A long-eared entity? Lin Mo's brows instantly raised. He recalled the information he had gotten from the Anchor he successfully reset with Liu Xiaoyu and Jiang Jianxin. The long-eared entity should be from the dominant race of the Highland Realm, the Dreilling.

Highland Realm's masters. Not the goblin-like Decrints but the elf-like mind-benders.

"Dreilling," Lin Mo finished his thought aloud, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the room. "As we have learned, they are the dominant race of the Highland Realm. High intelligence, proficient in psionic arts and biological manipulation. If they are also capable of controlling cultivators, they are likely using a form of parasitic domination or direct mental suppression. One that most cultivators who can still fall for their mind demons will find difficult to overcome."

He looked at Xiaoyu. "Recommend to Chieftain Borok temporarily halting the exploration and tightening the encirclement of the Anchor to prevent the breach from slipping away. If the Dreilling also emerged from the Anchor, we'll have a higher chance of dealing with him here in our realm, where spiritual energy remains supreme. At the moment, sending a standard raid force against them is just feeding them new puppets."

"Got it, Boss! I'm gonna contact the barbarian chieftain now!" Xiaoyu saluted as she started tapping furiously on her Viewing Jade.

The atmosphere in the Divine Arena shifted instantly. The auction had been a display of wealth and ambition. Now, it was turning into a war council.

Lin Mo turned back to the table. The three remaining bidders, Pavilion Master Yu Mingrou, Sect Master Li Changqing, and the High Priest, were looking at him with intense focus.

The news of a new, controlling threat had not dampened their desire for the [Boundless Knowledge Jade]. If anything, it had sharpened it.

Knowledge was power. And against an enemy that attacked the mind and soul, knowledge was the only defense.

"You heard the urgent report," Lin Mo said, his voice grave. "The situation has escalated to the point that some of our patrons have fallen victim to the foreign entity from the Outer Realm. The third item, the [Boundless Knowledge Jade], contains records of ancient eras, potentially including encounters with similar psychic threats or techniques to bolster the mind."

He gestured to the pedestal. "Verdant Sky Pavilion. Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect. Poison Demon Cult. Dear customers, please state your bids. How will you use this knowledge to defend this realm against such a threat?"

Pavilion Master Yu Mingrou stood first. Her demeanor was elegant, but her eyes held the steel of a woman who ran the region's largest trading and intelligence network.

"The Verdant Sky Pavilion bids seven million high-grade spirit stones," She announced. "And we offer the creation of what we will call the 'Omniscient Archive'."

She gestured to the floating jade. "Knowledge hoarded is knowledge wasted, Shopkeeper. If our pavilion acquires this jade, we will not lock it in our treasury. We pledge to dedicate our scribes to digitizing its contents. We will upload the ancient manuals, the histories, the beastiaries, and the counter-techniques directly to the Store Bulletin Board's 'Community' tab. We will create a searchable, public database of cultivation knowledge. "

"So, a 'wiki', huh?" Lin Mo murmured, slightly impressed. It's like a digital library but then again, the wiki on earth was public domain, and anyone could edit its content. In a way, what the pavilion would actually build was a public digital encyclopedia.

"We will filter the dangerous forbidden arts, of course. Also, we will omit the actual methods on how to cultivate the techniques and the chants for the spells. They can, however, apply for permission to view it. And we will enforce appropriate safeguards to prevent it from being misused or leaked to our enemies." Yu Mingrou added. "But the rest? The geography of lost realms? The weaknesses of ancient beasts? It will be free for every patron. We will arm the realm with understanding."

[Bid Evaluated. Convenience Rating: Very High. Educational Synergy: Global. Note: A centralized, public database accelerates the growth of the entire patron base.]

Reading that evaluation, Lin Mo could tell that the system was extremely satisfied with that offer. Information democratization. A very convenient way of imparting knowledge.

In this world that is currently under threat, having easier access to knowledge will elevate the quality of the defenders. And if paired with the application of the other immortal-grade artifacts, the rise of the Eastern Abyssal Domain. Or the 'Children of Convenience' will be a certainty.

Next was Sect Master Li Changqing. The swordmaster stood, his aura sharp enough to cut the air.

