Deep within the Tianling Mountains, under the dark canopy of the night sky, Lin Chen sat cross-legged on the peak of a lonely mountain. The cold wind howled past him, rustling the trees, but his mind was focused entirely on the golden interface glowing in his mind.
[Ding! Cross-World Auction House is now open!]
[All rare treasures, artifacts, and spiritual tools recovered from Qingyun Sect have been listed.]
[Total items listed: 10,742]
[Current bidders: 43,915 cultivators across three realms] (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
At that moment, thousands of cultivators from the Tianling Realm, the Spirit Realm, and even minor heavenly worlds received the same shocking announcement.
Auction House Grand Opening: Rare Items from Qingyun Sect, including Sect Master's personal sword, Elder Hall's secret scrolls, and priceless divine artifacts.
The entire cultivation world boiled over.
Qingyun Sect, Elder Hall
The atmosphere inside the hall was suffocating. Elders paced frantically, their faces pale with rage and disbelief.
"Impossible! My Sword of Azure Flame... it's on sale?!"
"That's my Life-bound Treasure Scroll! I hid it in my secret vault! How is it in the auction?!"
Another elder's hands trembled as he read the auction page. "My Heaven-Rank Armor is listed with a starting bid of only 10,000 Spirit Stones! This is daylight robbery!"
The Sect Master's face turned darker by the second. His voice trembled with fury. "Who dared to do this?!"
Just then, a disciple rushed in, panting heavily. "Sect Master! The auction... it's run by Lin Chen! He's the Auction Master!"
The entire Elder Hall fell silent.
A moment later, a series of shouts and curses erupted.
Tianling Realm Forum
The news spread like wildfire across the realm's communication platforms.
[Breaking News! Qingyun Sect's entire treasure vault up for auction!] [Former "Trash" Lin Chen revealed as Auction Master!] [Sect's spiritual vein blueprint sold for 100 million Spirit Stones!]
Countless cultivators were frantically bidding, hoping to grab a piece of Qingyun Sect's legacy.
High in the mountains, Lin Chen watched as the numbers on the auction board skyrocketed.
[Current Auction Sales: 3.7 billion System Coins]
[Ding! Bonus Achievement Unlocked: "Public Slap Fest"]
[Reward: +1 Destiny Female Lead unlocked] (｡>∀<｡)
System Panel:
[Available Female Leads:
Shen Qingxue — Status: Broken Engagement, Deep Regret
??? — Status: To be encountered
??? — Status: To be encountered]
Lin Chen leaned back against a large boulder, gazing at the star-filled sky. "Let them drown in their own greed and humiliation."
He sipped from a gourd of wine, the cool breeze carrying the cries of desperate Qingyun Sect elders far behind him.
Meanwhile, in the Spirit Realm
Inside a grand, icy palace, a cold, veiled figure sat quietly. Her aura chilled the air, her beauty concealed behind a silver mask.
She stared at the auction board projected in front of her, her slender fingers tapping rhythmically.
"Lin Chen… interesting."
The Iceblade Empress—number one assassin of the Spirit Realm—felt her heart skip a beat.
System Notification: You are one of Lin Chen's Destiny Female Leads. Fate Thread activated.
For the first time in decades, her expression cracked. "What is this strange feeling...?"
Back at the mountain peak, Lin Chen's system panel shimmered once more.
[Ding! New mission generated: Mission: Accept Shen Qingxue's public apology. Optional Condition: Reject her in front of the entire cultivation world. Reward: 5 billion System Coins]
A cold smile played at the corner of Lin Chen's lips.
"So, she's finally coming to beg."
He stood up, brushing the dust from his robes.
"Good. Let's make sure she never forgets who she gave up on."
The stars above flickered, as if trembling before the man who would soon shake the entire cultivation world.
—End of Chapter 3—