"Outrageous!" A ghost had blurted. "You can't possibly kill all of us!!!"

Hua Cheng directed a cold glare at the ghost. "Would you like to try?"

Instantly, the ghost felt like he'd been plunged into cold northern water. It was as if he'd travelled for over kilometres, with snow constantly piling on his shoulders. After stepping on a weak surface, he'd fallen under the iceberg's surface, plummeting into the deep cold sea.

"O-O..." The ghost was determined. "OF COURSE!"

He directly stood up from his seat, knocking his chair backwards. "COME AT ME, AND LET'S SEE IF YOU DARE TO TALK TO THIS MASTER'S FIST!"

Hua Cheng's aura had went cold. It was like everyone walked in a blizzard.

"San Lang..." A small voice crawled by his ear. Waking up from his madness, Hua Cheng turned to look beside him. He saw a ruffle of chestnut brown hair.

It felt like a kitten scratched at his heart.

Xie Lian gently tugged at his lover's clothes, "Don't be mad..."

Instantly, Hua Cheng's anger had vanished into thin air. He sat back down in his seat, and nodded generously, "Understood, gege."

The ghost who was threatened, "..." Are we not going to fight this out?

He could only sigh, and sit back down.

The ghost host saw that the commotion died down, and quickly sighed in relief. She fixed her makeup like as if it was engraved in her instincts, then coughed.

"Let's continue. Starting from the previous bidding of 251,001-"

BANG! All of a sudden, a chair was flung in the air. The ghost host froze in shock, as the chair only missed her head by half an inch... crashing into the backstage. A rile of dust flown upwards, skyrocketing into the ceiling from the impact.

The ghost host's facial expression had darkened.

Her lips twitched, "Who threw that?"

It turned out to be a ghost from the back. He clapped his hands from throwing the chair, scowling, "I have a question!"

The ghost host felt like this ghost wasn't in the right state of mind.

However, she bit her rouge lips and answered, "Go ahead."

The ghost asked, "Didn't you say that the Strongest Sword can only be pulled out by the strong? What if someone bid the sword for a high price, but in the end, can't pull it out? Wouldn't that be a waste!?!"

Immediately, the stadium fell to silence. Thinking about it, the words of this ghost did make sense! What if they purchased the sword... but couldn't pull it out? Wouldn't that be a waste of their precious money? They could've long bid for some other treasure!

The ghost host could tell what everyone was thinking.

She looked through the entire stadium. Her eyes were filled with indulgence and yet, it felt like an empty void.

Suddenly, a charming smile fell on her red lips.

"How about, let's stop the bidding?" The ghost host suggested. "Instead of bidding... let's use a new rule. The first person who manages to pull out the Strongest Sword... will be its owner."

Immediately, the stadium was full of astonished expressions. Nobody could register the ghost hosts' words, until finally, a minute passed. A whisper fled through the stage, "Is she crazy?"

"I have no idea."

"But wait... isn't this a good chance to get the sword for free?"

"Pfft... there is not a single sword in the world that would pick you."

"Hey! Say that again!"

In the back of the crowd, Shen Qingqiu found his heart hammering against his chest. Applying this new rule means that everyone has a chance of getting the sword! No matter if they're poor or rich, they can get a chance to pull out the Strongest Sword!

He was confident that Xie Lian or Hua Chengzhu will be able to pull the sword out.

After all, one was a Martial God. The other was a Ghost King.

They would for sure be able to complete this mission, and bring the Strongest Sword back to Ling Wen! "Therefore," the ghost host announced. "Who would like to try first?"

All of a sudden, all of the ghosts in the stadium had risen out of their seats. In a clamour, they all raced towards the stage, with their flailing arms reaching outwards. Their eyes were hungry for riches, and their hands loomed over each other's heads, as if to grab ahold of the treasure above. Before them was the Strongest Sword, a sword capable of bringing power to its wielder.

Everyone in the room was greedy. They all want power.

