Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San
Chapter 975: The Illusion God Mask

Chapter 975: The Illusion God Mask

She didn't even dare to think any further. As that thought crossed her mind, she quietly activated her communicator, gently tapping it with her finger while using her divine consciousness to block off the area around her.

—What is it?

A familiar voice soon came through. Hearing his voice finally brought a measure of calm to Mei Gongzi's heart.

"I just ran into the leader of the Blue Gold Tree clan. He must not be underestimated. If you face him in the tournament, you have to be very careful," Mei Gongzi said softly.

—How so?

"It's hard to explain, but he gave me a deep and unfathomable feeling. Actually, just now, he tried to flirt with me. I intended to suppress him with my killing aura, but he dispelled it effortlessly. I didn't even see him do anything. Ever since I got the Shadowfiend Sword, my God-Killing Domain seems to have evolved, but even that killing aura didn't seem to affect him at all. He's definitely not what he seems on the surface. You must be careful."

—Alright, I'll be cautious. Don't forget, when the auction ends, I'll take you back to Kali City. I'll meet you at the White Tiger Hotel then. Love you~

"Mm."

After ending the call, Mei Gongzi finally relaxed a little. As long as Tang San was there, she felt she could stay grounded. She silently prayed that this matchmaking tournament would go smoothly.

She knew it now: The way this tournament would unfold, and what would come out of it, was completely out of her control.

***

A one-hour break wasn't too long. By the time everyone was back to their seats, the sun was just past its zenith, and its intense rays made the entire auction hall heat up.

After more than two days of intense bidding, the regular auction participants were already quite exhausted. But now, they were about to witness the auction of the final ten items—the most important ones. Everyone forced themselves to stay alert. Even though ninety-nine percent of the people here wouldn't be able to compete for these items, they still wanted to see just how valuable these ultimate treasures were. They all knew that this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A soft white light descended from the sky, and a tall figure appeared silently on the auction platform. When he emerged, clouds quietly gathered in the sky, cutting off the harsh sunlight so it wouldn't blind the bidders.

So it's him indeed!

In VIP Room Eight, Tang San also sat up straighter, his eyes fixed on the screen.

The one who appeared on the stage was none other than the de facto head of the Ancestral Court—the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, the Master of Destiny.

Even back when the Crystal Demon Emperor was still alive, it had been the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor who handled the Ancestral Court's day-to-day affairs. After the Crystal Demon Emperor's fall, his position was somewhat shaken, but the Sunborne Nymph Emperor had no interest in managing daily affairs, so in terms of ranking, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor remained above him.

As he took the stage, the attendees' eyes lit up with fervor. The number one Emperor personally overseeing the final round of the auction... Just witnessing this made the entire event worth attending. By now, they'd seen six Emperors from up close. Most demons and nymphs would not be in the presence of a single Emperor even once in a lifetime!

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor wore a faint smile, and his voice was calm and gentle as he started his speech.

"This is the third day of the auction. That's quite a long time, and I'm sure you're all feeling the fatigue. But this auction is also the grandest and most valuable event the Ancestral Court has ever held. I suspect that in the next thousand years, there may never be another auction on this level. In this auction alone, we've presented nearly fifty divine items, and that's something even we Emperors find hard to believe.

"Now, we come to the final ten items. They are all hand-picked treasures, each of them capable of changing the world. While I hope everyone participates actively, I also ask that you bid within your means. Do not harm your clan's foundations."

Tang San watched the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor silently. With the Discerning Eye of Heaven, he could see that the Emperor's cultivation had fully recovered; his fortune seemed as stable as ever, and the divine consciousness surrounding him was calm and fluid.

What deep reserves he must have... Tang San thought. He suffered severe backlash back then, yet in such a short time, he's managed to recover. Truly worthy of being the top Emperor of today.

Of course, Tang San also understood that, just like the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's struggles, his quick recovery was linked to none other than Tang San himself. The revival of the Ancestral Tree had greatly boosted the concentration of fortune across the entire Daemon Continent. That was why the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor had sent envoys to extend a friendly hand. But precisely because of that, Tang San was rather puzzled that after his arrival for the status report, the Emperor hadn't reached out to him again. In particular, Tang San's proposal for the Blue Gold Tree clan's neutrality had yet to receive a response from the Ancestral Court.

By all logic, the neutrality of the Blue Gold Tree clan would benefit the demons more, and yet even Sunborne and the other Nymph Emperors had already agreed. The Ancestral Court's silence could only mean there was a problem on the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's side. It seemed that a clash with him was inevitable in the future.

The other Emperors were a different matter. But when Tang San regained his former power, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor was someone he had to eliminate. As long as he controlled the fortune of the world, anyone he didn't approve of would never have a chance to rise.

As Tang San mused, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor suddenly frowned, apparently for no reason. His divine consciousness flared with noticeably stronger ripples.

Tang San's heart jumped, and he quickly reined in his thoughts. Although the Emperor couldn't possibly know it was him, in that moment, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor had definitely sensed his hostility.

His sensitivity to such things was unparalleled.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor himself was startled. To feel such malice meant it had to come from someone who posed a real threat to him. Mere resentment or jealousy wouldn't trigger this reaction, and neither would that happen if the one despising him was some low-level grunt.

Who could it be? he wondered. Which Emperor suddenly harbors such malice towards me? Sunborne?

The thought flashed through his mind, but he had no time now to spare on such things.

"Bring out the first item," he said. The auction had to continue.

The light in the hall dimmed slightly as a faint white glow rose from beneath the auction platform. A small cart appeared, floating slowly forward.

On the cart sat a mask made of a white material that had a metallic sheen to it. Faint shadows flickered across its surface, seemingly reflections of something, yet the images were too vague to see clearly.

A mask?

Such items were extremely rare; for it to appear here, especially with the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor himself auctioning it, there was no doubt it was a divine item.

"Seeing this item, some of you might be surprised," he said with a calm smile. "Indeed, this is a mask. To use it, there is a condition: You must be able to assume a humanoid form. Those below the tenth order or races unable to take human form need not consider it. This mask, which we call the Illusion God Mask, allows its wearer to assume any appearance at will. And I don't mean just the face; it replicates everything perfectly down to aura and presence, provided you have made physical contact with the target or have observed them within ten meters for at least ten seconds.

"In addition, the Illusion God Mask can block all divine consciousness probing. Among the known powerhouses, there has yet to be any whose divine consciousness could pierce its defenses. This is a divine item for concealment, in other words. It will allow you to become a thousand-faced shadow, and should you not wish for your identity to be revealed, then none shall be any the wiser."