Chapter 1238: Immortal Remnant Body_2

“Congratulations to our distinguished guest for successfully acquiring the ‘Ancient Navigation Map’!”

Thus, the grand auction at Broken Star City, which had stirred up the entire Black Sand Zone, concluded in a manner that no one had anticipated.

Xu Ran, this mysterious name, or rather, this enigmatic “distinguished guest”, became the sole focus of the entire auction with an unrivaled aura.

…

After the auction ended, Xu Ran did not leave immediately.

In the reverent and complex gaze of Tu Feng, an attendant respectfully arrived to guide them to the deepest part of the Treasure Pavilion.

Passing through layered spatial arrays, they finally arrived at an ancient Taoist palace.

Inside the palace, starlight flowed, and Dao rhythms were naturally formed. The Elder of Dao level, who was the master of this pavilion, had been waiting for them.

Unlike their first meeting, now his face no longer bore the ease of a businessman, replaced by a deep gravity and respect emanating from the heart.

“Friend, it’s been a while.” The elder stood up and actually paid a peer’s courtesy to Xu Ran.

Xu Ran slightly nodded, his expression indifferent.

“The items you need are all here.” The elder waved his hand, and two items floated in the air.

One was a piece of dark golden flesh wrapped in even stronger prohibitions. It floated quietly, each faint pulse causing ripples in the surrounding space, as if a universe on the brink of nirvana was submerged within it. The ancient and vast aura was thousands of times clearer and more terrifying than felt on the auction stage.

The other was a broken jade disk. Now free from the auction stage’s array, the star paths on it slowly circulated, emitting an aura of endless time and sorrow, as if narrating the final elegy of a lost civilization.

“Eleven million plus thirty million, totaling forty-one million inferior Dao Source broken crystals.” The elder said, his eyes tightly fixed on Xu Ran. He was very curious about how the other party would pay this amount, enough to bankrupt any Dao ancestor.

Xu Ran did not speak, merely calmly extended his hand, palm up.

Buzz!

A crystal, approximately the size of a dragon’s eye and entirely chaotic in color, as if containing the mysteries at the very beginning of a cosmos, appeared in his palm.

The moment this crystal appeared, all the Dao Laws in the Taoist palace were instantly thrown into disarray! The starlight dimmed, Dao rhythms retreated, as if encountering their king, their source!

The elder’s pupils contracted to the size of pinpoints! His body trembled slightly, uncontrollably.

“This…this is…Dao Origin Mother Crystal?!” His voice, due to extreme shock, became sharp and hoarse, full of disbelief.

Dao Source broken crystals are energy condensates from the origins of the Great Dao scattered; Dao Origin Mother Crystal, however, is the core condensate of the origins of the Great Dao! The Dao Principles and energy contained in one mother crystal, its value cannot be measured by broken crystals! If forced to convert, a lowest-grade Dao Origin Mother Crystal could easily be exchanged for fifty million, or even hundreds of millions of inferior Dao Source broken crystals! Moreover, it’s invaluable!

To a Dao ancestor, this is no longer cultivation resources but…the “Dao Foundation” for advancement! It is an unparalleled divine object that can allow them to glimpse higher-level mysteries!

Xu Ran, however, casually produced one!

“Is it enough?” Xu Ran asked indifferently.

“Enough! More than enough!” The elder nodded hastily, his attitude nearly fawning. He carefully took the Dao Origin Mother Crystal, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world, more excited than when he himself advanced to become a Dao ancestor.

At this moment, all his guesses about Xu Ran’s identity were overturned.

This is surely not as simple as the heir of some immortal heritage.

The origins of such an existence surely transcend the limits of his imagination!

“Friend, here’s the change.” Coming back to his senses, the elder quickly retrieved a storage ring and handed it over respectfully, “Inside are nine million inferior Dao Source broken crystals, please verify.”

Xu Ran accepted it casually, his gaze falling on the two auction items.

The elder, seeing this, immediately understood and said, “Friend, may I speak a few words?”

“Speak.”

“This broken immortal body, with its vast and forceful aura, contains a dao that seems entirely different from the myriad Great Dao we cultivate, more like a pure ‘Power’ in its utmost. When you comprehend it, please be very cautious, as there may be the danger of being transformed by the Dao.”

“As for the Ancient Navigation Map…” The elder’s expression became extremely solemn, “It points to the legendary ‘Ancient Path of Doomsday’. It is said that in the previous epoch, or even more ancient times, those who reached the end joined forces to open a road seeking transcendence. But ultimately, they all failed. That path became a burial ground for the gods and demons of various heavens. The Master of Blood Prison desperately wanted it because legend has it that his ancestor was one of those who fortunately escaped back from that ancient path, bringing back the fundamental heritage that created the Blood Prison Star Sea.”

The elder paused, then continued, “Possessing this map will be sensed by certain ‘things’ lingering on the ancient path. Once you leave Broken Star City, you not only face the pursuit from Blood Prison Star Sea but also attract unspeakable weirdness and ominousness. Please take care…”

He poured out all he knew, both to curry favor and as an investment.

“Thank you.”

Xu Ran’s response remained simple, he waved his hand to store the broken immortal body and Ancient Navigation Map.

His gaze, however, flickered with an unnoticed ripple upon hearing the words “Ancient Path of Doomsday”.

It was a complex emotion mixed with reminiscence, longing, and…a trace of cold killing intent.

“Farewell.”

As he finished speaking, Xu Ran turned around, leading the still-stunned Tu Feng, whose mind was blank, out towards the exterior of the Taoist palace.

The elder respectfully escorted him to the door, silently watching his departing figure.

Until that figure completely disappeared at the far end of the spatial array, he gave a long sigh and murmured to himself: “Ancient Path of Doomsday…The end of an epoch…Could the legendary grand reckoning really be coming? Is this person born in response to disaster, or…is he a part of the disaster itself?”

…

Outside the Treasure Pavilion, the chaotic and bustling urban area of Broken Star City seemed particularly oppressive at this moment.

In the sky, the originally chaotic flow of energy seemed to be combed by an invisible force, becoming orderly and yet filled with a murderous aura.

On the streets, pedestrians disappeared. In the shadows of buildings, myriad obscure yet powerful divine thoughts intertwined in the void, like venomous spiders waiting for prey.

As Xu Ran and Tu Feng’s figures emerged from the light gate leading down to the lower city from the Treasure Pavilion, the whole of Broken Star City seemed to press the pause button.

All divine thoughts, all gazes, all killing intent focused at that moment on the composed figure.

Tu Feng’s face instantly turned pale.

Although he was only a Daoist Monarch, he could clearly perceive that this world was completely sealed by an invisible web. At least dozens of Dao ancestor-level auras were entrenched around, turning this place into a dead zone!

And the most blatant and undisguised killing intent came from directly ahead.

At the edge of the street, the space rippled like water waves.

Blood Wuyuan’s figure slowly emerged from within. Behind him still followed the two Dao ancestor guardians whose aura was deep as the sea.

At this moment, no longer did his face bear the anger and ferocity of the auction hall, replaced instead by a cruel jesting akin to a cat playing with a mouse.

“Should I call you brave or should I call you foolish?” Blood Wuyuan’s voice was cold and venomous, echoing across the silent long street, “Did you really think that having some money allows you to do as you please in the Black Sand Zone?”

Xu Ran stopped, gazing at him calmly, like watching a jumping clown.