They needed to hurry and pull this sword out now-

"I got here first!" Two hands clasped onto the hilt of the sword. In an instant, two ghosts glared at one another. They both grabbed onto the sword at the same time.

In the back, the ghost host was hesitant as to step in or not. "Gentlemen... please, one at a time."

"IT'S MINE!" A ghost had bloodshot eyes.

He looked like he hadn't slept for days.

The other ghost glared back, with purple vessels surging in his veins. "GET THE FUCK OFF OF MY PROPERTY!"

Both ghosts extended out an arm, and punched directly at the other. In the end, both of them were knocked over. A second wave of wild ghosts had poured from behind, all of them fighting to move ahead and get to the sword before the other does so...

Lan Zhan winced. He watched how all the ghosts fought one another. There was not a single trace of mercy in the auction house.

Ghosts climbed over other ghosts, as if they were piling dead bodies. Their limbs kicked left and right, knocking one another down to the ground. Loud clamours had echoed in the building. Nobody was able to get close to the Strongest Sword.

Out of nowhere, a fan cut through the air.

Shen Qingqiu had thrown his fan sideways, so that it would traverse towards the Strongest Sword. A gust of wind trailed behind this huge force.

Then, a boot landed on the thrown fan.

Xie Lian gently navigated in the air. He stepped on the fan, like as if he was walking on healthy green lily pads, to reach the other side of the river. Ripples bounced on the surface of the water, with the small currents gradually dissipating.

Light as a feather, Xie Lian landed behind the Strongest Sword.

He didn't bat an eye, as he took ahold of the hilt, then pulled-

It didn't come out.

Xie Lian's golden pupils had instantly widened. As a Martial God, not to mention unsheathing swords, he had even destroyed swords before! However, at that moment, it seemed like the air had thickened. An unknown pressure pressed against his lungs, draining the oxygen out of him.

He gritted his teeth.

Xie Lian waved his sleeve, then added more force. He pulled at the sword, aiming to take it out of the rubble for once and for all...

Instead, he just pulled the rubble up from the ground.

All of the ghosts watching, "..." What the fuck is this? This skinny man is so strong, he managed to pull the rubble up from the stage... but still not pull out the sword?

Wei Wuxian's mouth was agape.

How did Xie-xiong not pull out the sword? How is this possible? Isn't he a Martial God? Or is this sword just so strong...?

Xie Lian could only set the Strongest Sword back down on the stage.

He was a bit muddled, as he stepped away from the crowd of wild ghosts. More ghosts howled at the top of their lungs, all trying to reach the sacred artifact.

"What happened?" Hua Cheng patted his lover on the shoulder. It was a gentle force. "Gege, are you feeling unwell? Is there anything I could do for you?"

Xie Lian shook his head.

He faced the remaining two couples, "This is strange. Just now, I felt like there was an unknown force preventing me from removing the sword. It doesn't matter how strong I am. The Strongest Sword felt like it was... an actual living being- no," his face was pale, "Not a being, but a deity."

The three couples had all fallen silent at this.

Meanwhile, the ghosts were still scrambling for the Strongest Sword. They threw punches at each other, uncaring of the cries and ear-piercing screams.

"Out of the way please." Yi Ran spoke to one ghost.

She took his arm, then snapped it in half.

"THE FUCK!?!" That ghost was enraged. He'd never seen someone go so far as to snap his arm in half! Snapping his arm back to its original state, the ghost slapped at the unfettered girl-

His slap was caught by Nu Wang, who remained still and composed.

"Sir, please do not hit her." The female ghost spoke sullenly.

Seeing this, the ghost became even more angered. He wanted to raise his hand again, then suddenly, a scream at the front had festered.

"THIS IS MY SWORD!"

At this point, another crowd of ghosts were fighting over the Strongest Sword. They all had their hands laid across the hilt, all of them pulling at the same time. Their faces glared at one another. However, neither of them managed to pull out the sword, despite the combined strength.

