The auction was slowly coming to an end.

After the explosive announcement about the Kharvax Prime spatial rift, the remaining items felt almost secondary. The host still presented them with professional enthusiasm — rare healing elixirs, defensive talismans, and a few mid-grade cultivation manuals — but the fire in the crowd had shifted. Bids came quickly and without much drama. No major fights broke out. Even the Eternal Veil Syndicate representative claimed two more items without challenge, as if the entire hall had silently agreed not to test his patience again. The atmosphere remained thick with tension, but controlled.

Lian and Elara waited patiently in their hidden compartment above the hall. They didn’t move until the last major guests began leaving. VIPs departed through private exits, escorted by personal bodyguards and servants. The main floor gradually emptied as lower-level cultivators and merchants filed out, many still buzzing with excitement and fear about the rift. Only when the hall was mostly quiet, with just cleaning staff and a few attendants remaining, did they slip out.

They moved like shadows.

Through the same maintenance corridors they had used to sneak in — narrow, dusty passages filled with old wiring and dim emergency lights — they navigated silently. Lian led the way, his steps light and precise, cloak blending into the darkness. Elara followed close behind, her alloy limbs making almost no sound thanks to her careful control. They passed rusted panels, forgotten storage rooms, and ventilation shafts that hummed with the building’s life. No guards noticed them. No cameras caught their movement. They were ghosts once again.

They emerged into the cool night air of Vorthex Prime from a hidden service exit on an upper level. The wind was sharp and carried the metallic scent of the sprawling city — neon lights, hovering traffic, distant engine roars, and the constant hum of a planet that never truly slept. Tall skyscrapers stretched into the dark sky, their surfaces covered in glowing advertisements and holographic billboards. Below, the streets teemed with life even at this hour.

The news about the rift had already spread like wildfire.

It hadn’t even been five minutes since the auction officially ended, yet the information had exploded across the planet. Communicators buzzed everywhere. Groups of cultivators gathered on street corners, talking animatedly. News drones hovered in the air, broadcasting urgent reports. The announcement had leaked almost instantly — whether through paid informants, hacked transmissions, or eager attendees who couldn’t keep quiet.

Everyone knew.

Not just about the rift itself, but details from the auction: the staggering one hundred billion credit bid by the mysterious Sirenari woman, the terrifying aura clash between the two VIPs, the mad laughter and gruesome stories from the powerful cultivator in the box, and especially the heavy presence of the Eternal Veil Syndicate representative. That last part made many people nervous. Some immediately changed direction when they heard the Syndicate’s name mentioned, moving away from crowded areas. Others looked around warily, scanning faces in the streets as if expecting black-clad enforcers to appear at any moment.

The Eternal Veil Syndicate was feared for good reason. They never forgave. They never forgot. Even if it took them decades, they would hunt down anyone who crossed them. They didn’t care how many died in the process. Entire families had been wiped out for lesser offenses. Some people openly said they wanted nothing to do with anything connected to that auction. They deleted messages and tried to stay silent, hoping to remain invisible.

Lian and Elara moved across rooftops and through dark alleys, staying away from main streets. The cool night wind whipped at their cloaks as they leaped between buildings with practiced ease. Below them, the news continued spreading at incredible speed. Every communicator device on Vorthex Prime seemed to have received it. Holographic alerts popped up on street screens. Private group chats exploded with discussions. Even black market channels were buzzing.

Lian paused on a high rooftop overlooking a busy intersection. The city lights reflected in his blue void eyes. He pulled out the small holographic device he had taken from the dead Kraith informant. The screen lit up automatically as new data streamed in.

A clear holographic message appeared in front of him:

“Kharvax Prime Spatial Rift – Confirmed Opening in 6 Years.

Danger Level: Extreme.

Known Threats: Life-devouring organisms, reality-warping zones, undocumented hostile species, precursor traps.

Previous Survivor Rate: Less than 10%

Recommended Preparation: Peak Core Condensation minimum. Full expedition teams advised.

Then he smiled.

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle

Keep it as reminders