271: Chapter 271 Peaceful Years and the Frosty Gathering

The wind and snow of Winter City seemed to have blown from antiquity to the present, forever carrying a killing intent capable of freezing the Soul.

However, in the top-floor Heaven-grade quiet room of that secluded inn in the east of the city, it was a different scene, as warm as spring. The isolation Formation Zhou Wannian had casually set up not only completely blocked out the violent snowstorm—which was strong enough to tear through the protective immortal light of an ordinary True Immortal—but also prevented even a single whistle of the cold wind from leaking into the room.

In the center of the quiet room sat an exquisite incense burner carved from ten-thousand-year-old red sandalwood. A thin wisp of green smoke rose from the hollowed-out mouth of an Auspicious Beast atop the burner, slowly dispersing in mid-air and transforming into a top-grade sandalwood fragrance that could calm the mind and stabilize the Divine Soul. This incense was called Mind-Concentrating Snow Spirit Incense, a rare treasure even in the North Cold Immortal Domain. Lighting a piece the size of a fingernail cost over a hundred immortal yuan stones; ordinary Cultivators didn't even have the right to catch a scent of it.

Zhou Wannian sat cross-legged on a soft futon woven from ice silkworm silk. His seemingly thin green robe draped perfectly at his sides; he seemed to have merged perfectly with this quiet room, and even with the Great Dao Laws of this world.

His breathing was incredibly long. With every inhalation, the pure immortal spiritual power in the surrounding void would surge into his body through his pores, as submissive as a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. With every exhalation, he would release a faint trace of turbid qi, almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

In the past month, Zhou Wannian had not taken a single step out of this quiet room.

He had immersed his entire mind in stabilizing the Wood Origin he had just completed. As one of the supreme Cultivation Techniques of the Immortal Realm, the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art's cultivation difficulty was notoriously high. If not for the stroke of luck that allowed him to obtain that jianmu remnant branch containing the vitality of the world's dawn, reaching the Perfection Realm in the Wood Law would have cost him at least tens of thousands, if not over a hundred thousand years of bitter cultivation.

At this moment, deep within Zhou Wannian's Sea of Consciousness, a magnificent and sacred scene was unfolding.

A Nascent Soul figure, condensed from his vast Divine Sense and glowing with golden light, sat quietly in the very center of his Sea of Consciousness. Behind the Nascent Soul figure, a massive true word treasure wheel, radiating the ancient aura of endless ages, was rotating extremely slowly.

On the treasure wheel, one hundred and eight clusters of golden time dao patterns flickered. Each flicker of a rune seemed to represent the birth and death of a world, containing a terrifying power capable of turning the world upside down and reversing time.

Around the true word treasure wheel, five distinct yet complementary Law auras were circulating. These were the Origin powers representing the extremes of the Five Elements.

Among them, the emerald light representing the Wood attribute was particularly dazzling. It was like a towering tree rooted in the void, continuously emitting a boundless vitality that perfectly linked the other four attributes together. The sharpness of Gold, the fluidity of Water, the violence of Fire, and the heaviness of Earth—under the mediation of the Wood vitality—no longer had any conflict or obstruction, forming a flawless Great Five Elements cycle.

Zhou Wannian slowly opened his eyes, and a subtle five-colored flash of light passed through his deep pupils.

He raised his right hand and casually pointed a slender finger forward into the void.

There was no violent fluctuation of immortal spiritual power, nor any chanting of incantations. As he pointed his finger, an ordinary welcoming pine in the corner of the quiet room—originally meant for decoration and already turning slightly yellow under the severe cold of the North Cold Immortal Domain—suddenly underwent an incredible transformation.

The yellowed needles of the welcoming pine regained their lush green color in a tenth of an instant. Then, its branches began to grow wildly at a speed that defied natural logic. In just two or three breaths, the bonsai, which was originally only half a person tall, grew into a dense, towering small tree that nearly touched the ceiling. Several pine cones, emitting an enticing fragrance, even grew on the trunk.

This was the perfect Fusion of the Law of Time Acceleration and the Wood Origin vitality.

Zhou Wannian looked at the vibrant pine tree before him, a faint, calm smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

He withdrew his finger, and the pine tree's growth stopped instantly. it stood quietly in the corner as if it had always looked that way. This control over the power of Laws had reached the Transcendent state of being controlled by the heart and as easy to use as one's own limbs.

