As the Auction Master unveiled the final scroll, a golden light shimmered across its surface. The ancient aura that pulsed from it made even the most seasoned cultivators in the room shift in their seats. A hush fell.
The last technique of today's auction, the master announced, his voice sharp and resonant, is the Mountain Shatter Hammer Technique.
Gasps erupted across the hall.
From his seat in Room 5, Mike's eyes locked onto the scroll. His heartbeat surged. He stood, his chair scraping slightly behind him.
I will buy you, he whispered with steady fire. My Mountain Shatter Hammer Technique.
On the opposite side of the hall, Luo Tianhai chuckled.
I'll start the bid, two lakh gold.
Mike responded without blinking. Three lakh.
The bids flew.
Four lakh.
Five.
Six lakh.
Mike's hand rose. Seven.
Ten lakh gold! Luo Tianhai snapped, voice sharp with irritation.
Mike's eyes narrowed. Eighteen lakh.
Twenty five!
Mike's voice boomed, cutting the growing tension. Forty lakh!
Fifty lakh! Luo Tianhai slammed the table.
Mike calmly answered, Sixty lakh gold.
The gavel almost fell, but then
Seventy lakh gold! shouted Jin Renshu from another private room.
Whispers rippled through the room.
Mike didn't flinch.
He raised his head and, with a confident tone, declared, One hundred lakh gold.
Silence blanketed the hall.
No one moved.
The Auction Master hesitated, eyes flicking around.
Sold! One hundred lakh gold to Room 5!
Mike stepped forward as the crowd parted. Their eyes followed him with awe and fear.
Luo Tianhai muttered bitterly, Too stubborn... who is he? I can't even sense his cultivation properly.
Back in their private room, the mood lightened.
La la la la la la! Mike sang, twirling on the spot like a child.
Jian Dao facepalmed. No comments.
None, Huo Chuntian agreed, stepping from Mike's spiritual core.
Mike chuckled. I'm not a good buyer, am I?
Not the point, Jian Dao said. We need to plan. Time's ticking.
Mike nodded seriously. Right. We've got maybe 15 to 20 days before the Life and Death Competition. Let's collect the items and find an inn.
They collected their winnings: Jian Dao received the soft-glowing Yellow Flame, which pulsed gently in his hands.
Mike was handed two scrolls Nirvana Lily Technique and the Mountain Shatter Hammer Technique. They reacted faintly to his energy, warm and responsive.
At the exit corridor, the Jin brothers appeared.
Jin Kuanglie gave a thin smile. Congratulations on... your acquisitions.
Very impressive, Jin Renshu said, voice soaked in sarcasm.
Mike didn't reply. He walked past them.
Behind the courteous smiles, envy and rage simmered.
That evening, orange light painted the sky as the group arrived at a peaceful inn at the edge of the city. Wood-paneled halls, the smell of fresh herbs, and warm lanterns gave comfort.
Go meditate, Jian Dao instructed. I'll be next door. Don't overdo it.
Mike nodded. You too, Master. Rest well.
Huo Chuntian emerged, arms crossed. I'll keep watch. Begin.
Mike sat cross legged. The room dimmed as dusk became night. He inhaled slowly. Fingers began to form hand seals. Energy stirred.
Wisps of blue light shimmered around him.
Sweat formed. Spiritual force twisted, threatening to rupture. Mike's eyes snapped open briefly, then he changed the sequence stabilizing it. Calm returned.
Blue light deepened, glowing from his skin.
By dawn, his eyes opened again. Red rimmed but alive.
In the quiet dining hall, the group sat around a low table. Sunlight spilled over their tea and bread.
Jian Dao broke the silence. Now we plan. Time is short.
Mike nodded. We've got the scrolls. Now we prepare for war. Master, how long will it take to unlock the Mountain Shatter Hammer Technique?
Jian Dao sipped his tea. It has three stages. The first won't take long.
Mike leaned forward. A month?
Before Jian Dao could answer, Huo Chuntian stepped in. No. Less.
Why? Mike asked.
You already wield a hammer. Your own created move, One Big Hammer, laid the foundation. Your control is solid. Train with focus, and you'll awaken it faster.
He paused, expression grave.
Don't underestimate this. The third stage… can only be used by Dou Zong or higher.
Mike nodded. If a lower-ranked cultivator uses it?
One strike. Then collapse. Maybe death.
Mike's voice lowered. Understood. Where do I learn this?
Jian Dao smiled. Beauty Hill. Peaceful, spiritual. There's a hidden cave behind the waterfall. We'll go there.
Two days later,
After a quiet journey past gentle forests and wide rivers, they stood at the base of Beauty Hill.
Tourists wandered peacefully nearby. Birds chirped through hanging trees. The sound of the waterfall ahead thundered like a natural drumbeat.
Jian Dao led them along the quieter trail, past crumbling statues and fragrant lotus bushes, toward the roaring cascade.
Behind the curtain of water, hidden by mist and moss, a narrow path revealed itself.
Mike ducked inside.
A vast cave opened before them. Stalactites glistened above. The air was damp, alive with spiritual mist, glowing faintly like stars.
Sit here, Jian Dao said. We'll form a concealment barrier. Ten to fifteen days. Use them well.
Mike nodded and unrolled the scroll.
The Mountain Shatter Hammer Technique.
The moment it opened
BOOM!
A gust of spiritual wind exploded.
Mike blinked.
He wasn't in the cave.
He stood on a shattered plateau, mountains cracked around him. Black storm clouds churned above.
Across the cliff stood a figure with a massive hammer.
The voice echoed.
The mountain does not yield to time… But it shatters before will.
The figure stomped.
BOOOOM!
The world split.
To master the First Stage… Break the ground with your soul. Shake the earth with your heart. If your pain is true, the mountain will listen. If your spirit is firm, the land will move for you.
The vision faded.
Mike opened his eyes back in the cave. Cold sweat covered him.
His hammer pulsed.
He stood.
Remembering his father's fading smile… the weight of failure… the promise to protect.
He raised his hammer.
Land Flow Collapse, he whispered.
BOOOOOM!
The cave trembled. The ground cracked. Moss shook. Dust rained.
He dropped to one knee, blood pounding. But he smiled.
He did it.
The First Stage was his.
A whisper lingered:
The land remembers strength… But it respects those who strike not for glory… But to protect what lies behind them.
Mike opened his eyes.
The silence was too thick.
He stood.
Master? Huo Chuntian?
No reply.
The waterfall still roared, but the cave... felt wrong.
Then
An aura crept in. Vast. Cold. Choking. Like death itself.
Mike didn't hesitate.
Clang!
The hammer was in his hand.
He took his stance.
Eyes sharp.
Someone was here.