Zheng He's words were like a bucket of ice-cold water, instantly snapping Zhou Yi back to reality.

In truth, Zhu Qing and Zhou Ren had entertained similar thoughts earlier but were ultimately overwhelmed by their greed. They had nearly forgotten the most fundamental rule of survival.

After that, no one mentioned the cave-dwelling again, and even the remaining auction items lost their appeal. It was as if the vibrancy in VIP Room No. 2 had vanished with Zhang Yiyi's departure, as no more bids were placed.

In the end, the cave-dwelling was indeed sold for an unimaginably high price, though it was not won by VIP Room No. 10.

Despite VIP Room No. 10 offering an impressive array of shocking treasures, they were still outbid by a masked man in black who mysteriously appeared from the first-floor auction hall.

"Boss, do you think there's really such a thing as the Nine-Turn Ascension Pill?" Zhu Qing asked, hardly believing his ears. How could a legendary pill from ancient times exist in this era?

Moreover, even if such an extraordinary pill existed, why would the owner not use it themselves? Why would they exchange it for a cave-dwelling?

No matter how valuable a cave-dwelling might be, it was still an external object. But if the Nine-Turn Ascension Pill were real, even a mortal who consumed it could ascend to the heavens and become immortal!

"Whether it exists or not is up to the auctioneer to decide," Zheng He responded calmly. After the many surprises of the day, he could no longer muster any excitement when this bombshell dropped.

After announcing the Nine-Turn Ascension Pill, the auctioneer immediately invited the masked man to verify the item privately. The auction was temporarily paused—or perhaps concluded—depending on whether the pill was authentic.

Thus, whether the pill was real or why the masked man was willing to trade it was someone else's concern. Zheng He had no interest in spending the effort to investigate further.

Two moments later, the auctioneer excitedly announced that the cave-dwelling had been sold, with the winning bidder being none other than the masked man who owned the Nine-Turn Ascension Pill.

This announcement sent the entire venue into an uproar, as it confirmed that such a heaven-defying item truly existed—the man's pill was real!

Not only that, but the auctioneer made a point to clarify that the pill was a partial pill, meaning its effects were far less miraculous than the legends claimed.

Nevertheless, the owner of the cave-dwelling still saw value in the trade, and so the final auction item was successfully sold. Both parties completed the transaction on the spot and left through the auction house's secure exit.

For most attendees, this outcome was unsurprising. After all, they were merely there to observe and had neither the strength nor the determination to obtain such a treasure.

But for those who had set their hearts on acquiring the cave-dwelling, the result was simply unacceptable.

...

After leaving the auction, Zhu Qing insisted on dragging Zheng He, Zhou Yi, Zhou Ren, and a few other friends out for drinks.

At this moment, he felt extremely satisfied. Just thinking about how the people in VIP Room No. 10 ended up without the stone and lost the cave dwelling in the end, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable joy. After all, who told them to be so arrogant?

Zheng He, however, had no intention of going out for drinks with Zhu Qing. His behavior was just like that of a childish brat.

It wasn't their business that someone else didn't win the treasure they wanted. Although Zheng He also found it somewhat amusing and satisfying, it wasn't to the extent that they, as unrelated people, should go out celebrating over it.

Just as he was about to leave early, a strong gust of wind suddenly swept down the previously bustling street, causing him to instinctively raise his hand to shield his eyes.

When the wind passed, Zheng He lowered his hand and was shocked to find that the entire street was now completely deserted.

Zhu Qing was gone, Zhou Ren and Zhou Yi were gone, Uncle Guan, who had come to pick him up, was gone, and even the guards from the City Lord's Mansion who usually followed two or three meters behind him were gone. The most terrifying part was that all the pedestrians who had been coming and going on the street had vanished as well.

"Don't bother looking. Besides you, only I remain here."

An old man suddenly appeared just three or four meters away from Zheng He, smiling at him with a sinister expression.

The old man had reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, a half-step away from the Divine Transformation stage. He was of the same lineage as the Nascent Soul cultivator from VIP Room No. 10 at the auction, only much stronger.

"What do you mean by this, Senior?"

Zheng He immediately assumed a defensive stance, fully aware that he had run into big trouble.

"It means nothing. I just wish to ask the Young City Lord for an item on behalf of my master."

The old man showed no guilt about using his seniority to bully the younger generation, thinking at most that it was a waste of his talents to be tasked with such a trivial matter, given his esteemed status as a peak Nascent Soul cultivator.

It seemed this young man was just unlucky enough to have crossed paths with his master. Otherwise, as the Young City Lord of Jiagu Guan City, he could have strutted around without anyone daring to cause trouble for him.

Unfortunately for Zheng He, the nameless fool who exchanged the cave-dwelling for the Nine-Turn Ascension Pill had escaped quicker than a rabbit. Otherwise, a mere piece of broken stone wasn't worth him personally making a move.

Zheng He's mind raced, and he immediately thought of the people from VIP Room No. 10 at the auction. "Your master must be from VIP Room No. 10, right? Is this about stealing that stone?"

As he spoke, Zheng He quietly gripped the most powerful life-saving talisman on him, making no obvious movement.

It was no surprise that Zheng He was both shocked and furious. He hadn't expected the people from VIP Room No. 10 to have such a powerful backing. Not only was a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator merely a servant, but the man also felt no pressure about robbing the Young City Lord on his own turf.

If something were to happen to him, the City Lord's Mansion would surely be able to track down the culprit through the auction house.

And yet, these people didn't even seem worried about being exposed, nor did they fear retaliation from the City Lord's Mansion. This clearly meant that the City Lord's Mansion was insignificant in their eyes.

"You're pretty sharp, kid, but you know too much for your own good. Hurry up and hand over the item, or you won't take a single step out of here today."

The old man's eyes were full of disdain. "Be smart. Don't think the City Lord's Mansion can do anything to me. Even if I kill you right here, your elders wouldn't dare utter a word of protest."

"Heh, if Senior insists on bullying the weak, I have no choice but to accept my fate. Here, take the item."

Zheng He was both angry and helpless as he raised his hand, pulling an object out of his storage bag and tossing it toward the old man.

"You're courting death!"

The old man immediately noticed that what Zheng He had tossed over was not the stone he wanted. With a wave of his hand, he blasted the object into dust, leaving nothing behind.

Seeing that the insolent youngster was trying to use a top-grade Boundary-Breaking Talisman to escape from his controlled domain, the old man snorted coldly and raised his hand, sending another powerful palm strike toward Zheng He.

"Bang! Bang!" Two loud explosions echoed as the Boundary-Breaking Talisman, which had just begun to activate, was disrupted by the immense force. It instantly detonated, causing the surrounding space to warp and collapse.