Chapter 365: The Power of Time
As the radiance faded, everyone could finally see the second auction item on the stage.
It was a stone about the size of a fist, its surface a deep, silvery white.
The stone wasn't smooth—it looked as though countless silver stars were embedded within it, shimmering faintly like a piece of the night sky itself, wondrous and mysterious.
Even more astonishing was what happened the moment it appeared.
The space around the stone rippled and warped, as if reality itself trembled before it. Tiny silvery-white vortices twisted into being, flickering at its edges.
It was as if the stone were a miniature black hole, constantly inhaling and exhaling the energy of the void around it.
The entire object radiated a strange aura—ethereal, unstable, as though it existed only half within this world and time.
"What… such powerful spatial ripples!"
A space-type soul master gasped aloud from among the audience.
On the third level, within the section reserved for the soul beast clan, Gu Yuena's violet eyes gleamed with rare surprise.
"Hm?"
She could sense that the stone's power was not limited to space alone; it carried a second, even more profound force intertwined with it.
A subtle, higher-order energy pulsed faintly within—something far beyond ordinary comprehension.
After a few breaths, recognition flickered in her gaze, and her expression grew uncharacteristically intrigued.
She had realized what the other power was—and it was an exceedingly rare one.
So rare, in fact, that she hadn't expected such a thing to even exist on Douluo Continent, much less be refined into tangible form.
And yet, the Star Auction Pavilion had put it up for sale as only the second item.
Nearby, Di Tian frowned, muttering under his breath.
"Spatial energy…? No, there's something else… something higher?"
His eyes shifted toward Gu Yuena and the Golden Dragon King seated beside her—beings well-versed in the mysteries of the laws of existence.
The Golden Dragon King, noticing his gaze, finally spoke in a low and measured tone.
"You're right. Aside from the supreme tier of spatial law, I can sense another energy here… one rarer still, immeasurably difficult to grasp—"
He paused slightly.
"—the power of time."
"The power of time?"
Di Tian and everyone else who overheard the words drew sharp breaths.
To command the flow of moments—to affect aging, rebirth, past and future—such power belonged only to legend.
Could this stone truly contain both the forces of space and time?
Below the stands, many human experts such as Mu En, Xuan Zi, and Du Busi felt only the crushing distortion of space, the overwhelming dimensional waves emanating from it.
As for the other, more elusive current of energy, they could only faintly sense its depth, knowing instinctively it was of a higher order, yet beyond their understanding.
Ling Yun, watching the mixture of awe and confusion spread through the hall, let her smile curve faintly.
Then her melodic voice rose, echoing clearly through the air.
"What you see before you is the second auction item—known as the Stone of Time and Space."
"This stone was not born within our stable plane. It formed deep within the heart of an unstable dimensional rift, tempered by countless space storms and the shifting tides of ten thousand years."
"By a chance beyond measure, it drew upon fragments of pure spatial and temporal essence—thus taking shape as it is today, a true divine treasure merging both the Laws of Time and Space."
A hush fell upon the crowd, dense with expectation.
Then Ling Yun revealed its most astonishing power.
"The Stone of Time and Space has one core ability: it can alter the flow of time within a localized area."
"Simply place it upon solid ground, and its power will naturally spread across a radius of one kilometer. Within that domain, the passage of time will differ entirely from that of the outside world."
The hall fell utterly silent.
Not even the sound of breath could be heard.
Ling Yun's voice alone carried through the quiet:
"According to precise measurements by our Star Auction Pavilion experts—inside its radius, for every ten days that pass within, only one day elapses outside."
"Ten days inside… to one day outside?"
Someone unconsciously repeated the phrase, eyes widening in disbelief.
"You're saying—train for ten days inside, and only a single day passes beyond?"
"This… this is the power to defy the heavens!"
The silence shattered.
The hall exploded into uproar.
Every soul master, regardless of level or lineage, stared at the stone with blazing desire.
Time—nothing in the world was more precious.
Talent and resources mattered, yes, but time was mercilessly equal for all.
And yet, this artifact could twist that fundamental law itself—granting tenfold the hours for cultivation.
The implications were staggering.
For a sect, if its core disciples or even Title Douluos trained under its influence for just one month, their progress would equal that of ten months.
While outside—barely a single month would have passed.
The advantage such a thing granted was unimaginable: in cultivating heirs, pushing breakthroughs, researching techniques, or crafting soul devices—it changed everything.
It was beyond value.
Ling Yun raised her hand again, her tone turning steady.
"Do note, however, that its energy is not infinite. Based on our analysis, the Stone's stored time-space essence can maintain a tenfold difference for only one month of external time."
"Once activated, regardless of continued use, its energy will completely deplete after one month outside—its body reverting to ordinary stone."
"In other words, the wielder can gain up to ten months of internal time while only a month passes outside."
"The Stone's radius remains a fixed one kilometer. There is no limit to how many can enter, provided the owner permits it."
"Such is the miracle of this second item—the Stone of Time and Space."
"Starting bid: ten million gold soul coins. Minimum increase: one million."
"The auction—begins now."
A single month, in exchange for nearly a year of extra time—enough to reverse fortunes, change wars, or crown a god.
...
In the soul beast faction, Gu Yuena inhaled softly, her eyes gleaming faintly.
"To manipulate the flow of time across an entire area… truly remarkable. The Star Auction Pavilion never ceases to surprise me."
Though she herself could distort time in limited measure, doing so drained enormous divine energy.
To think such a treasure could achieve this passively—it was extraordinary.
Her only regret was its brevity: a mere month in duration, with only a kilometer's range.
Still, its power was undeniable.
...
Among the human cultivators, however, the silence soon cracked apart.
Then, all at once—
The roar of bidding erupted, wave upon wave, sweeping through the auction hall like a tidal sea.
The atmosphere surged into frenzy.
The second auction had begun.
(END CHAPTER)
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