Yun Ze did not hesitate, and directly made a blood oath in front of Yun Xiao.
With the blood oath sworn, Yun Xiao's expression softened slightly.
"It seems you are truly not him..."
"Him?" Yun Ze was somewhat confused.
"Tu Xiu."
As Yun Xiao spoke, he tossed the third Immortal Shard to Yun Ze, "But you... you are very much like him."
Tu Xiu?
Wasn't that the legendary Emperor Gui Wu?
Yun Ze took the Immortal Shard, carefully storing it in his Spatial Ring, and asked curiously, "Like? Why do you say that?"
"It's not just me; your Brother Xiao thought so at first too."
Yun Xiao picked up the clear tea and took a sip. "He wanted to verify, but he didn't dare to force you to make a blood oath, nor did he dare to stay with you for long.
If you hadn't achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he probably wouldn't have dared to see you. As for Mu Si Yue and I, we never believed you were him.
But just now... I wavered."
"Why?"
Yun Ze asked, puzzled, "Just because of the Immortal Shard?"
"No, of course not."
Yun Xiao turned to look at Yun Ze. "Do you remember I told you about the person who pioneered the path of numerology five hundred years ago?"
"I remember... Wait, could that person be Emperor Gui Wu?"
"No."
Yun Xiao shook his head. "That person's name was Yan Luoshuang. You should have heard of him."
Yan Luoshuang?
Wasn't that the Dean of Tongtian Academy, that Venerable Qingfeng!
"A thousand years before him, another person opened up a new path. This path was also a branch of swordsmanship, called the Five Elements!"
Yun Xiao ignored Yun Ze's reaction and continued, "This person, was Tu Xiu."
Five Elements Sword Dao!
In other words, the Gui Wu Sword Canon I cultivated was actually a new path scripture from back then!
But... what did that prove?
Did Yun Xiao think I resembled him just because of this?
Yun Ze was confused and looked up at Yun Xiao.
"I know what you want to ask."
Yun Xiao met Yun Ze's gaze and then said, "The moment the Great Dao's voice fell, I mistook you for him."
"This..." Yun Ze gave a wry smile. "Isn't that a bit too far-fetched?"
"Far-fetched?"
Yun Xiao smiled and shook his head. "If we consider some people's opinions, then it's not far-fetched.
Therefore, I must confirm whether this is true while you are still weak."
Yun Ze fell silent.
He sensed killing intent in Yun Xiao's words, and the entire room fell silent.
In such a quiet environment, one always felt uneasy.
Hmm, speaking of which, had he forgotten something?
He felt like something was missing from his side.
*Clang!*
A few breaths later, a clear sound rang out from outside the crystal wall, interrupting Yun Ze's thoughts.
"The 200th auction of Cheng Tian Myriad Treasures Tower officially begins!"
The female auctioneer, dressed in a light purple dress, smiled at everyone. "Every hundredth auction is a grand one. Myriad Treasures Tower is grateful for everyone's patronage. Today, we have nineteen second-tier spiritual treasures and three third-tier spiritual treasures, for a total of twenty-two items.
The spiritual treasures will be presented shortly. We hope everyone will look forward to them.
Auctioneer Luo Yu wishes you all a pleasant evening."
As soon as she finished speaking, she bowed to everyone, exuding a radiant charm that captivated the onlookers. The entire auction hall erupted in cheers!
Regardless of gender or age.
Even Yun Ze felt his heart skip a beat!
Was this... the path of charm?
He shook his head and quickly reined in his thoughts, no longer looking ahead.
"Your state of mind is quite good."
Yun Xiao spoke again. "With your Foundation Establishment realm cultivation, to be able to withdraw from it in such a short time is not easy."
"This is charm?"
Seeing the atmosphere broken, Yun Ze followed up with a question. "Using charm on so many cultivators, won't something go wrong?"
"This is just a method. Whether it's Myriad Treasures Tower or other merchant guilds, such methods are tacitly approved."
