Chapter 748: The Tree of Life

"Junior Sister Luye, I'm feeling a bit tired, so I won't go out wandering. You go ahead."

Ding Huan refused without hesitation to go out together with Luye.

Even if he did go out to buy some things, he wouldn't go out together with Luye.

After Luye left, Ding Huan sealed the restrictions on his cave dwelling, put on the appearance of being in closed-door cultivation, then transformed his features into an ordinary loose cultivator youth and left the station.

Before Ding Huan had even stepped into the market town, he was stunned by a massive array notice board.

This was the partial list of items to be auctioned at the upcoming auction—the largest auction in the entire Hunyi God Realm before the contest for the Divine Vein, as Luye had mentioned.

Even though it was only a partial list, it gave Ding Huan a sense of just how wealthy the Hunyi God Realm was.

The Heaven-Wielding Saint Dao Fruit—a top-tier dao fruit capable of proving the Dao of a Saint.

The Divine Sea Wheel—a pre-Heaven treasure.

The Chaos Dao Art—a Heaven-Opening cultivation method among the Three Thousand Great Daos.

Ding Huan was certain this Chaos Dao Art would trigger a scramble among countless people.

Because the Hunyi God Realm was connected to Chaos itself, and the place everyone was about to enter to contest for the Divine Vein had once been where Chaos resided.

If one could obtain the Chaos Dao Art and switch to cultivating this method, wouldn't that be soaring to the heavens in a single bound?

The Heaven and Earth Bow…

Wait—Ding Huan stared at this Heaven and Earth Bow, frowning.

The Heaven and Earth Bow was clearly on his person; how could one possibly appear here?

Could there be two Heaven and Earth Bows?

That couldn't be.

Pre-Heaven treasures would absolutely never produce two identical magic treasures—it would violate the Dao Laws of the vast universe.

Ding Huan suddenly thought of Ji Bucheng. That fellow wanted the Setting Sun Arrow—could it be that he'd long known there would be a Heaven and Earth Bow for sale here?

The more Ding Huan thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Ji Bucheng came from Jia Baihe Sword Dao, so it wouldn't be strange for him to know that this pre-Divine-Vein-struggle auction had a Heaven and Earth Bow.

Because he knew there was a Heaven and Earth Bow here, he longed to obtain the Setting Sun Arrow.

Ding Huan went at once to purchase an auction admission ticket.

Private box tickets were already sold out; even an ordinary seat ticket, Ding Huan had to pay extra divine crystals to obtain.

Some sects had not yet arrived at the Great Dao Divine Vein Plaza; the auction would still be a few days away from starting.

After purchasing a few introductions to the sects of the Hunyi God Realm and maps, Ding Huan returned once more to the station.

Since he'd decided to attend this auction, he should still keep a low profile and not show himself around.

Four days later, the auction jade talisman Ding Huan had purchased emitted a faint glow, displaying that the auction would begin in two hours.

Ding Huan immediately left the sect station.

In fact, he didn't even need to slip away secretly. Of the Sect Master, Hall Masters, and various Elders of the Ancient Wasteland Goddess Sect, hardly any were still at the station now.

Most people, like Ding Huan, had long since left the station to attend the auction.

It could be said that this auction was the largest in the Hunyi God Realm in a hundred years.

Nearly every sect and cultivation clan would attend.

Not only that, some elites among the loose cultivators would also attend this auction.

The auctioneers had also provided a sufficient number of tickets.

Even so, there were still some people who couldn't buy tickets.

When Ding Huan entered the great hall of the auction venue, there were already people at the door hoping to buy auction tickets at a high price.

It was just that those seeking tickets were many, and those selling tickets were few.

Ding Huan quickly made his way to his seat.

He hadn't managed to buy a private box ticket, and his seat ticket was also rather far back—Season Section 137, Row 2176, Seat 2176.

After arriving at his seat, Ding Huan immediately activated the restrictions on his seat.

At this auction, even ordinary box seats had restrictions in place.

Ding Huan not only activated the restrictions built into the box seat, but also laid down some isolation array patterns.

For someone like him who had altered his appearance, he absolutely could not allow his divine sense to be swept over frequently.

For Ding Huan, what he most wanted to know right now was actually that Heaven and Earth Bow.

By all reason, such a large-scale auction would be unlikely to sell fakes.

Ding Huan also believed the Heaven and Earth Bow on his person was genuine.

Because he had refined it; although he hadn't tested it yet, the pre-Heaven treasures he had refined were not just one or two.

That kind of treasure restriction could absolutely not be faked.

Ding Huan sat in his seat, his divine sense lingering on the entrance.

Sure enough, he saw that nearly all the powerful experts of the Ancient Wasteland Goddess Sect had entered.

Afterwards, Ji Bucheng also walked into this auction hall.

Ji Bucheng was one thing, but the bald man beside that fellow was a true powerhouse.

In Ding Huan's eyes, that fellow's cultivation was at least a One-Turn Saint.

Two hours later, a woman dressed in golden silk stepped onto the auction stage.

The reason for saying she was dressed in golden silk was that the clothes on her body were woven from silk spun by Golden Divine Silkworms.

This kind of golden silk garment, when worn, was faintly visible, clearly enhancing the female cultivator's charm.

