarch Wan He chuckled and explained, "Hehe, please don't be so hasty, everyone. A true dragon is an invincible being even in the upper realm. How could one possibly appear here?"
"As for a flood dragon? That's even more ridiculous!"
"To be honest, what's sealed within this crystal is likely just a few strands of dragon qi!"
(End of the Chapter)
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