The whole family went mad, but the junior sister turned the tables and her luck soared.

The shadowy figure considerately pushed open the door to the private room, and Yun Yici stepped inside.

Compared to the dark and gloomy passageway outside, the room was elegant and fragrant. The tables and chairs were made of high-quality spirit wood, and there were several tea sets and an auction list on the table, with a light blue seal on it.

Yun Yici entered the room, and the dark figure closed the door securely before disappearing quietly.

Before long, the imperial edict arrived, followed by Shen Huaichuan and his group.

After everyone had arrived, Yun Yici said, "They actually separated everyone one by one. What a big show of it."

Shen Huaichuan tried to push open the tightly closed window: "The power behind this auction is not something that Jiang, a mere city lord, can control."

As he spoke, he suddenly withdrew his hand: "This window is a bit mysterious; it can't be opened without a lot of effort."

"If we were to push it open, I'm afraid this entire wall would be destroyed."

The fact that Shen Huaichuan couldn't even open the window immediately piqued everyone's interest.

Ning Tinglan leaned closer and said, "If we can't open the window, how are we going to participate in the auction?"

Rong Xuan: "When I came in before, I noticed that the outer layer of this building was constructed using a kind of spirit stone that can seal spiritual power."

"The windows are not allowed to be opened now, perhaps to keep the view inside the building a secret and to protect the guests."

Everyone, recalling the winding passage they had taken to get here, agreed with Rong Xuan's guess.

Murder for treasure is a common occurrence in any place.

Without any secrecy, and without the power and backing, even if you spend a fortune to acquire the treasure, you'll be followed and robbed when you go out, ultimately benefiting someone else.

Yun Yici picked up the light blue seal on the auction list and handed it to Rong Xuan: "Senior Brother Rong, do you recognize what kind of spiritual artifact this is?"

Rong Xuan took the stone with both hands and examined it for a moment: "This material is a bit like a projection stone. Why don't we infuse it with spiritual energy and see?"

With the seal in Rong Xuan's hand, Yun Yici nodded and casually infused it with spiritual power. The seal immediately shone brightly, projecting a screen of light from where Rong Xuan held it.

The light curtain was completely dark. Suddenly, a beam of light emerged from the darkness, illuminating the high platform covered with red silk.

Everyone stepped aside and sat down in their assigned chairs.

Rong Xuan was still holding the seal in his hand. He said curiously, "Hey, look at the bottom of this seal..."

"Ah, I see."

"This seal must have been used for both auctioning and bidding."

Ordinary mudras have patterns or incantations engraved on the bottom.

However, the bottom of this seal is flat and smooth; you can use spiritual power to write numbers and bid on it.

Once everyone understood the entire auction process, a mysterious figure in a black robe slowly walked onto the high platform through the red cloth on the light screen.

"Welcome, distinguished guests, to this auction. I am your auctioneer today."

An elegant and noble voice emanated from beneath the black robe, passing through the light screen and reaching everyone's ears.

Soon, a beautiful maidservant walked up to the platform carrying an exquisite wooden box.

The man in black robes waved his sleeve without saying a word, and a waist-high ebony table with a coiled snake appeared before him.

The maidservant placed the wooden box on the table and then obediently withdrew.

The man in black robes opened the wooden box, and the light screen in front of everyone also turned around, zooming in and freezing on the wooden box.

As the man in black robes moved, the wooden box was slowly opened, and the aroma of the elixir wafted out.

Rong Xuan exclaimed in surprise, "This light screen can even allow people to sense smell?"

Inside the wooden box was a white, soft pillow, upon which rested a purple-gold pill with cinnabar patterns.

Judging from its color, Yun Yici believed it to be at least a ninth-grade elixir.

She picked up the list and glanced at it: "It's a first-stage longevity pill."

The grades of elixirs range from grade one to grade nine. Elixirs that exhibit unusual phenomena upon completion are graded by an alchemist, ranging from grade one to grade nine.

In short, this is a superior longevity pill.

Although the light screen was fixed on the purple-gold pill, the voice of the man in black robes came through: "This is a first-stage longevity pill. It has no side effects when taken by those above the Foundation Establishment stage. The starting bid is 10,000 spirit stones, with increments of 1,000 spirit stones."

"Distinguished guests, if you have any questions, please infuse your spiritual power into the seal in your hand, and I will answer all your questions."

Yun Yici and the others were not interested in the longevity pill, but it was worthwhile for cultivators whose lifespans were nearing their end.

When faced with a dying person, few would choose between money and life, let alone a cultivator whose lifespan already exceeds that of ordinary people.

Having seen even greater views, I am even more reluctant to die.

This longevity pill is the last chance to break through the bottleneck.

As many had guessed, there were many cultivators interested in this longevity pill.

The man in black robes on the high platform announced in a loud voice, "First distinguished guest, please ask."

The next moment, a rough male voice came from the light screen: "How many years of life can this longevity pill guarantee?"

The man in black robes answered without hesitation: "If you take it during Foundation Establishment, it can add two hundred years to your lifespan."

"Taking the elixir can add a hundred years to one's lifespan."

"If a nascent soul takes it, it can add fifty years to one's lifespan."

"If one takes this, one's lifespan can be increased by thirty years."

"If one takes this after refining one's emptiness, one's lifespan can be increased by ten years."

"If taken together, it can add one year to one's lifespan."

The gruff male voice continued, "What if a Mahayana cultivator takes it?"

"One day."

The black-robed man's resolute answer silenced the male voice.

Lin Yu asked from the side, "How much are ten thousand grade spirit stones? Is it worth it?"

Yun Yici said, "Whether it's worth it or not."

“Cultivation is about competing with the heavens for longevity. If you get stuck in a bottleneck and your lifespan is about to end, then you can make a huge profit by using the time gained by the Longevity Pill to break through.”

"For example, a Golden Core cultivator's lifespan is about five hundred years. When he is about to die, if he takes this pill, his lifespan will be extended by one hundred years. If he can successfully break through to the Nascent Soul stage within that hundred years, his lifespan will be extended again."

Rinyu's eyes lit up: "This is a lifesaver! Why don't we take it?"

Rong Xuan reminded him from the side, "You and the three seniors who saw the imperial edict do not need this item."

"Although my cultivation level is the lowest, I don't think I need the longevity pill."

"Moreover, the longevity pill is the worst possible solution."

Lin Yu asked in confusion, "Why is that?"

Shen Huaichuan explained to him, "The Longevity Pill is only effective the first time it is taken; it cannot extend lifespan indefinitely."

"That's why the auctioneer didn't mention the effects on cultivators at the Mahayana level or above."

Ten thousand spirit stones can extend one's life by one day; there are plenty of old fogies willing to collect longevity pills.

They even specially raised a group of alchemists to refine longevity pills, so that one could live as long as the heavens without ascending to immortality.

Heaven will not allow such loophole-exploiting behavior.

Lin Yu understood: "So, if it can only be taken once in a lifetime, the grade of this pill is still too low for a high-level cultivator who aspires to the Great Dao."

The man in black robes in the light screen said, "Second distinguished guest, may I ask?"

Lin Yu completely lost interest in the longevity pill, but then a frustrated roar came from the light screen: "Are you all crazy?!"

"An invitation costs five thousand spirit stones and you have to fight for it! And you're offering a longevity pill with a starting bid of ten thousand!"

"I've spent all my spirit stones on invitations!!"

"I'm dying, I'm dying!!!"