Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

The Shangyang Auction was held in a wide, rectangular building that seemed to float within the sky at a certain height without a foundation. It stationarily lingered in the water like the Rain Flow City did in this world of water. It gave one a strange sensation of surrealism.

The building was so wide that it seemed to stretch for several li in all directions. The altitude of the building indicated that only those at the Origin Core Realm or higher could attend. This seemed to be generally accepted. The normal citizens below didn't seem too bothered or hyped by this event. Instead, the ones with the qualifications to enter just do so soundlessly and without disturbance.

There wasn't a single guard, simply a single entrance. This entrance wasn't a door but just a tall and wide opening.

"This place is truly too different from Xiantu Realm," Tao commented. He had read about different societies and cultures, and even in the Xiantu Realm, they had different religions and beliefs, but this was by far just...different. Everything felt so alien yet so familiar. The auctions held, restaurants, myriad of different forces, the cultivators air of supremacy, and more; yet all of this just made things even harder to adjust.

"Yeah…" Yan Zaizen tried not to think about it, only arriving at the entrance and entering. He was curious how different the auction would be from what he was familiar with. In the Xiantu Realm, those with different statuses were located at better locations. They were also given the choice to remain anonymous if they so desired.

"What!" Bai Lufeng, Tao, and Yan Zaizen were shocked as they entered the entrance. Their beliefs about auctions were completely overturned.

When they arrived, they saw people just idly floating about. There seemed to be nine levels of altitude, with the lower one indicating initial-Origin Core Realm. The highest level had experts who emanated traces of heavenly aura. There was no seating, no arrangement, just levels. Everyone just picked a spot and waited. Even the Heavenly Genesis experts just calmly floated in their designated areas, unbothered by all.

At the center of the building was a deep blue platform that rippled and fluctuated with a swirling aura. No one was within ten thousand feet of this location, causing Yan Zaizen to realize it was the auction platform.

Looking around, Yan Zaizen was curious. No one came to receive them. No one came to introduce the rules. There was simply an entrance and nothing more. The choice of remaining anonymous was completely impossible in this setting. After all, there was only a wide open area and nothing else.

"The Deluge Realm's societal standards and approach towards specific activities are just FAR too different. Aren't they scared of…" Yan Zaizen was truly about to question the mentality of those who designed this auction, but then he came to a realization. There's a low chance anyone would be able to fight within the city. In that case, buying whatever you want, whenever you want, without caring about others were possible.

Thinking up to here, he decided to forgo his previous criticism.

"I guess...we'll have to separate…" Bai Lufeng dejectedly said. In truth, Tao's cultivation base was actually higher than his own, being at the late-Origin Core Realm, while he was still at the mid-Origin Core Realm.

Due to the events at the Xiantu Continent, Bai Lufeng's cultivation speed slowed down to a snail's crawl. There were even a few times he severely injured himself due to memory recalls at key moments. Therefore, if they were to find spots accordingly, he would be placed at a lower location than the other two.

Even when they dined in restaurants, they had to do so separately.

Yan Zaizen's eyes flickered but he wasn't having it. They had been segregated too much the last few days and it felt beyond boring. "Don't resist," Yan Zaizen waved his hand and drew Tao and Bai Lufeng into the Meteor Ring. With a step, he arrived at the initial-True Essence Realm's level. When he arrived, he felt a ripple wash over him.

He furrowed his brows. "It seems like they make sure you're located where you should." The ripple earlier had faint traces of spiritual sense, but it seemed to originate from a formation rather than an actual person. The society standards were heavily enforced.

After getting into position, Yan Zaizen closed his eyes. His spiritual form appeared in the Meteor Ring, with a thought, his spiritual form took the form of a physical body representation. Therefore, he wasn't a walking figure of multi-color lights but looked as if he had a body of flesh.

Tao and Bai Lufeng had expressions of comfort. They were staring at the two stars above the Meteor Ring. One was the Aurora Star. It was large, grand, and released an aura that soothed the soul. The other was the Asura Star, it had a very violent, vicious, and malevolent aura but it was like a far-off star in comparison to the Aurora Star.

