Chapter 079: The Unexpected Presence of Killing Intent

Lin Zhan’s eyes lit up—this must be the superior armor Nightingale had mentioned would appear later in the auction. It was the Cloud-Devouring Demon Armor.

He extended his spiritual sense toward the armor and immediately sensed that it was no ordinary piece. The deep black hue was particularly pleasing to him and matched perfectly with his Ink Blade. Just by probing it with his spiritual sense, he could feel the domineering aura contained within the armor.

Uncle Lian’s introduction sounded at just the right moment: “Cloud-Devouring Demon Armor, formerly the personal armor of Demon General Deng Yilu during the great war on the demonic frontier. After Deng Yilu was slain by our Divine King, the armor was seized and its demonic nature refined away, making it suitable for human use… I won’t elaborate further. Let’s begin the bidding, starting at thirty million spirit stones!”

Upon hearing the starting price, Lin Zhan muttered to himself, “Compared to the Peerless Elixir Tome, the bidding price for this armor seems rather high.”

“Young master, you may not realize—the allure of demon armor is immense for certain hidden sects. Among the guests at this auction, besides the prominent sects, there are many…” Nightingale began speaking in her usual volume, but as she reached this point, she leaned in close to Lin Zhan’s ear, her warm breath making him itch.

“There are many reclusive masters, rogue cultivators, and even some demon cultivators and members of the monster clans… For them, demon armor is especially precious. In fact, Nightingale thinks the starting price is too low.”

Amused, Lin Zhan saw her mysterious demeanor and couldn’t resist pinching her delicate nose. “So, this Cloud-Devouring Demon Armor is quite a treasure. Shall we take it?”

“Mm-hmm, take it! All good things must be ours!” Nightingale raised her paddle once more, this time careful not to stumble.

Jokes aside, Lin Zhan realized a crucial point. When he first arrived in Fuyang City, his spiritual sense had swept the area, finding no cultivators of particularly high strength. But now, given the scale and level of the Skyward Pavilion’s auction, it was likely many powerful cultivators were concealing their true abilities—much as he was doing himself.

If he failed to recognize this, he could suffer dearly should he ever have to face these people in a real contest. Though Lin Zhan possessed the miraculous Nine-Star Pattern, which allowed him to replenish his spiritual power, his Yellow Rank First Grade reserves were fixed for now. If he were to face an opponent whose strength utterly dwarfed his own, he might be overwhelmed in a single blow. No matter how much he could replenish afterward, it would be meaningless—a dead man cannot recover.

Appearances are deceiving, and strength should never be assumed. One must not underestimate oneself, but neither should one be recklessly optimistic.

Yes, Lin Zhan reminded himself in time.

With his current reserves of spirit stones, Lin Zhan faced no rivals and successfully persisted until the final bid of fifty million spirit stones, once again securing the Cloud-Devouring Demon Armor for himself.

Yet, as Uncle Lian struck the gavel to confirm the sale, Lin Zhan distinctly felt several hostile gazes directed at him from various corners of the hall.

When he looked back, those people quickly averted their eyes.

“Hmph, murderous intent…” Lin Zhan shook his head slightly. He understood—the brutal world of the strong preying upon the weak had truly begun. Perhaps, at any moment, blades would flash, blood would flow, and volcanoes of violence would erupt. This was the start of his tempering. If his adversaries weren’t strong enough, it wouldn’t be interesting.

“Young master, what do you mean by murderous intent?” Nightingale asked, puzzled.

“Oh, I meant that the new auction item has a fierce aura,” Lin Zhan deflected, just as he noticed sixteen attendants from the Skyward Pavilion laboriously carrying a heavy object onto the stage—surely the most significant treasure of the night.

Indeed, it exuded a killing aura. As the heavy item was set down, everyone sensed a violent energy leaking from the large chest. It was likely a weapon—and a deadly one.

After the sixteen strong men withdrew, Uncle Lian and several managers of the Skyward Pavilion took the stage and together opened the chest.

Creak…

It was as if a piece of history, long sealed, had been unlocked. An ancient atmosphere swept through the hall, prompting the crowd to rise and crane their necks for a better view. In the second-floor boxes, everyone stood at the railings, holding their breath, eyes fixed, eager for a glimpse.

“That’s it! That’s the target—it must be ours!” Lei Feiyang’s eyes twitched, his narrowed gaze flashing with excitement, his pale face flushed red.

In Box Three, the young master of Canglang Tower, Zhong Qi, stood at the railing with Red Tassel in his arms, his posture like a hunter stalking prey. The half-revealed item in the chest seemed to beckon him; even the beauty at his side paled in comparison to its allure.

“This bow—nameless, lacking a string, also called the Stringless Bow—three thousand catties in weight…” Uncle Lian’s introduction was brief but solemn, each word measured. He paused, then added, “This bow is a replica.”

Even with only half of it visible in the chest, the dark red body—crafted from unknown materials—commanded silence. No one dared to question, nor did anyone speak casually.

Though Uncle Lian stated it was a replica, everyone seemed already aware, and none objected; all simply awaited his announcement of the starting price.

Lin Zhan was utterly mystified. In this world, too many strange treasures existed, most of which were only glimpsed in passing within the Blue Ice World’s records, with little explanation—like this nameless bow before him.

But why was everyone so excited over just a replica?

Nightingale noticed Lin Zhan’s confusion and quietly explained, “Young master, the Nameless Bow once caused a sensation across the entire continent. Many sects fought to the death over it. Later, it was rumored to have been destroyed or sealed away by a great power, and tales of the Nameless Bow began to circulate…”

“Afterward, various replicas appeared, each capable of stirring fierce competition. People would rather believe in its power than doubt it, scrambling to obtain it… For legend holds that the Nameless Bow could even slay demon generals.”

Lin Zhan’s heart skipped a beat. “Ah, that powerful!”

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