Carbira sat beside Yasenia and grabbed her arm, feeling a bit scared.
Although she was in her eighties, Carbira had lived a relatively peaceful life. During her life, because of her appearance, after becoming independent, Carbira never truly became a relevant person.
She slowly and gradually increased her strength, and with her work in this Auction, she gained enough to feed herself and buy some cultivation resources.
Following her hermit crab bloodline, she was also very easygoing.
Therefore, unlike Ghana, whom Tengliu raised, she was much more honest and had never been in contact with what had happened to her the last three days.
Yasenia used her arm to circle her shoulders and pull her toward her. Carbira's cheeks became rosy, regaining a bit of their lost color. "Are you okay, Carbira?"
"Y-Yes. I'm just not used to seeing this kind of brutality." She was honest with her feelings.
Yasenia smiled. "I see. Say, Carbira, is caressing your shell something intimate?"
Carbira nodded with a deepened blush. The question for her sounded like, "Is it intimate to rub your breasts?"
Yasenia nodded and didn't use her tail to stroke her shell. She just patted her head and hugged her over her shoulder to relax her.
It worked like a charm.
As it had happened a few times, Tengliu didn't lose the chance to sit on Yasenia's other side.
Tatyana snorted. "Oy, little bird. I know you are trying to soften my daughter by carefully avoiding stepping over the line she placed for you. However, can you stop being this shameless and not sticking to her at each given opportunity?"
Tengliu laughed and hugged Yasenia's arm. "I don't want to~. Sorry, Tatyana, but I'm getting very fond of your daughter."
Tatyana rolled her eyes. "As if that's something out of the ordinary. Either way, control yourself. You've had your few hours of immunity. Now it is time to be more restrained."
Tengliu asked. "Are you uncomfortable, Yasenia?"
Yasenia sighed. "It's not about that, Tengliu. Do you really think that, although we can get along, my feelings for you can get better within a single afternoon?"
Tengliu shook her head.
Yasenia nodded. "I don't mind the intimacy since I can feel the lack of harmful intentions. However, to say that I like it is a stretch. It's like…" Yasenia's face became a bit weird. "Sorry for being rude, but it is like being licked by a wild dog that just bit me. I don't dislike it, but I'm still resentful toward the dog."
Tengliu's snowy eyebrow twitched. "I understand."
The auctioneer finally resumed the event. "We ask to be excused for this setback. It was our negligence, and we were also saved by the reasonable and understanding seniors participating in our event. Without further ado, we'll restart it."
"The beautiful sword we previously revealed, powerful enough that an unidentified group tried to steal it, is called [Cloud Trimer]. The name originated from its ability to cut clouds as if they were solid objects! It's a simple sword with its edge sharpened to an unbelievable degree that even cutting air is possible. Each strike will create vacuums, and any sword cultivator will find this sword a perfect fit!"
"The initial price of the sword is 600,000 flawless Parus with a minimum increment of 60,000."
Yasenia praised the woman. "A very good speech to place things on track again and excite the bidders."
Carbira asked. "Won't this push back people because of the risk?"
Yasenia shook her head. "Their market aim is the major powers. They will not be scared of a group that could only send Peak-level Ethereal Soul cultivators."
Carbira nodded. "I see."
The bids came from many sword-related sects, and the price increased wildly.
"740,000!"
"800,000!"
"900,000!"
They knew each treasure type was unique, so this was the only sword among the top ten treasures.
Therefore, all sword sects did not hold back and poured all the capital they came with.
"One million one hundred thousand Parus! One million two hundred thousand!"
Carbira, who was about to receive a small part of this wealth, was so excited that she was jumping in Yasenia's arms. "Lady Yasenia, look at the price soar!"
Yasenia saw her protruding eyes moving joyfully, and her gaze softened.
"2,400,000!"
"2,600,000!"
The auctioneer continued shouting price after price, and finally, names began flying.
"The Nine Earthly Sword Sect bids 6,200,000!"
"The Spirit Severing Sect bids 7,000,000!"
"The Nine Earthly Sword Sect bids 8,000,000!"
"The Descend of Body Sword Sect bids 8,500,000!"
…
"The Nine Earthly Sword Sect bids Eleven million six hundred sixty thousand!"
The auctioneer saw no more bids coming and began counting.
"Eleven million six hundred sixty thousand going once! Eleven million six hundred sixty thousand going twice! Eleven million six hundred sixty thousand going three times! And… 11,660,000 going four times! Congratulations to the Nine Earthly Sword Sect for getting one of our ten top treasures, the [Cloud Trimer]!"
The person who descended to take the sword was one of the Core seniors, much stronger than Elder Hao, who Yasenia was familiar with.
"I'll take it directly from here. Just in case there are still filthy robbers lying around."
Yasenia squinted and guessed his cultivation level. 'A middle-level Epoch Core cultivator. About as strong as Finnegan from the Lobster Clan.'
The auctioneer respectfully presented the sword. "Thank you very much for trusting us with our guarantee of quality. I hope the sword can help the Nine Earthly Sword Sect cut a path forward."
The elder picked it up and froze.
The energy inside the blade was razor-sharp. The feeling was like a single flick of his wrist would be enough to split mountains.
Tengliu said. "He is the fifth elder. He's quite a tough guy who has achieved the Fourth-level Sword Intent. Sword Intent is purely offensive, so most of the time, it can overcome levels and face against higher level intents."
Yasenia asked. "I know the limits of intent is around level nine. Is there anyone with such an intent?"
Tengliu blinked and then laughed. "The highest-level intent achieved is level six, which, by the way, was achieved by me. If you really manage to reach level seven in intent, you'll be matchless as long as you aren't overwhelmed by numbers."
