Chapter 880: Killing Oneself

Chapter 882: Trapping Himself

Purple Orchid City, a beautiful city located in the Southern Domain, was neat, clean, and everything within it was perfectly ordered.

Purple orchid trees lined both sides of the streets. This fragrant wood shone like amethyst, reaching several meters in height. Each cluster of flowers appeared carved from purple agate and emitted an intoxicating aroma.

“This is truly beautiful. If I ever arrange a cemetery, I’ve decided to plant some purple orchid trees there too,” Duan De remarked, his old habit resurfacing.

A pervasive orchid fragrance filled the entire city, refreshing and pleasant. It’s a very livable place; walking the streets makes one feel invigorated and brings a sense of peace.

The Ancient Moon Auction House, located in a relatively quiet part of Purple Orchid City, was exceptionally noisy today. It was already overflowing with people, packed shoulder-to-shoulder, making movement difficult.

Two enormous, brilliantly shining Qilin, carved from gold and jade marrow, stood before the entrance. They exuded a sense of grandeur, opulence, and majestic authority.

Inside, the auction house was magnificent, with ornate beams, painted rafters, and a golden splendor. Huge screens, antique chairs made of precious wood, and thick pillars adorned with coiling dragons and phoenixes filled the space.

“An immortal from beyond the domain, a clash of different civilizations—that’s quite interesting,” chuckled a young man from an ancient clan, holding a folding fan.

Beside him, a figure wearing a ghost mask, exuding a chilling aura, strode in confidently, followed by a group carrying a pile of Divine Source. They were clearly determined to win.

“I heard this woman is connected to Ye Fan, the Sacred Body. Will there be trouble if someone wins the bid?” another person whispered.

“The highest bidder wins. Does he intend to seize her by force?” someone said sinisterly.

It was clear that some people were not genuinely there for the auction but rather to target Ye Fan, even if it just meant causing trouble.

“They have no idea what’s coming,” the Monkey muttered to himself from a distance.

Ye Fan, Duan De, and their companions had already entered, having altered their appearances to avoid attracting too much attention. Everyone knew Ye Fan would surely appear today.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet. The auction begins now,” announced an elderly man, past sixty, as he stepped onto the stage, tapped a wooden gavel, and began to officiate the event.

Initially, the auction was uneventful. Various precious materials, weapons, and elixirs were calmly auctioned without much excitement, even when King-level weapons were presented.

It wasn’t until the final volume of a Saint’s handwritten notes appeared that it caused a sensation. Though only seven or eight severely incomplete pages, it still drew many eager bids.

Finally, the old man with mottled hair tapped the table, raised his voice, and announced, “Next, we will auction the immortal from beyond the domain. The highest bidder wins.”

A rumble. The quiet Ancient Moon Auction House finally erupted. It became noisy all at once, with a deafening uproar and various clamoring sounds. Many people stood up.

Half of the attendees didn’t pay attention to the stage; instead, they searched through the crowd, evidently looking for Ye Fan, as he was their primary concern.

“They’re very well hidden. There are powerful assassins here, but so far, I’ve only sensed a few traces of their aura, all concealed among ordinary people,” Ye Fan commented.

No one dared to act rashly. This place was a melting pot of various forces; a large-scale sweep would likely implicate dozens, even hundreds, of major powers. Even the Assassin Divine Dynasty wouldn’t dare make a move.

“Where is this so-called immortal from beyond the domain? The auction has started; why haven’t we been allowed to see her?” someone shouted.

“Exactly! Who knows if she’s truly from the cosmos or just some woman casually picked from a brothel? Let her show herself first so we can see for ourselves!”

The Ancient Moon Auction House was enormous. Tens of thousands of people were seated at this time, an accommodation only possible due to spatial laws at play within the venue.

“Apologies,” said the old man on the stage, “but this woman’s origin is extraordinary. The clash of different civilizations she embodies can offer enlightenment equivalent to a thousand years of cultivation. Here, we are only auctioning off a limited number of qualifications; the actual bidding will take place at another location.”

The crowd below immediately burst into an uproar. Many were highly dissatisfied, with some refusing to accept the terms, standing up, and clamoring incessantly.

