The auction house and the Azure Flood Dragon Vine seedling

Huo Ling'er and Shi Teng wandered around the streets.

Shi Teng rubbed his stomach and said, "Your Vermilion Bird City is so big. Isn't there anywhere fun to go?"

Huo Ling'er fiddled with her fingers, then said, "There actually is a place you should like!"

A wicked grin appeared on Shi Teng's lips. "You're sure I'd like it? Girls probably shouldn't go to that sort of place!"

A fierce look flashed across Huo Ling'er's face. "What's wrong with being a girl? In our Fire Kingdom, men and women are equal!"

"Oh!"

"Let's go!"

The two arrived at a pavilion, one following the other.

It was none other than the First-Rank Tower Shi Teng had seen earlier.

The surrounding buildings damaged during the battle with the Marquis of Zhenyuan had already been repaired.

Confusion appeared on Shi Teng's face. "Huh? Didn't we just eat? We're eating again?"

Huo Ling'er swung her hand back and slapped the back of Shi Teng's head, scolding him loudly. "Are you a bottomless rice bucket? All you think about is eating! The First-Rank Tower isn't a place to eat. It has all sorts of rare treasures.

"And today happens to be the First-Rank Tower's twice-yearly treasure auction. There might be something suited to our cultivation!"

"Oh!"

Shi Teng paused, then followed Huo Ling'er toward the First-Rank Tower.

Two muscular guards stood at the entrance. Shi Teng could sense that both of them actually possessed Cave Heaven Realm strength.

Any establishment that could have two Cave Heaven Realm cultivators guarding its doors clearly had considerable power behind it.

Huo Ling'er casually took out a token. Rather than stopping her, the two guards bowed to her with great respect.

When Shi Teng walked over, however, the two guards blocked his way.

"Please show your invitation," they said in a low voice.

"Invitation? I don't have a damn invitation!"

Huo Ling'er walked inside with a somewhat haughty air, saying as she went, "He's my guard. Let him in!"

Only then did the two guards let Shi Teng inside.

Shi Teng followed close behind Huo Ling'er. His brows twitched as he asked amiably, "Ling'er, what was that thing you just took out? Let me have a look!"

Huo Ling'er raised her head, a proud look appearing on her face. "Hmph! I'm not showing you!"

Shi Teng had seen Huo Ling'er present that token before. Wherever she went, it gave her unimpeded passage, and no one dared stop her.

Everyone even had to treat her with the utmost respect!

It was definitely a rare treasure.

Shi Teng caught up with her again and pleaded with a cheeky grin, "Dear Ling'er, just take it out and let me look. Just one look!"

Seeing Shi Teng persist in buttering her up, Huo Ling'er could only give in.

"Fine, fine. I can let you look, but only look. You absolutely mustn't snatch it away!"

Shi Teng puffed out his chest and declared with righteous conviction, "Don't worry about that. Do I, Shi Teng, look like that sort of person?"

Huo Ling'er gave Shi Teng a disdainful glance. "You don't look like one. You are one!"

Then she moved her right hand slightly, and a golden token appeared in her palm. An image of a Primordial Vermilion Bird was carved on it, while strange, flame-like runes showed on the back.

"This is the Vermilion Bird Token exclusive to the Fire Kingdom's imperial family. Whoever holds it can travel freely throughout the Fire Emperor's lands!"

Shi Teng cradled the Vermilion Bird Token in both hands, then brought it to his mouth and bit it. "Holy shit, pure gold! Doesn't anyone counterfeit these things?"

Huo Ling'er shot Shi Teng a mocking look. "This is a Vermilion Bird Token! It contains the mark of a Primordial Vermilion Bird. There are only a handful in the entire Fire Kingdom. Who would dare counterfeit one?"

Shi Teng nodded. It seemed the people of the Fire Kingdom were quite honest.

If this had been his previous life, Vermilion Bird Tokens would probably have been flying everywhere by now.

Shi Teng's brows twitched, and he seized the Vermilion Bird Token. "Didn't you just say I don't look like that sort of person, but actually am one? Then I'll be that sort of person for once!"

With that, he ran farther into the First-Rank Tower.

Huo Ling'er immediately panicked. "You little brat! Give me back my Vermilion Bird Token right now!"

Shi Teng grinned mischievously. "No! Come take it if you can!"

The two immediately began chasing and teasing each other in the First-Rank Tower's corridor.

Suddenly, a guard appeared before them and said coldly, "This is the First-Rank Tower. No disturbances allowed!"

Only then did the two settle down. After all, this was an important public venue, and making a racket was hardly appropriate.

"Let's go. The auction should be starting soon!" Huo Ling'er said amiably.

Beyond a corridor lay a world unto itself, spacious and expansive.

Nearly a hundred people had already gathered inside. All were impeccably dressed and carried themselves with distinction. They appeared to be nobles of the Fire Kingdom.

The two found seats and sat down.

During this time, Shi Teng extended his spiritual perception and clearly sensed more than five powerful figures concealed in the shadows of the First-Rank Tower.

Soon, almost everyone had arrived.

The middle-aged man at the center of the pavilion spoke. "Welcome to the First-Rank Tower's twice-yearly auction. As usual, we have prepared ten rare treasures for you.

"If anything catches your fancy, you may bid on it. The highest bidder wins, and the actual price will be determined by the final winning bid."

A rough-featured middle-aged man said in a deep voice, "All right, all right. Hurry up and start! Don't waste everyone's time!"

The middle-aged auctioneer replied calmly, "Very well. Let's get straight to it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a slender young woman came forward carrying a round tray covered with a red cloth.

The sight could not help but fill everyone with curiosity and excitement.

"Our first treasure is an Azure Flood Dragon Vine seedling. The starting bid is one million fire spirit stones!

"As usual, rare treasures of equivalent value may also be offered in exchange."

At the mention of the Azure Flood Dragon Vine, the venue immediately erupted into an uproar.

Countless representatives of sects and great clans began discussing it animatedly.

Shi Teng frowned. "What's this Azure Flood Dragon Vine? Is it stronger than blue silver grass? Look at how excited these people are. They act like they've never seen the world!"

Huo Ling'er could not help saying, "You're the one who's never seen the world! The Azure Flood Dragon Vine is a type of Divine Vine, shaped like a horned dragon. Once it grows as thick as an arm, it can activate the marks passed down by your ancestors!

"If your ancestors were mighty figures of antiquity, there's even a chance of obtaining a Primordial Divine Ability. Their numbers are pitifully small, so their value naturally goes without saying!"

Shi Teng paused. In that case, this thing did have some use.

The Shi Clan's ancestor had been an Immortal King-level powerhouse of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. If he nurtured this Azure Flood Dragon Vine seedling, it might really activate the mark passed down by his ancestor.

Besides, his Azure Emperor Wood Sovereign Art could greatly accelerate the Azure Flood Dragon Vine seedling's growth.

At this thought, Shi Teng could not help nodding lightly.

Then he stood straight up and said, "I want this Azure Flood Dragon Vine seedling. No matter how much anyone else offers, I'll bid one more!"

Everyone turned to look at Shi Teng, wondering where this boy had come from to throw money around so lavishly.

Huo Ling'er was startled by Shi Teng as well. She had only brought him out to broaden his horizons; she had never said they would buy anything.

Where was she supposed to get a million fire spirit stones?

Seeing Shi Teng's swaggering, arrogant expression, Huo Ling'er quietly shifted her seat to the side, deliberately putting some distance between them.

She did not want everyone else to take her for a fool too.