After the Qilin Immortal Palace opened to the public, many large luxury cruise ships floated on the East Sea. Most of them drifted within the Forbidden Zones and were invisible to ordinary people.
These cruise ships occasionally docked, allowing mbers of the Dark World to travel back and forth.
To board a cruise ship, you either needed an invitation or had to be a recognized candidate.
Gu Jianlin, holding the Golden Card given to him by the Third Master, was naturally identified as a candidate. He encountered no obstacles along the way and even received courtesy from the security guards, who nodded and bowed to him.
As for Tang Ling, she had initially been worried about whether she'd be allowed in.
It turned out that the security here wasn't as strict as imagined—there wasn't anyone to stop them.
Upon reaching the deck, a drunken playboy clinging to two enchanting won ca forward and slurred, "Hey, buddy, the figure of the woman beside you is incredible. Want to trade? I'll give you these two won, and she can keep
company for just one night!"
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Jianlin shot him a cold, piercing look that sent him retreating in fear.
"I want to kill him!"
Tang Ling whispered coldly in Gu Jianlin's ear.
Clearly, she was enraged.
"Hold back. Rember his face and deal with him later."
Gu Jianlin brushed away a couple of tipsy won trying to flirt with him and headed inside the cabin.
Tang Ling snorted, her charm undeniable despite both of them being disguised with human skin masks.
Most people in the Dark World are nothing more than drunkards and wastrels. Their deaths wouldn't stir much sympathy. The true predators have ways to protect themselves, and no one would entrust their lives solely to hired security.
Of course, so cunning individuals like Lao Liu might deliberately disguise themselves as drunkards and wastrels.
Thus, caution was essential, and maintaining a safe distance from others was crucial.
The Bren Hill tonight was packed with people, most of them here for the evening auction. Among them were heirs of powerful families within the Dark World and representatives of secretive organizations. Despite the apparent luxury onboard, there was an ominous atmosphere, like the hidden turbulence beneath the sea's surface.
In this place, even the slightest misstep could swallow you whole.
Auctions in the Dark World were common and rarely novel.
However, tonight was different. This was the first auction held following the Qilin Immortal Palace's opening. Forces from across the Dark World had gathered here to trade resources, share information, and exchange experiences.
During their journey aboard the ship, Gu Jianlin and Tang Ling overheard nurous rumors.
"The Ying Province Gao Tianyuan Organization—that woman who inherited the na of Yue Du—is said to have hunted down an Ancient God Seed in the snowy plains of the Qilin Immortal Palace's northern first floor. Apparently, the Ancient God Seed lived for sixteen thousand years, and now they're offering rewards to recruit top-tier Alchemists and Pharmacists to process the materials."
"What kind of groundbreaking alchemy technology will they craft from this?"
"Not just that—super rare secret dicines too."
"I've heard the Second Master discovered an Ancient Ruin that contains a powerful Ancient Ancestor who still retains so sanity. They're believed to be a figure from the Three Kingdoms Period."
"A figure from the Three Kingdoms? Could it be Cao Cao? Didn't we never find his tomb?"
"Every historical figure from the Three Kingdoms Era is automatically Cao Cao to you? It's clearly a woman!"
"What if it's a female version of Cao Cao?"
"Do you know anything about the Ether Association's Oga Sequence? Especially the top-ranked Ying Changsheng? If anyone has intel on his whereabouts, I'll pay any price. He killed all three of my brothers. The next ti I enter the Immortal Palace, I swear to avenge them!"
"Seeking revenge against the Ying Family? Are you insane? Sober up—the auction is starting soon."
Gu Jianlin listened to the chatter and shook his head.
Tang Ling pulled a small bottle of secret dicine from her pocket and handed it to him. "Here, drink this."
Gu Jianlin paused, confused. "What's it for?"
She replied lightly, "Do you think I'd harm you?"
Tang Ling explained calmly, "Once consud, it will temporarily alter your Life Rhythm."
Realizing the purpose, Gu Jianlin quickly uncapped the bottle and drank it in one gulp.
On the deck, many others were doing the sa to conceal their identities.
The auction was set to take place on the first floor of the cabin. Participation required asset verification or valuable auction items—ensuring that penniless individuals were excluded.
Under the guidance of attendants, the Ascenders dressed like high-society elites were led to the auction hall.
"What do we do now?"
Tang Ling whispered, lowering her voice. "Are we really going to auction our Mythical Weapon?"
Gu Jianlin shook the box in his hand filled with ancient tokens.
It was fortuitous—he happened to have prepared items for auction.
Ancient tokens served as tickets to enter the Ancient God Realm and were eternally valuable.
Of course, this batch of tokens had undergone his tampering.
Among the most-discussed items at the auction tonight was the drop of Ancient God's Blood rumored to be unearthed from the Returning Burial Forest. The seller's identity was kept completely anonymous. Otherwise, they wouldn't have survived long enough to bring it here—they'd have been assassinated.
Equally, acquiring the Ancient God's Blood wasn't about financial ability.
It was about power!
The eventual buyer would undoubtedly face nurous assassination attempts and assaults.
