As soon as the man finished speaking, he came to his senses with a start. His face turned deathly pale in an instant, and a look of utter horror appeared in his eyes.
"Oh, so it's Fellow Daoist Cha of the Stone Cocoon Clan. How rare that you've taken a fancy to me. Why don't you stay behind after the auction ends and keep me company for a few days? Perhaps that will give you something to mull over to your satisfaction." Upon clearly seeing the middle-aged man's face, the beautiful woman's slender body trembled lightly once more as she let out a soft laugh, exuding boundless allure — though a trace of ice-cold intent flickered through her eyes.
"Fairy Hu jests. What I said was merely a joke. How could I dare harbor any improper thoughts about the Fairy!" Gazing at the woman's stunning smile, the middle-aged man forced a couple of awkward laughs as though beholding a venomous scorpion, then hurriedly sat back down and assumed the most meek posture imaginable.
"A joke? Since you have no genuine intention of becoming my companion, you'd best watch your tongue. I'll let it slide this time. But if anyone else dares speak flippantly to me again, don't blame me for showing no mercy." The smile vanished from the woman's face in an instant, and she transformed into a vision of cold, striking beauty.
The middle-aged man's expression grew even more unsightly, but he didn't dare utter a single word in response.
The other people in the plaza who witnessed this exchange all felt a chill run through their hearts, and none dared let their gazes wander over Hu Yushuang with the same recklessness as before.
"Enough, little girl. You've wasted too much time. We came here not to watch some farce — bring out the auction items already." From within one of the silver flying houses, an extraordinarily ancient voice suddenly sounded, carrying a faint note of displeasure.
"Yes. This junior was carried away. I'll begin the auction of the first item immediately." Hu Yushuang's expression turned solemn the moment someone spoke from the flying house, and she bowed slightly.
With that, the woman rapidly formed hand seals with one hand and pointed a finger at the stone platform beneath her.
Immediately, a humming sound emanated from the light formation, and a crystalline white jade table materialized before her.
Three wooden boxes of different sizes lay across the table, each covered by a dome of pale white light.
"The first treasure of this auction is not from the Fengyuan Continent. It is a small vial of Golden Thunder Lion bone marrow that our Trading Alliance obtained through tremendous effort from the Thunderclap Continent." As she spoke, Hu Yushuang pointed a jade-like finger at one of the light barriers, then gestured with her hand, drawing one of the wooden boxes into her palm.
"Golden Thunder Lion bone marrow?"
"Real or fake? Even those of us who've never been to the Thunderclap Continent have heard of the Golden Thunder Lion."
"This auction really is extraordinary — pulling out something this astonishing right from the start."
...
The numerous alien races in the hall stirred again at the beautiful woman's words, and many immediately fixed their gazes upon the small wooden box in her hand.
The woman smiled enchantingly and lightly tapped the box with one hand. With a crisp "pop," the lid sprang open, revealing a palm-sized purple vial inside, its surface affixed with a pale silver talisman that emitted a faint spiritual glow.
"The Golden Thunder Lion is known as one of the three great sacred beasts of the Thunderclap Continent. Upon reaching maturity, it possesses strength comparable to a Mahayana existence, and even at birth it has an innate ability to command lightning. Therefore, Thunder Marrow Pills refined from its bone marrow can temporarily grant the consumer's physical body a degree of resistance to lightning strikes. However, these Thunder Marrow Pills are difficult to refine. Even an entire vial of Golden Thunder Lion bone marrow cannot guarantee successful production. But if even a single pill can be produced — for those about to face tribulation — its significance goes without saying."
The woman held the vial in one hand, her expression grave as she explained. She then tapped the void several times with a finger, and several motes of spiritual light swirled around before transforming into golden runes that shot forward and sank into the silver talisman.
A muffled boom — the silver talisman trembled and leapt off the vial.
Then a burst of crackling erupted!
The instant the talisman was removed, purple filaments of electricity surfaced across the vial, interweaving and flashing to form an approximate net of lightning.
Some of the alien races cried out in amazement.
Others' gazes turned fervently intense.
Seeing the Golden Thunder Lion bone marrow produce such a dramatic phenomenon before it was even fully unveiled, it was clear that the rumor about its ability to resist lightning tribulation through pill refinement was largely true.
This caused many powerful cultivators of various races — who had originally attended the auction with different targets in mind — to immediately change their plans.
Even some of the Mahayana old monsters within the silver flying houses felt a measure of temptation.
"I didn't expect the Trading Alliance to bring out such a rare treasure right at the start of the auction. Since it can help resist tribulation lightning, Senior, aren't you planning to bid on it?" Blood Soul's eyes flickered with an unusual light as she looked at the vial in the distant woman's hand, then turned to ask Han Li.
"The Thunder Marrow Pill, while exceedingly wondrous and capable of enhancing the body's resistance to tribulation lightning, offers an enhancement that is actually negligible for Mahayana existences. I am different from ordinary Mahayana cultivators in any case — my physical body has already been refined to a level no inferior to that of an ancient True Spirit. This meager enhancement amounts to virtually nothing for me. What use would bidding on it serve?" Han Li's expression was placid as he offered a brief explanation, clearly showing no interest in the item.
"If that's the case, then the Thunder Marrow Pill isn't a must-have for Mahayana existences. If so, it seems this junior may actually have a chance." Blood Soul's face showed a hint of joy after hearing this.
"Oh? Fellow Daoist has taken a fancy to this item?" Han Li asked in return.
"Don't laugh at me, Senior. Although this junior still doesn't know my main body's exact whereabouts, her situation is certainly far from good. Over these years, her cultivation has likely not advanced much, and she would have been unable to collect treasures to resist heavenly tribulation. In that case, this junior can only work harder and prepare some in advance." Blood Soul smiled bitterly.
"If you've set your eyes on it, Fellow Daoist, go ahead and bid. If you don't have enough spirit stones on hand, I may be able to lend you some." Han Li said calmly.
"This junior thanks Senior!" Blood Soul was delighted to hear this.
Han Li smiled faintly and turned his gaze back toward the center of the auction plaza.