Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 259 Awakening the Foundation
"The hundredth item up for auction, the Sacred Weapon Purple Jade Divine Bell, starting price is one unit of divine source."

In an instant, the entire Yao Guang Tian Que, from the main hall to the floating temple, was in an uproar.

"A sacred weapon, it's actually a flawless sacred weapon!"

"My God, how could something like this appear at an auction!"

"Damn it, I didn't expect to have a flawless holy weapon. The divine source I brought is far from enough."

"It's too late, it's too late!"

……

Countless gasps, wails, and cries of sorrow rose and fell in the hall.

Without exception, the core message they all conveyed was disbelief that such an item could appear at an auction.

Even top holy lands, noble families, and dynasties covet sacred weapons because they are strategic items.

With a sacred weapon in hand, as long as there is a decent cultivation technique, one can create a formidable force. If the scriptures are up to par, then it will be the most powerful sect under the Holy Land.

The benefits of sacred weapons don't stop there. Cultivators may perish, but sacred weapons can endure. Although they will eventually decay, as long as they are not damaged, they can at least ensure the stability of a major sect for hundreds of thousands of years.

How could such a thing not drive people crazy? Even if the extreme forces have no shortage of them, they would never let go of the opportunity to increase the number of holy weapons.

Next, countless cultivators witnessed a truly grand scene.

Numbers that they would never have dared to imagine in normal times were now being heard in different suspended temples.

In the blink of an eye, the price rose from the starting point of one divine source to two divine sources and above, and the bidding speed did not stop at all, soaring all the way up.

"Two and a half divine sources." A voice had just come from the palace reserved by the Purple Mansion Holy Land when, in the next moment, bidding also came from the palace of the Great Evolution Holy Land, which actually raised the price to three divine sources.

But this did not deter other holy lands, and they all followed suit. The value of the flawless holy weapon was far more than just the three divine sources.

Even in the highest temple, Li Yao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

The value of the sacred weapon was clearly greater than he had expected, which surprised him somewhat.

It should be noted that with his current strength, he can be considered a sage. Even if the imperial prince is at the ninth level of the sage realm, he would not be his match. Although he is only at the sixth level of the sage realm, he is confident that he is already invincible.

Therefore, it is not difficult for him to obtain a sacred weapon. As long as he targets an enemy and kills him, he can obtain at least one sacred weapon.

Given the nature of the world of Shrouding the Heavens, he will undoubtedly have many enemies in the future; in other words, he will have many channels for procuring holy weapons.

Every few days, a sacred weapon would be auctioned off at the Yao Guang Treasure Palace. With such a feat, it was questionable whether the Eight Great Trades could even survive, let alone target the Yao Guang Holy Land.

"Eight Directions Divine Source." This was the bidding announcement coming from the main hall where the Northern Plains Golden Family resided.

This number acted like a silencer, silencing all the bidding noise.

Before the Golden Family spoke, the bidding had already broken through the Seven Directions Divine Source, but the increments had been in increments of 100 jin. However, they directly increased the bid by more than 1,000 jin of Divine Source, which made the other forces that were still bidding hesitate.

This is a divine source, not a pure source or a heterogeneous source. It is a true rare treasure. Each family has its own stock, but none of them will use it on a large scale.

Because divine resources are not only a currency for trade and a resource for cultivation, but also an important tool for each family to preserve their secrets.

If too much is spent, it will be too late to preserve the accumulated wealth.

If one were to carefully calculate, the Eight Directions Divine Source is already equivalent to the amount of three foundations sealed within. Even the most powerful forces would not dare to arbitrarily raise the price.

Inside the palace where the Golden Family resided, the family head and several elders were all flushed and panting heavily.

They had been mentally preparing for a long time and made a great decision before announcing this price.

In this world, ancient clans have awakened. The Golden Family possesses the bloodline of these ancient clans. Logically speaking, it would be a wise choice for them to secretly side with the ancient clans after their awakening.

As things stand, the ancient race is more powerful and stronger than the human race.

But the Golden Family hesitated.

Those ancient clans that have been dormant for millions of years may not know this, but as the golden family of the human race, they are well aware that the human race's strength is far more than what is on the surface.

The Holy Lord of Yaoguang has emerged out of nowhere, possessing strength that is unprecedented throughout history. Before becoming a saint, he defied the saints and now that he has broken through to sainthood, his strength must be unimaginably powerful.

The Jiang family's God King is extraordinary and transcends the mundane, facing death to live. His strength is bound to undergo a transformation, reaching a higher level.

The old madman is eccentric, but his power is undeniable. He often lingers outside the desolate forbidden land, serving as a safeguard for the human race.

And that old man in animal skin from the Yao Guang Holy Land was no pushover either, he terrified even the Ancestral King.

All of these factors prevented the Golden Family from secretly siding with the Ancient Clan, fearing future retribution.

However, if they do not side with the ancient tribes, their situation is also awkward and dangerous, as they are in a position of pleasing neither side.

Sealing away their resources can guarantee their future, but obtaining a sacred weapon can make them a little safer now.

There's no need to hesitate about which choice to make; if you don't have it now, what future do you have?

"Eight Directions Divine Source once."

"The Divine Source of the Eight Directions twice."

“Eight Directions Divine Source Three Times”.

"Boom!"

On the auction stage, the girl's clear voice rang out, and the small wooden hammer in her hand gently tapped the table, making a soft thud that clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the last item has been sold to bidder number 43. This auction is now concluded. Thank you all for attending. The next auction will be held one year from now. Yao Guang Tian Que welcomes you all to come again."

……

The Heavenly Palace of Yao Guang gradually became deserted, but the Holy City was in complete uproar, and the commotion spread from there to the entire Big Dipper.

The appearance of a sacred weapon at the auction caused a great sensation in the five major domains, leaving countless people stunned.

"The Holy Land of Yaoguang is truly making a grand gesture!"

"That's a sacred weapon, one of the most powerful assets of each family, and it's just going to be auctioned off like that?!"

"Over the years, the Yao Guang Holy Land has been conquering east and west. Just the destruction of the six royal families alone has yielded unimaginable gains. They are quite willing to give up a holy weapon."

"Could a holy weapon greatly increase the strength of the Golden Family?"

"I wonder if there will be any holy weapons at the next Yao Guang Auction. If there are, my Five Elements Palace will spare no expense to obtain a flawless holy weapon."

The Yao Guang Auction has just ended, and the Bei Dou cultivators are already looking forward to the next auction.

Some of the forces that yearn for a flawless holy weapon are already actively preparing for the Divine Source, waiting to make a name for themselves at the next auction.

It can be said that this Yaoguang Auction was a great success, establishing its reputation and becoming unstoppable.

The eight major banks were all convinced. This was a brute-force approach that overwhelmed all other methods. They didn't bother with any fancy maneuvers; it was pure numerical superiority that left them helpless.

……

The Big Dipper trembled, and countless people were shocked by the actions of the Yao Guang Holy Land and the decisiveness of the Golden Family.

Li Yao paid no attention to anything outside the auction; at that moment, he was overjoyed by its success.

All one hundred items were sold, with not a single item failing to sell. A total of over 33 million catties of pure source and twelve divine sources were acquired.

Because it's an auction, many items are sold at a premium, generating more profit than if they were sold at the normal price.

Moreover, this was a resounding success, and if the Yao Guang Holy Land were to hold another auction, it's easy to imagine that it would be packed with people.

If they can maintain their momentum, Yao Guang Auction House will become one of the nine major auction houses.

If the second auction is just as successful, it could even become the top of the nine major banks.

A business that can continuously produce golden eggs is halfway to success.

It looks simple, but it cannot be replicated because no faction would be willing to use a sacred weapon to attack their base.

Only the Yao Guang Holy Land, as Li Yao had already given the order, would have its holy weapons featured as the grand finale in the previous three auctions.

As for the future, it will depend on the situation, and sacred weapons will be auctioned off every now and then.

With such a remarkable achievement, Yaoguang Auction will undoubtedly become the top of the nine major auction houses, and will significantly widen the gap between them.

From then on, whenever auctions were mentioned, the only thing that came to mind for everyone was the Yaoguang Auction.

The people of Yaoguang were overjoyed. The success of the auction had added an important source of income to the holy land, and if it were held annually thereafter, it would surely snowball.

From disciples to high-ranking officials of the Holy Land, everyone admired Li Yao immensely and regarded him as a god.

Our Holy Lord not only possesses unparalleled talent in cultivation, but also stands out as the greatest ruler in the history of Yao Guang.

The auction concluded successfully. Li Yao took away the 30 million catties of pure source obtained from the auction, while the remaining divine source was sent to the Yao Guang Treasure Vault for safekeeping.

He doesn't know how long he'll be away from Earth this time, and he needs to ensure the consumption of the Heavenly Book during that period.

Then, he put some of his unwanted miscellaneous items into the treasure vault, leaving the four holy envoys to decide what to do with them—either auction them off or keep them for their own use.

After finishing everything, he summoned Li Daoqing and told him about his plan to travel through the starry sky, asking him to continue to manage the Yao Guang Holy Land.

……

"What?! Awaken the hidden potential?!" Li Daoqing exclaimed in shock.

Everything that had happened before was fine; he had already anticipated that his Holy Lord wouldn't remain holed up in the Holy Land forever. But the fact that Li Yao ultimately planned to awaken a hidden power to ensure the safety of the Yao Guang Holy Land shocked him.

“That’s right. The Big Dipper is getting more and more chaotic. The Dao-Slaying Kings don’t have much of a deterrent effect. We need Saint-level combat power to keep things in check,” Li Yao said.

This was something he had considered for a long time. Although Yao Guang possessed an ultimate imperial weapon, it still needed someone powerful enough to wield it.

“However, although not all Yao Guang’s foundations die upon exposure to light, the best-case scenario is that they only have a lifespan of two or three hundred years. That’s assuming no action is taken. If action is taken, their lifespan will be even shorter. Is it too early for them to revive now?” Li Daoqing hesitated.

"It's alright. If things go smoothly this time, there will be plenty of treasures to prolong life, so there's no need to worry about lifespan. We can just extend our lives then." Li Yao thought of the Medicine King in Kunlun Mountain. He would then use other precious medicines to refine a life-extending elixir, which would extend his life by hundreds of years.

"You have a goal?" Li Daoqing's body trembled, and he asked.

The cultivators of the Heaven-Covering Realm are powerful in battle, but their lifespan is short. Extending lifespan is something all cultivators crave. Li Yao's words were practically saying that he knew of a place with many longevity-extending elixirs, which was enough to drive people crazy.

"I gained something from my last trip through the starry sky, and I learned about this place." Li Yao did not deny it.

"Then why not awaken a few more hidden talents and set off together?" Li Daoqing said excitedly.

"No need. That place is extremely far away. Even saints would have difficulty crossing it. At my speed, it would only take me about ten years to travel there and back. But if I bring people with me, it would take decades to get there."

Li Daoqing calmed down, and although he didn't say it explicitly, Li Yao's words clearly conveyed his disdain.

Bringing along other sages would only be a burden.

If anyone else had said these words, Li Daoqing would have thought that person was arrogant, but since they came from Li Yao, it made people think that was indeed the case.

As someone who had watched Li Yao grow up, he knew all too well just how extraordinary this disciple was.

The idea that sages are a burden isn't just idle talk in his case; it might actually be true.

“Let’s do it together then. Explain the reason and invite someone with profound knowledge.” After thinking it through, Li Daoqing said.

Awakening the hidden potential is an absolutely momentous event for Yao Guang, one that even the Holy Lord cannot decide.

We can only explain the situation and let our own resources decide.

But this only applies to ordinary holy rulers, not Li Yao. Given his stature, if he were to make a decision, even his foundation would have to be taken seriously.

……

At the very center of the Yao Guang Holy Land lies a divine city surrounded by more than a dozen suspended divine mountains and islands.

This ancient city also seems to float in the air, shrouded in mist and clouds, and when white clouds drift by, it looks like a fairyland.

The divine city is very large, stretching five thousand li from east to west and over four thousand li from north to south.

Above the ancient city, the dark city walls, like a real dragon lying horizontally, stretch endlessly, as if cast from molten iron, shimmering with a metallic luster, and inscribed with many runes, flowing with a strong aura.

The magnificent city gate tower, towering thousands of feet high, is awe-inspiring and incredibly grand; from afar, it can evoke a sense of oppression.

This place is the core of the Yao Guang Holy Land. Only a handful of people in the entire Holy Land are allowed to set foot here, not even the Supreme Elders, unless ordered by the Holy Lord.

At the city gate tower, several kings guarded it day and night. Only when they saw that the visitors were the current Holy Lord and the Supreme Holy Lord did they make no move and allow them to enter the ancient city.

If it were anyone else, without the Holy Lord's decree, even a powerful being like Yao Guang would be captured by them.

Upon entering the ancient city, a powerful aura immediately hits you, as if you have been transported to a primitive era.

The city is filled with ancient buildings, all of which are incredibly old and quite different from contemporary styles. Some of the ancient beasts carved on the walls are now extremely rare.

"This is the Yao Guang Divine City, the very center of the divine array. The Dragon Pattern Cauldron guards the array and maintains the operation of the divine city on a daily basis," Li Daoqing said longingly, gazing at the magnificent ancient building before him.

In the ancient history of Yaoguang, only those with exceptional talent or profound knowledge could be sealed away in this place.

Li Daoqing's dream is that one day, his legacy will be preserved and enshrined in a temple within the divine city.

However, the minimum requirement to achieve this is the Saint Realm. Only by reaching this level can one be qualified to enter the Divine City.

Even a Dao-Slaying King, if temporarily sealed away, can only stay in other places and cannot enter the Divine City.

Li Yao sensed the dozens of powerful laws within the divine city, and for the first time directly experienced the profound foundation of the Yao Guang Holy Land.

Dozens of Saint Realm experts, some exuding an aura of decay, others with relatively active life force.

From the outside in, the further in you go, the stronger the energy becomes. In the central area, the energy of the sage king is several levels high.

"It seems that there really is no Great Sage in the Yao Guang Holy Land," Li Yao sighed inwardly.

Among the dozens of powerful figures, the strongest was only a Heavenly King-level expert, still half a step away from becoming a Great Sage.

The only good news is that this Heavenly King still has a sufficient life force, with a lifespan of at least several hundred years. If he can overcome the shackles during this period, he can achieve the Great Sage realm.

“Let’s go to the altar and explain the reason.” Li Daoqing said, then took the lead, his expression respectful and his movements careful, as if afraid of disturbing the many secrets.

Deep within the divine city, there stands an ancient black altar, about three zhang in size, covered with countless Dao patterns, each one incredibly ancient.

This is the place to connect with the rich cultural heritage.

Li Daoqing and Li Yao stood on the altar together, poured in divine power, and activated the altar.

With a "hum", the black altar trembled, and the patterns on it lit up and began to spread outwards, connecting to many temples.

A blazing divine light rose up, and if viewed from above, one could see that these rising patterns were an incredibly powerful array.

Li Yao's eyes flashed like lightning. After sensing that the altar had been activated for a moment, a divine sense fluctuation came from a temple in the distance.

"Huh, what a young sage! Such an amazing prodigy has emerged among the disciples of later generations?" A divine sense transmitted, and the powerful figures in the distant temple were extremely surprised after noticing Li Yao.

"How can he be so young? His life essence is at most around fifty years old."

"Incredible! This person possesses the potential to become an emperor?!"

Have you ever taken the Longevity Treasure?

……

More than a dozen divine thoughts appeared, shocked by Li Yao's age.

He reached the realm of a sage around the age of fifty, which is definitely the potential of a great emperor. It's no wonder that people with such profound knowledge and experience are shocked.

After a long time, a wave of divine thought emanated from a temple in the center, and the chaotic divine thoughts immediately calmed down.

"You are the Lord of Yaoguang in this generation, how old are you?" A grand divine thought emanated from the central temple.

This is a Saint King, ranking among the top five in terms of overall strength. His life force is also very active, and he exudes great majesty.

As soon as he spoke, the others immediately fell silent, waiting curiously.

Although Li Yao's life essence is around fifty years old, if he has consumed the longevity treasure, the aura emanating from that life essence will no longer be valid.

Facing a group of venerable elders, Li Yao remained calm, clasped his hands in a salute, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "This disciple is thirty-six years old this year."

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of elders erupted in uproar.

"What? Thirty-six years old!"

"How is this possible? To have broken through to the Saint Realm at such a young age?!"

"What incredible talent! It surpasses all imagination and is unprecedented in ancient history!"

A chaotic surge of divine thoughts swept across the area once more, each one incredibly powerful, each representing a saint.

The powerful holy might made Li Daoqing, who was standing to the side, feel extremely uncomfortable, as if he were a small boat in a stormy sea.

Seeing this, Li Yao unleashed his power and protected Li Daoqing.

This action also calmed the noisy divine thoughts.

Even without eye contact, Li Yao could still feel that there were more than twenty pairs of eyes staring at him. Apart from those who were easily startled, almost all of them were awakened.

"Thirty-six years old, truly remarkable. It seems that the Yao Guang Holy Land will achieve great things in this lifetime." Finally, even the Saint King at the very center, who was at the ninth level of the Saint Realm, could no longer remain seated and cast his divine sense over.

"You've come here because you've run into some trouble and urgently need help?"

Li Yao did not hide anything and explained his purpose, stating that he wanted to traverse the starry sky and needed to invite a powerful being with a relatively long lifespan to guard the sacred land.

"With the Dragon Pattern Cauldron here, why would we need a powerful foundation to guard it?" the Heavenly King in the center asked curiously.

"Our ancestor is wise. This era is a golden age, and all the ancient races have awakened in this era. However, without a sage to oversee it, there are still some risks."

"I see." After saying this in the central hall, he asked, "Who among you is willing to come out into the world and take charge of the holy land?"

Silence fell over the ancient city. Everyone's lifespan was limited, and being born at this time meant that life was beginning its countdown, so everyone hesitated.

"Let me do it. My lifespan is still quite long. I have more than three hundred years left before my time comes. I can hold on for a while."

A quarter of an hour later, a divine thought finally rang out. It was located near the center and, although not a Saint King, it was not far off.

A dazzling divine light rose, and the great hall from which the divine thought emanated emitted a blinding radiance. With a creak, the heavy hall doors swung open, and a piece of divine energy flew out.

The divine sources on the left and right sides shone as brightly as a small sun.

The Divine Source is not a single piece; it has cracks and is clearly pieced together.

However, the crack was sealed with a special array, making it difficult to see. Combined with the grand array and the suppression of the Dragon Pattern Cauldron, it was only slightly less effective than the complete Divine Source.

However, at this moment, as the divine source left the temple, which is also the core of the formation, the crack inevitably began to leak life essence, albeit slightly.

(End of this chapter)