Seven days had passed.
The day of the very first auction hosted by the Monarch Auction House had finally arrived.
Calyx had just woken up. He left his room and immediately headed to his favorite spot—a modern-style balcony located 3rd floor at the back of the auction house.
The Monarch Auction House was designed with two distinct sections. At the front was the auction hall—massive in size and capable of accommodating at least 10,000 people. At the back, separated by a large wall, was the residential area, which resembled a luxurious mansion.
The residence had many rooms, and at the very center was the most lavish of them all—Calyx's room.
Outside, a lush garden spread across the grounds, with a pool and many modern features.
On the balcony, Selene was already there waiting for Calyx. This was part of their usual morning routine.
She had been waiting for hours. Selene always woke up very early to train with her sword, then brewed Calyx's coffee, and prepared breakfast once he arrived.
"Good morning, Master. Here is your coffee," Selene greeted him softly.
"Good morning, and thank you," Calyx replied with a smile.
Ever since that sunset encounter, Selene had avoided looking him in the eyes and always bowed her head when speaking to him.
'My maid has really become shy,' Calyx thought.
He slumped into the chair, sipping his coffee as he enjoyed the refreshing and relaxing view of the forested mountains.
"By the way, Selene, you don't need to cook breakfast today."
"Ah? Why not, Master?"
"I'll be teleporting to my clone and joining the people from the Ice Domain Temple. I'll attend the auction with them."
He paused, then added, "Let Nyx, Lilith, Dante, and the others know so they won't be confused."
"Okay, Master... be careful."
Calyx laughed. "Silly girl. Why would I need to be careful? As I've said, I'm the strongest in the world."
"I'll be going now." He placed the empty mug down—and disappeared.
…
Over at the Ice Domain Temple, they were currently traveling aboard their Rank 1 flying ship.
There were about 10 people on board, including Larisha, Calyx, and several elders.
To Calyx, the ship was moving at an incredibly slow pace.
Moments later, Larisha approached him.
"Sir Calyx... what do you think about that auction house?"
"It's mysterious. I'm not entirely sure, but... they might not be from the Desolate Region."
"W-What? Not from the Desolate Region? Do you know of places outside it, Sir Calyx?"
"Yes. My master once told me that the Desolate Region is just a part of a continent—and that continent is the weakest in the entire world."
Larisha was stunned. In her entire life, she had only known the Desolate Region and the kingdoms within it. She had never left the Eldoria Empire.
The world was simply too vast and dangerous.
"Well, maybe I'm just imagining things. Let's see when we get there. But we should remain vigilant," Calyx said, and Larisha nodded in agreement.
Hours passed. By afternoon, they finally reached the peak of Bamboo Mountain.
…
A large crowd had gathered 100 meters outside the auction house.
At the gate stood 10 guards and 10 Demonic Beasts, all radiating powerful Peak Tier 2 energy.
The sight left many shocked and fearful. No one dared to approach. They obeyed the rule: stay 100 meters away until the auction officially began.
Many looked up when the Ice Domain Temple's flying ship arrived, but their interest quickly faded once they learned who it was.
After all, the Ice Domain Temple was only ranked 10th. The factions ranked in the top nine didn't care about them—and some even looked at them with murderous intent.
It was known that Larisha had fought other Temple Masters to obtain the inheritance box. She especially held a grudge against the Temple Master of the Spider Silk Temple, who had ambushed and gravely injured her.
Since the auction hadn't started yet, everyone set up camps and waited.
At the forefront was the camp of the Eldoria Royal Family. Currently present there was Dazel, the ancestor of the Eldoria Empire, and the current emperor, Dazon Eldoria.
Next in line was the Eldoria Temple, where Dazon's father, Daji—son of Dazel—served as Temple Master.
Behind them was the Thunder Cloud Temple camp, followed by the next strongest faction.
"All right, it's time to begin," Calyx said, and immediately sent a message to Selene.
Moments later, the gates finally opened, and the crowd buzzed with excitement.
As they entered, they were amazed by the interior's luxury. The design was easily comparable to—or even greater than—that of the prestigious Eldoria Auction House in the empire's capital city.
The top five factions were assigned to VIP rooms, which most attendees understood. However—
"Why does the Ice Domain Temple also get a VIP room?" someone questioned.
"Yeah, we the Venom Claws Temple are ranked 6th and yet only at the gold area, and the Ice Demon Palace, ranked 10th, get a VIP room?" another added.
Many expressed dissatisfaction, but none dared act beyond grumbling.
Even Temple Master Larisha and the elders were confused as to why they were given a VIP room.
Several minutes later, the auction finally began.
There were 3,400 guests in attendance—all powerhouses of the Eldoria Empire.
Lilith walked to the center, wearing an elegant phoenix-patterned dress.
Many were captivated by her beauty, especially the young princes and genuis disciples seeking a partner.
Then, Lilith casually released the aura of an Early Stage Tier 3 expert, stunning the audience.
The auctioneer was an expert too?
Ancestor Dazel's expression darkened. If even the servants were this powerful... just how strong was their leader?
"Welcome, honored guests, to the first auction hosted by the Monarch Auction House. I am Lilith, and I'll be your auctioneer."
"I won't beat around the bush. Let's start right away!"
She pulled back a curtain on the table, revealing the first item.
"This is Nightshade Grass—ten of them, sold in a single lot. I'm sure many of you know its uses. The starting bid is 20 spirit stones, and each raise must be at least 5."
Gasps echoed throughout the room.
Everyone was shocked. The Monarch Auction House was selling all ten Nightshade Grass in one go—and this was only the first item of the day!
To put it into perspective, the Eldoria Auction House had previously used a single Nightshade Grass as its grand finale during their annual auction.
And now? Ten were being offered at once—as the opening item!
Even more shocking was the starting bid: just 20 spirit stones. In Eldoria's capital auction house, a single Nightshade Grass would start at 1,000 spirit stones!