A very slight rustle of fabric came from his sleeve, and a round little golden fellow poked its head out and crawled out.

Golden Boy's two antennae, which looked as if they were made of pure gold, waved quickly in the air. Its tiny eyes were full of undisguised longing.

It crawled up Zhou Wannian's arm to the back of his hand and sent a Divine Sense message: "Boss, you've been in seclusion for over a month; I'm bored to death. I just smelled the scent of many treasures gathered together outside. Shouldn't we go out for a stroll?"

Zhou Wannian reached out and lightly flicked Golden Boy's incredibly hard back shell, producing a crisp "ding" like the sound of metal clashing.

Zhou Wannian said in a gentle tone, "You gluttonous little fellow, your nose is more sensitive than an ordinary Taiyi Cultivator's. Counting the time, that grand auction at the Heavenly Frost Pavilion should indeed be starting. Since I promised to go see that Primordial Sun Essence Fire, I naturally won't break my word."

With a slight flip of his wrist, a deep blue Ore emitting a terrifyingly frigid aura appeared in his palm. This Ore was called ice soul profound crystal; it was a top-grade immortal Ore he had snatched from the core of a Spatial Storm while crossing a void rift. Its hardness was comparable to high-grade Immortal Artifacts.

Zhou Wannian tossed the ice soul profound crystal to Golden Boy and said calmly, "Have this to tide you over. When we get to the auction, if we find any top-grade gold-attribute spiritual materials you like, I'll buy them for you as snacks."

Golden Boy cheered. Its two sharp front pincers tightly hugged the ice soul profound crystal, which was two sizes larger than its own body. It unceremoniously opened its mouthparts, which were capable of crushing the void, and began to feast with a "crunch, crunch" sound. The extreme cold that could freeze a True Immortal Cultivator was like an excellent seasoning to it, and it ate with great relish.

Zhou Wannian ignored Golden Boy's feeding. He stood up calmly from the futon, straightened the hem of his green robe, and with a thought, the isolation Formation around the quiet room vanished silently like melting snow.

He pushed open the heavy wooden door of the quiet room and walked slowly down the stairs of the inn.

The inn's shopkeeper was a shrewd old man with a cultivation at the Void Refining Stage. When he saw Zhou Wannian coming downstairs, he immediately greeted him with a Face full of smiles and an extremely respectful attitude.

The shopkeeper bowed and said flatteringly, "Senior, you have emerged from seclusion. This past month, while Senior was cultivating in peace upstairs, I strictly ordered all the workers in the inn not to go near the Heaven-grade room, for fear of disturbing Senior's quiet cultivation. I wonder if Senior plans to tour the city today, or..."

Zhou Wannian casually tossed a Medium Grade immortal yuan stone, which landed steadily on the counter in front of the shopkeeper.

Zhou Wannian said in a flat tone, "Settling the bill. This quiet room was good; I am very satisfied."

The shopkeeper's hands trembled as he picked up the Medium Grade immortal yuan stone, which radiated dense immortal spiritual power. His smile almost reached his ears. Although the Heaven-grade room was expensive, a month's rent certainly didn't require a whole Medium Grade immortal yuan stone. This Senior's generosity was enough to make a low-level Cultivator like him tremble with excitement.

The shopkeeper bowed repeatedly and said excitedly, "Thank you for the reward, Senior. If Senior is going to attend today's Heavenly Frost Grand Assembly, just go out and turn right along the main street to reach it. The city is extremely crowded today, so please take care, Senior."

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly without saying much. He lifted the heavy windproof curtain at the inn's entrance and stepped into the snow-filled air of Winter City.

Today's Winter City was more than ten times more boisterous and prosperous than when Zhou Wannian first arrived a month ago.

As one of the three major merchant chambers in the North Cold Immortal Domain, the Heavenly Frost Grand Auction held by the Heavenly Frost Pavilion every thousand years was not only a major event for Winter City but a top-tier trading feast that attracted countless high-level Cultivators and even Grand Elders of top Sects from across the entire North Cold Immortal Domain.

