Sword Array Prototype and the Auction Heist

Dharma Swords, especially those of the second realm rank, had always been hard currency in the cultivation world.

As the saying goes: the poor practice arts, the rich refine artifacts, and the idiots who choose sword cultivation ruin their lives.

If a law-abiding, upright second realm sword cultivator wanted to save up for a decent low-grade second realm Dharma Sword, it was normal to spend three to five years living frugally. If they wanted a mid-grade one, they couldn't even dream of it without ten years of savings.

As for the legendary Myriad Swords Returning to Origin?

An ordinary sword cultivator who could control two flying swords simultaneously was already considered to have exceptional divine sense. Those who could handle three were the cream of the crop among their peers. No one in their right mind would hoard so many Dharma Swords for no reason.

After all, if one sword could break ten thousand spells, the ancestors never said two swords could break twenty thousand.

Gu Chengming sighed, forced to face the primary issue of the four essentials of Daoist cultivation: Wealth, Companions, Methods, and Land.

Speaking of being law-abiding, he instinctively touched the storage pouch at his waist—the one Elder Ren had given him before his departure, claiming it contained his "clean family inheritance."

After a careful search, he found no Dharma Swords inside.

Thinking about it, Elder Ren probably felt the Tinglan Sword was already an exquisite base, sufficient to accompany him through the entire second realm, so he hadn't bothered to stuff in any other blades.

But the items in this bag... weren't they a bit too miscellaneous?

A five-element rotation plate carved with complex array patterns, a Wind-Settling Bead radiating precious light, and even several Profound Yin Banners clearly meant for setting up illusion arrays...

He felt puzzled. These didn't look like things for a sword cultivator. Instead, they looked more like the kit of a rogue cultivator.

Recalling Elder Ren's instructions before he left the mountain, Gu Chengming decided to sell a portion of these treasures to exchange for new Dharma Swords.

After some thought, he eventually thought of Song Qing.

The cultivators of the Tianting Sect seemed quite wealthy.

With his mind made up, Gu Chengming no longer hesitated.

He picked out the treasures that were too flashy or clearly didn't fit a sword cultivator's style.

Since they were currently in the capital and both serving in the Night Guard Division, finding Song Qing to "fence the goods" was extremely convenient.

Once his plan was set, he stowed the storage pouch, pushed open his door, and headed straight for the Hidden Dragon Courtyard.

Night Guard Division, Hidden Dragon Courtyard.

Song Qing was listlessly polishing his beloved fiery-red precious pearl. When he saw Gu Chengming at his door mentioning he wanted to sell several treasures, he immediately perked up.

"Brother Gu, you've come to the right person!"

Song Qing patted his chest and laughed loudly. "Our Tianting Sect might lack other things, but we have a special fondness for magical treasures. As long as the items are good, the price will be fair. Come, come, let me take a look."

Gu Chengming didn't waste words. With a wave of his hand, he produced three items from his storage pouch: an ancient bronze mirror carved with cloud patterns, a crimson feather fan, and an array plate embedded with seven gemstones.

"Good stuff!"

Song Qing's eyes lit up. He first picked up the feather fan, feeling the pure fire spiritual energy within, and praised, "Is this a Five-Fire Fan refined from the tail feathers of a second realm Scarlet Fire Crow? This craftsmanship, this heat control... tsk tsk, definitely the work of a master."

He then picked up the ancient bronze mirror.

"Oh? This mirror is a defensive treasure? Looking at these patterns, it seems it can even reflect a portion of technical attacks?"

The more Song Qing looked, the more he liked it.

However, as he continued his inspection, his expression gradually turned strange. He flipped the bronze mirror over and, sure enough, in an extremely hidden corner of the back, he felt a faint mark that seemed to have been deliberately half-ground away.

Wait, why do these last few treasures look a bit familiar?

"Brother Gu."

Song Qing swallowed and asked tentatively, "Where did you get these treasures?"

Gu Chengming's expression was calm. "They were all given to me by my master before I left. He said they were the family inheritance he accumulated during his travels in his younger years."

Hearing this, an image instantly flashed through Song Qing's mind.

