"One thousand gold coins!"
The jade token was revealed first in the private room of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
This time, it wasn't the shrill-voiced eunuch who spoke, but rather the voice of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe himself.
His voice was calm yet powerful, carrying the composure and majesty unique to the Imperial Family, which silenced the entire auction hall for a moment.
Xue Qinghe himself made the bid, not having his servants do it on his behalf, but using his own voice.
This means that the Heaven Dou Imperial Family attaches great importance to this elixir, elevating it to the level of a national strategy.
Everyone present was shrewd; they immediately read the signal from Xue Qinghe's attitude:
The Heaven Dou Imperial Family's attitude towards the Dark Hall was not one of suppression or observation, but rather one of full support.
"Five thousand five hundred!"
Representative Xu of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect showed no weakness.
He stood up from the private box, placed his hands on the window frame, and stared intently at the crimson pill on the auction stage.
He had received a secret order from the sect before he arrived—to obtain at least one Mysterious Yang Pill at all costs.
It wasn't just about the pills themselves, but also about getting the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's name on the Dark Hall's list of partners.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect is renowned for its lightning-attribute Martial Soul. Its disciples are all known for their fierce personalities and rapid cultivation speed, but their foundations are prone to instability.
The Mysterious Yang Pill, a pill that allows for gentle breakthroughs without any side effects, is practically tailor-made for them.
Two thousand!
Huyan Lie of the Elephant Armor Sect once again poked his head out of the private room window, this time squeezing out most of his body.
His thick arms braced against the window frame, making the wooden frame creak.
His eyes were wide open, like copper bells, fixed on the crimson pill on the auction stage.
The disciples of the Elephant Armor Sect are known for their defense and strength, but their cultivation speed is the slowest among Soul Master of the same level.
They are enormous in size, with meridians that are thicker than those of ordinary people, requiring more than twice the amount of Soul Power to accumulate compared to ordinary Soul Master.
For the Elephant Armor Sect, a single pill that can directly elevate Soul King by one level means saving them several years of arduous cultivation.
Just when everyone thought the price was high enough, Dugu Bo's voice suddenly rang out on the auction stage.
He remained standing on the auction stage, calmly raising his number paddle.
Three thousand.
His voice was calm as still water, yet it stunned everyone present for a moment.
The Poison Douluo himself participated in the auction—what does this mean?
This means that even Titled Douluo acknowledges the value of this pill, and it also means that the pill's effects are so potent that even Titled Douluo is tempted by it.
Dugu Bo no longer needed this elixir.
He was already Titled Douluo, so the Mysterious Yang Pill had negligible effect on him.
But sitting beside him were Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng, one of whom had recently broken through to the Soul King, and the other was still in the Soul King stage.
The Mysterious Yang Pill was a godsend for them.
The meaning behind his words couldn't be clearer:
I bought this elixir for my granddaughter and her future husband.
Before you start bidding, you should carefully consider your own capabilities.
After a brief silence, Xue Qinghe's voice came from the private room again:
"Three thousand five hundred."
Her voice remained calm, but the magnitude of the price increase sent a collective gasp through the room.
The price jump from three thousand to three thousand five hundred gold coins, an increase of five hundred gold coins, is extremely rare in the history of the Heaven Dou Auction House.
More importantly, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and Poison Douluo have always kept to themselves.
Qian Renxue's move to raise the price was clearly not aimed at Dugu Bo.
The increase of five hundred gold coins was just right—it wouldn't offend Dugu Bo, yet it demonstrated to the Dark Hall his sincerity in Dou Emperor, making him more sincere than others.
It is an extremely subtle sense of political tact.
Ning Fengzhi did not continue bidding. He sat upright in the private room, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the chair, a meaningful smile on his lips.
He had already gone on stage with Dugu Bo to appraise the Mysterious Yang Pill, so it would be somewhat inappropriate for him to participate in the bidding now, regardless of the outcome.
If they continue bidding, it would make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect appear too powerful, which might make other forces feel suppressed and negatively impact cooperation negotiations after the auction.
Not making a bid would actually make him appear calm and magnanimous, which is more in line with his demeanor as the head of a sect.
Moreover, Xiao Yan hadn't yet revealed his truly valuable possessions, a fact he knew better than anyone else present.
