I am in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have a demonic beast clone!

Chapter 161 is in hand!

The black box lay silently on the tray, like a miniature black hole that swallowed light and sound.

Countless gazes, some curious, some scrutinizing, some greedy, and some wary, converged upon it, as if trying to see through this seemingly ordinary box.

The air became stagnant and heavy because of its presence.

The photographer, Mo Yuan, took a deep breath, bringing his solemnity and mystery to the extreme.

He pointed to the black box, his voice clear and rhythmic, echoing in the silent hall: "This item is called—the Forbidden Yuan Black Box. Its origin lies in the core chamber of an extremely secluded and dangerous ancient cultivator's water mansion, deep within the outer seas, obtained by an elite exploration team from our Xuanhai Alliance. When discovered, the box lay quietly on a stone platform, just as it is now, surrounded by remnants of protective arrays. After ten thousand years, its power had diminished to less than a tenth, yet we were fortunate enough to retrieve it."

He paused, his light sweeping across the various expressions of the cultivators below, and slowly said, "The material of this box is unknown; it is neither gold nor wood, neither stone nor jade, yet it is exceptionally sturdy, and ordinary magic treasures cannot damage it in the slightest. The profound runes on its surface have been jointly identified by several senior treasure appraisers and array masters of our alliance as an extremely ancient and high-level sealing restriction! Its complex structure and profound principles far surpass most sealing methods currently circulating."

At this point, Mo Yuan's face revealed a perfectly measured expression, a mixture of admiration and helplessness: "To be honest, in order to break the seal on this box and see what lies within, our Xuanhai Alliance spared no expense in inviting Master Zhen Xuan, a figure of unparalleled stature in the art of array formations in the Chaotic Star Sea, to personally decipher it!"

"Master Zhen Xuan?!"

"Could it be that 'Number One Array Master of the Chaotic Star Sea,' Senior Array Master Zhen Xuan?"

"It is said that Master Zhen Xuan has already advanced to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and his mastery of formations is unparalleled. He once used formations to trap and kill Nascent Soul cultivators of the same level!"

"Even he's made a move?"

A collective gasp of astonishment erupted from the audience. Master Zhen Xuan's name was renowned throughout the Chaotic Star Sea, especially among high-level cultivators and array masters.

With his early Nascent Soul cultivation and unparalleled mastery of formations, his status and influence are even more unique than many mid-Nascent Soul cultivators.

A restriction that even he couldn't break?

Mo Yuan nodded at the opportune moment, confirming everyone's guess, his tone tinged with emotion: "It is indeed Master Zhen Xuan. The Master spent a full ten years on this box, studying it day and night, deducing its variations, and trying countless methods to break the seal—"

He paused deliberately, building everyone's suspense, before slowly uttering the following words: "However, in the end—"

The mission was unsuccessful.

"What?! Even Master Zhen Xuan spent ten years trying to open it?!"

"Just how powerful are the restrictions on this?"

"Even Nascent Soul stage array masters are helpless. What kind of earth-shattering treasure is sealed in this black box?"

Or is it just a useless, unopenable program?

"Even Master Zhen Xuan can't open it, what use is it to us if we buy it? Just to display it?"

The hall erupted in chaos!

Exclamations, doubts, disbelief, and deep fear and hesitation mingled amidst the clamor of discussion.

Many cultivators who had initially been filled with greed now felt as if they had been doused with ice water, quickly calming down and even considering giving up.

Spending a fortune to buy a "lump of iron" that even a Nascent Soul Formation Master can't open is far too risky!

What if it's empty inside, or just contains things that are useless to me? Wouldn't that mean I'd lose everything?

Even if there are truly great treasures inside, it's all in vain if you can't open it.

Mo Yuan seemed to have anticipated everyone's reaction. His face showed no anxiety; instead, he was like an old fisherman sitting calmly on a fishing platform, smiling as he waited for the discussions to subside naturally.

He knew that the more this was the case, the more mysterious and extraordinary the object would be, and the more it would arouse the interest of those who were truly powerful, decisive, or had something to rely on.

After the discussion subsided, Mo Yuan continued, his voice steady yet carrying a strange persuasiveness: "Although Master Zhen Xuan failed to break the seal on this box, when he had spent ten years of effort and finally had no choice but to give up, he left behind a statement."

He paused again, surveyed the entire room, and said, word by word, "The master said—this restriction cannot be broken by ordinary means in this world; its origin is extraordinary, containing ancient, lost secrets. The contents of the box are certainly no ordinary item, perhaps involving—the secret treasures of an ancient great power, or an earth-shattering inheritance."