Furthermore, word had been leaked before this auction that not only would there be the Primordial Sun Essence Fire, which could help one break through a Bottleneck, as the finale item, but many secret treasures and intelligence regarding the soon-to-open Minghan Immortal Mansion would also appear. This undoubtedly dropped a heavy bombshell into the circle of high-level Cultivators in the North Cold Immortal Domain.

Zhou Wannian walked along the wide bluestone street. All around were hurried Cultivators, including many powerful figures whose cultivation had reached the Golden Immortal Realm. These beings, who were usually high and mighty and worshipped in their respective Sects, had now set aside their status and squeezed into this bustling crowd for the chance to snatch a desired treasure at the auction.

Zhou Wannian maintained his extremely relaxed pace. He did not emit any terrifying pressure, looking just like the most unremarkable wandering Loose Cultivator. However, whenever a Cultivator was about to bump into him due to the crowding, they would be skillfully pushed away by a very gentle yet completely irresistible invisible force.

Those pushed-away Cultivators would often only snap out of it after walking several steps. When they looked back, they couldn't find the figure of the green-robed youth at all. This mysterious movement technique, like strolling through the void, caused those high-level Cultivators who occasionally noticed a clue to put away their disdain and steer clear of his path.

In less than half an hour, the nine-story Heavenly Frost Pavilion, carved from ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, appeared in Zhou Wannian's sight again.

At this moment, the area outside the Heavenly Frost Pavilion was packed so tightly with Cultivators that not even a drop of water could trickle through. The Heavenly Frost Pavilion had deployed hundreds of elite guards at the True Immortal stage to maintain order in front of the building. Only those holding invitations or those who proved they possessed sufficient wealth were allowed to step onto the nine-tier white jade steps.

Intense arguments broke out in the crowd from time to time.

A burly, fierce-looking man in red armor was glaring at the Heavenly Frost Pavilion guards blocking his way.

The red-armored man shouted with a voice like a booming bell, "Are you blind? I am an inner Sect Elder of the Mad Lion Sect, with a cultivation at the Late Stage of True Immortal. How dare you block me? Do you think I'd be short on the entry fee for your Heavenly Frost Pavilion?"

The leader of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion guards did not back down, saying with an extremely cold expression, "So what if you're a Mad Lion Sect Elder? Today is our Heavenly Frost Pavilion's millennial assembly; the rules have long been set. Without an invitation or proof of assets exceeding one hundred thousand immortal yuan stones, no one may enter. If you dare to make more noise, don't blame my Heavenly Frost Pavilion for being heartless."

The red-armored man trembled with rage, but he glanced at the terrifying protective Formation shimmering faintly above the Heavenly Frost Pavilion and ultimately didn't dare to force his way in. He could only spit on the ground in hatred and retreat to the side, cursing under his breath.

Zhou Wannian didn't join the commotion. He walked with a very calm expression through the crowd of Loose Cultivators who were cursing because they couldn't enter, heading straight for the white jade steps.

When he reached the guard line, two True Immortal guards holding profound ice spears crossed their weapons in a well-practiced motion, blocking his path.

The guard on the left said expressionlessly, "Fellow Daoist, please show your invitation or proof of assets."

Zhou Wannian didn't speak. He casually raised his right hand, his wide green sleeve sliding down slightly to reveal two long, fair fingers. Between his fingertips, he casually held a jade plaque that was crystal clear and carved with intricate snowflake patterns.

The Heaven-grade Guest Token.

The two guards, who had been cold and indifferent, turned pale the moment they saw the jade plaque. The arrogance in their eyes instantly turned into extreme terror. They retracted their crossed spears as if they had been electrocuted and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.

The two guards shouted in unison with extremely respectful voices, "Greetings, esteemed guest! We were blind and offended Senior; please forgive us, Senior!"

The surrounding Cultivators, who had been watching the scene and were even ready to mock Zhou Wannian for overestimating himself, fell into a dead silence upon hearing the guards' address and seeing that legendary Heaven-grade Guest Token. Everyone looked at this seemingly ordinary green-robed youth with eyes full of shock, awe, and even a hint of fear.

One must know that in the entire North Cold Immortal Domain, the number of people who could possess a Heavenly Frost Pavilion Heaven-grade Guest Token could be counted on one's fingers. It was not just a symbol of terrifying wealth, but also represented a Transcendent status that even the Sect Master of a top Sect must treat as an equal.

