The Pill Auction Begins!

Backstage.

Gu He found Teng Shan and Fa Ma.

Nalan Jie was there as well.

"Clan Head Teng Shan, President Fa Ma." Gu He clasped his hands in greeting.

Teng Shan and Fa Ma nodded.

"Master Gu He."

Gu He looked at them.

"Which alchemist exactly refined that Ascending Emperor Pill?"

Teng Shan and Fa Ma exchanged a glance.

"A young man," Teng Shan said.

Gu He froze for a moment.

"A young man?"

"He looked no older than fifteen or sixteen," Fa Ma said.

Gu He's pupils abruptly constricted.

A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old Seventh-Rank Alchemist?

How was that possible?

"President Fa Ma, are you certain that pill is Seventh-Rank?"

"I'm certain," Fa Ma said.

"I personally appraised it. Seven pill patterns—an authentic Seventh-Rank Pill."

Gu He fell silent.

A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old Seventh-Rank Alchemist.

He had refined pills his entire life and had only reached the sixth rank.

How had that young man done it?

Nalan Jie stood to one side, listening to their conversation.

He knew Xiao Xuan was a Seventh-Rank Alchemist.

Yet hearing Fa Ma confirm it personally still left him unable to suppress his shock.

"Where is that alchemist now?" Gu He asked.

"In the VIP room upstairs," Teng Shan said.

Gu He nodded.

"I'd like to meet him."

Teng Shan glanced at him.

"Please, Master Gu He."

Gu He led Liu Ling toward the VIP rooms upstairs.

Liu Ling followed behind his master, his face full of disdain.

"Master, how could a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old kid possibly refine a Seventh-Rank Pill?"

"That pill definitely wasn't refined by him."

Gu He turned and gave him a look.

"Shut up."

Liu Ling did not dare say another word.

The two arrived outside the VIP room.

The door was slightly ajar.

Gu He knocked on it.

"Come in."

Gu He pushed the door open and entered.

Xiao Xuan sat in a chair, holding a cup of tea.

Gu He walked up to him.

"I am Gu He. Greetings, Master."

Xiao Xuan glanced at him.

Then looked away.

He continued drinking his tea.

Gu He's smile stiffened.

Liu Ling's expression darkened.

"My master is speaking to you. Didn't you hear him?"

Xiao Xuan ignored him.

Liu Ling flew into a rage.

"You're just a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old brat. What gives you the right to ignore my master?"

"For all anyone knows, that pill might not even have been refined by you."

"Maybe you stole it from somewhere."

Gu He turned around and glared furiously at Liu Ling.

"Shut your mouth."

Liu Ling froze.

"Master..."

"I told you to shut up," Gu He said coldly.

Liu Ling gritted his teeth and lowered his head.

Gu He turned back to Xiao Xuan.

"Master, my disciple is ignorant and offended you. Please forgive him."

Xiao Xuan said nothing.

Gu He took a deep breath.

"Master, I am determined to obtain that Ascending Emperor Pill."

"If you have any pills to auction in the future, I am willing to purchase them at a high price."

Xiao Xuan looked at him.

"Are you finished?"

Gu He was taken aback.

"If you're finished, get out," Xiao Xuan said indifferently.

Gu He's expression shifted.

But in the end, he said nothing.

He clasped his hands.

"Forgive the disturbance, Master."

With that, he turned and left the VIP room.

Liu Ling followed behind him, his eyes filled with resentment.

The two left the VIP room.

Liu Ling could not help but speak.

"Master, he's just a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old kid. Why are you being so polite to him?"

Gu He turned to look at him.

"What do you know?"

"If he truly is a Seventh-Rank Alchemist, do you know what it would mean to offend him?"

Liu Ling opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Gu He withdrew his gaze.

He knew very well just how terrifying the status and backing of a Seventh-Rank Alchemist could be.

Even if that pill had not been refined by Xiao Xuan.

There had to be a Seventh-Rank Alchemist teacher behind him.

In short, that young man was absolutely not someone he could afford to provoke.

"Show more respect when you see him in the future."

Liu Ling lowered his head.

"Yes, Master."

The auction hall.

The lights dimmed.

A beam of light shone onto the auction stage.

A woman in a qipao walked out from behind the stage.

She wore a red qipao that accentuated her alluring figure.

Her peach-blossom eyes swept across the crowd below.

"Everyone, welcome to the Mittal Auction House."

Her voice echoed through the hall.

"I'm sure everyone already knows about today's finale lot."

"The Seventh-Rank Pill, the Ascending Emperor Pill."

The crowd below immediately stirred.

The woman in the qipao smiled.

"I'll repeat this pill's effects once more."

"Any Dou Wang expert, regardless of level, can take it and directly break through to the Dou Emperor realm."

"There are no side effects whatsoever."

The audience erupted completely.

Countless pairs of eyes stared at the auction stage.

The woman in the qipao gestured.

A maid came forward carrying a jade tray.

The jade tray held that jade bottle.

The auctioneer picked up the jade bottle and opened it.

She poured the pill into her palm.

Seven pill patterns were clearly visible.

A rich medicinal fragrance spread through the hall.

"The starting bid is five million Gold Coins."

The moment the auctioneer finished speaking—

"Six million."

A voice rang out from the front row.

Gu He.

Before long, fierce bidding broke out throughout the venue.

This was an incomparably precious Seventh-Rank Pill.

And it could directly raise someone to the Dou Emperor realm. Who would not be tempted?

The atmosphere in the auction hall grew increasingly heated.

"Seven million."

"Eight million."

"Ten million."

The price continued to climb.

Gu He sat in the front row, his expression growing uglier and uglier.

He had brought twenty million Gold Coins this time, believing it would be enough to secure the Ascending Emperor Pill.

Yet the price had surpassed ten million in the blink of an eye, and it was still rising.

Just then, a commotion came from the entrance to the hall.

Two people entered through the doors.

The woman in the lead wore a moon-white gown. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with a cool and aloof temperament.

Yun Yun.

The Cloud Mist Sect Master.

Nalan Yanran followed behind her.

The appearance of the master and disciple pair silenced the entire hall.

The Cloud Mist Sect Master had come in person.

Gu He's expression became even uglier.

This meant Yun Yun had her eye on the pill as well and would compete with him for it.

Yun Yun took Nalan Yanran to sit in the front row.

Nalan Yanran's gaze swept across the hall, her eyes carrying a trace of pride.

"Teacher, is this Ascending Emperor Pill really that miraculous?"

"Can any Dou Wang, regardless of level, break through to Dou Emperor?"

Yun Yun glanced at her.

"President Fa Ma personally appraised it. It can't be fake."

Nalan Yanran nodded.

Yun Yun withdrew her gaze and looked toward the auction stage.

She had come today for this Ascending Emperor Pill.

Nalan Yanran was currently only a Dou Zhe, still far from becoming a Dou Wang.

But they could bid for this pill now and save it for when she broke through to Dou Wang in the future.

With the Ascending Emperor Pill, she could directly become a Dou Emperor powerhouse.

The Misty Cloud Sect would gain another Dou Emperor.

They could not miss an opportunity like this.

The auctioneer stood on the auction stage and saw Yun Yun take her seat.

The smile on his face grew even brighter.

"Everyone, the bidding will continue."

"The current highest bid is twelve million Gold Coins."

Yun Yun raised her hand.

"Twenty million."

The entire venue erupted in an uproar.

She had raised the price by eight million in one go.

Gu He's expression darkened completely.