The bidding for the Voidfang Augment Arm exploded the moment the host announced the starting price of eighty million credits. Voices rang out from every corner of the vast circular hall.

“One hundred million!”

“One hundred fifty million!”

“Two hundred million!”

Bids flew rapidly from the lower sections where desperate mid-level cultivators pooled their resources, from the middle tiers where wealthy merchants and syndicate enforcers competed fiercely, and even from the upper private boxes where the true elites began to show interest. The price climbed with breathtaking speed. In less than five minutes, it had already reached thirty billion credits, and there was still no sign of slowing down. The floating holographic displays above the stage flashed the ever-increasing numbers in bright gold, sending waves of excitement and tension through the crowd.

Lian watched the frenzy through the narrow peephole from the hidden compartment, his void eyes wide with disbelief. The amounts being thrown around so casually were staggering. Thirty billion credits for a single aug arm. He could barely comprehend it. In his mind, a cold thought formed: I need money. A lot of it. Power like this didn’t come cheap, and the path to the white-eyed old man would demand far more resources than he currently possessed. He clenched his jaw, committing the scene to memory.

Elara stood silently beside him, her blue cyber eyes fixed on the stage. She too felt the weight of the numbers, but her expression remained calm and focused.

In one of the most exclusive upper VIP boxes, a female figure sat with nonchalant grace. She was a member of the Sirenari species — tall and strikingly beautiful, with smooth, pearlescent skin that shimmered faintly under the golden lights, long flowing hair the color of deep crimson that cascaded like liquid silk down her back, and elegant, slightly elongated features that gave her an otherworldly allure. Her eyes were a piercing violet, sharp and predatory, carrying a menacing, almost hypnotic intensity that made those who met her gaze instinctively look away. She wore a sleek, form-fitting dark violet gown that hugged her figure with subtle elegance, the fabric shimmering with faint embedded runes.

She lounged in her chair, one leg crossed over the other, sipping slowly from a crystal glass of rare Void Blossom wine. Her movements were lazy, almost bored, as she observed the bidding war for the Voidfang Augment Arm. The powerful aura radiating from the aug arm seemed to amuse her more than impress her.

Then, without hurry, she set the glass down on the small table beside her. She rose gracefully and walked to the edge of her private box, stopping at the railing. Although the one-way glass prevented anyone below from seeing her clearly, she stood there as if addressing the entire hall.

“One hundred billion credits,” she said.

Her voice was not loud. It was soft, small, and incredibly seductive — a velvety whisper that somehow carried perfectly through the entire auction house, laced with unmistakable authority. The words rolled out like a caress, yet they commanded absolute attention.

The entire hall fell into stunned silence.

Every head turned toward the direction of her box. Whispers erupted instantly.

“Who is that?”

“Did she just say one hundred billion?”

“Who is that rich?”

“It sounded like a woman... a lady with that kind of voice...”

The shock was palpable. Even the VIPs in the other private boxes leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse. The lower and middle sections buzzed with excited confusion. No one had expected such a massive jump in a single bid.

The host turned smoothly toward the direction of the voice, his refined Elyssan features breaking into a wide, genuine smile. In his mind, he was overjoyed — this single bid had just elevated the entire auction to legendary status. His silver eyes sparkled with delight as he raised his hands gracefully.

“One hundred billion credits from the honored guest in the upper east box,” he announced, his voice carrying both professionalism and barely contained excitement. “Do we have any higher bids?”

The hall remained quiet for a long moment. The previous high bidders hesitated, some visibly sweating. Thirty billion had already been an enormous sum. One hundred billion was on another level entirely. Even the Eternal Veil Syndicate representative narrowed his eyes, his earlier good mood slightly dampened by the unexpected interruption.

Lian almost lost his balance in the cramped compartment. He grabbed the edge of the wall to steady himself, his mind reeling from the sheer amount. One hundred billion... The number echoed in his head. He needed resources like that if he was ever going to close the gap to his enemy. The thought burned cold and sharp in his chest.

Elara glanced at him briefly, sensing his reaction, but said nothing. Her own expression remained composed, though her alloy fingers tightened slightly.

The Sirenari woman stood at the edge of her box, a small, confident smile playing on her lips. As she stood there, a subtle, sweet aroma began to leak from her direction — a faint, intoxicating scent that drifted downward through the ventilation systems and into the lower sections of the hall. It was delicate at first, like blooming night flowers mixed with something warmer and more primal. Lower-level guests in the main floor began to react almost immediately. Their breathing grew heavier, faces flushing with sudden heat. Some shifted uncomfortably in their seats, panting lightly, their bodies responding with an intense, almost animalistic desire. A few cultivators looked dazed, eyes glazing over as the aroma took hold, making them feel hot and restless, like dogs in heat. Whispers turned into quiet gasps and murmurs as those who recognized the scent realized who she was and where she came from, though no one dared speak her identity aloud.

The woman continued to smile serenely at the hall, completely unbothered by the effect she was having. Her violet eyes scanned the crowd with predatory amusement, as if the chaos she was causing was nothing more than light entertainment.

The host, still smiling broadly, waited a few more seconds before raising his hand.

“One hundred billion credits, going once... going twice...” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

No one countered.

“Sold to the honored guest in the upper east box!”

A wave of applause and excited chatter erupted across the hall, though many eyes remained fixed on the mysterious bidder’s box. The host gestured for the attendants to prepare the next item, but the atmosphere had shifted. The auction had just reached a new level of intensity, and everyone could feel it.

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 Star 1. A new breakthrough.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Early to Middle

Eternal Veil Syndicate: A powerful organization with higher-ups at Nebula Dominion and at least one Void Ancestor- level.

The Four Pillars: the most powerful organizations in the lower core universe — ancient, influential, and dangerous beyond measure.

Zephyr Kane: Lone wanderer

Keep it as reminders