However, nothing could be changed. The old man on the stage continued, stating that only those who pledged 800,000 catties of Source would be allowed to enter the next round of bidding at the other location.

“What?! 800,000 catties of Source just to start? Are you crazy? She’s just a woman; no matter how precious she is, she’s not worth that much!”

“Scamming people shouldn’t be this ruthless! Is there any justice left? Even if she’s from beyond the domain, it shouldn't be this outrageous!”

Amidst a chorus of curses, over a dozen groups successively came onto the stage. Some placed down a small piece of Nine Heavens Sequence Divine Jade, others threw down a small piece of Great Luo Silver Essence, and some deposited several large pieces of Divine Source.

The hall quickly quieted down. Everyone realized these were no ordinary individuals; they were likely all there to target Ye Fan, the Human Sacred Body, with the immortal from beyond the domain being merely an afterthought.

A tense, oppressive atmosphere permeated the air. People seemed to smell blood, as if witnessing scenes of flashing blades, clashing swords, and rivers of blood and bones.

“Through this auction, the Human Sacred Body’s enemies have formed an alliance. Many know they certainly intend to kill him together.”

“I suspect some of them possess spatial artifacts. They may appear as individuals now, but later, thousands of troops will likely emerge.”

Several old cultivators whispered among themselves, firmly holding onto their younger relatives, instructing them to speak less, observe more, and absolutely not to wander off.

Over a dozen groups went onto the stage and were led to another hall not open to the public. They left behind a floor shimmering with dazzling treasures, so bright it was blinding. The most common item was Divine Source; everything else was a rare and precious divine material.

Duan De’s heart skipped a beat. “Revenant… he has his aura!”

He stared at a blood-red stone on the stage, covered with intricate Dao patterns. Even the auction house staff didn’t know what it was, but its estimated value was over a million catties of Source.

Duan De concluded with certainty that the person possessing this blood stone must frequently interact with Revenant, as it carried an aura that made his hair stand on end.

“So he’s finally here, but I thought he was more likely heading to the Heaven-Severing Mountain Range. Perhaps this is just a minor figure,” Ye Fan murmured to himself.

Finally, Ye Fan and his group also went onto the stage and, much later, entered another magnificent ancient palace. It was adorned with famous cosmic paintings, and even the teacups and other items used had significant origins.

In the center of the ancient palace was an altar with a flickering array of patterns. The dozen groups had already vanished. They exchanged glances, then stepped onto it as well.

With a flash of light, they reappeared in a desert, where a magnificent yet incredibly strange building stood before them.

This was one of the few deserts in the Southern Domain, rarely trodden by anyone. The Ancient Moon Auction House frankly stated that they feared a major battle would ensue, and it could not take place within the city.

In the magnificent hall, the dozen groups sat in meditation. Some revealed cold sneers, possessing special methods that allowed them to know Ye Fan had arrived.

“All irrelevant individuals have withdrawn. Now it’s time for the real show, isn’t it? When can we kill the Human Sacred Body?” asked a hoarse voice from a figure entirely enveloped in black armor, with even their head and face concealed.

“This old man is only responsible for hosting the auction,” said the mottled-haired elder on the stage. “The highest bidder wins the immortal from beyond the domain.”

Although in the desert, the atmosphere in the grand hall was incredibly chilling. The dozen groups all exuded terrifying killing intent, and some had already fixed their gaze on Ye Fan and his two companions.

“Alright then, isn’t that woman from the same place as the Human Sacred Body? They’re old acquaintances,” a young man said flippantly. “In that case, I’ll bid for her and use her as I please.”

This was blatant humiliation. He knew Ye Fan was present, yet he spoke like this, showing no mercy, practically slapping him in the face.

Duan De transmitted his voice: “He’s no simple King! He appears very young on the surface, but who knows how many years he’s lived? The vicissitudes in his eyes cannot be concealed, and astonishing killing intent is sealed within his body. He’s likely a minor world lord from the Assassin Divine Dynasty!”

