Chapter 276: Twenty-Eight Billion
Even Elder Mu and the elders of the Sea God Pavilion at Shrek looked grim.
This auction would not end easily.
After all, Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect had always shared a close bond.
Many of them had trained under the Tang Sect's teachings in their youth, forming a friendship that spanned generations.
Now, seeing the Star Auction Pavilion present a manual so similar to the Xuantian Technique, they couldn't simply stand by and watch it fall into another faction's hands.
The Tang Sect was already on the decline. If this art flowed into the possession of powerful rivals, its fall would be absolute.
"Elder Mu, can we find a way to secure that manual?"
Beibei's tone was heavy as he turned toward the elder.
He couldn't influence the auction directly. Only with Elder Mu's support could they have a chance of claiming the Primordial Xuantian Technique for themselves.
Still, hope flickered dimly in his eyes. He knew every move Shrek made had to be carefully calculated—it was not easy to gamble so much on sentiment alone.
"We will do what we can," Elder Mu replied softly. "But you must understand, a cultivation technique capable of reaching godhood is something no major power can resist."
"The bidding will be fierce beyond imagination."
His voice carried a bitter undertone. Even with all of Shrek's influence, there was no certainty they could outbid the other empires and sects present.
If they pushed everything they had, they could win it—but that would leave them vulnerable for the future, unable to compete for whatever other treasures lay ahead.
And they could not forget the lesson of the last auction, where the true treasures had appeared only at the end.
No matter what, Shrek wouldn't make the same mistake twice. They could only hope to time their bids wisely.
Up in the pavilion's highest gallery, Jiang Li looked down upon the restless audience, his lips curving into a faint, satisfied smile.
He had his own reasons for placing the Primordial Xuantian Technique up for sale.
In the grand sweep of fate, the Tang Sect would one day rise again on the Douluo Continent—led by Huo Yuhao, its destined heir.
But now, by introducing this superior cultivation technique, Jiang Li had changed the course of history itself.
He would profit immensely from the resulting turmoil—and the points he would earn for such a monumental shift were well worth the gamble.
What intrigued him most now was this: just who would win it?
Down below, Ling Yun extended her elegant hand. The ancient scroll hovering above the stage glowed faintly blue, ancient runes shimmering like living patterns across its surface.
Her clear, ringing voice carried through the hall, each word amplifying through the sound system like the toll of a sacred bell.
"Everyone, this complete cultivation manual—the Primordial Xuantian Technique—is capable of reaching divine rank. The starting bid is fifty million gold soul coins. Each increase must not be less than ten million. The bidding begins!"
Before her voice could fade, a powerful shout broke from the right side of the hall.
"Sixty million!"
The call came from Du Bushi of the Body Sect.
Renowned for their formidable physiques, the sect's only weakness had always been the slow progression of their martial souls.
To see such a technique, one that promised faster cultivation and expansion beyond mortal limits, was irresistible.
"Seventy million!"
A dark, cold voice rang out nearby—Zhongli Wu of the Holy Spirit Church. His ambition burned visibly; he had no intention of letting the manual slip away.
The church had long hidden in the shadows, biding time, but its goal—to shatter the barrier to godhood—had never changed.
With this manual, that dream was within reach. Combined with the Celestial Spirit Essence they had previously obtained, their rise would be unstoppable.
"One hundred million!"
Yan Shaozhe's calm voice joined the arena, carrying Shrek's authority.
He had received Elder Mu's quiet instructions—secure the manual if possible.
For the Tang Sect's sake, and in memory of their shared past, they had to try.
After all, he himself had once trained under the Tang Sect banner.
Saving the sect from extinction now depended entirely on this book.
"One hundred fifty million!"
Came another voice—Ho Tianzong's representatives had joined the fray.
Once the greatest of the Upper Three Sects, Ho Tianzong held deep reverence for the Xuantian Technique.
It had been Tang San, one of their own descendants, who had forged the Tang Sect's legacy through that very art. They wouldn't stand idle as history itself was auctioned off.
In the front row, Niu Tian's fists clenched, his knuckles whitening. "At any cost," he muttered.
Titan nodded grimly beside him. Both men felt the same pounding mix of indignation and resolve.
Never could they have imagined seeing the Tang Sect's sacred foundation surpassed and sold so casually.
But even then, they couldn't deny the truth—the Primordial Xuantian Technique eclipsed the old art completely.
"One billion!"
"One and a half billion!"
"Four billion!"
Zhongli Wu's voice rose again, venomous and intense.
He refused to lose. Everything—every path to power—must belong to the Holy Spirit Church.
"Five billion."
The hall was roaring by now as the bidding spiraled higher and higher.
Within minutes, the number had surged past ten billion gold soul coins.
"Elder Mu, perhaps we should—"
Beibei started to speak, but Mu waved a hand, cutting him off.
His face was calm but his eyes were shadowed with strain.
"Wait."
He knew the frenzy would reach unimaginable limits, but he hadn't expected such escalation this quickly.
Even for an item of this magnitude, ten billion was beyond comprehension.
Minutes turned to a blur.
"Twenty-eight billion gold soul coins!"
The declaration came without hesitation from Zhongli Wu's corner. His hand raised, unflinching, as whispers swept through the crowd.
He was willing to abandon every future bid, every other treasure of the auction, for this one prize alone.
The hall fell deathly still. No other faction dared speak.
"Twenty-eight billion, going once…"
Ling Yun's composed voice echoed across the chamber.
"Twenty-eight billion, going twice…"
"Twenty-eight billion, going three times!"
The golden hammer arced gracefully through the air before striking down with a resounding clang.
"The Primordial Xuantian Technique," she announced, "has been sold for twenty-eight billion gold soul coins!"
The silence that followed was almost reverent.
(END CHAPTER)
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