Archfiend

“3,200,000.” The young man from the House of Tirathon faced the two Throneless Grand Dukes, fearlessly.

Pale Dragon laughed coldly, “Then let’s see what everyone really has.”

Without wasted words, the three parties continued to raise bids. However, once the bids went over 3 million, everyone clearly slowed down.

After 3,200,000 spirit stones, there was a pause of several seconds when no one shouted bids.

“This is already closing in on His Highness Donaldo’s price last time!” The white-haired old man from the Corvinus nervously licked his lips. “Perhaps this will be the final price!”

“3,200,000, the House of Tirathon. Going once,” Yogg said heavily.

However, before he even finished speaking, two voices shouted at the same time.

“3,300,000.”

“The price is closing in! It’s still just short by a hundred thousand until it closes in on the most expensive auctioned item in history!” A cultivator was infected by the mood, his eyes slightly reddened.

“Three million…” Bloody Moon gritted his teeth. “Four hundred thousand!”

Boom!

In the hearts of all the attendees, a detonator known as excitement ignited.

This was the second time a bid of 3,400,000 spirit stones had been made!

For the second Holy Shadow work in history!

Xu Yangyi was also watching these continuous bids with endless emotion.

What could be said to be explosive profit?

This was explosive profit!

Back then, only by rampantly publicizing Qi Condensation pills was he able to take in a profit of less than a million. Currently he wasn’t even done, but his Foundation Establishment work was more than doubling his gains.

No one spoke again.

3,400,000 was a chasm. They still had to consider Donaldo’s opinion.

“Three million…” Pale Dragon fiercely gritted his teeth, yet he wasn’t able to speak out the last number.

“A drop of holy water.”

“You!” Bloody Moon snapped his head back and looked at the person who spoke, but all he saw was the door open. A woman in a suit walked in.

Xu Yangyi slightly raised a brow. He didn’t think that Vatican City would also participate.

Pale Dragon slightly sighed in relief. At such a time, it was for the best if someone else disrupted things.

“Your Honorable Highness Master Spirit-Technician.” Jenny bowed. “You should know that if a Marquis wants to advance to a Grand Duke, they must liquefy all their internal essence, and then solidify the throne of Grand Duke. However, as among Marquises, there are also gaps among Grand Dukes.”

“We know that if a Marquis completely transforms all of their essence that the solidified throne will be incredibly firm. However, the essence that permeates into each muscle and each drop of blood cannot be cleanly transformed. Through the blessings of His Holiness, though, the holy water condensed from ‘The Pool of Aries’ can extract over 80% of the body’s essence. Although the experience is painful, this holy water is a rare treasure. Each year, Vatican City only produces a hundred drops.”

Why don’t you drop dead?!

In his cloak, Blood Moon’s clenched fists audibly cracked. He’d taken the initiative to shout a price of 3,400,000. He had already steeled his resolve. Given Donaldo’s reputation, how could people later on easily raise the price?

But what of the result?

Yes, since no one present had called a price, Vatican City had inexplicably interfered! Furthermore, they had the idea to exchange the auctioned item with something else!

“Ms. Jenny,” he coldly said, “Vatican City has never been involved with the Plaza of Holy Light’s auctions. Why are you interfering this time? For what reason are you getting involved?”

“Could it be… that you truly look down on us since the ancestor is asleep?”

As he said these words, his cloak was already starting to move freely of the wind. Black shadow bats fluttered out from his cloak, screeching as they rose up in the air.

Jenny glanced at him. “This is the command of the Papal Hall.”

Swoosh… All the bats vanished without a trace. Blood Moon’s face was colored by an awful ugliness. He never could’ve imagined that the Papal Hall had directly interfered! This action represented that supreme expert’s will! [1]

Nonetheless… he couldn’t accept this!

Xu Yangyi’s gaze brightened, but he soon furrowed his brows.

This holy water was a good item. If he was an ordinary cultivator, he definitely would’ve nodded, but right now he wasn’t able to find out how he was supposed to liquefy the qi in his body.

Apart from the massive azure vortex, he could detect his entire body was formed out of qi. Still, he didn’t see any indication of liquefaction. Perhaps it could be said that when he finished his business in the Clearcloud Realm, his qi liquefaction had disappeared. 

“I apologize,” he said with some regret. 

Jenny raised her head in shock. There was no market for the value of a single drop of holy water, but Xu Yangyi actually wasn’t going to make the trade?

“Your Highness, won’t you reconsider? Perhaps, you aren’t familiar with the western cultivation world since you’ve just arrived in America?” she quickly sought an answer, a little nervous.

“I am familiar with my own body,” Xu Yangyi said in a cool voice. “Although it’s a good item, it’s not useful to me.”

Jenny was silent. This meant that the other’s cultivation training magicks didn’t require something like the holy water. Nonetheless, this was already the greatest scope of her authority.

“A blessing from a cardinal?” She gritted her teeth and said firmly.

“Ms. Jenny,” Bloody Moon coldly laughed. “Please don’t use things you cannot take out to entice the master. Even Vatican City wouldn’t act this way to master spirit-technician. And you are merely a little overseer.”

He turned his head, looked to Xu Yangyi’s room, and said, “Vatican City is the holy city of one of the four major religions. Already they have been opposed to us for a very long, long time. Due to the growth through the ages, however, we now find ourselves entangled with each other. We clearly understand their rules very much. Such as blessing techniques. A bishop-ranked high priest can only give ten blessings in their life. As for even higher-level blessings, that is something only those part of the Holy See or His Highness the Pope can perform.”

