Half an hour later, the auction's third and final stage officially began.
After the buildup of the first two stages, everyone present and everyone watching the live broadcast was eager to see what came next.
The auction had been running for seven hours, yet many people were still beside themselves with excitement.
Even when their eyelids began to droop, they slapped themselves to stay awake.
A blood-red ginseng appeared on the display platform, encased in reinforced glass.
"This is a Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng. I won't go into its effects. The opening bid is one Beli. Let the bidding begin!"
Auctioneer Aaron smiled mysteriously.
The Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng held a tremendous amount of energy and medicinal power.
Eating it could rapidly restore stamina and heal injuries.
It could not bring back the dead or regrow flesh on bare bones, but in a fierce battle, it could save a life.
It was immensely useful even to the strongest fighters.
To anyone, it was a rare and precious medicine.
In this world, even animals possessed tremendous vitality and grew to enormous sizes.
Some plants were more extraordinary still.
The Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng was translucent as a newborn's skin. Like a peerless beauty standing before them, it drew one greedy gaze after another.
For the elderly whose vitality was fading and whose deaths were near, that abundant life force was a treasure that could prolong their lives, replenish their strength, and give them a second spring.
Some might not have bothered competing for the painting earlier.
But who could turn away from this ginseng?
Faced with death, wealth meant little. There were far too many elderly people and powerful figures like that across the seas.
The aging kings of some kingdoms had resolved to buy the ginseng even if it meant emptying their kingdoms'