Chương 160: The Black Treasure Chest!

130, 000 spirit stones!

Zhou Ding's calm yet abrupt bid increase was like a boulder thrown into a seemingly calm but actually turbulent lake, instantly creating ripples throughout the auction hall!

The entire venue fell into a brief, almost imperceptible silence because of this decisive and straightforward move of increasing the price by 10, 000.

Countless gazes, some astonished, some curious, some scrutinizing, and some with a hint of amusement, all turned toward the "Jiazi 73" private room on the third floor.

To dare to raise the price so aggressively when the price of the Flood Dragon Demon Core has soared to 120, 000 and many competitors have already backed down, one must either be outrageously wealthy or determined to obtain the demon core and unafraid of any competition.

Either way, it was enough to attract the attention of everyone present.

After a brief silence, whispers rose like a tide.

"A73? Who's inside?"

"Adding ten thousand at once! That's quite a generous offer!"

"Looks like someone who's not short of spirit stones. This battle for the dragon core is going to be interesting."

"Hmph, so ignorant and arrogant. The person in VIP room number 19 seems to be—" Before the crowd's discussion had subsided, the same aged voice rang out again from the 19th VIP room (C1), where the bid had previously reached 120, 000.

This time, his voice carried a clear hint of displeasure and—a condescending tone: "Fellow Daoist Number 73, I am Dan Yunzi. This 'Netherworld Poisonous Dragon' demon core is of great benefit to me in refining a batch of crucial pills. I hope you will be willing to part with it; I would be eternally grateful and will surely repay you handsomely in the future."

"Dan Yunzi?!"

"Is it that alchemy master, Senior Dan Yunzi?!"

"He actually came too! No wonder he's so determined to get this dragon core!"

"I've heard that Senior Dan Yunzi's alchemy skills have reached a state of perfection, only one step away from the peak of the Grandmaster realm. His cultivation has also reached the Pseudo-Nascent Soul stage, and he may break through to the Nascent Soul stage at any time!"

"Yes, he has a very high reputation in Tianxing City and even the entire Chaotic Star Sea. He has a wide circle of friends, and many Nascent Soul seniors have asked him to refine pills."

A murmur of surprise and discussion erupted from the audience.

Dan Yunzi's name is renowned in the alchemy world of the Chaotic Star Sea. As one of the top three alchemy masters, and also a Nascent Soul cultivator, his connections and influence are far beyond those of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.

He personally invited the mysterious cultivator in room 73, using his name and the title "Hou Bao," which many people considered a great honor. Anyone who wasn't a fool should have readily agreed, given up the demon core, and even formed a good relationship with him.

In an instant, everyone's attention was once again focused on Zhou Ding's private room, wanting to see how this "hothead" would react.

Some people gloated, thinking he was about to run into a brick wall; some shook their heads and sighed, believing he should be pragmatic; and others were simply watching the spectacle, anticipating a more intense conflict.

Inside VIP box number 19, the old man who called himself Dan Yunzi couldn't help but smile smugly upon hearing the reactions of the crowd below. He was confident that once he revealed his name, unless the other party was a reckless fool with powerful connections, they would never dare to compete with him again.

He had even planned that once the other party "knowingly" gave up, he would then acquire the demon core at a price slightly higher than the other party's, thus gaining both face and substance.

After waiting a moment and seeing that there was no immediate response from VIP room number 73, he cleared his throat and, in a tone of a "senior expert," announced a price again through the communication device: "130, 000 to 1, 000 spirit stones."

He only added a thousand, which was already a subtle reminder, carrying a hint of charity: I've given you a way out, so know when to stop.

However, the smug smile on his face froze abruptly before it could fully bloom.

Because that calm, steady voice, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, rang out once again from Box 73, clearly resounding throughout the entire room: "132, 000 spirit stones."

Similarly, only one thousand was added.

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness, and an absolute disregard for Dan Yunzi's "reminder."

"Whoosh—!"

The auction hall erupted in chaos!

Everyone was stunned!

This mysterious cultivator from box number 73 not only showed no respect to Dan Yunzi, but also...

After offering a "friendly" reminder, they raised the price again, clearly indicating their determination to fight to the bitter end!

"He... he actually dared to raise the price?!"

"He's insane! Doesn't he know who Senior Dan Yunzi is?"

"This is going to be good! Senior Dan Yunzi is probably going to be angry!"

"Just who is this person? How dare he show such disrespect to Senior Dan Yunzi?"

Shock, curiosity, schadenfreude, disbelief—a mix of emotions permeated the crowd.

Dan Yunzi's prestige and connections are well-known in Tianxing City. Which ordinary Core Formation cultivator would dare to so blatantly disrespect him?

This is no longer a bidding issue; it's a blatant provocation!

Inside VIP room number 19, Dan Yunzi's face instantly turned ashen, a flash of anger and icy killing intent crossing his eyes.

He roamed the chaotic star sea for hundreds of years, and with his superb alchemy skills, he was treated as an honored guest and treated with utmost respect wherever he went.

When have I ever been humiliated like this in public?

"snort!"

