The Rocco family’s auction hall was enormous, capable of seating thousands of people. Unlike most auction venues, which were small and only fit a few hundred attendees, the Rocco family catered to cultivators, so their facilities were built on a grand scale.
Soon, the seats were filled with cultivators. Kayden couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer number of them present. If not for this event, he would never have imagined that so many cultivators existed in the world.
These attendees were mostly members of prominent families-some young, some old. Kayden and Wood Faulkner sat quietly in an inconspicuous corner. Earlier that morning, Zack Alfredson had called Kayden, inviting him to attend together. However, Kayden declined. For Zack, this event was an opportunity to bid on rare items. For Kayden, it was something entirely different-he was here to find Cyrus Nightbane and kill him.
As they entered, Wood Faulkner’s gaze swept across the vast hall, scanning for Cyrus Nightbane. Despite her efforts, the room was too crowded, and she couldn’t spot him.
At the center of the stage stood a covered display table, shrouded in mystery. A tall man with a microphone soon stepped onto the stage and began speaking.
“I am Liam Rocco, and I will be your host for this year’s Rocco family auction. I hereby declare the annual cultivators’ auction officially open!” His words were met with a resounding round of applause from the audience, the atmosphere lively and electric.
Liam raised a hand to calm the crowd before continuing, “This year, we have twenty-six rare treasures up for auction, all sourced from Aether Lake and Aspen Heights. Each of these items will aid your cultivation in unique ways.”
With that, he motioned toward the display table. The cloth was pulled away, revealing a radiant silver flower. The image of the flower was projected onto the large screen, ensuring everyone could see the details clearly.
“Midnight Willow. Starting bid: one million. Increments of one million per bid.”
Bids echoed quickly from the audience. Before long, the Midnight Willow sold for twelve million. However, neither Kayden nor Wood Faulkner showed any interest in it. It was of no use to them.
The next few items were auctioned off for tens of millions. Despite the high prices, these were relatively unremarkable objects, and none of the bidders were the person Kayden was searching for.
Finally, when only three items remained, Liam Rocco’s demeanor turned serious.
“If you haven’t bid yet, don’t miss these next three treasures. They are the most precious and rarest items in this auction-the crown jewels of our collection.”
He clapped his hands, and two burly men wheeled out a heavy iron cage covered by a black cloth, keeping its contents hidden. Once the cage was onstage, Liam gestured, and one of the men pulled the cloth away with a dramatic flourish.
Inside the cage was a small, red creature-a fox.
A Blood Fox.
Gasps filled the room.
“Oh my god, it’s a Blood Fox!”
“Unbelievable! I thought they were extinct. How is this possible?”
The crowd buzzed with shock and awe. This was undoubtedly the most astonishing item in the auction-a genuine Blood Fox.
Foxes were often linked to mystical legends, but not all foxes were capable of cultivation. Ordinary foxes remained just that-ordinary. However, the Blood Fox, also known as the Spirit Fox, was different. It was a species that could cultivate. Due to Earth’s thin spiritual energy, such creatures had long since vanished. Yet here it was, a living Blood Fox, on full display.
As Kayden stared at the fox, a subtle wave stirred within him. The nine streams of energy in his body began to ripple faintly. Was this a sign urging him to buy the Blood Fox?
Kayden understood the significance of the creature. Like Felicity, a cultivator with an innate spiritual core, this Blood Fox was a rare gem of Earth’s cultivation world. However, with Earth’s depleted spiritual energy, such beings were often hunted by cultivators.
Looking at the fox, Kayden felt a pang of pity. If it fell into someone else’s hands, it would undoubtedly be wasted.
“Mr. Scott, let’s buy it. Look at its eyes… so pitiful.”
Wood Faulkner spoke softly, her voice tinged with compassion. Kayden turned to meet her gaze, then glanced at the fox’s eyes. Indeed, there was a deep sorrow in its expression, like a wronged child silently pleading for help.
Liam Rocco addressed the crowd again.
“I’m sure you all know what this is. That’s right, this is a Blood Fox-a mystical fox capable of cultivating on its own. Many of the legends about fox deities stem from creatures like this. However, this particular fox is still young and hasn’t fully matured.
“Of course, if it had grown up, we wouldn’t have been able to capture it! Now, how do you use it? It’s simple-drink its blood. The blood of a Blood Fox is incredibly valuable, strengthening bones, rejuvenating the body, and extending life. For cultivators, it’s an unparalleled elixir. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Capturing this fox cost the Rocco family hundreds of guards!”
With that, he turned to the audience. “The bidding starts at thirty million. Let the auction begin!”
“Forty million!”
“Fifty million!”
“Five hundred million!”
A booming voice suddenly rang out, sending shockwaves through the room. The bid had skyrocketed from fifty million to five hundred million in an instant.
All eyes turned toward the bidder-a middle-aged man with a commanding presence, his face framed by a thick beard. His expression was one of disdain, radiating an air of absolute confidence.
Liam Rocco paused, visibly surprised by the abrupt leap in price.
“Five hundred million, first call! Five hundred million, second call!”
“Any other bids? Anyone? If not, the Blood Fox will be sold for five hundred million!”
The crowd hesitated. Many wanted to bid, but no one dared to challenge the man. He wasn’t just anyone-he was Cyrus Nightbane.
Cyrus Nightbane was a well-known figure in the cultivators’ world, a regular at the Rocco family auctions. Everyone knew of his affiliation with the Hellblazers and his ruthless reputation. Once, someone had dared to outbid him at an auction. The moment they stepped outside, they were killed, and the item was taken.
Since then, no one had dared to bid against him.
Just as the room fell into a heavy silence, a low, chilling voice broke through.
“One billion.”