Chapter 340: Long Xiaoyao's Concern
"Five hundred million gold soul coins!"
The Body Sect's Du Bushi raised the bid by a staggering one hundred million, his voice filled with domineering force.
"Seven hundred million gold soul coins!"
"Eight hundred and fifty million gold soul coins!"
"…"
The price skyrocketed like a rocket, soaring past twenty billion gold soul coins in less than a minute.
The tension in the hall thickened; each major power drew upon their deepest reserves, determined not to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Watching the frenzied competition, a flicker of impatience flashed across the Golden Dragon King's eyes.
"All this nonsense—for a single trinket? These humans always make a grand spectacle over the smallest things."
Even so, curiosity glimmered beneath his disdain.
After all, a token capable of transporting someone into secret realms of other planes was something that defied reason.
As one who understood the structure of the planes beyond Douluo Continent, the Golden Dragon King knew well that countless worlds existed in the cosmos—but an artifact able to access them directly? That was something new, even to him.
"Don't underestimate the Starry Sky Auction Pavilion," Gu Yue Na said quietly. "Every item they've ever sold has been genuine. Since their rise, everything they've described on that stage has proven true."
Seeing that the Golden Dragon King made no sudden move against the Pavilion, she finally allowed herself to relax a little.
Still, vigilance remained etched in her eyes. The Pavilion's power was not something the outside world could comprehend; there were veins of unimaginable strength hidden behind its calm façade.
"Lord, should we take this token for ourselves?" Di Tian asked after a moment.
The Secret Realm Token seemed equally full of promise and peril. No one could say whether it would lead to an opportunity—or a death trap where even gods perished.
Perhaps whoever entered might never return.
Gu Yue Na shook her head. "No. The spirit beast race must recuperate and rebuild. We can't gamble everything on uncertain gains—not now."
Her tone was composed, but resolute.
According to the Pavilion's explanation, anyone who entered the realm would have only a fifty percent chance of surviving to return.
She could not afford to risk her people for such an unknown.
Their race was finally regaining stability, and with steady effort, their power would continue to rise. They could not afford recklessness now.
Hearing her decision, Di Tian fell silent.
He too longed to see what lay hidden within that fabled realm—but reason held him back. The spirit beasts had survived countless catastrophes precisely because they did not charge blindly into danger.
He could only suppress his restlessness and wait for future opportunities—something certain that could aid his ascension to the next level.
Time flowed by quickly; the furious bidding did not cease.
Du Bushi, unrelenting, shouted his final bid—thirty billion gold soul coins.
A hushed stillness fell over the hall.
Few factions could endure such an outrageous price.
Even Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Empire hesitated, calculating the risks.
The outcome of this token relied far too heavily on luck. If its user was thrust into a deadly domain upon transport, they might never return alive.
After careful deliberation, most organizations gradually withdrew from the contest.
"Thirty-five billion!"
Gnashing his teeth, Xu Tiannan of the Sun Moon Empire forced out his next bid. His nation's wealth was immense, but this was a dangerous gamble he was desperate to win.
This token could offer a divine breakthrough—an opportunity that might arise only once in a lifetime.
"Forty billion!"
Zhong Li Wu of the Holy Spirit Cult countered immediately.
The cult had spent little on earlier auctions, deliberately conserving their resources for an item of this magnitude.
Indeed, for more than a month he had been gathering treasures and money across the land, ensuring he could outmatch any rival.
His instincts told him that this token was vital to his destiny—perhaps even his path to godhood.
There was no scenario where he would let it slip through his grasp.
Xu Tiannan's face darkened. He wanted to keep bidding, but Jing Hongchen tugged at his sleeve.
"Your Majesty," the older man whispered, "forty billion exceeds our projected limit. Spending more could cripple future development. The token's potential is unpredictable—let others take the risk. The greatest treasures always appear later."
"If we overspend now, we may lose critical opportunities down the line."
Xu Tiannan sighed in frustration but reluctantly agreed. Jing Hongchen's logic was sound.
Impulsiveness had cost them dearly in previous auctions—they could not repeat the same mistake.
Across the hall, silence settled. Very few could endure the soaring price.
As Ling Yun prepared to announce the sale, a calm yet commanding voice interrupted—Yan Shao Zhe from Shrek Academy.
"Forty-one billion gold soul coins," he said firmly.
But before the words had finished echoing, Zhong Li Wu's voice followed, confident and cold.
"Forty-three billion gold soul coins."
The final blow.
Shrek Academy hesitated no further—there was little point in wasting resources for a gamble against destiny itself.
No matter how tempting the token was, the price was too high, and uncertainty too vast.
After much deliberation, they withdrew.
Ling Yun smiled faintly as her clear voice resounded through the hall.
"Forty-three billion gold soul coins once!"
"Forty-three billion gold soul coins twice!"
"Forty-three billion gold soul coins, three times! Sold!"
With the fall of her auction hammer, the Secret Realm Token belonged to Zhong Li Wu.
He accepted it with steady hands, feeling the immense spatial energy pulsing through its black surface. A satisfied smile crept across his face.
"Are you truly planning to use that token yourself?"
The quiet question came from Long Xiaoyao, standing beside him with a furrowed brow. Concern laced his tone.
To him, the risk was simply too high.
The Myriad Worlds held millions of hidden dangers—each plane could contain multiple realms filled with unpredictable threats.
Even though the Pavilion claimed that crushing the token in moments of danger would return the user safely to Douluo Continent, it offered little reassurance.
Between perceiving the threat and shattering the token, there might only be seconds to act.
Far too little time to evade death.
(END CHAPTER)
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