Dugu Bo couldn't help but sigh softly, a hint of loss flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

After all, finding rare herbs is not an easy task, and he has long been accustomed to the feeling of mixed disappointment and hope.

Then they visited a few more stalls, but still found nothing.

Zhuge Lan also said with some disappointment:
"It's really hard to find, like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Dugu Bo had no intention of giving up. He patted Zhuge Lan on the shoulder and said:
"Don't worry, let's look for it carefully. We don't have to look for these two materials specifically. We can look for other things. Maybe there will be some unexpected surprises. I don't believe that we can't find what we want in this ghost market."

As they continued searching, they suddenly heard a loud noise.

It turned out that an item appeared on a stall that caused everyone to scramble for it.

"I saw it first! This should belong to me!"

A man in black shouted.

"What do you mean the first thing you see is yours? I picked it up first! So it should be mine since I got it."

Another man in a crimson robe retorted.

Zhuge Lan and Dugu Bo walked over curiously, and saw that the man in the crimson robe was holding a stone that was emitting a strange light.

The surface of the stone flickers with colorful halos, as if containing endless mysterious power.

"What is this?"

Zhuge Lan couldn't help but ask.

Dugu Bo shook his head:
"Not sure, it seems like a glowing stone?"

Someone nearby answered:
"This seems to be a piece of ore that contains special energy. It is said to be of great help to cultivation."

Zhuge Lan's heart moved. He thought to himself.

Could this stone have anything to do with the Chaos Poison Crystal?

Although it doesn't look like it, everything is possible in this mysterious ghost market.

He whispered to Dugu Bo:

"Old Poison, do you think there is anything strange about this stone?"

Dugu Bo also became interested in the stone. He squinted his eyes and carefully observed the shape and light of the stone.

Trying to discover what is special about this stone.

after awhile.

He said slowly:
"This stone does seem to have some extraordinary features. There seems to be a trace of energy fluctuations in it. However, in this ghost market, we can't judge by appearance alone."

While the two were arguing fiercely, Zhuge Lan fell into deep thought.

He wondered, if this stone was really special, would it be the key to solving the mystery of the Chaos Poison Crystal? Or would it lead us to find the Chaos Poison Crystal?

He said to himself:
“Perhaps we should not let go of any possible clue, even if it seems far from our goal.”

Dugu Bo nodded and said:
"You're right, let's take a look at the situation first."

At this time.

Someone in the crowd shouted again:

"I'll pay a high price, I'll take this stone!"

The original crimson robed man was not to be outdone:

"Humph, if you can afford it, why can't I? I've decided to give you this stone!"

Zhuge Lan watched everyone scramble for it, and asked Dugu Bo:
"Old Poison, should we also participate in the bidding? What if this stone is really useful?"

Dugu Bo pondered for a moment and said:

"Don't be in a hurry. Wait until they have finished competing for it, and then we'll see if the price is right. After all, we don't know what the stone is used for, so we can't act blindly." As the bidding became more and more intense, the price soared.

Dugu Bo was a little anxious. He was worried that the stone would be bought by someone else at a high price and they would miss a possible clue.

At this time Zhuge Lan said:
"It hasn't even entered the auction yet, but the bidding has already started outside."

Dugu Bo seemed relatively calm. He said:

"Calm down, we need to stay rational. In this ghost market, sometimes things that seem precious may not really be as valuable as they appear. Let's observe for a while."

The atmosphere in the crowd became increasingly tense, with bidding sounds rising one after another.

"I'll give you one thousand gold soul coins!"

A burly man shouted, seeming determined to get the stone.

"Humph, do you think you're the only one with money? I'll give you 2,000 gold soul coins!"

The man in black responded with disdain.

Seeing this, the man in the crimson robe gritted his teeth and said loudly:
"I'll pay 5,000 gold soul coins! This stone belongs to me!"

There was determination and greed in his eyes.

The man in black also became anxious and shouted:
"I'll offer you six thousand! Don't even think about snatching it from me!"

Everyone gasped. This price was already quite high for a piece of stone of unknown use.

But the competition didn't stop there.

An old man spoke slowly:
"You young people are too impulsive. Although this stone looks strange, no one knows what benefits it can bring. Maybe it's just an illusion. After all, this ghost market has all kinds of things, and they are of varying quality."

however.

His words had no effect and the bidding continued.

"I'll offer eight thousand gold soul coins!" The man in the crimson robe seemed to have lost all hope.

The man in black hesitated for a moment and said:

"I... I'll give you nine thousand! But you have to tell me why you want this stone so much?"

The man in the crimson robe sneered:
"Humph, I have my uses, and it has nothing to do with you! If you can't afford a higher price, then don't get in the way here!"

When Zhuge Lan saw this scene, he leaned close to Dugu Bo's ear and whispered:

"Old Poison, this price is almost as high as some ordinary magic weapons. Are we really not going to consider it?"

Dugu Bo frowned and said:
"Wait a minute, I always feel that something is wrong here. They are all fighting for it so madly, is it really just because the stone is helpful for cultivation? Or is there another reason that we don't know?"

Just as everyone was at a stalemate, a mysterious voice came from behind the crowd:
"I'll give you 10,000 gold soul coins!"

Everyone turned around and saw a man covered in a black robe slowly walking towards them. Their face could not be seen clearly.

As soon as the price was announced, the scene suddenly became quiet.

Both the man in the crimson robe and the man in black looked unwilling, but seemed a little afraid of this mysterious man.

The man in black robe walked to the stone, picked it up and looked at it carefully, then said:

"I must get this stone."

The man in the crimson robe couldn't help but say:
"Why are you trying to snatch it from us? Do you know what this stone does?"

The man in black robe did not answer, but just looked at him coldly.

Zhuge Lan and Dugu Bo looked at each other, both filled with confusion.

Could this stone really be some kind of treasure? Could it be worth 10,000 gold soul coins?
The appearance of this mysterious man in black robes made things even more complicated. (End of this chapter)