HSSB1132: To the highest bidder
The one year mark was fast approaching.
During this period of time, much news regarding the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion had again spread.
It was rumoured that they would sell Heaven Fleeing Seven Rotation Talismans, this being a unique treasure from a lineage of pre-Great Calamity times, the Heavenly Fleeing Sect.
The Heavenly Fleeing Sect was naturally superior to middle and small lineages in terms of its martial legacies.
Still, as compared to other massive entities of the same level, it appeared ordinary in both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Yet, there was one aspect in which the Heavenly Fleeing Sect had been extremely outstanding, with its name spreading far and wide throughout the entire pre-Great Calamity world as a result.
That was its extraordinary movement techniques and fleeing techniques which seldom saw a match.
Upon this foundation, they had created a rare treasure that could assist one in shifting through space and fleeing perilous situations. It was none other than the Heaven Fleeing Seven Rotation Talisman.
Each of these talismans could be used seven times.
Additionally, if it was necessary, these seven chances could be used consecutively as their effects would not diminish as a result, still being as powerful.
While it did not mean that one would be able to flee successfully in any situation, the mass appeal this possessed could not be denied.
If utilised appropriately, it would very well be equivalent to possessing an additional few lives. How could one not be moved at that?
The Spirit Divinity Heavenly Brew and the Heaven Fleeing Seven Rotation Talisman were already so enticing to those of the World beyond Worlds. Soon, though, news came from the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion that they would also be selling Impending Rain Plates in the future.
Most people felt somewhat lost at first as this was a relatively obscure name.
Yet, the eldest son and second generation leader of the Tiger Leaping Peak’s Luo Family in the north of the central Jun Heaven Territory, Luo Bei, hurried over to the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion after hearing of this.
While Luo Bei had kept a low profile as much as possible in doing so, due to the efforts of some, news of his actions was still leaked in the end.
People gradually came to understand what was going on.
The Tiger Leaping Peak’s Luo Family was greatly renowned for its attainments in formations not just in the central Jun Heaven Territory but also in the entire World beyond Worlds.
Outside of the Three Sovereigns, Five Emperors and Ten Exalts, the Tiger Leaping Peak’s Luo Family was generally publicly acclaimed as standing at the top in the World beyond Worlds for formations.
Luo Bei’s father, the head of the Luo Family Luo Baiyuan, had even previously been celebrated as the number one formations grandmaster amongst Immortal Bridge Martial Saints.
Only after Yan Zhaoge had buried three ninth level Martial Saints with the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation in the southern Blazing Heaven Territory that year had this then diminished somewhat.
Still, no one would doubt the abilities of the Tiger Leaping Peak’s Luo Family regarding formations.
Luo Bei was the second generation leader that his father thought most highly of and possessed an outstanding cultivation base as well.
While Daoist Shi who had died back at Broad Creed Mountain in the past had been inferior to Shen Lingzi in terms of cultivation base, his reputation had been no lower than his.
His attainments in formations had already been top-tier amongst the Immortal Bridge Martial Saints of the World beyond Worlds.
Still, it was rumoured that at the same cultivation level, the early Immortal Bridge stage, Luo Bei was superior to Daoist Shi.
That such a figure had rushed over with the utmost urgency after hearing about the Impending Rain Plate naturally attracted the attention of many.
Soon, with yet more deliberate spreading of news, everyone finally learnt the use of the Impending Rain Plate.
The so-called Impending Rain Plate came from the phrase ‘preparing beforehand for an impending downpour’.
Everyone knew that while formations were powerful as they borrowed the might of the heavens and the earth, there were numerous conditions and limitations for them to be effectively established.
For many powerful formations, time, location and suitable people were required for them to exert their full effects.
For example, the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation that Yan Zhaoge had established that year had required a large scale water vein for him to manipulate and utilise.
This ‘large scale’ was a truly stringent requirement indeed.
There were only those mere few rivers in the vast World beyond Worlds which met it.
There were also some powerful formations which could still be established even when they had failed to meet some conditions, just that their might would be diminished as a result.
It was not easy at all for formations to be established whenever independent of the environment and such.
This was important considering how the practical usage of formations was generally dependent on the length of time required to establish them.
It would naturally be best if the formation could be established with the wave of a hand. If a longer timespan was required, though, it was hard to say if they were much feasible outside of ambushes.
After all, actual battle situations were unpredictable with countless variables at the end of the day.
Those who could casually and swiftly establish formations that were still relatively powerful were all peak experts in the dao of formations at the level of Daoist Shi and Luo Bei.
While the Tiger Leaping Peak’s Luo Family was renowned for its attainments in formations, it only had a mere few people who were capable of this.
The Impending Rain Plate had appeared because of this.
This was an invention of pre-Great Calamity times which had been lost following the Calamity.
As its name suggested, it entailed preparing beforehand for the impending downpour.
This precious treasure allowed one to complete their preparations beforehand, storing their secret arts within the disc which would instantly expand anytime to form a formation when the need arose.
If such a change suddenly occurred during the course of a battle, it would undoubtedly shape how things unfolded.
Of course, not all formations could be stored within.
The greatest detriment of this item was that it was a one-time-use consumable kind of treasure.
Even so, its value could not be understated.
It was perfectly understandable that the Luo Family would prize it so highly.
On one hand, not all descendants of theirs had the ability to establish formations within a short duration to face their enemies as this treasure would thus aid them in their combat situations.
On the other hand, if others, even opponents of the Luo Family, obtained this, it would then diminish their advantage in terms of formations greatly without question.
It was impossible trying to stem and go against the river’s flow as there was only going along with it.
If they kept the status quo but their opponents advanced, it would be equivalent to themselves regressing. There was no way the Luo Family could stay calm with this.
Meanwhile, everyone else who received the news was bubbling with excitement as well.
While the object in question was still nowhere to be seen, no harm could come in pre-ordering some.
This same principle applied for the Spirit Divinity Heavenly Brew and the Heaven Fleeing Seven Rotation Talisman.
Moreover, as the one-year mark neared, the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion again broadcast that it would be selling Internal Crystal Furnaces on a large scale.
With that, everyone grew even more frenzied.
While those without sufficient materials would inevitably be unable to do anything, the acquisition of the Internal Crystal Furnace for those who did would greatly boost their artifact forging speed in ensuring that they would attain their desired artifacts much earlier than originally expected.
The same applied here: For any lineage that was striving for greater heights, what would they do if they ignored this, but their opponent acquired one?
While the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion had still yet to truly open, the area outside its door was like a marketplace as it was virtually trampled into by the droves of people who flocked there.
Still, the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion announced that it would temporarily not be accepting any pre-ordering due to limited stock.
Whether it was the limited stock available or their inability to reserve the items at the present time, people were troubled by both of these statements.
Rather than that, their moods were uplifted somewhat with how the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion had declared that when they officially opened their doors and sold those goods, it would be on a ‘first come first serve basis’ rather than a ‘to the highest bidder’ basis.
Along with that, the fact that they were only temporarily unable to pre-order their desired items left open the possibility that they might be able to do so in the future.
“Why not sell to the highest bidder, Young Master?” Xiao Ai asked curiously.
Nearing the date of the official opening, Yan Zhaoge had already left Dragon Butterfly Valley and come to the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion in Yuanzhou City.
“All this you see is merely the prelude,” Yan Zhaoge propped up his leg, sitting leisurely on a chair, “What they will have to compete for comes later, and are not some treasures or the like. Instead…”
He smiled, wagging a finger, “…Instead, it will be a sort of qualification.”