"An ancient treasure of a powerful being? An astonishing inheritance?!"

"That's what Master Zhenxuan said himself?!"

"This—this value is immeasurable!"

"What's the use if it can't be opened? Are we going to keep it as a family heirloom, hoping that a future generation will produce a genius in formations?"

The discussions that had just subsided rose again. Master Zhenxuan's "assertion" undoubtedly shrouded the black box in an even more mysterious and alluring veil.

The secret treasure of ancient powerful beings!

An astonishing legacy!

Any single word is enough to make any cultivator's heart race and blood boil.

But the reality of "not being able to open it" is like an insurmountable barrier, standing between temptation and risk, making it difficult for people to choose.

Inside the private room, Zhou Ding's expression remained calm throughout.

Mo Yuan's introduction, Master Zhen Xuan's failure, and the discussions of the crowd did not stir the slightest ripple in his eyes.

Because what he "sees" is far more real and more certain than what he hears.

Within the vision of the "Heavenly Hearing Technique," that deep, pure, and dazzling purple light, like a lighthouse in the darkness, firmly attracted his mind.

Purple treasure!

This is the highest level that the "Heavenly Hearing Technique" can sense!

Its value can no longer be measured by ordinary spirit stones or whether it can be opened.

Just because Master Zhenxuan can't open it doesn't mean no one can.

At least, he believed that Xin Ruyin, with her mastery of the "Qiankun Array Manual" and the "Tianyuan Array Manual," coupled with her extraordinary talent in array formations, might not be without hope in the future.

Even if it can't be opened for the time being, just studying the ancient restrictions on it would be invaluable for Xin Ruyin's knowledge of formations.

"This item must be captured."

Zhou Ding had already made up his mind. Tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of spirit stones were not an insurmountable burden for him, given his current considerable wealth.

Using these spirit stones to gamble on the possibility of a purple treasure, to fight for Xin Ruyin's chance to comprehend an ancient restriction, is absolutely worth it!

On the high platform, seeing that the atmosphere had built up sufficiently, Mo Yuan finally revealed his true intentions, announcing loudly: "One 'Forbidden Yuan Black Box,' starting bid—100,000 low-grade spirit stones! Each bid must be at least 5,000 spirit stones higher!"

"One hundred thousand!"

"The starting price is 100,000!"

"That's truly an astronomical price!"

A collective gasp rippled through the audience once more. A starting bid of 100,000 spirit stones for a "potential" treasure...

But for a box that is "definitely" impossible to open, the price is ridiculously high.

Many cultivators who had initially harbored a sliver of hope now completely abandoned that idea.

A brief silence fell over the auction hall. Most of the cultivators were observing and weighing their options.

Only a very small number of cultivators who were extremely wealthy, confident in their own judgment or luck, or simply liked to gamble, began to tentatively make offers after hesitating for a moment.

"One hundred thousand—five thousand." In a corner of the hall, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator wearing a bamboo hat, whose face was obscured, spoke in a hoarse voice.

"110,000." A slightly aged voice came from a private room on the second floor.

"120,000." From another private room, a middle-aged man's voice followed calmly.

The bidding has begun, but it's not going fast, and bidders are being quite cautious.

Clearly, these bidders were not entirely confident; it was more of a test and a gamble.

Prices climbed slowly in a somewhat stagnant atmosphere.

"130,000."

"135,000."

"140,000."

"150,000."

When the price was raised to 150,000, only three bidders remained.

One was the late-stage Core Formation cultivator wearing a bamboo hat, another was the aged voice from the second-floor private room, and the third was a previously silent, slightly chilly private room on the fourth floor.

"Sixteen thousand." The monk wearing a straw hat seemed to grit his teeth and raised the price again.

"One hundred and sixty-five thousand." The old voice on the second floor followed closely, but its tone was no longer as firm as before.

The cold, dark private room on the fourth floor remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing its options.

Finally, a cold voice rang out: "Seventeen thousand."

The price reached 170,000 spirit stones. This was an amount that would bankrupt many Core Formation cultivators, and all they got in return was a "possibility".

The monk wearing a bamboo hat leaned slightly forward, seemingly struggling.

The old man on the second floor also fell silent.

Mo Yuan's gaze swept across the entire room, especially towards the three bidders, and he announced loudly, "170,000 spirit stones! The fellow Daoist in Box 4, Number T, has bid 170,000! Is there any fellow Daoist who will bid higher? This Forbidden Yuan Black Box," Master Zhen Xuan asserted, "contains an ancient secret treasure or an astonishing inheritance; such an opportunity is extremely rare!"

