Emperor of the Source

Chapter 294: A Declaration of Dominance

Adrian left his suite and moved out of the residential district. Within minutes, Adrian reached Crimson Spire and climbed towards the upper levels, making his way toward the conference room.

When he stepped inside, he saw that Hestia was already present. She stood near an open window, her back to the door. She turned toward him, her gaze lingering longer than usual before she spoke, "You seem… unusually refreshed today. Is it because of the auction?"

Adrian met her gaze, his expression calm. He knew what she was sensing, or rather, what she wasn't sensing. His divine concepts remained perfectly sealed, and he had the pressure of his increased mana reserves suppressed so that not even a trace of their presence escaped. To anyone observing him, he appeared no different from a mortal.

Hestia could not identify it, but she felt something she couldn't explain.

Adrian allowed a faint trace of amusement to flicker across his face, "I am as I always am," he replied. "Perhaps it is your perception that has improved, Sect Leader. You are seeing things that were always there."

Hestia's eyes narrowed slightly. She studied him for another few seconds, then she let out a quiet breath, shaking her head as if dismissing the thought.

"Perhaps," she said softly, though her tone suggested she did not entirely believe him.

She turned away from the window, moving toward the table. Her fingers brushed along its surface as she walked. When she reached the center, she stopped and looked back at him.

"Today," she said, her voice firmer now, "will be the day that reveals which sect truly stands at the peak of the Andromeda Galaxy."

Adrian heard her words clearly,, but he could see the underlying meaning in her words. A long-standing desire, perhaps even an ambition, to see the Crimson Vital Sect rise to that same level.

It was a sentiment Adrian understood well.

"One day," Adrian said, "the Crimson Vital Sect will stand among them. Not as a challenger, but as an equal… or something greater."

Hestia gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Perhaps… But before we look toward those four, we still have a more immediate problem. The Everlasting Pill Sect."

"It has existed in this galaxy for over a million years," Hestia continued, "Long before the Crimson Vital Sect was founded. Even now, despite everything, it remains an Upper Minor Sect. That alone is not something we can ignore."

Adrian nodded slightly. "Yes, but your earlier plan is progressing well. Their market index has already begun collapsing. Our high-tier healing pills have already started to shift the balance. No matter what they attempt, they cannot produce anything comparable. It is only a matter of time before they fall."

"That is true," Hestia admitted, "Their influence is weakening, and their profits are declining. Under normal circumstances, their destruction would only be a matter of time."

"But this auction changes everything."

Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly. He said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

Hestia gestured toward one of the holographic displays along the wall. With a flick of her wrist, the projection shifted, displaying a detailed list of items scheduled for auction. Dozens of entries scrolled past: artifacts, pills, formations, rare materials, but one item near the bottom glowed brighter than the rest.

Core-Reforging Lotus.

"I reviewed the list of items being auctioned today," she said quietly, her voice carrying an edge of frustration. "Among them… is a Core-Reforging Lotus. The Everlasting Pill Sect will not ignore it. They will come for it, regardless of the cost."

"Even with our current growth, we cannot compete with them in a direct bidding war. At best, we can do what they did to us with the relic key and drive the price higher. But in the end, they will obtain it. And once they do… their Sect Leader's recovery will be guaranteed."

She turned to face him fully, "When that happens, the war will resume."

Silence filled the room. Adrian remained still as he processed her words quickly. The Crimson Vital Sect had grown rapidly. In a matter of weeks, they had gone from struggling survivors to a rising force within the galaxy. But compared to a sect that had accumulated resources for over a million years, the gap still existed. Even if the Crimson Vital Sect somehow secured the Core-Reforging Lotus, it would not change the final outcome. The Everlasting Pill Sect could simply obtain another from elsewhere.

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At the end, the war was inevitable.

A faint smile appeared on Adrian's lips. Situations like this were not unfamiliar to him.

"Do not worry," he said calmly. "Once the auction ends, I will have the resources I need. I will help with it."

Hestia's gaze sharpened slightly, "Are you thinking of hiring mercenaries with that money? That will not solve the problem. Until now, neither side has involved third-party forces. If we bring in mercenaries, the Everlasting Pill Sect will do the same. The Ashen Vortex Sect is already aligned with them, and they specialize in warfare. Bringing in external forces will only prolong the conflict; it will not end the war."

Adrian looked at her, a slight tilt to his expression, "When did I say anything about hiring mercenaries?"

Hestia paused.

"As you said," Adrian continued, "mercenaries can prolong a war, but they cannot end it. To truly end a war, we need absolute strength."

