Competition for Pills

After a while, Wan'er on the stage said, "Everyone present, the auction house received a new item for auction two days ago. I believe you will all be interested in it."

After speaking, she waved her right hand. A servant hurriedly brought up a jade tray, upon which rested two small white jade bottles.

"These are third-grade pills." Her delicate hand carefully picked up one of the white jade bottles. Her clear, pleasant voice spread through the venue, causing the auction hall to fall briefly silent. Moments later, a clamor erupted. On the Battle Qi Continent, aside from battle skills and cultivation techniques, the things most sought after were the various pills refined by alchemists.

"This item is called the Fighter Pill. As the name suggests, it can allow cultivators at the Dou Practitioner stage to advance by one star with absolute certainty. Those with exceptional talent may even advance by two stars. This pill can only be used by Dou Practitioners, so those who want it should not miss this opportunity."

"Is that true? It can definitely raise someone by one star? There won't be any side effects, right?" someone in the audience asked.

"Hehe, this pill was personally appraised by Master Gu Ni of our auction house. Its quality is third-grade, and there will absolutely be no problems. Everyone may rest assured."

Once the crowd heard that it had been personally appraised by Master Gu Ni, they immediately fell silent. There was no longer any doubt.

"The starting bid for these two bottles of pills is set at one hundred thousand gold coins. Each bid increase must be no less than ten thousand gold coins. Please begin!" Wan'er said with a smile.

"One hundred and ten thousand!"

"One hundred and fifty thousand!" Another bid immediately followed.

The price within the hall continued to climb. In only a short while, it had already reached three hundred thousand.

At that moment, Jia Lie Bi called out, "Three hundred and ten thousand."

The patriarch of another great family, Ao Ba Pa, spoke up. "Three hundred and twenty thousand."

Then Xiao Zhan said, "Four hundred thousand."

The hall abruptly fell silent. Every gaze shifted sharply toward Xiao Zhan. Even the other two clan heads were shocked by his sudden high bid.

"Hehe, it seems Clan Head Xiao is determined to obtain these two bottles of pills," Jia Lie Bi said with a smile.

Xiao Zhan replied calmly, "If you want them, then keep bidding. Let's see who has more money to spend."

Jia Lie Bi's face twitched as he cursed inwardly, If your Xiao Clan hadn't suddenly begun selling so many first-grade pills these past few years and stolen so much of our business... After pondering for a moment, he remembered that there were still things he wanted later in the auction. He could not waste his funds recklessly, so he stopped bidding.

Ao Ma Pa, seated nearby, saw Jia Lie Bi withdraw and merely shrugged. Though the pills were good, they were not something he particularly wanted. Thus, he quieted down and said nothing more.

Seeing that no one else was bidding, Wan'er said, "If no one raises the price, then these two bottles of pills will go to Clan Head Xiao Zhan!" After waiting a moment with no response from the hall, she struck the small hammer in her hand against the table, finalizing the buyer.

Wan'er put away the jade bottles and clapped her hands. At that moment, three maidservants emerged from behind the auction stage, each carrying a bottle of pills. Walking in front, Wan'er extended her slender, snow-white hand and picked up one bottle. Once she opened it, a rich and mellow medicinal fragrance enveloped the auction hall, allowing everyone to smell it.

Seeing this, Wan'er said, "The final three bottles of pills to be auctioned are all superior third-grade pills, known as Qi Gathering Pills. These pills can instantly restore fifty percent of one's battle qi when it has been exhausted. They may only be used by those below the Battle Spirit stage." Wan'er's voice was clear and powerful, every word striking the hearts of those present like a heavy hammer.

"The three bottles will be auctioned separately. The starting price for each bottle is one hundred thousand gold coins, and each increase must be no less than ten thousand gold coins. The auction for the first bottle now begins."

"One hundred and ten thousand!"

"One hundred and fifty thousand!" Another bid immediately followed.

"Three hundred thousand!" shouted the wealthy leader of a mercenary group.

"Three hundred and twenty thousand!" another mercenary group leader bid competitively.

"Three hundred and twenty thousand, going once. Three hundred and twenty thousand, going twice..." As Wan'er's voice gradually rose, the atmosphere throughout the auction house reached its peak. Everyone's eyes were fixed upon that bottle of Qi Gathering Pills.

