Sure enough, the female cultivator said, “This isn’t just a stone tablet—it’s a boundary flag. It’s an item consigned for auction by a fellow Daoist. I believe many of you have heard of the Seven Realms Stone, and this tablet is one of its boundary flags. As for which one it is, the winner will surely find out. Let the bidding begin—highest offer takes it.”
“I offer ten top-grade divine spirit veins, fifteen high-grade divine spirit veins, and one Earth-attribute insight Dao fruit, the Seven Peaks Dao Fruit,” a hoarse voice rasped.
Though hoarse, the voice carried a chilling intent to kill, a clear warning to others: compete for the Seven Realms Stone Boundary Flag at your peril.
Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense landed on the bidder—a Third-Turn Saint with sparse yellow hair, exuding a menacing aura.
Lan Xiaobu chuckled inwardly. A Third-Turn Saint daring to throw his weight around here? He must not value his life. This was Saint Island, a place teeming with powerhouses—a Third-Turn Saint was hardly noteworthy.
“Twenty top-grade divine spirit veins, fifty high-grade divine spirit veins, and two Heaven-Origin Heart Fruits,” a calm voice countered from not far off.
The Reincarnation Saint? Lan Xiaobu hadn’t expected them to bid on the Seven Realms Stone Boundary Flag too.
Forget that twenty top-grade and fifty high-grade spirit veins doubled the Third-Turn Saint’s offer—the two Heaven-Origin Heart Fruits alone far outvalued the Seven Peaks Dao Fruit. The Seven Peaks fruit was merely an Earth-attribute Dao fruit, aiding Earth-attribute cultivators in insight or mastering Earth-based divine abilities.
The Heaven-Origin Heart Fruit, however, was attributeless, capable of enhancing insight into any divine law, making it vastly more precious.
Sure enough, after the Reincarnation Saint’s bid, the Third-Turn Saint’s divine sense probed them, only to retract upon sensing the overwhelming charm of their Dao. He clearly feared them.
Lan Xiaobu smirked. With such meager ability, he dared threaten others after bidding?
The monk hadn’t even bid yet. What would this guy do when he did?
Hm, as Lan Xiaobu pondered the monk, he felt the monk’s divine sense sweep over the Reincarnation Saint. Though uncertain, he faintly sensed the monk leave a subtle mark.
It seemed the monk had scanned the Third-Turn Saint earlier too. Lan Xiaobu wasn’t sure if a mark was placed, but it was likely.
“Thirty top-grade divine spirit veins, seventy high-grade divine spirit veins, and two Jialan Dao Fruits,” Lan Xiaobu called out loudly.
He hadn’t come here for the Lesser Causality Scroll but for the Seven Realms Stone Boundary Flag. While two Jialan Dao Fruits weren’t superior to Heaven-Origin Heart Fruits, his offer added dozens more spirit veins.
As expected, his bid drew dozens of divine senses to him, and two more marks were planted—one from the monk, the other from the Third-Turn Saint. Oddly, the Reincarnation Saint refrained.
The Third-Turn Saint didn’t dare mark the Reincarnation Saint but had no qualms targeting him. He likely thought Lan Xiaobu winning the flag would make it easier to steal later, assuming him weaker than the Reincarnation Saint.
Lan Xiaobu found it amusing. A Third-Turn Saint? He wouldn’t even break a sweat.
But the monk puzzled him. With such strength, why not bid outright? Why mark everyone instead? If he won it fairly, who could take it from him? A possible Seventh-Turn Saint shouldn’t lack spirit veins.
Wait—something’s off. This monk was targeting those bidding on the flag. Was he fishing?
The thought solidified in Lan Xiaobu’s mind. The auctioneer had said the flag was consigned. Could it be the monk’s? Was he using it as bait? Those eager for the flag might already possess others.
Like Lan Xiaobu himself—he already had two.
Just as this realization hit, he felt his Dao charm ripple, as if something sensed it, stirring his entire Great Dao.
No—not just him. The entire auction hall’s Dao auras were fluctuating.