“They’ve all arrived, so indeed, there’s no hurry now. They’ve fallen into the trap, trapping the Human Sacred Body alive here. What else is there to wait for? Let’s slowly stew him,” another person said sinisterly, with a tone of mockery and ridicule.

“No wonder he’s so confident—he has a Saint Weapon!” Duan De was terrified, secretly warning Ye Fan and the Monkey that this was likely a world lord from Hell.

“Since she’s an old acquaintance of the Human Sacred Body, I must bid for her. Won’t it be quite fulfilling to have her as a maid, serving tea and warming my bed?” said a young man from the Primordial Lake, utterly humiliating Ye Fan.

“Human Sacred Body, you’re finished!” The people of the Fallen Feather Race were even more direct, their eyes gleaming as they looked towards Ye Fan, Duan De, and the Monkey.

Lu Dongfa had died by Ye Fan’s hand, so they too were present. Two old men stood side by side at the front, both at the terrifying peak of King-level cultivation, jointly holding an Eight Treasures Demonic Bottle that exuded astonishing pressure.

“It’s the Demon-Sealing Bottle!” Duan De exclaimed in shock. This bottle could seal space, render all array patterns ineffective, dismantle all law powers, and turn this place into a wasteland devoid of divine order.

“Ye Fan, it’s been so many years, and I’ve missed you deeply. We’ve finally met again. I’ve eagerly anticipated this reunion, desperate to see the astonished, terrified look on your face!” the grotesque figure, entirely covered in black armor, spoke, their voice as sinister as if from the Nine Nether Pits.

“It’s him! He’s filled with some of Revenant’s aura!” Duan De, being an expert, instantly saw the clue. A chill ran down his spine; through this person, he truly understood Revenant’s terror.

“So, it must be an old acquaintance who crossed the starry sky with me and arrived in this turbulent world,” Ye Fan murmured to himself.

The others remained incredibly calm, their expressions even colder. It was clear they would make a move at the critical moment; once their spatial artifacts were unleashed, perhaps the entire desert would be swarming with thousands of troops.

These dozen-plus groups represented over a dozen exceptionally powerful and terrifying super-forces!

On the stage, the old man remained incredibly calm, proceeding methodically with the auction. Lin Jia still hadn’t appeared, and everyone was required to first display their treasures, piling them in front of the auction stage before they could bid.

“Two million catties of Source, for the Human Sacred Body’s confidante to serve me!” The seemingly young world lord of the Assassin Divine Dynasty laughed heartily, with a faint hint of cruelty in his eyes.

“I want a maid like that too!” the young man from the Primordial Lake declared, as two old men behind him presented a large pile of Divine Source.

Before long, the stage was piled high with divine materials. Various wondrous treasures radiated brilliant, blinding light.

However, most people remained unmoved, observing aloofly. They had little interest in the immortal from beyond the domain; their main purpose was to kill Ye Fan.

After a moment, someone finally couldn't hold back, saying, “Everyone has had enough fun, haven’t they? Let’s first deal with the trapped prey!”

“Indeed,” someone sneered sinisterly. “He’s already fallen into the trap. He’s been stewing until now, and he’s almost ready.”

Whoosh. At this moment, Ye Fan revealed his true appearance, as there was no longer any need to hide. He stood up.

The figure entirely covered in black armor was the most agitated, letting out a chilling cry like the wailing of a night owl. “Ye Fan, do you know who I am? I’ve been waiting for this chance to meet you, desperate to see that astonished, terrified expression on your face!”

Ye Fan said indifferently, “Unfortunately, you are destined to be disappointed. Whether in the past or now, you are nothing but a mere small fry!”

“You…,” the person, whose sinister aura was very strong, gasped violently. It took a long time for them to calm down before finally saying, “When you find out who I am, you will regret it!”

“Actually, I’d really like to know which fellow Daoist organized this grand auction, allowing so many of us to spontaneously gather to jointly kill the Sacred Body,” a King inquired. Everyone else also wanted to know.

“Thank you for your generous offerings!” Ye Fan strode forward, collected all the wondrous treasures from the stage, and then announced loudly, “I set this trap to ensnare myself.”