Zhou Wannian ignored the awe-struck gazes around him. He calmly tucked the jade plaque back into his sleeve without glancing at the terrified guards. With a relaxed pace, he unhurriedly ascended the white jade steps and entered the doors of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion.

As soon as he entered the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, the elegant maidservant who had received him before immediately came forward to greet him. Clearly, the Heavenly Frost Pavilion's internal intelligence network was highly developed; the moment he showed his guest token outside, the upper management of the pavilion already knew of his arrival.

The maidservant bowed respectfully and said in a sweet voice, "Senior Zhou, Shopkeeper Bai is currently receiving several distinguished guests from top Sects upstairs and cannot come down personally. He specifically instructed me to wait here. Senior's exclusive Heaven-grade booth has been prepared. Please follow me."

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly and said, "Lead the way."

Under the maidservant's guidance, Zhou Wannian did not stay in the noisy ordinary auction hall on the ground floor. Instead, he went directly to the eighth floor of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion via an exclusive teleportation Formation.

The eighth floor was a massive circular space with a white jade auction stage floating in the center. Surrounding the auction stage was a ring of very secluded independent booths, completely enclosed by high-level isolation Formations.

The maidservant led Zhou Wannian to a booth with an excellent view and respectfully pushed open the door.

The luxury inside the booth was staggering. The floor was covered with a whole ninth-grade snow-velvet beast hide, which felt as soft as a cloud underfoot. In the center of the booth sat a large couch carved from a single piece of warm jade. On the red sandalwood table in front of the couch were rare top-grade immortal fruits from the North Cold Immortal Domain and several pots of jade nectar radiating enticing spiritual energy.

What satisfied Zhou Wannian most was that the side of the booth facing the auction stage was fitted with a large piece of one-way glazed crystal. From inside the booth, one could clearly see every detail on the auction stage and even sense the Law fluctuations of the auction items, yet no one from the outside could peer into the booth at all.

Zhou Wannian sat down casually on the warm jade couch, adjusting himself into a comfortable position.

The maidservant walked obediently to the table, filled a cup with jade nectar for him, and then quietly retreated to the corner of the booth, standing by like a transparent person, ready for any instructions.

At this moment, the auction hall below was already packed with tens of thousands of Cultivators. A dense sea of heads bustled about, and the clamor of their conversations converged into a surging tide of sound. However, within this exceptionally soundproofed private booth on the eighth floor, not a single bit of the commotion could be heard.

Half an hour later, accompanied by three ethereal and melodious booms from an ancient bell, the previously noisy auction hall instantly fell silent.

The white jade floor in the center of the auction stage slowly split open, and an exquisite jade platform rose up. Standing atop the platform was a female Cultivator dressed in a grand crimson palace robe, her figure incredibly curvaceous and voluptuous. Her features were stunningly beautiful, and every frown or smile carried a natural charm capable of stirring the most primal desires in one's heart. Even more remarkably, her cultivation had actually reached the Early Stage of the Golden Immortal Realm.

She was the renowned chief auctioneer of Heavenly Frost Pavilion, Fairy Hongxiu.

Fairy Hongxiu's eyes moved nimbly as she scanned the hall and the hidden booths above. Her red lips parted slightly, and a crisp, soft voice that seemed sweet enough to melt one's bones instantly spread throughout the entire Heavenly Frost Pavilion.

Fairy Hongxiu smiled charmingly and said in a delicate voice, "Seniors, Fellow Daoists. Welcome to the millennial grand auction of our Heavenly Frost Pavilion. I, Hong Xiu, represent the Heavenly Frost Pavilion in thanking you all for your presence. I won't waste time with idle chatter; today's auction items will definitely not let anyone leave empty-handed."

With an elegant wave of her large red sleeve, a tray covered in golden silk was carefully brought up by a maidservant.

Fairy Hongxiu reached out her slender, jade-like hand and briskly whipped away the golden silk, revealing a piece of blue inner armor that radiated an incredibly terrifying chilling Qi.