Dan Yunzi snorted coldly, his snort containing the immense magical power of his Nascent Soul realm and a trace of anger. It rolled through the auction hall like muffled thunder, causing many low-level cultivators to tremble.

At the same time, a powerful, condensed divine sense, imbued with the aura of scorching alchemical fire, shot out from Box 19 without any concealment, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, and fiercely probed towards Box 73!

He wanted to see which arrogant fool dared to disrespect him, Dan Yunzi, like this!

He even planned to use his divine sense to intimidate this ungrateful junior and teach him an unforgettable lesson!

However, just as his powerful divine sense was about to touch the isolation array surrounding Box 73, and even prepared to forcibly intrude and investigate, An indescribable, vast, majestic, and extremely condensed divine consciousness, like an ancient glacier or an endless sea of stars, suddenly awakened like a sleeping ancient beast.

With unparalleled majesty and incomparably sharp edge, it erupted from Box 73, crashing headlong into Dan Yunzi's probing divine consciousness without yielding and even with a condescending indifference!

"boom--!!!"

A silent collision exploded on the invisible level of divine consciousness!

But the terrifying divine consciousness that erupted brought a soul pressure that was almost tangible, which swept across the entire auction hall like a hurricane!

All cultivators below the Core Formation stage felt their souls shake violently, their vision went black, and their chests felt tight, as if they had been violently struck by invisible mountains. Their faces turned pale, their bodies trembled, and they almost collapsed to the ground!

Even those cultivators in the early and middle stages of Core Formation felt their sea of consciousness buzzing, their blood churning, and their minds trembling. Their gazes toward Box 73 were filled with indescribable horror and fear!

This—what level of divine sense is this?! Nascent Soul! It's definitely at the Nascent Soul stage! And it's far more than just a beginner Nascent Soul!

The vastness and refinement of this divine sense far surpasses that of ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators!

"Ugh!"

Inside Box 19, Dan Yunzi let out a short, painful groan!

His proud divine sense, imbued with the power of alchemical fire, was like an egg hitting an iron wall the moment it came into contact with the other's divine sense—no, it was like hitting the towering Mount Buzhou!

The terrifying torrent of divine consciousness shattered him instantly, and the backlash caused him excruciating pain in his sea of consciousness, his soul swayed, his vision blurred, and his blood surged in his chest, almost causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood!

His face, as pale as paper, was instantly covered with fine beads of cold sweat. His body trembled uncontrollably, and he stood frozen in place, his eyes filled with boundless terror and disbelief!

Nascent Soul!

Moreover, it's the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, or even higher!

The opponent easily crushed his divine sense probe with just the pressure of his divine sense, and even caused him a serious backlash!

How could such a terrifying being appear here?

Why would I compete with him for a mere level seven demon core?

Overwhelming fear instantly overwhelmed all of Dan Yunzi's anger and murderous intent.

Faced with such an absolute difference in strength, his title as a master alchemist and his pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivation were utterly laughable.

Offending a powerful cultivator who is at least in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm would have consequences that he could not possibly bear!

Let alone alchemy, even leaving Tianxing City alive is a problem!

"Senior, please calm down! I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness! I offended your might! I will never fight for this demon core again! Please forgive me! Please forgive me!" Dan Yunzi endured the excruciating pain in his soul and the fear in his heart. He hurriedly used the communication device, his voice trembling with obvious fear, to apologize repeatedly towards the direction of Room 73.

His posture was extremely humble, and there was not a trace of the previous "master alchemist" reserve and arrogance.

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence once again.

This silence, however, was different from the previous one; it was filled with a suppressed awe and an indescribable shock.

What level of cultivation did that mysterious senior in Box 73, who could make Dan Yunzi, a renowned alchemy master who was famous throughout the chaotic star sea, call himself "junior" and apologize in public with such fear and trembling voice, just reach?

Nascent Soul!

He's definitely a Nascent Soul stage monster! And probably not just an ordinary early Nascent Soul stage monster!

It's very likely the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm!

Countless gazes once again fell upon Box 73. This time, the gazes no longer held the scrutiny, curiosity, or schadenfreude of before, but only deep awe, curiosity, and a trace of barely concealed fear.

The fact that a powerful cultivator, possibly in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, is participating in the auction in concealment is itself a major piece of news!

The terrifying divine sense he had just revealed terrified everyone.

On the high platform, the expression on the main photographer Mo Yuan's face changed several times in an instant.

He naturally sensed the brief but intense clash of consciousness just now, as well as Dan Yunzi's hasty apology.

At his Xuanhai Alliance auction, some people used their divine senses to compete, and even nearly came to blows, which undoubtedly broke the rules.

However, neither Dan Yunzi, the fake Nascent Soul alchemy master, nor the mysterious cultivator in the private room whose divine sense was terrifying to the extreme, were people that the Xuanhai Alliance was willing to offend easily.

The latter, in particular, has demonstrated a strength that has far exceeded the scope of ordinary auction conflicts.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons, his face regaining its professional smile. He cleared his throat and spoke loudly, breaking the eerie silence in the room and drawing everyone's attention back to the auction itself: "That was just a minor incident. The auction continues."

