Chapter 100: The Seventh-Tier Pill!
For a time, the auction hall fell completely silent, with no one speaking. And toward this, Ya Fei was not anxious. She still wore a face full of smiles.
This silence lasted about five minutes. Finally, a tentative voice rang out: "One Mysterious Class high-level Dou Technique!"
Jiang Yun followed the voice and looked. The one who first spoke was a Dou Ling below. After speaking, he sensed several gazes landing on him and immediately grew somewhat nervous.
"One Green Wood Immortal Vine, one Emerald Wave Branch, one Fire Cloud Fruit!" At that moment, another voice sounded. This voice came from within one of the boxes above—clearly a true 'major figure' had made a move.
And right off the bat, they offered the main ingredients for two sixth-tier pills and one fifth-tier pill. If they landed in Jiang Yun's hands, he could produce yet another one or two fifth or sixth-tier pills.
"Vajra Fruit, Blood Cloud Branch..." Following this, as the top powers began making moves, as if breaking some unspoken agreement, one high-tier medicinal ingredient after another was successively bid.
In the end, this fifth-tier Marrow Jade Pill was bought by a Dou Wang in box number thirty-two. Jiang Yun reaped five high-tier medicinal ingredients.
"Xiao Yun, we're rich! We're rich!" At this moment, within the box, Zi Yan excitedly tugged at Jiang Yun's arm, dancing joyfully.
This round's harvest was far easier than going to the Magical Beast Mountain Range herself and raiding others' nests.
Indeed, alchemists earned money the fastest!
"Don't be in such a rush. Don't just look at the medicinal ingredients. If you see anything that interests you, tell me," Jiang Yun soothed the excited Zi Yan, then looked at the others and chuckled.
"Thank you, Brother Jiang Yun!"
"Thank you!"
Feeling Jiang Yun's gaze, Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian paused, then in the next moment, smiles bloomed on their faces. Clearly, Jiang Yun's words warmed their hearts greatly. Who didn't enjoy the feeling of being valued?
And after that fifth-tier pill, Ya Fei brought out several more pills of the same quality. The atmosphere at the scene grew increasingly heated.
As pill after pill was exchanged, the fiery atmosphere lasted for over an hour. Watching pill after fifth-tier pill, rarely seen normally, being traded away one by one, the atmosphere on site became more and more intensely fervent.
Even though most people couldn't afford them, this visual feast could still be considered an eye-opening experience.
Xiao Yan watched the fifth-tier pills being traded, his heart pounding fiercely. Even though his teacher was a former eighth-tier alchemist, his own horizons had yet to be broadened.
Watching precious medicinal ingredient after precious medicinal ingredient, costly Dou Techniques, and cultivation methods tossed out like cabbages in succession, Xiao Yan for the first time gained a direct understanding of just how wealthy alchemists were.
Having just completed the transaction of a pill at a high price, Ya Fei lifted her head, her face glowing. Smiling, she solemnly retrieved three jade bottles. Within them, three tri-color pills, marked with pill markings, quietly rested.
With the appearance of these three pills, everyone present couldn't help but sit up straighter. Fiery gazes locked tightly onto those three pills.
Even though everyone present was no ordinary person, those three pills still seemed to them like something out of legend.
They had merely heard of them but had never truly seen them. Of course, this did not in the slightest hinder the crowd's covetous desire for them.
"Emperor Pills!"
At the location of the Yun Lan Sect's group, the moment the pills appeared, Gu He's eyes never left them. A look of infatuated obsession appeared in his eyes. The patterns on those pills seemed even more attractive than Yun Yun.
Hearing that they were actually Emperor Pills, even someone as serene as Yun Yun felt her heart jolt fiercely. She was already a three-star Dou Huang. If aided by an Emperor Pill, she could immediately break through to four stars, and with good luck, even reach five stars.
The temptation of two stars—even with her temperament, she couldn't help but be moved!
"Teacher..." Seeing Yun Yun acting differently than usual, Nalan Yanran couldn't help but speak up.
"It's nothing, Yanran!"
Giving Nalan Yanran a reassuring look, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes swept over the utterly captivated Gu He, then turned back to look at the Emperor Pills. In Yun Yun's heart, a determination to win them at all costs now arose.
"They're actually Emperor Pills—Emperor Pills with pill markings!" At the same time, in another box, Fa Ma also stared with infatuated obsession at the pills on the crystal stage.
For an alchemist like him, stuck at the peak of fifth-tier, the research value of an Emperor Pill with pill markings was of monumental significance!
What's more, he was also a Dou Huang, and similarly thirsted for an Emperor Pill.
"I imagine everyone knows what this is!" Ya Fei smiled faintly, then swept her gaze across the entire venue. "That's right. This is precisely the Emperor Pill—one that can allow a Dou Huang to advance by one star! With good luck, even advance by two stars!"