Yun Xiao said calmly, "It's also a way to stir up emotions.
After all, cultivators have extremely long lifespans. If every day is dull and boring, who would desire immortality?"
Yun Ze nodded slowly, accepting this explanation.
"Next is the first item to warm up the auction today."
Luo Yu's voice rang out. A wooden tray covered with dark green silk was carried out by a young girl. "Second-tier spiritual material, Hong Yu Ancient Silver."
As the words fell, Yun Ze's gaze was drawn to it.
He hadn't expected the first item to be his Hong Yu Ancient Silver.
"Everyone has likely heard of Hong Yu Silver, the lightest second-tier spiritual material in the world, with a wide range of applications in refining. This ancient silver is an iteration of Hong Yu Silver from thousands, even tens of thousands of years ago.
Not only can it be used to forge third-tier spiritual artifacts, but according to our appraisers, it can even accommodate other second-tier Hong Yu Silver for smelting!
The starting bid is fifty thousand spirit stones, with each increment no less than two thousand spirit stones!"
Only fifty thousand spirit stones?
Yun Ze was surprised. When he turned to look at Yun Xiao, her voice had already spoken.
"For Foundation Establishment realm auctioneers, all items auctioned are calculated in second-grade spirit stones. This is a recognized rule of the auction."
Fifty thousand second-grade spirit stones?
That meant the starting bid was... five hundred thousand first-grade spirit stones!
As long as someone bid, he would have enough spirit stones to buy the Immortal Shard.
"One hundred thousand."
Before Yun Ze could recover, a voice rang out from a nearby private room.
That voice was... Luo Changhong?
Starting with a hundred thousand second-grade spirit stones, he truly lived up to his reputation as a third-tier artifact refiner, so rich and powerful!
"Hmph, he's quite generous." Yun Xiao snorted coldly.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Yun Xiao's reaction was unusual, Yun Ze couldn't help but ask, "Master, you..."
"I promised them both that if they handed over Xue Mei for auction, I would give each of them a second-tier item.
Of course, the auction process still needs to be followed, but I will pay the spirit stones."
"No wonder..."
Yun Ze smiled wryly, but it was a good thing.
After all, these one hundred thousand second-grade spirit stones would ultimately end up in his pocket!
"One hundred thousand spirit stones for the first bid, one hundred thousand spirit stones for the second bid..."
Strangely, Luo Yu's voice was extremely alluring, yet it could resonate throughout the entire auction hall, ensuring everyone could hear clearly.
After calling twice, she rested her hand on her chin and looked languidly at the crowd. "This is the first item of this auction. Don't any of you bosses want to get off to a good start?"
One hundred thousand second-grade spirit stones could buy ten second-tier spiritual artifacts!
Although this Hong Yu Ancient Silver was considered top-tier among second-tier spiritual materials, it didn't warrant such a high price.
After a few breaths, a dull thud sounded on the stage.
*Clang!*
"One hundred thousand spirit stones for the third bid, sold!"
Luo Yu struck the gavel and bowed slightly towards Luo Changhong's direction. "Thank you, sir. Please wait a moment, the item will be delivered to your room shortly."
"Alright, the second item..."
As Luo Yu's voice rang out, another spiritual treasure covered in dark green silk was brought to the auction stage. "Spirit Armor, Zhen Shan!
This item is..."
Yun Ze was not interested in spirit armor, so he didn't listen to Luo Yu's introduction.
He turned to look at Yun Xiao and found her watching with great interest. "...Master."
"Hmm?"
"What if I am him?"
"Then I will kill you."
Yun Ze froze.
This answer was within his expectations, yet also beyond them.
Although he knew from Senior Sister Mu that the relationship between this senior sister and Emperor Gui Wu was not a traditional master-disciple one, nor even partners, but merely a relationship of convenience.
He hadn't expected it to reach the point of wanting to kill.
