Zhu Guo'er stepped forward and nodded in acknowledgment. The twelve young women rose obediently to their feet and lined up behind her.
"In addition to these twelve fragrant women, our alliance has also prepared several small gifts and hopes that the Senior will graciously accept them as well." The purple-robed woman's beautiful eyes brightened with a trace of a smile when she saw that Han Li had accepted the fragrant women.
She then clapped her hands twice, and three clean-featured alien youths walked into the great hall, each carrying a pale silver disc draped in an unidentifiable red silk cloth.
"Your alliance is too generous. The fragrant women are already a lavish gift—how could I possibly accept anything more?" This time, Han Li's gaze swept briefly over the three discs, and with his penetrating vision, he saw clearly through the coverings. He waved his hand and declined outright.
"Since Senior Han has no interest in these gifts, this servant naturally will not insist. You have traveled a great distance and must be weary. Allow me to lead everyone to your quarters to rest for the night, and we can discuss other matters afterward." The purple-robed woman was slightly taken aback but quickly recovered, waving her hand to dismiss the three alien youths.
"I could indeed use some rest. Please lead the way, fellow Daoist." Han Li nodded calmly, his expression unchanged.
Without further hesitation, the purple-robed woman turned and walked toward the hall's exit. The others followed at an unhurried pace behind her.
The moment they stepped outside the hall, a wave of lively clamor washed over them.
Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly as he discovered that they were standing beside a modest greenstone street. While the street could hardly be described as bustling, there was a steady flow of people, and the atmosphere was quite lively.
The passersby wore all manner of attire, and both sides of the street were lined with shops bearing various signs. People drifted in and out of these establishments—some with elated expressions, others with faces dark as storm clouds, each wearing a different look on their face.
What caught Han Li's attention was that every one of these passersby possessed an extraordinary aura, their cultivation far from insignificant. Even the shop assistants lounging by the storefronts had cultivation bases at the Golden Core stage or above.
When Han Li extended his spiritual sense in a broader sweep, he found that this was not the only street. In every direction—north, south, east, west—there were other streets and densely packed buildings, though nothing too large in scale, covering roughly a hundred li or so in total. It was, in essence, a small town-like settlement.
As for the great hall behind them, the very moment they had stepped through its entrance, the entire doorway had vanished in a flash, as though they had simply materialized on the street out of thin air.
The nearby passersby paid no attention to this phenomenon whatsoever, as if they witnessed such things all the time.
"Are all of these people guests your alliance has invited to the auction?" Han Li retracted his spiritual sense and asked flatly.
"Hardly. Most of the honored guests attending the auction are resting at the Outer Guests' Hall. The people here are mostly members of our alliance who are taking this opportunity to buy and sell items that are rarely seen under normal circumstances. Even among our own members, the vast majority are not qualified to attend the auction proper." The purple-robed woman replied with a graceful smile.
"I see." Han Li said nothing further.
The purple-robed woman formed a one-handed seal, and a haze of multicolored light coiled around her feet. A layer of white mist rose from empty air beneath them, lifting Han Li and the others up before speeding toward one end of the street.
"…That tower over there is the venue designated for this auction. When the time comes, numerous Seniors and other invited fellow Daoists will gather there in one place. This auction will feature not only the rare treasures that have already been announced, but also several extraordinary artifacts of great use even to Mahayana-stage Seniors. It will certainly not disappoint." The purple-robed woman guided them through the air on the cloud of mist, pointing toward a tall tower-like structure encircled by several streets as she made her introduction.
"This is the auction venue? It doesn't look particularly imposing from the outside—surely there's more within than meets the eye." Han Li studied the tower for a moment and remarked.
"Seniors' insight is truly sharp—you've seen through it immediately. This tower is directly connected to a pocket dimension; what you see here is merely the entrance to the true auction hall. This arrangement allows far more fellow Daoists to be accommodated, and it eliminates any concern that someone might harbor ill intentions toward the proceedings." A flicker of an odd expression crossed the purple-robed woman's face as she replied respectfully.
"It seems your alliance has put a great deal of effort into this auction. But how many Mahayana-stage fellow Daoists are expected to attend?" Han Li asked.
"Reporting to Senior Han: since there is still roughly a month before the auction officially begins, the final number of Mahayana-stage Seniors cannot be known with certainty. However, more than twenty have already arrived—more Mahayana participants than any previous auction."
There was nothing to conceal in this regard, and after a brief moment's thought, the purple-robed woman answered freely.
"More than twenty? Your alliance's reputation is truly impressive, to have gathered so many cultivators of that level in such a short time." Han Li's expression shifted slightly, and he offered a word of praise.