The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 278: The Vigor of the No.1 House!

The Vigor of the No.1 House! . . .

The individuals before them were distinctive in their appearance, their only colors being the darkness of their hair and the depth of their eyes. Black garments, black shoes, black hats, black belts, and black swords and shields—every article of clothing and accessory they wore was black. It was a monochromatic ensemble, only contrasted by the whites of their eyes.

These two peculiar groups moved with deliberate grace, their strides unhurried and their demeanor composed. They seemed to regard the mighty cultivators ahead of them with indifference, treating those capable of altering the world with a mere step as inconsequential.

Among them, a sedan was carried by eight individuals, four in white on the left and four in black on the right. The men from the two prominent sects narrowed their eyes. One of them at the forefront let out an odd laugh and spoke, "Who dares to obstruct the Sunlight Sect as we seek entry to the salesroom? How audacious!"

Yet, the approaching figures continued their unhurried progress, seemingly impervious to the man's words.

An elder from the Starlight Sect regarded the Sunlight Sect member with disdain, his thoughts silently mocking, [Observe how you were dismissed with indifference while speaking! The Sunlight Sect lacks the necessary influence! Watch me!] He announced loudly, "Halt! I am Li Wanchun of the Starlight Sect!"

In reality, he possessed little influence himself.

However, the two groups continued their gradual advance, their pace unchanged.

Li Wanchun grew irate and was on the verge of raising his voice when he witnessed a token soar from the sedan. A cold, commanding voice resonated clearly, "Step aside!"

The token floated through the air, as if unseen hands held it aloft.

Sunlight illuminated the token, causing it to emit countless radiant beams of light. Subsequently, four words materialized on the doors of the salesroom, accompanied by an overwhelming and dominant force.

Everyone present felt the incredible and irresistible power emanating from it, as though this force could subdue all things in the world.

A hush fell over the crowd, and a profound stillness gripped them as they beheld the four words that had appeared.

Two of the words adorned the left door, reading "The Chaos," while the lone word on the right door proclaimed "The Storm." Between these four words, a minuscule, ethereal structure materialized in midair.

Though small in size, it exuded grandeur, leaving onlookers humbled by its presence.

The House of the Chaotic Storm!

The world's foremost establishment!

Not a soul dared to utter a word when they realized who had arrived, not even the two great sects. Their gazes were filled with a blend of fear and reverence as they regarded the four words, the illusory yet seemingly tangible structure, the suspended token, the two lines of enigmatic figures, and the sedan among them.

The token lingered in the air for a brief moment before making its gradual descent.

However, the four words did not vanish immediately. They remained, bathed in the sunlight, slowly encompassing the entire front facade of Ling-Bao Hall.

As the token returned to the sedan, the words dissolved into nothingness.

A pin dropping to the ground would have been heard in the ensuing silence.

Then, a voice emanated from within the sedan. "What a beautiful day. Cough. Who dared to halt us just now?"

The voice, clear and resonant, belonged to a young woman.

All eyes in the crowd turned toward Li Wanchun in unison.

Li Wanchun's countenance, previously rosy and vigorous, had now turned a shade of purple. He laughed awkwardly, attempting to downplay the situation. "Hahaha... It was a mistake. Just a misunderstanding. Li Wanchun did not know it was your arrival... May I inquire as to the identity of the lady in the sedan?"

There was no response from within the sedan. Instead, a disdainful humph and a cold command followed. "Proceed."

The sedan was elevated once more, and the two lines of individuals maintained their formation as they advanced toward the salesroom. Remarkably, the eight men bearing the sedan ventured into Ling-Bao Hall while still carrying their precious burden.

The lady in the sedan continued to ignore Li Wanchun, neither responding nor deigning to acknowledge his presence.

In the gaze of the assembled eminent cultivators, Li Wanchun felt as though he had been slapped across the face, a profound sense of humiliation welling up within him.

However, he concealed his emotions effectively, maintaining a forced smile and bowing slightly to allow the newcomers to enter first. He dared not reveal any trace of his inner turmoil.

Li Wanchun's gaze remained fixated on the floor, a deliberate choice to shield the malicious intensity burning in his eyes from anyone's notice. He couldn't bear to meet the eyes of the others present.

Meanwhile, members of the Sunlight Sect openly reveled in his discomfort.

[Let's see your arrogance now! How does it feel to be humbled? Do you still dare to provoke us? You've certainly bitten off more than you can chew. Look at that foolish expression on your face... It brings me immense satisfaction. Hahaha... Yes, we are also disgraced, but you, my friend, have it worse. You have to feign happiness amidst your shame. Pathetic...]

However, Li Wanchun wasn't the sole recipient of this humiliation.

Among the assembly of the eight noble clans, several individuals mirrored Li Wanchun's subservient posture, heads bowed and necks drenched in sweat, a palpable aura of panic surrounding them.

These individuals hailed from the Mu Clan.

In the previous auction, members of the Mu Clan had offended Xiu of Heavens from the House of the Chaotic Storm, resulting in the brutal death of over a hundred of their kin.

The Mu Clan had long sought to extend their apologies, yet they had been systematically denied access or simply couldn't locate the entrance to the House of the Chaotic Storm.

Now, they found themselves in another auction.

And once again, the House of the Chaotic Storm loomed over them.

The three delegates from the Mu Clan felt their legs quiver, a sense of ill fate settling upon them.

They were truly unlucky.

Among the attendees from another clan, a young man ventured to ask in a hushed tone, "What is the House of the Chaotic Storm?"

Before he could finish his inquiry, an elderly man beside him promptly covered the young man's mouth with his hand, desperately trying to stifle any further utterances. Beads of sweat gathered on the old man's forehead as his entire body trembled from the shock he had just administered.

He had struck the young man's mouth so forcefully that the poor youth nearly choked on his words.

[Oh, dear young master... What you just said is absolutely...]