The Black Turtle, once known for slaying kings and princes, had astonishing treasures and techniques. Its appearance at the auction made Shi Hao's heart race with anticipation.
"One Fire Avoidance Pearl," said the white-haired elder on the stage, showcasing a fiery red pearl. "Though it has some flaws, it is still a rare treasure in recent years."
"This is a rare gem, a true treasure. Observe closely. Whether for crafting treasure tools or for collection, its value is extraordinary," added the curvaceous woman.
The Fire Avoidance Pearl, naturally a precious gem of the world, was the size of a pigeon’s egg, glowing bright red like a fire diamond and crystal clear. Unfortunately, it had several cracks and a missing piece, making it less than perfect.
This kind of item seemed to only avoid fire, lacking more versatile uses, appearing to have a single function. However, its true value was immeasurable.
Some forbidden places in the world require special means to enter, such as the Earth's core or fiery caves for crafting treasures, where ordinary items cannot access. Even some legendary places with divine fire might yield unparalleled treasures if one has a Fire Avoidance Pearl, enabling deep entry and collection.
Fire Avoidance Pearls and Wind Stabilizing Pearls are extremely rare, with a single piece appearing only once every several years, destined to become priceless treasures. Moreover, they are excellent materials for crafting holy weapons and even divine artifacts, making them rare and valuable materials.
As soon as the words left the stage, people below immediately started bidding, creating a lively and intense scene.
Shi Hao watched eagerly. When the pearl reached sky-high prices, he was astonished but did not participate, as he had no immediate use for a Fire Avoidance Pearl and saw no need to join the frenzy.
Eventually, a clear voice from a woman called out an astonishingly high bid with a pile of original symbol bones, winning the rare treasure.
"It’s Princess Sixteen, the Emperor's favorite daughter," someone exclaimed, recognizing the final winner.
The winner was a very beautiful young girl in a yellow dress with bright eyes and white teeth, holding the fiery red pearl. The flowing, brilliant red clouds and the pearl created a stunning visual effect.
People sighed, acknowledging that no one could match the royal family's deep foundation and exquisite treasures. In fact, by the time the auction reached this point, everything was being exchanged for original symbol bones, which was more direct.
"It's a pity. Another rare item has appeared, and we don't have the strength to acquire it."
"Don’t worry, there will definitely be more good items. This auction is of the highest standard, carefully prepared for a long time, and features a large collection of treasures."
People discussed among themselves, eagerly anticipating the appearance of more valuable items.
Of course, the starting prices of subsequent items would continue to rise, and while not all valuable items are reserved for the end, there was a tendency for this trend.
Soon, a Heavenly Demon Umbrella appeared, shimmering with dark light and exuding a sinister aura. This item was very powerful, a treasure among king and prince weapons, sparking competition among several old kings.
The younger generation could only watch and not participate. The high prices and the fierce competition among the old men made it awkward for younger participants, given the familial connections in the imperial capital.
The Heavenly Demon Umbrella was soon won by a middle-aged prince.
"Little Tower, can't you give me some advice and reference on what items are highly valuable to avoid missing out?" Shi Hao transmitted.
Little Tower remained silent and did not respond.
Shi Hao pouted, not believing it could stay quiet. He was sure that Little Tower would speak up when a good item appeared.
"Next, we present to everyone an ancient treasure symbol, which is very rare. Please have a look," said a stunning woman in red on stage.
It was a piece of yellowish paper, very flexible, unscathed by any amount of folding, and making a ringing sound like metal when struck.
"Some of you might recognize it. This is a Space Shrinking Symbol. Placing it under your feet allows you to shrink the distance to mere inches, faster than a bird's flight. It was crafted by ancient great beings and is now rarely made," the woman added.
Many people showed interest, revealing attentive expressions. Space Shrinking Symbols were akin to escape symbols, allowing one to quickly flee if pursued by enemies.
However, some nobles in the imperial capital were not very interested, as their prominent status influenced their preferences. They rarely faced desperate situations and preferred offensive artifacts. Indeed, they had their own ways to ensure their safety.
Shi Hao was interested. He had once obtained a Space Shrinking Symbol on Hundred Break Mountain, which had been used until it shattered. He found it very useful and wanted to bid for it here.
"Starting bid is three thousand Essence Stones."
"Four thousand Essence Stones."
The auction hall buzzed with bidding. Although not as hotly contested as the Fire Avoidance Pearl, there were still people eager to acquire it.
"Take that large piece of sea blue agate, as big as a fist, and put it up for bid," Shi Hao instructed, asking the auction house to assist.
When the large piece of sea blue agate was brought out again, people were speechless. It was like a nouveau riche move, overly flaunting wealth.
In reality, Shi Hao only owned a small portion of that large piece, the rest had been spent, but it hadn't been cut yet and was saved for the end.
Sea blue agate was also a rare treasure, and a piece as big as a fist was worth a fortune, capable of enhancing many treasures. It was an extreme indulgence.
As a result, no one contested him. Shi Hao used his fist-sized piece of agate to outbid everyone, obtaining the Space Shrinking Symbol as desired.
