139: Chapter 139 The Opening of the Taixu Secret Realm

"I am Su Qingyao, Elder of the Tianxuan Sect."

The woman's voice was clear and resonant, carrying through the spiritual array to every corner of the Tianxuan Pavilion; every word was distinct, carrying an imposing authority without the need for anger.

"Today's Taixu Auction follows the ancient rules of the Tianxuan Sect: the highest bidder wins. Spirit Stones, spiritual materials, and Spirit Treasures can all be used as payment. Private duels, peering with Divine Sense, and malicious provocations are prohibited within the venue. Violators will have their cultivation crippled, be expelled, and be permanently banned from the Tianxuan Market."

"Without further ado, the auction begins."

As her voice fell, the spiritual patterns high above bloomed brilliantly, spiritual light rose from the entire auction platform, and various auction items appeared one by one.

The early auction items were mostly standard Tier 2 supplies.

Tier 2 healing Medicinal Pills, Tier 2 offensive and defensive Talismans, basic Secret Realm maps, dust-locking jade boxes, anti-poison spiritual water... all were common supplies that were essential for the Secret Realm.

Countless Foundation Establishment Cultivators scrambled to bid, their offers of Spirit Stones rising one after another, creating a wave of intense heat.

Many Loose Cultivators and disciples from small and medium-sized Families gritted their teeth and bid, exhausting their savings just to exchange for a life-saving item.

Li Changqing sat motionless the entire time, his gaze sweeping indifferently over each auction item, never once opening his mouth to bid.

Time passed slowly, and hundreds of standard auction items were all sold.

Su Qingyao raised her jade hand slightly, and her voice sounded again, suddenly rising a few notches:

"Next, we will begin the auction for the first batch of heavy treasures, all of which are rare and precious treasures suitable for the Taixu Secret Realm!"

As her voice fell, the atmosphere in the venue instantly tightened, and countless gazes suddenly focused on the auction platform.

The first heavy treasure appeared—a pitch-black, ancient-patterned jade suspended in mid-air, surrounded by faint spatial fluctuations.

"This treasure is called the Void Breath-Hiding Jade, ranked as a Medium Grade Tier 3 item. When worn, it can completely conceal the aura of Cultivators below the Late Stage of the Golden Core level, hide one's figure and spiritual rhythm, and isolate one from low-level Divine Sense probing. It is most suitable for lurking, ambushing, and escaping within the Secret Realm. It lasts for twelve hours and can be used repeatedly."

"The starting bid is 15,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and each increment must not be less than 500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue was in an uproar.

Inside the Secret Realm, people's hearts are unpredictable and murderous intent lurks everywhere; a treasure that can hide one's aura is worth far more than offensive or defensive Spirit Treasures of the same rank!

"16,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"18,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"19,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

Numerous Golden Core Cultivators bid frantically. Within moments, the price soared to 28,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and it was finally won by a Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator in black, who gritted his teeth to secure it.

The second and third heavy treasures appeared one after another.

High Grade Tier 3 Mysterious Water Armor, Prohibition-Breaking Thunder Talismans, Yao Beast life essence blood, Secret Realm path-finding spiritual insects... every single one was a rare treasure seldom seen in the outside world, sparking heated bidding in the venue, with waves of Spirit Stones rising one after another.

Many Golden Core Immortal Masters bid casually, often offering tens of thousands of Low-Grade Spirit Stones, showing immense extravagance, forming an extreme contrast with the financial constraints and embarrassment of the lower-level Cultivators.

The gap between classes was vividly displayed in this auction.

The weak exhausted everything to seek a sliver of survival, while the strong threw wealth around to compete for a foundation.

...

Three days later, all auction items were sold.

Su Qingyao nodded in mid-air: "This Taixu Auction has concluded successfully. You may rest for a few days and wait for the Secret Realm to open. Rely on your own Opportunity and accept your own fate."

The spiritual rainbows filling the sky receded, and nine bell tolls echoed across the sky.

Countless Cultivators stood up and left, the sound of discussion lingering on and on. The focus of everyone's conversation was that mysterious Peak Golden Core Cultivator who had appeared out of nowhere and spent a staggering 750,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones to win the Dao-Guiding Jade Token.

Li Changqing mingled in the crowd, concealing the aura of all his treasures, his expression calm and unruffled, slowly walking out of the Tianxuan Pavilion with the flow of people.

