System: Infinite Evolution into Qilin Bloodline

"Ding! Rare item Chencang Stone Drums discovered."

"Ok?"

Zhang Hao came to the small auction at the New Moon Hotel just to see if he could bid on a few special or rare items, but he didn't expect to discover rare items.

Since his transmigration, he has visited many tombs, but only four rare items have appeared, which shows how precious they are.

It's good that this small auction has such items; it seems the trip wasn't a waste.

Zhang Hao memorized the Chencang Stone Drums, knowing he would spare no expense to acquire them at the auction later.

After carefully examining all the auction items, Zhang Hao was indeed somewhat disappointed. Apart from the historically significant Chencang Stone Drum, the other items failed to arouse much of his interest.

He sighed softly, then went with Wu Tianzhen, Fatty and others to the private room on the second floor, intending to eat something to fill their stomachs before the auction began. Although the food at the Crescent Moon Hotel was expensive, it was indeed delicious.

Inside the private room, the exquisite tableware was neatly arranged, and the air was filled with the enticing aroma of food after the dishes were ordered and served.

They sat around a table, enjoying the food while also exchanging their expectations and speculations about the upcoming auction.

However, Zhang Hao's mind did not seem to be entirely on the meal; his eyes kept drifting to the window, as if he were searching for something.

After the meal, everyone moved to the balcony and took their seats, preparing for the start of the auction.

Sitting on the balcony, Zhang Hao's gaze swept over each private room on the second floor, and a sense of doubt arose in his heart.

He noticed that, unlike the usual small auctions, the private rooms on the second floor were completely full tonight, which was indeed unusual.

He frowned in thought, various possibilities flashing through his mind.

Small auctions don't usually attract so many high-end buyers to gather in the second-floor private rooms, unless... a thought suddenly flashed through Zhang Hao's mind—these people are probably here for a specific treasure.

This treasure is most likely the Chencang Stone Drum that he had his eye on before. It must contain some secrets, otherwise a stone drum would not be such a rare item.

Thinking of this, Zhang Hao couldn't help but smile. It seemed that finding a bargain tonight was out of the question.

The Chencang Stone Drums, as a cultural treasure, have immeasurable historical and artistic value. Moreover, there must be secrets he doesn't know about them, otherwise these people in the second-floor private room wouldn't have come here.

It's no surprise that some people are willing to spend a fortune on this, so tonight's auction will undoubtedly be a fierce battle.

However, Zhang Hao didn't care much about these things. After all, money was just a number to him. If money could be exchanged for something that would help improve his strength, it would be worth spending all of it.

As the start time of the auction drew near, Zhang Hao's gaze once again focused on the stage in the distance. The auctioneer had already taken to the stage, and tonight's mini-auction was about to begin.

The auction curtain rose with a bang, and this grand event brought together a dazzling array of thirty treasures.

However, Zhang Hao's gaze was fixed on the people in the private room on the second floor.

"Fatty, since they were able to get up to the second floor, they must be someone important, right? Do you know them?"

Zhang Hao wasn't familiar with the people on the second floor. Fatty, however, frequented Panjiayuan and was well-informed; he might know them.

"Brother Zhang Hao, you've come to the right person. Although they aren't well-known, they still have a certain status in this circle. Of course, it's just that they have a certain status. They're not qualified to sit in the second-floor VIP box at large auctions, so it's normal that you don't know them."

However, three of them are particularly strong. The president of the Korean Chamber of Commerce is in the box next to ours, the president of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce is in the box directly opposite, and the president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce is in the box to their left. They are the strongest.

"Oh?"

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce has been operating in the Great Xia Kingdom for over a century. They are well-informed and always have good items when they appear at auctions.

As for the Koreans and Vietnamese, this was their first time here. They had no idea what secrets were hidden inside the Chencang Stone Drum that made them value it so much and appear at the New Moon Hotel auction.

The auction started with items that weren't particularly valuable.

Zhang Hao showed little interest in this.

The people in the private rooms on the second floor were all similar; they were like cheetahs lurking in the grass, ignoring the items that had been auctioned earlier.

Only the Chencang Stone Drums, like the brightest star in the night sky, firmly draw everyone's attention.

At this moment, Zhang Hao's mind was perfectly clear, and he was certain that all the guests in the hall had come for the Chencang Stone Drum.

Inside the auction hall, the atmosphere was as heated as a furnace, with bids rising and falling, but all this noise seemed to stand in stark contrast to the tranquility of the private rooms on the second floor.

The people there are like arrows poised to be released, waiting for that decisive moment.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and an hour of intense bidding brought the auction closer to its climax.

Finally, the much-anticipated Chencang Stone Drums made their grand entrance as the finale.

"Alright, the auction is nearing its end. Next up is the last item in this auction, the Chencang Stone Drum. I believe everyone is familiar with this stone drum. It is precious because it records a hidden history before the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms."

I believe everyone is particularly curious about this period of history, and so am I.

However, no one has been able to decipher the inscription on this drum since it was discovered.

Alright, enough with the chit-chat. The starting bid for the Chencang Stone Drum is 1 million, with each bid increment no less than 1000 million.

The starting bid of 100 million was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

The rule that each bid increase must be no less than ten million adds a thrilling element to this battle.

As soon as the host finished speaking, it was as if a sleeping dragon suddenly awoke in the private room on the second floor. A firm voice pierced the sky, announcing the official start of the most intense battle in this cultural feast.

At that moment, the entire auction seemed to be ignited, and everyone's eyes were focused on the stone drum that carried a thousand years of history, anticipating its final destination.

"2 million!"

"2 million!"

"3 million!"

……

"5 million!"

After the auction of the Chencang Stone Drums began, the price rose steadily, reaching 5 million in just a short time, and showed no signs of stopping.

"10 million!"

The price quickly jumped from 5 million to 10 billion.

Prices that are usually seen at large auctions have appeared at a small auction.

This anomaly made Zhang Hao even more curious about the Chencang Stone Drums.

What secret could possibly pique the interest of the Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, and that would lead them to bid such high prices?

Besides him, the other customers in the lobby downstairs were equally curious. Even if a stone drum contained a secret history, it shouldn't have fetched such a high price.

Of course, while they were curious, they were not qualified to participate in the competition.

After the auction price reached 10 billion, the smaller factions in the second-floor private rooms withdrew from the competition, leaving only the Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese chambers of commerce competing.

Zhang Hao watched from the sidelines; it wasn't time for him to make a move yet.