The Fire Crow Auction House had rarely seen this much activity. Long before the Jing Event was scheduled to start, cultivators were already flowing through its large entrance and filling the seats inside. Members of local clans arrived wearing their family colors, wandering cultivators gathered wherever they could find space, and merchants watched from private sections above the main floor. Green Oak disciples were also easy to spot, with dozens attending after hearing about the event. Their presence drew plenty of looks since few people in Kati remembered seeing so many of them together. Higher above were several private balconies reserved for the village's strongest powers, while the Highest Honor Balcony remained hidden behind decorated screens. With 3 Biyu Pills among tonight's treasures, nobody important wanted to miss what happened next.
The 3rd balcony was divided into 11 private sections, though only four were occupied for the Jing Event. One belonged to the Kun Clan, a powerful family known throughout Kati for its mastery of elemental arts, especially the Earth Element. Their cultivators focused heavily on defensive techniques, heavy attacks, and controlling the ground beneath their opponents. More importantly, the Kun Clan was recognized as a Triple Ziyan Power, meaning they currently had 3 living Ziyan Realm cultivators protecting their family. That alone placed them among the strongest local forces in Kati, since even producing 1 Ziyan cultivator required years of resources and cultivation. Several Kun juniors sat near the front of their section while the older members remained behind them, watching the gathering crowd as they waited for the auction to start.
The second occupied section belonged to the Bo Clan, a family whose cultivators specialized in the Water Element. They were considered a Double Ziyan Power, having 2 living Ziyan Realm cultivators, which placed their current strength below the Kun Clan on paper. Their prestige, however, was much greater. Generations ago, the Bo Clan had produced a Boji Realm Ancestor, someone who stood 2 full realms above Ziyan and left behind a legacy that continued to benefit the family. The greatest part of that inheritance was the 7 Waters Casket, a treasure that had recently accepted the current Bo Matriarch as its new master. News of her inheritance had already spread across Kati, causing many powers to reconsider how they viewed the Bo Clan. Their current strength might be lower than Kun's, but their future looked far more dangerous.
The third occupied section belonged to the Yang Clan, one of the closest friends of the Fire Crow Company. As their name suggested, flame was the element they followed, and few families around Kati understood that path better. Their new leader, Yang Li, had recently gained even more attention after solidifying his Flame Dao and successfully refining a Fire Spirit, greatly increasing his potential. Like the Kun Clan, the Yang Clan had 3 living Ziyan Realm cultivators, making them another Triple Ziyan Power. Yet comparing the 2 families was difficult because the Yang Clan rarely appeared at public gatherings. They preferred keeping their affairs within the family and had little interest in building relationships with outside powers. Fire Crow was the single major exception, which made their appearance at tonight's Jing Event worth watching.
The last occupied section belonged to the Tingfeng Clan, easily the most revered of the 4 families present on the third balcony. They possessed 5 living Ziyan Realm cultivators, giving them a clear advantage in high-level strength over the Kun, Bo, and Yang Clans. Despite that power, the Tingfeng Clan rarely involved itself in the disputes happening throughout Kati. Detachment seemed to be their motto, and most members preferred watching events develop from a distance. There were still moments when they made their presence known, and few local powers dared challenge them when they did. Their reputation became even greater 30 years ago after they explored an ancient ruin and returned with 3 Boji-level artifacts. Nobody outside the clan knew everything those treasures could do, making Tingfeng an unpredictable force whenever they chose to act.
Those 4 clans alone were enough to make Tian seriously consider turning Kati into a State. Between their Ziyan cultivators, powerful inheritances, elemental paths, and Boji-level treasures, their presence made the village an unpredictable force within the surrounding region. The problem was that much of this strength remained divided between families with their own goals and interests. Tian wanted to change that, though what role each clan would play was still something he needed to decide. Sect Leader Li Chun seemed willing to give him free rein over Kati, which meant Tian could shape the village however he wanted as long as Green Oak benefited. Better yet, he possessed the Green Oak Codex and everything generations of masters had left within it. With so many paths available to him, Tian saw no reason Kati needed to remain a village forever.
On the 4th balcony, many Fire Crow and Kati officials had already taken their seats, giving them a clear view of nearly everyone entering the auction hall. Unlike the clan sections below, this level was filled with administrators, merchants, guards, and officials responsible for keeping Kati running from day to day. Several representatives from other villages and nearby towns were also present, having traveled to attend the Jing Event and observe Kati's recent changes for themselves. Many had already noticed the sudden increase in Green Oak disciples throughout the village during the past month. Seeing dozens more inside Fire Crow only added to their curiosity. Conversations moved between the visitors as familiar faces continued appearing below, yet most of their attention eventually drifted toward the higher balconies, where several important seats still waited for their guests.