Fairy Hongxiu introduced loudly, "The first item is the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Armor. This armor was crafted by an Artifact Refining Grandmaster using the extreme cold silk spat out by ten-thousand-year ice silkworms, supplemented by Nine Nether Cold Iron and tempered over a century. Not only can it perfectly withstand a full-strength strike from a Middle Stage Golden Immortal Cultivator, but it is also immune to all spells and resistant to water and fire. The starting price is five hundred thousand immortal yuan stones. Each bid increment must be at least ten thousand immortal yuan stones. Let the bidding begin."

As soon as she finished speaking, the hall below immediately erupted. A top-grade defensive Immortal Artifact capable of withstanding a full-strength blow from a Middle Stage Golden Immortal was equivalent to an extra life for those Cultivators who frequently lived on the edge of life and death.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand."

"Six hundred thousand."

"I bid seven hundred thousand!"

The bids rose one after another, and in just a short moment, the price of this Ice Silkworm Armor was driven up to the astronomical price of 1.2 million immortal yuan stones.

Zhou Wannian leaned lazily against a warm jade couch, gently swirling a cup of nectar in his hand. Through the glazed crystal, he watched the red-faced Cultivators below fighting tooth and nail over a few hundred thousand immortal yuan stones, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

Before his True Demon Indestructible Body, which had already reached the Peak of the Middle Stage Taiyi Realm and was immune to all spells, this level of defensive gear was no better than a sheet of window paper. He didn't even have the interest to spare it a second glance.

Over the next few hours, the auction proceeded with great fervor.

Fairy Hongxiu was extremely skilled at manipulating the crowd's emotions, as rare treasures capable of causing bloodbaths in the outside world were brought onto the auction stage one after another.

There were high-grade Medicinal Pills capable of instantly restoring a Golden Immortal's full immortal spiritual power, ancient Jade Slips recording a fragmented Taiyi-level sword art, and even a tattered ancient beast-skin map said to mark a very secret entrance to the outskirts of the Minghan Immortal Mansion.

Without exception, these items triggered frantic competition. Elders from major Sects and reclusive Loose Cultivator powerhouses threw down vast sums of money.

Zhou Wannian maintained the absolute relaxation of a bystander throughout. He was like a deity sitting atop the clouds, coldly watching the ants of the mortal world tear at each other for a few grains of chaff.

During this time, he also casually made two moves.

Once, he spent two million immortal yuan stones to buy a piece of rare Nine Heavens Meteor Light Iron. This material was incredibly hard; an ordinary Taiyi Cultivator couldn't even leave a scratch on it. He bought it purely as a teething snack for the Golden Boy in his sleeve. When he calmly called out the price of two million—enough to bankrupt many medium-sized Sects—the Golden Immortals who had been bidding fiercely immediately fell silent, not daring to utter a single word.

The other time, he spent 1.5 million immortal yuan stones on a batch of Heavenly One True Water, which contained dense water-attribute Law power. Although the wood Origin of his Great Five Elements Illusory World Art was already at Perfection, water feeds wood; preparing more high-grade water-attribute materials would be of great benefit to his subsequent cultivation and Fusion.

During these two bids, his tone didn't fluctuate at all, as if those millions of immortal yuan stones were just useless rocks. This terrifying financial power caused countless Cultivators in the hall below to speculate curiously about what kind of reclusive powerhouse was seated in this Heaven-grade booth.

As the final regular auction item sold for an absurdly high price, the atmosphere of the entire auction suddenly became oppressive and solemn.

Everyone knew that the true highlights—the peerless treasures saved for the grand finale—were finally about to appear.

Fairy Hongxiu on the stage tucked away her previous seductive smile, her expression becoming extremely solemn.

She took a deep breath and solemnly formed a complex hand Seal with both hands.

Following her movements, the defensive Formation on the auction stage was instantly activated to its highest level. A thick, pale-gold light curtain firmly enveloped the entire stage, with countless profound defensive runes flowing across its surface.

Not only that, but a terrifying pressure rose from each of the four corners of the auction hall. Four gray-robed Grand Elders of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, whose cultivation had reached the Early Stage of the Taiyi Realm, had appeared at some point. They sat cross-legged in mid-air like four pillars steadying the sea, vigilantly locking down the entire venue.

This exaggerated security arrangement caused all the Cultivators present to gasp, their breathing becoming heavy.

