Chapter 719: Eightfold Primordial Art
As Lin Langtian quietly firmed his resolve, the bidding for the Five Elements Divine Crystal reached its conclusion.
As expected, it fell into Han Lin's hands. The final price of twenty thousand drops was enough to send nearly everyone else stepping back.
On the stage, Master Xu You's sleeve swept down, the bell chimed, and the crystal passed officially to Han Lin.
Only then did a smug smile curl the youth's lips. He ran his fingers idly along the armrest, his cold eyes sliding toward Lin Langtian's seat.
"That brat dares to snatch what's mine… he's courting death," he muttered.
Dong.
The bell rang again, drawing all eyes to the platform.
Even the gauze curtains before the boxes were drawn aside as their occupants leaned forward, gazes blazing.
Everyone knew what came next: the true finale of the Heaven‑Rank Auction.
This was what most of the heavyweight factions had really come for.
Lin Langtian lifted his head, curiosity in his gaze.
New to the Great Thousand World, he was eager to know what sort of treasure could follow the Great Heavenly Demon Spirit Fruit and the Five Elements Divine Crystal.
Under the weight of a thousand stares, Xu You closed his hand. Black light flared.
A moment later, a dark scroll appeared in his grasp.
The parchment looked incredibly old, as though it had survived from some distant age, its surface steeped in a primordial aura.
Black radiance flowed across it. Vaguely, a divine beast's pressure seemed to coalesce around it, vast and imposing.
No one in the hall looked away.
Xu You raised the scroll and his voice boomed through the arena.
"Esteemed guests, this is a divine art derived from an ancient canonical scripture. It is incomplete, and so this old man has judged it to be of quasi–great perfection grade.
"However, its potential is immense. Should anyone here truly grasp its mysteries and cultivate it to completion, its power will rival any great‑perfection divine art—and may even surpass them."
"Surpass great‑perfection divine arts…"
The hall shuddered as the words sank in.
Normally, a great‑perfection divine art alone would serve as a town‑sect treasure for any top power on the Qiankun Continent, reserved for only the most core members.
Yet Xu You was now speaking of an incomplete art whose future might lie beyond that level entirely.
Lin Langtian's brow twitched.
He did not miss the crucial condition hidden in the old man's words: only if one could truly comprehend and successfully cultivate it.
"Fufu. Master Xu, from the sound of it, this so‑called quasi–great perfection divine art doesn't seem easy to practice," the Heavenly Demon Fairy purred from her box.
Xu You smiled. "Your perception is as sharp as ever, Fairy.
"To be frank, no one has ever succeeded in practicing this art.
"In this old man's opinion, mastering it would be harder than mastering an ordinary great‑perfection divine art."
The murmur that followed rolled like distant thunder.
A divine art no one had ever cultivated…
Then again, that made a certain sense. If anyone had, they would hardly be auctioning it off.
Such a technique would be a trump card of the highest order.
"Oh?" Han Lin's eyes gleamed as he stood, his lips quirking.
"I've yet to meet a divine art that I couldn't cultivate. Perhaps today will be a first."
To reach the First‑Grade Supreme Realm at his age, he had benefited from his father's resources, yes—but also possessed real talent.
He was no Lin Langtian or Lin Dong, but among the Qiankun Continent's youth, he could stand proudly near the top.
He did not believe there existed an art he could not tame.
Many of the other box occupants turned their attention down to the scroll as well.
If Xu You's claims were not exaggerated, then this single technique could alter the balance of power for any force lucky enough to claim it.
"This divine art is named the Eightfold Primordial Art," Xu You announced. "Starting price: twenty thousand drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid."
A soft hiss circled the room.
Lin Langtian's brows knit. He was genuinely curious about this "Eightfold Primordial Art"… but he clearly lacked the means to compete.
Only those in the boxes, backed by the continent's great powers, had the capital to play this game.
Yet despite the colossal price, the struggle that followed was even fiercer than for the earlier treasures.
Those great figures who had sat quietly through the previous lots all moved at once.
