"Two hundred and sixty spirit stones!"
As soon as Lan Tianlu spoke, someone in the crowd immediately followed his bid.
Though this price was steep, it was still bearable for the disciples of noble families, for high-grade Spirit Water was rare and sought after.
Upon hearing these bids, Lan Tianlu's resentment deepened.
There was no need to say; he knew the Spirit Water on the stage definitely came from Gu Yuan.
That opportunist must have discovered the secret of the Four Spirits Jade Pillar, hence selling Cyan Crane Spirit Water to nurture stronger Spiritual Flood Dragon Celestial Water.
With this thought, he was maddened by hatred.
This should have been his chance!
All because of that damned fellow, faking being a Golden Core disciple, suppressing others with power, stealing his opportunity!
"But now this guy has probably consumed the Spirit Water, advancing to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. If I fight him now, there might not be a guaranteed victory."
"It's all because of that wicked woman, settling me with a portion of Silverfish Spirit Water and a high-grade Dharma Artifact, not letting me see my second uncle!"
"Luckily, I have other chances in the White Worm Cold Prison. As long as I can consume Cyan Crane Spirit Water and break through Qi Refining Fifth Layer, I can catch up again to this despicable person!"
"Though this guy is base, he is also cunning. He must have hidden the Four Spirits Jade Pillar in his Storage Bag. As long as there's a chance to kill him, everything will return to its starting point!"
"The opportunity will still be mine!"
Lan Tianlu touched his Spirit Beast Bag, feeling the cold and eerie stardust within, his heart filled with murderous intent.
"Two hundred and seventy spirit stones!"
"Two hundred and seventy spirit stones!"
"Is there anyone who wants to bid more?!"
Just then, the elder's call from the stage brought him back to reality.
He immediately raised his hand obediently and shouted eagerly, "Two hundred and eighty!"
"Two hundred and eighty, any more?"
"Two hundred and ninety!"
Lan Tianlu followed suit in bidding.
"Two hundred and ninety-five!"
The bids gradually decreased.
"Three hundred!"
Lan Tianlu said viciously.
Finally, no one bid anymore.
Three hundred spirit stones—a price far exceeding the usual. Even noble family disciples didn't wish to compete further for high-grade Spirit Water, although scarce, could eventually be found without bankrupting one's family.
"Three hundred spirit stones!"
"Sold!"
Accompanied by the knock of the Jade Hammer, Lan Tianlu finally secured the Spirit Water he wanted, causing his mouth to inadvertently curve upward.
But suddenly, he recollected something, his expression turning dark.
Damn it!
He delivered another three hundred spirit stones to that Gu fellow!
...
...
Gu Yuan's mouth continued to curve upward.
His face beaming with smile.
Three hundred spirit stones—a fortune!
Even deducting the hundred or so spirit stones borrowed, and sharing the profit with two others, Gu Yuan could still receive one hundred forty stones.
This amount, along with what he gained from raising Silverfish, should be enough to craft two Dharma Seals.
Feeling delighted, Gu Yuan found even the auction ahead much more pleasant to watch.
And the auction continued.
"This auction concludes with the final piece, a top-grade Dharma Artifact, the Kongyue Seal. This artifact incorporates a small mountain base, weighing eighteen thousand eight hundred eighty pounds, plus thirty-six artifact patterns, boundless in power, striking could injure those in the Qi Refining Eighth Layer!"
"Starting bid, two hundred spirit stones!"
With the sound of the Jade Hammer, the crowd below began to stir with excitement.
Though the Qi Refining Stage is divided into nine layers, it's a single realm, with the difference in strength not disastrously vast. A strong artifact can sometimes allow cross-level combat.
At the Qi Refining Stage, artifacts are classified into three grades: Low-grade Dharma Artifacts, often used below the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, ordinary in power, slow in speed.
