“This is trouble! Fairy Tianchu, Luo Ji, commands wealth beyond our reach. Fairy Lanxi, why not let her have that supreme saintly weapon fragment?” The Traveller said.
The Wanderer added, “Our target is the Eastern Domain Saint King Mansion. At this critical juncture, there’s no need to stir up extra trouble.”
Yet Fairy Lanxi showed no sign of backing down, bidding again, “Three billion five hundred million holy stones.”
“Four billion holy stones,” Fairy Tianchu countered.
“Five billion holy stones.”
…
It was just a fragment of a supreme saintly weapon, but the two prodigies quickly drove the price to an outrageous level, surpassing eight billion holy stones.
The cultivators in the Heavenly Absolute Pavilion were left speechless.
“Spending eight billion holy stones on a fragment—are they mad?”
“With that many holy stones, I could buy cultivation resources to break through quickly and reach the Nine-Step Saint King realm in no time.”
In the private room, Xiang Chunan’s eyes gleamed with fervor, “Brother, why don’t we rob them? We’d make a fortune!”
“Which Saint King carries that many holy stones on them? I reckon Grand Dawn King and Fairy Tianchu would need to draw funds from the Soul Realm and Tianchu Civilisation to muster such a sum,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Ruochen knew why Fairy Tianchu was willing to pay a fortune—she’d seen Zhenmiao Little Taoist’s Purple-Gold Eight-Trigram Mirror.
Now, Grand Dawn King was allied with old monsters like Jueyan Hu and Jie Canghai. If Fairy Tianchu outbid her and won the fragment, she’d likely face retaliation.
At that moment, Fairy Tianchu called out another astronomical figure, “Ten billion holy stones.”
At this price, Fairy Lanxi fell silent. After a long pause, she said coolly, “Since Her Highness Fairy Tianchu is so determined, I’ll let you have this fragment.”
Fairy Tianchu said nothing. Once Zi Lan on the suspended jade platform declared “Sold,” Butcher, trailing behind Fairy Tianchu, went straight to negotiate with the pavilion’s staff, likely discussing how to pay the massive sum.
A steward from the Heavenly Absolute Pavilion escorted Fairy Tianchu to a fourth-floor private room.
Luo Yi spoke, “Brother Ruochen, the situation in the Heavenly Absolute Pavilion is complex. An uncontrollable conflict might erupt. We should leave now.”
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment, “You all go ahead. I have some matters to attend to and need to stay a bit longer.”
“No, Your Highness. The spatial teleportation array you set up is one-use only. If we leave, what will you do?” Murong Yue asked.
Zhang Ruochen replied, “If I want to leave, few below a Great Saint can stop me.”
“What about an Earth Master? Their methods are beyond our imagination. Your Highness, come with us. Why are you staying? To seize the Cosmic Void Tears and the tortoise shell fragment? We can find another way,” Murong Yue said, deeply concerned for his safety.
Luo Yi added, “I agree with Lady Murong. Jueyan Hu and the others are too powerful for us to handle. They likely already know the divine stone from Kong Hongbi is in our hands. If chaos breaks out here, we’ll be targeted. Can we hold them off?”
The next item went up for auction on the suspended jade platform.
After a long silence, Zhang Ruochen said, “Wait for me in the room. I’m going to visit Fairy Tianchu. If chaos erupts, don’t wait—activate the spatial teleportation array and leave.”
Ignoring Murong Yue’s protests, Zhang Ruochen headed to the fourth-floor private room.
“I’ve long admired Fairy Tianchu’s fame and come to pay my respects, hoping for a chat,” he announced.
Many eyes in the pavilion turned to the fourth-floor room.
“Guess what that arrogant guy’s after—smitten by the fairy’s charm or chasing the tortoise shell fragment?” a cultivator teased.
“Whatever his reason, Fairy Tianchu won’t see him.”
“She’s otherworldly, pure as jade—why would she meet this haughty fool?”
“Once, Lion Qing, a divine son, offered a Heaven-Grade Saint Pill, the Kunxu Pill, just to meet her, but he didn’t even get a glimpse.”
…
Amid the chatter, the fourth-floor room’s door opened.
Butcher stepped out, grinning at Zhang Ruochen, “The fairy invites you in.”
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, Zhang Ruochen entered the room.
Then, something even more shocking happened. Butcher and Fool, ever at Fairy Tianchu’s side, stepped outside, standing guard by the door.
Fairy Tianchu was willing to meet this brash stranger alone.
