"Eight million spirit stones." With that sharp cry, the wallets of most people were shattered, and the bidding speed finally slowed down. Just as Wu Ji was preparing to speak, the masked Chen Yun was the first to call out: "Ten million spirit stones." His voice was hoarse and unrecognizable, clearly deliberately altered to avoid being recognized by acquaintances.

Indeed, this was the item. Lei Dong was now truly certain. At the same time, he sighed softly in his heart, fearing that Wu Ji was not fated to acquire it. Given the thorough preparations of the three Hellish Demon Generals, their determined mindset would absolutely not allow this item to be auctioned off to anyone else.

Ten million spirit stones was already approaching the absolute limit of a true Top-Grade Fire Spirit Jade's value. A collective sharp intake of breath swept through the room, and many began to reconsider their chances; it wasn't that they were unwilling, but their purses were simply too shallow. However, the price was still somewhat justifiable—it just meant no one was getting a bargain.

"Twelve million spirit stones." Wu Ji was also exceptionally well-prepared, immediately raising the bid by two million spirit stones the moment he spoke. Like a swordsman, he aimed to crush the opponent's morale in one swift strike.

If it had been anyone else, perhaps they would have crumbled under this assault and dared not continue the contest. But alas, Wu Ji hadn't accounted for the power backing his opponent: the three Hellish Demon Generals.

"Brat, you dare compete with me? Let me tell you, this Top-Grade Fire Spirit Jade, this old man must have it. I'll fight you to the end!" The figure played by Chen Yun suddenly roared with feigned bravado: "Fifteen million spirit stones."

Damn it, they were insane. This price already significantly exceeded the inherent worth of the Top-Grade Fire Spirit Jade itself. Yet, such occurrences were not uncommon at auctions. Perhaps someone had a desperate need for the item? Or maybe it was about winning face, even if it meant losing the prize?

Wu Ji's pupils contracted slightly. He inwardly congratulated himself for being so well-prepared this time; otherwise, he would surely have missed out on this rare Top-Grade Fire Spirit Stone. He immediately went all out, pushing every spirit stone in his pocket onto the table: "Eighteen million spirit stones." This was nearly everything he had brought; spirit stones could be earned again, but missing out on a Fire Spirit Jade so perfectly suited to him would be an almost impossible opportunity to recover. As he declared the price, his eyes held a degree of fierce desperation.

Lei Dong was speechless. It was no wonder Wu Ji was so confident about obtaining the Top-Grade Fire Spirit Jade this time. Indeed, in a regular auction, eighteen million spirit stones would have been enough to secure the item. But this was hardly a normal auction, and the item itself was not merely a standard Top-Grade Fire Spirit Stone, but an exotic treasure whose true value was a hundred, perhaps even a thousand, times greater.

"Twenty million spirit stones." Chen Yun shrieked again, taunting Wu Ji: "Brat, let's see how many spirit stones you have left to contend with this old man." This move was actually a bluff. His goal was to make others believe he desperately needed the item, but more importantly, it was a gamble rooted in pride. He wanted to prevent people from speculating whether he had somehow stumbled upon a bargain. The tactic was obvious, but those unfamiliar with such games could easily be misled.

Wu Ji's gaze instantly dimmed. Eighteen million spirit stones was the absolute limit of what he could afford.

"Brother Wu, allow me to lend you another ten million spirit stones," Lei Dong transmitted quietly. If he could acquire the item directly through bidding, Lei Dong would much rather buy it without revealing himself. However, if the price soared too high, it would inevitably raise suspicion among certain parties, leading to unforeseen complications. Of course, Lei Dong's action was also intended to slightly annoy those three Hellish Demon Generals, sincerely making them spend more spirit stones.

Wu Ji's spirit instantly revived, and he continued to raise the bid against Chen Yun.

Chen Yun, too, maintained a stance suggesting he would fight to the bitter end. The price climbed relentlessly until Chen Yun finally cried out a blood-tinged "Thirty million spirit stones," at which point everything settled. Wu Ji, however, suddenly felt much better. He had initially felt terrible being outbid at twenty million after believing his eighteen million was substantial. But being beaten by thirty million elicited a completely different reaction. Firstly, the object had far exceeded his psychological limit. Secondly, he had, in a way, forced the conceited bidder to waste an extra ten million spirit stones—which felt immensely satisfying.

Alas, besides Lei Dong and those few Hellish Demon Generals, almost no one knew the item's true worth. If they knew this was the actual remnant essence after the demise of the legendary Flame Monarch, not only would Nascent Soul stage cultivators go mad over it, but even Soul Transformation stage experts would convene for such an auction, with bids easily soaring into the hundreds of millions.

"Top-Grade Fire Spirit Jade, final bid thirty million spirit stones, acquired by bidder number three hundred eighteen." Such a high price even caused the Nascent Soul cultivators present to show signs of surprise.

After Chen Yun paid the staggering sum with a look mixing regret and sharp pain, a flicker of joy crossed his rigid face. The higher the auction price for the item, the larger his commission. This unexpected result naturally filled him with delight.

