The hall had not yet recovered from the shock of the Rank S beast core.
Even after Mistress Soryn sealed the crimson crystal back inside its runed container, the atmosphere of the auction hall remained electric. Conversations broke out across every section of the chamber. Nobles leaned toward each other in low whispers. Merchants clutched their ledgers with pale knuckles. Warriors stared at the stage with barely restrained hunger.
A Rank S beast core was not something that appeared in ordinary markets.
For many in the room, this was the first time they had ever seen one.
Mistress Soryn waited patiently for the noise to settle. She had conducted enough auctions to know that the anticipation itself was half the performance.
When the murmurs finally lowered to a manageable hum, she stepped forward again.
"Honored guests," she said with a graceful bow. "Before we resume bidding for the Crimson Maw Serpent core, the auction house must introduce a matter of importance."
A ripple of curiosity spread through the audience.
Behind the stage curtain, Lux shifted slightly inside his cage. His wrists remained shackled to iron rings, and the cage bars pressed cold against his back. Through a small tear in the curtain fabric, he could see a sliver of the stage and hear everything clearly.
Whatever the auctioneer was about to say had drawn the attention of every person in the hall.
Mistress Soryn gestured toward an attendant.
A velvet tray was carried onto the stage.
At first glance it seemed unimpressive.
Just a handful of pale crystals resting against dark cloth.
Yet the moment they appeared under the lantern light, several nobles straightened in their seats.
Mistress Soryn lifted one crystal delicately between her fingers.
"This," she announced calmly, "is a spirit stone."
The word moved through the audience like a ripple across water.
Common merchants exchanged confused glances.
Warriors leaned forward.
But the nobles understood immediately.
Mistress Soryn held the crystal up so the entire hall could see it.
"Within each spirit stone lies condensed spiritual energy," she explained. "Energy that can be absorbed directly by cultivators or used to power formations, weapons, and techniques."
The crystal glowed faintly as if responding to her words.
"Gold," she continued, "is the currency of ordinary trade."
She paused.
"But spirit stones are the currency of cultivation."
The hall erupted into noise.
A merchant jumped to his feet.
"This auction was announced in gold!"
Another shouted angrily.
"You cannot change the rules halfway through!"
Mistress Soryn did not react.
Her expression remained polite and professional.
"For ordinary items," she said calmly, "gold will remain acceptable."
She placed the crystal back onto the tray.
"But beginning tonight, high level cultivation materials will be sold primarily using spirit stones."
The merchants looked furious.
Gold had always been their weapon.
Spirit stones belonged to cultivators and noble families.
One nobleman in the front row laughed loudly.
"Finally."
He leaned back in his chair.
"It took the auction house long enough to stop pretending merchants run this world."
Another noble nodded.
"Gold is for peasants."
A merchant near them clenched his fists.
"That gold built your estates!"
The noble turned his head slowly and smiled.
"And yet you are still sitting behind me."
The tension in the hall thickened.
Mistress Soryn raised her hand.
"To ensure fairness," she said, "the auction house has established a conversion rate."
She spoke clearly.
"One spirit stone equals one hundred million gold coins."
The crowd exploded again.
Some gasped.
Some cursed.
Others looked thoughtful.
In the VIP rooms above, the reactions were far calmer.
Elara Lancelot leaned forward over the railing, her silver hair catching the light like a halo.
"This is entertaining," she murmured.
Her grandfather poured tea from a small porcelain pot.
"You enjoy watching merchants panic."
"Of course," Elara replied cheerfully. "They panic so dramatically."
Across the hall, a massive noble slammed his hand onto the table.
"This is unacceptable!"
He pointed toward the stage.
"My family came here prepared to spend gold, not spirit stones!"
Another noble snorted.
"Perhaps your treasury is empty."
The first noble's face turned red.
"My treasury could buy your entire bloodline!"
Voices rose.
Insults flew.
Several merchants began shouting at once.
The auction hall descended into chaos.
Then suddenly…
The air changed.
Pressure descended across the hall like an invisible mountain.
Every voice died instantly.
Even the nobles froze mid argument.
Mistress Soryn lowered her head respectfully.
A calm voice echoed through the hall.
"Enough."
No one could see the speaker.
Yet everyone knew who it was.
The Rank 1 cultivator.
The presence alone made people tremble.
The voice spoke again.
"Gold is for mortals."
A pause.
"Spirit stones are for power."
The pressure slowly faded.
"Continue."
Mistress Soryn bowed slightly.
"As you wish."
No one argued again.
The nobles sat down quietly.
The merchants swallowed their complaints.
The rules had been decided.
And no one in the room possessed the courage to challenge a Rank 1 cultivator.