A few days ago, before he came down the mountain for his experience, he had gone to bid his master farewell.

His master had produced a large batch of Dharma Swords and told him to dispose of them while he was at it...

Looking at it now, one side held nothing but treasures for art cultivators, while the other side held nothing but swords for sword cultivators.

Could there really be such a coincidence in this world?

Song Qing looked at Gu Chengming with a subtle feeling in his heart.

Could it be that the two—two old seniors—had swapped their loot?

"Senior Brother Song? Is there something wrong with these treasures?" Gu Chengming asked, puzzled by his silence.

"No! No problem! Not a single problem!"

Song Qing snapped out of it, shaking his head like a rattle.

Was he joking? This kind of mess involving the grudges, affections, or money laundering of the previous generation's powerhouses was not something a second realm disciple like him dared to question.

Since Brother Gu said his master gave them to him, then his master gave them to him. They were as clean as could be!

"Brother Gu, although I really want to take these, their grade is too high. I'm afraid I don't have enough liquid spirit stones on hand to cover them. However, I do know of a good place."

Song Qing enthusiastically changed the subject. "If Brother Gu wants to sell these treasures and also purchase a large number of Dharma Swords, ordinary shops might struggle to satisfy you. In this capital, there is a giant known as the Jubo Merchant Guild."

"This guild has a deep background, and its business spans the thirteen provinces of Great Qian. Not only do they acquire all sorts of rare treasures, but they also hold an auction every mid-month."

"Coincidentally, three days from now is the fifteenth."

Song Qing pondered and said, "If Brother Gu goes there, not only can you sell these for a high price, you might even find what you need at the auction..."

"An auction?"

Gu Chengming's heart stirred upon hearing this, but before he could speak, Hundred Bones Resonating became excited at the mention of the word.

【Emperor Gu, Emperor Gu! It's an auction!】

'Alright, I already know what you want to do, Emperor Bai.'

Gu Chengming eventually agreed to Song Qing's suggestion. On one hand, the place did suit his needs; on the other, it was for the sake of Emperor Bai.

The Jubo Merchant Guild was located in the most central district of the East Market. It featured flying eaves and painted rafters, built entirely from a precious spiritual material called Sinking Gold Wood. The entrance was bustling with carriages and horses, and those coming and going were either cultivators in fine silks or high-ranking officials.

Just as they reached the entrance, a slightly plump manager dressed in brocade greeted them with a beaming smile.

The manager was clearly very familiar with Song Qing. "What a coincidence. A batch of Cold Iron Essence from the Western Regions just arrived today. I was just about to send someone to the Night Guard Division to inform you."

"We'll talk about the essence later."

Song Qing casually tossed a spirit stone as a tip and pointed to Gu Chengming beside him. "I'm accompanying Brother Gu today. He has some good things to sell, and we also want to see if there are any handy Dharma Swords in the auction. Same as usual, arrange a private booth for us."

"Understood! Gentlemen, please follow me upstairs!" The manager took the spirit stone, his face crinkling into a smile as he personally led the way.

On the way to the auction hall, Song Qing kept busy, lowering his voice to brief Gu Chengming on the background of the Jubo Merchant Guild.

"Brother Gu, don't look at how ordinary this guild seems on the surface. Its foundation is quite deep. The head manager behind this guild is a fifth realm cultivator with unfathomable cultivation. Even the first-rank officials in the imperial court have to give him some face."

At this point, Song Qing pointed at the floor and then toward the ceiling.

"Because of this, in nearly a hundred years, I've never heard of anyone daring to act wildly in the Jubo Merchant Guild, whether buying or selling."

"After all, who would offend a fifth realm powerhouse for a bit of petty profit?"

Song Qing pointed toward the towering Imperial City in the distance. "Moreover, this place happens to be one of the convergence points for the Great Qian dragon qi. If anyone dares to use magic to kill and loot, triggering the restrictions, the Night Guard Division and the Imperial Guards will arrive in an instant."