"Astral Soul Realm…" Tao understood that the Meteor Ring projected a manifestation of Yan Zaizen's soul cultivation, so he wasn't stunned, but Bai Lufeng's eyes seemed to be lost in bliss as he stared at the star that seemed to emanate warmth. He had a desire to embrace it with his everything. The star gave him the feeling that, if he entered, everything in his life would be complete.

Woosh!

Yan Zaizen shifted near Bai Lufeng and Tao, "We'll view the auction here." He waved his hand, projecting a screen of the deep-blue platform in the center of the building. Bai Lufeng remained stationary as he stared at the star, while Tao had already broken out of his stupor after a flash of dark-amber light flickered in his gaze.

With a pointed finger, he placed it at Bai Lufeng's glabella. A flash of dark-amber light that originated from his bestowed dao erupted. Bai Lufeng's eyes regained its normal clarity. "I…" He looked lost, his gaze flickering with dark-amber light. Only after a few seconds did he regain his calm.

"The Aurora Astral Star contain Yan Zaizen's Mortal Dao. The influence at the projection is hundreds of times stronger than normal. Keep your wits about yourself." Tao chuckled, recalling Lin Feilin in Presba. Yan Zaizen had mentioned if his dao was the reason she was influenced towards him. At the time, Yan Zaizen hadn't finished his Mortal Dao nor did he fully unleash it, yet Lin Feilin was like a baby chick to a father hen.

She gravitated towards his warmth and tyrannical authority. Bai Lufeng just experienced this but several hundred of thousands of times greater. If it wasn't for the fact that Tao possessed Yan Zaizen's dao, even he would be greatly affected.

Yan Zaizen didn't mind Bai Lufeng's reaction. In truth, he was looking at Bai Lufeng to gauge his reaction. Currently, Bai Lufeng's still had cracks in his psyche, evident by his cultivation speed and slight shifts in personality. Pinaka theorized that if Bai Lufeng obtained Yan Zaizen's Mortal Dao, it's possible those cracks in his psyche would be filled up. Yan Zaizen had other thoughts; therefore, he didn't bestow Bai Lufeng with his dao.

"The auction is beginning," Tao pointed out. Their gazes drew to the projected screen to see a young gunyu woman swim on stage with a smile. When she arrived, she didn't speak, instead, she sent out a wide soul transmission to all participants.

"Greetings all!" After the initial greeting, she proceeded to explain the rules and details of the auction. She alluded to some fascinating items being placed in this auction. The rules of this auction caused Yan Zaizen's group expressions to turn ugly. Bidding was done differently. Very differently! There was no intense competitions or continuous bids, but only a single bid.

You bid a single time on a single item. This bid can be placed at any time during the hour representation of the said item.

If someone bids higher than you, you'll lose that item.

At the end of the auction, the winning bidder will be sent a soul transmission to inform them of their successful bid.

It's like...this entire city were overt in their attempts at avoiding potentials of conflict.

Holy shit.

Essentially, bid high or don't bid at all.

Not to mention, there's no way to know who wins a particular item since all bids are done by soul transmissions to the auctioneer. Afterward, the item would simply be won and moved on. At the end of the auction, you would pick up your items. When the auction concludes, the prices at which the items were sold would be released to the public for perusal.

A deep, long sigh filled with depression was released from Yan Zaizen. Tao and Bai Lufeng felt odd in their hearts. Was this how the myriad realms were? The variety and possibilities scared them.

Yan Zaizen felt saddened by the fact he couldn't attempt to buy everything in a tyrannical fashion. In Sky Night Royal City, he couldn't do so because a ninety-nine percent of the items were his own. In Rain Flow City, he couldn't do so because no one would even know he bought it. He couldn't flaunt his absurd wealth obtained from robbery and extortion. He felt depressed.

He received a soul transmission. This transmission resounded like a grand voice within the Meteor Ring, "First item: A grand-tier pill that can be considered at the peak of the tier. To be precise, it's at the apex! An Apex Essence Pill. Please, make your bid."