"So that's what the seals are for, and why it's the last item of this auction. Something that hasn't happened since before the calamity, and something shrouded in so much mystery surely deserves the last spot," John replied before frowning slightly.
"Another hidden realm to explore…how tedious," he grumbled softly. Having just come out from the Jade Dragon Empire Realm, John had started to grow a bit tired of entering realm after realm. However, wondrous opportunities existed within these realms, and so there was no choice but to enter.
"Hmhmhm," the Trade Master chuckled lightly at John's sigh. "I agree with you that hidden realms are quite troublesome to deal with. You're more likely to perish within them than obtain heavenly treasures, but there's a reason why cultivators throw themselves at these realms without caution, as they're the only places left to explore on this world, and the only places that have unclaimed treasures. Only within such places can cultivators truly find world shattering opportunities," the Trade Master said to John, who nodded his head in reluctant agreement.
"I know," John sighed as he stared at the seals on the stage.
"Are you going to bid on the seals?" the Trade Master asked curiously.
"I have no choice but to do so," John replied vaguely, as he was unable to explain that there was some sort of connection between these seals and the item in his possession; a connection that he had to get to the bottom of.
"You're going to enter such a dangerous place?" Caz chimed in with surprise in his voice. "Even if the land beyond the Divine Wall isn't dangerous, the other people entering surely will be. Such a place will attract the attention of even World Expansion cultivators, and so you'll have to deal with powerful World Expansion cultivators within. With your status as ‘Asura' being revealed, such a place is dangerous to go into alone."
"I know, but I have no choice," John replied calmly, "besides, a cultivator that gives up such opportunities just because they're cautious or scared will never climb to the top of the cultivation world, and my goals require me to do so."
Caz stared at John in silence for some moment before sighing. With John's current wealth, obtaining a seal was all but guaranteed, and so he would clearly enter within.
"Fine, just don't die in there, okay? You still have to make me more spirit crystals," Caz jested, causing John to chuckle lightly.
"I won't," John replied confidently, his eyes returning to the Divine Source Monastery seals below. A thought popped into his mind, which he decided to ask the Trade Master who seemed to be knowledgeable on all subjects.
"Trade Master. If the Divine Source Monastery is such a reclusive power, why are they auctioning these seals off?" John asked curiously.
"Who knows. No one knows what triggers them to open the Divine Wall, as it hasn't happened for so long. But as for auctioning the seals, even a place like the Divine Source Monastery needs spirit crystals and other resources to continue their guarding of the Divine Wall, and so this would naturally be a great way to gather some spirit crystals," the Trade Master explained.
"I see," John replied before falling silent, as the auction was about to begin.
"There are five seals that the Divine Source Monastery has given our auction house to sell. They have instructed that each seal is to be obtained by a different person, so the top five bids will win a seal each. Additionally, the Divine Wall will be opened in three months time!" the auctioneer explained, which caused excitement to surge through the crowd once more.
With no one being able to obtain all five seals at once, everyone had an increased chance of getting one of the seals.
"Lastly, the Divine Source Monastery has placed one condition on those who will use a seal to enter the Divine Wall. That condition is that anyone entering land beyond the Divine Wall must have an age of one hundred years or below!"
"Hwaaa!"
The last condition caused surprised clamors to echo through the auction theater, as no one had been expecting such a thing to happen. Even John raised an eyebrow in surprise at the condition, although he was not unhappy to hear it. Such a condition would prohibit the truly ancient monsters of the world to enter with him, and make it much less dangerous within.
"This condition is quite beneficial for you," the Trade Master said while scratching his bearded chin, "but do not think that you'll be safe just because of this condition. There are some frightening geniuses in this world that are under that age, some who are even in the World Expansion realm already. And if I had to guess, these are not the only seals being sold, so the number of cultivators entering is unknown at this moment"
"Good. It would be boring otherwise," John replied with a heated expression as the bidding officially commenced. At the same time, the image of a certain person drifted into his mind, causing his heated expression to harden for a brief moment.
‘With such a monumental thing happening, that bastard is sure to obtain a seal somehow and enter. If he does, and I happen to run into him, I'll make sure he dies this time for good,' John mused coldly as the image of Asuros drifted into his mind.
He was still agitated that Asuros had managed to escape last time, and would make sure that such a thing didn't happen this time around. Normally he would be able to use his own power to repress a spatial talisman used by another cultivator, but the one used by Asuros had been too profound to do so. As such, he needed assurances for the next time he ran into him.
"Trade Master. I'll need to ask you a favor. I need to acquire a specific formational item," John said to the Trade Master.
"Hmmm? And what would that item be?" the Trade Master asked curiously, noting the serious expression on John's face.
"The strongest spatial repressing formation disk you have. Something that will prohibit even the strongest of spatial transportation talismans or formations disks to fail," John said coldly. "Is that something I could purchase from you, if you were able to obtain it?"
The Trade Master looked at John in silence for a moment, studying his face, before nodding his head.
"I will obtain it for you," he nodded.
"Thank you," John replied sincerely before turning his attention back to the auction stage.
"The bidding will now begin! As explained, bidding will continue until there are no more bids, at which point the top five bidders will each win a seal. With that said, let the bidding commence!" the auctioneer boomed with passionate excitement, kicking off the final bidding war of the annual Five-River Freeport Auction.
