News of Sword Master Zheng Renyi reaching Sage became the hottest topic in the cultivation world. Many Grandmasters who had just broken through and expected to bask in the spotlight found themselves overshadowed instead. There had already been General Liu Yianfei. Now with yet another person emerging, everyone's attention shifted to Sages rather than Grandmasters like them.
Many tried to reach out to this "Sage Zheng." But the old man's phone sat tossed on the veranda beside his coat. He was far too busy hauling garden supplies with his newly-cultivated qi to bother.
Hearing just one piece of news, most people wouldn't think much of it. But those who had already heard about the miraculous land, and had seen Zheng Renyi's breakthrough too, would naturally put the pieces together.
Most importantly, cultivators knew the Sword Master and Liu Yianfei were both under Grandmaster Bai Fanxian's wing. Put it all together, and there was only one conclusion—this land had the power to push a Grandmaster all the way to Sage!
All eyes turned to the two great clans' housing project. It did not take long before news broke online.
"Our housing project will hold an auction tomorrow!"
A short line in bold text, with details below. Tomorrow at noon, at the land currently under construction. The announcement came from the Tang clan's official social media, and it spread like wildfire. The quiet evening shattered—high-level figures' phones rang off the hook across the country. No one had imagined the Tang clan would move this fast, and many were caught completely unprepared.
Those far away scrambled to travel. Those nearby but uncertain of their finances borrowed from acquaintances. Many pooled their savings, all united by one goal: owning a home in that extraordinary place.
The next day arrived like any other—morning routines unchanged, the world moving at its usual pace. But long before noon, crowds had already begun gathering around Bai Fanxian's house and clinic.
Even patients arriving for treatment had caught wind of the news. They lingered eagerly, happy to watch the spectacle unfold. After all, those who could afford Bai Fanxian's clinic were no ordinary people.
She had not visited Barbatos that morning. What surprised her most was that her two small disciples had not gone either. Even the military personnel who usually stood guard had come to the clinic on their own accord.
As the clock struck noon, people continued to arrive in a steady stream. They gazed at the towering construction canvas sealing the site, several meters high, impossible to see past no matter how hard they tried.
Those stepping out of cars were all people of consequence—business magnates worth hundreds of millions, government officials holding extraordinary posts, and over ten cultivation clans who had made the trip specifically for this.
"Why is there nothing out here..."
A young woman in a fitted suit and long pants muttered under her breath. She wasn't wrong. The area had been forest before it was cleared. Nothing stood here except Bai Fanxian's house and the clinic, side by side.
"When are they going to let us in..."
Her father climbed out of the car and chuckled softly at his daughter's complaints. He checked his watch. It would start soon.
"Dad, why do you even want a house way out here?" she grumbled again. She couldn't understand why he had dragged her all the way out.
"You'll see. If it's really like what my friend said, we'll be moving here." He smiled.
"...You're serious?" She studied his expression, then sighed. How many years would it take for a place like this to become livable?
"Ladies and gentlemen! Sorry for the wait. We're about to begin the house auction. Please come inside."
Tang Tianjie finished his welcome, and the gate—installed just the day before—swung open. The attendees filed in unhurriedly, greeted at the entrance by tables set up for registration and bidding paddles.
She followed her father through the gate.
And froze.
A cool, refreshing breeze swept across her face. The warmth of sunlight itself seemed to pulse with life, quickening her blood. The fatigue of travel lifted in an instant. She stood frozen at the entrance until the people behind her gave her a gentle nudge.
"I told you..." Her father's voice brimmed with excitement. His friend had not been wrong. Living here for even a year would surely do wonders for his health.
The land itself held no structures yet. But rows of tables and chairs had been neatly set up across the open ground. After some discussion, the organizers had agreed to hold the auction here, so buyers could experience the land for themselves.
And why would anyone choose to sit in an air-conditioned room when the air here was this alive?
Satisfied smiles spread through the crowd, confirming the decision was right. Tang Tianjie made his way to the front, where a stage and large screen had been erected.
"Thank you all for coming today. I'm genuinely glad to see such interest in this project." The moment Tang Tianjie began speaking, the chatter died down. Displeasing the owner before the sale even started would be a costly mistake.
"But I have to be upfront with you. We received far more inquiries than expected... and what we've prepared simply isn't enough for everyone."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd—many had already suspected as much. Otherwise, why would they go through the trouble of holding an auction at all?
"So... here." Tang Tianjie pressed a button. The large screen lit up.
It displayed the revised development plan. Each house varied in layout and style, but together they formed a wide circle around a central public park.
"You should already be feeling the Border's effect right now."
"...Border?"
"Every home built here will strengthen this Border further. And naturally, residents will receive its full benefits."
At those words, the crowd exchanged glances. People swallowed, letting their imaginations run. If they could wake every morning to air thick with this kind of life force—even those with no cultivation at all could easily live decades longer.
"We have three house types and two condo types. Houses start at one hundred million yuan. Condos start at fifty million."
It was the first time Tang Tianjie had mentioned pricing. Those hoping to reserve a unit breathed a little easier. At those figures, it might still be within reach.
Xie Zizhou, standing to one side, smiled and stepped forward to take over.
"That said, we only have one hundred units available at this auction. Fifty houses, fifty condos." He paused. "Good luck."
One hundred units.
The crowd looked around at the sea of people filling the grounds. Over a thousand had come today. Three to five hundred units wouldn't have met the demand—let alone a hundred.
The screen shifted. It zoomed to a corner of the plan, one house blinking red to mark its location, then cut to a rendered model of a beautiful two-story home. Eyes lit up across the room.
"Our first lot is a home on the outer edge—right side facing the beach, with an extended balcony designed to capture the view. Starting price: one hundred million yuan!"
The announcer's voice rang out with infectious energy. He was the same host from the alchemy competition, personally contacted for today's event—a role he had accepted without even asking about the pay.
"One hundred twenty million!"
A man in the seated crowd raised his paddle. Beside him, a baby-faced young man leaned over with a worried nudge.
"Brother Yang... isn't that too fast?"
"...Just watch."
The two were none other than the novice alchemist and Brother Yang—leader of the Bai Fanxian fan club. The moment news broke, both had come without a second thought. A chance to live close to their idol was not something to miss.
And Brother Yang was already feeling the Border's effect right now. He would sooner burn through his entire fortune than walk away empty-handed.
"But you barely even looked at it..." The novice alchemist's concern was simple—what if no one competed, and his friend spent a fortune for nothing?
"One hundred thirty million."
The words barely left his mouth before a voice cut in from across the room. An elderly man in a wheelchair raised his paddle.
"...One hundred fifty million." A man in a crisp business suit stroked his chin and lifted his hand without hurry.
"One hundred eighty..." A man who had arrived with his daughter smiled and joined in.
"Two hundred million."
Brother Yang raised his paddle again. The novice alchemist let out a slow breath. He had worried for nothing.
These people's backgrounds were anything but ordinary!