281: Your anger, my reward

In the auction hall, after a brief commotion, a strange silence returned.

Several items, not particularly rare but still valuable, were presented one by one and auctioned off.

But the atmosphere had completely changed.

Everyone's attention was no longer on those treasures.

Countless gazes drifted back and forth, subtly, between the Heavenly Charm Sect's Young Lord, Si Kongya, and the mysterious private box on the top floor.

One was a notorious young master of the Star Domain with a terrifying background.

The other was a mysterious wealthy guest of unknown origin, yet rich enough to rival nations.

It was a clash of titans.

Everyone could smell the brewing storm.

Si Kongya sat in his seat, his face as dark as water, saying nothing.

The Refining Void Realm Elder behind him had his eyes half-closed, as if in meditation, but a faint, cold, and massive Divine Thought had already locked onto the box where Lin Fan was located, like a venomous snake ready to strike.

They were waiting.

Lin Fan was also waiting.

He leaned back in his chair made of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul-Nourishing Wood, even playing with the message Jade Slip somewhat boredly.

Finally, amidst the anxious waiting of the Cultivators in the hall, the auctioneer took a deep breath and announced in an unprecedentedly solemn voice:

“Next is the final and most anticipated finale treasure of this Heavenly Star Pavilion annual auction!”

Boom!

As soon as the words fell, an ice platform made of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice slowly rose from the center of the auction stage amidst a burst of complex Formation light.

On the ice platform, a token cast entirely from unknown bronze, covered in ancient and mysterious patterns, floated quietly.

The moment it appeared, a vast aura that transcended time and space, as if from the ancient primordial wilderness, instantly enveloped the entire venue.

The [realm beacon]!

Everyone's breathing stopped at this moment.

“Starting price, one hundred million Top-Grade Spirit Stones!” The auctioneer's voice trembled slightly.

This price was enough to buy a medium-sized Sect.

However, this was only the beginning.

“One hundred and fifty million!”

“Two hundred million!”

“My Golden Rainbow Chamber of Commerce bids two hundred and thirty million!”

The price skyrocketed as if it had gone mad.

Those bidding were all powerful forces with status in various Star Domains. A [realm beacon] meant a stable path of plunder leading to a Lower Realm; its strategic value was immeasurable.

Si Kongya watched coldly. Only when the bidding in the hall gradually thinned out and stabilized around three hundred million did he slowly raise his sign, his voice cold and arrogant.

“Heavenly Charm Sect bids five hundred million.”

The entire hall instantly fell into a dead silence.

This price had far exceeded the market value of this beacon.

What Si Kongya wanted was not just this beacon.

What he wanted was to use absolute strength to crush the entire hall and reclaim all the face he had just lost.

His provocative gaze pierced through the crowd, staring fixedly at the top-floor box.

The auctioneer had already begun the countdown.

“Five hundred million, going once...”

Everyone thought the matter was settled.

Just then.

That voice, so flat it didn't carry a hint of emotion, drifted leisurely from the top-floor box again, ringing clearly in everyone's ears.

“One billion.”

Whoosh—!!!

The entire auction hall was like a heavy bomb had been dropped into it, instantly exploding into a frenzy!

One billion! Top-Grade Spirit Stones!

Crazy!

This mysterious person is completely insane!

“Pfft.”

In the VIP seats not far away, that cool and elegant woman named Yue Xi couldn't help but chuckle. Her beautiful eyes, hidden under the veil, sparkled with extraordinary brilliance as she looked at Lin Fan's box with great interest.

Si Kongya's face instantly contorted.

He stood up abruptly, the Qi around him going wild due to extreme anger. A terrifying pressure of the Refining Void Realm, mixed with the even deeper and heavier aura of the Elder behind him, pressed down ruthlessly toward Lin Fan's box like two invisible mountains!

Boom!

The entire box groaned under this massive pressure as if it couldn't bear the weight. The outer defensive Formation flashed wildly, looking like it could shatter at any moment.

Inside the box.

Lin Fan made a "thud" sound, as if he had fallen to the ground in fear. His voice transmitted through the Formation, carrying a clear hint of... panic and trembling.

