“Stop right there!”
Just as Shen Lian was about to enter the World Auction Chamber, a guard at the entrance blocked his path.
“Please show your invitation!”
Shen Lian narrowed his eyes slightly. “Invitation?”
The guard raised his nose arrogantly and said, “Of course. Today is our once-a-month auction day. Only those with an invitation may enter. You should be well aware of the rules, right?”
“Oh?” Shen Lian slowly unfolded his fan and gently waved it, the corners of his lips curling faintly. “So if I don’t have an invitation, I don’t qualify to enter?”
“Not necessarily. If you’ve spent 300,000 spirit stones at our chamber and can show proof of purchase, you may also come and go freely.”
“That’s the rule of the World Auction Chamber?”
“Exactly. It’s a rule personally set by our President. No invitation, no proof of purchase—then not even a fly gets in. So if you have neither, get lost. Don’t cause trouble.”
As he spoke, the guard clapped his hands together, and a fly instantly splattered into filth between his palms—his action clearly revealing his cultivation level.
“A mere 1st stage Core Formation Realm piece of trash… and you think you have the right to block my way?” Shen Lian sneered.
“Then let me redefine the rules of your World Auction Chamber.”
In the next instant, a powerful pressure descended from the air.
Thud—!
The previously arrogant guard instantly collapsed to his knees, crushed by the sheer weight of Shen Lian’s pressure.
“You… urgh… cough—!” The guard tried to speak, but blood spurted from his mouth the moment he opened it.
“I’ll ask one more time. Am I qualified now?!”
“Ah—!!”
The pressure on his shoulders grew even heavier, forcing a pained scream from him.
Soon, his howls attracted more guards.
“Who dares make trouble here?”
“Are you looking to die?!”
The new guards channeled their energy and rushed forward, intent on subduing Shen Lian.
Thud, thud, thud—
But in the very next moment, they all followed in the footsteps of the first guard, collapsing to their knees before Shen Lian, drenched in sweat, overwhelmed by pain.
“I’ll ask one last time. Am. I. Qualified. Now?”
The pressure fell again with his words. All the guards now lay prostrate on the ground, gasping for breath. Their faces turned purple, hearts pounding uncontrollably—crushed by the unbearable suffocation and spiritual torment.
“Fellow cultivator, please stop!”
Suddenly, a middle-aged man with a mustache and the air of a manager rushed out to the entrance, bowing repeatedly to Shen Lian.
“Apologies. These low-level staff didn’t know the rules and offended you. I beg your forgiveness. Please give them a chance to learn from this.”
The man’s attitude was humble and sincere. He had watched the entire event unfold from within the hall. Seeing a dozen guards fail to even get close to Shen Lian before being subdued by sheer pressure alone, he knew immediately that this was at least a Spirit Transformation Realm expert.
Though there were indeed top-tier powerhouses within the auction chamber who could handle a fight, this was a business. If the visitor had powerful backing, any conflict would only harm the World Auction Chamber.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, the man immediately decided to yield and politely submit, all while secretly resolving to investigate Shen Lian’s background.
“Fellow cultivator, I am Sun Yuanfang, the manager of the World Auction Chamber in Wushuang City. If you would be so kind as to show leniency to these men, as it is their first offense…”
“I just want to know—am I now qualified to enter the auction hall?”
“Of course! With your strength, you are more than welcome to enter as an exception.”
Sun Yuanfang bowed and scraped like a dog. Shen Lian found his fawning expression disgusting, but he didn’t want to waste time on ants. With a flick of his sleeve, he retracted his pressure. “Lead the way.”
With that, he stepped into the main hall.
Huff… huff…
As soon as the pressure was gone, the guards gasped desperately for air. Had Shen Lian delayed even a moment longer, the deadly pressure would’ve crushed their Five Viscera and Six Bowels, killing them in agony.
At this moment, staring at the fading silhouette of Shen Lian, their eyes were filled with fear…
…
With about one hour remaining until the auction began, the hall was already packed.
“Fellow cultivator, I’m afraid there are no more available seats. Would you mind standing here for now?” Sun Yuanfang asked with a flattering smile, gesturing toward a corner. He truly hadn’t anticipated such a wild card appearing today.
This was the first time since the auction house had opened that something so unexpected had occurred.
Shen Lian didn’t respond. He simply waved his fan and scanned the crowd.
“Fellow cultivator, the auction is about to begin. I still have work to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave.” Sun Yuanfang gave a polite bow and turned to leave.
But just as he turned around, a heavy iron fan landed on his shoulder, stopping him cold.
“Fellow cultivator… what are you doing?”
“I have one question. Is there an antidote pill at today’s auction?”
“There is, there is!” Sun Yuanfang answered quickly. “You came at just the right time. The first item up for bid today is a 6th-grade Vitalhorn Pill.”
“Sixth grade?” Shen Lian’s brows furrowed. “No higher-grade options?”
“Fellow cultivator, this pill was personally provided by the Young Mistress of Medicine King Glass Valley. She happens to be our President’s junior sister…” This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
“Mu Yaoguang?”
“Yes, yes! Do you know her too?”
“Know her? I more than just know her. Since the pill was made by Mu Yaoguang, I’ll reluctantly participate in the auction.”
With that, he removed the iron fan from Sun Yuanfang’s shoulder.
Sun Yuanfang let out a sigh of relief and quickly cupped his fists before hastily retreating backstage.
Once there, he pulled aside a passing auction assistant and whispered, “Quick, go summon Elder Chen. I suspect that man is here with ill intent. If anything goes wrong, we’ll be in serious trouble.”
“Yes, sir!”
The assistant didn’t dare delay and immediately went to carry out the order.
…
At last, the auction began.
A host in luxurious robes took to the stage and announced loudly, “Honored guests, welcome to the World Auction Chamber’s monthly auction! Without wasting time, let’s begin.
Our first item is a 6th-grade detoxification pill—the Vitalhorn Pill, personally refined by the Young Mistress of Medicine King Glass Valley, Mu Yaoguang.
Many of you may already know its effects—it can neutralize hundreds of toxins and has miraculous results in cleansing the meridians of long-accumulated poisons.
Medicine King Glass Valley’s name needs no further introduction. If anyone is interested, you may now begin bidding. There is no starting price.”
“Half a spirit stone!”
The moment the host finished, Shen Lian’s voice echoed eerily across the venue like a phantom.
Everyone was stunned.
“Esteemed guest, according to our rules, all bids must be made in whole numbers. We’ve never accepted half a spirit stone as a valid bid.” The host’s expression darkened, thinking, What lunatic dares cause trouble at the World Auction Chamber?
The rest of the guests also glared at Shen Lian. It was obvious they all thought he was here to cause trouble.
“Rules?” Shen Lian said coldly. “From now on, my rules are the only ones that matter. Everyone here will follow my rules.”
“I say it’s worth half a spirit stone, so that’s its value. Anyone who bids higher is challenging my authority.”
“And those who challenge my rules… will pay a price none of you can afford!”