Verdant Canopy City of the Life Root Sect was not a city in the conventional sense it was a living ecosystem carved and built within and around giant trees so large that their trunks resembled towering mountains and their canopies formed a new green sky.
Bridges made of living roots connected vast treehouses while sunlight filtering through the giant leaves created ever-changing patterns of light and shadow on the streets below. The very air felt alive throbbing with pure and dense life energy making each breath feel like drinking a light spiritual elixir.
For Lux who had just arrived and was now sitting cross-legged on the floor of his room in a luxurious inn provided by his hosts the city was a marvel, but that marvel was overshadowed by a mental exhaustion so profound that it gnawed at his mind.
It had only been a few hours since their ship landed at a giant branch dock on the outskirts of the city, but his mind felt like it had been hit by a storm.
The sight from the ship's deck as they approached would be etched in his memory, from above beyond the city border ten other ships floated gracefully each more magnificent and unique than the last.
There was a ship from the Northern Sea Kingdom made of pearl and coral pulsing with ocean energy, a ship from the Red Lotus Empire adorned with gold and jade radiating an imperial aura, a ship from the Endless Flow Sect that looked like a giant frozen droplet of water, and a ship from the Andreas Clan that looked like a flying fortress carved from a single spiritual metal mountain.
But the most striking of all was the Long Clan's ship, While the other nine ships were pulled by impressive Tier 4 Spirit Beasts sea dragons, lightning birds, and other powerful creatures the Long Clan casually flaunted two Tier 5 wyverns as their floating ship's pullers.
The graceful and powerful creatures with pearlescent scales and smoky manes exuded an aura so mighty that it made most of the other Spirit Beasts restless.
The Long Clan was also known as a reclusive clan and they excelled at taming Spirit Beasts, also their rare appearance at public events like this was an unspoken statement about their status and power.
All eleven first-class factions the Northern Sea Kingdom, Red Lotus Empire, Endless Flow Sect, Andreas Clan, Windmist Sect, GaleFord Clan, Hugo Clan, Burning Sky Sect, Shadow Viper Sect, Lightning Roar Sect, and Long Clan had arrived almost simultaneously.
It was no coincidence it was a carefully orchestrated arrangement by the Life Root Sect, a diplomatic choreography to welcome all their honored guests at the same time avoiding any appearance of favoritism and allowing them to accommodate everyone smoothly.
From below in the streets of Verdant Canopy, the sight must have been spectacular.
Thousands of cultivators, from those still in the Bone Forging Realm to the Elders in the Nascent Soul Realm and from third-class and second-class factions and many independent cultivators, all looked up their eyes shining with excitement and anticipation.
They had all come for the Grand Auction but the arrival of the eleven giants was an opening act in itself.
The atmosphere in the city was like a festival filled with hopeful whispers as if the audience was waiting for the start of the greatest drama ever.
Then as all the delegates descended from their ships, the Master of the Life Root Sect himself appeared to greet them.
He was an old man with a beard like roots and eyes that radiated deep wisdom. His Stage 8 Peak Nascent Soul aura was not forceful but omnipresent, calming and commanding the space around him.
His greeting was warm yet dignified and with a wave of his hand he guided the eleven delegations toward their prepared accommodations.
The journey through the city itself was a lesson in politics, Lux walked behind Grand Elder Lina and her guards observing the various interactions.
The representatives of the Northern Sea Kingdom and the Red Lotus Empire greeted each other with cold grace.
Members of the Andreas Clan and the GaleFord Clan were seen engaged in serious conversations that may have been discussing business.
The glances thrown between the Burning Sky and Shadow Viper delegations were so full of hatred that they almost felt physical even though no words were spoken and the assassins of the Hugo Clan shrouded themselves in an aura of cold indifference, while the Long Clan walked quietly almost floating shrouded in mystery.
Many curious eyes including some from other factions were on him, Lux the "Star Child" He could feel the weight of their gazes curiosity, envy, judgment, and in some cases, darker intentions.