Fairy Hongxiu carefully retrieved a dark-gold crystal box wrapped in multiple layers of Seals from her storage artifact.

As soon as this box appeared, even through the thick defensive light curtain and layers of Seals, the temperature in the entire hall surged at a terrifying speed. The lower-level Void Refining Stage and Body Integration Stage Cultivators felt as if the blood in their bodies was about to boil and ignite, forcing them to frantically circulate their magic power to resist this horrifying heatwave.

Fairy Hongxiu's originally fair Face was also flushed red like the sunset by the heat.

She swallowed hard, her voice trembling slightly from extreme excitement.

Fairy Hongxiu announced loudly, "Seniors, the ultimate finale item of this auction is a supreme treasure that countless fire-attribute Cultivators dream of. One wisp of Primordial Sun Essence Fire."

"Whoosh—"

The entire auction hall instantly fell into a state of frantic boiling. Countless people stood up, their eyes bloodshot as they stared fixedly at the dark-gold crystal box.

In a booth on the eighth floor, an old man enveloped in red flames, his hair dancing wildly like a blazing fire, slammed his hand onto the table in front of him, instantly turning it to ash.

This old man was the Old Devil Chiyan, a Grand Elder of the top-tier Heavenly Fire Sect who was famous in the North Cold Immortal Domain for his explosive temper. He had been stuck at the Middle Stage Taiyi Bottleneck for thirty thousand years. If he could obtain this wisp of Primordial Sun Essence Fire, he was absolutely certain he could use it to break through to the Late Stage of the Taiyi Realm in one go.

Old Devil Chiyan's eyes spat fire as he roared violently, "This Essence Fire is mine! Whoever dares to compete with me, I will exterminate their entire clan!"

Meanwhile, in Zhou Wannian's booth.

Zhou Wannian languidly placed the empty wine goblet back onto the table.

He sat up slightly, his deep gaze piercing through the glazed crystal to quietly watch the dark-gold crystal box radiating terrifyingly high temperatures.

Within the Five Elements cycle of the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art, the link representing the fire attribute began to emit a faint, longing vibration upon sensing this pure Ancient Origin aura.

Zhou Wannian smiled faintly.

"It's finally out. It wasn't in vain for me to sit here for these few hours."

On stage, Fairy Hongxiu struggled to maintain the defensive Formation as she loudly announced the staggering starting price.

Fairy Hongxiu shouted, "Primordial Sun Essence Fire, starting price: ten million immortal yuan stones. Each bid increment must be at least five hundred thousand. The bidding starts now!"

"Twelve million!"

As soon as the starting price was announced, Old Devil Chiyan of the Heavenly Fire Sect roared impatiently, immediately raising the price by two million in an attempt to intimidate other bidders with his overbearing manner.

"Chi Yan, you old pauper, how dare you talk big here. I bid fifteen million!"

From another booth came a cold, grating voice that sounded like two blocks of ice rubbing together. This was the Grand Elder of the Mysterious Underworld Cult, another major Sect in the North Cold Immortal Domain. They were mortal enemies with the Heavenly Fire Sect, so he naturally wouldn't let Old Devil Chiyan have his way easily.

"Sixteen million!"

"Eighteen million!"

In just a few short breaths, the price soared like a runaway horse. Those who dared to bid at this time were all top-tier Sects with deep foundations and hundreds of thousands of years of Legacy. Ordinary Golden Immortal Loose Cultivators didn't even have the courage to speak, listening numbly to those astronomical figures like they were watching gods fight.

"Twenty-five million! This Essence Fire is vital to my Heavenly Fire Sect. If you all give me some Face, I, Chi Yan, will be eternally grateful. If you insist on competing with me, you will be an enemy of the Heavenly Fire Sect!" Old Devil Chiyan roared in frustration, his violent Taiyi pressure even leaking through the booth's Formation in an attempt to forcibly suppress the bids of others.

The entire auction hall fell silent for a moment. The Heavenly Fire Sect's strength was definitely in the top five of the North Cold Immortal Domain. Offending such a behemoth for a single treasure was something many Sects had to weigh carefully.

Even the Grand Elder of the Mysterious Underworld Cult, after hesitating for a moment, let out an unwilling cold snort and did not continue to bid. Twenty-five million immortal yuan stones had already exceeded the psychological limit he had brought for this trip.

