Nine Yang Life and Death Transformation

After some discussion, Wu Feilong and the young prince finally reached a cooperation agreement. To everyone's delight, with the establishment of their partnership, the wanted posters that had been plastered all over the streets and alleys, offering a reward for Wu Feilong's capture, were quickly removed.

"Shi Niang, let's go to the Qin Kingdom together."

Chun Shiniang's face showed a hint of curiosity: "Since we've finally made it this far, why not go check out the auction house? Maybe we can find some unexpected treasures!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Feilong found it reasonable and readily agreed. After a brief discussion, the two decided to disguise themselves to avoid attracting attention. Before long, they had changed into ordinary people's clothes, altered their hairstyles and appearances, and looked no different from ordinary passersby.

After disguising themselves, Wu Feilong and Shi Niang headed towards the Jinghua Auction House. This auction house was one of the largest in the Zhou Kingdom, where a dazzling array of rare and precious items were auctioned and traded daily. Therefore, it always attracted numerous cultivators from all over the world, creating a lively and bustling scene.

As they arrived at the auction house entrance, the first thing that caught their eye was nine towering stone pillars standing before them. These pillars were carved with all sorts of lifelike and fantastical creatures, some coiled and intertwined, others roaring with heads held high, each in a myriad of postures, a truly breathtaking sight. Moreover, the pillars were inscribed with many mysterious runes, faintly emitting a glow, adding a touch of mystery and solemnity to the entire auction house.

Passing through the stone pillars and entering the auction hall, one is immediately greeted by a spacious and brightly lit hall. Inside, a giant square elemental stone, approximately ten meters in size, is placed in each direction. These stones are smooth as mirrors, clearly displaying detailed information about each auction room and a list of items to be auctioned. Attendees can carefully examine the information here according to their interests and needs, thus choosing the auction room that best suits their preferences.

It's worth mentioning that this auction house has a two-story structure. The first floor is open to all visitors, regardless of their status, as long as they pay an entrance fee. The second floor, however, is a high-end auction house, and only those with cultivation levels of Golden Core or above, or those holding special permission tokens, are qualified to enter this area.

After Wu Feilong and Chun Shiniang stepped into the spacious and bright hall, they first looked around curiously. Everywhere their eyes swept, a dazzling array of rare and precious treasures filled the air. Suddenly, they noticed a token exuding an ancient aura. This token appeared to be very old, its surface engraved with mysterious and intricate patterns. Wu Feilong stared intently, and his heart skipped a beat, for this token was exactly the same as the one he had obtained from inside the seashell!

Filled with doubt and anticipation, the two headed towards Auction Hall No. 2. At the entrance, staff were distributing numbered tickets. Inside, they found the hall divided into two levels, arranged in a fan shape, offering a wide view and a clear view of the items displayed on the stage.

Before long, people attending the auction began to arrive one after another. One after another, figures dressed in fine clothes filed in, and in no time, the auction hall was packed, with most of the seats occupied.

Just then, a sprightly old man steadily walked onto the stage. He cleared his throat and smiled, saying, "Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Jinghua Auction House. I am Lu Yao, the auctioneer for this auction." However, an impatient voice came from below the stage: "Stop talking nonsense and get started!" Faced with such urging, Lu Yao remained unfazed, maintaining his elegant and composed demeanor as he replied, "It seems you are all eager to begin. Then let's officially start today's auction. The first treasure I will present to you is the Azure Jade Bottle. This bottle is made of superior material, crystal clear, and even more amazing is its enormous internal space, capable of holding ten thousand catties of water. Now, the Azure Jade Bottle will be auctioned with a starting price of ten mid-grade spirit stones, and each bid must be at least one spirit stone higher. Please bid enthusiastically!"

As soon as Lu Yao finished speaking, someone in the audience shouted, "I bid 11!" Immediately afterward, someone else, not to be outdone, shouted, "I bid 12!" After two rounds of intense bidding, the scene gradually quieted down, as if no one wanted to continue bidding. Seeing this, Lu Yao raised his voice and asked, "Anyone else want to bid?" However, he was met with silence. So, Lu Yao decisively brought down the hammer: "Alright, sold for 12 mid-grade spirit stones! Congratulations to this friend for successfully bidding on the Azure Jade Bottle!"

The second item to be presented is a rather ancient-looking token. This token has a unique design, engraved with mysterious patterns and symbols, but its specific function remains unknown. The auctioneer announced loudly, "This ancient token will be auctioned starting at ten mid-grade spirit stones, with each bid increment no less than one stone!"

However, the scene was completely silent. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances; no one was willing to make a bid for an item whose purpose was unclear. After all, no one wanted to spend a large amount of spirit stones to buy something that might be utterly useless.

Just then, Wu Feilong, who had been sitting quietly in the corner observing, raised his hand and said calmly, "I bid 11 yuan." His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire auction hall.

Seeing that someone had finally made a bid, the auctioneer excitedly shouted, "Eleven mid-grade spirit stones per bid! Anyone else bidding?" The audience remained silent; no one responded. Without hesitation, the auctioneer brought down the gavel: "Sold! Congratulations to this gentleman for acquiring this mysterious, ancient token!"

In fact, even Wu Feilong himself didn't know what the token's purpose was. He just thought that since the price was so low, he might as well buy it and study it carefully; after all, he wouldn't lose too much.

Several more items were then displayed, but Wu Feilong showed no interest in any of them. Soon, the first round of auction ended. After completing his transaction, Wu Feilong got up and left the first floor, heading towards the second floor.

As he reached the staircase leading to the second floor, two burly guards stopped him. One of them said sternly, "To enter the second floor, you must either test your cultivation level or present the corresponding token."