Deep, measured bids rang out in waves.
Within mere minutes, the price had climbed to thirty thousand drops.
And still the contest dragged on, a full seven or eight minutes of mounting tension before it began, at last, to taper off.
When the dust settled, the number on everyone's lips was thirty‑seven thousand.
The one who had offered it: Han Lin of the Earth Desolation Hall.
The outcome drew a low chorus of awe.
Clearly this had been his true target from the start.
Lin Langtian's lips tightened slightly.
If not for his chance haul from the Skyfiend Wolf King, he wouldn't even have qualified to raise a paddle here.
His foundation remained painfully thin.
As Han Lin's final bid echoed through the hall, any lingering challengers fell silent. Faces twisted with muted frustration before they forced themselves to sit back.
Even for something like the Eightfold Primordial Art, thirty‑seven thousand was not a sum to throw around lightly.
Behind her screen, the Heavenly Demon Fairy frowned faintly. "He's generous to a fault. Even his father, the Glacier King, will feel that one."
The middle‑aged man at her back smiled. "Word is that the Glacier King already has half a foot in the Sixth‑Grade Supreme Realm.
"His ambitions are no secret. Once he succeeds, he'll surely challenge for one of the Hall's Five Sovereign seats.
"My guess is that Han Lin bought the art on his father's orders—to further bolster his own strength.
"Still, this Eightfold Primordial Art is said to be stranger than most. Even for the Glacier King, it may not be easy."
"The Earth Desolation Hall's Three Emperors, Five Sovereigns, and Eight Kings are all giants of the Qiankun Continent," the Fairy said softly. "Their star has been rising for years. Even our Heavenly Demon Sect has felt the pressure."
Her guard nodded. "They're powerful, but the Qiankun Continent is still too vast for a single hall to dominate.
"Whatever they dream of, they can't overturn the whole order by themselves."
She inclined her head, then let her eyes drift across the arena.
They settled, once more, on the green‑robed figure beside Song Yanfei.
"That man is impressive, too," she murmured. "To have come so far at his age… I wonder what banner he flies under."
"Han Lin will likely be the one to find out," the guard said.
"Oh?"
Her brow arched, then she smiled in understanding.
"His temper really is a small one. Let's see if he doesn't end up kicking an iron plate this time."
While they spoke, the auction drew to a close. The Eightfold Primordial Art passed officially into Han Lin's hands at thirty‑seven thousand drops.
As the final bell tolled, the crowd exhaled, a mix of envy and resignation on their faces as they glanced his way.
He drank in their stares with obvious satisfaction, basking in the moment.
Far off, Lin Langtian rose slowly. Without even glancing toward the boxes, he turned and walked out with Song Yanfei at his side.
Han Lin's gaze followed them, hard and cold.
"Elder Liu," he said, voice low, "have someone shadow that man. I want to know his every move.
"We can't act in Beiling City—it's the Qiankun Sect's turf.
"But the moment he leaves, I'll show him exactly which people he can never afford to offend."
The black‑robed elder's expression did not flicker. He nodded once.
…
Lin Langtian and Song Yanfei left the arena together.
After settling the formalities, they collected the items he had won.
In the quiet of a private receiving room, Lin Langtian turned the Heavenly Flame Phoenix Marrow and the Great Heavenly Demon Spirit Fruit over in his hands, then let out a slow breath.
Whatever else, he had secured the first of the materials he needed.
Once he claimed the Five Elements Divine Crystal as well, only one final component would remain.
He could hardly wait to see what heights the Supreme Demonic Body would reach once it was fully completed.
"Young Master Lin, this… is for you. I think it may be useful," Song Yanfei said suddenly.
She brushed her fingers over the bracelet at her wrist, and a simple golden token fell into her palm.
Two ancient characters—"Qiankun"—were carved upon it.
Lin Langtian blinked. "What is this?"
She pressed it into his hand, biting her lip lightly.
"With this token, you can join the Qiankun Sect…"
(END CHAPTER)
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