Archfiend

The ‘opera house’ had a total of three rows. In the middle row, besides the seven people seated… there was no one else at all.

Four people at the center wore the pure-white mantle of a bishop over their shoulders. On these mantles, there was a silver-white cross. Among them, one of them was Donaldo, who Xu Yangyi had just seen. 

“Are those the four master spirit-technicians?”

At the side of the four masters, there were two old men.

One of them had a face as white as paper and lips as crimson as blood. Likewise, he was bundled in a cloak. As for the other person, he wore a black mask on his face, leaving his appearance unclear.

As Xu Yangyi’s spiritual sense brushed over them, these two slightly raised their heads and then smiled and nodded towards him.

In his room, Xu Yangyi tightly balled his fists, his heart skipping a beat.

These two… were at the False Core boundary!

After the Great Circle, otherwise known as Perfect in America, the two western boundaries of quasi and Throneless existed. In China, these two boundaries were respectively half step and False Core. But in truth, these boundaries were all Foundation Establishment, but False Core was a level more advanced than half step! It could be said merely to be the difference between kicking down the door and successfully taking the supreme position of Core Formation!

On the name of a master spirit-technician alone, two future Grand Dukes were dispatched. Even if the West was more distrustful, they forced this distrust to the very bottom of their hearts. It was obvious how much importance they attached to this event.

As Xu Yangyi saw these two, he only felt a terrible spiritual pressure assail his face, as if he was facing a world-devouring bat and a werewolf howling at the moon. Although he was dozens of meters away, he could feel the greatness of their oppressive force!

It was at this time that a woman’s soft voice was heard in his room. “Everyone is all present. Your Highness X, can we begin?”

Xu Yangyi took a deep breath, steeled his nerves, and said lowly, “Let’s start!”

Everyone heard him. Like a speaker, his words were transmitted out from his room, and each person’s gaze began to turn serious.

“Good afternoon, everyone.” A man as pale as a ghost elegantly walked up on stage. Not even the most demanding official of court etiquette would be able to pick at any flaw. He slightly bowed. “I’m very happy to see you all.”

“As everyone knows, in the vast United States, there are only a total of thirteen master spirit-technicians. Regardless of any family, such as the House of Dracul, the House of Corvinus, and like the Sirens and so on, all families hold great thirst for the talents of each master spirit-technician. And today, we could possibly have another master emerge. At the very least, that is what His Highness X is now saying, no?”

Under the stage, quite a few people knowingly laughed.

“I am Auctioneer Cethon. This time, His Highness X is only revealing two works. I shall be in charge of the first, and the second will be handled by the House of Corvinus’s Mister Yogg Saron. First, I must notify all you respected sires that not even we are aware of which craft that His Highness X is skilled in. However…” Cethon smiled and made an empty gesture. A bat holding a black invitation in its mouth delivered it to him, and he swayed it in the air. “All answers lie in this envelope.” [1]

Xu Yangyi nodded. The auctioneer was pretty good. Even if Cethon was just a Perfect Count, he surprisingly didn’t have stage fright in front of four master spirit-technicians, six quasi Grand Dukes, and two Throneless Grand Dukes. It was no wonder that he’d been chosen to host an auction that was meant to establish a master spirit-technician.

“Good.” At this moment, a woman’s voice was heard from under the stage. “Any master spirit-technician can be registered with the Holy White Cross Association. Of course, whether or not enrollment goes through is at his own privilege. But, we presently haven’t conducted his master spirit-technician exam.”

Xu Yangyi’s gaze slightly flashed. The woman who spoke was wearing a cloak with a white cross on it. Her face was lean, and her dress couldn’t be clearly seen through. In front of such a highly important master spirit-technician, no one would use their spiritual force to probe them. Just like with Xu Yangyi a while ago, even the Throneless Grand Dukes merely nodded. They didn’t cast their spiritual senses with the thought of investigation.

This was the most elementary respect towards peak strategic resources. Such an action couldn’t be done without permission. A master spirit-technician simply couldn’t be profaned.

As soon as the woman said these words, the gazes of the six quasi Grand Dukes stirred.

“It looks like this Mr. X isn’t thought of highly,” Savidean VII snickered, “As His Highness Chromaggus said, the Holy White Cross Association didn’t recognize him, huh…” [2]

“Shut up,” the old man in the middle said apathetically. “You just go and speak whatever you want? Wait until the four sires of the Holy White Cross Association make their judgement and then you can act. If this Mr. X is the real deal… are you thinking of making the House of Corvinus offend a master spirit-technician with vast prospects?’

Savidean VII sneered, “Anzunard, you think he’s actually one, as well? He didn’t even dare to announce his product. A person that only cares about keeping up the mystery?”

Anzunard didn’t reply. He only raised a brow after a few seconds. “I only feel that there’s something certainly different from usual since he risked convening a master spirit-technician auction.”

“But even if there’s something different, as long as he isn’t a real master he won’t be leaving this hall!” Savidean VII coldly gazed at Xu Yangyi’s pavilion. He didn’t dare to mobilize his spiritual sense, but he had a kind of premonition that damn Chinese bastard was inside. “In the western Cultivation Court, the penalty for those who pretend to be master spirit-technicians is death!”

“Let’s begin, don’t waste time,” Donaldo also spoke up. Two master spirit-technicians had spoken at the same time. Although the one among the masters with the highest realm was merely Donaldo, who had just recently advanced to high Marquis, the two Throneless Dukes beside him didn’t speak. On the contrary, they smiled and hinted for Cethon to continue.

