The sword was three feet seven inches long, its weight impossible to fathom.
Its hilt was pitch-black as ink, as though stained by ancient blood that had steeped so deeply into the material it had permanently discolored it.
Even with secret restrictive seals suppressing its might, merely being cradled in Leng Ruolan's hands unleashed a peerless, formless baleful aura that swept out in all directions.
Leng Ruolan turned pale, her slender hands trembling faintly beneath its weight.
Her rosy lips quivered as she spoke: "This sword has no name. Originally a pinnacle true artifact, it was once wielded by an extraordinary powerhouse to slay a Soul Formation almighty, soaking in that master's supreme blood. Over countless years, a wisp of spirituality took root within it, endowing it with the might of a spirit treasure."
"True Person Feileng named it the God Slaying Sword!"
"As you can see, the crimson hue upon the blade was left behind by that slain Soul Formation master."
"In life, that master walked the path of blood, having comprehended the power of Blood Dao laws. Consequently, traces of law power linger within the residual essence blood. Should a gifted cultivator obtain it, they might comprehend that Soul Formation master's Blood Dao laws and use them to ascend to the Soul Formation realm. Even if one's affinity does not align, it still holds numerous marvelous uses—at the very least, the sword's raw power is peerless under heaven!"
"Of course, the God Slaying Sword also has its flaws. What remains is not only the master's essence blood, but also a lingering fragment of their resentment. In particular, this resentment has merged with the sword spirit; subduing this blade requires immense effort."
"True Person Feileng attempted to tame it multiple times without success, only injuring herself in the process. For that reason, she has brought it to auction, hoping it will find its fated owner."
Her words were spoken intermittently, interrupted by shivers, yet the information came through crystal-clear.
Even Foundation Establishment and Golden Core juniors like Luo Chen, unversed in the mysteries of the Nascent Soul and Soul Formation realms, found the explanation logical and thought-provoking.
Moreover, Leng Ruolan had held nothing back, laying out both the strengths and weaknesses of the sword.
If a powerhouse were to acquire it and fail to refine it, they could hardly blame Feileng City.
In his private box, Luo Chen gazed at the blade with undisguised envy. Ever since his Profound Fire Sword was destroyed, he had lacked a handy offensive magic treasure.
How wonderful it would be to obtain this sword!
"A spirit treasure?!"
Yet just then, Han Zhan's doubtful voice came in timely fashion.
"This is no spirit treasure. It's merely a pseudo-spirit treasure."
Luo Chen was taken aback. "A pseudo-spirit treasure?"
Han Zhan hummed in acknowledgment and explained patiently, "You know that I have deep ties with Tianfan City; in fact, my Nascent Soul breakthrough was achieved with their help. Naturally, I understand a great deal about the common principles of artifact forging."
"In particular, to forge magic treasures capable of targeting a cultivator's Nascent Soul, Tianyezi repeatedly borrowed the Demon Locking Tower—a relic of Ghost-God Valley—from me, frequently discussing artifact craftsmanship along the way. That gave me even deeper insight."
Luo Chen nodded. He knew of these secrets.
In fact, after years of study, Tianyezi truly had made some progress.
When Luo Chen forged his Hunyuan Cauldron, it incorporated the fruits of Tianyezi's research, granting it the power to seize items like a cultivator's Golden Core from afar.
Once Luo Chen reached the Nascent Soul realm in the future and upgraded the Hunyuan Cauldron into a true artifact, it might truly fulfill Tianyezi's grand ambition—directly targeting a cultivator's Nascent Soul!
Han Zhan continued: "Tianyezi once said that cultivators' standard weapons follow a strict hierarchy of grades, progressing from magical tool to magic treasure, then true artifact, and then spirit treasure. Legend has it that above spirit treasures lie Dao artifacts and immortal artifacts."
"I don't know what legendary Dao artifacts or immortal artifacts look like, but a spirit treasure certainly isn't what Leng Ruolan described."
"If merely slaying a Soul Formation master and merging with their resentment could birth an artifact spirit, wouldn't forging a spirit treasure be ridiculously easy?"
Luo Chen clicked his tongue. Calling the slaying of a Soul Formation master to forge a weapon "ridiculously easy"?
A Soul Formation powerhouse stood at the pinnacle of an entire world!
Ordinary people went their whole lives without ever laying eyes on one.
Ignoring Luo Chen's silent snort, Han Zhan shared his understanding—or rather, the understanding of Tianyezi and Tianfan City.
"A true spirit treasure is no different from a cultivator. It is an exceedingly powerful true artifact that, after harmonizing with the laws of heaven and earth, naturally gives birth to a true artifact spirit. Only when the true artifact attains genuine sapience can it be called a spirit treasure!"
A weapon could comprehend the laws of heaven and earth?
