Chapter 977: Possessing a Precious Jewel Is a Crime

Upon hearing these words, everyone else disregarded Zu An and turned their attention to the center of the hall.

They had heard rumors that a rare treasure would be auctioned, but the brochures had contained no information about it. This mystery only fueled their curiosity; everyone was eager to see what treasure Xiaoyao Tower would unveil.

A staff member brought out a brocade box. As the beautiful hostess opened it, the attendees instinctively rose, craning their necks to get a better look.

From his elevated vantage point in the private box, Zu An focused his gaze and saw a strangely shaped jade pendant. Unlike typical jade pendants, which are prized for their beauty and translucent luster, this one was covered in intricate patterns and lacked any aesthetic appeal.

"The material of this jade pendant seems quite ordinary," someone with a discerning eye immediately questioned from the crowd.

The beautiful hostess smiled and explained, "While this jade pendant appears ordinary, it conceals a great secret. It bears clues to the legendary Purple Frost Divine Milk."

Zu An, who had been merely observing, was jolted by this news. He had been agonizing over how to find the mysterious Purple Frost Divine Milk, and now, by sheer coincidence, a clue had presented itself! For his Empress sister, he was determined to acquire this item, no matter what. However, he quickly frowned. He had roughly 600,000 taels of silver, but after buying the Fenris Wolf King's Fang and the Nine-headed Pheasant Feather, he now only had 470,000 left. He feared this amount might be insufficient to bid for Xiaoyao Tower's final item.

The beautiful hostess below had already begun her explanation: "Purple Frost Divine Milk is a legendary supreme elixir. Even if one's soul is severely damaged, as long as it hasn't completely dissipated, it can be restored to its original state. Our current Emperor, despite his immense cultivation, suffered severe soul damage during his battle with the Demon Emperor years ago and recovered precisely by using this very item."

"Beyond healing, this item is also incredibly beneficial for strengthening and nourishing the soul. Ordinary cultivators who consume this divine milk are destined to qualify for advancement to the Grandmaster realm; for Grandmasters, it significantly eases the path to Great Grandmaster. As for beyond Great Grandmaster, it is rumored that the Emperor himself achieved the Earth Immortal realm only after consuming this very item..."

As she elaborated, many who had previously known little about the item now gazed at it with fervent desire, wishing they could immediately claim it.

It is well known that advancing in cultivation becomes increasingly difficult after the fifth rank. However, the combined difficulty of progressing from the fifth to the ninth rank pales in comparison to the leap from the ninth rank to Grandmaster. Many spend their entire lives striving, yet never manage to cross that threshold. The progression from Grandmaster to Great Grandmaster is even more arduous. In this vast world, brilliant talents emerge constantly; while Grandmasters are not exactly commonplace, they are certainly not rare. Yet, how many Great Grandmasters exist in the entire world? And even fewer, the legendary Earth Immortals.

Nevertheless, the audience included many astute individuals. Soon, someone voiced a concern: "Xiaoyao Tower would truly auction something so precious? Aren't you afraid that once word gets out, Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters will come and destroy your establishment?"

While Xiaoyao Tower is indeed powerful, such a valuable treasure could tempt even Great Grandmasters. How could they possibly withstand that kind of pressure?

Sure enough, others in the audience came to the same realization and eyed the hostess with suspicion.

The beautiful hostess seemed to have anticipated such doubts, and with a sweet smile, she explained: "Xiaoyao Tower understands the principle of 'a man with a treasure is a man with a crime,' which is precisely why we're auctioning this item. Furthermore, what we possess is not the actual Purple Frost Divine Milk, but merely related clues. Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters are figures of such stature; surely, they wouldn't trouble Xiaoyao Tower over mere clues, would they?"

The crowd nodded in silent agreement. They reasoned that these were just clues, and even if acquired, the actual item might remain undiscovered. Moreover, given Xiaoyao Tower's unfathomable strength, there was indeed no need to forcibly seize them.

