Alongside Selene, Verena, the Valkyrie, and Heide, Konrad left the Sea Dream Temple to return to the Sea Dream City which now teemed with bluster. Even as they flew toward it, they could see legions of cultivators, from Divine Ascension to High Gods, making their way toward the Sea Dream Temple for examination.
Meanwhile, within the Sea Dream City, devas of various backgrounds gathered. The Primal Sun Sect, the Eternal Void Palace, the Radiant Light Mountain, alongside representatives of the seven other hegemonic sects gathered. Although the strength of most of them had been crippled by the loss of Primogens and deities above the High God Rank, their elder councils remained relatively unharmed. The past strength balance had crumbled, with the Primal Sun Sect now standing as the undisputed number one while the ranking of some Cardinal Sects threatened to fall beneath the Divine Sects'.
In fact, having lost Brihaspati, Anura and all its deities between High God and Ancestral God levels, the Radiant Light Mountain now ranked at the bottom of all hegemonic sects. Their empty treasury didn't help. In order to save their sect from the inevitable decline, the elders pooled all their resources to make a clean sweep in this auction, and convert the Radiant Light Mountain into a dual cultivation sect. Those were not merely the most popular, but when properly administrated, also held the strongest potential.
Others held similar ideas. The Eternal Void Elders reasoned that a one-time investment into the Naga devis and Chandra's consorts would allow them to open Dual Cauldron Houses, glorified brothels other deities could enjoy for a price. On the one hand, it would allow them to make large profits they could then reinvest into their sect — on the other hand, their male disciples could use the nagas for quick breakthroughs.
But while the majority came to put the nagas to use, a minority merely wished to free relatives lost in Chandra's lecherous hands. And as Konrad's party landed within the Sea Dream City, Heide's eyes swept the legions of groups making their way toward the Auction Hall.
"Dad, besides getting you new beauties, what are we here for?"
Heide couldn't help but ask. If he merely wished to acquire the Nagas, Konrad needn't make the trip personally. He could always do it by using Rati as proxy. His presence indicated that there was more to this trip than he previously let on.
"The remaining high profile members of the various hegemonic sects gather today. It is an excellent opportunity for me to take control of their hearts and sects by proxy. In the near future, this will make our subversion of Heaven a whole lot simpler."
Konrad replied while they crossed the streets to land before the Auction Hall. As the auction's titular managing elder, although he didn't have to do any actual work, registering his presence before the auction began was a must. The Sea Dream Temple merely handled the auction on the Warden's orders. The Nagas didn't belong to them, and if they wanted a share, just like the others, they'd have to pay the price.
As for the auction's earnings, fifty percent would go to the Sea Dream Temple while the remaining fifty would fall into the hands of the Heaven Warding Temple. Brahmas may not care for material wealth, but cultivation cared. But as Konrad's party neared the Auction Hall, a nearby commotion grabbed their attention.
"Revolting creature, how dare you fall in the path of my esteemed self?!"
An overbearing youth with the golden hair of the Ravmalahks snarled in a mixture of indignation and disgust. With a glance, Konrad could see that the youth's age neared three hundred, while his cultivation stood at the mid-stage of the Minor God Rank. Though the ratio between age and cultivation indicated his position in Surya's house couldn't be shallow, in Konrad's eyes, such a deity wasn't even qualified to be called an ant.
In typical times, Konrad wouldn't have paid any more attention to the Ravmalahk young master's tantrum, but as he laid eyes on the victim, a strange glint flashed in his eyes, and without hesitation, he walked toward the scene.
There, surrounded by four Sun Spirit bodyguards at the Nihility God Rank, the Ravmalahk youth trampled a blindfolded girl who, from the contours of her face, didn't seem older than eighteen.
In the Higher Realm were no one was younger than 200, that was, of course, impossible. But as they followed Konrad toward the scene, neither Verena, the Valkyrie, Selene or Heide could feel any cultivation base from that girl. Without a shred of doubt, she was mortal. A mortal human girl without the strength to truss up a chicken. When the realization settled in their minds, their faces contorted into frowns.