Luo Chen felt boggled.
Yet a moment later, he realized that Han Zhan was probably right.
Otherwise, could all those cultivation methods that sealed the souls of beasts or cultivators into tools and treasures to boost their power also be called spirit treasures?
Clearly, spirit treasures were not so commonplace.
Therefore, this weapon birthed from an amalgamation with a resentful spirit was merely a shortcut—or even an unorthodox, crooked method that produced a "pseudo-sentient treasure."
It was only because the God Slaying Sword itself was of sufficiently high grade—already a true artifact—and infused with the residual resentment of a Soul Formation master that it vaguely exhibited the traits of a spirit treasure.
Calling it a "pseudo-spirit treasure" was entirely accurate!
Yet even so, it still made Luo Chen's mouth water!
"Don't even think about it. A treasure like this isn't for you," Han Zhan warned. By now, he was exceptionally calm, devoid of his earlier urgency—likely because the Soul Nourishing Wood was safely in hand.
Luo Chen was just as calm. "I naturally understand. I was merely daydreaming. Who knows when I will finally possess a spirit treasure of my own? Ah, no—even a true artifact would do!"
In just a few moments, Luo Chen cast aside those unrealistic notions.
Or rather, such delusions should not exist in the heart of any Foundation Establishment or Golden Core cultivator present in the Cold Palace.
The only ones qualified to vie for this treasure were the pinnacle powerhouses seated on the fourth floor.
Nascent Soul True Persons!
Sure enough, the silence in the hall did not last long before someone spoke up.
However, the first to speak did not place a bid, but instead inquired into the sword's background.
"Where did this sword come from?"
On the high platform, Leng Ruolan froze, uncertain how to answer.
Instead, an ethereal female voice drifted in from elsewhere.
"Fellow Daoist Wen Song, I might as well tell you: like that third-tier Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish, this sword was retrieved by me from the Sunken Sea."
The Nascent Soul True Person addressed as Wen Song asked in astonishment, "Could the rumors of you having traveled to the Sunken Sea actually be true? But over the past two or three hundred years, no one has ever heard of you leaving Feileng City!"
True Person Feileng said faintly, "Of course I went. But that was three hundred years ago. Back then, I was nothing more than a Golden Core cultivator."
Before Wen Song could reply, another Nascent Soul True Person cut in decisively: "Crossing the Sunken Sea at the Golden Core realm is utterly impossible. Feileng, are you taking us for fools?"
"Wait, Mulan Gaoxiong, you might be looking at this the wrong way. Three hundred years ago, True Person Feileng wasn't on her own!" Wen Song reminded him.
The crowd paused, then recalled past affairs.
Three hundred years ago, True Person Feileng had an affair with a Nascent Soul elder of the Yuan Demon Sect.
Counting the years, Feileng City had only fallen into her hands within these past two to three centuries.
Various speculations arose in everyone's minds.
Concealed in the shadows, True Person Feileng's expression darkened.
That chapter of her past was a humiliation to her; having it brought up in public was nothing less than rubbing salt into an old wound.
Right then, Blood Nightmare Moluo spoke up with a voice tinged with astonishment: "Could it be that the Blood Sea Patriarch from my Yuan Demon Sect's Blood Sea branch took you to the Sunken Sea back then?"
True Person Feileng sneered. "I won't go into details. I only ask: do you want this God Slaying Sword or not?"
The Nascent Soul True Persons shuddered!
The destruction of the Yuan Demon Sect was a monumental event looming over the heads of all cultivators in the Northern Sea cultivation world.
None knew the true details.
All they knew was that three ancient Soul Formation demon beasts from the Demon Sea had led an army of hundreds of millions of beasts into the Arctic Yama Heaven and annihilated the Yuan Demon Sect by force.
The scale had seemed overwhelming.
Yet when one considered it, the Yuan Demon Sect possessed such deep foundations: among its Yuan Demon, Soul Refining, and Blood Sea branches, each possessed a Soul Formation patriarch.
Coupled with a grand sect array, extreme geographic advantages, and ten thousand years of heritage, how could merely three ancient Soul Formation demons have breached it?
Rumors whispered that back then, the patriarchs of the three branches were not all present, and only two had taken the field.
The missing one had apparently been the Blood Sea Patriarch!
Now, tying that to the description of the God Slaying Sword—a weapon that had once slain a Soul Formation master who had comprehended the laws of the Blood Dao...
Could it be...?
"This sword is something I, Blood Nightmare Moluo, am determined to have! Fellow Daoists, please grant me some face."
Blood Nightmare Moluo, normally genial on the surface, now spoke with words as chilling as the Nether Underworld.
Anyone could see what he was thinking.