“Yes…” Cethon swiftly nodded. After he opened the letter, he laughed, “Everyone, we will see the pleasant surprise that His Highness X has given us at once. Ah… the present he has brought us is Spirit Sand. This is a kind of…”

Everyone concentrated on listening to Cethon’s words. In particular the four master spirit-technicians were quietly discussing something. Yet without warning, Cethon’s voice came to a guttural stop, just like a duck with its throat being pinched.

No one spoke. Everyone thought that he’d misread. But once five seconds passed, the crowd discovered something was off.

“Cethon.” From the House of Dracul, the womanly-looking man silently stood up. The black robe covering his entire body like a pair of bat wings rose into the air. Surprisingly, a jam had occurred here. This was a loss of the Dracul’s face!

“What are you doing Cethon.” His ice-cold gaze was trained on the other, and he said softly, “Keep reading, now.”

A shiver travel up and down the auctioneer’s body. Only then did he regain his wits. Afterwards, he looked at Xu Yangyi’s room with a gaze of total disbelief, his lips trembling.

Everyone could see something was wrong. Each person in the crowd focused on his mouth.

“The capsule made from Spirit Sand is ab-abbreviated as… the Count’s Seat. I-It…” Cethon’s voice changed in pitch, and his lips shook so much that he couldn’t continue speaking.

“Speak!!!” The womanly-looking vampire roared. He couldn’t stand by and watch any longer. Was this really the Dracul’s best auctioneer? 

Good… after we return, I’ll roll you through a hell of needles, you worthless swine!

“It can raise the odds of advancing to Marquis by 30%!!!!!!”

A scream punched through the entire hall, exploding out of Cethon’s mouth. Afterwards, his eyes reddened and stared firmly at Xu Yangyi’s room. He said in a raspy voice, “Your Highness… Your Honorable Highness X! I-Is this true?! 30%! T-This…”

“That’s impossible!” Before he even finished speaking, a figure bolted up and emotionally stuck out a finger. “Fool! If I say that I’m the second best master spirit-technician in the West for spirit-potions and holy medicines, who dares to say they are first!”

The one to stand up was Donaldo. He glowered at Cethon. “Even for myself, the most I can manage is a 5% increase! And this Count’s Seat can actually surpass me by sixfold?! That doesn’t make sense!”

However, after his angry shout, he discovered a slight difference.

The entire auction hall was silent.

The members of the two great houses were all looking at Xu Yangyi’s room. Especially the Count-rank cultivators. It could be said that their eyes instantly reddened, but this excitement carried a practically tangible skepticism.

The first gift was like a thunderclap in a quiet place.

This percentage was too frightening… The creation of an army of Counts could be directly made on a minor scale! This was nothing concerning a single Count, but to any family this was a terrifying increase!

If this was true, Donaldo’s famous and resounding reputation as the top master of holy medicines and spirit-potions in the West would immediately collapse by half!

Cultivators couldn’t help but treat such a horrific percentage with caution! 

“Mr. Donaldo.” The old man wearing a black mask and who was sitting next to Donaldo likewise stood up, not a shred of a smile on his face. He patted the shoulder of the furious master spirit-technician. “Whether or not this is true in the end, it would be better for us to ask Mr. X.”

“Yes, I, too, am very interested. 30%... this has never appeared in the West. It only exists in historical record.” Another man with a pale complexion also stood up and looked at Xu Yangyi’s room. “Mr. X, I want to ask, is this percentage true?”

Silence reigned.

Everyone was waiting on Xu Yangyi’s answer. Yes or no, the West would likely be another world.

“It’s not definite.” After ages, Xu Yangyi’s voice was heard, like he was sipping coffee.

The crowd raged in an emotional uproar!

Rumbling discussion echoed throughout the hall, to the point that there were also whispered curses of unbearable anger. First they were given hope and then it was dashed away! How was this alright!

“You’re fooling the entire West!” Donaldo seemed to sigh, but in the next second he flared with even stronger fury.

He’d just said 30% was absolutely impossible!

He had excessively immersed himself in the way of holy medicines and spirit-potions for so many years. He had never heard of such a spirit-medicine… No! If it truly did exist, then this was a divine panacea for clans! All future Counts would possibly remember the name of X! Until they successfully became Marquises! And even so far… as to Grand Dukes!

After a century, this pill would equal all of his achievements!

Nonetheless, this was not the point of his wrath. What truly enraged him… 

Was that someone had actually challenged the authority of a master spirit-technician!

Truly, in the presence of so many people, six quasi Grand Dukes, two Throneless Grand Dukes, and four master spirit-technicians, someone had joked to everyone!

“Cethon, finish reading it.” Not waiting for Donaldo to speak, Xu Yangyi calmly said.

What’s a joke?

China’s cultivation history is far greater than the West’s. Does the thousands-of-years-old Dao of Pills tolerate the questions of a single layman like you?

An apology had to be made, but in the entire world only Xu Yangyi was the inheritor. He truly did have the qualifications to call everyone else laymen.

To only obtain the skin without ever seeing the marrow. Was this not what a layman was?

“You are impudent!!!” Donaldo burst into anger. As a master spirit-technician, naturally he had his own honor. “You think you can leave today?!”

“Whether or not I’ll be able to leave, let him finish reading and then talk,” Xu Yangyi said nonchalantly, “Continue.”

“Yes…” Cethon’s eyes flashed with strong disappointment, but he continued reading as before. “This is the effect that the most premium version of the Count’s Seat is able to achieve. Holy water and spirit-potions, in comparison to other magick methods, are mass-produced paths. Each year, only a hundred capsules of the premium Count’s Seat is produced. As for the substandard Count’s Seat, each year 3,000 capsules can be produced. The substandard product can guarantee the success rate of advancement to Marquis by…”

His eyes abruptly went round, just like when he saw 30% for the first time, and his hand trembled again. He simply didn’t dare to believe his eyes.