A faint melody filled the air as the grand staircase at the center of the hall lit up with golden strips of mana-light. Conversations faded. Heads turned.

From above, a man and a woman descended gracefully—both dressed in formal, dark attire, holding a pair of cue cards in their hands.

They moved with practiced poise, their steps in sync until they reached the stage. The man addressed the guests first; his smile was professional yet warm.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We welcome you all to tonight's exclusive event. I'm your host: Cheng Yi. And this is my co-host: Ci Yuan'er."

Polite applause rippled through the hall.

After the usual introductions, the man's tone shifted into a more formal register.

"As informed beforehand, today's auction will proceed in two rounds.

The first round is the blind auction."

He raised a card in demonstration.

"An item will be presented. Each guest will write their bid on the cards provided to you. Our staff will collect them, and the highest bidder wins."

"Once your payment is confirmed, the item will be delivered to your table immediately, and we'll proceed to the next lot."

He paused, scanning the crowd with a calm, neutral smile.

"However, failure to make payment after bidding will result in the item going to the second-highest bidder. The first bidder will receive one strike. A second strike will result in immediate eviction of the guest and their companions from the auction hall."

A murmur went through the audience. Lin Fang quietly adjusted his mask, while Vivian only smiled faintly in understanding.

The hostess beside the man took over, her voice smooth and elegant. "Now, before we begin, allow us to repeat the rules."

She gestured lightly toward the hall as she continued.

"Rule one: Once the auction begins, no guest is allowed to leave the manor until the event concludes. If you leave midway, regardless of reason, re-entry will not be permitted."

"Rule two: Guests are expected to remain at their seats during bidding. There will be a three-minute interval between each item. You may use that time for emergencies or breaks. However, returning during an ongoing bid is strictly forbidden."

"Rule three: During the bidding sessions, signal jammers will be activated. This will render all communication devices—phones, earpieces, and mana-linked transmitters—completely useless. You may converse freely with your companions between the rounds."

Several hunters frowned subtly at that. Even Vivian's lips twitched, clearly noting the organizer's intent to isolate everyone completely.

"Rule four: Guests must maintain discipline. No arguments, no threats, no use of force toward other guests or the organizers. If you have a dispute, handle it after the auction."

The hostess leaned forward slightly, her smile never faltering. "Just bid. Pay. Collect your prize."

"And finally… the most important rule."

The lights in the hall dimmed slightly, the atmosphere tightening.

"As some of you may have already noticed, this entire manor is no ordinary building. It has been transformed into a dungeon. A safe one, yes—but still bound by the laws of a dungeon's domain."

There were immediate murmurs among the guests.

Lin Fang didn't need her reminder, for he had already learned of it.

The hostess raised a hand delicately, calming the crowd. "Do not be alarmed. There are no monsters here. However, the dungeon laws will soon activate—sealing your mana, suppressing mental-type abilities, and disabling enhanced vision or any detection skills."

The man followed up, "These measures are taken for the fairness and safety of all guests. So, when it happens… do not panic. And please be understanding."

A cold blue pulse rippled across the marble floor. Everyone instinctively straightened in their seats as the mana flow synchronized with the room's enchantments. The dungeon laws were activated.

A pale blue pulse rippled outward, enveloping the entire room in a translucent field. Every hunter, summoner, and mage present felt the same sudden tug—as though invisible hands had reached inside and turned off a switch.

*Ding!

[Dungeon Laws Activated]

[All skills sealed.]

[Mana Core is Sealed]

Lin Fang stiffened as the notification flashed across his vision. His connection to his mana core went silent, like a candle snuffed out in the wind, just like everyone else.

Alpha's calm voice echoed in his mind almost instantly. "Do you want me to break those restrictions? I can override the dungeon laws to unseal your mana core. These dungeon laws looked weak, either way."

Lin Fang exhaled softly through his mask, shaking his head. "No… It's fine. Let's not draw attention."

He lowered his gaze slightly, pretending to be just as disoriented as everyone else.

Across the hall, Seongha blinked as a similar notification appeared in her vision—her system responding just as swiftly.

*Ding! [Dungeon Law Applied – Sealing Mana & Skills]

[Resistance triggered... Only 50% of strength sealed.]

A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "These man-made dungeon laws are weak, after all." Her crimson eyes darted subtly across the tables, gauging the others' reactions.

Meanwhile, at Table No. 13, Alexander Han leaned back lazily, his gaze unfocused for a split second as his system responded differently from the rest.

*Ding!

[Dungeon Law Attempt Detected]

[Applying resistance…]

[All restrictions nullified.]

A slow grin crept across his face. He could feel the mana still humming within his veins, unbound and fluid. He tilted his head slightly, scanning the crowd.

"As expected," he murmured to himself. "Only a handful might resist this much."

His eyes flicked briefly toward Table No. 3, where Seongha sat composed and calm, her aura faintly stirring. "Half-resisted, huh? That's impressive."

Then Alex's senses extended further—to the front row, Table No. 2. A subtle surge of power pricked at his perception, faint but undeniable as his gaze fell on Xuenyi.

A small smile formed on his lips. "Well, that's interesting. Didn't expect her to pull that off, apart from Seongha. On the other hand…"

Finally, his gaze swept toward Table No. 9—where Vivian and Lin Fang sat. For a fleeting moment, his eyes softened at the sight of Vivian.

"Not that it matters… those laws don't work on arbiters anyway."

His gaze then drifted to Lin Fang beside her.

"Mana sealed completely…" He clicked his tongue faintly, a trace of disappointment flickering in his expression. "A pity. I expected more from you… especially since you carry a powerful spirit king within."

Alpha, from within Lin Fang's consciousness, felt that gaze linger for a heartbeat too long. "You made the right decision. You managed to fool him."

Lin Fang didn't respond. He simply looked down at his empty glass, the faintest reflection of light rippling across the wolf mask's eyes.

And so, the Four of the Nine Overlords, all carrying the Codex System with different powers, gathered for one single auction.

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