The Seedling of the World Tree had already driven the bidding into the tens of millions of Dao Stones, and there was no sign of it slowing down.
"Twenty-three million!"
"Twenty-five million!"
"Twenty-eight million Dao Stones!"
The voices echoed throughout the auction hall, while magical indicators above the private chambers illuminated one after another.
Some guests had long since abandoned any hope of acquiring the seedling. Others had become so engrossed in the competition that they no longer seemed to care how much they were spending.
After all, it was a World Tree. Even a seedling could potentially become the foundation of an independent dimension.
And if the legends were true, its value might surpass even that of certain divine treasures.
However, the real competition had yet to begin. High above the auction hall, in one of the most prestigious VVIP chambers, Xiao Chen watched the proceedings with a faint smile.
He had expected the seedling to attract attention. What interested him was the fact that several of the more powerful guests had yet to make a move.
The Forge Masters had remained silent, the High Druidess had not bid, the Ghostlight Sovereign's chamber had yet to illuminate.
And the Scarlet Emperor had not even bothered to show his hand.
Xiao Chen's fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair. Although he knew that the auction was far from over, he had expected the second tier of items to certainly win over some of them.
Beside him, Meng Lan stood with her arms crossed. She glanced at the auction stage, then at the motionless chamber reserved for the Scarlet Emperor.
"Do you think he'll bid?" she asked.
"Of course."
"And if he doesn't?"
Xiao Chen turned his masked face toward her. "Then I'll be forced to admit that I underestimated him. All of them, actually."
Meng Lan sighed. There were times when she genuinely wondered whether her master thought himself incapable of failing.
He certainly did not lack influence, but was that influence alone enough for him to act as though he held the world in his palm?
Unfortunately, she had learned that attempting to talk sense into him about these matters was about as effective as asking Jin Huang to stop eating.
Speaking of Jin Huang...
The young man remained slumped over the table, his long, fiery-yellow hair spilling across the polished surface. He had barely moved since the appearance of the World Tree seedling.
Luo Ran, who had noticed his unusual silence, leaned closer. "Boss?"
Getting no response, Luo Ran cautiously waved a hand in front of his face. "Have you finally died from food deprivation?"
Jin Huang slowly raised his head. His pale, silvery-blue eyes were dull with melancholy. "Luo Ran."
"Yes?"
"Do you think houses get lonely?"
Luo Ran froze. "...What?"
"Houses. Do you think they get lonely when there's no one around to live in them?"
Luo Ran stared at him, then he turned toward Meng Lan as he desperately tried to get her attention.
Seeing him, Meng Lan moved over and listened as he whispered in her ear. Listening, Meng Lan became thoughtful.
"So, Meng Lan, is there a pill for this?" Luo Ran asked, seemingly distressed.
Meng Lan pressed her lips together, shaking her head.
Xiao Chen, meanwhile, had no intention of entertaining the conversation. "Jin Huang. Pay attention to the auction. You're supposed to be helping me."
Jin Huang glanced at the stage, where the bidding had just crossed thirty million Dao Stones, then he looked back at Xiao Chen.
"Can I help you after I process these emotions?"
"No. Bottle them up, compartmentalize, and focus on what's important here."
Jin Huang forced himself up while grumbling, "You're a terrible employer."
"And you're a terrible employee." After a moment, Xiao Chen decided that arguing with him was a waste of perfectly good oxygen.
He returned his attention to the stage. There, Liu Yue was smiling brightly as another bid rang out.
"Thirty-five million Dao Stones!"
The hall erupted in excitement.
Then, just as Liu Ning was about to announce the latest offer, a deep voice echoed from the highest level.
"Fifty million Dao Stones."
Silence fell. Not the ordinary silence that came when an auctioneer announced a particularly high bid. This was different.
The entire auction hall seemed to freeze. Even the guests who had been whispering among themselves turned toward the same place.
A golden-red light had appeared above one of the most prestigious private chambers.
The chamber reserved for the Scarlet Emperor.
