Chapter 1654: There

After a brief silence in the auction hall, more murmurs arose.

"Xu Jingming has seriously offended Roys."

"Young people are still too arrogant."

"With Frost Crown Dominator as his backer, Roys won't go too far."

"True, but if it were me, I'd avoid trouble whenever possible."

"......"

Many Immortal Gods cast looks of pity toward Xu Jingming.

Roys relied on the Favor of the Burning Heaven Dominator and the priceless treasures granted to him.

He was notoriously difficult and tyrannical among the Immortal tier.

Xu Jingming publicly humiliated him; he would surely face plenty of trouble ahead.

In another corner of the hall, Colette observed it all.

His face, once gloomy from Xu Jingming's glory, now revealed uncontrollable delight.

He had been pondering how to create trouble for Xu Jingming.

He was short on funds after losing five million credits last time.

He had no good plan.

Then, just as he was dozing off, someone handed him a pillow—Roys had stepped forward!

"Heh."

Colette lifted his drink and took a sip, his eyes gleaming with malicious glee:

"Daring to provoke Roys? Xu Jingming, you're in trouble now."

Though he was the Supreme Dominator's direct disciple,

compared to Roys, the favored direct descendant treated like a cherished treasure by the Supreme Dominator,

the gap in favor and available resources was not minor at all.

Roys had far more tools at his disposal to target Xu Jingming.

"Now there's going to be a good show."

Colette nearly laughed out loud.

He felt the gloom from losing his credits had lifted considerably.

Twenty-one million credits.

Xu Jingming had only thirteen million five hundred thousand credits—still short by seven million four hundred thousand.

In the end, he borrowed one million four hundred eighty thousand from Lin Qianxue and six million from Senior Sister Yeli.

Only then did he complete the payment.

"Esteemed guest, your payment is complete.

This Venerable-level Demon Blood will be delivered to your Star Dome Academy within one stellar day."

A gentle female electronic voice echoed in his ear.

Immediately, a holographic projection appeared before Xu Jingming, displaying detailed logistics tracking information.

Xu Jingming casually shut off the projection and shook his head:

"Just a moment ago I thought I was rich.

Now I'm bankrupt and in debt up to my eyeballs."

He only hoped this drop of demon blood would be worth its astronomical price—or he'd be massively out of pocket.

The auction continued.

Several more SSS-grade rare materials appeared afterward.

Even an SSS1-grade resource surfaced, with a starting bid of thirty million credits.

Xu Jingming coveted them, but his pockets were emptier than his face—he could only stare helplessly.

Yeli and Lin Qianxue made a few purchases.

Yeli won a strange stone imbued with spatial primordial laws.

Lin Qianxue acquired several rare flowers that aided in comprehending lightning primordial laws.

Two hours later, the auction ended successfully.

The three of them exited the virtual universe simultaneously.

One day later.

A small transport vessel bearing the Star Alliance emblem glided through the starry void.

It landed steadily on the landing pad of a villa at the foot of Tianfeng Mountain.

Xu Jingming had already been waiting there.

After being promoted to academy assistant instructor, he moved out of the Eternal Day Archipelago.

Now he lived in the region at the foot of Tianfeng Mountain.

The cosmic yuan energy concentration here was several times denser than in the Eternal Day Archipelago.

Lin Qianxue's villa stood right next door.

Of course, since moving here,

Lin Qianxue had never stayed in her own villa—she always stayed with Xu Jingming.

Yueying, due to training under Lord Lingge and her classes,

couldn't remain here long-term, coming only occasionally.

Shhh—

The cabin door opened, and a Nirvana-level divine being clad in the Star Alliance's standard black robe stepped out.

His face was solemn.

He personally handed a sealed silver metal box to Xu Jingming.

"Assistant Xu Jingming, this is the item you won."

The black-robed divine being solemnly warned:

"I must remind you.

Though this drop of demonic blood has been diluted ten thousandfold, its demonic nature remains extraordinarily ferocious.

Use it with extreme caution—preferably in a completely sealed environment.

Once the container is opened, use it immediately.

Otherwise, if demonic qi leaks and triggers a demonic calamity, it will be troublesome."

"I understand, thank you for the warning," Xu Jingming nodded.

The black-robed divine being said no more and turned to board the vessel, departing.

