Passing through the Star Sea Gate, the scene before them transformed dramatically.
The blood-red river below became clear and translucent, its surface stretching so vast it resembled a lake or sea, its edges barely visible. In the sky, dozens of life-bearing planets floated, each no larger than three thousand miles in diameter.
These planets hosted various structures, with holy ships, barbaric beasts, and cultivators constantly passing through their atmospheres, flying in and out, bustling yet orderly.
Zhang Ruochen stood, gazing around, “The rules of heaven and earth here are completely different, exerting great suppression on cultivators.”
Luo Yan smiled, “This is the headquarters of the Star Sea World. Of course, they’d alter the rules to suppress cultivators’ power. Otherwise, if a Great Saint went berserk, wouldn’t they destroy this place?”
Zhang Ruochen nodded slightly. A Great Saint’s destructive power was immense, capable of obliterating one of the life-bearing planets above with a single punch.
Now, even with Zhang Ruochen’s strength, a full-force punch might not destroy a single mountain on those planets.
The holy ship left the water’s surface, flying toward one of the planets in the sky.
Just as they passed through the atmosphere, a Great Saint from the Star Sea World came to greet them.
It wasn’t the Great Saint’s true body but a mental projection clone.
Naturally, with Luo Yan’s Saint King cultivation, her ability to summon a Great Saint highlighted her extraordinary status in the Hell Realm.
“Is Your Highness Luo Yan here for the auction or to purchase items privately?” Three Gold Great Saint asked.
Facing a Great Saint, Luo Yan’s attitude was notably respectful, “I wish to purchase treasures to aid in comprehending the Path of Space and condensing an immortal holy body, only the finest. Mid-to-high-grade items are abundant in the Tianluo Divine Kingdom’s royal clan, so don’t waste time with those.”
“Rest assured, treasures sent to the Star Sea World’s headquarters are absolutely top-tier,” Three Gold Great Saint said with a smile.
Luo Yan had long possessed the ability to break through to the Great Saint realm, but with her ambition and talent, she was unwilling to become an ordinary Great Saint. Even if she couldn’t reach Great Perfection like Yan Wushen or Zhang Ruochen in the Saint King realm, she aimed to be among the very best.
And she had the qualifications to do so.
In the Saint realm, she had defeated a prodigy ranked twelfth on the Heavenly Court’s *Saint Merit List*.
With her status as a master of space, she was confident in becoming a supreme powerhouse in the Saint King realm.
After concluding her discussion with Three Gold Great Saint, Luo Yan turned to Zhang Ruochen, “Allow me to introduce, this is Great Saint Ruochen, the grandson of the Blood Heaven Tribe’s Great Clan Leader of the Undying Blood Tribe. His mother is also a god.”
Three Gold Great Saint was visibly moved, stepping forward and clasping his hands, “Though I serve at the Star Sea World’s headquarters, how could I not know of Great Saint Ruochen’s fame? I never expected to have the honour of meeting you in person today.”
“The headquarters has many matters to handle, and I must split my mental energy into thousands of projections. Please forgive me, Great Saint Ruochen, for not greeting you with my true body.”
Three Gold Great Saint’s attitude toward Zhang Ruochen was even more cautious than toward Luo Yan.
No matter how noble Luo Yan’s status, she was still just a Saint King. Zhang Ruochen, however, was a Great Saint, a battle-hardened one who had long earned his reputation.
A Great Saint like Three Gold, who rarely engaged in life-and-death battles, would likely fall to Zhang Ruochen despite a higher realm.
“This is Three Gold Great Saint, one of the many Merchant Emperors of the Star Sea World, holding a high position at the headquarters,” Luo Yan introduced to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen, far from arrogant, responded calmly, “Greetings, Three Gold Great Saint. I’ve come to the Star Sea World to purchase some items as well.”
Three Gold Great Saint laughed heartily, “With Great Saint Ruochen’s status, choosing the Star Sea World is my great fortune. It seems we have big business to do.”
“This isn’t the place for discussion. Please, both of you, follow me.”
Led by Three Gold Great Saint, Zhang Ruochen, Luo Yan, Han Ying, and two holy maids arrived at a lakeside radiating treasure light, sitting beside a jade table.
The other holy maids took the holy ship to dock at a port on the planet.
Attendants promptly served holy spring drinks and emerald fruits of ten-thousand-year treasure medicine grade.
Zhang Ruochen’s eyelids twitched slightly as he sent a mental message to Luo Yan, “The Star Sea World is indeed extravagant. Even casual snacks are treasures that Saint-level beings could only dream of.”
Luo Yan rolled her eyes, “This lake is where the Star Sea World receives distinguished guests, only accessible to divine descendants or Great Saints. If the snacks they served weren’t exceptional, could they satisfy such guests?”
Zhang Ruochen released his mental energy to sense his surroundings and indeed detected numerous powerful auras around the lake.
