Nine Astra Skies

As Ye Chen came out of Honored Room Nine, he let out a long, slow sigh. When facing a Daemon King Rank powerhouse, it was impossible not to be a little nervous. Ye Chen's only fear was that he would let the cat out of the bag. The consequences of that did not bear thinking about. Fortunately, he had handled the situation rather well.

Daemon King! Ye Chen clenched his fists tightly. He must cultivate the Daemon King Attainment Level as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would not even have control over his life and death!

Ye Chen went along the corridor and returned to his room.

Little Tanuki and Little Wingsy were waiting for him anxiously. They only heaved a sigh of relief when they saw Ye Chen returning.

"It's alright." Ye Chen hugged Little Tanuki and stroked her head, using his Astral Body to communicate with her.

Little Tanuki's eyes shone with a deep yearning that moved Ye Chen to the core. He understood how worried Little Tanuki had been while he was in Honored Room Nine.

"Little Tanuki, I have some good news. Your clan members aren't dead. They were saved by the Leo King's Palace. Now, they're living in secrecy in the Central Empire," Ye Chen said using his Astral Body.

Upon hearing this, Little Tanuki widened her eyes, staring at Ye Chen in disbelief.

"This is what I learned from the Daemon King powerhouse of the Leo King's Palace, Tong Tian the Leo King."

Little Tanuki's eyes were brimming with tears of happiness. She had thought that all her clan members were dead. If it were not for the burning desire for revenge, her heart would have turned as lifeless as ash. However, things have changed now.

"Even so, we can't go to the Central Empire for now. Tong Tian the Leo King thinks that I'm a Daemon King. Our current strength is too weak and we're constantly at risk of being exposed. So, before we head to the Central Empire, we must improve our abilities as much as possible," Ye Chen said. Although it would take seemingly forever for him to become a Daemon King, each time he advanced his strength and enhanced his Astral Body meant that the risk of being exposed was lower.

"Mmm." Little Tanuki nodded. She was already overjoyed upon knowing that her clan members were alive. No matter where they were hiding, there would still come a day when she would see them.

Ye Chen could not help feeling ecstatic for Little Tanuki too. A weight had been lifted off his chest and he turned his attention back to the auction. He wondered if there was anything that would attract his gaze in this auction. Anyway, since Tong Tian the Leo King was footing the bill, he would not hold back. Of course, he would not bid for every single item. It would be impolite to be too greedy.

The auction slowly reached its climax. One excellent item after another was put up for bidding and the atmosphere of the auction became extremely fervent.

"The following item up for auction is a Tier Four Spirit Artifact Rank long sword with a War Soul Rank artifact spirit - the Flareful Thunder Sword!"

The pièce de résistance - a top Tier Four spirit artifact - finally appeared. Everyone in the auction became passionate at once, discussing feverishly the sort of price a Tier Four spirit artifact would fetch.

"Thirty thousand Chi Deposition Pills!

"Thirty-five thousand!"

"Thirty-seven thousand!"

Those who could bid at this point were all super-wealthy existences.

"The ones who are bidding come from the Central Empire's trade business," Great Emperor Mingwu pointed out.

The Central Empire was an immensely wealthy nation. A large majority of good stuff from many smaller countries had flowed toward the Central Empire. The profiteers who traveled between the Central Empire and other small nations had struck it big. This group of people was always the most passionate when it came to bidding. Besides them, the Tuoba Clan of the Nanman Kingdom and the grandruler of other formidable nations had the means to bid as well.

Ye Chen had examined the Tier Four spirit artifact, the Flareful Thunder Sword, with his Astral Body. The artifact spirit of this Tier Four spirit artifact, the Flareful Thunder Sword, was inferior somewhat to the Hell Rupture Sword. From this, Ye Chen could surmise that the Hell Rupture Sword was a Tier Five spirit artifact at least. The Blue Dragon Dagger was at least Tier Five as well. Although the Tier Four Flareful Thunder Sword was able to attract Ye Chen's attention, he was not highly interested in it.

Still, the Flareful Thunder Sword would be a good item for the Ye Clan members who were cultivating the Thunder Emperor Technique.

"Fifty thousand!" Ye Chen made a higher bid.

Master Apothecary Xuanyi and Great Emperor Mingwu stared at Ye Chen dazedly, gasping in shock. That was fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills! When Ye Chen made the bid, he barely even blinked.

Ye Chen was too rich!

"I feel as if I might as well not be the emperor of the Xiwu Empire." Great Emperor Mingwu laughed abjectly. Back then, when the Xiwu Empire was flourishing, he would still have been able to hand over fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills. However, after years of war and chaos, the coffers of the Xiwu Empire were empty. The items within the imperial family's treasury were also decreasing day by day. Still, even when the Xiwu Empire was at its most affluent stage, he would not have given up fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills to purchase a Tier Four spirit artifact.

Tier Three spirit artifacts would already be worthy inheritances to the Yin Clan of the Royal Tribe and the Three Major Sects. As for Tier Four spirit artifacts, they had only seen them in the auctions of the Tiandu Chamber of Commerce.

The Flareful Thunder Sword was ultimately won by Ye Chen's bid of fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills. Ye Chen was going to bring the Flareful Thunder Sword back to the Ye Clan.

There were six Tier Four spirit artifacts in total, each sold for fifty or sixty thousand Chi Deposition Pills. Nevertheless, Ye Chen did not bid for the other items.

"The following item will surely make you gasp in astonishment. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves." Qiuling Wanqing flashed a charming smile. That ravishing smile had caused many in the audience to fall head over heels in love.

What was next after Tier Four spirit artifacts?

After a moment, the chirping of a bird rang out in the auction hall.

