[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-104":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to Divinity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280654,4461,"Chapter 104: Qing Shuang","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-104",104,"\u003Cp>Ascend the rotating golden staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faint light spreads, coalescing into a formation barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To protect guest privacy, Jiangcheng Auction House has no grand hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden staircase rises; the attendant smiles, “Your private suite is number 3352.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few seconds later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The formation dissipates; the staircase door opens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Proceed three intersections, turn left, then right—suite 3352 is there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant extends a hand in a gesture of invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian thanked him, stepped out of the golden staircase, and walked toward the suite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath his feet stretched a corridor hundreds of meters high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding rooms all floated in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath each room, formation lights flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They consumed vast amounts of energy every second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, they don’t even check identity devices.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s gaze shifted slightly, recalling the scenes he’d seen along the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many wore hooded cloaks, concealing themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at the city gate, the auction house attendants never verified identities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, they bowed respectfully, guiding every guest up the golden staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, non-citizens can also participate in auctions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, Jiang Jian made an accurate judgment from this information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the auction house,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alliance currency is everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Some things, by normal standards, might be impossible to buy with Alliance currency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if you have enough Alliance currency,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even things you couldn’t buy before become purchasable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian found suite 3352 and pushed the door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The suite’s furnishings were extremely simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A luxury sofa, a massive holographic screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sofa sat a dedicated auction device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from these,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room was spotless, nothing else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please select an auction section.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian picked up the auction device, tapped the screen, and immediately heard a prompt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The device displayed dozens of auction sections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They included many types of auction items, allowing guests to switch freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With money, cultivation is indeed much simpler.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian browsed popular auction items, his thoughts churning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of countless auction items, only half related to cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other half were mostly cutting-edge tech, top-tier luxuries, and high-end daily indulgences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among these cultivation-related auction items,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many were unavailable on the Linjiang network platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exclusive cultivation elixir, starting bid: 300,000 Alliance currency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Drink one bottle daily; chance to rapidly increase spiritual essence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian casually opened an auction item and viewed its holographic image.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pitch-black bottle appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mouth was open, emitting black smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian frowned slightly and swiped away the information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no intention of trying these strange oddities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Traditional cultivation resources, though slower,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were solid and reliable—spiritual essence accumulated steadily, with no side effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued browsing auction items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian realized:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The auction house differed sharply from the network platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Items sold on the network platform\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were standardized, mass-produced, and highly homogenized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiangcheng Auction House,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most auction items were personally submitted—non-standardized goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auction section selection complete.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time until auction begins: 30 minutes remaining.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Jian selected the “Weapons” auction section,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The auction device glowed faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please anonymously transfer auction funds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bid amount must not exceed transferred funds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A virtual payment panel appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Jiangcheng Auction House used anonymous payment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s gaze flickered; he took out his gold card and swiped it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gold light flowed across the auction device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My friend, I hope you’re enjoying yourself at my home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pre-recorded voice from Young Master Zhang echoed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gold light faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The auction device displayed a balance of over 10,000,000.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the voice, Jiang Jian’s expression turned odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This gold card,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was the one Young Master Zhang used for gifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone bringing this card to the auction house would hear the recording.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the auction device’s prompt sounded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have successfully transferred auction funds: 10 million Alliance currency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Source of funds detected as special—funds non-refundable after auction concludes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian set down the auction device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sat on the sofa, quietly cultivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty minutes passed quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The auction device chimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Weapons auction section—auction about to begin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Special notice: All auction items at this house have undergone the Divine Prayer Hall’s Purification Ritual and fully comply with Alliance regulations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Weapons” encompassed many types:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Techniques for wielding weapons,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Methods of forging weapons,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secrets of consecrating weapons,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And divine-bestowed weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these fell under “Weapons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lot 1.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divine-bestowed weapon: Horse-Splitting Saber.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rank: Level 2.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trait: Sharpness, Armor-Piercing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting bid: 300,000 Alliance currency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian sat on the sofa and looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive holographic screen displayed a long knife gleaming with icy light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the knife’s image, auction messages rolled continuously and rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“310,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“330,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“390,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a few minutes passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chopping knife sold for 790,000 Alliance Coins, with no further bids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many divine-awarded weapons had no special traits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chopping knife, though possessing a trait,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was only Level 2.