Luo Ran's mouth fell open. "Fifty... million?"
Meng Lan nodded.
"He's finally entered the bidding." Xiao Chen beamed.
Luo Ran swallowed and looked at the stage, then at the Emperor's chamber. He slowly turned toward Jin Huang, saying, "Boss, I think I understand why you're sad."
Jin Huang scratched his head. "Really?"
Luo Ran closed his eyes, assuming the mannerisms of an aged philosopher. "Yes. It is because... you are poor."
Jin Huang had no words.
Far above the auction hall, behind a barrier of crimson light and intricate golden runes, sat the ruler of the Vermillion Gate Empire.
The Scarlet Emperor.
His robes were crimson, embroidered with golden dragons whose scales seemed to move whenever the light touched them. A crown rested upon his head, its central jewel glowing faintly with an ancient power.
He appeared to be a middle-aged man, though his eyes carried a depth that made his apparent age meaningless.
His presence was restrained. Yet the air around him seemed to bend to his will.
A few people sat behind him, including an imperial minister, a trusted attendant, and powerful cultivators who served the empire.
Among them was a young man dressed in dark crimson robes, his expression composed and his posture straight.
He sat closest to the emperor, and also seemed to bear something of a resemblance to him.
This was the Scarlet Emperor's only son, the Crown Prince of the Vermillion Gate Empire.
The Scarlet Emperor had not come merely to enjoy the auction. He had come because Lord Obsidian had personally invited him.
And when a figure as mysterious as Lord Obsidian extended such an invitation, ignoring it would have been foolish. Even for the Vice-Sect Master of the world's most prominent sect.
The Emperor rested one hand against the armrest of his chair as he quietly repeated his bid. "Fifty million."
An attendant bowed. "Your Majesty, shall we prepare a higher offer in case another guest challenges you?"
The Emperor smiled, his gaze shifting toward the glowing seedling. "Let them challenge me first."
Even now, the small plant radiated a mysterious vitality. Its leaves shimmered with golden light, and its roots seemed to extend into a space that did not exist within the confines of the chest.
The Emperor had seen countless treasures throughout his life.
He had acquired ancient weapons, rare medicinal herbs, and spiritual treasures that could turn the tide of a war.
But this was different. A World Tree seedling was not merely a resource.
Given sufficient time and the right conditions, it could become something that changed the fate of an entire territory.
It could perhaps nourish a realm, or stabilize a collapsing dimension. It could even provide the foundation for something that ordinary cultivators could scarcely imagine.
The Emperor's expression grew thoughtful. 'Lord Obsidian... just what else have you managed to acquire?'
He had heard rumors about the Obsidian Treasury for years. Its owner was mysterious. Its network was vast. Its resources seemed inexhaustible.
And yet, the organization had never behaved like an ordinary merchant establishment. It did not merely sell treasures, it sold dreams. The kind that could force someone to fork over every last bit of their wealth.
Some would even place themselves in service, all for a chance to attain one of those dreams. This kind of thing was like the most desirable poison.
Even if one knew they would die in a heartbeat, the allure of such a thing would overwhelm their minds. They would willingly drink that poison.
The Emperor had long suspected that Lord Obsidian possessed connections extending far beyond the Vermillion Gate World.
Today's auction only strengthened that suspicion.
"Your Majesty," the robed minister spoke, "the seedling would be valuable to the empire. However, we must consider the cost."
The Emperor glanced at him. "Do you believe fifty million Dao Stones is too much?"
The minister hesitated. "For a treasure of this caliber, the price is not unreasonable. However, we have not yet seen the remaining items."
"Precisely," The Emperor leaned back. "Which is why I intend to observe the competition before committing too much."
A faint smile appeared on his face. "I am well aware that Lord Obsidian did not invite me here for a plant. Even so, I am only human. This plant interests me, so I made a bid for it."
Back in the auction hall, the bidding had resumed.
"Fifty-five million Dao Stones!"
A new voice rang out from another VVIP chamber.
The golden-red indicator above the Scarlet Emperor's room remained steady.