He deliberately ignored the previous clash of spiritual senses, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, lingering briefly on boxes C19 and A73, before finally looking at the dark cyan dragon demon core. He raised his voice, "Currently, the senior in box A73 has bid 132, 000 spirit stones! Fellow Daoist Dan Yunzi in box C19, would you like to continue bidding?"

His question carried a subtle hint of escalation. Since Dan Yunzi had already apologized publicly and indicated that he would no longer contest the matter, he went along with it, giving both sides a way out.

Inside VIP room number C19, Dan Yunzi, upon hearing the question, grasped at a straw and hurriedly said, "No, no, no! This junior has already given up! This demon core belongs to the senior in VIP room number A73! This junior has no objection!"

His voice was still trembling slightly, clearly not yet fully recovered from the shock he had just experienced.

Mo Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his smile widening. He raised the jade gavel high and announced loudly, "132, 000 spirit stones, first time! — Second time! — Third time! Sold! Congratulations to the senior in Box 73, Level A, for winning this precious Level 7 Netherworld Poisonous Dragon Demon Core!"

"Thump!"

The jade mallet fell, and the dust settled. A barely perceptible smile appeared on Zhou Ding's lips.

The dragon demon core that was so crucial to Xiao Jin was finally in his hands.

As for Dan Yunzi's insignificant offense and the potential trouble that might follow, he didn't take it to heart. This little disturbance subsided temporarily with the fall of the demon core.

But the atmosphere in the auction hall was different.

Everyone, including the Nascent Soul stage monsters in the private rooms, secretly remembered the number "Jia Zi Qi Shi San" and the mysterious and powerful being within it.

During the subsequent auction, many people would subconsciously glance in that direction when making their bids, as if afraid of accidentally offending this jinx.

The auction continued. Mo Yuan, with his extensive experience, quickly revived the atmosphere.

One after another, precious items were presented: powerful replicas of ancient treasures, rare elixirs that could help break through minor bottlenecks, unique spiritual materials from the depths of the outer sea, and jade slips that recorded unorthodox supernatural abilities. The bidding was still heated, but compared to before, it seemed to have less of the unbridled gunpowder and more of the caution and restraint.

Zhou Ding did not make any more moves. He sat quietly in the private room, sipping his spiritual tea, his gaze calmly sweeping over each item being auctioned, like a detached spectator.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the heated bidding and the occasional sound of the gavel falling.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

After another top-grade refining material was sold at a high price, Mo Yuan paused slightly, took a deep breath, and revealed an unprecedented solemnity, mystery, and an uncontrollable excitement on his face.

He surveyed the entire hall, his voice carrying clearly to every corner: "Fellow Daoists, what follows is—the final item of this Xuanhai Pavilion's annual grand auction, and also the true grand finale!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire auction hall fell into absolute silence!

You could hear a pin drop!

Everyone held their breath involuntarily, their eyes fixed intently on the auction platform, bathed in the blazing light.

Even the obscure aura that had been faintly emanating from those private rooms, belonging to the fake infant cultivators, suddenly solidified at this moment, filled with inquiry and anticipation.

The grand finale!

The Xuanhai Alliance has been preparing for this for several years, attracting several fake infant monsters to come in person!

The answer is finally about to be revealed!

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, a maid with stunning beauty, dignified demeanor, and a cultivation level that had reached the early stage of Core Formation walked slowly and solemnly up the high platform, carrying a tray covered with black velvet in both hands.

Her expression was solemn, as if she were holding not an object, but some kind of sacred offering. All eyes were focused on the tray covered in black velvet.

Mo Yuan's expression was solemn. He stepped forward and gently lifted the black velvet covering the area.

On the tray lay a box, no bigger than the palm of your hand, completely black, and seemingly capable of absorbing all light.

The box had an antique design, and was neither made of gold nor wood; its material was difficult to determine.

The surface is devoid of any decorative patterns, only covered with countless intricate, layered, interconnected dark gold runes that form an extremely mysterious and obscure pattern!

These runes seemed to be naturally formed, yet also as if they had been engraved with supreme magical power, exuding an ancient, desolate, and mysterious aura.

Yet it also subtly exudes an aura of destruction and taboo that sends chills down your spine.

The box fits perfectly, with no keyholes or openings in sight, as if it were a single, seamless piece.

The moment the black box was exposed to the air, an indescribable, strange fluctuation, seemingly from the primordial era yet heavily sealed away, quietly spread out.

The fluctuation wasn't strong, but it made all the cultivators present, including those Nascent Soul stage monsters, feel a strange weight in their hearts, as if something indescribable had been touched.

Meanwhile, in the private room, Zhou Ding, who had been watching calmly, suddenly had his pupils contract!

The little gold, which had been lurking in his sleeve and concealing all its aura, sent an unprecedented and extremely intense tremor and "warning" through the soul connection!

Within the shared field of vision of "Heavenly Hearing Technique", the seemingly ordinary black box lying quietly on the tray is now emitting a purple glow!