"Umm..." the ghost host was hesitant. "Please... didn't anyone listen to what I've said about the rules? One at a time!" Her rouge lips were crooked. "You guys aren't supposed to carry the sword back home with the rubble!?!"

None of the ghosts paid her any mind.

Their nails scratched at one another, leaving momentary scars... which had faded away into nothingness, as if it had never happened.

"Let me come through!" Bo Fan was domineering.

He told the ghosts, "If I don't succeed in pulling out the sword, then I'll let way for you guys. Is that a deal?" The ghosts responded with a momentary silence.

The ghosts thought about it...

However, before they managed to respond, Bo Fan had already leaped towards the sword! In an instant, the demon had stood before the Strongest Sword. He took ahold of the hilt, just like how Xie Lian did, then pulled.

Veins pulsed at the exposure of his wrists. Sweat dripped from his neck, soaking his black robes in the slick scent.

At that moment, Bo Fan looked like he was pulling the sword with his every being.

"Come on...!" He cried out loud. Cracks began to split on the wooden stage, as if something was lurking underground, trying to break free.

The ghost host giggled. "Gentleman, it will not be so simple to pull out this sword."

Bo Fan glared at the ghost host. What do you know!?!

He gritted his teeth, with blood spewing out from his bitten mouth. Bo Fan could only let go of the sword, cursing outwardly. "Dammit!" He had a raging temper. "There is no sword out there that I can't conquer! This is definitely rigged!"

Yi Ran patted him on a shoulder.

She whistled, "Just admit it. You're trash."

Bo Fan's ears dyed in red.

Luo Binghe gritted his teeth as well. He looked at the other three couples, "What should we do now? The Crown Prince couldn't pull out the sword. How can we possibly do so?"

Lan Zhan didn't know what to say. There was nothing that could comfort their disheartened spirits.

Unless if the sword just gets out of the rubble by itself-

SHING!!!

A bright glare filled the stadium. All the ghosts and people flinched at the sudden contrast. It took them a while to adjust to such a bright light.

But by the time they processed everything, shock had left them paralyzed.

The Strongest Sword began to shake. The pile of rubble had shaken alongside with it. Gradually, pieces of rubble began to fall out. Pebbles and cracked stones fell onto the stage, echoing out with loud disparity. The bright light came from the sword.

All ghosts were astonished.

"What is happening?" Lan Zhan was shocked.

The Strongest Sword began to unfold itself. Pieces of rock bent over, like petals bidding goodbye to the roots of a sweet flower.

Nobody moved.

The Strongest Sword was finally unravelled from the rubble, however, nobody pulled it out. It came out itself.A booming voice echoed within the auction house. The ground shook along with the vibrations of this unknown force.

Then, the bright light dimmed. A chuckle echoed, before coming to a stop...

Everyone watched how the Strongest Sword levitated from the ground, with its unparalleled blade dancing across the air. It seemed like it was ripping the gravity apart, separating all molecules of matter within the area of the strike.

The Strongest Sword spun on its glorious hilt.

It flew high up in the stadium, as if it'd grown wings. After what felt like forever, the Strongest Sword finally dropped. Its movements were as clean as a waterfall dashing down the slope of a steep cliff.

Then, it landed in a pair of slender hands.

Every person's eyes landed on Nu Wang.

The female ghost held the Strongest Sword in her hands.

We Will Be Having a Mini Pop Quiz on Our Antagonists!

QUESTION 1: WHAT ARE THEIR THREE NAMES!?!

A) Bo Fan, Yi Ran, Nu Wang

B) Bing Fanfan, Ying Ranran, Ning Wangwang

C) Baby, Honey, Cinnamon Buns

D) Angry demon, Hot woman, Simp Queen (I challenge Hua Chengzhu)

QUESTION 2: WHICH VILLAIN APPEARED FIRST!?!

A) Yi Ran

B) Nu Wang

C) Bo Fan

D) The hidden Boss...?

QUESTION 3: IS YI RAN GOING TO DIE FIRST—

Yi Ran: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ OH HELL NAH!