【Hundred Bones Resonating felt suddenly dejected and frustrated.】

【Then what's the point of this auction?】

【Without blind young masters provoking us, without the thrill of a 'black eats black' robbery, how is Emperor Gu supposed to show his divine might? How can he counter-kill after picking up a bargain?】

Gu Chengming ignored Old Bai's complaints and followed the manager into the appraisal room.

Because of Song Qing's guarantee and the fact that the treasures were indeed high-quality works by famous masters, the appraisal process was exceptionally smooth.

After finalizing the procedures and holding the jade token representing his auction qualification, Gu Chengming felt a faint, strange sensation.

He scanned the surroundings.

Although the auction hall was luxuriously decorated and the protective arrays were tight, he didn't sense any powerful auras stationed there other than the two early stage second realm guards standing at the door.

"Brother Song," Gu Chengming couldn't help but ask.

"In this massive auction house, the spirit stones flowing through today must be in the tens of thousands. Does it really rely solely on the guild's reputation and the Great Qian dragon qi to hold the floor? Don't they need one or two third realm experts to guard it?"

"Oh, Brother Gu, you're just too cautious."

Song Qing couldn't help but laugh and patted Gu Chengming's shoulder. "Relax! This auction has been running for nearly a hundred years, and there hasn't been an accident in decades."

"Besides, today is just the monthly auction. At most, the items being auctioned are second realm resources and manuals."

"If someone were to go to the trouble of causing a scene in the capital for this little bit of stuff, while risking being hunted by a fifth realm powerhouse and becoming a fugitive of Great Qian, the math just doesn't add up. Unless that rogue cultivator's head was kicked by a donkey, there's absolutely no way anyone is coming to cause trouble. Peace of mind, peace of mind!"

Seeing Song Qing's confident posture, Gu Chengming opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing. However, that subtle premonition in his heart grew stronger.

Wasn't this flag planted a bit too firmly?

The auction began quickly.

The hall was shaped like a circular amphitheater, capable of holding several hundred people.

By now, every seat was filled, mostly by late-stage Qi Refining cultivators or those in the second realm who had recently established their foundations. As Song Qing had said, an auction of this level was unlikely to attract great cultivators above the third realm.

The auctioneer was a silver-tongued female cultivator who warmed up the crowd with just a few words.

"One bottle of second realm low-grade Rejuvenation Pills, starting bid at one hundred... Three second realm mid-grade Golden Light defense talismans..."

Item after item was brought up and auctioned off at high prices. About an hour passed.

"Everyone!"

The auctioneer's voice suddenly rose, and she excitedly unveiled the red cloth on the tray. "Next up for auction is a set of extremely rare, master-crafted boutique magical treasures!"

"The Five-Fire Divine Flame Fan! The Azure Shadow Heart-Protecting Mirror! The Seven-Star Spirit-Gathering Plate!"

"These three treasures are all of the second realm, brimming with spirituality. Whether for combat or cultivation, they are top-tier choices! The starting bid is..."

Gu Chengming's spirit lifted. As long as these items were sold, this sum of spirit stones plus his previous savings would be enough to go to the Jicheng Hall to exchange for the Red Dust Phantom Step and several Dharma Swords.

However, just as the auctioneer was about to announce the starting price.

A sudden change occurred.

"Buzz—!!!"

A piercing hum echoed throughout the entire hall. The arrays originally floating above the venue, responsible for lighting and basic soundproofing, suddenly erupted with a blinding blood-red light.

"What's happening? Is the array out of control?!"

The cultivators below hadn't even had time to react.

Crack! Crack!

Countless blood-colored light chains dropped from the array, precisely coiling around every single cultivator present.

Those second realm cultivators who had been calm just moments ago felt their true essence stagnate. Their sea of qi was instantly locked, leaving them immobile like wooden statues.

"The Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Array?!"

Following that, amidst the deathly silence and panic, several figures slowly stood up from the crowd.

They were five cultivators dressed in black robes, wearing bronze masks on their faces.

Blood-red light chains were also coiled around them, but the chains seemed to have no effect on them. Instead, they acted as a kind of enhancement, causing their auras to surge—all of them were second realm experts.