Every gold coin spent now is a gesture of goodwill towards the Dark Hall, and Ning Fengzhi is confident in this.
The relationship between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Dark Hall does not need to be maintained through bidding at auctions.
The first Mysterious Yang Pill was ultimately acquired by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family for 3,500 gold coins.
The moment the gavel fell, Shopkeeper Qian's ebony auction gavel struck the table with a crisp, heavy sound that echoed for several breaths in the quiet hall.
The bidding for the second Mysterious Yang Pill was even more intense.
After losing their strongest rival, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, Representative Xu of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, once pushed the price up to 3,200 gold coins.
Ultimately, in the bidding against the Elephant Armor Sect, they won the bid for 3,800 gold coins.
The bidding for the third Mysterious Yang Pill was the most delicate.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Family has already secured one, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect has secured another. Among the remaining forces, Hu Huyan Lie of the Elephant Armor Sect was originally the most promising.
But just as Huyan Lie was about to announce the price of 2,500 gold coins, Dugu Bo raised his paddle again.
Three thousand.
His voice remained calm and even, yet it Huyan Lie Yanlie swallow back the offer he was about to make.
Huyan Lie wouldn't dare to try and steal something from Poison Douluo.
Even the most reckless person knows who they can and cannot mess with.
He was so frustrated that his face contorted with anger, but in the end he still put down the jade pendant.
In the end, the third Mysterious Yang Pill was acquired by Dugu Bo for three thousand gold coins.
Dugu Bo put down the jade pendant, turned to look at Dugu Yan, and a rare, gentle smile appeared on his lips.
Dugu Yan took her grandfather's arm, her eyes crinkling with laughter. Yu Tianheng sat beside her, still with his usual composed demeanor, but his fingers tapped lightly on his knee.
That was a habitual action he took when he was in a good mood.
When the hammer fell on the last item, thunderous applause erupted throughout the auction hall.
Some were overjoyed because they had managed to snag the elixir, while others felt honored to have witnessed an unprecedented auction.
More people were plotting how to establish connections with the Dark Hall.
After the auction, the guests gradually dispersed under the guidance of the royal guards.
Xiao Yan stood at the window of the VIP lounge on the second floor, watching the last carriage disappear around the corner of the central square.
A moment later, a soft footstep sound came from the end of the corridor.
The footsteps were light and steady, each step measured with precision, as if measured with a ruler.
The door to the private room was gently pushed open, Ning Fengzhi walked in first.
He changed into a more casual blue robe than he had worn at the auction, clearly indicating that he had come prepared for a long talk.
Ning Rongrong took his arm and followed closely behind.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong followed behind, one on the left and one on the right. Chen Xin still held his long sword horizontally in his arms, while Gu Rong remained as silent as an iron tower.
" Sect Master Ning, it's been a long time."
Xiao Yan personally brewed Ning Fengzhi a cup of hot tea.
The emerald green tea poured from the spout, tracing a graceful arc in the air before landing steadily in the cup, without a single drop spilling.
He pushed the teacup in front of Ning Fengzhi, his tone sincere.
Ning Fengzhi took the teacup, took a sip, and the aroma of tea filled his mouth.
He placed the teacup back on the coffee table, his gaze lingering on Xiao Yan for a moment, his worldly-wise eyes holding a mixture of admiration and scrutiny.
" Hall Master Xiao, you needn't be so polite."
Long time no see, my heroic young man!
The Mysterious Yang Pill you presented today has shown the Dark Hall's strength to the entire Heaven Dou City.
But I know these are just your stepping stones.
What you really want to do is not to sell pills, but to help the Dark Hall establish a firm foothold on this continent.
" Sect Master Ning has exceptional insight."
Xiao Yan put down his teacup and looked calmly at Ning Fengzhi.
The reason Xiao Yan met with Ning Fengzhi after the auction was to reach a cooperation agreement with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School.
But true cooperation requires an in-depth, face-to-face conversation, where all the stakes are laid out on the table and everyone is completely honest with each other.
" The Dark Hall is still very immature. To truly establish itself, it needs three things:"
Allies, resources, and protection.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can provide these three items.
In exchange, the Dark Hall can only offer elixirs at this stage.
