While the guests were still coming in,

A massive black door at the far end of the hall — tall, ornate, framed in dark precursor alloy etched with glowing runes — swung open with a deep, resonant boom that silenced the room.

A very noticeable figure stepped through.

He looked like a young man in his early thirties — tall, elegant, with sharp features and long silver-streaked hair tied back neatly. But the aura around him was ancient, heavy with the weight of thousands of years. Humans could live up to a hundred million years once cultivation and advanced technology extended their lifespans, and some achieved true immortality after reaching higher realms. This man felt like one of those.

He was dressed in something extraordinarily expensive: a flowing robe of midnight-black silk interwoven with threads of living starlight that shimmered faintly as he moved. The fabric seemed to absorb light while simultaneously reflecting it in subtle patterns. Noticeable augs replaced parts of him — his left arm was fully cybernetic, sleek obsidian plating with silver circuit veins that pulsed softly; one eye was augmented, glowing with a faint golden ring around a deep black pupil. He did not walk like the others.

He flew.

A gentle, controlled levitation carried him a few inches above the floor, his robe trailing elegantly behind him as he moved toward a private VIP box separate from the others — larger, more opulent, completely soundproofed with thick precursor shielding.

He settled into the luxurious seat.

Immediately, a servant in a crisp black uniform rushed forward, bowing deeply.

“Honored guest,” the servant said smoothly, “would you like a cup of Void Blossom tea? Or perhaps a selection of pleasure slaves to entertain you? Anything you desire — rare elixirs, forbidden artifacts, living specimens — we can provide instantly.”

The man waved a hand lazily, his augmented eye scanning the room.

Lian watched through the peephole, heart beating faster.

He activated the small holographic watch he had taken from the Kraith informant, trying to evaluate the man’s level.

The device flickered.

Error.

Level too high.

Lian’s eyes narrowed.

He was curious about the man’s identity, but he didn’t want to mess with anyone here. Not yet.

Then, from the same grand black door, more figures like him began to pour out.

The main guests had arrived.

Nebula Dominion and Stellar Circuit Realm cultivators — some with bodyguards, some alone. Their presence filled the hall with overwhelming pressure. The air grew thick, heavy, suffocating. A normal being would collapse or die under such weight. Even low-level guests in the lower tiers began coughing blood, some dropping to their knees.

Lian and Elara struggled to remain standing.

The pressure pressed down on them like an invisible mountain.

Elara dropped to one knee, hand gripping her blade for support.

Lian gritted his teeth, legs trembling, but stayed upright.

Some low-level guests were in the same position — coughing blood, faces pale.

Then, all of a sudden, a single clap echoed through the hall.

The pressure vanished instantly.

The host — a tall, refined Elyssan man in flowing silver robes — stood at the center of the auction stage, hands raised.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced smoothly, voice amplified perfectly, “please be gentle"

Lian picked himself up, breathing hard.

He walked over to Elara.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Elara nodded, wiping a small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth.

“Yes... I am.”

He helped her up, holding her hand firmly.

She was on the verge of vomiting blood but held it back.

They both moved closer to the peephole, watching intently at the guests.

Lian pressed his eye closer to the small peephole, his breath steady but his heart beating with a new intensity. The pressure that had slammed into the hall moments ago was unlike anything he had felt before — not the raw, brutal force of a single powerful strike, but a heavy, suffocating weight that pressed down on every living being like an invisible mountain. It was the aura of true elites, the kind of power that could crush a normal cultivator without a single word or movement.

He had witnessed what true power meant.

And his desire for it grew like a fire in his chest.

Below, the low-level guests in the lower tiers were still struggling to recover. Some were on their knees, coughing blood into silk handkerchiefs, their faces pale and slick with sweat. A young human cultivator in Foundation Realm had collapsed completely, his body twitching as attendants rushed to drag him away. Others leaned against walls or railings, gasping for air, their Qi circulation disrupted by the overwhelming presence of the arriving VIPs. The air in the hall still felt thick, charged with residual energy that made the blue crystal veins in the walls pulse erratically.

But the guests kept coming.

From the grand black door at the far end, more figures emerged — Their auras rolled out in waves, each one heavier than the last. A tall Dravok with massive horns and gravity-aug armor walked in, his every step causing the stone floor to tremble slightly. A group of Elyssan nobles floated gracefully, their silver skin glowing with pure Qi. A Mechari delegation entered with mechanical precision, their crimson circuits flashing in synchronized patterns. A solitary Shadekin slipped through the shadows, its form shifting between solid and mist, leaving a trail of cold darkness behind it.

The host stood at the center of the stage, the floating orbs above him projecting his image across every holo-screen in the hall. He smiled warmly, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture.

“The auction has officially begun,” he declared, his voice rich and resonant. “Tonight, we present treasures from across the galaxy — items of power, mystery, and unimaginable value. Let the bidding commence.”

The first item was brought onto the stage by four Veyari hostesses carrying a velvet-covered pedestal. The cloth was pulled away with dramatic flair, revealing a simple-looking storage ring resting on a cushion of black silk. It was unassuming — a plain band of dark metal with faint, almost invisible runes etched into its surface — but the moment it was revealed, the entire hall fell into a stunned hush.

The host’s smile widened.

“This is no ordinary storage ring,” he announced. “This is the personal storage ring of a Void Ancestor Realm cultivator, discovered in the ruins of an ancient progenitor battlefield. We have not been able to open it or see what is inside — the seals are incredibly complex and resistant to all known breaking methods. Who knows what mysterious things you could find within? Ancient manuals? Forbidden artifacts? Perhaps even a fragment of a progenitor’s legacy?”

The crowd erupted into excited whispers.

“A Void Ancestor Realm storage ring?” someone gasped.

“Do you know what could be inside? Treasures that could make us powerful

“Even if it’s empty, the ring itself is a priceless artifact!”

Lian watched through the peephole, his void eyes narrowing with intense focus. He could only imagine what might be inside — techniques beyond his current realm, weapons capable of shaking the galaxy, knowledge that could bridge the gap to the white-eyed old man. His desire for power burned hotter than ever.

The host continued smoothly.

“We will start the bidding at 100 million credits.”

Immediately, the hall exploded with activity.

“200 million!”

“250 million!”

“290 million!”

“300 million!”

The bids climbed rapidly, voices overlapping as guests in private boxes and on the main floor competed fiercely. In less than five minutes, the price had skyrocketed to 1 billion credits, with no signs of slowing down.

Lian’s grip on the edge of the compartment tightened.

He could feel the weight of true power in the room — not just the items, but the people bidding on them. Nebula Dominion and Stellar Circuit elites casually throwing around sums that could buy entire planets. This was the world he needed to enter. This was the level he needed to reach.

Beside him, Elara remained silent, her blue cyber eyes fixed on the scene below, but he could sense her thoughts mirroring his own.

The auction had only just begun.

And already, it was showing them how far they still had to go.

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc.

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Late.

Elara Voss: Stellar Circuit Early to Middle.