"Only one of many—so there must be other reasons on your part." The senior elder of the Fu-You clan asked slowly. "Indeed. Besides this, while the origin of this spiritual blood appears impressive, its specific effects remain unclear to our alliance. We simply cannot find a way to harness it. After thorough investigation, we've learned that when this blood is soaked in fresh water for a period of time, it transforms into a liquid resembling a thousand-year-old spiritual milk, capable of restoring spiritual energy. However, the immense energy contained within its essence remains inaccessible, and we have yet to discover any method capable of refining or transforming it into a usable form." Hu Yuzhu spoke seriously. "Unable to refine this spiritual blood?" One of the senior elders expressed surprise. "Heh, if this is indeed the blood of the Primordial Dragon, it must possess countless wonders. If it were easily refinable, our alliance would have long since offered it for auction. Yet, as all of you are exceptionally talented and blessed with great fortune, what our alliance cannot achieve, does not necessarily mean that none of you can." If we can truly refine this spiritual blood, a direct ascent to the Immortal Realm might very well become possible. Of course, if one lacks confidence, they need only skip the bidding altogether." Hu Yushuang quickly explained. "This spiritual blood contains such astonishing energy—though not necessarily the primordial dragon's blood, it must surely be the essence of some being far beyond our imagination. This treasure, I am taking!" A calm voice resonated from a floating pavilion. "Hah!... Such a magnificent artifact—your esteemed friend has expressed interest, but we shall still see if others are willing to join in. Hu, begin the bidding!" Another senior cultivator, however, burst into laughter. Though no voices were heard from the other floating pavilions, the strange atmosphere diffusing between them clearly indicated that all these senior cultivators were equally captivated by this golden drop of spiritual blood. As for the numerous ordinary ethnic beings gathered on the plaza, their eyes were wide open as lanterns, fixed upon the golden blood, barely daring to breathe. At this auction, it was truly a marvel to encounter such extraordinary treasures—despite knowing they might not end up in their hands, everyone felt it had been well worth the journey. " The base price for this spiritual blood is ten billion spiritual stones. Let us begin..." "Wait a moment, esteemed elders. I have a vague impression of this item, though I can't quite recall the specifics at the moment. Could we please come closer so I may examine it more closely?" A沉 voice rose from the front row of the plaza, and then a man of ordinary appearance, dressed in black robes, stood up. "Have you seen this spiritual blood before, friend?" Hu Yuzhuang's expression changed instantly, her gaze fixed on him. Everyone else was startled as well, all turning to him at once. Even the four merchant alliance elders who had been quietly seated around the stone platform, opened their eyes in astonishment. "Does this drop of spiritual blood emit a vibrant five-colored rainbow every twelve hours?" the black-robed man pondered before asking slowly. "How do you know about this matter?" The woman, who had initially harbored a few doubts, was now filled with surprise. "Allow me to verify this first," the black-robed man replied without directly answering the question, his response vague and hesitant. "What do the four elders think?" Hu Yuzhu hesitated slightly, then bowed and asked the four merchant alliance elders. "Ming brother, what do you think?" The slender elder raised his head and asked the sky. "Since he didn't make a mistake earlier, let him come forward to examine the origin of this spiritual blood. Hehe—with us several elders personally overseeing this, how could a mere Consolidation-stage disciple possibly have any intentions of mischief?" A resonant voice from the sky belonged to Ming Zun. "Since Ming brother agrees, let him come and examine it. But he must not touch the spiritual blood directly—only observe it from a nearby distance." The slender elder clearly showed great caution in his instructions. "Understood, your grace." This esteemed guest, you must have heard as well—please come and take a look." Hu Yuduang nodded eagerly in agreement. Now, with this arrangement, the representatives from the foreign nations and the great transcendents residing in the floating pavilions naturally turned their full attention to the man in the black robe. Having approached the stone dais, he soon appeared before the beautiful lady, closely examining the chalice just a few feet away. "Indeed, it appears to be correct—there can be no doubt. However, just to be absolutely certain, may I personally draw a small amount of the elixir from within and make a final assessment?" The man murmured a few words, then suddenly turned to the woman beside him. "Of course, but not too much," Hu Yuduang furrowed his brows slightly, yet still nodded in agreement. "Please rest assured, I will take just the right amount. You may now proceed to lift the seal," the man in the black robe smiled. "Of course," Hu Yuduang said, raising his hand and performing a series of hand gestures before lightly tapping the chalice. With a loud "crack," a wave of shimmering light rolled across the surface of the bowl, instantly dissipating into an invisible ripple. Seeing this, the man in black robes stepped