"The bidding now begins. Everyone, please proceed."
Those in the venue who desired the Emperor Pill were not few. Immediately, a deep, forceful voice rang out: "Three Mysterious Class high-level cultivation methods!"
"One ten-thousand-year Fire Lingzhi..."
"One quasi-Earth Class low-level Dou Technique..."
Within the venue, in less than two short minutes, one bidding cry after another abruptly caused the atmosphere to heat up. And the auction price, under Ya Fei's smiling gaze, rapidly climbed.
"Mine, all mine..." Listening to bid after bid, Zi Yan stared at the scene below with dazed, dreamy eyes, muttering to herself, gulping her saliva from time to time, expressing her utterly impatient mood.
The bidding price, under those unyielding cries, rose at a rapid pace. In less than ten minutes, the price had already faintly surpassed the limit of what an Emperor Pill would fetch in the Black-Corner Region.
Indeed, in this Jia Ma Empire, they had never seen such a pill in their entire lives. To seize this single, unique opportunity, even if it cost them dearly and left them crippled, they'd spare no expense.
The current price had already exceeded the acceptable range for many. Thus, those bidding were also fewer and fewer, but everyone knew that the ones remaining were the truly wealthy and powerful.
"One sixth-tier pill formula! Three sets of Emperor Pill ingredients! Plus... plus two rank six magic cores!"
Following the previous bids, a somewhat aged voice suddenly rang out.
This price was undoubtedly extremely high. Thus, the auction hall instantly quieted somewhat. Gaze after gaze looked toward the source of the voice.
What met the eyes was a large box. But Jiang Yun easily judged from the other's aura that it was Fa Ma, the president of the Alchemist Association.
The bid just then was his doing. Looking at the pained expression on his face, clearly even for his net worth, this price was somewhat agonizing.
Generally speaking, to invite an alchemist to refine a pill, one similarly needed to prepare three sets of ingredients and a fee, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed.
However, using a sixth-tier pill formula and rank six magic cores as the price to act was still considered a premium.
Thus, for a time, no one contested Fa Ma for that single Emperor Pill.
At this point, with Fa Ma's bid, the following two Emperor Pills were both auctioned off at prices only higher than this one.
After all three Emperor Pills were auctioned off, Jiang Yun had also harvested enough medicinal ingredients to refine seven full sets of Emperor Pills, along with quite a few other high-tier ingredients.
For an alchemist like Jiang Yun, who possessed an exceedingly high pill refinement success rate, when others asked you to refine pills, it was an absolute bargain in blood.
The remaining two pills were bought by Yan Luo Tian and the Mu Lan Three Elders respectively. Although Yun Yun indeed desperately wanted an Emperor Pill, alas, in the contest of financial might, she fell just short.
That made sense. The Mu Lan Valley and the Golden Goose Sect each controlled a great empire. This was different from the Yun Lan Sect, which was at odds with the Imperial Family. They held absolute sway within their own empires.
Naturally, in terms of resources, the Yun Lan Sect couldn't compare to the two.
They could only watch with unwillingness as the pills were bought away by the Mu Lan Three Elders and Yan Luo Tian!
With the three Emperor Pills sold, Ya Fei also let out a long breath. For this auction, her task could be considered perfectly accomplished. What came next was not something she could host.
"This Heaven-tier auction here concludes!"
Along with Ya Fei's announcement, the crowd, just moments ago still immersed in shock at the celestial clashes of the great sects, snapped back to their senses. Hearing Ya Fei's words, an immediate uproar broke out.
Why had this auction stirred up such a massive commotion? Naturally, it was the appearance of a seventh-tier pill that had drawn so many people.
Even though most knew they couldn't afford it, if they could catch a glimpse of a legendary seventh-tier pill, the trip would not be in vain.
Who knew that at the very last moment, Ya Fei would pull this!
"Miss Ya Fei, are you certain the auction has ended?" Sure enough, Yan Luo Tian, who had just felt a sliver of joy from acquiring an Emperor Pill, immediately darkened his expression. Mighty Dou Qi, enveloping his voice, spread throughout the entire venue.
Locked onto by a Dou Zong, Ya Fei instantly felt suffocated. How could a mere Dou Zhe like her withstand the pressure of a Dou Zong?
Sensing Yan Luo Tian's terrifying aura, everyone present felt their spirits jolt. They hadn't expected a Dou Zong to actually be present!
"It's him!"
Sensing this somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar aura, quite a few people in the Jia Ma Empire recalled a terrifying figure and stared in shock in that direction.
"What? If I choose not to sell the pill, does Sect Leader Yan intend to force a sale?"
Just at that moment, a flat, calm voice spread out. Within the voice was contained a peculiar power, as if a gentle breeze brushing the face. Those just previously cowed by the Dou Zong's aura instantly felt their bodies lighten, the oppressive feeling in their hearts completely vanishing.
