As time passed, the atmosphere within the auction hall grew increasingly vibrant. By this point, the items being offered had become truly premium, and their asking prices were nearly beyond the reach of ordinary bidders—making most attendees content simply to observe. Still, those who could witness the major powers vying fiercely for prized possessions found the experience well worth the journey. Following the earlier auction of the "Liù Hé Yóu Shēn Chǐ," Xiao Yan had rarely stepped in, only occasionally bidding on particularly rare herbs. Though the prices were substantial, the competition was typically light, allowing him to secure several uncommon spiritual medicines when he finally spent his entire three million gold coins. And as one after another of the dazzling auction items were unveiled on the auction stage, even Xiao Yan could not help but be amazed by the sheer abundance of the Hei Huang Sect's storages. During the auction, several items stirred his heart deeply, yet after careful consideration, he ultimately chose not to bid on them. Xiao Yan's primary hope had always been to discover the magical core of a seventh-stage Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon during this auction. As the condition for Xiao Yi's control over the Eran Poison Body drew closer, all that remained was the core of the seventh-stage dragon. If he could find it here, he would naturally save both time and effort spent searching elsewhere. Xiao Yan had envisioned things quite beautifully, yet heaven wouldn't cooperate. That celestial venomous scorpion dragon beast was already an ancient, extraordinary creature, let alone one of the seventh rank. At that level, the wisdom of the beasts surpassed that of humans, and with their ability to take on human form, they were nearly on par with humans. To obtain such a high-tier beast's magical core was no easy task. Thus, as Xiao Yan patiently waited for the auction to draw to a close, he still failed to secure the very items he needed. He could only offer a soft sigh. "Don't worry," said the young physician beside him, her voice low. "Even the most elusive菩提化体涎 has recently been reported. How much more so for a well-known, named celestial venomous scorpion dragon beast's magical core?" She naturally understood that Xiao Yan had hoped to gather all the required items—specifically, the two needed to control the calamity toxin—within this very auction. Xiao Yan nodded with a wry smile, and could only let go of the hope lingering in his heart. He then slowly raised his head and turned his gaze toward the auction platform. By now, the auction had drawn near its conclusion, so the items currently being presented were mostly the standout pieces of this event. For instance, the one being auctioned now was a mid-tier Earth-level dark attribute Qi cultivation technique known as "Shadow Technique." Generally, Qi cultivation techniques hold greater value than cultivation techniques of the same rank. As evidenced by the "Shadow Technique," which has already been driven up to a premium price of around eight million, and shows no signs of slowing down. Given the actual value of this mid-tier foundation technique, it's no surprise that it's priced this way. Back in the day, even the lower-tier ground-level technique "Three Thousand Thunder Strikes" by Xiao Yan was priced similarly. Thus, Xiao Yan securing the "Six Harmonies Flowing Body Technique" for 3.1 million is truly a significant bargain. Had it not been for his status and the somewhat niche nature of the technique, securing it for 3 million would have been nothing short of impossible. As for the so-called "Shadow Technique," Xiao Yan has little interest—having already mastered the "Burned Decree," he cannot switch to another cultivation method. Still, the rank of this technique does leave him somewhat envious. Should the "Burned Decree" eventually reach this level, Xiao Yan's power would undoubtedly surge dramatically. However, in order to evolve, Feng Jue must devour the Heterogeneous Flames—a rather stringent condition that left Xiao Yan quite helpless. Yet, whenever he thought of the Heterogeneous Flames, he found himself recalling the three ancient, simple fragments still quietly resting within his storage relic. The final one, however, remained completely enigmatic. Moreover, this time he hadn't been fortunate enough to encounter them at the auction—just as he had in the past. "Perhaps we'll have to take it step by step," he thought, a faint smile of resignation forming on his lips. "I'll surely ask Elder Su Qian. With his vast experience and wide-ranging knowledge, he might just know of other locations across the continent where the Heterogeneous Flames still exist..." Indeed, without Yao Lao's presence, he felt rather out of his element. Though, with his current strength, Xiao Yan no longer needed to rely on Yao Lao's power, the latter's broad perspective and deep insights remained something Xiao Yan could never quite match. The Qi Continent stretches boundlessly, harboring countless secrets. Though Xiao Yan has now ascended to the rank of Qi Emperor, the regions he has explored remain limited—only the area of the Jima Empire and this Black Thorns Region. Yet, compared to the true expanse of the Qi Continent, these two areas are remarkably modest. A loud cry from the auction platform startled Xiao Yan out of his vibrant state of mind. He looked up to see that the scroll of "Shadow Technique" had been successfully acquired for a record price of 9.7 million. Xiao Yan was slightly surprised by this sum—such a substantial investment must surely come from someone quite exceptional. As he pondered this, his gaze shifted toward the bidder who had secured the price. There, a gray-haired elder with a hawk-like nose was slowly settling into his seat. Observing this elder, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, a sense of surprise arising within him—he realized that this man was indeed one of the two whose energy signatures had seemed particularly obscure during his spiritual perception earlier. "I wonder which faction he belongs to. He must also be coming specifically for the Bodhi Body Transformation." The elder with the hawk-like nose seated in the distant贵宾 section also seemed to subtly sense a gaze directed toward him. Upon turning his head, he noticed that the one casting the gaze was precisely Xiao Yan, completely enveloped in a black robe. A faint smile spread across his dry face, and he gently nodded to Xiao Yan and the young physician beside him before turning back. "Such keen perception..." The elder's glance back sent a subtle shock through Xiao Yan's heart, deepening his sense of gravity. This man was either a Dou-Zong-level powerhouse or possessed some exceptional, unique techniques—otherwise, he wouldn't feel such an undercurrent of cautious respect. As he slowly withdrew his gaze, Xiao Yan's vigilance grew even more pronounced. With so many powerful contenders now showing interest in the Bodhi Transformation Technique, successfully securing it amidst their fierce competition would prove to be no easy task. "Hehe, the items up for auction next are a bit unusual, though they should prove quite appealing to those with specific needs." On the auction platform, the elderly man with white hair wiped a strand of sweat from his forehead, then smiled and waved. Instantly, the floor beneath began to crack, and a group of about a dozen tall, broad-shouldered men slowly lifted a massive object covered in white cloth, and began to ascend the platform. The sudden emergence of this enormous structure immediately sparked curiosity among many spectators, including Xiao Yan. "There's a faint smell of decay..." Zhu Yan suddenly wrinkled her nose, remarking. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled. At that moment, the white-haired elder gave a sharp exhalation, pulling the white cloth aside, revealing to everyone's astonishment a colossal corpse stretching over ten zhang in width. The beast's corpse was substantial, yet it had clearly been dead for some time, its flesh and bones dry and weathered. What stood out most was its pair of colossal wings—now entirely white and bone-like. These wings were remarkably unusual, resembling jade and radiating a soft, gentle luminescence. Anyone with a keen eye could immediately perceive that an unusual energy still thrived within them. The fact that such energy had persisted so long after death indicated that the beast had undoubtedly been of high rank during its lifetime. These beasts of this rank have already attained celestial prowess and live exceedingly long lives—how could they perish here? Amidst the stunned murmurs filling the entire auction hall, Xiao Yan's gaze remained firmly fixed upon the corpse of the beast, then shifted to its twin wings, which shimmered like jade, his eyes flashing with unusual brilliance. With a gentle movement of his hand beneath the black robe, a golden scroll suddenly materialized. On the scroll, five radiant golden characters stood out prominently. "Nine Rows of Heavenly Swans' Wings!"