"Six million high-grade spirit stones," He said, his voice ringing like steel. "And the 'Sword of the Realm'."

"The Pavilion offers books. We will offer our blades," Li Changqing continued while stroking his long white beard. "The Boundless Knowledge Jade possibly contains the lost 'Myriad Sword Origin Scripture'. With it, the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect can standardize sword cultivation across the domain. We pledge to create a 'Sword Saint Corps'. We will take in disciples from any background, teach them the simplified versions of these ancient arts, and deploy them as elite shock troops to every Anchor city. We will create a living wall of blades to defend the store's interests."

[Bid Evaluated. Convenience Rating: High. Military Synergy: High. Note: Standardizing high-level combat arts creates a reliable, high-quality military force.]

Also strong. A specialized army to counter the Vindicators and other threats. However, it was a similar offer to the Crimson Vale Sect's pledge. Still, Lin Mo didn't want to easily dismiss every bid. The reason they were selected was because of their strategic importance for the defense of the realm.

He also couldn't help but find the Sword Fairy's fiery gaze a little daunting and amusing at the same time. It's like she's silently conveying her desire to view that scripture. And maybe to use the ability of the jade to instantly master one technique.

Finally, the High Priest of the Poison Demon Cult stood up.

He leaned heavily on his staff, his green robes rustling. The other two leaders looked at him with slight apprehension, but he ignored them, fixing his cloudy eyes on Lin Mo.

"Heh... Books... Blades..." The High Priest cackled, his voice as dry and wicked-sounding as ever. "Pretty things. Useful things. But against yet unknown enemies like the Dreilling? Against the corruption of the Highland? Against the Aether? Useless."

He slammed his staff down. "The Poison Demon Cult bids... everything we harvested from the Southern Wilderness. The carapace of the Crystalweb Tyrant. The venom sacs. The rare ores. And five million high-grade spirit stones."

"And our pledge," His eyes burned with fanatical zeal as he spread his arm open, "...is the foundation of 'The Institute of Forbidden Anatomy'."

Upon hearing that, the leaders around the table had varying reactions. Some nodded, some frowned and some were straight-up confused.

After all, how would that be different from what the Verdant Sky Pavilion offered?

"Explain," Lin Mo commanded.

"The jade contains profound knowledge of biology, of energy flow, of the forbidden arts of life modification," The High Priest grinned. "Our cult will use it to dissect. The corpses of the Vindicators, the Decrint, the Dreilling, the insectoids? They will all be specimens on our research tables. We will use the ancient knowledge to study their existence. We will brew poisons that target their specific weaknesses. We will create plagues that eat at their insides and we will craft potions to steel cultivators' minds in order to resist their mind control."

He pointed a gnarled finger at the projection of the Anchor. "You want to fight monsters, Shopkeeper? You need monsters of your own. You need science that is not afraid of the dark. We pledge to be your research division. We will turn their own biology against them. That is the ultimate convenience."

[Bid Evaluated. Convenience Rating: High. Strategic Synergy: Unique. Note: Provides a counter-measure capability that no other faction can offer. High risk, high reward.]

The Verdant Sky Pavilion offered education. The Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect offered military standardization. The Poison Demon Cult offered biological warfare and R&D.

All three were vital. But the system had to choose one owner. Or did it?

He looked at the system's analysis again. It was struggling to pick a clear winner because the needs of the realm were so diverse.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. The [Boundless Knowledge Jade]... was it a single physical object, or was it a data repository? If it were filled with raw data, could it be... partitioned?

It could stay at the store and be utilized as a 'server'.

He thought, "Can the contents of the Jade be duplicated or accessed remotely via the store's network if I retain ownership?"

He wasn't expecting an answer but suddenly, the system chimed.

It wasn't a notification but a quick message sent from up above.

[Taihao: Young man, the Jade can be integrated into the Divine System Interface. Access privileges can be granted to specific users or factions based on categories. Hohoho~]

Lin Mo's lips twitched as he read that. Of course, Taihao would not miss this event. He could already imagine the bright old man sipping on his newly-brewed wine while snacking next to Lihua or that reformed Poison Demon.