Hestia understood immediately. Even if a single overwhelmingly powerful individual existed, the outcome of the war would change drastically. But such a being did not exist here. Even Adrian, despite everything, was still only as powerful as a Peak Rule Stage. Unless he possessed something beyond what he had shown, the reality remained unchanged.

"Where will that strength come from?" she asked.

Adrian did not answer directly, "You do not need to worry about that. When the time comes… you will see."

Hestia studied him carefully, her eyes narrowing in thought. In her mind, a conclusion began to form. Adrian's background was clearly not ordinary. His knowledge, his methods, his casual mastery of concepts that should have taken millennia, all of it pointed toward something far greater than he revealed. Perhaps he intended to call upon forces from wherever he truly originated? If that happened, then no sect within the Andromeda Galaxy would be able to resist. But if he truly possessed such connections… why was he here? Why remain within her sect?

Before she could ask further, Adrian raised his hand and summoned a spatial portal, "It is getting late," he said.

Without waiting, he stepped through.

Hestia watched the portal for a brief moment, her expression contemplative. Then, with a quiet exhale, she followed him inside.

…

They emerged within the UNI-Auction. Adrian immediately noticed the difference. The building, which had already been vast during his previous visit, now felt overwhelmingly alive. Countless cultivators moved through the space, their auras layering over one another into a dense and almost suffocating presence.

At that moment, a floating sphere approached them, its surface gleaming with inscribed runes. A holographic attendant materialized from it, a translucent figure with a polite expression.

"Welcome to UNI-Auction," it said politely, "Please let me know if you wish to purchase tickets or register an item."

"We already have a ticket. Guide us to the auction," Hestia said, taking the lead.

The attendant nodded, "Please present your ticket for verification."

Hestia raised her hand, projecting a holographic interface into the air. A crimson emblem appeared, rotating slowly, displaying the sect's insignia alongside verification codes.

The attendant scanned it instantly, "VIP Suite confirmed. Please follow me."

VIP Suites were not available to ordinary cultivators. They were typically reserved for upper minor sects and above within the Andromeda galaxy. The fact that Hestia had secured one indicated that the Crimson Vital Sect had reached a level where the UNI-Auction acknowledged its status. Adrian glanced at Hestia, noting the faint satisfaction in her posture.

They moved deeper into the massive structure. Eventually, they arrived at the main auction hall.

The scale of the venue was staggering. The entire venue had been expanded through spatial manipulation, allowing it to accommodate millions of cultivators without congestion. Endless rows of seating stretched in every direction, filled with beings from across the galaxy. The sheer density of Rule Stage auras created a heavy pressure in the air, pressing down like an invisible weight.

The attendant guided them to a lift situated along the outer wall. The platform rose smoothly, ascending toward the upper levels of the venue. Through the transparent walls, Adrian observed the crowd below. Disciples sat in tight clusters, their robes identifying their sects. Some sects occupied entire sections, their numbers stretching across dozens of rows.

They reached the upper levels, where a series of large private rooms overlooked the central stage. These were the VIP suites, designed for powerful factions. The attendant stopped before one of the doors, which slid open silently.

They entered their assigned suite. The room was spacious, furnished with seating arranged to face the viewing edge. A large transparent barrier separated them from the main hall, allowing clear sight of the stage below whilst muffling the noise. A holographic display floated near the center, ready to project auction details.

Adrian stepped forward, approaching the viewing edge. From this vantage point, the entire venue spread out beneath him like a living ocean. The massive crowd, the central stage, the layered seating, everything was clearly visible. This perspective was far superior to being seated among the masses. He could see everything without being seen.

As Adrian observed the crowd below, the entire venue suddenly fell into silence. A powerful aura swept through the hall, washing over the millions of gathered cultivators like a wave.

Adrian, too, felt the presence of the aura. It was the presence of a Peak Rule Stage cultivator, and whoever it was didn't suppress their presence like Adrian or Hestia. Instead, they allowed it to spread openly across the entire venue, pressing down with deliberate weight. His gaze shifted towards an entrance.

From an entrance of the hall, two figures walked in.

Nightshade entered alongside his elder, Kaevryn, both of them making no effort to conceal their aura. The two moved through the crowd, and every cultivator they passed lowered their heads, unable to meet their gaze.

It was not merely an entrance. It was a declaration.

The Thousand Veils Sect had come, not just to participate, but to proclaim themselves as the rightful supremacy of the Andromeda Galaxy.