"What's that?" Everyone in the auction was taken aback. When they managed to get a clear look, a massive golden condor had appeared from behind the stage's curtains. This gigantic condor was over ten meters tall. Its feathers seemed to be carved from gold and its wingspan must be over twenty meters. It had an awe-inspiring presence with eyes filled with an intelligent vigor. However, there was also a trace of grief and indignation.

"The following auction item is this Golden Sun Condor, a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast!" Qiuling Wanqing proclaimed solemnly.

Upon hearing Qiuling Wanqing's words, the entire auction hall burst into a commotion. This was a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast! The Tiandu Chamber of Commerce was able to capture a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast. It was too unbelievable. Everyone's eyes were fixed upon the Golden Sun Condor. A Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast was equivalent to a Heavenly Venerable Rank fighter!

"This Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast is tamed by the mysterious sect, the Beastmasters." Qiuling Wanqing took out a pitch-black stone, saying, "This stone is the Soul Stone that controls the Golden Sun Condor. The Golden Sun Condor's Psyche is bound to this Soul Stone. So, as long as you have this stone, the Golden Sun Condor will obey your commands. The Soul Stone will be effective for ten years. After ten years, it'll lose its effect, and the Golden Sun Condor will leave. However, please be rest assured. No matter how you treat the Golden Sun Condor, it will never attack you!"

Upon hearing what Qiuling Wanqing had said, Ye Chen's heart leaped. If he had not just learned that the controller behind the scenes of the Tiandu Chamber of Commerce was Tong Tian the Leo King, he might have believed Qiuling Wanqing's pitch. No one knew whether the Beastmasters existed. These mystical beasts who were up for auction were likely employees among the mystical beasts. Through the Tiandu Chamber of Commerce's introductions, they would find an employer and serve a human for ten years. Thereafter, they would receive some reward in return. In any case, to mystical beasts with extensive lifespans, ten years was not a very long time.

"Bidding for the Golden Sun Condor begins at a hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills!"

A hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills for ten years of a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast. Was that a good deal? Many people had begun to evaluate the price. To those experts, it was not worth it. However, to those rich merchants, who had a lot of money but not enough strength to protect themselves, purchasing a Golden Sun Condor like this one was definitely worth it.

Ye Chen was silent for a moment. He just so happened to be lacking a flying mystical beast! In particular, this Golden Sun Condor was a Heavenly Adept Rank flying mystical beast!

Ye Chen would bid for this Golden Sun Condor!

At the start, everyone bid fiercely. Ye Chen had noticed that his granduncle in Honored Room Five had also bid once, raising the price to a hundred and thirty thousand Chi Deposition Pills. Apparently, Granduncle wanted a mystical beast like this badly. Nevertheless, when someone else had raised the bid to a hundred and fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills, Granduncle gave up.

"Two hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills!" Ye Chen made a bid and the entire place fell silent.

The wealthy merchants stared at the majestic Golden Sun Condor and sighed powerlessly. In the end, they could only give up because a price like two hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills was too costly.

After Ye Chen had spent fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills to buy a Tier Four spirit artifact, the Flareful Thunder Sword, he was prepared to use two hundred thousand Chi Deposition Pills to buy a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast. Wealth that could rival a nation's – even a phrase like this could not describe Ye Chen accurately. Since when were the royal tribes of most countries as rich as Ye Chen?

Whether it was Master Apothecary Xuanyi or Great Emperor Mingwu, they were indescribably stupefied.

That was a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast! Great Emperor Mingwu could not help feeling wistful. With his strength, if he battled against a Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast, he might not be able to defeat it!

Having money was truly a blessing!

In truth, if Tong Tian the Leo King had not said that he would settle Ye Chen's accounts, the money that Ye Chen had with him would not be enough to buy this Heavenly Adept Rank mystical beast either.

Thereafter, the auction continued with rare medicinal herbs like the Fetal Ginseng that were centuries old. They were auctioned off at relatively high prices but Ye Chen did not join the bidding. Purchasing two items was enough. These two items had already cost two hundred and fifty thousand Chi Deposition Pills. As for the other items, he would let them go.

Previously when he was going around the Xiwu Empire, Ye Chen had thought that he was very wealthy. Now, he realized that there were many other wealthy people in this world. After thinking about this momentarily, he was no longer troubled by this. After all, the Ye Clan had only just started to develop. In terms of resources, they were still lacking by far compared to those rich merchants and super families. After all, the latter would be accumulated over numerous generations.

After hundreds of items were auctioned off, the auction finally ended on a high note. Under the burning gaze of the crowd, Qiuling Wanqing walked toward the hall at the back.

A few attendants came over with the things that Ye Chen and the rest had bid for. Ye Chen took the Flareful Thunder Sword and the Soul Stone that purportedly could control the Golden Sun Condor. He examined the Soul Stone, which contained a trace of Psyche from a Mystique Adept Rank mystical beast. Indeed, it was this trace of Psyche that controlled the Golden Sun Condor!

After a long time, this trace of Psyche would slowly fade and become incapable of controlling the Golden Sun Condor. At that point, the Golden Sun Condor would regain its freedom.

Ye Chen would first take a look at the Golden Sun Condor and deal with this Soul Stone later.

Great Emperor Mingwu and Master Apothecary Xuanyi took out their Chi Deposition Pills, ready to pay, but were rejected by the attendant.

"Honorable guests, the guest in Honored Room Nine has already paid for all these," the attendant said respectfully.

Already paid? Great Emperor Mingwu and Master Apothecary Xuanyi were stunned and looked toward Ye Chen simultaneously.

Ye Chen smiled and nodded.