"Are you surprised by this answer?"
"Somewhat," Yun Ze replied honestly.
"Then let's try to see it from another perspective."
Yun Xiao shifted her gaze from the lively auction items to Yun Ze's face. "In a village, there is a hen that lays golden eggs. This hen belongs to a great villain. Although some minor villains covet it, they dare not act.
If one day, this great villain is forced away by another great villain and suddenly disappears from the village with the hen.
However, he leaves behind a large number of golden eggs, and specifically writes that these golden eggs are for you.
For the first few days, there's no issue. But as more and more minor villains come to snatch your golden eggs, you struggle with all your might to protect those few eggs.
Then one day, a being as weak as you appears before you, carrying that hen.
He looks very much like the great villain, but instead of dealing with the minor villains who stole the golden eggs, he comes to find you, a weakling with no power.
He doesn't mention the golden eggs, even pretending not to know about them.
What would you assume?"
Yun Ze fell silent.
He understood the meaning of Yun Xiao's story.
The position of Vice-Tower Master of Myriad Treasures Tower was one of the golden eggs left by Emperor Gui Wu, and also one of the golden eggs guarded by Yun Xiao!
If Emperor Gui Wu truly returned with Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he would naturally seek out this golden egg as capital for his comeback.
As for the person guarding the golden egg... they would naturally be eliminated!
Of course, this was also an opportunity for the person guarding the golden egg. As long as they seized the chance while the great villain was injured and killed him, the golden egg would forever belong to her.
"I need the golden egg."
Yun Xiao spoke again, turning her gaze back to the auction. "I am now three hundred and ninety-four years old, and the three hundred years of lifespan gained from Earth Dao Foundation Establishment are about to run out.
Over the years, I have consumed many longevity-extending items, but my lifespan will only last for another twenty-six years at most.
After twenty-six years, I will die of old age.
My only chance to live is to form a Core!"
"Forming a Core..."
A mocking smile appeared on Yun Xiao's lips. "For you prodigies, it might just be a hurdle, a breakthrough.
But for me, it is my limit!"
Yun Ze then remembered that the spiritual root of the person before him was the worst, a single-attribute Yellow-grade low-grade spiritual root!
If Senior Sister Mu hadn't told him, he might have forgotten it, seeing her chat with Golden Core realm powerhouses.
"I need this golden egg. Only it can give me a sliver of hope!"
Yun Xiao turned to look at Yun Ze, her eyes filled with killing intent. "Whether you are him or not, no matter who you are, anyone who touches this golden egg of mine will have only one outcome... death!"
*Clang!*
Another dull thud sounded.
"Zhen Shan Armor, sixty thousand spirit stones for the third bid, sold!"
"Next is the third item."
Luo Yu beckoned, and this time, a dark green silk also appeared.
She casually lifted the silk, revealing a dark green mushroom trapped in a crystal ball.
This mushroom was ethereal and dreamlike, with facial features growing on its cap, just like a child!
"Top-grade second-tier Mu Yuan Ling. Those who use it to form a Core can extend their lifespan by a hundred years, and wearing it constantly can ward off poisons below the second-tier.
The starting bid is thirty thousand spirit stones, with each increment no less than one thousand spirit stones."
Yun Ze's gaze was immediately drawn to it.
This was... one of the Nine Essences for Core Formation!
Although he was still far from reaching the Core Formation stage, and Bu Bu had said there were other ways to help him form a Core, he still needed to prepare these Nine Essences in advance to avoid being caught off guard. If he couldn't use them, he could always sell them later.
"Do you want it?"
Yun Xiao's voice sounded in his ear.
Yun Ze nodded repeatedly.
He now realized that the person before him was a genuine wealthy patron!
"Then let's talk about the division."
Yun Xiao did not bid, but turned to look at Yun Ze. "As long as you are willing to cooperate with me, anything you want, I can advance the spirit stones for you.
Even... if you want Xue Mei, it's fine."