On the way to the auction arena, the streets grew increasingly crowded with guests and participants from various sects. Several men from powerful families who had come for the auction began to notice Xuan Ying'er. Her enchanting aura was captivating, and more than a few tried to approach her with charming smiles and sweet words.
"Hello, young lady… it seems your journey to this city has been quite interesting," said a young man in luxurious clothes, walking casually at Xuan Ying'er's side, his eyes sharp.
Another man added in a teasing tone, "Do you have time… I'd be willing to accompany you around."
Xuan Ying'er glanced briefly, her smile thin yet meaningful. She continued walking ahead with light, graceful steps, as if completely unbothered by their attention. Yet behind that smile, her eyes flickered toward Bai Tian, giving him a subtle warning to remain vigilant.
The grand building was adorned with carvings of dragons and clouds, radiating an extraordinary majesty. Sturdy guards stood at the entrance, carefully checking every guest who entered.
Xuan Ying'er stepped inside gracefully, producing a purple VIP card, with Bai Tian following close behind, still cautious. They were guided to a VIP chamber, a special room reserved for important guests and high-status participants. The door opened, revealing a spacious hall with fine carpets, small tables for displaying rare stones, and large windows overlooking the auction arena.
Xuan Ying'er sat leisurely on the main chair, her eyes sparkling as she observed the room. Bai Tian stood behind her, head lowered, attentively watching the surroundings to ensure no one dared approach too closely.
The VIP room began to stir with life as important guests arrived. The sound of footsteps on marble floors, the rustling of silk garments, and soft whispers blended together. Some participants exchanged glances and faint smiles, while others sat with cold demeanor, exuding authority.
A middle-aged man in a deep purple robe approached a silver-haired youth seated in the corner.
"They say today's stones were gathered from forbidden lands," he said, leaning in, his voice low enough for only the two of them.
The silver-haired youth raised his brows, a faint smile curling at his lips.
"Yes, and some of them aren't even from our continent. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Elsewhere, an elegant woman wearing a silver crown gazed toward the table of rare stones. She smiled, brushing aside hesitation, and began assessing the other guests.
"It seems today isn't just about who has the most money, but also who is the cleverest," she whispered to her attendant.
Xuan Ying'er sat calmly in the main chair, her eyes sweeping across the room. She enjoyed the growing dynamics, suppressing a small laugh as some guests tried to look at her longer than they should. Bai Tian remained standing behind, head slightly bowed, analyzing every movement of the other participants. He could sense the flow of rivalry and intrigue filling the air—and he knew he must remain alert.
A man from another great family stepped closer to a table, staring at one of the stones with calculating eyes. He smirked slyly at the nearby participants.
"This auction will be more interesting than I thought. Stones like these are bound to provoke many strategies… and deceptions," he murmured quietly, loud enough for a few nearby to hear.
Xuan Ying'er glanced briefly at Bai Tian, her eyes gleaming with meaning. A thin smile appeared, as if silently telling him that today would be full of excitement. Bai Tian bowed his head slightly, holding back a mix of anticipation, tension, and caution.
Time passed, and a woman in a fiery red dress walked gracefully onto the stage. At once, all lights turned toward her, making her the center of attention."Welcome to the stone auction! Thank you, fellow cultivators, for joining us today. As the organizers, we have received and identified each item with professionalism."
She smiled warmly, her voice carrying clearly throughout the hall.
"The rules for this auction are quite simple. Whoever offers the highest price shall own the item. However, there is one additional rule: all purchased items must be cut open on the spot. Should anyone refuse, they must pay double the price."
She raised her hand, signaling the staff to present the first stone.
"Let us begin with the first stone."
"This stone was discovered near a forbidden region and is believed to contain a treasure of the highest value. The starting price is twenty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones, with each increment no less than one thousand."
A murmur of excitement spread among the audience, their eyes filled with anticipation as the first stone gleamed mysteriously beneath the lights.
The participants steadied themselves, releasing their perception to examine the stone. But for weaker cultivators, an invisible barrier blocked them, leaving them only able to stare from afar without truly sensing its energy.
In the tense silence, a cultivator broke the stillness with the first bid.
"Twenty-five thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones."
Another voice quickly followed, brimming with enthusiasm:
"Twenty-seven thousand!"
"Twenty-eight thousand!"
"Thirty thousand!"
The bidding escalated fiercely, the hall filled with cheers and hushed murmurs of anticipation. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the stone was sold for fifty-five thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones.
The crowd held its breath as the stone was cut open. Yet what appeared inside left many astonished—a two-hundred-year-old blood fungus, worth less than one thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones on the market.
The bidders' eyes flickered, some stifling laughter, others lowering their heads in embarrassment.
Without much pause, the auction continued. The next item, the Dau Stone, was immediately displayed on stage, emanating a mysterious aura that made cultivators tense once again.
In the VIP chamber, Bai Tian remained standing behind Xuan Ying'er. Meanwhile, Xuan Ying'er sat composed, her gaze resting on Bai Tian without the slightest hint of interest, as if everything unfolding around them was utterly mundane.
Time moved on.
One stone after another was cut open—some yielding losses, others profits—all blending into waves of cheers and murmurs that never ceased.
At last, the event reached its climax. Servants carried in ten stones, each radiating a distinct aura—some unique in shape, some glowing with strange colors, and some vibrating with indescribable mysteries.
When the ten stones were displayed on stage, the woman in the red dress who served as host raised her hand, her voice loud and clear across the hall.
"Honored guests," she declared,
"today's auction has reached its peak. Before us are ten stones discovered in perilous places, with some even hailing from beyond this continent. According to legend, the sites where these stones were found were once ancient battlefields."
Silence blanketed the hall. High-status cultivators released their perception, carefully inspecting each stone. The aura of each seemed to dance before them, stirring curiosity and anticipation that was hard to restrain.
The woman in red smiled faintly, her eyes gleaming as she looked at the crowd.
"The starting price for each stone is one hundred thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones. Without further delay, let us begin with the first stone."
Cheers rose again, but this time they carried a heavy tension—as if everyone sensed that this round would be different from before.
Breaking the silence, a voice from one of the VIP chambers rang out with the first bid:
"One hundred fifty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones."
Soon after, more voices followed—the bids climbing rapidly, the atmosphere burning with intensity. The participants seemed caught in a contest of strategy and daring. Finally, after a fierce struggle, the stone was sold for two hundred thirty-five thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones.
As the stone was about to be cut open, the entire audience held its breath. The tension in the hall surged dramatically, every gaze fixed on the stone, waiting to see what secrets it held.
Once split open, inside was revealed a colorful wooden box—leaving the crowd with countless questions.