Firmament Sword

BOOM!

The entire auction hall erupted in an uproar!

Everyone was stunned. Countless gazes fixed on the private room from which the voice had come.

Even Lu Ping, on the auction stage, stood there dumbfounded, as if petrified. It took him a long moment to come to his senses.

’Someone actually... dares to compete with someone from Celestial Brilliance?’

”Who is that person?”

”Does anyone know who’s in that room?”

”They’ve got some serious nerve! To actually offend... someone from Celestial Brilliance...”

”You have to understand, the one from Celestial Brilliance this time is an Advanced Disciple! Didn’t you see the Baihua Auction House’s Chief Shopkeeper personally welcome him with a smile earlier?”

”This person’s got guts!”

On the first floor of the auction hall, almost everyone... instantly grew incredibly excited.

To witness a clash with Celestial Brilliance firsthand... such an opportunity was truly rare!

Li Dahai also stared at the second-floor room in shock, his mouth twitching violently a few times. He then shook his head and said with a wry smile, ”There’s always a higher mountain.”

The beautiful young woman beside him said softly, ”Why do you care about that?”

”Haha, you’re right. Having you is enough for me!” Li Dahai pulled the young woman closer, a happy expression on his face.

In the Piaomiao Palace room, the dejected girl in the red dress’s jaw dropped. Her beautiful eyes widened in astonishment as she exclaimed, ”Who is this person? Did they eat a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gall? How dare they oppose Celestial Brilliance?”

Xie Yudie shot her younger sister a look and said, ”Watch your words. You make it sound like Celestial Brilliance is completely unreasonable. Besides, aren’t you from Celestial Brilliance yourself?”

”Hee hee... I’m just looking at it from a bystander’s perspective.” Xie Yurou giggled, then said, ”Speaking of which, this guy from Celestial Brilliance is really obnoxious. So arrogant... He’s just the Direct Disciple of some Elder, what’s so great about that?”

Xie Yudie patted her sister’s hand dotingly and said softly, ”Don’t say that. When Heavenly Brilliance Disciples are out in the world, they must maintain an air of pride and nobility. Otherwise... people would find it strange. Also... he is indeed considered a leading figure of the younger generation in Celestial Brilliance. So, a little pride... is understandable.”

”Hmph, Celestial Brilliance’s pride and nobility are for outsiders to see, not their own people!” Xie Yurou snorted. ”He knows you’re here, Sister, but he didn’t even come to pay his respects. Who does he think he is? He has no manners at all!”

”What’s the point of being angry about that? I’m a married woman now. I’ve left Celestial Brilliance and am no longer one of its people. It’s reasonable that he wouldn’t come over. After all, we must observe the propriety between men and women.”

”What propriety between men and women? He’s just rude!” Xie Yurou retorted with a pout.

Just then, a cool voice spoke again from the room that had made the bid. ”What? Are we not allowed to bid?”

”Ah... Ah... no, of course not!” On the stage, Auctioneer Lu finally managed to snap out of it, saying hastily, ”My apologies, I was just... a little surprised. Heh heh... I never thought an attack Talisman like this would fetch such a price.”

”Didn’t Auctioneer Lu just do his utmost to tell us how valuable this Talisman was? How could you not have expected this now?” a young girl’s voice called out from the Piaomiao Palace room.

The entire auction hall immediately broke into another commotion.

After speaking, Xie Yurou glanced smugly at her sister.

The young woman, Xie Yudie, had a helpless expression on her face. In truth, she wasn’t without a trace of annoyance herself. No matter what, she was still a noble lady who had come from Celestial Brilliance. Even though she was married now, the Advanced Disciple from Celestial Brilliance in the next room should have come over to pay his respects and address her as Senior Sister.

Therefore, she didn’t harshly stop Xie Yurou from saying what she did.

”Heh heh...” Lu Ping covered his embarrassment with a laugh. He then looked towards the silent, central room on the second floor and cleared his throat twice. ”The distinguished guest in Celestial Room No. 6... has bid two hundred thousand! Is there anyone... with a higher price?”

Two hundred thousand... a figure high enough to make even an Elder from a prominent family like Li Dahai feel dizzy!

That was forty thousand Top-level Immortal Spirit Stones!

Even for a Supreme Great Sect like Celestial Brilliance, this was a sum of wealth that could not be ignored!

If an ordinary, smaller sect were to gather all its wealth, including its fixed assets... it probably wouldn’t amount to this much!

Thus, the identity of the big spender in Celestial Room No. 6 immediately piqued everyone’s interest!

”Two hundred thousand... and one.”

A calm voice came from the Celestial Brilliance room. ”Friend, my young master has great use for this attack Talisman. I hope you can do us a favor. We can all be friends.”

In his room, Xu Luo raised an eyebrow. To be honest, while he desired the attack Talisman, it wasn’t an absolute must-have for him. The one who wanted it most was actually Monkey.

Monkey’s uncle was a Talisman Master. In his hands, this Talisman would surely display even greater value!

That was why Xu Luo was fighting for it on Monkey’s behalf.

If the person from Celestial Brilliance had said these words first, then... Xu Luo might have actually tried to persuade Monkey that it wasn’t necessary to fall out with Celestial Brilliance at a time like this.

Even though they were using aliases and had concealed their identities, it still wasn’t a good idea to go up against Celestial Brilliance.