forward, raised his arm, and pointed a finger at the bowl in the air. The transparent bowl trembled slightly, and the liquid within surged upward, launching a droplet the size of a thumbnail. Hu Yuzhuang, now clearly seeing the size of this spiritual liquid, felt a subtle sense of relief. After all, such a small amount was nothing to worry about. Just as the woman was thinking this, the man in black robes had already casually reached forward, seemingly intent on catching the flying droplet. Hu Yuzuang, sensing this, flashed a brief glow of light between her fingers, preparing to cast another spell to restore the bowl's original state. But at that very moment, the slender elder suddenly frowned, his face turning stern, and roared, "Stop! Younger one—what do you intend to do?" As soon as he finished speaking, the senior merchant of the alliance shook his sleeve, and with a simple gesture of his hand, it transformed into a vast, sky-blue hand that surged forward, swiftly reaching down to grasp the black-robed man. Hu Yuduang was momentarily stunned, her fingertips instantly glowing with bright light, and she darted a swift strike toward the basin. But it was already too late! The black-robed man had already begun emitting a strange, gurgling laugh, completely ignoring the towering blue hand above him. Instead, his body suddenly burst forth with a shimmering aura of silver light, which swept forward in a powerful arc. A most unusual sight unfolded: as the silver light passed, the basin and everything inside it blurred momentarily, then simply vanished from its original spot. Yet by then, the blue hand had already descended with tremendous force, its immense pressure enveloping the man. To avoid this onslaught, he found it exceedingly difficult. A soft "puff" sound followed. An eerie ripple surged from the top of the black-robed man, and a gray figure flashed into view, instantly raising both hands to manifest a massive crimson palm, which he then swung upward. A thunderous roar shook the very ground! The two colossal palms collided instantly, sending out a powerful shockwave that surged outward, hurling the three dressed-in-court-gown women and Hu Yuzhu right off the stone platform, sending them crashing outside. Indeed, someone had actually intervened during the auction, working in tandem with the black-robed man to seize the spiritual blood. Han Li, inside the floating pavilion, was momentarily stunned. The slender elder, his face filled with shock and anger, pressed a hand seal, and a jade-like orb and a silver mallet shot forth from his body. The jade orb spiraled upward before spreading a layer of misty green light, instantly enveloping the entire stone platform. The silver mallet, after a single flick, was seized by its owner, who then shook it vigorously in the wind—immediately transforming it into a towering form several zhang in height, resonating with a deep, thunderous hum. Waves of silver electric arcs spiraled and emerged around its body. "Who exactly are you two, daring to disturb the sacred ground of the Jade Emperor?" the slender elder asked coldly, though his vital spiritual blood had been stolen, he showed no signs of alarm. Both the black-robed man and the gray figure had clearly attained the rank of Great Stage or beyond—undoubtedly no ordinary figures. The three senior merchants standing at the other corners of the stone platform also rose without a word, their bodies flashing with bursts of spiritual light as they activated their protective artifacts, fully enclosing both the black-robed man and the gray figure within. At once, the celestial music drifting from the sky ceased abruptly. The five-colored clouds parted, and a wave of armored soldiers surged forth, their aura charged with martial vigor, filling the square completely and leaving no space for breath. At the same time, one after another, tangible or intangible spell arrays emerged densely around the plaza, transforming the surrounding area into a sacred, off-limits zone. Then, the gray figure drew back its radiance, finally revealing its true form—a short, bearded elder dressed in gray robes. "Have you truly secured the items?" the bearded elder asked the man in black, gently. "Don't let them trick you with counterfeit goods." "Ha, ha," replied the man in black, chuckling softly. "With me personally involved, how could I be uncertain? The blood of the Primordial Dragon is genuine—otherwise, I wouldn't have taken such initiative." "That's reassuring," said the bearded elder, his expression now satisfied. "Then our journey from the clan has truly been worthwhile, and all this effort has not gone in vain." Remarkably, the two paid no attention to the four senior elders of the merchant alliance, instead continuing their conversation among themselves. The lean elder, witnessing the scene, was naturally furious, yet his face showed little change. Instead, he spoke coldly: "Ladies and gentlemen, you now have wings and still can't take flight. If you hand over your spiritual blood now, our alliance shall treat your actions as mere impulsive gestures and offer leniency. But should you truly intend to seize the treasures and depart, do not blame us for leveraging our numbers and acting without mercy." A remarkable scene unfolded. A flash of light erupted within the array, and suddenly, a green sapling materialized, transforming into a towering, deep-green ancient tree within the span of a single breath and a single exhalation. Han Li gazed closely at the giant tree, his pupils subtly constricting.