The sharp wind blade suddenly severed the bald man’s arm. Before it could even fall, the severed limb ignited in mid-air, turning into ash.
If the person wielding the wind blade hadn't been decisive, the flames, like fiery serpents, would likely have burned the bald man to death on the spot.
For a moment, the auction hall fell to a terrifying silence, with only the bald man groaning on the ground.
"Ha—" A sudden laugh came from the man with dyed yellow hair on the seventeenth floor. His eyes, hidden beneath a mask, were filled with ambition. "As expected of an S-class treasure, the body of an A-class transcender couldn't withstand it for even a minute before turning to ash. No, not even thirty seconds."
"Regrettably, you failed to gain the crown's recognition and touched the Emperor's reversed scale. This is your punishment." The host, Ni Hong, offered a gracious smile. Lu Zhi noticed the wind blade had come from behind her, from a man hidden in the darkness.
Lu Zhi couldn't help but ask, "Who is that? He seems to be an S-class transcender as well."
Shen Qi leisurely stroked his teacup with his well-defined fingers and said slowly, "Natural element wind attribute, captain of Special Team Two, Lofis Loding."
Lu Zhi understood. This was an S+ transcender, even stronger than Luo Shiqian, Luo Shiyu's older brother.
As Shen Qi finished speaking, the man from the darkness walked into the light. Lu Zhi was surprised that he wasn't wearing a mask.
Lofis Loding had platinum blonde hair and sea-blue eyes, but his features were more delicate, leaning towards the Eastern style, like a pampered young noble from a Western noble family. His smile was pure and harmless, and no one would have imagined he was the one who had just decisively severed the bald man's arm.
Lofis Loding waved flamboyantly at the transcenders on the seventeenth floor, like a blockbuster star, greeting everyone enthusiastically, "Long time no see, are you all well?"
As he spoke, Lofis Loding's beautiful blue eyes looked at the bald man clutching his severed arm. His clear voice carried a hint of schadenfreude, "Look, it seems you haven't been doing too well, poor fellow. You can't be so reckless in the future..."
His smiling face suddenly turned grim, and his voice abruptly chilled, "Next time, you won't encounter someone as kind as me to save you."
Everyone was startled by his unpredictable mood and powerful aura.
Lu Zhi thought to himself, as expected of the captain of Team Two. This move of killing a chicken to scare the monkeys would likely deter any subsequent transcenders from making a move rashly, forcing them to weigh the strength of both sides.
"Someone, escort our guest for treatment." Lofis Loding gestured, and two security guards stepped forward, helping the bald man down.
Transcendents possessed strong healing abilities, and the higher their level, the greater their physical enhancement. The bald man had an A+ physique. Even with a severed arm, his wound stopped bleeding after only three minutes. However, his arm would not regrow on its own; he would need to find a healing transcendent to help him regrow it.
"Alright, the farce is over. Shall we continue?" Lofis Loding resumed his pure and harmless smile, his blue eyes sweeping over everyone on the seventeenth floor. They paused for a second on Shen Qi before naturally moving away. He asked, "Next, who's up?"
When the gun fires, the bird that sticks out gets shot. Everyone had witnessed the bald man's fate, and for a moment, no one stepped forward.
Lofis Loding said coldly, "So, you're all cowards."
"Lofis Loding, your provocation won't work on us." Catgirl stood up. "An A+ physique can be easily burned to ashes. Even an S-class would find it difficult to escape, wouldn't they? You can't expect us to willingly walk to our destruction."
Catgirl's words clearly implied that the Chichi Merchant Association had hidden the danger of the crown and wanted them to be the guinea pigs.
"Did we not say?" Lofis Loding asked host Ni Hong.
Ni Hong replied, "I already mentioned it. This treasure is called—The Crown of the Deceased."
Everyone was taken aback.
Yes, The Crown of the Deceased. Why was it called that?
Lofis Loding spread his hands. "If you're foolish, don't blame our sincerity."
"Damn it, a cliché word game!" the yellow-haired man exclaimed angrily. He arrogantly pointed at the host Ni Hong, "Stop playing these games with us. Even an S-class treasure wouldn't attack people on its own. What did you do to tamper with the treasure?"
"S-class treasure is merely our current classification based on treasure abilities," Lofis Loding said with a graceful smile. "Don't forget, above S-class, there is SS."
As soon as he finished speaking, the transcendents fell silent for three seconds, and the atmosphere suddenly ignited.
"A legendary SS-class treasure?" Lu Zhi blurted out. In the silence of everyone else, his voice was amplified and spread throughout the entire auction hall.
The eyes of some transcenders, who had been merely watching, changed.
An SS-class treasure. If one could become its owner, they could almost walk horizontally among transcenders! Even entering a cage, they could guarantee a safe retreat.
"Why should we believe you!" Catgirl's eyes had completely changed, from initial disdain to current ambition.
Lofis Loding walked up to the crown and, without warning, reached out towards it. The crackling sounds were those of sparks condensing and exploding, colliding with the whirlwind generated by Lofis Loding's palm. Energy fluctuations instantly spread outwards, and scorching flames and sharp winds filled the entire venue.
The dazzling ruby on the crown suddenly emitted a strong light, seemingly angered by Lofis Loding. The color of the flames shifted from normal hues to golden-orange. Even from such a distance, people on the auction stage could clearly feel the temperature of the flames rapidly increasing, as if every breath transported them into a sea of fire.
Suddenly, Lofis Loding withdrew his energy without warning, but his raised palm was scorched with a blush. He nonchalantly flicked his hand, saying casually, "Oh dear, this crown's temper is still as foul as ever."
Without further explanation, he used himself to answer Catgirl's doubts.
Lofis Loding was an S+ ability transcender. Even he was scorched by the crown's flames, confirming it was indeed an SS-class treasure.
Many transcenders were already itching to try. Catgirl was the first to step forward. "I'll do it!"
Catgirl walked down the stairs and stopped in front of the crown. She was more cautious than the bald man, wrapping her palm in a layer of energy and gently reaching for the crown.
Lu Zhi watched nervously from above, and everyone held their breath.
When the bald man had tried to touch the crown, he was scorched by flames half a foot away. Catgirl's hand was now only half a finger away from touching the crown.
Catgirl's eyes gleamed with joy, but the next second, her movement froze. Everyone saw an invisible barrier blocking Catgirl's advance.
Catgirl's eyes suddenly darkened, and she quickly contemplated whether to use force.
"I advise you not to," Lofis Loding's voice sounded slowly. He waved his hand, which had already returned to its normal skin tone, and his smile was unnervingly chilling, "My kindness has been used up."
This meant that if she were to be scorched by the crown's flames, he would not intervene.
"The Crown of the Deceased, the authority of a king, is not to be violated," Lofis Loding smiled, his eyes curved. "Are you sure you want to touch the Emperor's reversed scale?"