More importantly, the Golden Silkworm silk garment could not be swept by divine sense. Once divine sense swept this kind of clothing, the information from that divine sense would immediately be recorded by the garment.

Before entering the auction, Ding Huan had already familiarized himself with the auction's rules.

All items displayed at the auction could only be viewed with the eyes; divine sense could not be used to scan them.

Unless special items, the auction house permitted divine sense observation.

Any cultivator who used divine sense to scan auction items would be regarded as provoking the auction house, and the auction house could kill them on the spot.

The rules had long been written out, crystal clear.

If anyone still dared use divine sense, they would be executed immediately.

The woman hosting the auction smiled and said, "I am Tang Yiyi. Welcome to the Hundred-Year Auction of the Dunyi Divine Realm, jointly hosted by the Dunyi Divine Realm Sect Alliance and the Dunyi Merchants' Guild."

"Let me state the rules first: First, divine sense must not extend beyond one zhang; second, no reckless bidding—violators will be killed without mercy."

Ding Huan thought to himself: this kind of powerful auction house truly killed violators on the spot—no second punishment existed.

Tang Yiyi waved her hand in the void, and a piece of root appeared in her grasp: "This is the Root of the Liangtian Tree. Starting bid: one million superior divine crystals. Now, bidding begins…"

No mistake! One word, one character, one detail—all visible!

Ding Huan sighed inwardly: this level of auction truly had no inferior items.

The Liangtian Tree root was also something he wanted.

But before Ding Huan could bid, the price had already skyrocketed to thirty million superior divine crystals.

Ding Huan had some divine crystals on him, but he did not intend to spend them here.

In the end, the Liangtian Tree root was sold for forty-six million superior divine crystals.

The next items—Three-Color Divine Armor, Wood Stealth Divine Art, Wen Sheng Dao Pill…

Almost all were snatched up the moment they appeared.

Ding Huan did not compete for these items—he was waiting for the Heaven-Earth Bow.

"Next may be the most precious item of this auction. What it is, please look."

This time, Tang Yiyi did not reach into the void—instead, a young girl walked forward, cradling a jade tray in both hands.

The jade tray was covered only by a green gauze.

The gauze bore forbidden seals; divine sense could not be used, so all could sense only that something extraordinary lay beneath—no one could discern what it was.

Tang Yiyi said nothing, but raised her hand and lifted the gauze away.

A three-foot-tall, emerald-green sapling appeared before them.

Even without divine sense, the overwhelming vitality surging forth made everyone know this was no ordinary tree.

This thing was likely no weaker than a primordial treasure—perhaps even stronger.

Life Tree?

Ding Huan stared in shock at the emerald sapling—he recognized it. This was unquestionably the Life Tree.

Legends said only one Life Tree could form per cosmic realm. How could such a supreme treasure be put up for auction?

Ding Huan desperately wanted to probe it with divine sense—but he knew he absolutely could not. If he extended his divine sense, he was finished.

"I believe many of you have recognized it—this is indeed a Life Tree," Tang Yiyi said, her voice tinged with excitement.

For an auction host, selling a Life Tree was an honor beyond measure.

A murmur swept through the auction hall; all were stunned by the Life Tree—and none understood why such a treasure was being auctioned.

Anyone not foolish would never sell a Life Tree, would they?

Tang Yiyi sighed: "Normally, a Life Tree could never be put up for auction. But this Life Tree has encountered a problem…"

As she spoke, the communication bead before her glowed faintly.

She glanced at it, then immediately said: "Given the Life Tree's value, you are now permitted to use divine sense for ten breaths."

At these words, everyone instantly extended their divine sense.

Ding Huan also quickly used his divine sense to scan the Life Tree—he was extremely sensitive to cosmic laws. His divine sense swept over it once, and he understood immediately.

This Life Tree seemed to have grown together with another object…

No—Ding Huan widened his eyes, staring at the tree's roots. That other object's value was likely no less than the Life Tree's—it appeared to be Cosmic Membrane.

"Ten breaths are up. Please retract your divine sense," Tang Yiyi said, draping the green gauze back over the Life Tree.

When the auction hall fell silent, Tang Yiyi continued: "Many of you have noticed—the Life Tree has fused with another object.

The Life Rule and Dao resonance have merged completely, making separation impossible. And if they remain fused, the Life Tree will wither soon.

Some may think that once the Life Tree withers, it becomes worthless. Let me tell you: even if the Life Tree withers, the object fused with it retains incomparable value.

Because it is Cosmic Membrane—not something purchasable with divine crystals or divine spirit veins.

If someone can separate the Cosmic Membrane from the Life Tree, they will profit immensely."

Ding Huan knew: two items fused in this way by Dao resonance and cosmic law—even he could not now separate them.

Forcing separation would kill the Life Tree.

In fact, even without forcing it, the Life Tree was already in its final countdown.

Only after he reached the Union God Realm could he possibly separate them using the Great Cosmic Art.

"The Life Tree has no starting bid. You may now bid—using divine crystals, divine spirit veins, or similar treasures."

The moment Tang Yiyi finished speaking, a bid appeared on the display: one hundred billion superior divine crystals, one hundred supreme divine spirit veins.

Ding Huan sucked in a breath—he considered himself wealthy, but now he understood true wealth.

Yet this bid was merely the opening price.

(Friend, good night!)

(End of Chapter)