If this blood sword truly aligned with their suspicions, then Blood Nightmare Moluo—already a powerhouse of the Yuan Demon Sect's Blood Sea lineage—would gain wings like a tiger by acquiring it, perhaps even glimpsing the Soul Formation realm.
With such a prize at stake, who would let him have his way so easily?
Immediately, Nascent Soul True Person Mulan Gaoxiong of the Canghai Alliance chimed in with a chuckle.
"My apologies, but I have also dabbled in the Blood Sea path. Though I haven't mastered its essence, obtaining this sword might allow me to take another step forward."
With that, he directly placed a bid.
Blood Nightmare Moluo snorted coldly and refused to yield an inch.
Seeing the two clashing, the other watchful Nascent Soul True Persons could no longer hold back and began to bid as well.
This was a spirit treasure!
Once subdued, its offensive might would be peerless under heaven!
The fiercest bidding war unfolded silently within the Cold Palace.
It was silent only because the competition was confined strictly to the Nascent Soul True Persons.
The Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators below could not even follow their conversations, let alone participate.
In his second-floor box, Luo Chen asked in a low voice, "What's the situation now?"
Through the link with Luo Chen's natal magic treasure, the Hunyuan Cauldron, Han Zhan quietly transmitted: "I can't say for sure, since I can't spread my divine sense to join their discussion. But it seems intense; clashes of divine sense are erupting constantly."
"They won't get worked up enough to start throwing hands, will they?" Luo Chen worried slightly.
If Nascent Soul True Persons truly went to war, small fry like them would all be caught in the crossfire without exception.
"Hard to say. But at the very least, they have to show some face to the local master. Even if they fight, they'll wait until the auction ends," Han Zhan replied.
Pausing, Han Zhan seemed to remember something.
"You've collected almost all the materials needed to forge your defensive magic treasure, right?"
Luo Chen thought for a moment. "I'm only missing the supple snake saliva on the list. That stuff softens mineral ores, making the forging of magic treasures much easier."
"That's easy to find; any decently sized market in the Northern Sea sells it."
"You mean...?"
"Let's go!" Han Zhan said decisively. "You've been quite high-profile at the auction over the past two days, drawing far too much attention. While we cultivators don't necessarily fear showing our wealth, Feileng City doesn't forbid fighting. If you attract unwanted covetous eyes, trouble will surely follow."
Luo Chen considered it; it was indeed true.
Back when he attended auctions in Tianlan Immortal City, even with Tianlan's strict management, private banquets were held for cultivators to negotiate afterward.
Here in Feileng City, conflict was not forbidden; an auction of this scale would inevitably spawn plenty of trouble.
"Senior truly is prudent and experienced!"
Luo Chen smiled. No longer caring who would win the pseudo-spirit treasure, he rose and left the private box.
He arrived at a massive side hall behind the Cold Palace.
At this moment, it was sparsely populated; only Feileng City cultivators were inside recording auction matters.
His arrival immediately drew quite a few eyes.
The maidservant A'qing stepped forward on his behalf and explained to an elderly cultivator, "Master Luo Hai intends to settle his auction winnings. Elder Yan, please make the arrangements."
The old cultivator known as Elder Yan glanced at Luo Chen in surprise, then nodded.
"Please wait here a moment, Master. I will prepare your auction items immediately. Also, please prepare the corresponding spirit stones. If you do not have enough spirit stones and intend to substitute equivalent items, please let us know in advance so we can arrange an appraiser."
"No need. I have plenty of spirit stones."
Such extravagance?
Elder Yan took a few extra looks at Luo Chen.
"In that case, that is for the best!"
Luo Chen sat off to the side, waiting patiently.
The maidservant A'qing attended to him, pouring tea.
After a while, Luo Chen furrowed his brows.
"Isn't your settlement process a bit too slow?"
A'qing smiled and explained, "Master, it is simply because you won so many resources. A slight delay is normal; I hope you can understand."
Luo Chen shook his head, displeased. "If it's this slow for just one person, what will happen once the auction ends and everyone else floods in?"
A'qing froze.
Thump!
A bulging storage pouch was slammed onto the table by Luo Chen.
"One hundred breaths. I want to see my goods!"
With that, he closed his eyes to rest.
A'qing hurriedly rushed to the back.
Meanwhile, Han Zhan quietly extended his divine sense and retracted it a moment later.
"Your concern was justified. That fellow called Elder Yan—I heard others refer to him as Wu Yan, a clan cultivator of the Wu family. He is deliberately dragging out the settlement process."
"The Wu family?"
Luo Chen turned the name over in his mind.
He recalled what that elderly cultivator surnamed Zhou had said when he first arrived in Feileng City to lease an immortal's cave.
The Zhou, Wu, and Qian families were the top three cultivating clans on Lengguang Island. Each had multiple Golden Core cultivators holding down the fort, with strength no weaker than any ordinary Golden Core sect.