Behind the curtain, Lux absorbed every word.
Spirit stones.
Condensed spiritual energy.
He filed the information away carefully.
Everything in this world revolved around power.
And power had a price.
Mistress Soryn clapped softly.
"Now," she said with renewed enthusiasm, "let us continue the auction."
She gestured toward the stage.
"Our next item will help many of you build the strength needed to reach greater heights."
Two attendants carried a large scroll case onto the stage.
Mistress Soryn opened it carefully.
"This is the Iron Heaven Body Tempering Manual."
The audience leaned forward.
"A Rank S body tempering technique."
Gasps spread across the hall.
"Once mastered," she continued, "this technique strengthens the body to rival high tier beasts. It tempers bone, muscle, and blood simultaneously."
Warriors in the crowd straightened eagerly.
"Starting bid," she announced.
"Ten spirit stones."
The room exploded again.
"Fifteen!"
"Twenty!"
"Thirty!"
A warrior sect representative stood.
"Fifty spirit stones!"
A noblewoman raised her token lazily.
"Seventy."
A mercenary captain gritted his teeth.
"Eighty!"
The bidding war intensified quickly.
From the VIP room, a deep voice spoke.
"One hundred spirit stones."
Silence followed.
No one challenged the bid.
Mistress Soryn nodded.
"One hundred spirit stones."
Her hammer struck.
"Sold."
The manual was carried away.
Elara leaned back in her seat.
"That technique is mediocre."
Her grandfather smiled faintly.
"For us."
"For them," he added, "it is life changing."
She shrugged.
"Still boring."
Mistress Soryn returned to the stage center.
"Now," she said smoothly, "we return to the item many of you have been waiting for."
The sealed container was brought forward again.
The crimson crystal glowed inside.
"The Rank S beast core of the Crimson Maw Serpent."
Excitement surged through the crowd.
"This core can assist a Rank A ascender in breaking through their next barrier," Mistress Soryn explained.
She paused.
"But it can also be used by a Rank F mortal to forge a perfect cultivation foundation."
The audience leaned forward.
"Starting bid," she announced.
"Fifty spirit stones."
The room exploded.
"Sixty!"
"Eighty!"
"One hundred!"
The numbers climbed rapidly.
A merchant clan attempted to compete but was quickly crushed by the nobles.
"Two hundred spirit stones!"
"Three hundred!"
The bids came faster.
From the VIP room belonging to the Blackstar Court, a calm voice entered.
"Five hundred."
The hall fell silent.
Only one person challenged it.
Another VIP room.
"Six hundred."
Elara watched with bright eyes.
"Now this is interesting."
Her grandfather remained silent.
The battle continued.
"Seven hundred."
"Eight hundred."
"Nine hundred."
Then the Blackstar Court spoke again.
"One thousand spirit stones."
Silence.
No one dared challenge them.
Mistress Soryn raised her hammer.
"One thousand spirit stones."
"Sold."
The hammer fell.
The hall erupted.
Even the nobles looked impressed.
A Rank S beast core had just changed owners.
Mistress Soryn allowed the excitement to settle.
Then she smiled again.
"And now," she said, "we move to the next portion of tonight's auction."
Her voice carried a subtle shift in tone.
"The living merchandise."
Behind the curtain, Lux felt his cage move.
Attendants rolled several cages onto the stage.
Seven slaves stood inside.
Bruised.
Chained.
Displayed like animals.
Lux forced his breathing to remain calm.
The audience studied them with cold curiosity.
Mistress Soryn gestured to the first cage.
"Lot 27."
Inside stood a scarred soldier.
"Former battlefield warrior. Rank D potential."
Bidding began quickly.
"Five hundred million gold!"
"Eight hundred!"
"Ten spirit stones!"
The soldier was sold within seconds.
The cage was wheeled away.
The second slave followed.
A female arena fighter.
"Fifteen spirit stones!"
"Twenty!"
"Twenty five!"
The hammer struck.
"Sold."
The crowd grew louder.
Excitement spread.
The third slave stepped forward.
A young man with broad shoulders.
A mercenary group fought a noble for ownership.
"Thirty spirit stones!"
"Forty!"
"Fifty!"
Finally the noble won.
Three slaves gone.
Lux remained in the fifth cage.
Unsold.
Yet.
In the VIP room above, Elara leaned forward again.
"That one."
Her finger pointed toward Lux.
Her grandfather followed her gaze.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Down below, the auction continued.
But the tension had shifted.
Because several powerful people had begun to notice the quiet slave who had not yet been sold.
And in auctions…
The longer something waited…
The more dangerous the bidding war could become.