“Blessings are only given to priests, but they can work on anyone. The effect is quite stunning, and it can allow the blessed to supposedly gain the ability of God, but the ability is uncertain. Such a precious thing…” He sent Jenny a look of ridicule. “Would Vatican City give it to a non-Catholic master spirit-technician?”

“I can exchange my blessing with Mr. X.” Jenny didn’t reveal the slightest weakness, and looked straight at Xu Yangyi’s room. “Your Highness X, how about this price?”

Bloody Moon’s expression chilled, and a wisp of killing intent flashed through Pale Dragon’s narrowed eyes.

Vatican City was determined to win.

Whore… Blood Moon inwardly cursed, but he didn’t sit down. His eyes were faintly covered by a red sheen. He was silent for a few seconds and then said indifferently, “A drop of blood from a First Bitten.”

“Hiss…” the cold gasps of almost everyone rang out.

Bloody Moon’s expression revealed a look of extreme reluctance. Afterwards, he said in a heavy voice, “Mr. X, the blood of a First Bitten has no other uses. But… it’s sole and only use makes all cultivators yearn for it even in their dreams.”

“It… can increase one’s lifespan by 200 years. A Marquis’s lifespan is doubled. In the current world, it is the best holy medicine for increasing one’s lifespan!”

As soon as these words were said, the audience cried out lowly. Xu Yangyi’s expression also became serious.

This… had long since surpassed the value of the item he’d placed in the jade box.

They were fighting over him.

If he answered some group right now, but only sold capsules in the end, that wouldn’t do. Their prices were for a friendship, for the expression of goodwill, for perhaps a matter they wanted to request of him. And this friendship would be very troublesome.

Bids couldn’t keep on going like this anymore. This was already beyond his own ability to control. Upon seeing that Pale Dragon was about to speak, Xu Yangyi finally said, “Everyone, won’t you listen to my thoughts?”

His room finally creaked open. Everyone immediately looked over, and each person stood up.

The four master spirit-technicians stood up, and Bloody Moon and Pale Dragon both calmly stepped forward. They glanced at each other and coldly laughed without any intention of concealing how they felt. All the quasi Grand Dukes also stood up.

Swish… The door opened, and the black-robed Xu Yangyi appeared in the plaza. No one’s spiritual sense swept over. This was the minimum respect they could offer him.

Quite a few people’s breathing became a little rushed. The man of the hour had finally appeared… the incarnation of mystery itself, His Highness X, the man who had just created the miracle of Holy Shadow.

No one else dared again to question the cheapness of his cloak.

Donaldo’s face was a complex mix of emotions. After ages, he sighed in disappointment and took the lead to speak, “Mr. X, I am honored to see you.”

“Me too.” Xu Yangyi laughed as he nodded. Under his cloak, his gaze swept over everyone present. He said in heavy voice, “I only have one condition.”

“I will give the item in the jade box to whoever can accomplish this condition. Furthermore, I will agree to work for their family once. As long as it’s something that I can refine.”

“Please speak.” A burning-hot wisp flashed through Bloody Moon’s eyes, and he courteously smiled. “But before you speak, Mr. X, I hope you will listen to the House of Dracul’s condition.”

“If you are willing to join the House of Dracul and sign a contract, we will give a generous gift.” Bloody Moon licked his pale lips. “For example… Mhm?” His gaze suddenly began to shimmer and then snapped over to Xu Yangyi. He looked at the demon slayer for no less than three seconds. Afterwards, he unexpectedly nodded. “It was you?”

Xu Yangyi didn’t reply.

Only the two of them knew what they were talking about.

Vlad al III-lea Țepeș.

The Grand Duke Impaler’s iron maiden!

“If it is you…” The scorching heat in Bloody Moon’s eyes completely vanished, and he gave a perfect, ice-cold, formal smile. “I want to ask again, Mr. X, are you willing to join the House of Dracul?”

Danger!

Xu Yangyi wordlessly sucked in a breath of air. Moments ago, he clearly felt a killing intent.

The unspoken dialogue in these words were very obvious. If Xu Yangyi wanted to dispel this grievance, he either had to join or die.

He slightly narrowed his eyes. There was also a message in these words.

To the House of Dracul, the Grand Duke Impaler’s iron maiden was worth even more than a master spirit-technician! Even greater than a master spirit-technician like him who had just given rise to a Holy Shadow.

In the end, what secret was the iron maiden of the allegedly First Vampire hiding?

“I have no plans to join any family, but I can accept trade,” Xu Yangyi wasn’t panicked and answered in a low voice.

Bloody Moon glanced deeply at Xu Yangyi. He didn’t say a word, instead wrapping himself in his cloak and silently sitting back down.

Xu Yangyi looked at everyone. “I want… a spot in the Holy War.”

“It’s YOU!!!”

Just as Xu Yangyi’s voice fell, another voice involuntarily cried out in shock.

“Savidean.” Pale Dragon immediately looked over. “You know His Highness?”

Savidean VII looked up at the sky somewhat dumbly. The figure standing in the air wasn’t tall. In comparison to his own body that approached two meters in height, that was how it was though.

Still… this figure put massive pressure on him!

It was that Chinese mongrel! He really was a master spirit-technician!

But how was this possible?

A person who had cultivated for around fifty years had actually reached the glorious position of master spirit-technician!