As the auctioneer's cry rang out, a server carefully approached, bearing a wooden tray covered by a red cloth, concealing its contents from view.

This was deliberately done to ignite the curiosity of everyone present. Indeed, at that moment, many craned their necks for a better look.

In a private box on the second floor of the hall, a middle-aged man with a square jaw studied the booklet in his hands. His name was Alfred, a man of considerable standing.

Owing to the importance of the item, he possessed full knowledge of every lot up for auction, their starting bids, and the precise order in which they would be presented. All this crucial information was clearly noted in his small pamphlet.

The middle-aged man lifted his gaze from the booklet, peering through a slit in the curtain towards the center of the stage, murmuring to himself, "It must be this one!"

This was the advantage of the private boxes; those inside could observe the scene outside through the curtain’s gap, while those outside could not discern the identity of the occupants. Generally, individuals of status and influence reserved such boxes days in advance. Though the cost far exceeded that of general seating, this exceptional privilege was well worth the price!

Perhaps some are wondering: if those outside cannot see in, how does one place a bid?

This poses no difficulty. The bidding method for the boxes differs from that of the general area. On the outer wall of the room, there is a dedicated display board, and inside, specific buttons. A mere press of the corresponding button registers a bid!

At this, a faint smile touched the corner of Alfred's lips.

He was not a local resident of this city, but hailed from the "Capital City." His family had learned of this item's scheduled auction through secret channels half a month prior and viewed it with extreme importance. His father had commanded him to personally acquire this object, regardless of the cost, ensuring absolutely no loss in the transaction.

To this end, his family had not only allocated him one hundred million Diamond Coins but had also dispatched numerous expert guards for his escort. While ensuring his safety, they had also instructed them to be cautious and discreet, forbidding any other family from learning of this mission!

But could things truly be this straightforward?

In another private box, someone else was equally agitated about this very item. This individual was none other than a member of the prestigious 'Teshira Family,' one of the five great houses, named Ander.

He truly hadn't expected such a small object to draw the attention of the 'Teshira Family' to this place, suggesting the item must possess something truly extraordinary.

"Bob, this item is essential for us. Presenting it to Father on his birthday will surely delight him!" the young man named Ander declared with palpable excitement.

The 'Bob' he addressed was an elderly man in his fifties, serving as his steward!

They happened to be passing through this area on their way back from an assignment and stumbled upon the news of this auction. Overjoyed, they immediately resolved to secure the object, even delaying their return report submission.

"The Young Master speaks truly. That the auction hall has placed this item so early in the schedule, and at such a low starting price, indicates they are certainly unaware of its true value. We can acquire it without spending too much money. And even if someone contests, they surely cannot prevail against the might of the 'Teshira Family'!" Bob replied with profound deference.

However, neither of them suspected that similar conversations were unfolding in multiple boxes—all focused intently on the impending auction item. It seemed a fierce contest was brewing!

Just as they were discussing, the auctioneer finally lifted the red cloth covering the tray.

It revealed a dark, dull stone, shaped vaguely like a monstrous beast. However, strange totems adorned its surface, seemingly imbued with some deeper meaning.

"Everyone, please look, this is the seventh item up for auction. This object is named the 'Black Wuzhi Stone.' It is in excellent condition, and the engravings upon it are clearly visible," the auctioneer announced, lifting the item slightly and walking a small circuit around the stage before carefully placing the 'Black Wuzhi Stone' back onto the wooden tray.

Zhong Shenxiu possessed exceptional eyesight. Though seated far from the stage, he could still clearly discern the appearance of the 'Black Wuzhi Stone.'

Zhong Shenxiu sensed a faint aura of deathly energy emanating from the 'Black Wuzhi Stone,' strongly reminiscent of the 'Battle Ruins' he had encountered before. Regarding the profound markings etched upon it, Zhong Shenxiu recognized them as components of a magic array—typically embedded in specific locations to form a complete, functional spell circle!

Zhong Shenxiu displayed little interest in the 'Black Wuzhi Stone' itself, but instead found himself drawn to Keni beside him.

Keni’s demeanor was noticeably unusual. The usually calm and collected girl now displayed expressions of shock and disbelief, her beautiful eyes fixed rigidly on the wooden tray in the center of the stage. Her entire body trembled slightly!

Did this mean she knew something about the 'Black Wuzhi Stone'?

Or perhaps the 'Black Wuzhi Stone' was connected to her in some way?? Since meeting Keni and taking her in, Zhong Shenxiu had never inquired about her background. He didn't know why the soldiers pursued her, nor what her past held!

Everyone harbors secrets they prefer to keep hidden. This applied not only to Keni; Zhong Shenxiu never pressed Robin about his parents either.

The formal auction was about to commence. The starting bid for the 'Black Wuzhi Stone' was set at one hundred thousand Diamond Coins.

The auction finally began, yet Keni, at that moment, regained her composure. She glanced at Zhong Shenxiu, forcing a weak smile.

Zhong Shenxiu asked no further questions, refocusing his attention on the stage.

The bidding climbed slowly; the serious buyers had yet to enter the fray, resulting in a gradual increase in price!

"The current bid stands at two hundred and twenty thousand Diamond Coins. Are there any higher offers?" The auctioneer prompted, ready to bring the gavel down if no further bids were placed after three calls!

In the private box, Alfred smiled; he knew it was time for him to make his move.

What he didn't know was that the occupants of the other boxes held the exact same thought!

"Very well, Box Number Seven bids three hundred thousand Diamond Coins. Any higher bids?" The auctioneer's excitement surged again; items that capture the attention of the box occupants were rare treasures indeed!