Lei Dong observed this and inwardly noted that the young man possessed a surprising talent for acting. What a pity, though; being controlled and manipulated by that beautiful snake, Chi Wei, meant he was unlikely to meet a good end.

"Brother, it seems I must accompany you to the Purgatory Domain this time," Wu Ji transmitted to Lei Dong, his tone thick with disappointment. "I want to try my luck and see if I can find another Top-Grade Fire Spirit Jade."

Hearing this, Lei Dong frowned slightly and transmitted back: "Brother Wu, I feel you have been running into bad luck recently; you couldn't even secure the item you were so set on at the auction. Why not return and rest for a while, and only venture to the Purgatory Domain when your fortunes turn?" In ordinary circumstances, Lei Dong wouldn't mind, but this time, it involved the machinations of certain Purgatory experts. If Wu Ji got swept into that, he might not even save his life.

"As the saying goes, misfortune may be the precursor to fortune. I've had terrible luck this time; perhaps entering the Purgatory Domain will reverse my fortunes?" Wu Ji remained unmoved in his transmission. "Brother Ding, stop fussing. This humble one has made up his mind; I must try my luck in the Purgatory Domain. Moreover, though I judge my strength not to be supreme, I am certainly a cultivator at the late Golden Core stage and can offer some assistance. Didn't you also say before that even if the chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage was one in ten thousand, you would fight for it?"

Lei Dong was momentarily at a loss for words. The strength he had displayed was only that of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. If he could enter, what grounds did he have to persuade a late-stage Golden Core expert not to enter the Purgatory Domain? He could only offer one last sincere attempt, saying with difficulty: "Brother Wu, to be frank, I plan to enter some dangerous territories this time, seeking pure earth fire to cultivate certain things. This journey is quite perilous; it would be better for you not to accompany me."

"That makes it even better then. Trying your luck in a safe area is safe, but it truly is just relying on pure chance." Wu Ji became excited instead. "When I was just in the early Golden Core stage, I followed some seniors to a place called the Heart of the Molten Lake. It was rarely visited, but rich in heavenly materials and earthly treasures. There were several earth fires there reaching the level of Samadhi True Fire, enough for you to forge magic treasures. There's even a fire vein deep within the Heart of the Molten Lake, guarded by colossal beasts, that reaches the level of Sixth Polarity Yang Fire—surely that will suffice for you?" When he mentioned the Sixth Polarity Yang Fire, he couldn't help but wink mischievously, because flames of that magnitude could incinerate even a Nascent Soul cultivator into ash in moments, destroying their soul utterly; it was one of the hottest sources of fire in the world.

Lei Dong was momentarily speechless. The fellow had actually hit the nail on the head; he indeed required the flames of the Sixth Polarity Yang Fire level to temper the components of his Soul Transformation stage puppet, as the Samadhi True Fire alone was likely insufficient for the refining process. Forget it; since he was so determined, it was hard to dissuade him further. After all, he was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, possessing respectable strength. Furthermore, Lei Dong was confident in his own superior might. Although those three Hellish Demon Generals were formidable, reaching the mid-stage Nascent Soul, Lei Dong didn't take them seriously at all. Without needing anyone else, a peak Ghost King level Ghost Thorn would be more than enough to deal with them.

Under such circumstances, protecting a Golden Core cultivator wouldn't be difficult, provided no Soul Transformation stage expert appeared. If an enemy of that caliber showed up, the only thing Lei Dong could do would be to flee as far as possible. If that worst-case scenario materialized, Wu Ji would simply have to accept his bad luck.

After returning to the inn together, the confident Wu Ji immediately summoned the Golden Core cultivators who were traveling with him for a small meeting, seeking everyone's opinion on whether they were willing to risk an expedition to the Heart of the Molten Lake. For Golden Core cultivators, the Heart of the Molten Lake was a relatively dangerous place, but as long as they didn't venture into the true core areas, their current assembly should be capable of handling it.

Chen Yun looked pale, as if suffering from extreme exhaustion. One might have expected him to object, but he was the first to agree: "If we have someone familiar with the route, and a powerful leader like Brother Wu guiding us, this humble one is willing to take the risk. Perhaps there's an opportunity to strike it rich."

The mention of familiarity instantly captivated everyone. Venturing into a place with a known leader versus completely pioneering the path were two vastly different concepts. It stood to reason that Wu Ji wasn't foolish enough to lead them into a place entirely beyond their capabilities. Most people who traveled all the way to the Purgatory Domain to try their luck had various reasons, the most common being a lack of spirit stones. Since there was a chance to make a fortune, they naturally wanted to try, even if it involved some risk. Everyone understood the maxim: No horse fattens without night grass, and no man gets rich without a windfall.

After a moment of deliberation, everyone agreed, including the twin sisters surnamed Murong, Murong Lian and Murong Fu. Evidently, they too had compelling reasons necessitating them to earn spirit stones in the Purgatory Domain.

……

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