Konrad, however, didn't appear surprised.
With unkempt black hair stopping above her waist, a torn black dress and half-broken sandals, the blindfolded girl's appearance couldn't look shabbier. Strangely, within Heaven where cold didn't exist, that girl wore gloves. That type of person would have never dared to block the path of a Ravmalahk lord. However, she wasn't given much of a choice in the matter.
If the chains binding her wrists and legs already made her mobility challenging, another affliction forced her to collapse in that "young" master, her captor's path: Epilepsy. Indeed, as the Ravmalahk Lord ruthlessly trampled her, the girl spasmed on the ground while her eyes rolled back in a sudden bout of epilepsy.
Immortal, afflicted with a chronic disease, and unable to cultivate. Even without Konrad's input, Selene and Verena recognized the girl for what she was: a Forbidden Physique owner!
And indeed, they were right. In that girl, Konrad saw the first of the three Forbidden Physiques, the plight of worlds, hailed as the omniverse's most dreadful creation: The Absolute Negation Physique!
Even without his powers, Konrad didn't doubt that beneath the blindfold, the girl didn't have sight. The curse Absolute Negation Physique owners bore was inarguably the worst. With a glance, they could negate all! Concepts, aspects, life, death, truth, fate, with thirty locks unlocked, Supremes aside, there was nothing an Absolute Negation Physique owner couldn't instantly negate.
But twisted by Regretless' curse, the owner couldn't control the ability. As long as they saw or directly touched something, the ability would kick into gear. Worse, besides their epilepsy, they were immortal and endowed with fast regeneration abilities. Gouging out their eyes was useless. Therefore, those powerful enough to resist the negation would bind the physique owner's eyes.
That girl was the same. Beneath the blindfold, her eyes were bound by pins and threads, leaving her in perpetual, horrendous pain. By the time Konrad reached the circle of humans, spirits, and devas formed around this uncanny scene, the girl's epilepsy bout had ended, and she just lay there, enduring the abuse with her chained hands and legs preventing her from revolting.
As if used to this kind of treatment, she didn't groan, she didn't whimper and merely stood there in silence. But for some reason, as he glanced at this girl whose looks could not hold a candle to any of his beauties, Konrad felt a tinge of ire blossoming within his chest.
It wasn't humanity. It was personal. Even he couldn't explain it. Now, he didn't want to know the how, the who, or why. Stretching out his hand, Konrad made a grasping motion, and to the onlookers' shock, the girl slid toward him.
Ignoring the Ravmalahk Lord, Konrad lowered his eyes toward the girl's battered frame which now healed at a rapid pace.
"Bold! Who the hell are you? How dare you intervene in my business? That girl is a slave prepared for my grandfather, the Sun God, Surya! With the Sea Dream Temple's current shape, do you Maras dare go against my grandf…"
The Ravmalahk lord began, but before he could finish his words, Konrad's left hand chopped empty air, and beheaded by an invisible blade, the Ravmlahk's head spiraled into the sky before tumbling onto the ground. His corpse soon followed.
Alarmed, the bodyguards staggered. This was a direct descendant of the Sun God! In the Sea Dream City, who dared harm him?! But they weren't given time to ponder further before collapsing in a puddle of blood.
Without further disturbance, Konrad knelt beside the girl and took her into his arms. Feeling the unfamiliar and unprecedented grasp, she floundered, shaking her head from left to right in glaring fright.
"Who…who are you? What do you want? I have nothing to offer you!"
The girl rattled off.
But though her clouded eyes couldn't register his features, as he glanced toward her, she could feel a soothing warmth rippling from his heart, and imagine the gentle smile plastered on his face. Confusion filled her mind.
"Right now, no one. But if you are willing, I shall take you as my disciple. Henceforth, so long as I stand, none shall harm you."
Konrad pledged, causing both the girl and his ladies' confusion to shoot through the sky.