Seeing this, Old Devil Chiyan laughed triumphantly.

Just as Fairy Hongxiu on the stage was about to start the countdown, and even the four guarding Grand Elders of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion thought the matter was settled.

A flat voice, devoid of any emotional fluctuation yet as clear as a divine oracle from the Nine Heavens, rang out abruptly, reaching every corner.

"Fifty million."

As soon as this breezy figure was uttered.

The entire Heavenly Frost Pavilion.

Dead silence.

Absolute dead silence.

The auction hall of a million people seemed to have been struck by a terrifying immobilization spell at this instant. No sound of breathing, no sound of heartbeats; everyone stiffly turned their heads, their gazes fixed on the quiet Heaven-grade booth on the eighth floor.

Fifty million immortal yuan stones.

This was no longer just a number; it was nearly the entire accumulated foundation of a top-tier Sect over a hundred thousand years. Yet the person in the booth had spoken this number with a tone as casual as buying a cabbage at a morning market.

In the Heavenly Fire Sect's booth, the triumphant laugh on Old Devil Chiyan's Face instantly froze, turning into a twisted fury.

"Who is it?! Which reckless bastard dares to trifle with me?! Fifty million? Can a posturing rat like you even produce that much?!" Old Devil Chiyan was like an enraged lion. His violent Taiyi pressure instantly locked onto Zhou Wannian's booth as he roared in anger.

In Old Devil Chiyan's view, this was definitely someone maliciously driving up the price to cause trouble.

Zhou Wannian sat quietly on the warm jade couch. He didn't even have the inclination to stand up.

Facing Old Devil Chiyan's violent Taiyi pressure and rude verbal abuse.

Zhou Wannian picked up the wine goblet on the table, took a leisurely sip, and then, using that same flat voice devoid of any worldly heat, spoke clearly through the booth's Formation.

Zhou Wannian said indifferently, "Who are you to question me? If you're not satisfied, feel free to keep bidding. If you don't have the immortal yuan stones, then shut your dog mouth and watch quietly."

Extreme arrogance.

Extreme relaxation.

Absolute disdain that completely disregarded a Middle Stage Taiyi powerhouse of a top-tier Sect.

Old Devil Chiyan was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of scorching blood. As a Grand Elder of the Heavenly Fire Sect, when had he ever suffered such a humiliating insult?

"You seek death! I shall see today just what kind of 'holy being' you are!"

Old Devil Chiyan completely lost his mind. He smashed the crystal wall of the booth with a single punch and transformed into a violent meteor of flame, ignoring the rules of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion and charging recklessly toward Zhou Wannian's booth.

Seeing this, the four Grand Elders of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion turned pale and were about to step in to stop him.

But inside the booth, Zhou Wannian merely let out an extremely casual and light cold snort.

"Noisy."

Before his voice even faded.

Zhou Wannian didn't even lift a finger.

A terrifying physical pressure of the ultimate path, capable of crushing an entire Star Domain, combined with the power of the Great Perfection Space Law, erupted from the booth like an awakening primordial beast.

This power was invisible and intangible, yet indestructible.

In mid-air, Old Devil Chiyan didn't even have time for the tail end of his threat to fall before his proud protective divine fire was instantly extinguished like a candle in the wind.

Thud.

A muffled, heavy sound rang out.

Old Devil Chiyan's burly frame was like a mosquito casually swatted by a flyswatter.

He flew back a hundred times faster than he had come, slamming hard into the solid black ice wall of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, his entire body deeply embedded within it. His bones were shattered, and large amounts of blood sprayed out pathetically; he couldn't even crawl out.

One strike.

It couldn't even be called a strike, merely an outward release of aura.

A top-tier Middle Stage Taiyi powerhouse was completely crushed like a dead dog.

The million Cultivators in the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, including the four Grand Elders who were about to intervene, were all scared out of their wits, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Zhou Wannian still leaned lazily on the long couch.

He didn't even look at Old Devil Chiyan embedded in the wall.

Zhou Wannian's gaze pierced the glazed crystal, looking at Fairy Hongxiu on the auction stage, who was completely terrified, and said in a flat and relaxed tone.

"Is anyone else bidding? If not, I'll take this fire."