Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The entire area was in dead silence.
How could it be him? He was the emperor and the master of a royal family. Why did he put such an escort mission up for auction?
The emperor controlled most experts in this empire. In addition, his sons and daughters were also powerful experts. Why did Yongye Jiuyang need an outsider to carry out an escort mission for him?
Even Shangguan Feiyu was perplexed after hearing that.
During this awkward silence, Master Lin said, “Please don’t worry about the credibility of this task. As a task published by the Emperor of Darkness, I vouch for it!”
At last, some people who were tempted by the Emperor-based Saint Artifact were ready to start negotiating.
“Master Lin, are there requirements regarding the training levels, strength and Divine Path of the one who could accept this task?” An experienced, powerful deity asked.
He knew clearly that an escort mission with substantial reward would never be a simple task.
Master Lin said with a smile, “There is no requirement about these factors! There is only one requirement – the one who would be escorted should express her satisfaction with you! She will determine the one who will be given this task at last!”
“Now, the top ten candidates will get the chance to take the test, based on the auction price they offer. And the one who will be given this task will be selected from these ten people,” Master Lin said. “The reserve price of this task is 100,000 gold coins! That’s the smallest markup.”
Xue Qingchen said with a casual smile, “I will get the place! 1,000,000 gold coins!”
“1,100,000 gold coins!” Ximen Yingwu said with a faint smile.
“The East Imperial Palace is interested as well. 1,200,000 gold coins!” Donghuang Ying said.
The representatives of the three territories offered a million and more gold coins for a place.
Other people from big families and organizations also began to bid.
Apparently, the Emperor-based Saint Artifact was extremely tempting to them.
Su Yu was also frowning inside his private room. He was tempted by that Emperor-based Saint Artifact too!
However, this task was so weird!
Su Yu asked Meng Luo, “Give me a list of Emperor-based Saint Artifacts ranking between 40th and 50th!”
Meng Luo took out a list from a Storage Ring immediately. Its title was the Eternity Divine Weapon List.
Su Yu had heard of this list long ago. It was a ranking list for all Emperor-based Saint Artifacts and Fairy Artifacts between heaven and earth.
Su Yu opened the list curiously and found it had been partially ruined. The records of the top four divine weapons had been destroyed. Now, the most powerful Emperor-based Saint Artifact on this list was the World Annihilation Plate which of the World Annihilation Emperor.
“This is a ranking list handed down from the Great Destruction Age. It is incomplete. Nobody knows the name of the missing Emperor-based Saint Artifacts!” Meng Luo said with embarrassment.
Even in the god realm era, the Emperor-based Saint Artifacts were quite rare. Moreover, almost no ordinary creature could have an opportunity to have a look at an Emperor-based Saint Artifact.
Until now, nobody knew what the top four Emperor-based Saint Artifacts were. It was said that this list was incomplete when it was created.
The names of some other top-ranked Emperor-based Saint Artifacts on this list were also missing or ruined.
Su Yu was quite curious. Who created this ranking list? They must have known all the Emperor-based Saint Artifacts mentioned in it!
But why was this list ruined?
Su Yu looked for the 40th item. The record from the 40th to the 50th item was complete and detailed.
After a quick glance, Su Yu found most items were attacking Emperor-based Saint Artifacts. No wonder people were so eager to obtain them.
The Emperor-based Saint Artifact that ranked 40th was the South Pole Divine light. It was extremely powerful and could kill a tribe leader easily. One could wipe out a tribe with this horrible weapon with great ease.
Su Yu was also quite interested in this weapon.
However, when he looked at the Emperor-based Saint Artifact that ranked 45th, he was stunned.
“The Great Desolation Smelter?” Su Yu murmured in a low voice.
Meng Luo realized Su Yu had found something he was interested in. Therefore, she explained, “Nobody knows the origin of the Great Desolation Smelter. However, it is the most powerful equipment-forging item among all known Emperor-based Saint Artifacts! It could forge all kinds of magic weapons, from Fairy Artifacts to copied Emperor-based Saint Artifacts. If it is obtained by a Divine Warrior of Heaven and Earth who could inject the Strength of Rules into it, it could also forge Emperor-based Saint Artifacts easily!”
Hearing this, Su Yu was highly tempted.
He was not good at forging equipment. The best he could do was a Fairy Artifact, which was impressive for ordinary persons, but nothing compared to those Equipment-Forging Grandmasters!
The Great Desolation Smelter could forge copied Emperor-based Saint Artifacts itself. As an Emperor-based Saint Artifact that went against the natural rules, it was exactly what Su Yu needed.