Xiao Yan spoke frankly, taking out a pre-prepared cooperation agreement from his pocket.
The handwriting on the parchment was neat and clear, and every clause was written clearly—a three-page agreement. The first page was the list of elixirs supplied, the second page was the profit-sharing arrangement, and the third page was the protection clause.
The protection clause was added by Xiao Yan himself, the handwriting slightly firmer than the other parts, the ink slightly raised on the paper:
"If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect suffers an attack from the Spirit Hall because it protected the Dark Hall."
The Dark Hall pledged to use all its elixir reserves as a shared defensive resource, remaining steadfast in its commitment.
Ning Fengzhi read through the three-page agreement from beginning to end.
He read at a steady pace, finishing each page word by word, and then handed it to Bone Douluo Gu Rong, beside him.
Gu Rong's sharp eyes swept across the parchment, and after reviewing it, he nodded slightly to Ning Fengzhi.
Then Ning Fengzhi tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the coffee table.
Mysterious Yang Pill is a good thing, as are Blood Coagulation Powder and Qi Gathering Pill, but ultimately, these things can all be measured in gold coins.
What Xiao Yan requested—protection, intelligence sharing, and strategic alliance—was of value beyond what could be measured in gold coins.
Once the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Dark Hall formally form an alliance, it means that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will clearly choose sides between the Spirit Hall and the Dark Hall.
This decision carries weight, and even he, as the head of a sect, needs to consider it carefully.
He has too many risks to weigh.
How will the Spirit Hall react?
Will the disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect be implicated as a result?
Will the two great empires take this opportunity to exert pressure? There are no ready-made answers to any of these questions.
But he also knew that opportunities and risks always coexist.
If we miss this opportunity, once the Spirit Hall recovers, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect may not even have the right to choose anymore.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Xiao Yan, but as the sect leader, he had to be responsible for the lives of hundreds of disciples in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
" Hall Master Xiao, I'll be frank."
Your pills are indeed good stuff, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect really needs them.
But you should understand what the Dark Hall's protection means.
The Spirit Hall is not Hundred Herbs Pavilion, Bibi Dong is not Salas.
Once the Spirit Hall discovers that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is protecting the Dark Hall, the first thing they will do is cut off all of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's resources from the outside world.
Medicinal herbs, minerals, capital, and connections.
Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is the number one support sect in the world, in terms of direct combat power, it is far inferior to the Spirit Hall.
As the sect leader, I must consider the risks of this step.
Blood Coagulation Powder, Qi Gathering Pill, and Mysterious Yang Pill —these three pills can cultivate a group of low- and mid-level disciples for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but these alone are not enough for me to risk the safety of the entire sect.
I need a more substantial reason.
Ning Fengzhi spoke these words in a gentle tone, but the weight of his words was by no means light.
We don't have enough chips at the moment.
Xiao Yan listened quietly without rushing to refute.
He picked up the teacup, took a sip, then put the teacup back on the tea table and took out a small jade bottle from his Black Dragon Ring.
The jade bottle was smaller than any of the elixir bottles that had been auctioned before, only about the size of a thumb, and its entire surface was a deep, dark jade color.
It was this unremarkable little bottle that made Sword Douluo Chen Xin suddenly open his eyes.
For the first time, a noticeable tremor appeared in his usually calm and collected eyes.
He sensed it.
An extremely subtle yet extremely powerful energy fluctuation was slowly emanating from the black jade bottle.
That energy was different from Soul Power, different from Martial Soul, and even different from the Mysterious Yang Pill he had sensed before.
It is purer and more condensed, like a heart compressed to its limit, beating slowly and powerfully inside the bottle.
"This is the Breaking Three Yang Blazing Fire Pill."
Xiao Yan's voice was calm, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.
"If Soul Emperor takes this, his cultivation level will directly increase by two levels."
There are no side effects. The formula for this pill is known only to me.
No one in the entire Douluo Continent can replicate this elixir.
Sect Master Ning just said that a more substantial reason is needed. Is this Barrier-Breaking Pill substantial enough?
Ning Fengzhi's hand paused slightly.
The Soul Emperor leveled up by two.
He hadn't heard such a straightforward yet impactful promise in a long time.