Chapter 443 - 442: The Arrivals Of Big Shots (part 1)

Chapter 443: Chapter 442: The Arrivals Of Big Shots (part 1)

A Tier 7 treasure could attract monsters and cultivators from hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.

And the person hosting it was the ruler of the recently conquered Erevaris Kingdom.

A monster ruler.

A mysterious existence whose true strength remained unknown.

Marcus picked up the latest letter.

He read it again.

The message was short.

The three major powers had agreed to attend.

They wanted the auction held in Silvercrest City.

And they expected the city to provide the necessary arrangements.

Marcus slowly lowered the letter.

"They’re all coming..."

His expression became bitter.

The problem wasn’t simply that the three great powers were coming.

His expression became bitter.

The problem wasn’t simply that the three great powers were coming.

It was that each one would probably bring its strongest experts.

If they were merely ordinary merchants, Marcus could have welcomed them with open arms.

But Tier 7 experts were another matter.

A battle between Tier 7 existences could destroy this city accidentally.

If something went wrong... Silvercrest City would cease to exist.

He suddenly regretted ever becoming city lord.

Silvercrest City had always been peaceful precisely because nobody considered it important enough to fight over.

Now everything had changed.

The moment news of a Tier 7 treasure spread, the city’s neutrality had become its greatest burden.

Marcus looked toward the window.

The streets were already becoming crowded.

Carriages bearing different emblems were entering through the gates.

Cultivators walked alongside merchants.

Powerful auras were appearing throughout the city one after another.

The city lord could feel several Tier 6 existences among them.

And somewhere among the incoming delegations...

There would almost certainly be Tier 7 experts.

Marcus swallowed.

"Send additional guards to the auction district."

The official hesitated.

"How many?"

Marcus thought for a moment.

"All of them."

The official’s eyes widened.

"All of the city guards?"

"Yes."

Marcus rubbed his forehead.

"And make absolutely certain nobody starts a fight inside the city."

"Understood."

The official hurried away.

Marcus remained seated for several seconds before suddenly looking toward the ceiling.

"Why did it have to be my city?"

----

Meanwhile, Alix stood before a large table while several of his subordinates prepared the details of the auction.

The Tier 7 weapon had already been selected.

It was one of the weapon that he doesn’t really used.

Alix had no personal need for it.

To him, selling it was far more valuable than keeping it locked away inside his treasury.

He glanced at the weapon resting inside a sealed case.

A powerful aura leaked through the container despite the restrictions placed upon it.

Even without releasing its full power, the weapon caused the surrounding mana to tremble.

Alix smiled.

"This should be enough."

He wasn’t worried about the possibility that nobody would bid.

That was impossible.

A Tier 7 treasure was simply too valuable.

Even the three great powers couldn’t afford to ignore it.

The kingdom wanted it.

The sect wanted it.

The clan wanted it.

And there were countless smaller forces beneath them that would also be willing to spend everything they possessed for even a chance to obtain it.

Alix’s gaze shifted toward another document.

The estimated value of the teleportation portal remained at three hundred million gold coins.

His current wealth was still far from that amount.

But if this auction went according to his expectations.

He might be able to close the gap considerably.

Perhaps he could even obtain the full amount in one auction.

A faint smile appeared on Alix’s face.

"The auction hasn’t even started yet..."

He looked toward the sealed Tier 7 weapon.

"...and everyone is already fighting over it."

For Alix, this wasn’t merely an auction.

----

The first arrivals began early in the morning.

At first, Marcus thought it would only be a few small groups.

He was wrong.

The eastern gates opened, and the first delegation entered the city beneath a banner bearing the emblem of the kingdom. Hundreds of heavily armed knights marched in orderly formation, their armor polished brightly enough to reflect the morning sunlight.

Behind them came several carriages reinforced with defensive formations, followed by cultivators dressed in the kingdom’s official robes.

Their presence alone was enough to cause the streets to become quiet.

Merchants stepped aside.

Ordinary cultivators lowered their voices.

Even some of the more arrogant adventurers wisely moved away from the road.

The delegation continued toward the center of the city without stopping.

Then came another group.

And another.

Before long, the streets were filled with representatives from various forces under the three great powers.

The sects beneath the major sect had arrived.

The clans affiliated with the great clan had arrived.

Merchant organizations, adventurer groups, aristocratic families, and independent cultivators had also begun appearing one after another.

Every one of them had heard the same piece of information.

A Tier 7 treasure would be auctioned in Silvercrest City.

That single sentence had been enough to make the entire region restless.

Marcus stood upon the highest balcony of the city lord’s mansion, looking down at the increasingly crowded streets.

His expression gradually became numb.

"So many..."

One of his officials stood behind him.

"My Lord, more forces are still arriving."

Marcus sighed.

"I can see that."

He rubbed his forehead.

The city had never experienced anything like this.

Even during the largest annual trade festival, Silvercrest City had never attracted so many powerful cultivators.

Yet this wasn’t the end.

Not even close.

The representatives had arrived first.

The true masters were still on their way.

Marcus suddenly felt a powerful pressure spreading across the distant sky.

He immediately raised his head.

The clouds began moving.

No, they weren’t moving because of the wind.

They were being pushed aside.

A gigantic shadow slowly emerged above the horizon.

At first, it appeared to be a mountain floating through the sky.

But as it approached, everyone realized what they were looking at.

A warship.

An enormous floating warship.

Its hull was forged from dark metallic materials and stretched for nearly a thousand meters from bow to stern. Massive formations covered every inch of its surface, while enormous crystal engines embedded along its sides released streams of blue-white energy.

Dozens of gigantic cannons were mounted along its outer walls.

Each one was large enough to destroy a city gate with a single shot.

Several enormous flags fluttered from the highest point of the vessel.

The emblem of the kingdom was clearly visible.

The entire ship moved through the clouds with an oppressive majesty.

The air itself seemed to tremble beneath its presence.

"That’s..."

Marcus’s eyes widened.

"The Royal War Ark."

The people throughout the city stopped whatever they were doing.

Everyone looked toward the sky.

The enormous warship slowly descended.

It didn’t need to announce its arrival.

Its very existence was announcement enough.

BOOOOOOM!

A powerful pressure spread outward as the vessel stabilized itself above the city.

The clouds were pushed several kilometers away.

The surrounding wind became chaotic.

Yet the warship remained perfectly still, suspended above Silvercrest City like a floating fortress.

A gigantic staircase extended from the bottom of the vessel.

Then the doors opened.

The first people to emerge were several dozen royal guards.

They wore crimson armor and carried long weapons.