He arrived on the third floor, the highest level of the entire auction house. This area was reserved for its most honored guests, and he could already sense several familiar auras.
"Sir, may I see your seat assignment, please?" As Wen Qingye scanned the auction hall, a pretty attendant approached and asked him respectfully.
Everyone present was either a renowned expert or a talented prodigy from a major power. Although the young man before her didn’t look very old, he was not someone a mere attendant could afford to offend.
Wen Qingye said nothing and simply presented his invitation.
The attendant’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the invitation. The attendees of this auction were divided into two types: those who came of their own volition and had to pay a large sum of Primordial Stones for entry, and those like Wen Qingye, who held an invitation from the Ninth Trading House.
Without exception, anyone who received an invitation was backed by an extraordinary power.
At this thought, the attendant nervously opened the invitation.
Celestial Profound Sect!
The attendant froze when she saw the three powerful, gilded words. She looked up at the smiling young man, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Sir, this way, please."
She was incredibly excited. She had a feeling she knew who this young man was. Only one person could represent the Celestial Profound Sect at such a grand auction: its Inspection Disciple. And the Celestial Profound Sect had only one Inspection Disciple—Wen Qingye.
Wen Qingye followed the attendant as she led him across the third floor.
After a walk of about fifty breaths’ time, the attendant finally stopped, pointing to a magnificent room ahead. She said carefully, "This is your private suite, sir."
She waited until Wen Qingye nodded before slowly bowing and retreating.
Wen Qingye walked in slowly. With a sweep of his eyes, he noted that the VIP suite was certainly worthy of its name. It was furnished like the finest room in a luxurious inn, bedecked with iridescent jewels that shimmered with a soft glow. One wall, however, was completely transparent, offering a direct view of the violet-gold auction stage below.
In the center of the room sat a massive, plush armchair. The fur covering it shimmered with a faint white light, a clear sign of its extraordinary quality. Wen Qingye slowly lowered himself into it.
Just then, Wen Qingye’s brow twitched. He suddenly felt several auras surge madly toward his room—an obvious attempt to probe his strength.
Wen Qingye paid them no mind, simply closing his eyes to wait quietly for the auction to begin.
Qingg Ruo’ai couldn’t help but puff out her chest and declare in a world-weary, old-fashioned tone, ’These youngsters are so restless, daring to probe others so brazenly.’
’Probing someone is a risky game. If the target is a hot-tempered master, things won’t end well.’
’And them trying to probe Wen Qingye? What a joke. Of course he wouldn’t care about their attempts.’
"Senior Brother Hai, what is it?"
At that moment, in a suite on the third floor adjacent to Wen Qingye’s, Guu Hongxiu noticed Hai Ning frowning beside her and instinctively asked.
"It’s nothing," Hai Ning said, shaking his head with a dismissive chuckle. "I just sensed someone arrive in the suite next door. Got a strange feeling about them, but I’m probably just imagining things."
Guu Hongxiu nodded. She knew Hai Ning’s strength very well; even a typical Elder was no match for him. It was unlikely that such a terrifying individual would appear at this kind of auction. It had to be his imagination.
Then, Guu Hongxiu’s gaze drifted to the auction stage below, and she muttered to herself, ’The treasure that’s rumored to appear this time... I wonder if it’s real. If it is, I must obtain it, no matter the cost.’
A domineering look crossed Hai Ning’s face. "Don’t you worry, Junior Sister. With me here at this auction, who would dare try to snatch something from the hands of our Taiyi Pavilion?"
"I hope so." Guu Hongxiu’s brow furrowed slightly. She then closed her lovely eyes, waiting for the auction to begin.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the venue, guests were also settling into their seats.
One suite in particular was crowded and exceptionally lively.
A closer look revealed that its occupants were from the Daoist School of Non-action and Baoling Temple.
Pan Jieming looked at the two men before him and smiled. "Master Jiechen, Daoist Xu Yuan, you truly possess the otherworldly aura of men who have renounced worldly affairs. It’s truly beyond compare."
The man on the left was none other than Jiechen, whom Wen Qingye had briefly met at the Jade Maiden Sect. The Daoist beside him was Xu Yuan, one of the most outstanding disciples of his generation from the Daoist School of Non-action.
In addition, many other disciples from Baoling Temple and the Daoist School of Non-action were present, though Jiechen and Xu Yuan were leading the contingent this time. Both of their sects were located in the heart of the Eastern Profound Domain, not far from the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, so it wasn’t surprising to see so many of their disciples in attendance.
Jiechen placed his palms together and said slowly, "Amitabha Buddha. Mr. Pan, you are too kind. My cultivation is not yet profound; I must continue to strive diligently."
Xu Yuan, who was beside him, couldn’t help but wave his hand dismissively. "Ah, Brother Jiechen, who isn’t aware of your state of mind? Coupled with your comprehension of the Buddhist Dharma, once you break through the Life and Death Realm Fifth Layer, your cultivation is bound to advance by leaps and bounds. You’ll face no bottlenecks at all!"
Xu Yuan’s words were an exaggeration. Jiechen’s mental fortitude and his grasp of the Buddhist Dharma only meant he would face less resistance when breaking through, not that he would encounter no bottlenecks whatsoever.
Jiechen just chuckled and shook his head. He knew Xu Yuan had a habit of lavishing excessive praise on people, so he said no more.
Pan Jieming, standing by, couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. His Heart Spirit, however, was sweeping across their surroundings. He was secretly dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected a single auction to attract so many masters. He could only get a vague sense of many of the attendees’ cultivation levels. Considering he himself was a master at the Life and Death Realm First Layer, this meant most people here had cultivation at or above the Life and Death Realm.
At this thought, Pan Jieming’s eyes narrowed slightly. This was a golden opportunity to make a name for himself and cultivate a good image in front of the various major powers.
By now, members of the various factions throughout the auction hall had begun to whisper amongst themselves, their discussions seemingly centered on the final items of the night: the three Supreme Treasures.
From the murmurs in the crowd, it was clear everyone was eagerly anticipating the three Supreme Treasures. Beyond that, they were also looking forward to seeing a clash between the younger generation of the various powers.
Wen Qingye had been meditating with his eyes closed for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn when the crisp sound of a bell suddenly rang in his ears, echoing throughout the entire auction hall.
The cacophony of voices receded like an ebbing tide, vanishing in an instant.
Thousands of people, representing most of the major powers in the Eastern Profound Domain, fell silent. All eyes were fixed on the single figure standing on the auction stage.
’Has it begun?’ Wen Qingye thought, gazing down at the dense, seemingly endless sea of figures below. A flicker of anticipation sparked within him. ’I wonder what the other two Supreme Treasures could be.’