Outside, the setting sun was dipping low, and the evening glow covered the sky. The Spiritual Qi in the Tianxuan Market remained abundant, but the gazes that the surrounding Cultivators cast at each other already held a bit more hidden murderous intent and greed.

The auction had ended, and the resources were settled.

The final period of calm dormancy had already entered the countdown.

Li Changqing looked up at the distant horizon, a deep, cold light flashing in his eyes.

Ten thousand Cultivators were building up their strength, Prodigies were sharpening their blades, and old monsters were lying in wait.

A few days later, the gates of the Taixu Secret Realm swung open.

For this Shura struggle that would sweep across the entire Juxing Domain, he, Li Changqing, stood by, waiting to enter the fray.

For three full days, the Tianxuan Market fell into a strange silence.

All the Cultivators preparing to enter the Secret Realm, whether they were Golden Core Cultivators whose Lifespan was coming to an end, high-spirited Sect Prodigies, or lone Loose Cultivators who licked blood from the blade, all closed their doors to rest.

Some went into seclusion to stabilize their cultivation and refine the Secret Realm treasures they had won at the auction; some wiped their Spiritual Artifacts and checked their Talismans, tuning every protective trump card to its Peak; others sat cross-legged to regulate their breathing, suppressing the restlessness in their hearts, quietly waiting for the Opportunity and slaughter that would sweep across the entire Juxing Domain.

The final calm was the last prologue before the storm arrived.

On the fourth day, the sky a thousand miles outside Tianxuan City changed abruptly.

At high noon, the previously clear sky, stretching for ten thousand miles, suddenly trembled violently, and the Spiritual Qi of the entire world went out of control instantly!

Whoosh—

Violent winds were born out of thin air, sweeping across the land for a thousand miles; the surrounding mountains and forests all bowed, and spiritual mists surged like raging waves.

The endless Spiritual Qi drifting between heaven and earth no longer flowed gently, but instead gathered, collided, and roared madly, shaking the entire territory of the Tianxuan Prefecture slightly.

Boom!!!

An ancient and vast celestial sound exploded from above the Nine Heavens, resounding in all directions, causing the eardrums of countless Cultivators to ring and their minds to tremble violently.

Everyone rushed out of their places of seclusion and soared into the air, ten thousand gazes cast simultaneously toward the deepest part of the sky.

They saw that at the Peak of the extreme northern Nine Heavens, the previously empty Void Realm was slowly cracking open, revealing a brilliant fissure of light that stretched for ten thousand zhang.

Inside the fissure of light was not the sea of clouds of the mortal world, but a vast and ancient white mist of Chaos.

As the white mist swirled, primordial star rivers hung down, the Dao rhythm of nirvana floated, and fragmented ancient Dao marks flowed slowly in the Void Realm. A vast, desolate, and majestic aura that had weathered the vicissitudes of eternity gushed down along the fissure, suppressing the surrounding area and shocking ten thousand Cultivators.

That was the pressure of heaven and earth belonging to the ancient era—heavy, cold, and ruthless, carrying the dead silence accumulated over the years, making the bodies of countless Foundation Establishment Cultivators stiff and cold, and making even breathing difficult.

"The Taixu Secret Realm... is open!"

It was unknown who gave a trembling, low shout, which instantly ignited the burning heat and frenzy in the hearts of all the Cultivators present.

The ten-thousand-zhang fissure of light continued to expand and extend, rising from ten thousand zhang to one hundred thousand zhang, finally turning into a giant Void Realm portal that spanned the horizon.

The portal was constructed entirely of pure white spiritual light, its edges entwined with ancient Dao marks interwoven with purple and gold. The patterns were obscure and difficult to understand, representing the long-lost Profound Truth of ancient formation Dao.

Behind the portal, clouds and mist rolled, and light and shadow were blurred. It was impossible to see the depths of the Secret Realm clearly; one could only faintly glimpse the overlapping, continuous ancient mountains, the outlines of collapsed ancient palaces, and broken Immortal Stones floating in mid-air.

The anomalies of heaven and earth did not stop.

As the Secret Realm portal completely formed, the spiritual energy filling the sky condensed into thousands of colorful spiritual rains, falling rustlingly upon the world, landing on the mountains, rivers, and vegetation.

At the same time, within the territory of the Tianxuan Prefecture, the Secret Realm tokens in the possession of countless Cultivators—whether they were the original ancient tokens or later imitations—all began to glow on their own.