The transport ship rose into the sky, becoming a streak of light that vanished among the clouds.

Xu Jingming carried the metal box back to the villa's cultivation chamber.

Lin Qianxue was already waiting inside, dressed in loose home attire.

Her long black hair hung loosely as she asked softly:

"Little brother, are you ready to absorb it now?"

"I'll have to absorb it sooner or later—might as well do it now."

Xu Jingming placed the silver metal box on the floor.

He took a deep breath and pressed the activation button.

"Hss—"

The lid slid open, and a biting, bone-chilling cold surged out first.

Then, a dark red glow spilled from within the box, bathing the entire chamber in crimson.

Xu Jingming's pupils contracted slightly.

Inside the box was a transparent crystal sphere, at its center floating that drop of dark red blood.

No larger than a fingernail, yet it pulsed slowly, as if alive.

A dark red aura swirled across its surface.

Most terrifying was the aura.

Even through the crystal sphere, Xu Jingming felt a pressure stemming from the very level of life itself!

It was the innate suppression of a high-rank demon over low-rank bloodlines!

"How is this possible..." Xu Jingming's heart trembled.

His Purple Nightmare Demon Body had already reached the fifth layer.

The demonic blood he'd absorbed before were all royal bloodlines, of the highest quality.

Logically, demonic blood pressure should have had almost no effect on him.

Yet this drop, diluted ten thousandfold, still made him feel suppressed!

But immediately, intense joy surged through him.

The stronger the demonic blood, the better!

It meant his sixth-layer Purple Nightmare Demon Body would gain far greater enhancement than expected!

"No wonder it's demon blood from a World Sovereign.

Even diluted ten thousandfold, its essence remains terrifying."

The demon girl Vila's soul form materialized.

Her purple eyes fixed tightly on the demonic blood, her voice filled with excitement:

"Absorb it quickly! The demonic origin within this blood is enough to cause a qualitative transformation in your demon body!"

"I understand."

Xu Jingming nodded and turned to Lin Qianxue: "Qianxue, guard me."

"Alright," Lin Qianxue nodded.

"Vila, get ready too," Xu Jingming added.

"Don't worry—I'll monitor your bloodline changes the entire time and warn you at the slightest anomaly."

Vila flew to his shoulder, her small face serious.

With the Soul-Eroding Mark on him, if Xu Jingming died, she would vanish too.

She would not allow any accident.

Seeing this, Xu Jingming no longer hesitated—he reached out and pressed his hand against the crystal sphere.

"Crack—"

Cracks appeared on the sphere's surface, then it shattered.

In that instant:

"Boom!!!"

Terrifying demonic qi erupted like a volcanic explosion!

Purple-red light shot skyward, staining the entire chamber blood-red!

Xu Jingming grunted.

He felt a wild, chaotic, murderous will surge violently into his mind, crashing through his consciousness.

Countless illusions instantly flashed before his eyes:

Mountains of corpses, seas of blood, stars shattering, billions of living beings wailing...

A purple demonic phantom with six wings on its back and six horns on its head roared to the heavens amid the blood sea.

Those crimson eyes seemed capable of swallowing souls!

"A mere diluted drop of demonic blood dares to act insolently!"

Xu Jingming roared, his eyes instantly turning gold-purple!

"Boom—"

The fifth layer of the Purple Nightmare Demon Body was fully activated!

His body swelled to five meters, his entire frame covered in purple scales.

Fleshy wings unfolded from his back, and fearsome demonic horns thrust forth from his forehead.

The bloodline pressure of the Purple Nightmare Demon Body erupted violently, colliding fiercely with the demonic blood's aura!

The two demonic bloodlines clashed fiercely within the cultivation chamber, the air cracking under unbearable strain.

At the same time, Xu Jingming's internal cultivation method, the Purple Nightmare Demon Scripture, spun wildly.

He opened his mouth and sucked in the floating demonic blood with a sudden force.

"Shhh!"

The demonic blood became a crimson thread, straight into his mouth!

"Ughh—!"

Xu Jingming let out a low roar, his whole body trembling violently.

The instant the demonic blood entered his body, it felt like a star exploding within!

Yet under the purification of the Purple Nightmare Demon Scripture, the violent demonic bloodline power was swiftly absorbed.

It began transforming into his own strength!