The leading masked man ignored the terrified gazes around him and swaggered onto the auction stage. With a ruthless grab, he stuffed Gu Chengming's three treasures, along with the storage pouches of spirit stones that hadn't been put away yet, into his own robes.

"Thanks for the support, everyone. We'll be taking these!"

In the private booth.

Gu Chengming slowly turned his head to look at Song Qing.

This Tianting Sect elite, who had just been vowing that it was "absolutely safe, no accidents in decades, only a donkey-brained person would rob it," was currently staring with his mouth wide open, stunned and aghast.

Gu Chengming sighed.

'So much for no accidents.'

【Hundred Bones Resonating is deeply moved.】

【Thank you, rogue cultivators. It will remember the wonderful memories you gave it for its first auction for the rest of its life.】

Gu Chengming sighed helplessly.

These people had clearly timed their arrival perfectly.

According to Song Qing's earlier explanation, the Jubo Merchant Guild usually had a resident third realm protector. Conveniently, just a few days ago, the branch in Yun'an City had some sort of trouble, and that protector had been urgently dispatched to investigate.

He had barely been gone for a few days when the Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Array was activated.

Gu Chengming watched the three black-robed men on stage frantically looting, but he felt a sense of absurdity.

The math didn't add up.

The Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Array was a top-tier second realm trapping array. Just the array flags and spirit stones required to set it up were a massive expense.

If it were for the sake of looting the third realm finale treasure, that would be one thing. But the auction was only halfway through. What was currently on the table were just some second realm pills and Gu Chengming's three treasures that hadn't even been bid on yet.

To go through all this trouble, risking backlash from the capital's dragon qi and being hunted by a fifth realm powerhouse, just to rob this little bit of stuff?

This didn't look like a quest for wealth; it looked like they were crashing the party specifically to be a nuisance.

Under the pressure of the array, the vast majority of second realm cultivators in the hall had flushed faces, their spiritual energy circulation extremely difficult.

Gu Chengming also felt that heavy pressure, his gaze locking onto the figures on stage.

If it were just three second realm rogue cultivators, he could try to push through this Spirit-Locking Array and directly slay them.

Other second realm cultivators truly had no reason to act under these circumstances.

But he was different. He still had many treasures waiting to be auctioned on that stage!

These rogue cultivators were stealing his stuff!

Thinking of this, Gu Chengming couldn't help but feel frustrated. Why was it always him encountering this kind of bad luck?

Of course, attacking right now was not a wise move. He needed an opportunity.

The moment that black-robed man turned around and revealed a flaw...

【Primal Emperor Art: Second Stage Activated】

Zheng—!

The clear ring of the Tinglan Sword unsheathing was exceptionally sharp in the deathly silent auction hall. Gu Chengming's figure erupted forward, crossing dozens of yards in an instant.

Flowing Cloud Following Moon, Rising Clouds!

The black-robed man on stage was about to grab the last storage pouch. When he heard the sword chime, his body instinctively reacted, attempting to turn and parry.

But he had clearly underestimated how someone could erupt with such terrifying speed under the suppression of this array.

The sword light was like water, flashing past.

Puchi!

A head wearing a bronze mask flew into the air. Before the blood could even spray from the neck, the headless corpse wobbled and collapsed heavily onto the pile of treasures.

"You dare rob things under this Sovereign's nose?"

The remaining two rogue cultivators froze. After a brief shock, they reacted instantly.

The person on the left used a light sword, flicking his wrist to aim straight for Gu Chengming's eyes. The person on the right had a heavy sword stance, raising his blade high with both hands and hacking down toward Gu Chengming's crown.

'Sword cultivators?'

A flash of surprise crossed Gu Chengming's eyes. Judging by their stances, their spiritual energy was pure and their strikes were ruthless yet disciplined—definitely not self-taught amateurs.

Gu Chengming didn't retreat; he advanced. The Tinglan Sword in his hand emitted a sword howl.

【Entanglement Technique】 activated!

He didn't meet the heavy strike head-on. Instead, he turned his wrist, and a series of dense metallic clashes rang out.

The rogue cultivator with the fast sword felt his longsword suddenly grow heavy. His originally fierce offensive became incredibly sluggish, to the point where even withdrawing the sword was difficult.

