"I'll bid eleven hundred million!"
As soon as Ming Xuanyuan finished speaking, someone immediately raised their hand and shouted.
However, less than a second after he called out this price, someone else immediately shouted, "Twelve hundred million!"
"Fifteen hundred million!"
"Eighteen hundred million!"
"I bid two billion!"
"..."
In just half a minute, the price had climbed to three billion.
A five-thousand-year-old Lingzhi was a truly rare treasure! Used as medicine, it could bring the dead back to life and mend shattered bones. For cultivation, if one could fully refine it, it was even possible to advance a whole major realm!
Therefore, the cultivators present, to obtain this Lingzhi, spared no effort and were willing to go all out!
Seeing the price climb so rapidly to three billion in the blink of an eye, Ming Xuanyuan was overjoyed, his smile stretching from ear to ear!
Qin Yi stood below the stage, quietly watching everyone bid, remaining silent.
A five-thousand-year-old Lingzhi was indeed worth three billion, even more! But the Lingzhi in the box was not five thousand years old; it was only one thousand years old.
A thousand-year-old Lingzhi was worth significantly less. In Qin Yi's estimation, fifteen hundred million was already the absolute maximum for a thousand-year-old Lingzhi!
"Why aren't you bidding?" Xue Qiao'er suddenly asked Qin Yi.
Qin Yi turned to look at her and said, "Aren't you not bidding either?"
"My main purpose for coming to Hai City this time is for you, not for anything else!" Xue Qiao'er replied.
"..." Qin Yi was left speechless.
At this moment, Luo Dexuan walked up to Qin Yi and asked, "Mr. Qin, why haven't you bid? Is it because you don't have enough money?"
"Mr. Qin, if you want to bid for this Lingzhi and are short on funds, I can support you with some!"
Earlier, Luo Dexuan had made a bid, but it was quickly surpassed by others.
Although Luo Dexuan was a sect leader, the Tie Xian Fist Hall was not extremely wealthy. He could, at most, come up with over a billion.
Seeing that the Lingzhi's price had already been pushed to three billion, Luo Dexuan knew he couldn't afford it. He thought it would be better to curry favor with Qin Yi.
If Qin Yi wanted to bid, he could lend him the over a billion!
Before Qin Yi could answer, the Zhuge family head also approached and said, "Mr. Qin, if you don't have enough money, our Zhuge family can also lend you some!"
The Zhuge family head was in a similar situation to Luo Dexuan. He couldn't afford to bid on the Lingzhi himself, but if Qin Yi wanted to, he could lend him the money.
After all, he had always wanted to build a good relationship with Qin Yi.
Moreover, Luo Dexuan had told him earlier that Qin Yi had destroyed Bushido. Although he still found it incredible and somewhat unbelievable, it had only deepened his resolve to befriend Qin Yi!
For this reason, he was quite willing to spend several hundred million to gain Qin Yi's favor!
Besides, he said he would lend, not give...
Qin Yi listened to their words and replied with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, but it's not necessary!"
The Zhuge family head subconsciously said, "Judging by the current situation, this Lingzhi from Miaobao Pavilion won't be acquired for less than fifty billion today! Mr. Qin, do you have over fifty billion in cash on you?"
Qin Yi shook his head.
He currently had only tens of millions spread across a few bank cards, not even a hundred million. How could he have over fifty billion!
Luo Dexuan, seeing this, asked in surprise, "Does Mr. Qin have no interest in this Lingzhi?"
"Of course I'm interested!" Qin Yi replied without hesitation.
"???"
"..."
This time, Luo Dexuan and the Zhuge family head were stunned, unable to understand Qin Yi's intention.
He was interested, didn't have that much money, so why refuse their help?
Qin Yi sensed their confusion but did not explain anything to them.
His gaze returned to the stage.
During the time they were talking, the bidding had already risen to fifty billion.
After the price reached fifty billion, the pace of bidding noticeably slowed down. This was because this price was no longer affordable for everyone.
Ming Xuanyuan, Xiang Zuo, and Xiang You were so excited when someone bid fifty billion that their excitement almost solidified into substance!
We're making a fortune, a fortune...
They had stolen a thousand-year-old Lingzhi, packaged it as a five-thousand-year-old one, and sold it for a sky-high price of fifty billion. They had truly struck it rich!
Furthermore, looking at the situation, the bidding was clearly not over yet, and the price was likely to rise further!
Thus, Ming Xuanyuan stood on stage, holding the box with one hand, and scanned the crowd, saying, "Is anyone else willing to bid higher?"
Below the stage, people looked at each other. Many, though unwilling, were limited by their financial capabilities and remained silent.
Ming Xuanyuan continued, "Everyone, this is a five-thousand-year-old Lingzhi, possibly the only one in existence! Seize this opportunity, or you'll never encounter it again!"
"So, does anyone else want to bid?"
Still, no one spoke from below.
In this situation, the cultivator who had bid fifty billion began to urge, "If no one bids, this Lingzhi belongs to me, Shen Banian! Protector Ming, announce the end quickly!"
Ming Xuanyuan was somewhat reluctant. He scanned the crowd, hoping someone else would bid.
But after a few seconds, no one spoke.
Ming Xuanyuan, deeply disappointed, had no choice but to announce, "In that case, this..."
Who would have thought, before he could finish his sentence, Qin Yi suddenly raised his right hand.
Seeing this, Ming Xuanyuan was overjoyed, instantly stopping his words and changing his question to, "Little Friend Qin, how much will you bid?"
All eyes immediately turned to Qin Yi.
Luo Dexuan and the Zhuge family head were bewildered!
The price had already reached fifty billion, and he didn't need their help, so how could he dare to bid?
Luo Dexuan whispered a reminder, "Mr. Qin, at Miaobao Pavilion's auctions, once someone bids, they cannot go back on their word! If anyone retracts their bid, or fails to produce the money at the end, Miaobao Pavilion will not let it go!"
The Zhuge family head echoed, "That's right. I remember last time, a minor sect leader, because he bid at Miaobao Pavilion and couldn't produce the money, was almost annihilated by Miaobao Pavilion!"
"It was only with the intervention of the Order Hall that the sect was saved! However, the sect leader who bid was still crippled by Miaobao Pavilion!"
Clearly, they were worried that Qin Yi would bid casually and then be unable to produce the money, thus offending Miaobao Pavilion!
Qin Yi heard them but paid no attention, still holding up his right hand.
Then, he even took a few steps forward, approaching the stage.
Under the expectant gazes of Ming Xuanyuan, Xiang Zuo, and Xiang You, he held up a single finger.
Xiang You blurted out, "You bid ten billion???"
The entire audience was filled with shocked expressions!
Qin Yi shook his head and faintly uttered, "I bid one yuan!"