In a flash, he understood. Someone was using the gathered Saints at this auction, leveraging an array to harness their collective Dao charm to break something.
“Courting death!” The monk suddenly punched through the hall’s roof, stepped out, and unleashed a torrent of wild Saintly Dao charm downward.
Not just him—the Reincarnation Saint and a Third-Turn Saint rushed out too. Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense caught Ku Cai emerging from seclusion, joining the others in blasting ferocious Saintly Dao charm toward the same spot.
He pieced it together. No wonder Mad Saint and Tree Saint held this auction—they’d planned to gather Saints here to concentrate their Dao charm, aiming to breach the natural barrier around the Cosmic Heart and seize it.
What a pig-brained scheme. Even if they’d devised this, they should’ve barred Saints above Third-Turn from attending. But even then, word would’ve spread.
To openly snatch the Cosmic Heart—if Saint Island’s powerhouses didn’t intervene, that’d be the real shock. This was greed blinding them, no different from covering your ears to steal a bell. Mad Saint and Tree Saint? More like Mad Pig and Tree Pig.
As several powerhouses charged out, more Saints followed. Everyone stayed on Saint Island for one reason: the Cosmic Heart. If Mad Saint and Tree Saint took it, no one would stand for it.
Lan Xiaobu didn’t join them. He approached the auction stage.
The female cultivator stood dazed, clueless about the chaos. Clearly, the island lords hadn’t shared their plan—she was just here to keep the Saints present through the auction.
“My bid was highest. You can hand it over now,” Lan Xiaobu said calmly, offering a ring.
Under this Saintly Dao array disk, snatching it was impossible without a trade.
“Oh, yes, yes,” she stammered, flustered. His bid was indeed the highest, and now the hall was half-destroyed.
As she mechanically took the ring and moved to retrieve the item, Lan Xiaobu cut in, “A suggestion: Mad Saint and Tree Saint are trying to steal the Cosmic Heart. They’re surrounded now and will be finished soon. If I were you, I’d flee. You’ve got plenty of auction items and dozens of spirit veins—wherever you go, it beats staying here. Time’s short—move fast.”
As he spoke, he sensed over a hundred divine senses on him. He knew that even if no one抢ed him now, they’d come for him once he left the island.
The woman snapped to clarity, realizing he was right. She’d been roped in by Mad Saint and Tree Saint to host. These items weren’t hers, and with the lords doomed, staying meant death. With so many treasures, she’d be a target if she didn’t sell them.
She grabbed an array flag and handed it to him. “This unlocks the disk and flag. Thank you, big brother—I’m out.”
With that, she dashed off. Lan Xiaobu swiftly collected the disk and flag, pleased with the haul: a Seven Realms Stone Boundary Flag and a Saintly Dao array disk.
Whether the monk was fishing or not, it was his now—no one was prying it from him.
Items secured, he figured he’d check on those clever island lords.
Stepping out of the hall, his divine sense caught a First-Turn Saint blocking the female cultivator’s path. Dozens more watched from afar, waiting to see before acting.
Lan Xiaobu landed between them without hesitation, slapping out a palm. The First-Turn Saint’s domain shattered under the blow, his body tumbling miles through the void, crashing down.
“Go now—faster the better,” he said to the pale-faced woman.
Then, raising his voice, “She’s my friend. Anyone who chases her, I’ll kill.”
She snapped out of it, bowing deeply. “Thank you, big brother, for saving me.”
She activated an escape talisman and vanished. Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense confirmed she’d left the island, with no pursuit, before pulling back. No surprise—after he’d swatted a First-Turn Saint, only a fool would chase her.
“Senior…” The First-Turn Saint stared at him in terror. That slap marked Lan Xiaobu as at least Third-Turn or higher.
“Scram,” Lan Xiaobu said, sparing him. Their trade had been seen by hundreds of divine senses, as had his lesson to this Saint and the woman’s escape.
Killing him wouldn’t silence anyone. The monk and that Third-Turn Saint would still come for him later.
