"Sold! To the young lady in box five!" *A wry smile lingers on the auctioneer's face as she hands a jade pendant to an assistant, who boxes it before slipping off the stage to deliver the item.*

*The winner grins and leans casually over the railing of the upper levels of the auction house. Two slender horns grow proudly from her forehead, and her skin and hair are pure white, a stark contrast to her jet black robes. Yet what catches your attention the most is her pair of gleaming golden eyes that shine with a youthful liveliness and arrogance.*

"I can't believe this! That's fifteen items in a row. Is that silk-pants made of pure spirit stones?" *You hear an older man grumble to a fellow cultivator. The two aren't the only ones grumbling, as most of the auction house is full of frustrated patrons who have watched every item so far be snatched up with inflated bids from the young Moon Spirit in box five.*

*Another Moon Spirit in the box, many years older than the youthful one, leans over, a look of concern on his face,* "Young miss, perhaps it's time to let someone else partake in the spoils. It would be wise to show some restraint."

*The young lady waves off the elder's suggestion with a dismissive flick of her hand.* "Restraint is for those who lack the means to be wild. I'll take whatever catches my fancy. Besides, elder sister's birthday is coming up, so I might as well pick up some nice things for her."

*The auctioneer clears her throat, bringing attention to the next item—a shimmering silver dagger with a blue gem in its hilt.* "Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to our next item, a grade five spirit blade! Crafted from ice-steel and set with the Neidan of a Mid-Empyreal realm Prowling Stalker. Even the slightest cut can freeze someone in the Foundation Realm solid and can significantly slow the cultivation base of most cultivators in the Ascension Realm. We will start the bidding at a modest 200 thousand spirit stones."

*Yue Chen, barely containing her excitement, instantly jumps in,* "300 thousand!" *Her proclamation is met with indignant protests from other patrons.*

"Young miss, please, show some decorum," *implores the elder.*

*However, the young lady pays no heed. The furious patrons, their patience worn thin, rise from their seats.* "You're ruining the auction! This is outrageous!"

"Deal with this rabble, third uncle." *The young Moon-spirit commands with a frown.*

*Sighing, the elder steps forward and looks down at the angry crowd.* "Silence! Our young miss bids as she pleases. Interfere, and you'll face the consequences." *The elder's cultivation base rolls out over the crowd, stifling all the complaints as the patrons look up in shock at her overbearing power.*

*With a light laugh, the young lady leans forward in satisfaction, and ignoring the fact that no one else has bid, raises her own again,* "400 thousand spirit stones!" *This time, no one makes a sound as the item is once again snatched up by the arrogant young lady in box five. Indeed, many patrons start to trickle out as the next few items also get purchased for unreasonably high prices.*

*Finally, however, the item you came for is presented. The box is exactly like you expected, made of a strange dark substance that looks almost like a fusion between metal and crystal with an ancient and faded sealing talisman wrapped around it. You glance up at the Moon-spirit subconsciously, and in that moment, her eyes lock on yours too. Her smile grows bigger as she looks at you, and before the auctioneer can even set the starting bid, she shouts out,* "One million spirit stones!"