"Three hundred and thirty thousand!" A middle-aged man suddenly shouted. His voice was filled with determination and confidence. He was a major medicine merchant from Wutan City and possessed considerable wealth.

In the end, that major medicine merchant successfully bought one bottle.

"The second bottle is now up for auction." As soon as the words left her mouth, an old man forcefully called out, "One hundred and ten thousand!"

"One hundred and twenty thousand!"

"One hundred and fifty thousand!"

As the price soared, scattered bids rang out across the hall. Then Jia Lie Bi, seated in the first row, finally spoke coldly. "Three hundred thousand."

Seeing Jia Lie Bi begin to bid, Clan Head Ao Ba Pa immediately competed. "Three hundred and thirty thousand."

"Three hundred and fifty thousand." After shouting his bid, Jia Lie Bi cast Ao Ba Pa a chilling glance and said, "Ao Ba Pa, there's another bottle to be auctioned later. Don't compete with me for this one."

Ao Ba Pa replied with a smile, "Jia Lie Bi, I should be the one saying that. You can have the next bottle. I want this one. Three hundred and seventy thousand."

Faced with Ao Ba Pa's repeated bids, Jia Lie Bi followed without hesitation. In the end, Jia Lie Bi obtained it for four hundred thousand gold coins.

Wan'er said with a charming smile, "The auction for the final bottle of Qi Gathering Pills now begins. Everyone present, please place your bids."

"One hundred and fifty thousand!"

"Two hundred thousand!"

After looking at the final bottle of Qi Gathering Pills on the stage, Ao Ba Pa glanced at Jia Lie Bi and said, "Jia Lie Bi, you won't compete with me for this last bottle, will you? You already have one."

Jia Lie Bi merely smiled and did not respond.

Seeing this, Ao Ba Pa called toward the stage, "Three hundred and fifty thousand." His voice was full of confidence and anticipation, as though he could already see himself successfully obtaining the pill.

At that moment, Xiao Zhan calmly called out, "Three hundred and seventy thousand."

When Ao Ba Pa heard Xiao Zhan's bid, his brows tightened. Then he suddenly looked at Xiao Zhan with a smile and said, "Clan Head Xiao, didn't you just buy two bottles of Fighter Pills? Do you still have spare funds to buy Qi Gathering Pills?"

His voice carried a trace of mockery and provocation as he tried to shake Xiao Zhan's resolve.

Xiao Zhan stroked his beard and said to Ao Ba Pa, "You needn't concern yourself with that. I still have surplus funds to compete."

Ao Ba Pa cursed inwardly, It was not easy for this auction to finally have third-grade pills. No, I can't give in. I must obtain it. He opened his mouth and shouted, "Three hundred and eighty thousand."

Xiao Zhan continued bidding. "Three hundred and ninety thousand."

Ao Ba Pa gritted his teeth, his expression turning even more gloomy as he shouted, "Four hundred thousand! Xiao Zhan, if you bid any higher, this bottle is yours. I won't want it anymore."

Xiao Zhan smiled faintly. "Ao Ba Pa, since you want it so badly, I'll let you have it. I won't bid any further."

When Wan'er saw that no one else was raising the price, she said, "Since no one is bidding further, the final bottle of pills goes to Ao Ba Pa."

Watching his auction come to an end, Xiao Yao smiled at Xun'er and said, "Xun'er, the auction is over. I have something to take care of outside. Go back with the clan head and the others later."

Seeing the look on Xiao Yao's face, Xun'er understood what he intended to do. She smiled faintly and said, "Go ahead, Xiao Yao. I'll keep it secret for you."

Xiao Yao left the auction hall first. Once he reached an empty corner, he put on a black hooded cloak, then donned a disguise mask and changed back into his previous appearance.

After finishing, Xiao Yao entered the hall again and headed toward the appraisal room from earlier. Back in the appraisal room, Xiao Yao walked over under the respectful gaze of the middle-aged man, sat down to one side, and asked, "The auction is over. Have the proceeds from my auction items and the things I wanted been settled?"

The middle-aged man respectfully replied, "Please wait a little longer, sir. It will be ready shortly." Hearing this, Xiao Yao quietly closed his eyes and rested.