Above that are middle-grade Dharma Artifacts, controllable by Spiritual Sense, more powerful, often used by cultivators above the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
As for high-grade Dharma Artifacts, generally used by those above the Qi Refining Seventh Layer or affluent disciples above Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
Top-grade Dharma Artifacts stand as the pinnacle within the Qi Refining Realm, impressive in power, well-utilized, can allow cross-level combat.
Yet expensive, few can afford them.
Though Gu Yuan was tempted, he grasped his wallet, ultimately sighing in admiration.
"Four hundred and eighty spirit stones, sold!"
Finally, the artifact's price continuously rose, concluding the auction with someone acquiring it at four hundred and eighty stones.
After the auction, Gu Yuan received his share of spirit stones, then wandered through the Celestial Star Dark Market.
The auction featured coveted items, but many spiritual materials weren't auctioned, left to personal sales instead.
Gu Yuan wandered around, spending nearly fifty spirit stones, nearly buying all materials needed for two Dharma Seals, except the five-hundred-year-old Green Turtle's back, which he couldn't find.
Though disheartened, it was unavoidable. He could only remain observant while preparing to inquire at the Pill Furnace Hall or Celestial Craft Pavilion.
These two establishments annually collect and transport vast amounts of spiritual materials for sect use, and can sell if disciples require.
Gu Yuan planned visits to these two places, testing his luck.
After planning, he naturally didn't linger at the Celestial Star Dark Market, and with a thought, returned to Silver Moon Bay.
Eager to cultivate Dharma Seals, as soon as Gu Yuan left the Dark Market, he readied the Cloud-Stepping Shuttle, heading to the Pill Furnace Institute.
But at that moment, the sky outside the Market suddenly darkened.
Utterly dim.
The Great Sun seemed shrouded by a terrifying shadow, without a single ray of light.
Bear in mind, Cyan Peak Daoist School was guarded by a Grand Array, perpetually springlike, well-lit, even without clear skies, the array simulates the Great Sun, emitting ample warmth and light. Yet at this moment, the whole Grand Array seemed to lament, daring not to emit even a trace of light.
What had happened?
"Could it be someone attacked the Daoist School!"
Within the Market, chaos erupted as someone voiced Gu Yuan's thought.
"Impossible, who's bold enough to assault the Daoist School? Celestial Palace's laws aren't trivial!"
Yet was swiftly rebuked.
This isn't a mobster cultivation world of naked predation.
This world upholds laws, under Celestial Palace and Dragon's reign, for tens of thousands of years, no large-scale conflicts have occurred.
No Daoist School could be arbitrarily ravaged.
Therefore, someone wrongly accusing attack on the Daoist Palace was nearly baseless.
Just then, liquid unexpectedly dripped onto Gu Yuan's face.
Even gathered mana seemed unable to stop it.
Startled, feeling it, he discovered his hand drenched, flaming red!
Blood!
Droplets of fresh blood descended from heaven, seeping into the earth.
Blood rain from the sky!
"Boom!"
Simultaneously, dreadful thunder resounded continuously, resonating throughout the Nine-Heavens-Ten-Lands, and the sea's four corners, creatures in every domain heard this terrible roar.
Thunder burst through the Void, filled with melancholia.
As if mourning some terrifying existence's demise.
An unexplainable sadness abruptly surged in Gu Yuan's heart.
"Wailing!"
"Wailing!"
Suddenly, Cyan Peak Mountain, Spirit Beast Pavilion, Nine Rivers Marsh… simultaneously wailed with the cries of demons, the sound blood-weepingly sorrowful.
"Is it… is it, the True Dragon, the True Dragon has fallen?"
Suddenly within the Market, someone quivered, stammering the words.
The Great Sun dimmed, Nine Heavens wept blood, thunder roared like mountains, myriad beings mourned.
The True Dragon has perished.
On this day, every entity capable of glimpsing into the Celestial Palace tilted their heads, gazing at that tens of thousands-year resplendent palace.
The True Dragon is dead, what of the True Immortal then?
Countless ambitions burgeoned.
The world's order has reached its turning point.