Jaw-dropping
The crowd was dumbfounded, their expressions froze like the 😯 emoji, standing in stunned silence.
Some even rubbed their wide-open eyes, trying to confirm if they were seeing things. But it was no illusion; it was indeed the overlord beast of the Magic Beast Mountain Range, the rank six magical beast, Amethyst Winged Lion King!
Purple flames gradually rose, rapidly enveloping the Amethyst Winged Lion King. The scorching heat left everyone below the Dou Emperor realm utterly speechless.
"What kind of auction house is this, to use a rank six magical beast as a guard dog? This is unbelievable!"
The emperor of the Jia Ma Empire, Jia Xingtian, licked his dry lips and glanced nervously at the three rank five magical beasts glaring at him menacingly, causing his emotion that just settled down to surge up once again.
Of course, they were aware of the existence of strong magical beasts from the Magic Beast Mountain Range. These three in particular, while not as strong as the Amethyst Winged Lion King, were still considered the ruler of the nearby forest. Even the Lion King would have a headache if they ganged up on him together.
"I never imagined that such an unfathomable auction house would suddenly emerge in this small Magical Beast Forest. Now I'm very curious to meet the master of this place."
Yun Yun smoothed out the wrinkles in her blue dress, gazing at the elegant characters carved on the signboard above the entrance.
"Heaven Ascending Pavilion. What a name. In my long decades of cultivation, this is the first time I hear this name."
Pill King Gu He responded with a small chuckle. "Perhaps it's a powerful figure from a great family looking for amusement. It's not impossible. Sect Master Yun, don't be too surprised."
"Mm." Yun Yun nodded. "What Pill King said is reasonable. I wonder when the Heaven Ascending Pavilion will open its doors?"
The gathered crowd shook their heads in unison. They had only been notified to arrive on time at the Heaven Ascending Pavilion; the exact opening time was not mentioned before.
One of the top ten experts of the Jia Ma Empire, Lion King Yan Shi, came over to Gu He and doubtfully asked, "Old Gu, are you sure there's something we want here? Or did you come just to show respect?"
Gu He sighed. "Naturally, it's just to show some good will. The other party's strength is formidable, and they don't seem to be from our Jia Ma Empire. Such strong individuals should not be offended. Otherwise, we'll have less strong experts in the future."
Pill King Gu He couldn't pinpoint Niu Meng's true strength, only sensing a powerful aura gushing from him. With his rich experiences as an esteemed alchemist, having met with many Dou Emperor, he could notice that Niu Meng's prowess was one step above.
After careful consideration, Gu He decided to bring two of the top ten experts of the Jia Ma Empire, Lion King Yan Shi and Walking Wind Feng Li, to probe further.
But he hadn't expected in the slightest that so many Dou Emperor experts to be present today. Even members of the royal family were here.
It was simply unbelievable.
However, it also indicated that the Heaven Ascending Pavilion was indeed as formidable as he might guess.
Creak…
The heavy doors slowly opened.
Niu Meng, Li Xiao's reliable subordinate, walked out with heavy steps, causing the ground to tremble with each step, commanding the reverence of all beasts.
The crowd composed themselves and turned their attention to this senior.
Pill King Gu He snapped out of his sense and then hurriedly cupped his hands, greeting him with a respectful salute. "I am Pill King Gu He. Greetings, Senior."
"May I ask if you are the master of this Heaven Ascending Pavilion?"
Niu Meng's gaze was deep as he replied flatly, "I am just a subordinate. The master of Heaven Ascending Pavilion is someone else. However, by the master's order, the first auction will commence in half an hour. Please refrain from approaching within a hundred meters of the auction house."
"These magical beasts are our gatekeepers. Pay them no mind."
Upon hearing this, the crowd exchanged shocked glances. Using a rank six magical beast as a mere gatekeeper—so prodigal!
Could the Heaven Ascending Pavilion have hailed from the Central Plains?
It was simply outrageous!
Aside from astonishment, there were also fear reflected on their eyes. This further proved their conviction that Heaven Ascending Pavilion wasn't something to be trifled with. Any misstep could lead to their demise.
Yun Yun grew even more curious about the Heaven Ascending Pavilion which grew more and more mysterious as time passed.
She wanted to see if the auction items here were any different and hoped to find something she needed. Hopefully, the money she brought would be enough.
As time ticked by, everyone's nerves were on edge, feeling uneasy under the watchful eyes of the four magical beasts.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King smirked inwardly. A bunch of ignorant humans. If it weren't for master's promise, how could this king become a mere guard dog… ahem, a gatekeeper?
Night fell. The moon shone brightly, and a cold wind blew gently.
The time had finally come.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the auction house doors opened once more.
This time, it wasn't Niu Meng who appeared but a woman with striking appearance cladded in white dress. She carried an exquisite sword and had a delicate, cold demeanour. Her eyes, sharp and frosty, scanned the crowd.
Facing her gaze, everyone felt a chilling sense of killing intent, making the air seem to freeze.
"Everyone, the auction time has arrived. Please enter."
Linglong gestured gracefully with one hand, leading the crowd into the first floor of the Heaven Ascending Pavilion.
She then reminded them, "First, the Heaven Ascending Pavilion does not tolerate deceit. All experts participating in the auction must follow the rules."
"Second, no fighting is allowed inside. Anyone who disregards the rules will be expelled by the Heaven Ascending Pavilion, and if they refuse to comply, they have to pay the offense with their life."
At her words, the atmosphere grew tenser. Some lower-level Dou Kings and Dou Spirits shivered, trembling in fear.
"Third, the highest bidder wins any auction item. If one cannot pay, their qualification will be revoked, and they will be banned from the Heaven Ascending Pavilion for ten years."
"Fourth, after the auction ends, the Heaven Ascending Pavilion will close for a month. Everyone must leave within ten days, and no fighting is allowed within fifty miles. Violators will be executed!"
The crowd's expressions grew serious, but no one dared to voice any objections. These were the rules set by the Heaven Ascending Pavilion, and they had no grounds to refuse.
Besides, angering the other party could result in them being wiped out with a mere flick of a finger.
As they entered the grand hall, the crowd's pupils contracted once more. The magnificent first floor of the auction house made them swallow hard. Even the Jia Ma Empire's royal palace was pale in comparison.
Every chair in the hall was crafted from the finest sandalwood, each worth at least tens of thousands of gold coins.
It was clear that the majesty of the Heaven Ascending Pavilion far exceeded their expectations, further convincing them that its backers were indeed from the Central Plains.