Mo Li also looked toward the last jade tray on the stage.
A blue-and-white medicinal herb sat quietly on the tray.
The herb resembled ginseng, but its color was crystalline and translucent, and wisps of cool air drifted from it.
Turning to see Ye Lingling examining it closely, Mo Li asked in a low voice,
"Lingling, did you come here for this?"
In the darkness, Ye Lingling's gaze was fixed intently on the snow ginseng in the jade tray. Only when she heard Mo Li did she snap out of it. After hesitating for a moment, she answered softly, "Mm."
"Are you hoping to use the herb's power to fix the flaw in your Martial Soul?"
Ye Lingling froze. She did not hide it and answered again, "Yes."
Seeing Ye Lingling fall silent once more, Mo Li had a general idea of what was going on. He did not ask any more questions and simply turned his gaze back to the stage.
Though this herb was precious, the flaw in the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul was no small matter either. Whether it could lift the curse on Ye Lingling's Martial Soul would have to wait until she got her hands on it.
"Honored guests, this item is called Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng. The bidding starts at fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins, and each bid must increase by at least one thousand. Let the bidding begin!"
In barely more than ten minutes, the price of the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng had soared to nearly two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. Most of the people in the audience could only look on helplessly, while just a handful continued to compete.
So far, the highest bid at the auction had come from a middle-aged man in a white robe seated in the red section. He had offered one hundred and eighty-five thousand Gold Soul Coins.
Because of the angle, Mo Li could not make out the man's features from where he was sitting. He could only tell that he was middle-aged.
"Someone's actually offering one hundred and eighty thousand Gold Soul Coins for this Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng. Little Brother Mo Li, is it really worth that much?"
After the middle-aged man offered one hundred and eighty-five thousand, Jiang Zhu, seated to Mo Li's left, finally could not resist asking.
This was the highest price anything had fetched at the auction so far.
"I'm not really sure, but I'd guess it's pretty high quality. I doubt we could snag it for a bargain at two hundred thousand."
Mo Li explained to Jiang Zhu.
This Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng was clearly no ordinary herb. Otherwise, it would not have been chosen as the auction's final item.
Still, he did not want to speak too confidently, since Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan had yet to start bidding.
He did not think the two of them had come just to watch the show.
After that, the price of the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng rose again, reaching two hundred and twenty thousand.
Two hundred and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins!
At that moment, Ye Lingling finally made her move in the darkness.
She raised a slender finger as white as a scallion and lightly pressed the "One Hundred Thousand" button.
The atmosphere in the auction hall surged to a fever pitch!
"Three hundred and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
"This honored guest has offered three hundred and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
After Ye Lingling pressed the hundred-thousand button, the host and the audience alike erupted in an uproar.
The man in the red section, who had been sitting calmly after making the highest bid, turned around and glanced from afar at Ye Lingling and the others.
Ye Lingling was already veiled in black gauze and wore no mask, while Mo Li and the others had their faces concealed by oddly shaped masks. The man only gave them a glance before looking away.
Mo Li gave Ye Lingling a thumbs-up. Lingling was really rich—no, she was really bold!
Jiang Zhu's reaction was about the same as the audience's: she looked utterly astonished. Dugu Yan, however, was far less surprised.
Ye Lingling glanced at Mo Li's gesture and felt a little embarrassed. Her voice came from behind her veil.
"I came here for this. No matter what, I had to try for it."
Mo Li nodded, though he himself was not particularly interested in the herb.
Instead of spending all this effort on it, he might as well plan how to get to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well in the future. That place was full of genuine Immortal Herbs!
At the same time,
the middle-aged man in the red section gently stroked the jade ring on his hand, gazing pensively at the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng onstage.
As the man stared at the herb, Mo Li was watching him as well.
Considering the man's seat and his earlier generosity, Mo Li did not think he would willingly let someone else walk away with the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng.