Then another person interjected: "But this item has been in your possession for so long; surely you've thoroughly deciphered the clues. If we pay a high price for information you already know, and it attracts various experts to compete with us, while you secretly follow the clues to find the Purple Frost Divine Milk yourselves, wouldn't we merely become your scapegoats?"

Zu An secretly nodded. The people here were indeed far from foolish; even someone like Sun Ji possessed a certain cunning, let alone the rest of them.

The beautiful hostess smiled and replied, "Everyone can rest assured. The clues on this jade pendant are exceedingly obscure and profound. Xiaoyao Tower has studied them for a long time without any leads, and we have no means to search for the item ourselves."

"If even you, after studying for so long, can't decipher the clues, what use would it be for us to acquire it?" the black-robed man Zu An had noticed earlier grumbled.

The beautiful hostess offered a sweet, professional smile: "Treasures of heaven and earth cannot be forced; they often fall into the hands of those with destiny. Our inability to decipher it merely proves that we are not destined for this item, but it doesn't mean others won't succeed."

Zu An thought to himself that this woman had a remarkably accurate grasp of human nature. The world abounded with intelligent individuals, each of whom would believe themselves smarter and more fortunate than others, and they would undoubtedly scheme to acquire this jade pendant.

Sure enough, someone from the floor soon urged, "Oh, enough chatter! Let's start the bidding already!"

The beautiful hostess smiled contentedly and slowly announced, "The starting price for this item is one million taels of silver, with each subsequent bid not less than ten thousand taels."

At this announcement, the hall immediately fell silent. One million taels was no small sum, and it was clear to everyone that the final price would far exceed that. However, as soon as the first bid was placed, the hall quickly buzzed with activity. Bidders raised their paddles one after another, driving the price higher and higher, soon reaching approximately one million five hundred thousand taels.

Zu An felt a pang of distress. The opening bid already far surpassed his liquid funds. Yet, as it concerned his Empress sister's safety, he resolved to press on, biting the bullet.

"Two million taels!" Zu An declared, directly hiking the price significantly. He hoped that by leveraging his previous reputation for aggressive bidding, he could make others hesitate.

Sure enough, the moment this price was announced, the hall fell into an immediate silence.

"Damn it, this guy is inflating the price again!" people cursed inwardly, continuously contributing a wave of "anger points."

Although more "anger points" were credited to him, Zu An felt no joy. He knew that this time, acquiring the item wouldn't be so easy. Sure enough, a deep voice rang out from an adjacent private box: "Two million one hundred thousand taels."

Zu An's heart sank. The other VIPs in the private boxes had not previously interfered in his rivalry with Sun Ji, but their presence in these exclusive rooms clearly attested to their formidable status.

"Two million two hundred thousand taels," Zu An stated, his face grim, as he continued to bid. At such a point, adding bids of merely ten thousand taels held little significance. He quickly assessed his assets. While his ready cash was insufficient, the jewelry from the Red Dragon Cave, combined, should be worth around 2.7 million taels. For his Empress sister, he was prepared to spend every last coin to acquire this item.

Upon hearing his renewed bid, the adjacent private box fell silent for a moment, clearly deep in deliberation.

The beautiful hostess below gazed in Zu An's direction, her eyes sparkling. He was not only tall and imposing but also young and wealthy – a truly perfect man. If she could only connect with him, she wouldn't have to continue living this courtesan-like existence at Xiaoyao Tower.

Just then, Sun Ji's languid voice echoed: "Two million three hundred thousand taels!"

Yang Long, beside him, was startled: "Young Master, you mustn't act impulsively."

"Fool, do you think I'm simply trying to spite that fellow? Have you not considered the immense reward my father and I would receive if I were to acquire this item and present it to King Yan?" Sun Ji sneered.

Yang Long paused, realizing the truth in his words. King Yan, the Emperor's uncle, had been stuck at the Great Grandmaster realm for many years. If he could obtain the Purple Frost Divine Milk, a breakthrough would be imminent. He had never expected the Young Master, typically so frivolous, to possess such clarity of mind at a crucial moment.