As this was a place for receiving esteemed guests, the space around the lake was inscribed with numerous divine runes, prohibiting mental probing. Thus, Zhang Ruochen couldn’t discern their identities or cultivation levels.
Sensing Zhang Ruochen’s mental fluctuations, Luo Yan quickly stopped him, “The auction is still two or three hours away, and many distinguished guests are resting here, including not only prodigies attending the Hunting Feast but possibly Supreme Realm Great Saints, demigods, or even gods. Probing with mental energy here is disrespectful and could easily invite trouble.”
Zhang Ruochen promptly retracted his mental energy, surprised, “Could there really be gods?”
“What’s strange about that? The Star Sea World’s auctions, held monthly, always feature numerous rare treasures, some of which even gods covet.”
Then, with a mysterious air, Luo Yan added, “It’s said that today’s auction will feature the corpse of a recently fallen god, and many forces will surely compete for it.”
“Another god has fallen?”
Zhang Ruochen cared less about the god’s corpse and more about the fact of a god’s fall.
Gods fall in only three ways.
First, perishing under a Yuan Epoch Tribulation.
Second, dying in battle.
Third, sensing their end, choosing to enter meditation or eternal slumber, dying in sleep to preserve their divine body’s integrity.
Of gods who perish in a Yuan Epoch Tribulation, more than half are obliterated, rarely leaving a complete divine body.
Gods killed in battle are often reduced to dust or dissipated into nothingness, with few leaving a corpse.
The third case, where gods choose meditation or slumber, results in more preserved divine bodies.
However, gods entering meditation or slumber typically choose secluded locations or have descendants guarding them, making it nearly impossible for their bodies to be sold.
Thus, learning of a god’s corpse at the auction, Zhang Ruochen’s first thought was that a god from the Heavenly Court had fallen.
Luo Yan said, “I don’t yet know the source of the god’s corpse! But my imperial brother will represent the Tianluo Divine Kingdom to bid for it, mobilizing vast amounts of divine stones. If it were just a pseudo-god’s corpse or a damaged one, there wouldn’t be such a big move.”
Divine corpses vary greatly in value.
A freshly killed god’s intact corpse is worth as much as a divine treasury, holding immense strategic significance.
For instance, when Empress Chi Yao killed the Asura Tribe’s Jue God, the divine blood, bones, and soul contained in Jue God’s corpse rapidly boosted the Kunlun Realm’s strength in a short time.
It enhanced an entire realm’s overall power.
If the divine corpse auctioned by the Star Sea World matched the caliber of Jue God’s, the ten tribes of the Hell Realm would surely compete for it at all costs.
Three Gold Great Saint’s true body arrived in person to inquire about the items Zhang Ruochen wished to purchase.
After careful thought, Zhang Ruochen first asked, “Does the Star Sea World have star cores?”
Three Gold Great Saint countered, “What level of star core does Great Saint Ruochen seek?”
Zhang Ruochen’s knowledge of star cores was limited, so he asked, “What levels do star cores come in?”
“In the Hell Realm, planets are divided into nine levels, from one to nine, and star cores are similarly classified into nine grades.”
“First-level star cores are the cheapest, costing tens of millions of holy stones. At the Star Sea World’s headquarters, the highest-grade cores in stock are three sixth-level star cores, all exorbitantly priced,” Three Gold Great Saint said.
Zhang Ruochen intended to purchase star cores to refine into his Purple Gold Gourd to enhance its absorption power.
However, how many star cores the Purple Gold Gourd could handle, and what level, remained unknown.
“Are you buying star cores for refining artifacts?” Luo Yan asked curiously.
Zhang Ruochen nodded, then said to Three Gold Great Saint, “How many holy stones for a sixth-level star core?”
“A big deal indeed.”
Three Gold Great Saint’s eyes gleamed with a smile, “Sixth-level star cores aren’t traded in holy stones but divine stones, roughly fifty to two hundred divine stones. Prices vary greatly depending on the core’s weight and attributes.”
Even with Luo Yan’s status and experience, she was shocked, “Star cores are outrageously expensive! A single Yuan Monarch Holy Artifact wouldn’t fetch that price.”
Three Gold Great Saint said, “A sixth-level star core requires at least a Thousand Questions Realm Great Saint to extract from a sixth-level planet, taking immense time, so the price is naturally high.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “I’ll definitely buy a star core, but I don’t have enough divine stones right now. How about this: I’ll consign a batch of Monarch Holy Artifacts to the Star Sea World for auction. Can we make it in time for the auction?”
“Of course, there’s still time, but…”
Three Gold Great Saint was inwardly stunned, hardly believing his ears, “Does Great Saint Ruochen really have a batch of Monarch Holy Artifacts?”
Many Immortal Realm Great Saints possess only one Monarch Holy Artifact.
For Zhang Ruochen to casually offer a batch was astonishing.
“This batch of Monarch Holy Artifacts was recently acquired, perfect for selling to address immediate needs.”
