The private residence auction in Stone Forest City kicked off in a frenzy right from the start — completely unlike what ordinary players had imagined. Far from being a modest affair with few bidders, it turned into a free-for-all. Every participant had bloodshot eyes, ready to fight anyone who dared compete against them.
The atmosphere in the entire venue was electric and boiling over.
"You've got to be kidding! It's just a one-month rental, and someone's already bid fifty thousand Credit Points? Are these people insane?" the Level 56 female Priest seated beside Tiantong clicked her tongue in disbelief.
In her opinion, the private residences in Stone Forest City were indeed excellent. They offered convenient access to the Bottomless Abyss, which undeniably saved a great deal of travel time. Restoring stamina and mental energy sooner would indirectly speed up leveling — but the boost would be quite limited. Leveling speed ultimately depended on the player's own skill.
The previous price of thirty thousand Credit Points had already struck her as outrageously high. Very few players could afford that. Yet now, as if driven mad, over a hundred people were bidding against each other. Some hadn't even finished voicing their offers before someone else had already outbid them. The wealthier they were, the more they were willing to spend.
In the blink of an eye, the price had skyrocketed to fifty thousand Credit Points per month…
"No, these people understand exactly what the private residences in Stone Forest City are truly worth," Tiantong shook her head and said. "Compared to the modest leveling speed boost, saving the return trip is far more important. With that time, you could fit in far more training in Stone Forest City. I've heard that the mana density inside the city far surpasses that of the God and Devil Arena — just being there sharpens your mind and reflexes. If you could train there long-term, your improvement rate would absolutely dwarf anything out there."
In the Divine Realm, levels and equipment were ultimately secondary. Only personal strength truly mattered.
For genuine experts, nothing was more important than honing their combat skills. That was precisely why she wanted to rent a private residence in Stone Forest City.
And while Tiantong was explaining all this, the bidding price had already climbed to sixty-five thousand, leaving the ordinary players in the audience sighing in despair.
"Seventy thousand!" Tiantong called out.
"Eighty thousand!" A Level 68 Ranger promptly raised the bid without hesitation.
"Two hundred thousand! I, Feiyu, must have this first house!" At that moment, a Level 69 Berserker bellowed at the top of his lungs.
The moment this Level 69 Berserker spoke, the entire venue erupted in gasps.
"Two hundred thousand? That'd be enough to rent a villa in the city!"
"Is that really Feiyu, ranked twenty-sixth on the Dark Night Empire's Berserker leaderboard?"
"No, wait — I heard Feiyu recently defeated two top experts from the first-rate guild Blood Jade Family. He's already climbed to twenty-third on the Berserker leaderboard. Apparently, several superpowers have been courting him, offering astronomical contracts."
"Looks like that first Stone Forest City private residence is going to Feiyu."
The players in the venue gazed at the imposing Feiyu, marveling to themselves. The ordinary players especially couldn't fathom it — just a one-month rental of a Stone Forest City private residence, and a top-tier expert like Feiyu was willing to drop two hundred thousand Credit Points on it. Utterly mad.
But before the auctioneer's hammer could land its first strike, another voice echoed across the entire venue.
"Four hundred thousand Credit Points! The Azure Sky Adventure Team wants it, and we hope everyone can give us face!" A Level 70 Guardian Knight suddenly declared.
Instantly, every eye in the venue turned to this Level 70 Guardian Knight. Jaws dropped everywhere — no one could believe what they were hearing.
"No way! Is that Kong Jiuxiao, the leader of the Azure Sky Adventure Team?"
The Azure Sky Adventure Team was one of the top five adventure teams in the Dark Night Empire. Its leader, Kong Jiuxiao, was known as one of the Dark Night Empire's Ten Greatest Guardian Knights — rumored to be in no way inferior to the top experts of any superpower. He had single-handedly elevated the Azure Sky Adventure Team to the empire's top five, drawing even Star Ring elders to come recruit him. Within the entire Dark Night Empire, he was an absolute powerhouse.
"Kong Jiuxiao, this is an auction — money talks," a burly Level 70 Assassin stepped forward and said. "The Storm Wind Adventure Team won't waste words either. Five hundred thousand!"
"Five hundred fifty thousand!"
"Six hundred thousand!"