Nearly 3 hours after most guests had taken their seats, the lights around the Highest Honor Balcony suddenly came on. Attention quickly shifted upward as a single figure became visible behind the curtain, though only his silhouette could be seen from the auction floor. Tian had arrived without anyone noticing, taking his place while the guests were busy watching the other balconies. Bai War stepped onto the main stage wearing his official Green Oak Envoy token where everyone could clearly see it. He turned toward the highest balcony and bowed. "Welcome, Overseer!" The reaction spread across the auction house at once. Cultivators, clan members, merchants, and visiting officials rose from their seats and offered their greetings toward the hidden figure. Tian gave no response, allowing the mystery surrounding Kati's new Overseer to grow even further.
Not long afterward, another entrance caught everyone's attention. Bai Lin personally appeared beside the head of the Han Clan and escorted the clan leader through the auction house. Many guests expected the Han leader to join one of the ordinary private sections, but Bai Lin continued upward. When they reached the Highest Honor Balcony, the meaning became impossible to miss. The Han Clan head was brought behind the curtain and seated directly beside Tian, sharing the highest place in the entire auction house with Green Oak's Overseer. Several clan representatives immediately exchanged looks, while Kati's officials watched with growing interest. The Han Clan had faced challenges to its influence for years, yet this single seating arrangement sent a message without Tian needing to explain anything.
With a signal from Bai Lin, the Jing Event finally began. A Fire Crow auctioneer stepped onto the stage while attendants brought out the first treasure, a Jing-level spirit sword made by a respected local blacksmith. The opening price quickly drew bids from wandering cultivators and younger clan members, with the final price climbing far beyond what many expected. More treasures followed, including cultivation herbs, elemental stones, protective talismans, beast materials, and several bottles of useful pills. Competition became fierce whenever something rare appeared, though the mood remained enjoyable. A few cultivators laughed after losing bids, while others proudly raised their numbers again just to challenge familiar rivals. Even representatives from nearby towns joined in, making it clear that Fire Crow had prepared an event worth traveling for.
As the auction continued, the stronger clans began showing interest. The Kun Clan competed heavily for Earth Element materials, while members of the Yang Clan became active whenever anything related to fire appeared. The Bo Clan purchased several Water Element resources, though their matriarch seemed more interested in watching the other bidders than spending heavily. Tingfeng remained the least active of the 4, placing only a few bids despite having more than enough wealth to compete. Tian observed everything from behind the curtain of the Highest Honor Balcony. Each bid told him something about the families below, from what resources they valued to which younger cultivators they were supporting. The Jing Event was entertaining, but Tian had never come here just to enjoy an auction, and the treasures everyone truly wanted had yet to appear.
Wanting to raise the temperature of the Jing Event, Tian had given Fire Crow a small sack taken directly from Green Oak Manor's vault. Inside were 30 Kai Gold Coins, a treasure rarely seen anywhere in the region. The moment the auctioneer revealed the sack, excitement spread throughout the hall. Kai Gold had once been produced by the Kai Empire, but no new coins had been refined since its fall. The process required someone possessing Kai Blood, and as far as anyone knew, no such person remained. That made every surviving coin part currency, part cultivation resource, and part ancient treasure. Even powerful families rarely sold the ones they possessed. Seeing thirty appear together at a Jing Event immediately changed how every major figure viewed the auction.
During the height of the Kai Empire, these coins had already been valuable, but their worth had grown greatly with each passing generation. A single Kai Gold Coin was now valued at roughly 7,000 Spirit Stones, placing Tian's sack at around 210,000 Spirit Stones altogether. That was enough wealth to help build a small nation, support a rising clan, or fund cultivators for years. The 4 great clans immediately became more attentive, while officials from neighboring settlements began sending messages to their own leaders. Tian watched from behind the curtain with growing amusement. He had no attachment to coins sitting unused inside Green Oak Manor, especially when spending them could help reveal the ambitions of everyone gathered below. With 30 Kai Gold Coins now available, the friendly competition was about to become far more serious.
At Tian's request, Fire Crow would not sell the 30 Kai Gold Coins together. Each coin would be auctioned separately, with the opening price kept below its normal value so more guests had a chance to obtain one. The auctioneer also reminded everyone that 7,000 Spirit Stones was only the regional base rate, calculated from the average price Kai Gold had recently sold for nearby. That number changed greatly elsewhere. In larger cities and major regions across the continent, wealthy buyers could pay as much as 5 times the local value for a single coin. That meant someone willing to travel could potentially turn one successful purchase into 35,000 Spirit Stones. Suddenly, even cultivators who had been saving their wealth for the 3 Biyu Pills found themselves reconsidering how they wanted to spend it.
Kai Gold offered something even more valuable than profit. The coins were accepted far beyond Kati and could open paths that ordinary Spirit Stones could not. With enough of them, a cultivator could pay for access to higher-level continents, secure passage toward distant planets, or even purchase opportunities connected to other worlds. For many people inside Fire Crow, such places existed only in stories told by traveling cultivators. Now 30 chances to reach toward that wider world were sitting inside a single sack. The first coin was placed on the auction stand, and hands immediately began rising across every level of the hall. Tian watched the bids climb from his balcony, already seeing his plan work. He had wanted to make the Jing Event impossible for Kati's powers to ignore, and now even outsiders would soon hear about it.