Chapter 1417: The Treasure

Chapter 1417: Treasure Map

Ye Chen returned to the auction venue just as the bidding for the Tian Can Shen Jian concluded. The price was astronomical, with the Yao Clan Shen Zi winning the bid at ninety-nine million, crushing all other bidders.

The people in the audience grumbled among themselves, casting resentful glances at the private rooms on the second floor. Throughout the auction, countless treasures were claimed by those three major forces, making everyone else feel like they were simply there to fill seats.

The auction continued, with the white-haired elder efficiently hosting. One item after another was brought out, each one attracting eager eyes from all directions, igniting excitement in everyone's gazes.

Ye Chen glanced at the latest item and took a liking to it, but lacking the funds to bid, he headed straight up to the second floor.

The black-and-white elders guarding the private room saw that it was Ye Chen and immediately their expressions darkened. It was all because of this Quasi-Saint realm young man that the goddess and godson of Dan Zun Hall had fallen out so badly.

Even so, they didn't block his path, as they had prior orders from Hong Chen Xue.

Ye Chen gave a dry laugh and stepped inside. There, he saw the reincarnated purple-haired youth and the bald old man bowing in respect, their eyes brimming with tears, their emotions plain to see.

Ye Chen smiled and casually handed them two storage bags. "Now that your seals are lifted, don't waste time. Xuan Huang is vast, and the myriad domains of the heavens are even larger. Find what you can along the way."

"No time like the present—we'll set off right away." The purple-haired youth and the bald old man quickly wiped away their tears, took the storage bags, and turned to leave the room. "Holy Lord, until we meet again."

"Until we meet again." Ye Chen watched them go with a smile, then found a comfortable spot to sit and drink.

"I saw you head to the back hall earlier. Were you chatting with the seniors from Dong Huang Ancient City? Did you pick up any good treasures?" Hong Chen Xue asked with a smile.

"Pick up treasures? I was nearly scared out of my wits." Ye Chen sighed, but he didn't go into the details of the conversation. Thinking back on it, he still felt a bit of lingering fear. Thankfully, the one-armed elder had shown the demeanor of a senior and given face to the Six Paths, or else Ye Chen might have already been wandering the Yellow Springs Road.

"The Huang Gu Saint Body—it's always in demand no matter where you go." Xiao Jiuxian pouted from the side. "One of these days, I should have my grandfather chat with you. Who knows, he might toss you something nice if he's in a good mood."

"Let me ask you two about something." Ye Chen took a swig of wine and turned to Hong Chen Xue and Xiao Jiuxian. "Do you know the origin of the Emperor Weapon in Dong Huang Ancient City?"

"I know this one." Xiao Jiuxian chuckled. "It's the Zhu Tian Xian Jian from Zhu Tian Da Di."

"Zhu Tian Da Di—what a flashy imperial title." Ye Chen clicked his tongue in admiration.

"Among the one hundred and thirty emperors of Xuan Huang, he was the first from the Huang Gu era." Hong Chen Xue chimed in. "Just like the other emperors of Xuan Huang, he was a figure who shook the ancients and dazzled the present."

"I wonder if the emperors of the heavens would crawl out of their coffins if they knew their Emperor Weapon was damaged by the Six Paths." Ye Chen muttered to himself, half-jokingly, though he worried he might get dragged into it too.

As he thought of the Six Paths, he couldn't help but pull out the ancient scroll given to him by the one-armed elder. He was curious about what was sealed inside, but even his immortal eyes couldn't penetrate it or break the seal.

One thing he was certain of was that whatever was in the ancient scroll was tied to the Six Paths—perhaps even something they wanted. Unfortunately, with his current cultivation, he couldn't unlock it.

Hong Chen Xue and Xiao Jiuxian both glanced at the ancient scroll, their eyes narrowing slightly at the same time, as if they could sense its extraordinary nature, beyond what they could fathom.

The private room fell quiet, but downstairs, the auction was in full swing. Treasures were brought out one after another, driving the event to new heights of excitement. Bidders argued fiercely, their faces flushed and necks strained, nearly coming to blows on the spot.

Time passed quickly, and by dawn, the auction had reached its final stages. Everyone in the audience sat up straight, knowing the headline items were about to be unveiled—these were what they were truly after.

"Hurry, hurry—the big treasure!" Xiao Jiuxian rushed to the window, not forgetting to wave Ye Chen and Hong Chen Xue over. "I hear it's a treasure map. It has to be something incredible."

No need for her to call them; Hong Chen Xue and Ye Chen were already approaching, peering down at the central platform below.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the white-haired elder hosting the auction waved his hand and produced a sealed scroll. It looked ancient, exuding an aura of antiquity—it was indeed a treasure map.

"This is the final item from Dong Huang Ancient City." The white-haired elder smiled. "As the rumors say, it's a treasure map leading to an immortal realm, filled with countless legendary treasures."

"If there are treasures, why doesn't Dong Huang Ancient City claim them themselves?" Many old veterans rubbed their hands skeptically. "This treasure is probably just a myth. Are we supposed to believe we're getting such a handout?"

"This treasure map is only a fragment—it's incomplete." The white-haired elder replied calmly. "But Dong Huang Ancient City can assure you all that the treasures do exist."

"We don't buy it." The same group of skeptics persisted, unwilling to believe in free windfalls.