"Box Number Three bids five hundred thousand Diamond Coins. Are there any higher?"

In mere moments, the price of the 'Black Wuzhi Stone' soared to over five million Diamond Coins, fueled almost entirely by competition between these few boxes. Those in the general seating area could only—

"Hey, is this thing really worth that much? I can't see anything special about it," one person in the general section whispered.

"I think these rich folks are just bidding for face; they don't care about this small change!"

"These rich people have too much money to spend. If all that money were mine, tsk tsk..." Another began to dream aloud.

Suddenly, a small commotion erupted in the hall. Even the auctioneer was visibly thrilled. He had never anticipated that such a modest 'Black Wuzhi Stone' could command such a high price. Seeing the momentum from the private boxes, it seemed none of them intended to back down. Would it break the ten million mark?

The auction hall employed different hosts depending on the caliber of the auctioned item. The current auctioneer never dreamed that the lot he managed could skyrocket to such heights. If the price climbed further, he was guaranteed to become famous from this event—how could he not be excited!

Alfred, in Box Number Seven, gritted his teeth in frustration. He hadn't anticipated such fierce contention, and not just from one rival! Who were these people? The price was already over seven million, yet they refused to yield. Did they also know the item's true worth?

He had originally planned to acquire the item for a maximum of a few million Diamond Coins; now, that seemed impossible!

While the 'Black Wuzhi Stone' appeared merely to be an oddly shaped artifact, few understood its connection to the 'War' and the ancient history surrounding it. Those deeply versed in the 'War' would recognize this unassuming small object as the key to activating a critically important magic array!

Alfred paused, calculating. If he didn't display some serious resolve now, he wouldn't deter these rivals. He had to secure this 'Black Wuzhi Stone' to report back successfully. With a grim expression, he pressed the purple button before him three times!

The auctioneer was midway through announcing the latest bids from the boxes, nearing the ten million threshold, completely exhilarated—he saw a brilliant future beckoning him! Just then, his body stiffened, his eyes widening nearly twofold. The man looked utterly stunned!

My God, that was...

Yes, he had seen the price Alfred bid. He couldn't believe his eyes. A suffocating sensation washed over him as he tried to speak.

"Box Number Seven bids... bids thirty million Diamond Coins! Are... are there any high—" The auctioneer’s voice began to stutter; it was a miracle he didn't faint right there.

He simply could not fathom that just moments ago, he was anticipating breaking ten million, only to see the price suddenly jump to thirty million. How could this not excite him!

Forget the auctioneer; the general seating area erupted in an uproar!

"They've gone mad! These rich people are completely insane!"

"Did I hear that correctly?"

"Heavens, do these people still consider money to be money?"

Even the VIP bidders who were actively competing paused their offers, not immediately counter-bidding!

Alfred listened to the murmurs below, observing the stunned expressions on their faces, feeling an exquisite satisfaction in his heart. How about that? Are you all dumbfounded now!? he thought triumphantly.

Yet, his joy lasted less than thirty seconds before he was utterly dumbfounded. The auctioneer, in a trembling voice, shouted again: "Box Number Three bids fifty million Diamond Coins..."

Then followed seventy million, eighty million... the price rapidly surpassed the one hundred million mark!

Now, it was Alfred who was truly paralyzed with shock. He hadn't realized his clever ploy had merely acted as the catalyst for a massive price surge, pushing the bid past one hundred million in less than two minutes. Because of this, he was now disqualified from further bidding!

He only had one hundred million Diamond Coins available to spend, and the current price stood at one hundred and thirty million!

H-how could this be?

Alfred slumped back in his seat, his expression one of absolute vacancy.

The reality was that the other box occupants had grown weary of continuous incremental increases. They wished to secure the treasure swiftly, and to make their competitors retreat in discouragement, they felt compelled to raise their bids drastically!

Meanwhile, the auctioneer's face was ashen, his legs shaking uncontrollably. If he hadn't been leaning against the auction table, he surely would have collapsed onto the floor!

One hundred million Diamond Coins—it exceeded a figure he had never dared to dream of, even in his wildest fantasies!

The bidding continued to climb, though several boxes fell silent, clearly withdrawing from this monetary duel!

The 'Teshira Family,' possessing vast resources, now found Ander holding the strongest position at the podium.

Ander had access to four hundred million Diamond Coins. With the price only slightly over two hundred million, many had already dropped out. The remaining two contenders were deep in deliberation, clearly close to yielding. Ander was confident he could secure this treasure for around three hundred million!

He should count himself fortunate; the other four of the Five Great Families were not present. Otherwise, the price would be even more insane, possibly reaching billions if the patriarchs had granted full authorization for spending!

Ander was already beginning to visualize his father’s expression of excitement and astonishment upon seeing the treasure! His own standing within the family was bound to rise!

Dreams are always beautiful, but reality is often cruel!

Just as Ander believed the situation was settled, a bizarre incident occurred on the stage: the auctioneer froze mid-sentence, his face contorted in absolute horror, his eyes bulging wider than any ox's!

What on earth had he witnessed?

Many others wondered the same and followed the auctioneer's gaze. Like a contagion, they too froze, mimicking his stunned expression!

Ander, curious, stood up and pulled back the curtain for a closer look. Instantly, his body jolted, and his face mirrored the terror he saw around him!

Th-this is...

Following the direction of their gaze, they saw a small girl standing atop her chair in the rear section of the general seating area, holding high and vigorously shaking her bidding paddle.

This in itself was odd, but not enough to cause such widespread shock!

What truly stunned them was the price displayed on the paddle the little girl was waving: One Hundred and Sixty Million Diamond Coins!