"Brother Meng," Li Xuan said with a smile as he led the group out of the pavilion, cupping his hands in greeting.
Meng Tianyun smiled in response and returned the gesture. "Good morning, Pavilion Master Li Xuan, everyone. The auction is about to begin, so I'll lead you there."
"Thank you, Brother Meng," Li Xuan nodded.
After yesterday's battle, Li Xuan clearly felt a subtle shift in Meng Tianyun's attitude towards them. He was no longer as casual as before, and there was a hint of respect in his words and actions. This was the way of the world, where the strong were revered. Furthermore, on the way back yesterday, Li Xuan learned from Meng Tianyun that all thirteen of them, the reception envoys, had bet ten Jiuyuan Pills on their respective teams. It was clear that Meng Tianyun had profited significantly from Li Xuan and the others this time, and thus treated them much better.
About ten minutes later, Li Xuan and his group followed Meng Tianyun to the front of a massive palace. Guarding the entrance were four disciples of the Six Realms Island on each side. From their auras, Li Xuan immediately recognized that all eight disciples possessed peak quality transformation realm strength. As Li Xuan and the others arrived, the eight disciples nodded and continued their vigil.
"Pavilion Master Li Xuan, everyone, please come in," Meng Tianyun said with a smile as he stepped aside at the palace entrance.
"This place is called the Auction Hall, and it has been built for thousands of years. It is only activated when the Six Realms Auction is held. There are also some rules and information I need to share with you all to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings," Meng Tianyun explained as they entered.
"In addition to your thirteen factions, there are also many influential figures from other planes participating in this auction. Moreover..." Meng Tianyun hesitated, then lowered his voice. "There are also some hidden forces participating, so please observe order and do not draw trouble upon yourselves."
"We understand," Li Xuan's expression turned serious. Given Meng Tianyun's cautious tone, these hidden powers were likely on the same level as the main powers behind the Six Realms Island.
"Alright, this is where your private rooms are prepared. Please wait inside," Meng Tianyun nodded and gestured with his hand.
"I thought it would just be our thirteen teams, but I didn't expect there to be more people. This might make the bidding a bit tricky," Zhu Bing said with a wry smile after entering the private room.
Ma Tianyu shrugged helplessly. "I had some suspicions about this from the beginning, and it turns out to be true. But it's not entirely unexpected. If only our thirteen teams were participating in the Six Realms Auction, it wouldn't make much sense."
"Everyone, don't worry too much. This Six Realms Auction is not about strength. Besides, there are rules in place, so we don't need to be concerned. Moreover, if only our thirteen teams were bidding, it wouldn't really be called an auction," Li Xuan said, waving his hand. "Let's all sit and wait for now."
"That's all we can do for now," everyone nodded and took their seats, waiting.
As time passed, a few minutes later, the walls of the private room slowly became transparent. It felt as if they were standing on a mountaintop, with a clear view of the entire hall. The other private rooms in the palace remained invisible from the outside, clearly a special technique of the Six Realms Island. Li Xuan and the others immediately turned their attention to the hall.
They saw eight graceful figures standing around the edge of a raised platform in the center of the hall. In the very middle, a peerless beauty, her face partially veiled, stood with a gentle smile.
"I am Jiang Wan'er, and I greet you all. I will be hosting this auction. If there are any shortcomings, I hope you will all bear with me," the woman said, bowing. Li Xuan and the others in the private room exchanged surprised glances. It wasn't entirely due to Jiang Wan'er's beauty, but rather the intoxicating quality of her voice, which carried a hint of charm and a touch of allure. At first listen, it was like a lark singing in a valley, or a phoenix calling from the clouds – clear and melodious, yet also soft and gentle. Upon further listening, it was like the murmuring of a stream, or the gentle rustling of willows in the wind, both lingering and exquisitely charming. As they listened closely, they felt a sense of vastness and tranquility, as if the clouds were unfolding and the sea was calm, filling them with an expansive and irresistible feeling. Within just a few sentences, Li Xuan and the others knew that Jiang Wan'er was no ordinary person.
"The Six Realms Island truly has many talented individuals; it is indeed unfathomable," Zhou Qingzi said in a low voice after observing Jiang Wan'er.
Li Xuan nodded. "Before we left, Elder Mu had already warned us that the power behind the Six Realms Auction was extremely strong. It seems that is indeed the case. With such a powerful force, this auction should be quite an eye-opener."
"Indeed. Let's see what the first item for auction is. To kick things off, I imagine the first item will be something truly exceptional," Ma Tianyu agreed.
"Now that you mention it, I'm really looking forward to it," everyone else nodded in anticipation.
"Esteemed guests, as the saying goes, 'a good start is half the battle.' For this first auction item, I have spent considerable time contemplating it. I guarantee that this treasure will surely broaden your horizons!" Jiang Wan'er said with a smile. A servant girl then approached with a round tray. As Jiang Wan'er removed the cloth, a star-like light instantly flashed out. Li Xuan and the others, who had been intently watching Jiang Wan'er, now closed their eyes.
After a moment, everyone's eyes adjusted. A look of profound shock was etched on each of their faces. Even with their strength, the sudden brilliance was almost unbearable; how much more so for cultivators of lower levels, who might be directly annihilated.
"This needle is named the Chenwu Divine Needle, and its level is that of a Chaos Supreme Treasure. It can be housed within the divine soul for nourishment, and its power will further increase as the user's compatibility with it grows. It can be used to directly confront enemies, or it can be hidden within the divine soul to kill unseen," Jiang Wan'er explained. "Esteemed guests, are you satisfied?"
Jiang Wan'er re-covered the needle with the cloth, and the captivating light vanished instantly. It was evident that the cloth in Jiang Wan'er's hand was also no ordinary item.
"May I ask Miss Jiang Wan'er, what is the starting bid for this needle?" A deep voice emanated from one of the private rooms a few seconds after Jiang Wan'er finished speaking.
Jiang Wan'er smiled and replied, "As this needle is the first item for auction, it will start at one Taiyuan Crystal. I believe everyone is familiar with the auction rules, so I will not elaborate further. Esteemed guests, please begin."