The surging undercurrents of the outside world were, for the moment, unable to affect Su Han. For the past few days, he had remained within his palace, never venturing out. He had finally finished completely refining and assimilating the Black Whale.

Now, inside the palace, Su Han sat cross-legged. His body radiated light, and his bearing was so majestic he seemed like a deity incarnate, a stunning sight to behold. Now sixteen years old, Su Han stood 1.8 meters tall with a well-proportioned physique. His subtly defined muscles gave him a sense of perfection, leaving no room to criticize his build. While his features weren't strikingly handsome, they possessed a refined charm that was captivating and pleasing to the eye. His black hair cascaded over his shoulders like a waterfall. Paired with his black robes, it accentuated his aura, making him seem like a sovereign of darkness—mysterious and profound.

Su Han slowly exhaled. He opened his eyes, their pitch-black depths resembling two profound black holes capable of swallowing one's very spirit and plunging them into endless darkness. He rose and stretched his limbs, and his body immediately erupted with a series of pops and cracks, like roasting soybeans.

Heavenly King Realm, Sixth Layer! Su Han's eyes gleamed as he felt the surging Demonic Qi within his body, a wave of joy washing over him. The Black Whale had been a powerhouse at the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly King Realm, possessing a thirty percent Kunpeng Bloodline and a body as massive as a mountain. After devouring and refining it, Su Han broke through two consecutive realms to reach the Sixth Layer of the Heavenly King Realm. Of course, this result came after purification; he had already refined the energy and purged its impurities, otherwise his realm could have risen even higher. The Devouring Heaven Demonic Art, which increased one's power by devouring others, was a heaven-defying Cultivation Technique. Despite a minor flaw, its formidable power was undeniable.

The Kunpeng Bloodline may not be a Special Physique, but it has brought me some benefits! A smile touched Su Han's lips, clearly pleased with his gains. The Kunpeng was a legendary Divine Beast, immensely large and known for its incredible speed. This time, by devouring the Black Whale and refining its Kunpeng Bloodline, Su Han had advanced his Character Technique of Motion from the Entry Level to the minor accomplishment stage. Now, if he were to use the Character Technique of Motion, his speed would increase twentyfold.

What did a twentyfold speed increase even mean?

Su Han gave it a try. His physical body instantly broke the sound barrier, reaching the speed of sound at 340 meters per second.

However, now that the Character Technique of Motion has reached the minor accomplishment stage, it can no longer be stacked with Lightning Fast. Overall, my speed has only increased by seven times! Su Han felt a tinge of regret. Previously, when the Character Technique of Motion was only at the Entry Level, its power wasn't overwhelming, so it didn't conflict with Lightning Fast. The two could be used together for thirteen times normal speed, but that was no longer possible. This rendered the Origin Technique, Lightning Fast, somewhat useless. Nevertheless, achieving a twentyfold speed increase from the Character Technique of Motion's minor accomplishment stage was still a significant gain.

My cultivation is complete. The auction should be starting soon. I must obtain that Sun Gold!

Su Han rose and walked outside. With his first plan complete, his focus now shifted to the second: acquiring the Holy Gold to refine his Great Luo Golden Bones. Although Su Han couldn't purchase it directly, he had already learned about the origin of this piece of Holy Gold from Saint You Heng.

Sun Gold was an extremely rare metal derived from fallen Sun Meteorites, containing a rich Sun Essence. It was incredibly precious; a piece the size of a fingernail was enough to spark a bloodbath. The piece of Sun Gold being auctioned this time was as large as an infant's fist, its value immeasurable. Whether for cultivation or forging Holy Artifacts, it was a superior material. If he could acquire this piece of Sun Gold and use it to refine his Great Luo Golden Bones, the results would undoubtedly be excellent. The human body has 206 bones, and Su Han had already refined 128 of them. If he obtained this piece of Sun Gold, he could very likely finish refining the remaining 78. Once his Great Luo Golden Body was complete, then combined with his Sacred Body, crushing a mountain with a single punch would be a simple matter. Of course, the auction would feature a variety of other rare treasures. If any were suitable, Su Han intended to bid on one or two of them as well.

"Mr. Su, you have finally completed your training!" As Su Han stepped out of his palace, he quickly ran into Master Gong Ming. The master had also been quite busy recently, not only digesting Su Han's guidance but also overseeing the maintenance of Cang City's formations. Cang City's City Protection Formation was a Holy Formation, originally established by another Saint Realm Array Master. However, now that Gong Ming had also broken through to the Saint Realm, he was responsible for it.

This auction was incredibly important, with powerful Saints among the attendees. Few would dare to openly provoke the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, but one had to be prepared for the unexpected. The world had no shortage of desperadoes. If a treasure at the auction proved tempting enough, some might try to seize it by force. That was when the City Protection Formation would be crucial. Such incidents had occurred several times in the past, so vigilance was essential.

"Mr. Su, I have some bad news for you," Gong Ming began, his expression solemn. "Ye Chuanfeng from Qingzhou and the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign from Mozhou have also arrived. They are asking about you."

Ye Chuanfeng and the Earth Fiend Demon Sovereign are here? Su Han was slightly taken aback but not surprised. The provinces of Qingzhou and Mozhou weren't far from here, so it was only natural they would attend the auction.

"Besides them, there is another person," Gong Ming continued, which puzzled Su Han slightly. "Gold Ingot, the number one assassin from the Demon Slayer Sect, is here too. Officially, he claims to be participating in the auction, but covertly, he's here for you."

Gold Ingot? Su Han was surprised. He hadn't expected someone would get restless and target him so soon after his return to the Eastern Region. Of the Seven Great Slaughter Stars of the Demon Slayer Sect, six had perished at his hands, leaving only Gold Ingot. The feud between him and the Demon Slayer Sect had reached an irreconcilable, life-or-death stage. What surprised Su Han was Gold Ingot's style, which was completely different from that of a typical assassin. He didn't use concealment or stealth. Instead, he arrived openly and brazenly, making his presence known.

"Thanks for the warning; I'll be careful," Su Han said, thanking Master Gong Ming. Though he didn't know the specifics, this information was enough to tell him he was being targeted by more than one faction.

The Seven Stars Sect, the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Demon Slayer Sect… and perhaps other unknown enemies as well. It seems my rise into the top ten of the Prodigy Rankings has made many people uneasy. They want me eliminated before I become a greater threat.

However, Su Han's strength had increased tremendously. He now had the power to fight even the Tian Luo Saint Heir, let alone anyone else.

Anyone who dares to come, I dare to kill! Since you all fear my growth, I'll show you a slaughter. I'll turn the world upside down! You want to kill me? Are you prepared to be killed by me instead?

Su Han's face was expressionless, but a cold killing intent filled his heart. He feared no challenge and no crisis.

I am a demon, and I will slaughter every enemy in this world!

As Su Han emerged from his seclusion, various powers gathered, and the unease within Cang City deepened. Amidst this rising tension, the auction finally began.