Noah had obtained the strange diagram millennia ago and had remained uncertain about its effects since then. Nothing he did could cause a reaction in those lines, and the situation didn't change after he reached the divine ranks.
A divine item that could hide its nature from his inspection had to be powerful. Yet, Noah didn't know what to do with it. He had kept it inside his separate space due to its potential value, but he often forgot that it was still there.
"A frail mineral that can store particles of "Breath" of the darkness element," The expert on the stage explained to the audience even if Noah had already placed his bid. "It can work as a fuel for certain inscribed items and formations that require that type of energy. Other properties are unknown. Found in the Void Zone."
The auction began at that point, and everyone could see that Noah had already offered two thousand Soul Stones for the shard. They didn't know his name, but they knew that someone was willing to spend that substantial sum for a seemingly ordinary item.
Noah wasn't aware that he had committed a mistake. He wasn't an expert in those types of auctions, so he didn't predict that his action would cause unwanted effects.
All the experts in the auction were opponents. They wouldn't lose the chance to make someone else spend more Soul Stones. That tactic would allow them to purchase the resources that they wanted at a lower price or fight for them with fewer opponents.
Noah recognized his mistake when he saw multiple bids surpassing his offer and doubling the shard's price. Still, it was too late now. He could only deal with the consequences of his actions and continue to place more Soul Stones into the panel.
The other experts eventually let him have the item. They were afraid that Noah would stop bidding if they continued to raise the price. He had to pay a bit more than five thousand Soul Stones, but he successfully purchased the black shard.
The panel illuminated after the auction ended, and a case appeared above it once the light dimmed. Noah quickly opened the envelope and picked the peculiar shard to inspect its structure.
The item appeared quite ordinary. It was nothing more than a mineral filled with "Breath" of the darkness element. It didn't contain much energy either, but Noah guessed that it was part of a mine or a similar structure.
"Do you know what the Void Zone is?" Noah asked the hybrids as he continued to study the shard.
Noah had read something about it when he inspected the library. Some books described that place as one of the Immortal Lands' natural danger zones, but they never explained the reason behind that.
They only said that it had something to do with the void, which Noah found peculiar since it was inside a higher plane. Ripping the fabric of the world apart would take existences above the seventh rank in terms of power.
"I only happened to fly near it once," Jordan said after Don shook his head. "The Immortal Lands have many strange environments, but the Void Zone stands among the strangest."
"Is it dangerous?" Noah asked as he studied how the shard affected the diagram inside the separate space.
Surges of energy flowed through the lines of the diagram whenever Noah neared the shard to his chest. It was clear that he had found the key to unlock that mysterious item, but he wanted to wait until Jordan's explanation ended before proceeding with his test.
"Dangerous isn't the right word to describe that place," Jordan replied. "The fabric of the world is strangely frail in the Void Zone. Any whiff of divine energy will rip it open and create countless cracks that lead to the void. Divine entities can survive there, but you might remain on the other side forever if you aren't careful. A species of magical beasts that can exploit those features also lives there."
'I wish I could talk with the expert who found this,' Noah thought, but he quickly discarded that idea when he saw that a new auction had already begun.
The experts on the stage were selling other peculiar and strange materials, but Noah was interested in them. His eyes closed as dark matter seeped out of his chest and took the black shard inside the separate space.
Night and the Demonic Sword prepared themselves to fight as the shard neared the diagram. Noah didn't know what would happen once the two items touched each other, so he created multiple defensive layers with his dark matter.
The shard flew toward the diagram and crumbled once it touched its lines. The energy contained inside the mineral fused with the item and tried to activate its functions. Yet, that "Breath" didn't manage to trigger anything.
Noah scrutinized the diagram and sensed that one of its lines had changed after the shard fused with it. Part of it had become thicker, and energy was filling its insides.
'I think I need to charge the entire diagram to see its effects,' Noah concluded when he noticed that detail. 'I need to go to the Void Zone.'
The auctions had yet to reach the valuable items, but Noah had already found his next destination. He couldn't contain his curiosity now that he knew how to activate the diagram. He would fly to the Void Zone as soon as that event ended.
"Where is this place?" Noah asked after realizing that he had no idea where the Void Zone was.
"Inside the magical beasts' domain," Jordan replied, "Near a windy area. It might be a good spot where to absorb chaotic laws."
Jordan had already understood Noah's intentions, so she explained other valuable features about those territories. Also, her words expressed her intention to join the journey.
'I guess it's time to see the magical beasts' domain then,' Noah thought. 'It should be easier to explore during the invasion. We only need to cross the borders without joining any battle.'
The auctions never stopped, and Noah always glanced at the featured items to see if he found something interesting. Countless materials, simple inscribed weapons, and partial knowledge about certain techniques went by, but he didn't bid for any of them.
The appearance of the black shard had been a fluke. Noah found no reason to spend Soul Stones for resources that couldn't benefit his cultivation level or battle prowess. He had to wait for the valuable items.
Saul sent him a mental message as the items reached and left the stage. The expert told Noah not to leave the room since the auctions were about to get to the last phase.
A few experts among the audience left the underground area after someone purchased the last of the weaker items. More cultivators also appeared on the stage, and a series of waiters brought them inscribed robes capable of protecting them from external pressure.
A barrier descended on the stage. Inscribed lines appeared to protect the audience from the pressure of the following items. Some of the cultivators on the seats were in the middle tier, so they would find it hard to withstand the aura of anything stronger than them.
"Should we start with a blast?" One of the experts on the stage asked, and the audience cheered at his words.
The expert snapped his fingers, and Don jumped off the couch when he saw the item that appeared on the stage. Two cultivators carried a large transparent case that contained the beating heart of a rank 8 magical beast.