In the future, when Su Yu tried to forge the main body of the Cosmos Sword Formation with the Heavenly Orchid Silver Bamboo, it would be quite troublesome if he could not find a trustworthy Equipment-Forging Grandmaster!
Time-tempered divine wood could cause all kinds of unforeseen dangers.
It was highly possible that the sword would be stolen by other powerful experts before the completion of the forging process.
Therefore, for Su Yu, the Great Desolation Smelter was even more important than the South Pole Divine Light!
After thinking about it for a while, Su Yu made up his mind.
“2,000,000 gold coins!” he placed his bid.
The rest of the people in this place had expected Su Yu to offer a high price.
At last, the top candidates were generated among those who could afford to pay.
When Master Lin realized nobody wanted to continue bidding, he ended the auction.
Among the ten shortlisted candidates, Su Yu, who offered 2,000,000 gold coins, ranked first.
Xue Qingchen, Ximen Yingwu, and Donghuang Ying also entered the top ten, as did Bai Yunfei.
The other three people who had come with him failed to be shortlisted. Apparently, they were not as wealthy as Bai Yunfei.
“Heh! Heh! Please pay the auction price you offered. Then you can come with me!”
Su Yu obtained 100,000,000 gold coins through the auction of the divine blood. Therefore, he paid for the Book Deity and the Annihilation Cannon with ease.
The auction was finished. Su Yu had become a focal point of all kinds of discussion after the auction.
Actually, Su Yu was not as wealthy as Shangguan Feiyu, who could throw out 100,000,000 gold coins without hesitation.
However, people were impressed when Su Yu humiliated Xue Qingchen, the Prince of the Xue Nation in the North Territory.
Even Shangguan Feiyu had to show respect to Xue Qingchen to maintain diplomatic relations.
It seemed Su Yu looked down upon the Xue Nation of the North Territory, which made him quite overbearing and mysterious.
Many people tried to run background checks on this new supreme guest. However, they all failed because of the perfect confidentiality system of the Tiannu Auction House.
Even the elders sent by Xue Qingchen failed to obtain any useful information about Su Yu.
“Let me take the test first. This guy is also shortlisted, which means his identity will be exposed. I am quite curious to know why he is so bold!” Xue Qingchen said coldly.
The shortlisted candidates were standing in the backyard of the Tiannu Auction House at this moment.
Among them were people from all age groups.
Xue Qingchen and the other two representatives of the three territories were powerful Prospective Deities. It was said that they were only in their 20s. If they were in the Star River, they would be regarded as amazing young geniuses!
The rest, middle-aged and old people, were at the level of Deities. Among them, an old man whose body was full of death aura had reached the level of a tribe leader, although it seemed he was about to die soon!
After taking all of them to the backyard, Master Lin said, “The one to be escorted doesn’t want to show up for now. However, she will keep a close watch during the test, and she will choose the winner in the end.
An arrogant young man said with a smile, “What kind of tests should we take? Does it mean our appearance will also be checked?”
Master Lin replied with a smile, “Maybe! The one to be escorted has high standards for the appearance of her bodyguards!”
Hearing this, that young man stopped smiling immediately. Then, he sat solemnly to show his respect.
The other candidates also behaved in a becoming manner.
Su Yu was not surprised by those words. He knew the middle-aged and old Deities wouldn’t be shortlisted if appearance was a factor.
His disapproving expression was quite eye-catching at this moment.
“The first test…” Master Lin said mysteriously.
Xue Qingchen believed it would be a test of strength because strength was clearly the most important factor in an escort task.
“Recite a book!”
Eh?
All candidates, including Su Yu, were flabbergasted.
Master Lin ignored their expressions. He took out a book and threw it up. Then, the book was suspended in mid-air in front of the candidates.
“You will have a period of ten breaths to memorize the contents of this book. Those who fail to recite it will be eliminated directly!”
Recite a book? All candidates were puzzled by this test. Why should a bodyguard memorize a book?
However, the book had started to flip quickly. Every page flashed rapidly. It was quite difficult to remember the contents of the entire book.
All of them had to focus their attention completely during these ten breaths. Otherwise, they would definitely miss something.
Normally, all of them would be able to pass this test successfully.
Five breaths had passed, with all of them doing their best to remember the contents of this book in an orderly manner.
However, a powerful fluctuation of divine strength gushed in at this moment.
All candidates, who were surprised by this fluctuation, reacted subconsciously.
This reaction distracted some of them, who missed a page or two.
When this test was finished, Master Lin said, “Those who can recite the book should stand on the left side of me. Those who can’t do that should stand on the right side.”
A middle-aged woman said snappily, “Master Lin, this is not fair! That fluctuation of divine strength distracted me! Otherwise, I would also be able to recite this book!”
