After being reborn, the villain comes with a spoiler tag.

The second item up for auction was a pot-shaped magic weapon of the Xuan-rank superior grade, but whose power had reached the pseudo-Di-rank level.

Huo Yu glanced at it and then looked away, losing interest.

This item was eventually sold for 30,000 spirit stones.

"Next up is the last item in this auction! This item also does not belong to my Tianhe Fang. As for what it is, I don't need to explain further. Fellow Daoists who are interested will know at a glance!"

As the host slowly opened the last jade box, a refreshing and pleasant fragrance instantly filled the entire venue, instantly clearing away any distracting thoughts in the hearts of those who smelled it.

As everyone was immersed in the exotic fragrance, the host gently pointed to a certain array on the jade box, and the fragrance suddenly vanished without a trace.

Inside the jade box was a purple lotus with seven petals.

"Seven-Leaf Hibiscus, starting bid 10,000 spirit stones, minimum increment 1,000 spirit stones!"

As soon as these words were spoken, coupled with the undeniable presence of that strange fragrance, the bidding erupted like a tidal wave, instantly pushing the price up to 30,000 spirit stones!

Long Yucheng was numb to numbers at this point, but he was still a little curious about what this Seven-Leaf Hibiscus was.

"This item is one of the materials for refining the White Ze Pill. The White Ze Pill is an ancient and rare formula, and all the medicinal materials required are extremely rare in this world. According to the formula, after taking it, one can prolong life, and the higher the cultivation level of the user, the greater the effect. However, each cultivator will only see the effect the first time they take it in their lifetime."

Changsun Ning seemed to see through Long Yucheng's doubts and explained with a smile,

"However, compared to refining the legendary White Ze Pill, this Seven-Leaf Hibiscus has another more well-known effect: it can calm the mind and reduce the interference of inner demons. More importantly, it can effectively reduce the difficulty of the first of the Five Signs of Decay in Heaven and Man—Heart Decay."

The Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man are an inevitable path for all cultivators on their path to immortality.

The first setback, the Heart Affliction, occurs when attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Once one overcomes the first setback, one will face the Heavenly Tribulation, and after overcoming the Heavenly Tribulation, one becomes a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

The remaining four signs of decay will appear intermittently during the Nascent Soul stage and the Mahayana stage. The timing of each cultivator's experience of the four signs of decay is different. Only by overcoming all five signs of decay can one obtain the body of a half-immortal, which is the first threshold for ascension.

However, these things were far removed from Long Yucheng's mind. He nodded as if he understood, and refocused his attention on the ongoing, heated bidding process.

Huo Yu, standing to the side, was thinking about something completely different.

The Five Signs of Decay of the Celestials were completely foreign to him—he knew of their existence, but had never experienced them in either his previous or current life.

In his previous life, Huo Yu cultivated all the way to the Great Ascension stage without experiencing the Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man, and the Immortal Tribulation arrived as scheduled.

In this life, according to the memories Huo Yu gained when he was reborn, he did not experience the first setback when he advanced to the Nascent Soul stage. Although he did not know why, he was probably not destined to experience the subsequent four setbacks.

However, the Seven-Leaf Hibiscus is also a must-have for Huo Yu. In addition to reducing the difficulty of the first tribulation, the Seven-Leaf Hibiscus has another little-known but useless function - nourishing the soul.

What Huo Yu needed was its ability to nourish the soul.

Inside the arena, the bidding for the Seven-Leaf Hibiscus has already soared to an astronomical price of 50,000 spirit stones.

After a cultivator in a private room on the northwest side shouted out a high price of 55,000 spirit stones, no one else in the room raised the price.

The auctioneer had already begun the final bidding.

"Sixty thousand spirit stones!"

A voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the host's bidding.

The bidder was none other than Changsun Ning, who had not made a move from beginning to end.

"Sixty-five thousand spirit stones!"

The monks in the northwest corner were clearly unwilling to give up easily.

"Seventy thousand spirit stones!"

Changsun Ning remained expressionless and raised the price again.

"Seventy-five thousand spirit stones!"

The other party followed closely behind.

"One hundred thousand spirit stones!"

Changsun Ning quoted an astonishingly high price.

Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent instantly. Even the cultivator in the northwest corner did not raise the price again.

The host on stage remained calm and composed, and began the final three bids:

"One hundred thousand spirit stones per time!"

"One hundred and five thousand spirit stones."

Huo Yu's voice rang out softly, yet it shook the entire audience like a thunderclap.

Long Yucheng looked at Huo Yu as if he were looking at a god.

Changsun Ning gave a helpless, bitter smile:

"These 100,000 spirit stones are all I have left, and I thought I was sure to get them on this trip. If I had known earlier that Brother Huo also wanted them... Ah, well, never mind."

"One hundred and five thousand spirit stones per time!"

The host's voice sounded again.

"Twice, 105,000 spirit stones!"

"105,000 spirit stones in three transactions! Sold!"

Watching Huo Yu pay and take away the jade box containing the seven-petaled hibiscus, Changsun Ning quickly composed herself and asked:

"I wonder what use Brother Huo has for this Seven-Leaf Hibiscus? If Brother Huo is willing to part with it, I am willing to exchange it for something of equal value."

"My master is about to experience his first major setback."

Huo Yu made up a story without changing his expression.

His "master," the Left Protector, was only at the late Golden Core stage; how could he possibly have experienced the Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man?

However, these words at least explained where he obtained so many Nascent Soul Pills; whether Changsun Ning believed them or not was another matter entirely.

Long Yucheng, who was standing to the side, truly believed it and couldn't help but beam with joy.

Unexpectedly, the master he had boldly begged to be his mentor turned out to be a quasi-Nascent Soul stage cultivator. However, when he thought about his own lackluster cultivation, the joy in his heart immediately faded a bit.

Long Yucheng secretly resolved to focus on cultivation. After all, his master was only at the half-step Nascent Soul stage and his senior brother was at the Foundation Establishment stage. He couldn't possibly lower the average level of his sect!

After the auction ended, the three of them activated the auction tokens again and instantly appeared at the place where they had first used the tokens to teleport to the auction venue.

By this time, it was completely dark. Changsun Ning asked the two of them again if they would like to have a drink at his place, but Long Yucheng brushed him off by saying that he had to return to the sect as soon as possible.

"Then I shall take my leave. I have been deeply impressed by today's visit. Brother Huo, Brother Long, until the next day."

After saying this, Changsun Ning turned and walked in another direction.

His nonchalant departure surprised even Long Yucheng, who had been on guard against him.

"He just left like that? Or am I overthinking things? Is this guy just a lonely young man who longs for friendship, and doesn't have any ulterior motives towards Senior Brother Huo?"

Huo Yu didn't care at all what this person's intentions were. With the matter in Tianhe City over, it was time to get down to business.