The Innkeeper

The gathering at the Inn could not be called the most elite in the universe, yet it was undeniable that among the crowd were powers that touched the highest levels of the universe - even if the specific guests themselves were merely in the Celestial Immortal level.

They had all been exposed to sights and secrets the likes of which one could not even reach without a sufficient level of backing. As such, even the impressive environment and atmosphere, the rich resources and even richer variety of the Midnight Realm merely matched expectations instead of impressing.

Not that such a thing was a slight to the Midnight Inn - far from it. It was just that they had a specific understanding and expectation from an organization at the level of the Midnight Inn, and what they saw merely matched it.

If the Innkeeper were considered an ordinary Dao Lord, then the Inn would surely have impressed them. But he wasn't, so it didn't. That's just how things were.

In fact, they even had a specific understanding of what to expect from the auction - though Wu Kong snorted at that notion. If the Innkeeper were to pull out that Phantasm core at this auction, every single one of those immortals would soil themselves out of fear. But the guests didn't know that. They had come with certain expectations.

So the fact, then, that the arrival of the lady from behind the curtain had such an impact spoke volumes.

She was dressed entirely in crimson. It was not just a red dress, but a tapestry of fire - an elegant gown that looked like a bed of burning roses. The fabric swayed with her steps, each one deliberate, as if she drew indescribable pleasure from the mere act of walking.

Her hair was the same scarlet hue, tumbling in soft waves down her back and over one shoulder. It framed her face like a crown would frame a queen's brow - except she actually wore a petite tiara above her crimson head, its rubies sparkling in the light.

Her beauty was undeniable, but it wasn't soft. It was the kind of beauty that silenced a room. It was the kind of beauty that slowed time, that inspired poets to write, painters to paint, and dreamers to dream. It was the kind of beauty that could stun an auction arena into stillness.

The mystery woman smiled, and in that smile lived kindness - warm, open, disarming. It touched the air and made it lighter. For a moment, she looked merely beautiful, charming even, like a guest at a masquerade just happy to be seen. In that smile was joy - the joy of being alive, the joy of everything that was good and holy, and the joy that could only be known by someone who had seen the absolute depths of despair. It was the joy of someone who had lived.

Everything about her was red - every thread, every glint, every suggestion - except her gloves. White. Clean. Soft. They gleamed like porcelain in the sea of crimson, and for that, they drew every eye. For that reason alone, they stole the most attention.

Yet as the eyes were drawn to the gloves, the entire audience - every single one of them, including Wu Kong - realized that if it hadn't been for the stark contrast of the gloves breaking the scarlet spell her presence had cast over them, they would have remained enamored by her visage.

The audience gasped and drew deep breaths as they realized what had happened. She had no aura, no cultivation. It was as if she were a mere projection standing in front of them. Yet even without her aura, she had a presence that was undeniable.

She was a tornado of fire and fury standing in the midst, yet she was also a simple red rose in a silent meadow. Nothing about her spoke of her station save the tiara, though that was merely there as a fashionable ornament. That did not mean that none understood her station. How could they not?

The Midnight Inn was one of the few places in the universe where exposure to the aura of a Dao Lord would not kill a mortal, and cripple and immortal, but even without the aura of Dao, how could they not recognize a Dao Lord?

Those who were not at the very peak of the Celestial realm and above would not know why a Dao Lord was special, but they all knew that each Dao Lord was a being of unimaginable power, and such power wasn't lightly attained. The universe itself recognized each Dao Lord, so even without their aura, even without their power, even if the smallest imaginable fragment of their ability was used to conjure a clone, that recognition would stay with them.

Let alone, the crimson lady was clearly not a mere fragment. There was an inexplicable, indescribable mien about her that marked her as someone who had gained the highest recognition of the universe.

She was not just a Dao Lord - she was one especially beloved by the universe.

She took her place at the center of the stage. Her approach had been gradual, yet the entire audience felt like she had just teleported to her position.

Wu Kong gulped. He had seen her before, as a tiny projection that appeared from time to time around some of the Inn workers. How was he supposed to know she was a Dao Lord too? And one who could even hide her aura from him?

The monkey wiped the sweat off his brow. And the universe called him unreasonable. It was only because they hadn't spent any time around the Innkeeper. That guy really liked to play games.

The lady in red grabbed a mic, as if she needed such a thing, and raised it to herself.

"Hello everyone," she said, her voice cheerful and full of energy. "My name is Mary, and I'll be your auctioneer today. I hope you all enjoy this little event that the Innkeeper has prepared for you."

Almost a hundred Celestial Immortals gulped simultaneously. None of them knew if they had the guts… to bid while a Dao Lord was holding the auction. Or were they supposed to bid everything they had? They weren't sure.

"Looks like Mary is finally having some fun too," said Nemo as he swam up to Liz's cheek and watched the stage.

"You know her?" Liz asked in surprise.

"Oh yeah. She hangs out with Lex all the time. She's very nice."

Liz suddenly narrowed her eyes, her thoughts a mystery as she scrutinized the lady on the stage. Suddenly, she didn't look nearly as beautiful as she did a moment ago.