Doing so would definitely get them targeted, which would make things inconvenient later on.

However... the other party had first made that disgusting bid of two hundred thousand and one before saying those words.

’It’s a clear message to everyone that we, Celestial Brilliance... don’t care about anyone else. The words that followed were just a hollow courtesy, meant to show that we, Celestial Brilliance... never bully people!’

Xu Luo gave a cold smile and said, ”Three hundred thousand. My apologies... but I also have great use for this Talisman!”

”Three hundred thousand and one. Friend, competing like this... won’t do you any good,” the voice from the Celestial Brilliance room immediately followed up.

”Four hundred thousand.” Xu Luo smiled faintly and said, ”If my opponent weren’t Celestial Brilliance... I might really have to reconsider. But since it is Celestial Brilliance... I have nothing to fear.”

The first floor of the auction hall was in an uproar once more!

”Is he openly challenging Celestial Brilliance?”

”What’s this person’s background? How dare he be so arrogant?”

”His nerve is unbelievable. How could he say something like that? Isn’t he afraid of retaliation from Celestial Brilliance?”

On the first floor, the crowd buzzed with discussion, all of them utterly astonished.

It was hard to imagine that someone would actually dare to challenge Celestial Brilliance like this.

”Very good. You’re quite impressive, friend!” A cold laugh came from the Celestial Brilliance room, sounding as if it came from Cold Ice itself, sending a sudden chill through many people in the hall.

Xu Luo chuckled and said, ”Celestial Brilliance is a Supreme Great Sect in Xi Hezhou, with a renowned reputation throughout the entire Divine Domain. I imagine they wouldn’t be too petty. I have long heard that the magnanimity and bearing of Heavenly Brilliance Disciples far exceed that of ordinary people. Therefore, with Celestial Brilliance as my competitor, I can rest assured. At least, unlike when competing with others, I won’t have to worry... about facing retaliation after winning.”

The first floor of the auction hall suddenly fell silent.

Many people were cheering internally, their gazes toward Celestial Room No. 6 filled with admiration. This person wasn’t just bold; he was definitely not some brainless fool.

First, he used words that seemed like a challenge to provoke the people from Celestial Brilliance, giving everyone the impression that he was arrogant and reckless.

But then... he changed his tune, turning what was originally a serious provocation into a compliment toward Celestial Brilliance.

This reversal would make the speaker in the Celestial Brilliance room feel as if he’d thrown a heavy punch... only to hit empty air!

”He’s putting Celestial Brilliance on the spot! Impressive!” in the Piaomiao Palace room, the young woman Xie Yudie remarked lightly.

Xie Yurou blinked her lively eyes and chuckled. ”He really is impressive. And this person... doesn’t seem to be afraid of Celestial Brilliance at all.”

In the Celestial Brilliance room, a young man who looked to be in his thirties had an ashen face. The other party’s words made him feel as if he had swallowed a fly.

It was utterly nauseating, like wanting to vomit but being unable to.

At this moment, the Advanced Disciple from Celestial Brilliance, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. He had a calm smile on his face, and his voice was even, showing no trace of anger. He said lightly, ”You jest, friend. In an auction, the highest bidder naturally wins. There’s no such thing as post-auction retaliation. As a disciple of Celestial Brilliance, I wouldn’t dare do anything to tarnish its name.”

With that, the Advanced Disciple from Celestial Brilliance said, ”Your price is very high, friend. I concede defeat!”

BUZZ!

A buzzing sound instantly filled the first floor of the auction hall as everyone began to fervently discuss the matter.

Someone from Celestial Brilliance... had actually admitted defeat!

In their minds, this was something that was almost impossible. And yet, it had really happened!

Just like that... right under their noses!

”Heavenly Brilliance Disciples truly are noble and principled!”

”Indeed. Look, the person in Celestial Room No. 6 was so provocative, but Celestial Brilliance just gracefully conceded and let the matter drop. Truly worthy of a Supreme Great Sect...”

”Faced with provocation, Celestial Brilliance took a step back, but its prestige wasn’t damaged in the slightest. On the contrary, it makes people admire Celestial Brilliance’s magnanimity even more!”

The discussions in the auction hall continued unabated.

No one showed the slightest contempt for the Advanced Disciple’s concession. Instead, they all wore expressions of admiration.

On the stage, Baihua Auction House’s chief auctioneer, Lu Ping, was also a bit dumbfounded. He truly hadn’t expected the matter to end this way.

The Advanced Disciple from Celestial Brilliance had made a move... and lost!

”Auctioneer... aren’t you going to announce the result?” Beside Xu Luo, Monkey was at first ecstatic, but seeing the auctioneer delay the announcement, he grew angry.

Lu Ping had lost count of how many times he had zoned out today. Being reminded so directly made his face burn with embarrassment. He cleared his throat twice to cover it up and announced loudly, ”The attack Talisman... has been bid on by Celestial Room No. 6! Is there any higher price? Four hundred thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones going once... Four hundred thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones, going twice... Four hundred thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones, going three times!”

BANG!

”Sold!”

The auction gavel fell on the table. The fierce competition had finally come to an end.

Inside the Celestial Brilliance room, the young man surrounded by his entourage like the moon by stars now had an ashen expression!

He muttered, ”Good. Very good! A public challenge... My face has been slapped raw. Just you wait...”