If their strength wasn't formidable, they'd likely perish before leaving the Forbidden Zone.
Which unlucky—or lucky—individual would claim this drop of Ancient God's Blood?
"Director Li ntioned the secret stronghold should be on the second floor of the cabin. However, the first floor has been tightly sealed for the auction. If we don't participate in the auction, we can't get through," Gu Jianlin noticed an inspection checkpoint ahead, guarded by ten Fourth-Rank Spirit diums holding Crystal Balls.
To his eyes, their Transcendent forms towered like buildings.
All attending Ascenders had to pass inspection.
Weapons and Mythical Weapons were detected and then entrusted to the You Ying Group for safekeeping.
Most participants didn't possess Mythical Weapons.
So individuals unwilling to entrust their weapons to the group had their personnel stationed outside to watch over them.
"If my Extre Thunder is discovered, chaos will break out imdiately,"
Tang Ling murmured near his ear, lowering her voice. "I've used Extre Thunder to bash quite a few people from the You Ying Group."
Gu Jianlin whispered back, "Who hasn't? Speaking of, Moon Princess once told
that the Fourth Master has gone insane. We don't know the extent of his madness, but if he sees Extre Thunder here, he might lose it completely."
He considered sothing. "Give
Extre Thunder. I'll take care of it."
In the Extraordinary World, Ascenders highly treasure Growth-Type Mythical Weapons, often valuing them above their own lives.
Tang Ling casually tossed the box to him. "Here, take it."
Gu Jianlin gave her a deep look; her trust was rare to co by.
Without further comnt, he carried the box to the restroom and reached out with his consciousness to the fragnt of the Qilin Wedge.
In an instant, Gu Jianlin found himself inside the Qilin Wedge's fragnt.
Standing before an ornate coffin containing the Dragon Bone of an old monster—or rather, an elder beast.
He placed Extre Thunder in the coffin and contacted the Qilin Wedge fragnt again, returning to the restroom.
"Storage-type treasures aren't common in the Extraordinary World. Only peak-level Ascenders gain independent spaces. It's reminiscent of how each Ancient Supre had their own Ancient God Realm. As the core of this world, the Wedge surprisingly contains a hidden space,"
Gu Jianlin mused to himself, likening the situation to nested dolls, before erging with the box of ancient tokens.
Tang Ling froze briefly. "Where's the other item?"
Gu Jianlin waved his hand dismissively, "It's safe. I can retrieve it whenever necessary."
Tang Ling was stunned and mouthed, "You have a storage-capable Mythical Weapon?"
Gu Jianlin casually lied, "A gift from my father."
The auction's reception desk was guarded by thirty-two Ancient Martial Path bodyguards, all Fourth-Order Mad Kings.
Graceful Bunny Girls greeted guests with warm smiles.
Gu Jianlin approached to complete registration and auction off his box of tokens.
For a brief mont, Tang Ling's breathing faltered, her body tensing sharply, as she discreetly jabbed his lower back and wrote sothing on it.
Gu Jianlin froze as well, without needing to ask for an explanation.
From behind, voices erupted one after another:
"Master Four!"
"Greetings, Master Four!"
"Good evening, Master Four!"
Si Wei'an!
What a twist of fate!
Both Gu Jianlin and Tang Ling turned simultaneously.
Indeed, the caller was Si Wei'an. His face showed no emotion, clad in a crisp snow-white suit adorned with elaborate rings and watches. A retinue of ten Guardians followed closely behind him.
"Master Four, please stop pretending to be mad. Even the Old Master has deployed guards to protect you—what more could you fear? The Old Master personally oversaw your upbringing; he wouldn't harm you,"
A Guardian pleaded earnestly, "No one can take the Qilin Wedge fragnt from you. Even Lord Youming publicly stated that whoever takes it owns it—all by rit. Your precautions are unwarranted. Who would dare try to assassinate you under these circumstances? Now's not the ti to overthink!"
Si Wei'an's face suddenly twisted into a deranged smile.
His mouth stretched almost to his ears.
"What did you say?"
He seized the Guardian's head and grinned madly, "You think the Qilin Wedge fragnt is with , huh? Why doesn't anyone believe ? WHY DOESN'T ANYONE BELIEVE ? I should kill all of you! No one will slander ! The Old Master included! I'll kill HIM too!"
"For the last ti, I don't have that cursed object—it was taken by the Qilin Venerable!"
As his fury escalated, spittle flew from his lips and Divine Sacrificial Fire ignited in his palms!
Boom!
The Guardian's head was incinerated, his Life Force devoured rcilessly until only skeletal remains were left.
The rest of the Guardians stared at Si Wei'an in sheer horror.
None of them wished to remain under this madman's command.
Yet, bound by orders from the Old Master, defiance ant death.
Watching this scene, Gu Jianlin was utterly stunned.
"What made him like this?"
Tang Ling scribbled behind his back, "He's pulling out all the stops to keep the Qilin Wedge fragnt for himself."
Gu Jianlin remained silent for a mont, burdened by the weight of his actions.
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