Ten minutes remained before the auction would officially begin. Inside the Sun Moon Auction House's most prestigious hall—
This supreme auction hall spanned over a thousand square meters. The room was fan-shaped, decorated with lavish luxury.
At the far end stood a semicircular auction stage, ten meters in radius, backed by a massive square display screen, with priceless soul-tool lamps hanging above.
The VIP seating lay a dozen meters from the stage, arranged in a fan-shaped formation. Each seat had a small side table with the finest fruits and beverages.
The seats were spaced widely apart, leaving no sense of crowding. Ten rows of seats accommodated up to two hundred people, with VIP rooms located at the back.
There were ten such VIP rooms, arranged in a fan shape like containers lined against the rear wall. They were fitted with one-way glass so no one outside could see in.
The VIP seats were already filled. In truth, only one hundred individuals would actually participate in the bidding; the other hundred were companions or attendants.
Once the two hundred were seated, the hall fell into quiet. No chatter, no noise—only silent gazes sweeping the venue.
Late arrivals were not admitted, even if they had wealth. Prestige demanded discipline.
Those who could enter this place were all people of power and status, proud in their own right. They valued decorum, and would not break order with casual talk.
Four soul-tool cameras stood around the hall, recording everything and broadcasting live across the major platforms.
For the sake of order, no media reporters were permitted inside. They would have to wait until after the event to conduct interviews.
Anyone wishing to watch could only do so through the official livestream jointly hosted by the Sun Moon Auction House and the Dragon Phoenix Hall. No other channels were allowed.
The livestream had already exploded in popularity. Before the event even began, the viewership had surpassed one billion. Everyone was on edge with anticipation.
The Hundred-Year Life-Extension Pill represented nothing less than a medical revolution. To extend one's lifespan was no longer just a dream.
Though many knew such pills would remain out of reach for them, it did not stop their obsession. They hoped that one day, prices would fall to something ordinary people could afford.
On stage, a woman appeared—an oval face, willow-leaf brows, exquisite features with light makeup. She wore a pale-golden gown, walking gracefully.
The moment she stepped on stage, she gave a slight bow, her smile calm and professional.
"Welcome, everyone, to the Supreme Hall of the Sun Moon Auction House."
"I am your auctioneer today, Wanwan. It is my great honor to preside over this event for our esteemed guests."
Her voice was pleasant, her manner poised, her professionalism undeniable.
Applause rippled from the VIP seats.
Wanwan's smile widened as she swept her gaze over the crowd, then continued:
"The auction will begin precisely at Federation Standard Time, 4 p.m. Before we start, however, we have prepared a short prelude."
"This prelude concerns the five Hundred-Year Life-Extension Pills. I believe many of you are curious as to their origin…"
Here she paused. Seeing the spark of curiosity in their eyes, she nodded in satisfaction and carried on:
"Now, we will reveal the source of these pills to our esteemed guests, as well as to every viewer across the Federation."
"I suspect many of you watching have already guessed. That's right—the pills come from none other than our partners in this livestream: the Dragon Phoenix Hall."
"Now, please welcome the Vice Hall Master of Dragon Phoenix Hall, Lord Yun Tian, who will present the pills and address us."
Her eyes turned toward a small door at the right side of the hall. The audience, and the livestream feed, shifted their attention there as well.
Creaaak—
The small door swung open.
A towering figure emerged—over two meters tall, broad and muscular, his back straight, clad in simple black clothes.
It was Ditian.
With hands clasped behind him, his expression unchanging despite the countless eyes, he strode toward the stage.
As he walked, a resonant hum echoed. One by one, soul rings rose around him—
Red. Red. Red…
The instant the first red ring appeared, many eyes widened. But as the following rings also flared red, mouths fell open in shock.
Viewers watching the livestream were utterly dumbstruck. Instinctively, countless people typed a crude two-word exclamation in chat. The phrase flooded the screen like an endless tide of ants.
Even veteran soul masters in the VIP seats were on their feet, staring in disbelief, their breathing sharp and ragged.
In the VIP rooms, even those with immense power could not remain seated. They pressed against the glass to see more clearly.
Red rings alone were enough to stun. But then—three orange rings emerged.
Even the most composed of elites paled in shock.
"Orange… Beast rings." Yun Ming's voice was grave, his brows knitted tight as he stared at Ditian's nine glowing rings.
Their VIP room was directly opposite the stage, one of the prime-viewing rooms. Inside sat the four from Shrek Academy, with no attendants allowed.
"This is the first time I've seen such a terrifying soul ring configuration," muttered Feng Wuyu, unable to hide his unease.
Yes, thanks to the Spirit Ascension Tower, soul masters' ring ages had generally risen. First rings of a thousand years—or even ten thousand—were no longer unheard of.
Feng Wuyu himself had four purple, four black, and one red. His senior had an even more exaggerated configuration, with multiple hundred-thousand-year rings.
But this? Red as the baseline, capped with beast rings of at least two hundred thousand years? Beyond belief.
Zhuo Shi's face was grim as he too stared. Long Yeyue's eyes, however, revealed rare astonishment.
"Sister Yue, what's wrong?" Yun Ming asked, frowning. Never before had he seen Long Yeyue so unsettled.
"These rings… They're not spirit-bestowed. They're real soul rings," she whispered, her tone tinged with disbelief.
At her words, Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu stiffened, their expressions hardening. Yun Ming's pupils shrank sharply as he scrutinized the nine rings again.
"They are real… Nine true soul rings," Yun Ming breathed, his composure shaken.
Six red, three orange from actual soul beasts—world-shattering.
Because true soul beasts were nearly extinct. Even a ten-thousand-year beast was now almost impossible to find.
As for hundred-thousand-year beasts? Or two-hundred-thousand-year fierce beasts? They were supposedly gone forever.
The Star Dou Great Forest still held a few, but those had been sealed off by the Spirit pagoda for research. No one was permitted to hunt them.
How then had this man obtained such rings? Did he wipe out every last beast hidden within the forest?
The thought struck Yun Ming like lightning. Impossible, yet strangely plausible. His heart pounded with conflicted dread.
(End of Chapter)