The climactic moment of the Netherworld Auction, the air was thick enough to wring water from. When the piece of Outer Realm Star Iron was presented, Tang Xiaoqi could feel violent trembling from the astrolabe in his arms—this Star Iron not only recorded void coordinates but also contained some kind of power from the same source as the astrolabe.
"Outer Realm Star Iron, starting bid five million superior-grade spirit stones." The ghost-masked host's voice echoed through the silent hall.
"Six million." Compartment Three immediately bid, their voice hoarse like grinding stones.
"Seven million." This time it was Compartment Five, the tone carrying determination to win.
Xiao Qi didn't rush to bid. He carefully observed each compartment participating in the bidding. Besides the obvious Demon Clan descendants, two or three compartments emanated bizarre auras—likely Shadow Snake Pavilion remnants.
The price quickly climbed to nine million. At this point, only Compartments Three, Five, and Eight remained. Xiao Qi noticed the buyer in Compartment Eight had never spoken, merely raising a sign to bid, appearing especially mysterious.
"Ten million." Compartment Three offered a sky-high price, their voice carrying suppressed excitement.
Compartment Five was silent for a moment, then gave up. Just as everyone thought the Star Iron would go to Compartment Three, Xiao Qi finally spoke: "Twelve million."
This offer caused an uproar throughout the hall. Raising by two million in one go—this wasn't bidding but a show of force.
Compartment Three's curtain slightly rippled; the buyer inside was clearly angered by this offer. But before they could respond, the always-silent Compartment Eight suddenly raised their sign: "Fifteen million."
This offer even surprised Xiao Qi. Fifteen million superior-grade spirit stones—this exceeded what most sects could afford. More alerting was that the aura from Compartment Eight suddenly became familiar—the cold demonic energy unique to Shadow Snake Pavilion!
"Twenty million." Xiao Qi raised without hesitation. Since he had confirmed the other's identity, he couldn't let them succeed.
"Twenty-five million." Compartment Eight pursued relentlessly.
Prices wildly escalated between the two. Soon they broke the thirty million mark. Other buyers were already stunned speechless; such astronomic bids were extremely rare in Netherworld Assembly history.
When Xiao Qi offered "Forty million," Compartment Eight finally fell silent. Just as he thought victory was assured, Compartment Eight's curtain suddenly opened. A figure wearing a silver snake-shaped mask slowly rose.
"Alliance Leader Tang," that person's voice carried mockery, "why spend so extravagantly? Can Qingxu Temple's coffers withstand such waste?"
The entire hall erupted in shock! No one expected the Alliance Leader to personally appear at such an underground auction.
Xiao Qi's heart; the other had seen through his disguise. But his surface remained calm: "Shadow Snake Pavilion remnants, dare to make noise here?"
"Remnants?" The silver-masked figure burst into laughter. "Soon you'll learn who the true remnants are!"
He violently tore off his mask, revealing a face that made Xiao Qi's pupils contract—it was actually the Shadow Snake Pavilion Master, long thought "dead!" Only now, small demon horns grew from his forehead, and his eyes were completely blood-red, clearly completely demonized.
"Didn't expect this, did you?" The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master. "When you 'killed' me in the Ten Thousand Poisons Marsh, the one who died was merely a substitute. The real me has been secretly preparing for the Demon Lord's great cause all along!"
He turned to address the entire hall: "Everyone, this is the one who claims to want to save the three realms, Alliance Leader Tang. But did you know—the astrolabe in his hands is the very source that brought the demonic tribulation!"
This remark was like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, immediately causing an uproar. Many buyers looked at Xiao Qi with suspicious eyes.
"Nonsense!" Liu Yun couldn't help but reveal herself and berate.
"Whether it's nonsense, let him speak for himself!" The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master pointed at Xiao Qi. "Dare you tell everyone, why did the Heaven's Secrets Pavilion's astrolabe choose you?"
Xiao Qi's expression was calm: "The astrolabe chooses its master for its own reasons. But you—betraying your kin for demons— the true criminal of the three realms."
"Criminal?" The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master. "When the Demon Lord descends, you so-called righteous ones are the ones blocking the three realms' rebirth!"
He suddenly waved his hand, and the entire auction hall's floor revealed a massive demon formation. So this place had long been set as a trap!
"Since you're here, stay!" The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master. "Your blood will serve as sacrifice for the Demon Lord's return!"
The demon formation activated, and black demonic energy surged like a tide. Buyers with lower cultivation cried out as demonic energy eroded them. Their bodies rapidly withered as their essence blood was absorbed by the formation.
Xiao Qi immediately the Qinglian Domain, protecting his side. But the formation's power exceeded imagination—even the Qinglian Domain was compressed to a very small area.
"Useless!" The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master. "This is the 'Ten Thousand Demons Heart-Devouring Formation' personally transmitted by the Demon Lord—it was specifically prepared for you!"
Demonic energy transformed into countless menacing demon shadows, furiously battering the Qinglian Domain. The domain's light visibly dimmed.
At this critical moment, the astrolabe in Xiao Qi's arms suddenly flew out on its own, resonating with the Outer Realm Star Iron on the auction platform! Both Star Irons simultaneously glowed, weaving together in the air to form a complete star map!
The star map displayed not ordinary starlight but a massive void structure diagram. At the core position of the structure diagram was a continuously rotating black hole—that was precisely the void rift where the demonic entity hid!
More shocking—the star map showed this void rift was expanding at an alarming rate and would reach critical mass in three months at most!
"So that's it..." Xiao Qi suddenly understood. The Demon Clan remnants' urgency to obtain the Outer Realm Star Iron was because it not only guided direction but also recorded the void rift's status!
"Stop him!" The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master realized the situation had turned against him and hastily ordered.
But it was too late. Xiao Qi, leveraging the resonance of the two Star Irons, instantly comprehended the void rift's mysteries. He operated spatial laws, his entire person transforming into a , directly breaking through the Ten Thousand Demons Heart-Devouring Formation's blockade!
"Until we meet again." He collected both Star Irons and teleported away with Liu Yun and the others.
The Shadow Snake Pavilion Master, yet could do nothing. He never expected Xiao Qi's mastery of spatial laws to have reached this level.
On the return journey to Qingxu Temple, Xiao Qi's expression was grave. The intelligence provided by the Outer Realm Star Iron was more valuable than expected, but the exposure of his identity also meant the Demon Clan remnants would likely act desperately.
As expected, they had barely returned to Qingxu Temple when urgent intelligence came from everywhere: multiple demon strongholds simultaneously launched attacks, their targets directly the various spiritual vein nodes!
"They want to destroy the Spiritual Web Plan!" Mu Qingfeng reported.
Xiao Qi gazed at that continuously expanding void rift on the star map, knowing the final battle was now unavoidable. The Demon Clan remnants were clearing obstacles for the demonic entity's return.
"Issue orders to all forces," he said. "Prepare for total assault. Before the demonic entity breaks free, we must first eliminate these threats."
Although the contest for the Outer Realm Star Iron had concluded, an even greater storm was approaching. And this time, it would determine the ultimate fate of the three realms.