Ya Fei felt her entire body relax and let out a long breath, her full chest heaving. Only now did she feel that her back was completely soaked through, as if she had walked through the gates of hell once.
She cast a grateful glance at Jiang Yun's figure. But thinking of the several beautiful silhouettes beside Jiang Yun, a wave of loss immediately filled her heart. Just now, she had felt an unprecedented sense of security. Pity this support was not fated to belong to her.
At this moment, the crowd fixed their eyes and looked. A young figure stepped out of the central box, standing at a height, his expression cold and detached as he gazed in one direction.
"Grandmaster Jiang!"
Seeing Jiang Yun appear, countless people walked out of their boxes and saluted toward him. Only now did the crowd at the scene register his identity.
After the shock came thick, dense disbelief. So young?
Many families' children were around this age, right? While their children were still sneaking around causing mischief, someone else was already a revered seventh-tier alchemy grandmaster.
The gap within it all simply made one feel a bit like they were dreaming!
"So this is a genius of the continent?" At that moment, within the crowd, Xiao Yan stared blankly at that black-robed figure with an extraordinary bearing, who was being courted and admired by the masses.
For the first time, he felt how vast the world truly was!
"Are the members of Xun'er's clan all geniuses like this?" As if recalling something, a trace of bewilderment appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes. "Such geniuses... can I catch up to them?"
Amid his confusion, Xiao Yan's gaze flashed past a figure, and his pupils instantly constricted sharply. That was one of the most 'significant' women in his life, the origin of everything.
Nalan Yanran!
At this moment, she was looking at Jiang Yun's back with a face full of adoration and longing.
Instantly, a fierce fighting spirit surged in Xiao Yan's heart. "Nalan Yanran! In the three-year agreement, I will definitely defeat you!"
Inside his ring, Yao Chen watched Xiao Yan reignite his fighting spirit and nodded in gratification. Xiao Yan had indeed matured greatly over these three years. But all this transformation still owed much to Nalan Yanran.
His gaze swept over Jiang Yun. Even in Yao Chen's eyes, a flash of amazement passed. A Spirit Realm soul at such an age—if he hadn't sensed the absence of Yao clan bloodline power within the other, Yao Chen would have thought he was a descendant of the Yao clan.
Recalling that equally transcendent white-robed youth, a trace of worry flickered in Yao Chen's eyes. This era had already produced two such outstanding young men. For Xiao Yan to share an era with these two—was it truly a good thing?
"I wouldn't dare. Yan was merely overzealous in seeking the pill. I beg the Grandmaster's forgiveness!" Seeing Jiang Yun easily neutralize his aura's oppressive lock, Yan Luo Tian, inwardly shocked, also put away the petty schemes in his heart and spoke respectfully.
Casting an indifferent glance at Yan Luo Tian, Jiang Yun didn't make a big fuss over it. He turned and walked back toward the box. At the same time, a jade bottle containing a red pill was flicked out, quietly suspended in the center of the auction hall.
Simultaneously, Jiang Yun's calm, composed words slowly drifted out, stirring a wave of commotion!
"One Sect-Advancing Pill. I formulated it by modifying the formula of the Sect-Breaking Pill. It is ranked at the middle seventh tier and can increase the success rate of breaking through to Dou Zong by fifty percent. Everyone, place your bids!"
"Hiss—"
"Gulp—"
Throughout the auction hall, a chorus of gulping sounds rang out. Everyone stared with burning gazes at the pill suspended in midair. Especially the several peak Dou Huangs—their scorching eyes seemed as if they wished to burn the pill itself to ashes.
A fifty percent breakthrough rate!
In the past, they would break their heads fighting over the Sect-Breaking Pill's mere ten percent success rate. This was a full fifty percent chance!
Who could see this and not be greedy, not be dazed by desire?!
"Seventh-tier pill! You're mine, old man!" Just at that moment, a fierce roar abruptly rang out. A black-robed figure, emanating the aura of a five-star Dou Wang, flapped his Dou Qi wings and shot explosively toward the pill in midair!
"!" The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. Who could have imagined someone would dare make a move at such an occasion?!
"Seeking death!"
"Ang—"
At that moment, a delicate, angry shout came from within the box. In the next instant, a dragon's roar reached everyone's ears. The crowd only felt a dazzling purple light flash past, accompanied by an ultimate, skin-piercing sharpness.
"Boom—"
A terrifying tremor rang out. Sunlight spilled down. When the dust cleared, the crowd saw that a massive hole had been blasted through the auction house's roof.
What was most terrifying was: outside that great hole, in midair, a figure covered in blood, as if completely falling apart, was now pinned motionless within the void, his life or death unknown.
"Spatial power!!!"
"What terrifying application of space!!!"