"Alas, will this make people envious? I need to come up with a plan," Shi Hao worried.
"Rest assured, at least in the imperial capital, no one dares to make trouble. Our Bone Worm Auction House has some capability and ensures the safety of our distinguished guests," promised a representative when delivering the Space Shrinking Symbol.
In fact, Shi Hao's purchases were not very eye-catching compared to divine items, considered relatively ordinary. Of course, this was provided no one knew about the mysterious connection between the Glowing White Bone and the Original True Solution.
"Do you all find it dull? Then let us bring a climax. I believe many people will be interested in the next item," the woman in red said with a charming smile, building anticipation.
She took out a piece of beast skin, very dull and unremarkable. However, when she threw it over her body, something extraordinary happened—the exquisite body vanished.
"Eh, it disappeared."
"What’s going on? What kind of treasure is this?"
People were astonished and intrigued.
When the woman in red reappeared, she had taken off the beast skin and smiled sweetly, "Can anyone guess what this is?"
"Could it be Void Beast Skin?" someone trembled.
The crowd was astonished and excited, causing a stir. This was an extremely rare material, nearly priceless.
Void Beasts should be unseen by the people of today and were extremely rare even in ancient times, with immeasurable value.
Any piece of Void Beast Skin that appeared could fetch a sky-high price due to its inherent properties, making it a treasure even before further processing.
It allows a person to hide within the void, making it impossible to detect. When properly refined, it can even traverse through the void, making it a true treasure.
Previously, Shi Hao had seen Fire Spirit Girl take out such a Void Beast Skin at Hundred Break Mountain, which belonged to the Fire Nation's Emperor. They had used it to escape several deadly encounters.
An item collected by a nation's emperor could not possibly be an ordinary one.
Of course, the one Shi Hao was seeing now was much smaller compared to that, only about a meter square, with limited capacity.
"I don’t need to elaborate on the Void Beast Skin; its divine capabilities are well known to everyone," the woman in red on the stage revealed an astonishing starting price.
People were stirred. The uses of such a beast skin were numerous; it could avoid great calamities and allow one to hide in the void by standing on it.
In the hands of an assassin, its value was even more terrifying. There would be no place unreachable, no person too bold to assassinate. It was practically invincible.
Furthermore, when combined with other heavenly materials, it could become even more precious and create rare artifacts.
Shi Hao's envy was palpable as he began bidding. However, he soon realized that in the imperial capital, his nouveau riche display with sea blue agate did not stand out much compared to others with substantial wealth.
Some people directly presented several rare materials, shining so brightly that it was blinding.
Others brought out large chunks of earth marrow, reputed to extend life.
Shi Hao was astonished to discover that not only were kings and princes bidding, but also some unfamiliar young faces with the aura of pure-blooded beings. He felt overwhelmed and knew he couldn't compete.
"It seems that the Emperor's birthday has indeed attracted many powerful figures," Shi Hao thought.
In the end, the Void Beast Skin fell into the hands of a mysterious person, who remained hidden in the VIP room and did not reveal their identity. The price they offered left everyone helpless.
The materials included more than a dozen rare items, such as Blue Spirit Soil and Purple Crystal, all exceedingly rare and of astonishing value.
"Let you all compete first. When better items appear, you will be powerless," Shi Hao consoled himself.
After the excitement, there was naturally a period of dullness. The next item presented was a black figurine about the size of a fist, made of an unknown metal, lacking luster and appearing dull.
It was hard to discern any special features; it seemed to be an ancient artifact, with a considerable age.
"What is this?" someone asked.
"This is an ancient artifact, so old that many of us might have difficulty tracing its origin," the woman in red explained with a smile.
After a series of auctions, people gradually understood her style. Upon hearing this, some immediately joked, "It looks like an antique; it probably has little value. If it were truly precious, you would have praised it long ago."
"Probably, the only compliment left is that it is ancient," some people laughed.
"That’s not entirely accurate. This is an ancient relic. It is speculated that it might be a powerful battle puppet. If it can be restored, it could be of great use," the woman in red said with a smile.
"A battle puppet, once damaged? I doubt anyone today could restore it. If it were an ancient holy item, you wouldn't auction it like this," many people shook their heads.
The fist-sized, dull figurine was sent to the VIP room for everyone to view and touch personally.
Unfortunately, although it was made of hard material, its runes were shattered, with many cracks, making it seem like it could break at any moment.
People shook their heads. The item might have had some significance in ancient times, but it had lost its value over the years.
Without runes or divine energy fluctuations, and despite attempts to activate it, it could not display any power. To most, it was hardly more than a useless treasure.
"The only value might be in its material, but it doesn’t appear to be rare divine material," people showed little interest.
Shi Hao held it in his hand for a while. It was heavy and cold, but he couldn’t sense anything particularly special about it.
At that moment, Little Tower suddenly spoke, "Winning this item would be sufficient for a lifetime. I even feel reluctant to consume it; it's quite a pity."
Shi Hao was startled. Given Little Tower's terrifying background, anything it commented on could not be an ordinary item. It was undoubtedly a treasure of the highest order.
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