"Is that withered branch some kind of treasure?"
"Don't be ridiculous. What kind of treasure looks like that?"
"..."
Listening to the murmurs around him, Fu Changping cursed inwardly, "What a bunch of ignorant fools!"
With a pained expression, he placed the withered Jianmu branch on a tray and had a waiter deliver it to Zi Linling.
Throughout the process, his reluctant gaze followed the waiter.
Zi Linling accepted the withered Jianmu branch with feigned distaste, though inwardly she was overjoyed.
As a Royal Alchemist and possessing the "Human Emperor's Pharmaceutical Codex," how could she not recognize the withered Jianmu branch?
Meanwhile, Elder Du in the Nine Spirit Ring was also dancing with joy.
With the withered Jianmu branch, the matter of him reconstructing his physical body could finally be put on the agenda.
Furthermore, a physical body refined with the withered Jianmu branch as the main ingredient would not only possess immense strength but also be perfectly aligned with the principles of Yin and Yang.
This would ensure a seamless integration of body and soul, and even greatly nourish the soul.
Thus, Elder Du, swallowing his pride, said, "Girl, can you give me this withered Jianmu branch?"
Zi Linling had initially planned to use the withered Jianmu branch as the primary ingredient for a batch of body-refining pills.
However, Elder Du, though the ring spirit of the Nine Spirit Ring, was like a mentor and friend to her; he was someone she considered family.
Therefore, if Elder Du asked, she would not refuse.
"Alright!"
Zi Linling agreed decisively, without any hesitation.
As her voice fell, the withered Jianmu branch floated before Elder Du's soul.
Elder Du was moved to tears and said, "Girl, aren't you going to ask me what I'll use it for?"
Zi Linling smiled, "Elder Du, we are family, aren't we?"
Elder Du nodded.
He had witnessed Zi Linling transform from a nobody into the globally recognized figure she was today, and he had long considered her his granddaughter.
Zi Linling gave a gentle smile, "Then it's settled. You are my family, and what is mine is yours. If you need anything, and I have it, take it. Why would I need to ask?"
A hint of moisture welled up in Elder Du's eyes. He said solemnly, "Girl, once I reconstruct my physical body, if you point east, I will never go west. If you tell me to eat, I will never drink!"
Zi Linling immediately seized on the key point and exclaimed in shock, "Elder Du, what did you just say? Reconstruct your physical body?"
Elder Du nodded, "Girl, I won't hide it from you. This withered Jianmu branch is the best material for creating a physical body."
Zi Linling asked in confusion, "But aren't you the ring spirit of the Nine Spirit Ring? Even if you reconstruct your physical body, how will you escape the restrictions of the Nine Spirit Ring?"
Elder Du chuckled, "Girl, I have a feeling that once my soul fully recovers to its peak state, the Nine Spirit Ring will grant me freedom."
"Really?" Zi Linling asked, surprised.
Elder Du nodded, "Of course! But don't worry, before I leave the Nine Spirit Ring, I will help it cultivate a new ring spirit."
While Zi Linling was shocked, she was also filled with joy.
She regarded Elder Du as family, and she was genuinely happy for him to be freed from the Nine Spirit Ring and regain his liberty.
As for what would happen to the Nine Spirit Ring without a ring spirit, she didn't care.
It was merely a divine artifact; compared to Elder Du, who had flesh and blood, the artifact was insignificant.
"Elder Du, to what extent has your soul power recovered?" Zi Linling asked with concern.
Elder Du smiled, "It has recovered seventy percent!"
"Seventy percent?" Zi Linling frowned. "Why is it so slow?"
Elder Du retorted grumpily, "Girl, it's already very fast! A thousand years ago, my soul was almost annihilated, but in just two years by your side, it has recovered seventy percent. This is already a miracle."
"Is that so?"
Zi Linling nodded slightly awkwardly. "Elder Du, besides the withered Jianmu branch, what other materials do you need to reconstruct your physical body?"
Elder Du said somewhat dejectedly, "Every material needed to reconstruct a physical body is extremely precious. It's pointless to say more now. If I encounter them in the future, I will remind you."
Zi Linling knew that Elder Du didn't want to put too much pressure on her, as reconstructing a physical body was an act that defied the heavens, and the materials would not be easy to find.
While they were conversing, the auction was still in full swing.
In a short time, the raw stones had already reached lot number 365.
And this 365th raw stone was one of the more than ten raw stones that Long'er had selected.
Therefore, Zi Linling had no choice but to pause her conversation with Elder Du and participate in the bidding.
Ultimately, Zi Linling secured the 365th raw stone for eight million two hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones.
Of course, she actually paid only five million seven hundred thousand spirit stones.
Even so, her initial twenty-five million high-grade spirit stones were now reduced to only eight million.
It had to be said that this auction was truly a drain on spirit stones.
This time, a small cup of spiritual milk was cut from the raw stone, causing the people in the auction hall to become instantly envious.
If it weren't for the face of the Hua Tian Chamber of Commerce and the Xuanyuan Dynasty, and the fact that it was in public, they would have rushed forward to rob Zi Linling.
Of course, most people were just thinking about it. Envy, while a sickness, was not fatal.
However, a small portion of people were already accustomed to living on the edge of a knife. Thus, an unspoken understanding seemed to form among them – if Zi Linling dared to leave Xuanyuan City, then... hehe!
Among these people were those who had harbored murderous intent towards Zi Linling when she bid on the 122nd top-grade raw stone.
Zi Linling was extremely sensitive to murderous intent.
A cold smile played on her lips as she thought inwardly, "Those who kill shall be killed, those who rob shall be robbed. If you don't make a move, so be it, but if you do, it'll be like trying to catch lice on a tiger's head – inviting your own doom!"
The auction had finally reached its intermission.
Zi Linling left the auction hall and headed directly for the spirit stone exchange.
Of the remaining raw stones, she, or rather Long'er, had set their sights on eight more.
And the eight million high-grade spirit stones she had left were not enough to splurge, so she needed to find Lin Dafu to sell some more elixirs.
On the way to the spirit stone exchange, she sensed over a dozen ill-intentioned gazes.
And the owners of these gazes were the same individuals who had previously shown her murderous intent twice.
Of course, these people were not so foolish as to make a move immediately, so Zi Linling decided to ignore them for the time being.
At the spirit stone exchange, a long queue had already formed. These were people coming to exchange spirit stones by selling or mortgaging treasures.
After all, more than half of the five hundred raw stones had been auctioned, and many people needed to replenish their spirit stones.