“Right! If a test was disrupted by external factors, it should be performed again!” The arrogant young man said.
Master Lin replied, “Did you really think this test was only meant to gauge your ability to recite a book?”
In other words, the distraction of the divine strength was also part of this test.
“This test checks your concentration level. Unfortunately, you failed to pass and are not qualified for this task. The auction price you paid will be fully refunded!”
Hearing this, the middle-aged woman and the arrogant young man became speechless and remorseful.
“The test hasn’t been finished yet. In order to maintain secrecy, you can’t leave yet. Please stay on my right side for now!”
The other eight candidates passed the test of reciting the book successfully.
“The second test…”
Most of the candidates were thinking about strength and capabilities again.
“Hide and Seek!”
Huh?
Were they supposed to play now?
Master Lin said, “All of you have a period of ten breaths to hide yourselves in the Tiannu Auction House. Then, I will try to find you. Those who are found within 20 minutes will be eliminated directly!”
“Now, go!”
Although the candidates were embarrassed, they knew they had to play this stupid game. Therefore, they disappeared soon.
Su Yu’s eyes lit up as his body became transparent. Then, he disappeared on the spot.
After that, even his aura disappeared from the area.
After ten breaths, Master Lin said, “I will start to search for you now!”
A strand of vague deity aura radiated from his body. It seemed Master Lin had reached the level of a tribe leader!
This old guy was really good at hiding his capabilities!
However, all candidates were quite good at hiding themselves. For a short time, Master Lin failed to find anyone.
When the allotted time was about to end, Master Lin said with a smile, “Good! You will pass this test if you can hide from me until the end!”
Chi! Chi!
White smoke started to fly out of his eyes. A moment later, his eyes were filled with flames.
Then, everything was distorted under his fiery eyes. Seven indistinct figures appeared.
The figures of those who were good at hiding were quite fuzzy.
One figure was relatively clear. It belonged to Bai Yunfei’s.
Seeing this, Master Lin smiled. Then, he rushed up and tried to capture Bai Yunfei.
Bai Yunfei was shocked. He tried to run away. When he passed by the spot where Su Yu stood at the beginning, he ran into something and stumbled.
“What’s this?” Bai Yunfei was terrified because he could see nothing in front of him.
“Bai Yunfei has been eliminated!” Master Lin said as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
Then, Bai Yunfei had to show himself and give up reluctantly.
The next moment, Master Lin started to chase the other six, who tried their best to escape.
The people whose hiding skill was not good enough were captured directly.
When twenty minutes passed, Master Lin announced that three candidates were eliminated.
The representatives of the three territories, the frail old man and Su Yu passed this test successfully.
“The second test is finished! You can show yourself now!”
When the three representatives and the old man showed up, Master Lin nodded slightly because he had almost managed to spot them with his fiery eyes.
However, Master Lin was totally surprised when Su Yu showed himself. It seemed his fiery eyes failed to find Su Yu’s figure altogether.
They found Su Yu was still at the position where he was standing at the very beginning.
He didn’t move a bit during the test!
Seeing this, Bai Yunfei said angrily, “It was you, Su Yu!”
Now he figured out that he had stumbled because of Su Yu just now!
Su Yu glanced at Bai Yunfei indifferently. Then, he looked away as if nothing had happened.
“The third test is a word puzzle!” Master Lin announced. Then, he waved his palm to create a light screen in the sky with his divine strength. Inside the light screen, there were 100 thickly dotted characters.
“You should create a sentence with these characters as quickly as you can! The slowest one will be eliminated!”
Then, Master Lin said thoughtfully, “Please treat this test seriously. It could be the last one, the one that will determine who gets assigned the task at last!”
The candidates started to think about it. According to the rule, one of them would be eliminated. In other words, the one to be escorted would show up to choose the winner from the last four candidates.
“The test begins now!” Master Lin shouted.
Hearing this, the candidates began to compose a sentence from the characters on the light screen.
Theoretically, 100 characters could be used to make countless sentences.
Xue Qingchen, who was smiling, gave his answer first.
Then, Ximen Yingwu, Donghuang Ying and the frail old man also finished the test.
Only Su Yu, who was furrowing his eyebrows, was still lost in thought when the other candidates finished their test.
Bai Yunfei said with a disdainful smile, “What an idiot! How could he get stuck with this test? It is so easy…”
Master Lin also said as he looked at Su Yu sadly, “What a pity! You have been eliminated.”
However, Su Yu replied calmly, “Indeed, I should be eliminated from this child-play test! Now, can I talk with the one to be escorted about the task?”