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 790,000 Alliance Coins, the price had nearly saturated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the waiting period,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the chopping knife was won by a bidder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lot 2.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talent Orb: Swordsman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level: 2.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trait: Suitable for sword users, enhances sword technique damage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting bid: 900,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lot 3.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talent Orb: Halberd.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level: 2.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trait: Suitable for halberd users, grants halberd blade aura.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting bid: 630,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These lots were sold one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian did not rush to bid; instead, he cultivated quietly while waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>gold light appeared on the auction device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a pre-marked lot, signaling imminent auction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lot 12.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divine-awarded Weapon: Huanling Robe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level: 3.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trait: Enhances Qi circulation, significantly boosts Qi recovery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting bid: 2,700,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the holographic display, a plain, unadorned robe appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s expression remained calm as he pressed the auction device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The large screen instantly showed new rolling messages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“2,900,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“3,100,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“3,200,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the price surge,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian paused, then removed the “Huanling Robe” from his bid and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine-awarded weapons that aid cultivation were bluntly effective and highly sought after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Huanling Robe sold for 4,300,000 Alliance Coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than ten minutes later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lot 20.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divine-awarded Weapon: Qingshuang Sword Array.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level: 3.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Special Note: Rare Divine Item — Weapon Dao Sword Array.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trait: Sword light responds to will, sword aura forms an array, greatly enhancing sword technique lethality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting bid: 3,000,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A notification tone sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian opened his eyes, picked up the auction device, and entered his bid directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5,000,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the bid appeared,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the rolling bar on the holographic screen froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 2,000,000 Alliance Coin jump instantly deterred many eager bidders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several seconds,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>new messages appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5,100,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian did not hesitate; he tapped the auction device and raised his bid again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5,200,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Level 3 divine-awarded weapons ranged from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 Alliance Coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for rare forging-type “weapons,” prices rarely exceeded 6,000,000.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5,250,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5,400,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian frowned slightly and tapped the auction device for his final bid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5,500,000 Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingshuang Sword Array could be paired with Hanguang, greatly enhancing its effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But its true value lay around 5,000,000 Alliance Coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>5,500,000 Alliance Coins was Jiang Jian’s upper limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waiting period ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one bid higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the auction device screen, his balance of 10,000,000 Alliance Coins plummeted rapidly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The numbers scrolled swiftly downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In moments, it dropped to 4,500,000 Alliance Coins!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations! You have won the bid!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level 3 Divine-awarded Weapon: Qingshuang Sword Array!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a knock came at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian pressed the auction device; the door opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A servant, carrying a heavy golden wooden box, placed it respectfully before Jiang Jian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Esteemed guest, would you like to perform the binding ritual now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If so, I will summon staff from the Prayer Hall immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian shook his head: “Not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servant bowed and withdrew: “I am at your service at any time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden wooden box was large, nearly half the size of a suitcase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian did not open it immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he tapped the auction device and switched to the “Tech Equipment” section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his earlier cultivation,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian realized:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he had reversed the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine-awarded weapons are typically valued most for their lethality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Used to assist cultivation, the effect is minimal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technological equipment, requiring no binding ritual, is an excellent aid for cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Feishuang Bracelet works very well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it’s not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technological equipment occupies no acupoints and does not cause Qi contamination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only drawback is its high price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingshuang Sword Array belongs to the Divine Gift of the Martial Path and is a relatively rare type of array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at the Yongquan Realm, it remains competitive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wish Jade, unbind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Switch to the Qingshuang Sword Array.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My offensive capabilities will increase by at least fifty percent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian looked at the auction device, where the technological equipment section’s items were displayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lot 29.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Technological item: Liuguang Jade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divine technological level: Fu Realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Array engraving: 19 micro-arrays.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Effect: Increases conversion rate of stellar light, greatly boosting daily cultivation speed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting bid: 1.9 million Alliance Coins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1526,"2026-06-20T01:21:34.271Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5ff44ef2d7f2a037801d9aa4ebe430b25cceda3a5cd33eb18ec0b72647574682","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-105","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-103",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]