He was encouraging them, but the effect seemed limited.

After all, even Master Zhenxuan himself couldn't open it, so the veracity and likelihood of this "assertion" being realized are greatly reduced.

Inside VIP room number four on the fourth floor, a chilling cultivator's lips curled into a confident smile, as he thought the mysterious black box was about to fall into his hands—

That calm, steady voice, the same familiar voice that had previously intimidated everyone with its terrifying divine power, once again came from the third floor, "Class A, Number Seventy-Three".

From the private room number 1, the voice rang out clearly: "180,000 spirit stones."

Without testing the waters or hesitating, they immediately increased the price by ten thousand!

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness.

"Box 73, Unit A! That senior has made his move again!"

"He's actually interested in this unopenable black box too?"

"Could it be that this senior is confident in breaking the restrictions above?"

"Or does he know something inside?"

All eyes were once again focused on the room. This time, there was a greater sense of inquiry and realization.

No wonder this senior competed with Dan Yunzi for the dragon demon core. It turns out he was so wealthy and decisive that he dared to make a move on such a high-risk "gamble" without hesitation.

The cultivator wearing the bamboo hat froze, completely giving up. The old man on the second floor also remained silent.

Meanwhile, in the fourth-floor, T-shaped private room number four, the cultivator with the chilling aura froze instantly with a confident smile on his face.

He turned his head sharply, his gaze seemingly trying to pierce through layers of barriers, and looked at VIP box number 73 on the third floor.

He was a late-stage Core Formation cultivator whose cultivation method leaned towards the sinister and evil, giving him a special affinity and desire for items containing ancient and forbidden auras.

This "Forbidden Yuan Black Box" gave him an extremely strong attraction, which is why he gritted his teeth and offered a high price of 170,000.

But now, that mysterious senior from box number 73 has made his move.

The terrifying divine sense that the other party had previously displayed, and the scene of Dan Yunzi hurriedly apologizing, were still vivid in his mind.

Competing with such a senior who is at least in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm and whose actions are unpredictable is far too risky.

If we anger the other party, even if we manage to buy the black box, we probably won't be able to take it out of Tianxing City.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Was it worth offending a Nascent Soul cultivator of unfathomable power for a "black box" that he couldn't open for the time being but which only seemed somewhat attractive? The answer was clearly no.

Even the most precious treasures can only be enjoyed if one is alive.

He remained silent, and the private room was deathly quiet. His companions, who had come with him, also gestured with their eyes, urging him to give up.

The other two remaining bidders were also hesitant.

They were able to cultivate to the late stage of Core Formation, so they were certainly not fools.

Bidding against a powerful cultivator who is suspected to be at least in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, especially for an uncertain "black box," is by no means a wise move.

What if the other party just makes a casual offer, and you raise the price? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?

Moreover, the price has already reached 180,000, far exceeding their expectations of the item's value.

An eerie silence fell over the entire auction hall.

Only countless eyes lingered between Box 73 and Box 4.

Mo Yuan waited for a few breaths, and when no more bidding was heard, he understood.

A smile appeared on his face as he looked towards Box 73, his tone respectful: "The senior in Box 73 has offered 180,000 spirit stones! Are there any fellow cultivators willing to bid higher?"

He waited a moment longer, his gaze sweeping over VIP room number four in the T-shape. Seeing that it still showed no reaction, he no longer hesitated and raised the jade gavel high: "180,000 spirit stones, for the first time!"

"180,000 spirit stones, for the second time!"

"180,000 spirit stones, third time! Sold!"

"Thump!"

The jade mallet fell, producing a crisp sound that was particularly clear in the silent hall.

"Congratulations to the esteemed guest in Box 73, Unit A, for successfully bidding on the auction's grand finale—the Forbidden Yuan Black Box!"

The dust has settled.

The mysterious black box, after a rather tortuous auction that ended swiftly at the last minute due to Zhou Ding's forceful intervention, finally found its owner.

Inside the private room, Zhou Ding slowly withdrew his gaze from the high platform, his face showing little joy, only a calm expression.

He felt it was a worthwhile deal to exchange 180,000 spirit stones for a chance to obtain a purple treasure and for Xin Ruyin to comprehend an ancient restriction.

As for the possible covetousness, speculation, and even the cold-blooded cultivator's resentment, he didn't take them to heart.

Within Tianxing City, under the watchful eyes of the Star Palace, as long as he doesn't actively expose himself, no one dares to easily harbor any thoughts about a cultivator "suspected to be at least in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm."