Dominator Emperor

The price gap between the buyers and the auction house was too large. After reaching its minimum price, the auction house refused to lower it any further.

"In that case, let’s open the tomb," said Bing Yuxia, the successor of the Bingyu Palace. "It’s a waste of time for all of us to keep dragging this on. Since the Chenggu Pavilion is so confident about this tomb, there must be something good inside."

"That’s right, open the tomb! If there are good things inside, everyone will be scrambling to get them." Many of the buyers present grew impatient, with several shouting out loud.

Sikong Toutian, who had been standing by Li Qiye’s side so inconspicuously he was easy to overlook, spoke in a low voice, "Brother Dao, what do you think of this tomb?"

Li Qiye glanced at him and retorted, "What do *you* think of this tomb? I hear you’ve plundered your fair share of tombs, so your eye for them must be sharp."

Although Sikong Toutian had been so low-key since arriving that he drew no attention, his eyes had, in fact, been darting about nonstop.

Sikong Toutian gave a dry laugh. "You jest, Brother Dao. I’m just a scavenger; how would I dare raid tombs?" But under Li Qiye’s stare, he didn’t dare play games and had no choice but to say, "This tomb... it’s a bit suspect. If it truly belongs to just a Legendary Pharmacist, especially one from a Pharmacist Family, he wouldn’t have been buried with too many treasures. He would have left them for his descendants. The only real highlight would be the Ancient Medicine..."

"...Well, how to put this... this tomb feels different. Based on my personal experience ’walking underground,’ this tomb feels a bit... yin. I’ve examined its geomancy; it’s buried in yin, turning its back to the yang. That’s unconventional. If this is just the tomb of a Legendary Pharmacist, it’s not worth hundreds of thousands of Great Sage Essence Jades, not even the lowest-tier ones!"

Even though the guy kept calling himself a scavenger and trying to avoid the topic of tomb raiding, he was clearly a professional in the field.

Li Qiye glanced at Sikong Toutian and smiled without a word. ’This kid really knows his stuff.’

"So, Brother Dao, what’s your take on it?" Sikong Toutian asked, not ready to give up. He had a feeling Li Qiye had some insight into this tomb, as he had been observing the entire valley ever since they arrived.

"We’ll know soon enough just by watching," Li Qiye said with a smile, deflecting the question. Inwardly, however, he approved of Sikong Toutian’s assessment. ’A tomb buried in yin, facing away from yang... it really is unusual.’

There was also something Sikong Toutian didn’t know—a matter from a distant, ancient past. In truth, not even Li Qiye had experienced it firsthand. It was merely a rumor from that era, one whose authenticity had never been confirmed.

"Very well. Since there are no higher bids, we will open the tomb right here and now," the Chenggu Pavilion’s auctioneer finally announced.

Once the decision was made, a high-ranking expert from the Chenggu Pavilion used an astonishing technique to open the tomb’s dome under the watchful eyes of the crowd. Instantly, the interior of the tomb was laid bare for all to see.

The Chenggu Pavilion expert then cast a protective barrier over the tomb. The Pavilion’s Appraisers entered and began to inspect the treasures within. Although everyone could see into the tomb through the open dome, the barrier of Divine Techniques prevented any of the buyers outside from hearing the Appraisers’ evaluations.

Looking through the open dome, everyone could see an Ancient Coffin resting in the center of the tomb. The coffin was pitch-black, looking as if it were crafted from some somber Divine Wood.

Inside the tomb, surrounding the central Ancient Coffin, were numerous bottles and jars. There had once been many medicine racks, but they had since collapsed—whether due to decay or some other reason was unclear. As a result, various jars and Treasure Boxes were scattered across the floor, and some wooden boxes had already rotted away.

The Chenggu Pavilion’s Appraisers were already in the process of evaluating the burial goods. Despite the large number of bottles and jars, the Appraisers were all top-tier experts, so their work proceeded at an incredible pace.

All the buyers in the valley held their breath, their eyes fixed on the burial items inside. They watched the Chenggu Pavilion Appraisers intently, hoping to glean some clue about the items’ worth.

This was a test of a buyer’s eye and expertise. Occasionally, a veteran buyer could still snag a hidden gem.

"It really is a Pharmacist’s tomb, just as everyone suspected. The grave goods are all Ancient Medicines; there are no Treasure Artifacts or Secret Manuals," a buyer muttered upon seeing the numerous medicine jars inside.

Some of the more powerful buyers breathed a sigh of relief. "Good thing I didn’t buy the whole tomb. I would’ve taken a huge loss."

Of course, the buyers who had come specifically for Ancient Medicines were delighted, hoping to acquire what they needed.

Gazing at the numerous containers, everyone began to speculate on what kinds of Ancient Medicines they held. Surely a Legendary Pharmacist wouldn’t be buried with anything subpar.

"Hopefully there are one or two peerless Immortal Elixirs in there," some said, their hearts stirring with excitement.

Many Pharmacists had a habit of being buried with Spiritual Medicines and Immortal Herbs. Even a mere Little Pharmacist would procure one or two fine Spiritual Elixirs and Herbs for their own burial. To die without at least a couple of presentable elixirs would be a disgrace to their profession.

"Alright, the item-by-item auction begins now. The items will be sold in the order they are appraised, not based on their value," the auctioneer announced to all the buyers.

The first medicine jar was then brought forward, its value having been fully determined.

The auctioneer opened the medicine jar, and a sour, fruity aroma immediately wafted out. Within this tart, fermented scent was a subtle hint of precious sandalwood that instantly invigorated the senses.

"This is a jar of Cyan Pill Fruits," the auctioneer announced. "Appraised by our Chenggu Pavilion, these fruits have a medicinal age of 700,000 years and have been sealed in this jar for over a million years. As you all know, a 700,000-year-old Cyan Pill Fruit is already exceptionally rare. As an Ancient Medicine preserved in a sealed container, its value is even greater. The starting bid for this jar of Cyan Pill Fruits is 5,000 Ancient Saint Essence Jades. Payment must be made with Great Saint Tier Essence Jades."

Essence Jades from the same realm are also graded into different tiers. For example, Essence Jades for an Ancient Saint’s use are called Ancient Saint Essence Jades. However, the purest of these—those containing the most refined Heaven and Earth Essence Qi—are classified as Great Saint Essence Jades!

"It really is Cyan Pill Fruit." Everyone stared at the Treasure Fruit in the jar. It looked different from the fruits normally used to refine Longevity Medicine. Having been sealed and buried for so long, they had turned a deep, dark brown—the miraculous result of an Ancient Medicine absorbing Earth Yin!

"I bid 5,000 Ancient Saint Essence Jades!" an older Prince immediately called out.

"I’ll bid 6,000," another Sect Leader immediately countered.

Too many buyers were vying for it. Another Old Emperor quickly raised the bid: "Ten thousand—"

Cyan Pill Fruit is a key supplementary ingredient for refining Longevity Medicine. A 700,000-year-old fruit was potent enough to create a True Medicine. Longevity Medicines of this level were favorites among King and Marquis True Masters, especially those of advanced age. As a result, such medicines were highly sought after by the older generation of these masters.

And as for Cyan Pill Fruit that had become an Ancient Medicine, its value was even greater. Powerful, well-backed King and Marquis True Masters of the older generation had likely consumed many standard Longevity Medicines of this level already; it was probably not the first time they had extended their lifespans.

For these older King and Marquis True Masters, their bodies had already developed a resistance to even True Medicine-level Longevity Medicines. At their age, consuming more of the same would do little to extend their lifespans.

Therefore, King and Marquis True Masters who had reached this point could no longer rely on ordinary Longevity Medicines. Ancient Medicines, then, became what they sought.

A Longevity Medicine refined with Ancient Medicine as an ingredient would be highly effective for them, as they had never taken such a medicine before and thus had low resistance to it. This was why these Cyan Pill Fruits, buried for millions of years, became such a hot commodity.

In the end, this jar of Cyan Pill Fruits, now considered an Ancient Medicine, was sold for the sky-high price of 80,000 Ancient Saint Essence Jades—far exceeding its starting bid of 5,000.

Furthermore, all the winning bidders were older King and Marquis True Masters. These were Cultivators whose lifespans were running short, so naturally, they were more than willing to spend a fortune on something that could extend their lives.

"The second item for auction is Sunk Ship Wood." The next item brought forth was a piece of Treasure Wood sealed within a Medicine Altar. When the altar was opened, a woody fragrance washed over the crowd, leaving them feeling intoxicated and amazed.

"The value of Sunk Ship Wood needs no introduction," the auctioneer began. "Every powerful cultivator will eventually face their Fate Calamity. If you wear a piece of Sunk Ship Wood, your True Destiny will not be forever lost when that time comes. This particular piece has been buried for millions of years. Its condensed woody fragrance, aged over millennia, has become exceptionally rich and mellow. The starting bid for this piece of Sunk Ship Wood is 100,000 True Master Essence Jades."

Upon hearing it was Sunk Ship Wood, a commotion erupted among the crowd. The highly talented Cultivators of the younger generation were especially moved, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Every Cultivator aspiring to reach the apex must face two fatal obstacles. Failure to overcome either one means complete annihilation—body and Dao perishing, scattered like dust and smoke.

These two obstacles are Fate Calamity and Lifespan Decay. There is a saying among Cultivators: A Fate Calamity is like a Heart Demon, while Lifespan Decay is like the heavens withering away.

A Fate Calamity is a tribulation of one’s True Destiny. Any Cultivator who reaches the Great Perfection stage of the Profound Fate Realm—also known as the peak Prince level—must face their personal Fate Calamity. If they fail to overcome this tribulation, their body and Dao will be utterly destroyed.

For any Cultivator, the Fate Calamity is a massive ordeal and incredibly difficult to overcome. If one fails while facing it, a lifetime of cultivation is washed away, all for naught.

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