[In the midst of battle with the mysterious bidder, a sudden enlightenment struck you. Without hesitation, you opened your storage space.]
[You gathered every trace of spiritual energy into your weapons, unleashing them in unison. The storm of blades tore forward, slicing through the bidder's defenses. His head shattered like tofu beneath the strike, his body collapsing in silence.]
[Victory came at a cost. Your body was utterly drained—you could not even lift a finger.]
[It was then that another figure appeared before you. The air grew heavy as Lu Baowen, the in-charge of Baihua Chamber of Commerce, stepped into view.]
[His eyes glowed with greed as he spoke bluntly: "Hand over all your opportunities."]
[Too weak to respond, you remained motionless. Irritation flared in his gaze. He raised his hand, forcefully pressing a soul search upon you.]
[But the moment his spiritual sense invaded, his body froze mid-motion. His eyes widened in horror before his soul disintegrated entirely, vanishing without a trace.]
[You survived only because of a hidden safeguard—the passive ability rewarded to you by the Combat Ranking System: Soul Annihilation Barrier.]
Soul Annihilation Barrier (1x use): Automatically triggers when a soul search is attempted, annihilating the opponent's soul with no chance of reincarnation.
[Thanks to this hidden trump card, you remained alive.]
[Hours later, strength slowly returned to your limbs. You rose, looting the corpses of both the mysterious bidder and Lu Baowen before fleeing into the night.]
[The following day, within a secluded cave, you began examining the spoils.]
[Inside the bidder's storage ring lay vast riches—ten to twenty million spirit stones, a spiritual weapon, and most importantly, a token that revealed his identity.]
Name: Ming Zhen
Affiliation: Qingyun Sect
Position: Inner Sect Elder
[Even more alarming, you discovered a glowing stone among his belongings—a Child Photo Stone linked to its Mother Stone within the Qingyun Sect. Through this, your face and existence were surely already exposed. From that moment, you knew Qingyun Sect would begin hunting you.]
[In Lu Baowen's ring, countless treasures and spirit stones glimmered. Yet you spared them little thought. Instead, you sat in meditation, beginning your long-awaited breakthrough.]
[After a month of seclusion, heavenly thunderclouds gathered above. The Golden Elixir Tribulation descended. With the support of your entry-level Prison-Suppressing Divine Body, you withstood bolt after bolt of lightning, and emerged victorious.]
[The tribulation shook the region, drawing the attention of countless forces, but you slipped away before any could arrive.]
[Years passed. You hunted spirit stones, participated in auctions, and frequently crossed paths with Qingyun Sect disciples. Fortunately, most were weak and fell easily beneath your hand.]
[In the 282nd year, however, fortune turned.]
[You encountered a genius of the Nascent Soul stage. His aura surged with power equal to your own. He had cultivated a Heavenly Foundation—his strength rivaled yours completely.]
[Recognizing the danger, you turned to escape.]
[For three relentless days you fled through mountains and rivers, but he never relented. At last, exhausted, you thought he had finally given up. In the depths of a forest, you allowed yourself to breathe—only for a shadow to emerge before you.]
[It was him. The Nascent Soul genius. His pursuit had never faltered.]
[You steeled yourself for battle, but the moment you tried to move, your body froze.]
[A crushing pressure descended—boundless and suffocating. This was not the aura of an ordinary Heavenly Foundation cultivator. Recognition dawned with dread.]
[He's the same as me… a Supreme Foundation Builder.]
[Immobilized, you stood like a lamb awaiting slaughter.]
[A voice slithered from the shadows, low and cold as death itself: "Devour."]
[Instantly, your vitality began to drain. Energy, blood, soul—everything was pulled from your body, consumed mercilessly.]
[As darkness swallowed you, only one word echoed endlessly in your mind: Devour.]
[And with that final thought, your life ended.]
[Simulation Terminated.]