“You... what do you want to do? Does the auction house... not care?”

Hearing this voice that was fierce in appearance but weak within, a sinister look of gratification finally appeared on Si Kongya's face.

So, he's just a spineless coward with some money!

“Kid, if you kneel and kowtow now, then get out of the Black Market Star, this Young Lord might consider leaving you an intact corpse.” Si Kongya's voice was full of a high-and-mighty judgmental tone.

A threat.

An overt threat.

The Cultivators in the hall were as quiet as cicadas in winter.

The guards and managers of the Heavenly Star Pavilion looked on, yet not a single person stepped forward to intervene.

This was the prestige of a top-tier Sect.

Just when everyone thought the mysterious person would yield.

In the box, that trembling voice rang out again.

“I... I bid... 1.1 billion...”

The voice wasn't loud, and even stuttered a bit.

But these words were like two of the loudest slaps, ruthlessly striking Si Kongya's face.

The smugness on Si Kongya's face instantly froze.

His chest heaved violently, his eyes bloodshot, almost spitting fire.

“1.5 billion!!” He almost roared out this price, which was already the limit of the authority he could exercise within the Sect.

The Elder behind him also had an extremely unsightly expression.

“Young Lord, you mustn't!”

The top-floor box went silent.

It seemed to be intimidated by this astronomical figure.

“Ha... Hahahaha!” Si Kongya let out a frenzied laugh. “Competing with me? Are you worthy!”

However, before his laughter could fade.

That trembling but incredibly clear voice rang out leisurely again, carrying a hint of tragic determination, as if having made a massive decision.

“1.5 billion... and one Top-Grade Spirit Stone.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

Dead silence.

The entire venue was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

If the previous bid was a slap in the face, then this time, it was taking Si Kongya's face, pinning it to the ground, and ruthlessly rubbing it back and forth with the sole of a foot.

Humiliation!

This was the ultimate humiliation!

“Aaaaaah!!!”

Si Kongya completely lost control, and a mouthful of blood could no longer be suppressed, spraying out violently.

He stared fixedly at that box, the resentment and killing intent in his eyes so thick it seemed they would drip out.

But he could no longer call out a price.

“Con... Congratulations to this esteemed guest!” The auctioneer wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and finalized the deal with a hammer strike.

Soon, a manager from the Heavenly Star Pavilion personally delivered the [realm beacon] to Lin Fan's box.

Under the watch of countless complex gazes, Lin Fan paid that astronomical sum of Spirit Stones, looking as if he had emptied his entire family fortune.

A moment later, he walked out from the box's exclusive passage, still in that black robe and silver mask, only his steps looked a bit... unsteady and hurried.

He kept his head down and walked in a rush, as if eager to leave this place of trouble.

Just as he was about to walk out of the auction house's main gate.

His feet suddenly stumbled, seemingly due to being unsettled, and he almost fell.

A small, inconspicuous Jade Slip slipped from his sleeve and fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Lin Fan, like a startled rabbit, hurriedly bent down to pick it up and rushed out the door without looking back, his figure soon disappearing into the chaotic streets.

The entire process was so fast that people didn't have time to react.

Standing by the railing on the second floor, Si Kongya saw everything.

Looking in the direction where Lin Fan disappeared, a cruel sneer appeared on his face.

He slowly walked downstairs and came to the spot where Lin Fan had just stumbled.

There, at the position where he had just picked up the Jade Slip, another... identical Jade Slip remained.

Clearly, that person was too flustered; he had two on him and only picked up one.

Si Kongya's guard stepped forward, respectfully picked up the "dropped" Jade Slip, and presented it.

Si Kongya took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

It was a star map.

At the end of the star map, a flashing red dot was marked, with two ancient characters beside it—"Ancestral Wood."

“Want to run?”

“Hehe... can you run away?”

Si Kongya crushed the Jade Slip in his hand, and a terrifying killing intent erupted from his body.

“Pass down my order! Blockade all spaceports on the Black Market Star! Search every inch of the ground for me; I must find him!”

“I don't just want him dead!”

“I want all the secrets on him to become mine!”