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen took out eight Monarch Holy Artifacts, including the Qi Xin Battle Axe, all seized from six Great Saints of the Moluo Family.
Seeing this, the two holy maids and Han Ying behind Luo Yan were dumbfounded.
If the Moluo Family’s six Great Saints knew Zhang Ruochen was auctioning their strongest weapons, they’d be furious. These Monarch Holy Artifacts were far more valuable than their Great Saint blood.
After all, Great Saint blood is a one-time sale.
“A second Yuan Monarch Battle Artifact, the Qi Xin Battle Axe, isn’t this Moluo War Emperor’s weapon?” Three Gold Great Saint said in shock.
Clearly, he was unaware of the events on the Life-and-Death Platform.
Zhang Ruochen nodded, “Rest assured, Three Gold Great Saint, this batch of Monarch Holy Artifacts was won from the Moluo Family’s six Great Saints in a fair and public setting, witnessed by countless cultivators. Each one is clean.”
On the Life-and-Death Platform, Zhang Ruochen had the right to kill the Moluo Six Great Saints, and thus the right to dispose of their weapons.
Even Luo Yan rolled her eyes at Zhang Ruochen’s words.
Once this batch of Monarch Holy Artifacts hits the auction, the Moluo Six Great Saints’ humiliation will spread further, and it’d be surprising if they didn’t come after Zhang Ruochen.
But Zhang Ruochen was ruthless enough, having nearly drained the Moluo Six Great Saints’ holy blood, making it difficult for them to recover their peak strength in the short term.
Even if their organs burst with rage, they could only endure it.
Zhang Ruochen had seized over a hundred Monarch Holy Artifacts, so auctioning a batch caused him no hesitation. Instead, he was calculating whether the divine stones earned would suffice.
After all, he needed to buy not only star cores but also treasures to cultivate holy intent, treasures to aid the sword spirit of Shen Yuan Ancient Sword, and even a batch of top-tier talismans and formations.
With so many enemies, if he couldn’t win in a fight, he could at least bury them with talismans and formations.
Sometimes, money really could crush people.
He wondered if the Hunting Feast allowed large-scale use of talismans and formations.
If permitted, this battle would be about wealth, testing whose resources were deeper.
No matter, preparing more divine stones would never hurt. If possible, Zhang Ruochen even considered buying the divine corpse to feed his God-Devouring Insects, cultivating them into an unstoppable army.
With these thoughts, Zhang Ruochen took out a trump card treasure.
“This seventh Yuan Monarch Holy Artifact-grade divine relic, auction it as well!”
Zhang Ruochen handed the Nether Yang Divine Wheel to Three Gold Great Saint.
“A seventh Yuan Monarch Holy Artifact?”
Three Gold Great Saint was startled, his hands trembling, nearly dropping the Nether Yang Divine Wheel.
It was absurd—who would sell a seventh Yuan Monarch Holy Artifact?
And a divine relic, no less.
More than half of Supreme Realm Great Saints wield weapons below the seventh Yuan level. Even for an ancient clan like the Blood Absolute Family, a seventh Yuan Monarch Holy Artifact would rank among their clan treasures, never to be sold.
Did Blood Absolute War God know his grandson was this prodigal?
Luo Yan abruptly stood, grabbing a corner of the Nether Yang Divine Wheel, “Zhang Ruochen, with our deep friendship, why not sell it to me? I’ll offer ten thousand divine stones.”
Three Gold Great Saint, a Merchant Emperor of the Star Sea World, gripped the Nether Yang Divine Wheel tightly to prevent Luo Yan from snatching it, “I’ve already examined it briefly. This seventh Yuan Monarch Holy Artifact was used by the Nether Tribe’s Ling Yang Nether Lord, just one step from a Supreme Holy Artifact. Its value far exceeds ten thousand divine stones.”
“Twenty thousand divine stones, deal!”
Luo Yan stared at Zhang Ruochen, secretly messaging, “Better to benefit me than an outsider.”
Three Gold Great Saint shook his head, “If the Nether Yang Divine Wheel is auctioned at the Star Sea World, it will surely spark a bidding war among the Nether Tribe’s top Great Saints, fetching far more than that.”
Zhang Ruochen found it hard to comprehend. It was just a Nether Yang Divine Wheel, yet a divine kingdom’s palace master and a Merchant Emperor, both distinguished figures, were fighting over it?
In Zhang Ruochen’s hands, the Nether Yang Divine Wheel was truly dispensable, not even comparable to the near-Supreme Holy Artifact-grade white bone whip.
Three Gold Great Saint, however, had another thought, “No wonder the Hell Realm’s major forces want to kill Zhang Ruochen. How many treasures has this guy plundered? Killing him would be more profitable than killing a god.”
This time, Three Gold Great Saint misjudged Zhang Ruochen.
The Nether Yang Divine Wheel was seized from Mo Sheng of the Black Demon Realm, not from a Hell Realm cultivator.
