Chapter 76: The Emperor Sigil, the Supreme Alchemy Array, and the Peerless Elixir

"Young master, do you dislike Nightingale?"
"Oh, no, not at all!"
"Then please accept Nightingale's mark of the Violet-Gold Luan contract..."
"Oh, please wait a moment!"
From Nightingale's bright eyes, two ethereal images of Violet-Gold Luans emerged—one golden, one violet.

These two phantasms converged mid-air, merging into a single mark: the contract seal of the Violet-Gold Luan clan. The last time a human obtained such a mark was in the primordial age, during the era when the Human Emperor rose to power. Otherwise, how could a creature as divine as a Violet-Gold Luan willingly serve as a servant, subject to command?

With lightning speed, the Violet-Gold Luan mark shot into Lin Zhan's brow, leaving him utterly powerless to resist. The expression on Lin Zhan's face was a spectacle in itself, as if he’d been forcibly imposed upon—after all, this was a contract with a divine beast, and yet his reaction was almost comically inappropriate.

Nevertheless, the contract Nightingale had initiated was thus completed.
"Master—never mind, Nightingale will keep calling you 'young master.' It feels more affectionate that way." Nightingale finally rose to her feet, her eyes shining with a fervent reverence—a recognition and sense of belonging.

Then, she resumed her bashful and endearing demeanor, just as she was before. Yet the shock she brought to Lin Zhan was far from over. Suddenly, Nightingale transformed once more—a tiny Violet-Gold Luan chick flew into his arms, flapping its wings before finally settling on his right forearm, gently pecking at his hand.

Lin Zhan understood and turned his palm upward, offering it.

"Chirp, chirp..." The little Violet-Gold Luan hopped onto his palm, treating the nine-star pattern there as her nest, sprawling and lounging in every possible position, playing to her heart's content, even flipping onto her back and rocking herself about...

"Heh heh..." Lin Zhan grinned foolishly. He thought, if only the Nine-Star Space could accommodate living creatures, then Nightingale could enter it as well.

Nightingale was still in her juvenile stage; only after fully absorbing the energy of that drop of ancestral blood would she be able to unleash the terrifying power of her lineage. After a while, Nightingale returned to her bashful, girlish form, standing quietly by Lin Zhan's side, knowing this was no time for play.

"Young master, the auction has now entered its second phase. In this stage, there are usually one or two exceptional items, or perhaps something especially rare."

Lin Zhan was still mulling over the matter of Nightingale. He couldn’t just spirit away someone else’s maidservant, yet her introduction brought his attention back to the auction stage.

"This time, I especially thank the Lingxiao Pavilion for providing several auction lots, which have greatly enhanced our event!"

With the first phase’s items all claimed by their buyers, Master Lian, still energetic, pressed on with the second phase.

"The next item is a treasure recently acquired by Lingxiao Pavilion: a rare alchemical manual entitled the 'Peerless Pill.'"

Uncle Lian lifted a silk cloth from the auction table, revealing a few pages bound in beast hide—black and exuding an air of mystery.

Many in the audience began whispering, their words filled with references to Lingxiao Pavilion and secret realms.

"Indeed, you’ve guessed correctly; it’s no secret. This 'Peerless Pill' manual is the treasure Lingxiao Pavilion obtained from a secret realm under their control. The Pavilion finally opened the secret realm recently, and all their disciples reaped great rewards. Besides this alchemical manual, I imagine there are many other treasures, though these are unknown to us—cough, cough."

The audience burst into laughter, while Lingxiao Pavilion’s representative beamed with pride.

To open a secret realm and gain such precious cultivation resources meant Lingxiao Pavilion’s strength and status in the Blue Ice World would only rise higher.

Lingxiao Pavilion had never focused on alchemy, nor did its disciples show any interest in it, so they decided to auction off the Peerless Pill rather than let it go to waste.

"'Peerless Pill'—what a domineering name." Lin Zhan had heard that alchemists were highly respected; a single pill could be exchanged for a wealth of cultivation resources. When he’d acquired the Spirit Dew Grass, he had considered seeking an alchemy manual to try his luck one day.

Now, the Peerless Pill manual was a great temptation for him.

"'Peerless Pill, Peerless Pill...'" Nightingale murmured to herself, gazing around the hall.

Suddenly, as if she’d seized upon a thread of memory, she recited a poem in a curious tone:
"Blades that dominate, spears gone mad, blood-dripping swords,
Imperial sigils, royal arrays, peerless pills,
Dragons coiling, tigers crouching, luans and phoenixes singing,
Nine stars..."

"Nine stars what?" Lin Zhan froze, startled.

"Waaah, this 'nine stars'... I don’t know what comes next," Nightingale replied, aggrieved, but soon brightened, clutching Lin Zhan’s arm. "Young master, I believe this Peerless Pill, if it’s truly the secret manual left by the Peerless Clan in my memory, is incredibly valuable. You must win it!"

"Domineering blades, mad spears, blood-dripping swords—those are divine weapons of the post-primordial era. Imperial sigils, royal arrays, and the Peerless Pill—those are said to stand alongside the imperial sigil and royal array, and the Peerless Pill is a creation of the Peerless Clan."

Lin Zhan marveled to himself. Could it be such a coincidence? Today, after taking in Nightingale, a descendant of the Violet-Gold Luan from the post-primordial era, now the Peerless Pill from the same era appeared. No matter what, he resolved to win it, authenticity aside.

"Young master, that’s the spirit! Strike when the time is right!" Nightingale rolled up her sleeves, raring for action, rehearsing with the auction paddle in her hand. The girl was probably still a bit upset that Lin Zhan had hesitated to accept her contract earlier.

"The Peerless Pill manual is up for auction because no one has managed to decipher its secrets yet. Though precious, it must await a fated owner. The bidding begins now: starting price, ten million spirit stones! Each increment must be at least one million!" Master Lian’s announcement drew a collective gasp from the crowd.

Ten million spirit stones was no small sum. For the first item of the second phase to start so high—what might come next?

Lin Zhan had not yet made up his mind when a laugh sounded from the box to his right. "Heh, now things are getting interesting!"

A paddle was raised, signaling their bid.

"Very well! Box Two bids eleven million spirit stones!" Uncle Lian’s voice rang out, sonorous and commanding.

Nightingale turned to Lin Zhan, her cheeks flushed, eyes wide and questioning. "Young master, did you bring enough spirit stones?"

Indeed, she had been eager a moment before, but hadn’t expected such a high starting price. Now she was genuinely concerned for her master.