Before he could react, Gu Chengming used the opponent's momentum against him. The Tinglan Sword wound around the spine of the rogue's blade, the edge rising at an extremely tricky angle to parry the heavy sword coming from the other side.

Dang!

Sparks flew everywhere.

The rogue with the heavy sword felt a massive jolt in his hand. The force tunneled into his meridians along the blade, causing his heavy strike to instantly deviate and smash into the wooden floor, sending splinters flying.

In just one exchange, Gu Chengming had faced two opponents and firmly held the upper hand against the combined assault of two sword cultivators of his same rank.

The eyes beneath the masks of the two rogue cultivators finally changed.

Gu Chengming looked at them, his movements never stopping, but he instinctively spoke: "If this is all you've got, then leave your lives for this Sovereign."

The situation on the auction stage changed in an instant.

Seeing Gu Chengming alone with two swords, holding his ground and even winning against the two second realm rogue cultivators, Song Qing finally snapped out of his daze.

"Brother Gu! I'll help you!"

He gave a low shout and threw his fiery-red precious pearl into the air.

Though suppressed by the Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Array, his pearl was a top-grade second realm magical artifact with internal true fire. Even if his spiritual energy wasn't flowing smoothly, the artifact's inherent power was enough to ignite a sea of flames in this narrow space.

Boom!

The crimson flames transformed into three fire snakes, winding trickily toward the rogue with the heavy sword.

That rogue was already frustrated by Gu Chengming's Entanglement Technique. Now, forced to divert his attention to the fire snakes, his composure broke completely.

"Damn it!"

The heavy sword rogue cursed and had to pull his sword back to save himself.

Gu Chengming instantly seized the opportunity. Flowing Light Sword Shadow!

The sword light was like a wash of water, pointing straight at the throat of the isolated fast sword rogue.

Alarm flashed in the rogue's eyes. He wanted to retreat, but his feet felt like they were locked in place by an omnipresent sword momentum.

At this critical moment, another change occurred.

In an inconspicuous corner at the back of the auction hall, a black shadow suddenly erupted.

This person had been suppressing their aura, even pretending to collapse when the Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Array activated. Now that they erupted, the terrifying spiritual pressure instantly shattered their disguise.

"Third realm?!"

The moment Song Qing sensed that spiritual pressure, his face turned pale, and he cried out in alarm.

Just as the foul wind approached from behind, Gu Chengming's sword strike—originally aimed at the fast sword rogue—turned with incredible smoothness. Borrowing momentum, he spun and struck back.

He managed to dodge the blow while simultaneously slaying the fast sword rogue.

The third realm powerhouse was clearly surprised by this result. A wave of sinister black qi surged from his body and spread across the auction stage. The black qi seemed to contain the wails of countless souls, clearly not a righteous method.

Third realm cultivators, except for ghost cultivators or demonic entities, were absolutely not opponents second realm cultivators could face.

Song Qing felt despair. He couldn't imagine how they could survive this.

But then, a calm voice stabilized his panic.

"Hold them off."

Song Qing snapped back to reality. These words gave him a spark of defiance. Gritting his teeth, he unleashed his magical treasure once more.

Indeed, they just needed to hold him off. Although there was a Spirit-Locking Array here, a commotion of this scale would surely draw help soon.

The third realm rogue was clearly annoyed. Wanting to kill the two of them as quickly as possible, he let out a harsh shout and formed hand seals.

"Wu—!"

The surrounding black qi boiled instantly, transforming into dozens of hideous ghost claws that swiped toward Gu Chengming from all directions.

These ghost claws weren't physical, but they could directly attack the soul. Song Qing took one look and felt a stabbing pain in his head, falling into a daze on the spot.

Gu Chengming also felt that intense impact directed at his soul.

However, within his Sea of Consciousness, the Zhou Rites sat in the central palace, its righteous energy like a sun patrolling the sky. The Qingxin Art circulated endlessly, keeping his mind clear.

Gu Chengming let out a muffled groan and suppressed the discomfort. His gaze suddenly fell upon the two corpses by his feet.

