Chapter 292: The Universe

The Heaven's Dao Pavilion occupied a street ten li long, its buildings towering, walls vividly red, and at its entrance stood a line of guards clad in bright yellow armor.

These guards were all experts at the 10th Stage of Physical Body, Divine Transformation Realm; though still distant from the Divine Ability Secret Realm, each possessed the strength of five or six Xuan Huang烈Horses, and their armor was all low-grade spiritual artifacts.

Fang Yu saw this and clucked in admiration.

If Fang Zetao, head of the Fang family, came here, his strength might barely qualify him as a guard.

This revealed the mysterious nature of the Heaven's Dao Pavilion.

As Fang Yu moved forward, flashes of light descended from the sky—individual experts, some in the Divine Ability Secret Realm, others wearing spiritual artifact robes or even treasure-grade garments, all descended before the pavilion and walked inside.

"It's time again for the Heaven's Dao Pavilion's grand auction; countless magic treasures and elixirs will be sold this time. I've brought all my savings, hoping to buy a few pieces of Xuan Ying True Iron to forge Great Golden True Qi."

A voice from a newly arrived Divine Ability Secret Realm cultivator reached Fang Yu's ears.

Fang Yu stirred, knowing Xuan Ying True Iron was a meteoric iron rich in metal-element Xu Yuan Qi, though far inferior to Tai Bai Golden Star Stone—it was still a rare treasure; if one cultivated Yuhua Sect's great divine technique, Great Free玄Jin Sword Qi, just a few pieces would suffice to forge true qi.

"I'd like to buy a treasure-grade cauldron."

"I want to obtain the Supreme Nascent Soul Elixir—if I could take it for a year, I'd have a fifty percent chance of entering the Divine Ability Secret Realm!"

"Nascent Soul Elixir? Such elixirs aren't easy to come by; one hundred Bai Yang Dan are needed to exchange for one Nascent Soul Elixir. With our strength, acquiring even one Bai Yang Dan requires immense contributions and painstaking accumulation."

"Cultivation is truly arduous—when will I ever make enough contributions to earn the sect's rewards?"

Some cultivators were discussing, their words continuously reaching Fang Yu's ears.

He listened, then continued forward—until a yellow-clad guard blocked his path.

"Do you have an invitation from the Heaven's Dao Pavilion? Only those with invitations may enter this treasure sale. If you lack one, please return."

The yellow-jacketed guard said.

"Oh? Even I can't enter?"

Fang Yu flicked his finger; a thread of Daoist Gang Qi coiled between his fingers, condensing into a tiny, endlessly rotating array.

"Ah! A 5th Stage Heavy Heavenly Man Realm expert!"

The guard's expression instantly changed—he showed utter disbelief, stepped back several paces, and involuntarily displayed a reverent demeanor.

He had seen many Divine Ability Secret Realm experts and found them unremarkable—but a 5th Stage Heavy Heavenly Man Realm cultivator was no small matter; merely this realm's ability to forge spiritual artifacts and enable non-cultivators to fly granted it immense status in the Cultivation World!

Countless people yearned for a spiritual artifact but could never obtain one—even offering entire cities or countless beauties failed to secure one.

Yet such treasures, a 5th Stage Heavy Heavenly Man Realm cultivator could forge at will!

Even among the Ten Great Dao Sects, disciples reaching the 5th Stage "Heavy Heavenly Man Realm" were nurtured endlessly, treasured beyond measure, their status soaring.

For instance, after Fang Yu broke through to the Heavy Heavenly Man Realm, his sect agreed to grant him any single request—that was why he was allowed to enter the Small Immortal Realm for the second time.

"What? This man is a 5th Stage Heavy Heavenly Man Realm expert?"

"Heavy Heavenly Man Realm! So this is what a Heavy Heavenly Man Realm expert looks like. I've actually seen one today—what great fortune!"

"Esteemed elder, are you here to purchase the Five Elements' rare treasures?"

Suddenly, Fang Yu drew considerable attention. In the Dao Cultivation World, Divine Ability Secret Realm cultivators were common, but Heavy Heavenly Man Realm cultivators were elusive—seen by many as lofty sages.

Some even took pride in having seen Fang Yu, this Heavy Heavenly Man Realm expert.

"Step aside quickly—let me greet the elder."

At that moment, a voice arrived—a woman in a long gown flew over from afar, immediately ordered the yellow-armored guard to retreat, and hurriedly invited Fang Yu inside.

"Disciple Hong Xiu, executive disciple of the Heaven's Dao Pavilion, greets the elder. Your cultivation base certainly qualifies you—indeed, fully qualifies you—to attend the auction. This guard was ignorant; please do not blame him."

As she spoke, the woman named Hong Xiu presented Fang Yu with an invitation.

Fang Yu smiled, took the invitation—it had a pure gold base, characters carved from cold iron, and emitted faint magic power fluctuations—a magical artifact, impossible to counterfeit.

The woman named Hong Xiu was herself a Divine Ability Secret Realm cultivator, but her cultivation base was only the first stage, Magical Power Realm, and she had not yet condensed true qi.

"Your cultivation qualifies you as a distinguished guest—please follow me to the VIP chamber."

Hong Xiu spoke as she led Fang Yu forward.

"I've long heard the Heaven's Dao Pavilion is one of the Yellow Great World's Three Great Societies—if the price is right, even a Dao artifact can be auctioned. Is that true?"

Fang Yu followed Hong Xiu, surveying the pavilion's scenery as he spoke.

"Not at all—Dao artifacts are rare treasures beyond reach. Though we possess some, we would never auction them; they are used to stabilize our fortune. Such claims are merely rumors spread by outsiders."