Yasenia blinked. "Which intent?"
Tengliu smirked. "[Instinct Intent]."
Tatyana lifted an eyebrow. "Really?"
Tengliu nodded.
Tatyana was impressed. "Maybe your Fate-attributed body allowed you to achieve it. That's really powerful for this world. You should be one of the top powerhouses, right?"
Tengliu didn't deny it. "Few can match me, yes."
Tatyana asked. "What about the old monsters in hiding? They might have surpassed you, right?"
Tengliu shook her head. "Those old bastards don't care about anything but breaking through the limits and ascending. They are all reaching the end of their lifespans and are in a precarious balance of life and death."
Cecile was confused. "Balance?"
Yasenia asked. "Old monsters?"
Tengliu smiled and answered them. "They are in a balance because if they stop cultivating, they will die. Their lifespan is at the end, and they are basically a candle relying on the oil left behind after being consumed. Therefore, those ancestors are not counted when I speak about power."
"And yes, they exist. They are all at the peak of the Epoch Core Realm, and it is tradition that once a senior reaches this level, they will retreat and try to break through. About five percent of the first rated powers have at least one senior at this level."
Tengliu looked at Tatyana. "Also, since they are focused on cultivation, their intents have stagnated for a long time, and it doesn't really vary from us. As I said before, I'm the only person with a level-six intent. Including those mummies."
Yasenia blinked and added this information to her mind.
Cecile was curious and asked. "Does the Harpy race also have one?"
Tengliu nodded. "There are two of them still clinging to their lives. I haven't seen them for a few centuries... Maybe they've kicked the bucket? Who knows. These people only appear when their power is about to be destroyed."
Yasenia sighed. 'Hidden powers slumbering within the top powers is the last thing I wanted.'
The auctioneer approached the second red curtain and pulled it down, revealing a beautiful and revealing red robe.
Tengliu smiled and squeezed Yasenia's arm between her breasts. "That dress would suit you, Yasenia."
Cecile looked over and agreed. "Should we buy it? We've gained eleven million from the sword."
Yasenia rolled her eyes. "Do you want to spend that fortune on a dress I probably won't wear? All my gear is on the mid-level heaven-ranked and above."
Tengliu looked at Yasenia's clothes and asked. "Is this dress that strong?"
Yasenia commented. "It's probably a bit weaker than the high-level heaven-ranked treasure. However, this dress grows with me as it is my Innate Outfit."
Tengliu and Carbira were impressed and looked down to observe the dress.
However, the pair of large, mostly exposed, soft white mountains took away most of their attention.
'Really big.'
"… The starting price for this dress is 450,000 Flawless Parus with a minimum increment of 45,000."
"500,000!"
…
"The [Nine Harmony Sect] bids 800,000."
…
"The Ethereal Song Sect bids 4,900,000!"
"The Nine Harmony Sect bids 5,500,000!"
…
"The Ocean Swallowing Mermaids bid 10,000,000!"
Tengliu exclaimed. "They are here?"
Yasenia remembered. "They are the second strongest race in the Thirty-Three Clans, right?"
Tengliu shook her head. "On the surface, they are second because they don't bother expanding outside the ocean. However, their members are extremely strong, and their leader is probably in the top three of the continent strength-wise, including old monsters, and she is just in the high-level of the Epoch Core Realm."
Yasenia's face became solemn. 'Powers are truly not simple in this continent. Thankfully, I took precautions and wasn't arrogant enough to think I would easily dominate the people of this backward world.'
After the Ocean Swallowing Mermaids bid, nobody challenged them, and they quickly gained the dress.
Tengliu muttered. "My six million might be a bit lacking if I want to get one item. The competition is harsher than I anticipated."
Ghana spoke. "Matriarch, should I inform my sisters to gather more capital?"
Tengliu nodded. "Please, do so. Gather another ten million. I don't think we can retrieve more than that in a short amount of time."
Ghana took out a communication device and spoke through it.
Yasenia's tail calmly swished as she saw the following treasures being sold.
Her high-level items all sold for an average of ten million.
The only ones left were the two peak-level items: an armor and a pill.
The pill would help anyone cross a tribulation without fail and purify the body and soul to a very high degree.
It was the only one Yasenia had, but neither she nor her dears wanted to use shortcuts during tribulation unless the items would be more natural, so they decided to sell it for an exorbitant price.
**********************************************
Author: They are making bank!
Evelyn: We are rich~.
Andrea: We really are rich.
Kali: Love, what are you going to do with all this money?
Yasenia: Well… That's something the me in the novel should say.
Author: That's right! Let's get with the theater~. I summon you!
WPOmega: Hello~.
Evelyn: Hahaha, welcome again~.
WPOmega: Well, we know each other, so this is the question.
WPOmga: Tatyana, what's your best guess on how your undead legions would react to your new body compared to your original one? Like if you'd have any volunteers for sparring partners from within your own ranks or something?
Tatyana: Hmm… They probably wouldn't react.
WPOmega: Oh?
Tatyana: I mean, the thing they identify me with is my soul. As I said it many times already, I have one soul controlling two bodies. Hence, they would become confused for a second, but a single explanation would suffice.
WPOmega: What about the spar thing?
Tatyana: Using my undead as sparring partners is not bad. However, the sentient Undead under my command are all but one in the Transcendence Realm or above.
WPOmega: Who?
Tatyana: Alyssa.
WPOmega: Oh!
Tatyana: I don't know if many forgot, but she is the one who tried to trap Yasenia in the earlier chapters and the culprit of Kali's situation.