The mont Zora spoke, Serestia visibly relaxed, yet her face darkened almost imdiately. At least the sword hadn’t fallen into her hands, but watching Zora step in so effortlessly made her teeth itch with hatred.
Nigel stared at Zora in shock. "Miss Zora... I only brought seventy thousand."
Zora smiled faintly. "Serestia did this because of . You were dragged into it because of . This Execution Blade is mine to compensate you with."
If it weren’t for her, Nigel would have obtained the sword smoothly. She would not let her friend suffer a loss over her affairs.
"How can that be?" Nigel imdiately refused. "This weapon is for . How can I let you pay for it?"
"It’s fine," Zora said lightly. "We’re friends. Giving a gift like this is nothing."
"No." Nigel shook his head firmly. "Lend two thousand gold coins. I’ll return it to you after I go back."
Zora was montarily stunned, then smiled helplessly. "Alright then. You pay the original value of the Execution Blade, fifty thousand gold coins. I’ll cover the rest."
Nigel opened his mouth to argue again, but Zora spoke first, her tone gentle yet resolute. "If you refuse again, you’ll only make feel worse."
After a brief pause, Nigel nodded. "Thank you."
"It’s nothing," Zora replied softly.
Her smile remained warm, but frost flickered deep in her eyes.
Serestia could target her if she wanted. But daring to drag her friends into it?
When the auction ended, she would make Serestia pay the price.
The auction continued. From start to finish, Serestia and Silvan did not purchase a single item.
They were waiting.
Waiting for Zora or her companions to bid again.
They would not miss another chance.
"The next auction item is a Scarlet Serpent Leather Armor," Arley announced. "It offers extrely strong defense. In critical monts, it can save your life!"
"For practitioners who often walk the line between life and death, this armor is an excellent choice. Don’t hesitate!"
"The starting price is forty thousand gold coins. The auction begins now!"
Rose’s gaze instantly locked onto the crimson leather armor.
She wanted it.
"Fifty thousand gold coins!" Rose called out decisively.
A ripple of surprise spread through the audience. Raising the price by ten thousand in one go showed absolute determination.
A smile slowly crept onto Serestia’s lips.
That voice... was Rose’s.
"Fifty-one thousand gold coins," Serestia said calmly.
The mont Serestia once again joined the bidding, the remaining competitors quietly withdrew.
With soone deliberately stirring trouble like this, no one was willing to keep raising the price unless they were prepared to bleed heavily. This leather armor, though valuable, was not worth becoming a fool for.
What Rose feared most still happened.
Serestia was using the exact sa despicable tactic again.
"Sixty-five thousand gold coins!" Rose gritted her teeth and shouted.
"Sixty-six thousand gold coins," Serestia answered lazily, a smug smile curling at her lips. This feeling of trampling others underfoot was intoxicating.
Seeing Serestia’s relentless persistence, Rose’s face flushed red with anger. She could no longer endure it.
"Serestia, don’t go too far!"
Serestia glanced over, slightly surprised that Rose dared to call her out in public. Yet the surprise lasted only a mont before it turned into deeper arrogance.
"So what if I do?" she sneered. "You don’t want to bid, so I should just stop?"
"You’re clearly bidding maliciously. Everyone can see it!"
"And so what?" Serestia laughed coldly. "What can you do to ?"
Her eyes brimd with provocation. To her, bullying Rose was effortless, almost boring.
At that mont, a calm yet icy voice drifted down from the VIP box above.
"When soone is shaless to the extre, they really do perfect the art of it."
The hall fell silent.
Serestia’s smile froze instantly, the pride on her face cracking apart.
People exchanged glances, stunned. The phrase was unfamiliar, yet it fit the scene so perfectly that it struck like a slap to the face.
Serestia’s actions were nothing short of a living demonstration.
"You dare talk about ?" Serestia shot to her feet, glaring furiously toward the box.
Zora’s red lips curved faintly. "So people are born without sha. Do I really need to save face for soone like that?"
"Zora, you’re courting death!" Serestia roared. This was no longer a subtle mockery. It was a public humiliation.
Zora’s expression hardened, her gaze turning razor-sharp. "It seems the lesson I gave you earlier wasn’t enough."
Her voice dropped, cold and rciless.
"Say one more word, and I’ll make you regret ever being born."
The air in the hall seed to freeze.
This was no empty threat. It was a final warning.
A terrifying pressure radiated outward, domineering and absolute. Everyone present felt it pressing down on their chests, as if a higher existence had spoken.
No one laughed.
No one thought she was bluffing.
Zora’s strength, her talent, her composure in battle had already shaken the Imperial City. Serestia might have spent a year cultivating at the Imperial Academy, but under that gaze, even she felt her confidence waver.
Serestia stiffened, montarily overwheld by the montum.
"Hmph!" She forced a sneer, masking her unease. "Who do you think you are? Even if you have so talent, that doesn’t an you can act lawlessly. If I want to deal with you, I have countless ways!"
Zora smiled slowly, her eyes cold as winter steel.
"Serestia," she said softly, every word cutting deep, "tomorrow afternoon. The Life-and-Death Arena."
Her voice rang clearly through the hall.
"Do you dare fight?"
A gasp rippled through the crowd.
On the Holy Mystic Continent, grudges between cultivators were common. But when hatred reached a point of no return, there was only one way to settle it.
The Life-and-Death Arena.
Once stepped onto that stage, fate was sealed. Life or death, no complaints, no revenge afterward.
Though everyone knew of its existence, such challenges had almost never appeared among the younger generation of the Imperial City.
And yet, today—
Zora had issued one.
After all, most people believed that coexistence was always better than mutual destruction. Even when conflicts arose, there were countless ways to resolve them. No one was willing to truly stake their life.
Yet the mont Zora uttered the words "Life-and-Death Arena," a sharp intake of breath swept through the auction hall.
"Life and death? What is Princess Consort thinking?"
"This isn’t a joke. Once you step onto the Life-and-Death Arena, there’s no turning back."
"Serestia pushed her too far, but for Zora to choose such an extre thod... that’s beyond anyone’s expectations."
Serestia herself froze for a split second. She clearly hadn’t expected Zora to escalate things this far. Then, a sneer slowly curved her lips.
She had planned to deal with Zora after the auction anyway. Since this woman was so eager to seek death, she would kindly send her off.
Serestia was very clear about the difference in their cultivation. Zora was only at the early stage of the Sky Realm, while she herself had already broken through to the middle stage.
Tomorrow, she would let everyone see the insurmountable gap between early and middle Sky Realm cultivators.
"Fine," Serestia replied smugly. "Zora, when the ti cos, don’t beg to show rcy."
Zora smiled calmly, her eyes cold and unwavering. "Tomorrow will be your death."
"Hmph!"
Serestia snorted. Let Zora be arrogant for one more night. Tomorrow, she would make her kneel and beg in front of everyone.
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