Hong Xiu smiled faintly, then shifted tone. "May I ask, esteemed elder, where are you from? What are you seeking at this auction?"

"I've recently been cultivating a divine technique requiring rare treasures rich in spatial power. Does your Heaven's Dao Pavilion have any? As for my origins—I'm a lone cultivator."

Fang Yu's expression remained calm as he spoke softly.

"A lone cultivator? Seeking spatial power?"

Hong Xiu was internally startled—normally, 5th Stage Heavy Heavenly Man Realm experts first cultivated the Five Elements, balancing them before pursuing other techniques; thus, for such experts, Five Elements rare treasures were common commodities, highly sought after.

Yet this one sought spatial power rare treasures first—why?

Of course, she buried these doubts deep within, showing no sign.

"Rare treasures rich in spatial power are exceedingly scarce, but we do have some at this auction—though the price is steep. If you have any magic treasures or spiritual artifacts to sell, we can exchange them for Bai Yang Dan, which you may then use to bid on rare treasures. As a Heavy Heavenly Man Realm expert, we will offer you preferential rates for your spiritual artifacts."

Hong Xiu smiled sweetly, her tone laced with subtle overtures of alliance.

As they spoke, the two ascended to an upper floor, entering a private room.

Outside the room's window lay a vast square, no less grand than Yuhua Sect's gathering plaza—its countless seats were filled with people awaiting the Heaven's Dao Pavilion's display of treasures, waiting for the right moment to bid.

As for Fang Yu, a 5th Stage cultivator, he had a private VIP seat.

This was perfect—quiet and undisturbed; otherwise, he'd have to sit among the other cultivators, in a noisy, chaotic crowd.

"I do have magic treasures—I'll sell you a hundred spiritual artifact robes."

Fang Yu stood by the window, waved his hand, and a hundred spiritual artifact robes appeared in his grasp—all taken from slain Divine Clan members; he had over four hundred total, and this time he only brought out a hundred to sell—the rest might be used to reward his disciples.

"A hundred spiritual artifact robes?"

Hong Xiu was stunned—she hadn't expected Fang Yu to produce a hundred spiritual artifact robes at once. Though Heavy Heavenly Man Realm experts could forge spiritual artifacts, crafting a hundred robes was no small feat—if forged personally, it would take at least a century, perhaps two.

Hong Xiu pondered briefly—this elder must have encountered some extraordinary fortune to acquire so many spiritual artifacts—her face showed a mix of awe and excitement.

"A hundred high-grade spirit-garments, all fine high-grade spirit artifacts — they're hot, hard currency. Every major sect would scramble to get their hands on them. How about this, Senior? Normally a single high-grade spirit-garment goes for eighteen thousand White Yang Pills, but since you're buying in bulk, let's say twenty thousand White Yang Pills per garment. For all hundred spirit-garments, our Tiandao Pavilion will pay two million White Yang Pills to take the lot. What do you say?"

"Two million pills — not bad, not bad."

Fang Yu listened and felt the price was acceptable.

"In that case, Senior, it's a deal."

As she spoke, Red Sleeve drew from her sleeve a violet-crystal card. Characters flowed ceaselessly across its surface, displaying a number: two million.

"Mm."

Fang Yu nodded. He knew Tiandao Pavilion's credit was formidable. The various worlds of Yuhua Sect recorded an incident: the Manhuangmo Sect's Great Emperor of Manhuang had come in person to purchase elixirs for the several hundred thousand disciples under his banner, buying up a billion pills at once and paying with several supreme-grade treasure artifacts. Tiandao Pavilion, within a single day, mobilized a billion White Yang Pills to hand over to the Great Emperor of Manhuang.

That incident alarmed the Xiandaoshi Sect of the time, who for the first time grasped the true weight of Tiandao Pavilion.

Even now, the Pill King Elder of Yuhua Sect often came here to purchase elixirs.

The larger a Xiandao Sect Sect, the more disciples it has, and the faster its elixirs are consumed. Both the inner and outer disciples of Yuhua Sect must eat — must consume elixirs — and this seemed to be quite the headache for the Pill King Elder.

He didn't seem to have much money, so the elixirs he purchased were of fairly low grade — Essence Yuan Pills, Grain Grain Bigu Pills. Yuhua Sect had never even seen White Yang Pills, whereas sects like Weitaiyi Sect purchased White Yang Pills, even Nascent Soul Pills.

Of course, the largest producer of Nascent Soul Pills in the Yellow Great World was Weitaiyi Sect itself. Weitaiyi Sect possessed the immortal artifact Eternal Divine Furnace, which could produce vast quantities of Nascent Soul Pills, essentially monopolizing the Nascent Soul Pill market of the entire Yellow Great World.

"The auction is still some time away, Senior. Please wait a moment — I'll be right back."

Having just closed a two-million-pill deal, Red Sleeve cupped her fist toward Fang Yu, apparently intending to go report the matter.

Fang Yu nodded, letting Red Sleeve go, and leisurely sipped his tea on his own.

The jade table in this VIP room had dragon-ambergris incense burning beside it, and the tea on the table was no ordinary tea-leaf brew — it had been steeped with elixirs, astonishingly dissolved from Nascent Soul Pills.

Clearly his treatment was indeed excellent.

Looking down through the window, he could see the plaza below filled with people chatting, and a lofty sense of superiority welled up within him.

Fang Yu found it rather interesting. If he were now a cultivator at the 4th Stage of Divine Abilities of the Yin-Yang Realm, no matter how overwhelming his magic power, he would still have to sit in the plaza below. Only upon reaching the 5th Stage of Divine Abilities of the Heavenly Man Realm would one be entitled to a VIP room like this.

Such were the rules of the Cultivation World — realm was extremely important everywhere.