A cultivator from the Life Root Sect tasked with escorting them explained politely "To ensure fairness and prevent senior cultivators from oppressing the juniors, the Grand Auction will be divided into three separate classes held in different pavilions, class Three is for resources relevant to those in the Bone Forging to Qi Nurturing Realm, Class Two is for the Foundation to Core Forging Realm, and Class One the most prestigious, is for high-level resources pertaining to the Core Forging to Nascent Soul Realm".
Lux nodded understanding the wisdom behind this arrangement, at least in the auction space he or the junior cultivators would not have to compete directly with the Nascent Souls for a low-rank resources they needed.
Now alone in his comfortable room with living wood walls the exhaustion finally hit.
The pressure of the journey the tension of the unseen battles he had felt and the flood of stimuli from the city and its mighty inhabitants had drained him.
He lay on the bed his eyes staring at the ceiling made of interwoven leaves.
Suddenly, without warning the leaves on his ceiling trembled subtly not from a breeze or an open window.
The vibration came from something else a faint yet undeniable wave of spiritual energy that rippled through the living wood that formed the entire structure of the inn.
It felt... deliberate as if the city itself or something hiding within it was reaching out its feelers touching every guest in every room.
Lux immediately sat up all his exhaustion gone replaced by sharp alertness.
Was this some kind of security system of the Life Root Sect? Or something, or someone, far less friendly?
Lux closed his eyes focusing all his attention on the faint vibration.
With Mobius's help, he expanded his perception not to measure coefficients but simply to feel the flow of energy.
The vibration felt like a subtle pulse rippling through the network of roots and wood that connected the entire inn perhaps this entire section of the city.
It felt ancient, alive, and attentive, like a giant cat purring while watching the mice scurrying across its back.
"It is the consciousness of the city itself, worm" Mobius commented his voice sounding slightly intrigued "Or more precisely the consciousness of the world tree that forms its foundation,
an integrated bio-spiritual defense and monitoring system, Quite impressive, The coefficient is stable at 0.99991 indicating excellent control."
Lux sighed in relief though not entirely at ease, on one hand it meant this was probably not an attack on the other hand, it meant his every move every fluctuation of his energy was potentially being watched by an entity or collective intelligence he did not understand.
He decided not to do anything suspicious and lay back down pretending to sleep though his mind remained alert.
The next day the Grand Auction officially began, the Verdant Canopy City became even more crowded and bustling.
Lux along with Grand Elder Lina and two guards attended the Class Two Auction, held in a large pavilion built inside the hollow trunk of a smaller world tree.
The atmosphere inside was stunning, Golden light radiated from the glowing wooden walls, illuminating the hundreds of cultivators seated on benches made of living roots.
Cheers and bids flew through the air driven by the eloquent auction masters from the Life Root Sect.
Lux took his task seriously With Mobius, he analyzed every item brought to the stage a Core Forging grade sword, a pouch of rare spiritual seeds, a defensive robe woven from Spirit Moth silk.
He would whisper his assessments to Grand Elder Lina "The sword has a hairline crack in the core formation its long-term value is questionable" or "These seeds radiate extremely pure life energy a good investment".
Lina with her sharp eyes calculating value, would nod or shake her head then raise her bid card or not.
They were an effective team, and the Burning Sky Sect managed to acquire several high-quality items at reasonable prices it's also make Lux felt satisfied to be able to contribute.
However in between events, he couldn't help but observe the other delegations.
He saw representatives of the Shadow Viper Sect casting cold glances in their direction.
He saw a young member of the Andreas Clan, probably around his age, observing him with undisguised curiosity.
He even saw a cultivator from the Windmist Sect, whose aura was almost invisible occasionally glancing in his direction.
Each gaze felt like a tiny needle on his skin reminding him that he was an unwanted center of attention.
That day after the auction session ended, Lux received permission to explore the lower markets at the base of the city, where independent cultivators and small factions sold their wares.
It was here, amidst the hustle and bustle that he felt something else a unique, faint sensation. Not a threat but... a resonance?