Such powers had coexisted on the same island for years in relative peace.
Aside from True Person Feileng suppressing them from above, they inevitably colluded behind the scenes.
Earlier, Luo Chen had clashed fiercely with Qian Ting, the patriarch of the Qian family, over the Soul Nourishing Wood, rendering their relationship mutually hostile.
Wu Yan's deliberate stalling now might very well be an attempt to tip off the other side.
Luo Chen never hesitated to suspect others with the worst intentions; only by doing so could he seize the initiative.
Back when he attacked Mount Xiaohuan and wiped out the Duan family, he had operated under the same principle. Only by striking first could potential dangers be nipped in the bud.
Right now, out of wariness toward Feileng City, he had to rein himself in.
However, if Wu Yan continued dragging his feet, he couldn't blame Luo Chen for kicking up a fuss.
In any case, Luo Chen was a major patron today. If he grew furious, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could hardly bear the wrath of Feileng City's high-ranking cultivators.
Fortunately, Wu Yan was not arrogant enough to push things that far.
Before the hundred breaths elapsed, all the resources Luo Chen had purchased were neatly arrayed before him.
A full dozen large chests!
Wiping cold sweat from his brow, Wu Yan explained, "Master Luo, the resources you won consist mostly of ores, making them both heavy and bulky. As such, it took us extra time to tally everything. All the goods are here now. Do you need us to deliver them to your residence?"
Luo Chen gave him a cold look, swept his sleeve, and all the chests vanished.
Wu Yan was stunned. "Master, aren't you going to inspect and verify them?"
"Do you dare cheat me?" Luo Chen countered, his spiritual pressure erupting like thunder.
With a thud, Wu Yan dropped to his knees.
"This humble one would never dare! I would never dare!"
"Hmph!"
Luo Chen flicked his sleeve and strode away.
In the shadows, several Golden Core cultivators sensed the raging spiritual pressure and swept over with their divine sense.
They initially intended to hold someone accountable, but upon discovering that one of their own had been sluggish and provoked a customer's displeasure, they couldn't be bothered to stir up trouble.
There were still plenty of matters to handle later.
As for Wu Yan, he only crawled to his feet trembling after Luo Chen had left.
He looked left and right, then gritted his teeth and left the backroom early, heading toward a VIP private box.
***
Leaving the backroom, Luo Chen stepped out of the palace.
He glanced back at the colossal structure.
"Cold Palace?"
"Heh, who names their palace that?"
"I suppose there must be quite a history between True Person Feileng and that Yuan Demon Sect Nascent Soul elder."
With a sneer in his heart, Luo Chen summoned his magic cloud without hesitation and streaked through the central avenue like a flash of lightning.
With his full-speed flight, even without employing Ninety Thousand Li, he outpaced fellow Golden Core cultivators flying at top speed; perhaps only late-stage Great Cultivators could rival him.
Before long, he arrived at the valley in the northern city.
Striding into the valley, Luo Chen found Tianxuan diligently cultivating the *Huanyu Secret Scripture* in seclusion.
"Master!" Tianxuan jolted awake.
Luo Chen nodded. "Prepare to leave."
"Where are we going?"
"Where we go doesn't matter. We leave first."
Having said that, Luo Chen released Han Zhan from the Hunyuan Cauldron.
After all, it was his own natal magic treasure; how could he permit another to dwell inside it indefinitely?
The Black King was an exception because he was Luo Chen's spirit pet and was currently in a prolonged slumber refining the Cliff Snake bloodline.
But Han Zhan? Not a chance.
The moment he emerged, Han Zhan slipped into the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.
Luo Chen slung the Ten Thousand Soul Banner onto his back and beckoned with his hand, summoning the Spirit-Sealing Compass buried deep in the valley into his grasp.
With the Billowing Cloud Dense Mist Array dispelled, the thick clouds and mist blanketing the valley began to drift away.
Stepping through the thinning fog, Luo Chen walked calmly toward the valley's exit.
Before he even stepped out, his brows twitched, and he glanced along the path he had come from.
"They sure arrived quickly!"
From within the soul banner, Han Zhan remarked, "Perhaps they didn't arrive quickly; they might have been waiting for the hare by the tree all along."
Luo Chen broke into a savage grin. "I'm no little white rabbit waiting to be slaughtered. These people have picked the wrong target!"
Amidst his grim chuckle, magic power surged throughout his body, and a pair of fiery-red wings spread behind his back.
Not only that, but the Hunyuan Cauldron within him trembled, and crimson chains flew out from his body with a clattering roar.
Inside the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, Han Zhan watched this scene, marveling in his heart.
After years of sacrificial refinement, Luo Chen's natal magic treasure had finally achieved initial success, ready to reveal its splendor!
Chapter 581