They were the two second realm rogue cultivators who had just died. Although their bodies had fallen, the Dharma Swords in their hands—two high-quality second realm blades—remained.

His heart stirred, and his divine sense erupted without reservation.

"Buzz!"

The two Dharma Swords were drawn by the attraction, humming as they rose into the air to hover beside Gu Chengming, joining the Tinglan Sword in his hand.

In the next moment, the darkened icon on the 【Sword Chess】 interface in the corner of his vision suddenly lit up.

【Bond / Dharma Sword (3/3): Ride the wind with the sword, take heads from a thousand miles. When you simultaneously equip or control three or more 'Dharma Sword' type weapons, activate the 'Sword Array' prototype.】

【Obtained Special Effect: Sancai Sword Array.】

Gu Chengming gave a low shout, his sword fingers shifting. The three longswords transformed into three streaks of flowing light. Following the Sancai positions of Heaven, Earth, and Man, they formed a sword array that protected him at the center.

The rogue cultivator was horrified when he saw this.

A sword array?!

Sword arrays were clearly something only third or even fourth realm sword cultivators could master. How could a second realm boy do this?

And looking at the array's operation, it was smooth and seamless, both offensive and defensive. This wasn't something forced by an array plate; this was genuine divine sense sword control!

Could it be a possession by a great powerhouse?!

Recalling Gu Chengming's tone earlier, calling himself "This Sovereign," the rogue felt increasingly uncertain.

"Damn it! The intelligence was wrong!"

The rogue immediately started thinking about retreating.

Gu Chengming didn't care what he was thinking. While the rogue was dazed, he pointed his sword finger.

The Sancai Sword Array instantly shifted from defense to offense.

Because the quality of the swords varied and his cultivation was still shallow, the array's lethality wasn't enough to actually harm a third realm cultivator.

However, the Dharma Sword bond had an additional effect: all swords shared the Sword Intent bonuses.

The Entanglement Technique, following every strike of the array, wound layer by layer around the rogue's protective yin energy.

The rogue felt as though the air around him had turned into paste. Every time he mobilized his spiritual energy, it took more effort than usual. His sinister energy erupted frantically as he tried to forcibly slay Gu Chengming.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

Time ticked away.

In the distance, the characteristic sound of Night Guard Division patrols cutting through the air and the chime of the bell that suppressed evil could already be heard.

Reinforcements had arrived!

The rogue's face turned ashen. If he wanted to kill the youth before him, he would have to ignite his essence blood, but then escaping would be extremely difficult.

He glared at Gu Chengming, his eyes full of resentment.

He bit the tip of his tongue and, using a Blood Escape technique, grabbed the last remaining storage pouch on the ground. His figure turned into a streak of bloody light, forcibly breaking through the not-yet-fully-closed Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Array and vanishing into the horizon.

"Whew..."

Gu Chengming watched the receding blood light but didn't pursue.

Lost of divine sense control, the three Dharma Swords fell to the ground with a series of clangs.

"We're saved..."

Beside him, Song Qing's legs went weak, and he slumped directly onto the floor, gasping for air.

When he regained his senses, Song Qing remembered the dazzling Sancai Sword Array. He was about to ask what kind of secret technique it was, but the words died in his throat.

Because Gu Chengming, though he had put away the Tinglan Sword, now carried an aura that was completely different from usual.

Song Qing's heart skipped a beat as the sentence Gu Chengming had said to the rogue flashed through his mind—

'You dare rob things under this Sovereign's nose?'

In an instant, many classic tropes flooded Song Qing's mind.

He instinctively glanced at Gu Chengming's hand.

No ring...

But that didn't mean there wasn't a powerful remnant soul following him!

Thinking back to how Gu Chengming could slay second realm spirits while still in the first realm, along with many other unreasonable displays of strength...

Now, it all made sense.

Thinking of this, he hesitated before tentatively saying, "Thank you for your help, Senior?"

"..."

Gu Chengming was speechless. How could he not know what this guy was thinking?

He was about to explain, but then realized that speaking now would probably only confirm the suspicion, so he gave up.