Countless cultivators seethed with envy and jealousy. Were it not for the intimidating auras of Butcher and Fool holding them back, they might have stormed the fourth floor.
Inside, Zhang Ruochen caught a familiar faint fragrance, stirring memories of the God-Sealing Platform—tinged with a hint of intimacy.
Fairy Tianchu sat behind a moon-white veil, her silhouette graceful and enchanting.
“Are you here for the tortoise shell fragment?”
Her clear, melodic voice came from behind the veil.
Zhang Ruochen stood tall, his gaze profound, “The Eastern Domain Holy City will soon face a major upheaval, and it might well start here in the Heavenly Absolute Pavilion. I’ve come to urge you to leave quickly.”
The candlelight flickered, casting her veiled figure in shifting shadows.
After a pause, she rose, a flawless jade hand parting the veil.
It was the most beautiful hand in the world—slender fingers, skin like polished alabaster, soft yet boneless. Even a slight movement carried a soul-stirring elegance.
Fairy Tianchu emerged unveiled, her form unshielded by saintly light.
Few had ever seen her true face.
Those who did were left breathless and undone. Though not his first time, Zhang Ruochen still felt a hitch in his breath, ripples stirring his calm heart.
“I came precisely because I heard the Eastern Domain Holy City might face upheaval. Perhaps you need my help,” she said, her almond eyes meeting his.
“She’s seen through my disguise? Of course—she can sense every cultivator’s spiritual will. Even my Formless and Phaseless Thirty-Six Transformations can’t fool her.”
Zhang Ruochen didn’t confirm his identity, “The situation in the Eastern Domain Holy City isn’t something we can control. If you trust me, come to the fifth-floor room. I’ve set up a spatial teleportation array there—we can leave together.”
Fairy Tianchu shook her head gently, “Under an Earth Master’s watch, do you think a mere spatial teleportation array will suffice?”
“So you know there’s an Earth Master here too,” Zhang Ruochen said, slightly surprised.
“I not only know he’s an Earth Master but that he’s an Array Earth Master, sent by the Heavenly Palace to oversee the repair of the ancient inscriptions in the Eastern Domain Holy City,” she replied.
“What? He’s the one repairing the city’s ancient inscriptions?” Zhang Ruochen exclaimed.
If this man was tasked with restoring the city’s ancient inscriptions, he’d know them inside out and could wield them to suppress everything within the Eastern Domain Holy City.
In other words, here, he was a god.
Below a Great Saint, no one could challenge him.
Fairy Tianchu continued, “His name is Lord Shenya, a cultivator from the Paradise Realm. If you don’t reveal yourself, you might be fine. But activating the spatial teleportation array would expose you, drawing all of Lord Shenya’s attention. Are you confident you can escape an Array Earth Master?”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression grew grave as he shook his head.
Fairy Tianchu went on, “I suspect Lord Shenya is the mastermind behind the upheaval in the Eastern Domain Holy City.”
“Currently, only the Eastern Domain Saint King Mansion and Lord Shenya can control the city’s ancient inscriptions and the Zhou Tian Grand Array. Eliminate the Mansion, and no one can restrain him.”
“Then, Lord Shenya will rule the Eastern Domain Holy City from the shadows, setting all rules and claiming all benefits for himself.”
“The city is awakening, birthing countless resources and treasures. Even if just one hundred-thousand-year-old ancient holy medicine emerges daily, over time, that’s a staggering fortune.”
“And you, more than I, know the Eastern Domain Holy City is the hub of the entire Eastern Domain. Control it, and dominating the whole region becomes far easier.”
The more Zhang Ruochen heard, the more alarmed he grew, “I see.”
Initially, he’d planned to stay on the sidelines regarding the Eastern Domain Saint King Mansion’s impending crisis, with no intention of getting involved. But Fairy Tianchu’s analysis convinced him he had to act.
First, he and the Paradise Realm’s cultivators were already mortal enemies.
Second, if Lord Shenya became the city’s ruler, all beings in the Eastern Domain might end up as his slaves, its resources and treasures drained by the Paradise Realm.
“How can we oppose an Earth Master?” Zhang Ruochen frowned deeply.
An Array Earth Master could rival a Great Saint, especially in the Eastern Domain Holy City—Lord Shenya’s home turf. Defying him seemed impossible.
Even a supreme saintly weapon might be struck down by him.
Unless… a divine artefact appeared.
Fairy Tianchu mused, “In terms of spiritual power, there’s one person who might match Lord Shenya. She’s with you, isn’t she?”