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you." The white-haired elder said, then lifted the seal on the map, revealing just a small corner. "As per the city lord's request, everyone here can take a look at this section."

At his words, everyone's eyes lit up. They hadn't expected Dong Huang Ancient City to be so generous. Since they were allowing a peek, no one held back—it might even be a familiar place.

The elder only uncovered about five inches of the map, covered in dense markings that made people's heads spin.

In the private room, Ye Chen and Hong Chen Xue took a look and paused for a moment, exchanging glances with odd expressions. The map looked extremely familiar to them.

"If I'm not mistaken, that should be the Bei Zhen Cang Yuan of Da Chu." Hong Chen Xue said with a laugh.

"You're the Holy Lord of Ren Huang, so if you say it is, then it is." Ye Chen couldn't help but smile.

"This is quite the surprise." Hong Chen Xue laughed too. "Dong Huang Ancient City's headline item turns out to be a map of Da Chu—and it's incomplete at that. What a 'treasure map'."

"This is going to trick a lot of people." Ye Chen glanced toward the private rooms of the Shen Clan, Yao Clan, and Feng Huang Clan. They were all determined to win it, with sky-high bids in mind. He was just surprised where Dong Huang Ancient City had gotten a map of Da Chu from—was it passed down by their ancestors?

"The starting bid is one million. Let the bidding begin." Down below, the white-haired elder's voice rang out.

"I'll bid—"

"Five billion." The white-haired elder had barely finished when a Great Saint stood up, but his price was cut off by a domineering voice—it was the Yao Clan Shen Zi.

"I guess I'll just sit here and have some tea." The Great Saint felt awkward, something he hadn't experienced in his two thousand years of cultivation. He'd tried to make a splash, only to be shut down instantly.

"Comparing yourself to them is just depressing." The other veterans who had been ready to bid sat back down, all shaking their heads. "We can't even match their pocket change!"

"We're all here to bid, so why is the gap so huge?" Murmurs of envy rose from the crowd. Five billion source stones—that was enough to sustain a major sect. What a fortune.

"So loaded." Ye Chen stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming mischievously as he wondered if he could siphon the storage bags of those three gods into his own pocket.

"This map is a must-have for the Yao Clan." The Yao Clan Shen Zi stood boldly at the window, overlooking the venue with an air of dominance, as if daring anyone to challenge him.

Well, that statement silenced the crowd below. With words like that, who dared bid against him? Even if they had the guts, they didn't have the funds.

"The Yao Clan is putting on quite a show!" Not everyone downstairs was deterred—up above, the Shen Clan Shen Zi jumped in, also positioning himself at the window and eyeing the Yao Clan side with interest. "The Shen Clan bids five billion five million, and we're determined to win it."

"Six billion." The Shen Clan Shen Zi hadn't even finished flexing when the Feng Huang Shen Zi overbid him, the number echoing through the venue with a hint of mockery and provocation.

"Six billion five million." The Yao Clan Shen Zi's face turned colder. "Go ahead, top that."

"Seven billion." The Yao Clan Shen Zi barely got the words out before the Shen Clan Shen Zi outdid him.

"Seven billion five million." The Feng Huang Shen Zi smiled faintly, far more composed than the other two, as if he had an endless supply of funds.

"The Feng Huang Clan has some real backbone." The Yao Clan Shen Zi snorted coldly and dropped out of the bidding.

"The Shen Clan bids eight billion." The Yao Clan Shen Zi might have backed down, but the Shen Clan Shen Zi pressed on, his eyes flashing with menace, ready to go head-to-head with the Feng Huang Shen Zi.

"Eight billion five million." The Feng Huang Shen Zi's expression darkened slightly—this was his limit. If the Shen Clan Shen Zi raised it further, he'd have no choice but to concede.

With that bid, the Shen Clan Shen Zi fell silent, grinding his teeth in frustration. The entire venue could hear the sound. He'd miscalculated, not anticipating the Feng Huang Clan's tenacity.

The Great Saints behind him sighed. Their godson had been too flashy earlier, snapping up treasures left and right, and now it had cost them the advantage.

"Any further bids?" The white-haired elder glanced at the Shen Clan Shen Zi.

"No more." The Shen Clan Shen Zi gritted his teeth. He'd thought he was being restrained, but in the end, he still lost to the Feng Huang Shen Zi. A major miscalculation.

"In that case, thank you to the Shen Clan." The Feng Huang Shen Zi let out a quiet breath of relief. Defeating the Shen Clan Shen Zi meant securing the win for everyone. The treasure map was now the Feng Huang Clan's.

"The treasure map goes to the Feng Huang Clan." The white-haired elder, perhaps exhausted, hammered it down final. With the headline item sold, he could finally take a break—his head was buzzing.

"The Feng Huang Clan sure has deep pockets." The veterans below rubbed their hands, glancing enviously at the Feng Huang Clan's private room. "This has to be the most thrilling auction I've ever attended."

"I'd love to see the Feng Huang Clan's faces when they can't find the treasures." Ye Chen looked over at the Feng Huang Shen Zi with a suppressed grin. "Eight billion five million—now that's a flashy price."

"Enough gloating." Hong Chen Xue shot him a look. "Go down and collect your small cauldron, then come with me back to Dan Zun Hall. There should be quite a few reincarnated individuals there."