Now a second light, this one a rich green, appeared across the hall. The High Druidess had entered the competition.
The crowd stirred. Of all the people present, she was perhaps the one with the most obvious interest in the World Tree seedling.
As the leader of the Myriad Spirit Sanctuary, she presided over an organization devoted to the study and preservation of extraordinary life forms, spiritual plants, and the mysteries of nature.
For her, the seedling was not merely a treasure. It was a priceless specimen.
"Sixty million Dao Stones!" The Scarlet Emperor's voice was heard once again.
The High Druidess did not hesitate. "Sixty-five million."
The Scarlet Emperor's indicator flashed once again as his voice was transmitted. "Eighty million Dao Stones."
A collective gasp swept through the hall. At this stage, almost no one in the public seating areas made a sound. This was a battle of the bigshots.
Luo Ran nearly fell out of his chair. "Eighty million?!"
Jin Huang glanced at him. "Why are you shouting? It's not your money."
Luo Ran grabbed Jin Huang by the shoulders. "Do you not understand how much money that is?!"
"It's... a lot?"
Luo Ran was practically frothing at the mouth as his eyes twitched and his head bobbed in all directions. "!!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?"
Jin Huang gently removed Luo Ran's hands. "You're getting spit on my clothes."
Luo Ran looked ready to commit a crime as he wiped his face.
Meanwhile, the High Druidess seemed entirely unbothered. "Ninety million Dao Stones."
The Scarlet Emperor responded almost immediately. "One hundred million."
The hall fell silent again. One hundred million Dao Stones. At the established exchange rate, that was equivalent to fifty billion gold coins.
And the bidding was not finished.
The High Druidess remained quiet for several seconds, then her voice returned. "One hundred and twenty million Dao Stones."
A faint murmur spread throughout the auction hall. The Emperor's chamber remained still as the seconds passed.
Liu Yue and Liu Ning exchanged a brief glance. They had hosted countless auctions, but even they could feel the pressure building.
Finally, the Scarlet Emperor's voice rang out once more. "One hundred and fifty million Dao Stones."
The entire hall erupted.
Some guests rose from their seats. Others stared at the indicators above the private chambers as though they had begun to display the wrong numbers.
The High Druidess did not respond immediately this time, but when she finally spoke, her tone was calm. "One hundred and sixty million."
The Emperor smiled in his chamber, his posture straightening. "One hundred and eighty million."
The High Druidess fell silent and, this time, she did not bid again.
Liu Ning took a breath before announcing the latest offer. "One hundred and eighty million Dao Stones from the Scarlet Emperor!"
Liu Yue stepped forward, her smile brighter than ever. "Do we have another offer?"
Silence.
"One hundred and eighty million Dao Stones. Going once!"
The crowd held its breath.
"Going twice!"
A few guests looked toward the High Druidess's chamber, hoping she would make one final attempt.
Nothing happened.
Just as Liu Ning was about to announce the item as sold... a strange yet powerful voice came from one of the VVIP rooms, indicated by a dull grey light.
"Yawn! Our apologies. We have only just woken up from a nap when we saw this interesting little plant. Can the two pretty ladies remind us of the current price?"
Hearing that strange voice, everyone looked toward that room. All they could see was the grey light; no amount of probing would reveal more than that.
"It is one hundred and eighty million Dao Stones!" Liu Yue said.
"We see. Then let us offer... three hundred million dao stones!"
This time, the majority of people present lost their minds.
More than a handful of individuals in the public seats directly fainted, while others clutched their chests and broke out into cold sweats.
A few simply clapped because everyone else was doing it.
High above, Xiao Chen leaned back in his chair. "Excellent."
Meng Lan glanced at him, knowing that he had been anticipating this.
Luo Ran looked as if he were going insane, clutching at clumps of hair as his pupils quivered. He simply sank into his seat, having no words left.
Outside, the World Tree seedling was sold to the stanger in the grey-lit VVIP room for three hundred million dao stones.
It would not be long before the next item was brought onto the stage.