Just as Joe Di had expected, after he killed Qian Qijiang, no one came looking for him. On board Celestia VII, it was as if nothing had happened at all. Only the rumor of the 250 billion wager circulated, and the sudden closure of the Celestial Casino for internal review remained the talk of the ship.
As for Joe Di, Qian Qijiang, and the gambling king Feng Qi, none of them were seen after the incident.
Qian Qijiang and Feng Qi were kicked into the sea by Joe Di, while Joe Di himself continued his cultivation in his cabin. He no longer used spirit stones, but instead focused on tempering his spiritual force within the room.
Two days passed in a flash. Joe Di's control over his spiritual force grew ever more precise, and he grew increasingly satisfied with his progress.
He realized that if he were to face an opponent of equal strength, and that person could wield spiritual force while he could not, defeat would be inevitable.
Although his spiritual force could not yet be used for direct attacks, the ease and fluidity it brought to spellcasting was incomparable to spells formed solely from pure true essence.
If he could one day construct an attack purely from spiritual force, he would be invincible among those of his realm.
For two days straight, Joe Di kept trying to forge an attack with his spiritual force. Unfortunately, after all that time, he had gained nothing—no insights and no progress.
A broadcast echoed through the ship: the Celestia Auction Hall had arrived. However, since the auction had yet to begin, everyone would have to wait another day aboard before they could disembark.
Joe Di didn't mind. He was completely absorbed in his research on spiritual force attacks. Another day passed quickly, and just like the previous two days, he still came away empty-handed.
The broadcast from Celestia VII announced that the auction was about to begin, and requested everyone to disembark in orderly fashion.
Joe Di put on large sunglasses and covered his cheeks and mouth with fake beard patches before slinging his large bag over his shoulder and heading out. He had no idea what treasures would appear at the auction, so a simple disguise was his way of avoiding unnecessary trouble.
He had indeed mastered the release of spiritual force, learned three of the Di Family Seven Blades, and even comprehended the Fourth Blade on his own. His cultivation of the Grand Dao Manual had reached the third layer. In terms of strength, he had little to fear from others.
Yet Joe Di did not consider himself invincible. Not to mention the mysterious beings of Celestia, even the white-haired man he’d met at the gate of Yanda University had mastered the Fireball Technique before him.
A broad white avenue, two zhang wide, sloped upward. At its end stood an even larger cruise ship, with the words 'Celestia I' clearly inscribed on its hull.
Only now did Joe Di realize that the so-called auction venue was also aboard a ship.
Following the crowd across the spacious white avenue, Joe Di stepped onto Celestia I, where a vast plaza awaited.
The plaza was packed with people. On the left stood a massive sign: Celestia Auction Hall. To the right were living quarters. Standing on the plaza, Joe Di could see entertainment and leisure facilities on the upper levels.
This auction was clearly a grand event. Crowds of people lined up to enter the auction hall, and Joe Di joined the flow.
Before he even reached the entrance, Joe Di spotted Zeng Beizi. She stood at the doorway, scanning the crowd, clearly waiting for someone.
Joe Di guessed that this woman was probably waiting for him, but he had no intention of meeting Zeng Beizi. There were sure to be rare treasures at this auction, and having disguised himself, he saw no point in talking to her now. Besides, Joe Di was still dissatisfied that his mastery of the Di Family Blade Technique had only earned him a companion ticket from Zeng Beizi.
Her business tactics, while not outright cheating, did little to endear her to Joe Di.
His ticket was quickly checked and approved; his assigned box was number 31 on the second floor. In the grand scheme of the Celestia Auction Hall, this suite was only slightly above average.
Given his status, even he could only secure a slightly above-average box, which spoke volumes about how many influential people had come for this auction.
Joe Di was quite satisfied with his suite. Not only did it offer a place to rest, but he could also observe every detail of the auction hall. A large display screen dominated the front wall.
The auction platform stood at the very center of the hall. Though the auction had not officially begun, powerful lights already illuminated the stage, revealing every detail. Around the platform, eighty-six burly men stood with their backs to the stage, clearly acting as guards.
The auction hall was enormous. As more people streamed in, the once-empty venue grew lively and bustling.
Joe Di saw Zeng Beizi enter the hall with two others, still glancing around as she walked. Her seat was in the main hall, not a suite.
When Joe Di saw the seat beside Zeng Beizi, he was speechless. She had indeed added a seat next to hers, but it was clear this spot was not meant for actual bidding.
The ticket Zeng Beizi had given him was for the seat beside her. If he wanted to participate in the auction, he would have to go through Zeng Beizi first.
Nearly an hour passed before everyone was seated and the auction hall finally quieted down.
A stunning woman, dressed in a revealing outfit, stepped onto the center stage of the auction hall. No one spoke a word. She struck the auction table with her gavel, the crisp sound echoing throughout the hall—even Joe Di in his suite heard it clearly.
It was clear just how powerful the hall's sound system was.
"Honored guests, I am your auctioneer, Dai He. Welcome to the Celestia Treasure Auction. This event is jointly hosted by the Earth Alliance and Celestia I, and will feature countless treasures never before seen on Earth. While not every guest will leave with a prize, I nonetheless wish you all success in bidding for your desired treasures."
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"During this auction, any disturbance will result in the offending party being asked to leave. Bidding is conducted via the price screens and bidding buttons in front of each participant, with all prices displayed on the large screens. Naturally, some items may incite excitement, but I ask that all noise subside within one minute after each item is sold. All transactions will use Alliance Credits, so please ensure you have exchanged your currency beforehand. All bank transfers are accepted. Now, let the auction begin!"
After finishing her announcement, the beautiful auctioneer lowered her hands, crossing them over her abdomen.
Music played, and a young girl carried a one-foot-square wooden box onto the stage, followed by two burly men. Clearly, they were her bodyguards.
The wooden box was placed on the auction table, and the girl and her guards withdrew.
Dai He placed her hand on the box and announced in a clear voice, "The first auction item is a martial arts manual called Long Shadow Technique, originating from Celestia. The starting bid is one million Alliance Credits, with each increase not less than ten thousand. Bidding begins now."
The box was opened, revealing an ancient-looking book. It was a foot long, but barely three inches wide.
After cultivating the Grand Dao Manual, Joe Di had no interest in such martial arts techniques. Though he was indifferent, plenty of others were eager for it.
In just a minute, the price for the Long Shadow Technique soared to seven million, finally selling for thirteen million, two hundred and ten thousand Alliance Credits to a bidder in the main hall.
Judging by the final price, the auctioneers had clearly set the starting bid too low.
The second item was quickly brought out, also in a wooden box.
Dai He opened the box, revealing a longsword over a meter in length. On the hilt were several strange characters—Joe Di couldn't recognize any of them.
Joe Di didn't bother with the display screen in his suite; his eyesight was sharp enough to see the sword onstage directly through the floor-to-ceiling window.
Even just looking at the sword, Joe Di could sense its murderous aura. This was a true weapon, one that had tasted blood countless times.
"This treasure was obtained on Celestia by an innate expert. It's likely that a top-tier cultivator who once lived on Celestia wielded this sword. Its sharpness is still palpable to this day. The starting bid is one hundred million, with each increase not less than one million..."
Compared to the first martial arts manual, this was the real prize, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly grew heated.
After Dai He announced the price, the numbers on the massive floating four-sided screen in the center of the hall began to jump rapidly.
Joe Di didn't place a bid. Though he knew the sword was excellent, he simply didn't like swords. He practiced the Di Family Seven Blades—he was a blade cultivator. If a blade like this appeared, he would buy it without hesitation.