After Ye Lingling's offer of three hundred and twenty thousand, no one else in the hall dared to bid. Just as the host was about to announce that it had sold for that price,
the middle-aged man finally made his move.
Seeing this, Mo Li shook his head slightly.
"Four hundred and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
The man in the red section had pressed the "One Hundred Thousand" button too. The atmosphere in the hall instantly reached its peak.
Ye Lingling sighed helplessly at the sight, her spirits sinking.
The most she could afford was four hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. As a member of a family of herbalists who had also been taught by her mother, she naturally knew a little about medicinal herbs.
Almost as soon as she saw this Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng, she knew it was worth far more than two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.
But clearly, the other bidder was no simpleton either.
Seeing Ye Lingling's disappointment, Dugu Yan leaned close and whispered,
"Lingling, if you really want to fight for it, I'll lend you the money!"
Ye Lingling's eyes brightened, then she glanced at the man. He made no further moves and remained seated calmly in his place.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Lingling still shook her head.
"Forget it, Yan Yan. I didn't prepare properly before coming this time. I guess I'm just not meant to have it."
Though Ye Lingling was reluctant, the fact that the man had bid four hundred thousand was enough to show that he understood the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng's value. His earlier bids had just been a way of testing the waters and feeling out the competition.
Even if Yan Yan lent her more, she would probably still get nowhere. Besides, this herb was worth around three to four hundred thousand. Anything more would be a poor deal.
At that moment, Mo Li suddenly spoke up,
"Lingling, this herb is certainly valuable, but it may not be the thing you're looking for to fix the flaw in your Martial Soul."
"I once read about some medicinal herbs in an ancient text. I don't know if they truly exist in this world, but every one of them was said to have the power to defy heaven and change fate. I believe there must be a way to fix the flaw in your Martial Soul."
Ye Lingling's eyes flickered, but in the end she calmed down and said softly,
"Thank you. But herbs like that must be found only by chance, never sought. My mother has worked at it for more than ten years. We've long since gotten used to disappointment."
Ye Lingling was not entirely unmoved by Mo Li's talk of peerless Immortal Herbs. But herbs like those appeared only once in a thousand years.
Mo Li looked past Ye Lingling toward Dugu Yan, seated at the far right.
Found only by chance, never sought? That was practically right in front of them.
"Hey, what are you staring at?"
Dugu Yan turned her head and caught Mo Li staring at her with a strange look. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought she had something on her face.
"Nothing. Just looking around."
Mo Li smiled teasingly.
After Ye Lingling gave up competing for the herb, the host finally announced that the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng had sold for four hundred and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins.
The auction was over, and the people in the hall gradually began to leave.
"Let's go too," Ye Lingling said.
Just as they walked out the door and were about to leave, a warm voice came from the passage behind them.
"Hehe, young friends, would you mind stopping for a moment?"
Mo Li turned around and was surprised to discover that it was the middle-aged man who had just won the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng.
Now that he was closer, though the man still wore a mask, his entire bearing radiated a gentle, reserved air. He seemed rather distinguished.
Mo Li did not care about the man's refined demeanor, though. He was curious why the man had approached their group.
Besides, although the man had ultimately won the Ice-Skin Snow-Jade Ginseng, Ye Lingling had driven the price up to three hundred and twenty thousand. She had certainly caused him some trouble.
Mo Li did not like assuming the worst of others, but it never hurt to be wary.
Without drawing attention, he stepped in front of the three girls and stopped Dugu Yan as she started to bristle. Then he stood at the front and asked with a smile,
"This is still the auction house. May I ask what business you have with us?"
The refined man naturally noticed Mo Li's subtle movements. He smiled warmly at him and said,
"I noticed how interested you were in the item I just bought. As it happens, I'm rather interested in you as well, young friends. Why don't we step aside and talk?"
As the middle-aged man spoke, his gaze passed over Mo Li and settled on Ye Lingling, whose face was covered by a black veil.