Shui Ling glanced at his retreating back with disdain. "Such a smug, self-satisfied look, it makes one want to..."
After the group entered, Xie Yu slapped his head, realizing belatedly, "Look at my head, I should have thought of this long ago. How could I have forgotten this matter."
Xie Yuzhu snorted, "Have you ever done anything reliably?"
Xie Yu said sheepishly, "My knowing Shopkeeper Mo is quite reliable, isn't it?"
Xie Yuzhu: "Shameless!"
Mo Qi smiled and nodded, "This is indeed the most reliable thing you've ever done."
They had entered, but then encountered another problem: they needed to present their tokens at the registration desk to pay a deposit, after which they would receive bidding numbers and be eligible to participate in the auction. Wu Siqi said he was just there to experience it and hadn't planned to bid on anything. However, Mo Qi had to bid. At this moment, Xie Yuhuan handed him her token, saying, "I'm also here to experience it and don't want to bid on anything. You can use this token."
Mo Qi hesitated for a moment before accepting it.
Xie Yuchan and Xie Yuzhu both glared at Xie Yuhuan, thinking her attempt to curry favor was too obvious, which made Xie Yuhuan's small face flush.
In the end, among the group, only Wu Siqi, Xie Yuhuan, Xiao Cui, and Xiao Hong did not pay the deposit. The rest paid their deposits and received their bidding numbers.
After collecting their bidding numbers, they entered the auction hall. It was crowded, a sea of people. There were no seats left in the front, so they had to sit in the last row. Xie Yuchan and Shui Ling, unnoticed, sat next to Mo Qi.
On stage, a woman with a fiery figure was passionately introducing a magical artifact: "This is the Immortal Binding Rope, originating from the Eastern Continent. Legend has it that it was the sect's ultimate treasure. After many turns, it ended up in the Southern Continent. This treasure grows with the wind and moves with objects. Under the impetus of spiritual power, it binds demons and gods alike, leaving no escape on heaven or earth. The starting bid is fifty million spirit stone coins, with each bid increasing by five million spirit stone coins."
"I want to buy this!" Xie Yuchan said, raising her bidding card.
Xie Yu was greatly alarmed: "Do you have that many spirit stone coins? Don't bid recklessly."
Xie Yuzhu also said, "I certainly didn't bring that much spirit stone coin. You'll have to figure it out yourself later."
Xie Yuchan said dismissively, "I'll go back and ask Father for money."
"Father probably won't give you that much at once," Xie Yuhuan said.
At this moment, someone in front raised a card: "Sixty million!" Xie Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. At least someone else had snatched it. What would they do if no one bid?
"Seventy million!" Xie Yuchan stood up decisively, looking as if she was ready to fight to the end.
Xie Yu almost choked on his spit, stamping his foot in frustration. "I shouldn't have brought you."
He looked eagerly at the person in front, hoping they would bid again. However, once, twice, the person remained silent. Xie Yu was nearing despair.
Xie Yuchan, on the other hand, appeared leisurely and smug.
"Eighty million!" Someone else raised a card. Everyone looked towards the source and saw it was Xue Ying, who had been silent beside them!
What if she was the sect leader's daughter? Did that mean the sect leader's daughter could bully others with impunity?
Xie Yuchan was furious. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to go all out. At this moment, several figures simultaneously surrounded her: Xie Yu, Xie Yuzhu, and Xie Yuhuan. They covered her mouth, grabbed her hands, or held her head, forcibly suppressing her intended bid of "Ninety million."
After the hammer fell, Xie Yuchan cried, "You're all bullying me!"
However, Xue Ying's appearance to bid for this artifact did surprise Mo Qi. Seeing her delicate and weak appearance, who would have thought she was so resolute?
Mo Qi didn't dislike these artifacts; he just wanted to save his spirit stone coins to bid for the Nine Lives Grass. No one knew how high this spirit grass would go. The Nine Lives Grass had numerous uses. Mortals could extend their lifespan and cure all diseases. Cultivators could refine elixirs, improve their cultivation, prolong their lives, and even bring the dead back to life. Furthermore, value was determined by scarcity. The growing conditions for the Nine Lives Grass were extremely harsh, and its growth period was very long. Therefore, a top-grade Nine Lives Grass could be considered a once-in-a-millennium rarity.
Several more auction items were presented consecutively, none of which were particularly eye-catching. Their starting bids did not exceed one million spirit stone coins. Xie Yuchan felt as if she had missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and angrily patted Xie Yu's head, saying, "Who told you to stop me earlier?"
Xie Yu covered his head and cried aggrievedly, "It wasn't just me who stopped you."
At this moment, another auction item was presented on stage, immediately causing a stir.
Inside a delicate, transparent box was a pill.
Everyone was thinking, with so many pill shops around, why would anyone come here to bid for a pill? They must be out of their minds.
However, the murmurs from below did not diminish the presenter's enthusiasm. With a smile and shining eyes, she spoke excitedly, her words tumbling out like galloping hooves: "This is the Beast Soul Pill from the Nine Divine Realms, refined by a rising alchemist in the Nine Divine Realms. As everyone knows, no one has been able to refine this Beast Soul Pill for thousands of years. And this alchemist, a once-in-a-millennium genius, emerged with rare talent and refined a batch of Beast Soul Pills. Afterward, she died unexpectedly, like a fleeting flower. This batch of refined Beast Soul Pills became a limited edition. The original number of these limited edition Beast Soul Pills was already small, and they have been largely consumed in the Nine Divine Realms. What you see here is likely the only Beast Soul Pill in existence."
First, there was an uproar from below, followed by a sigh.
Mo Qi cursed Zhong Gui in his heart, calling him cunning. He had refined the Beast Soul Pills himself, originally intending them to counter his own Mist Dispersion Pills. Who knew that he hadn't distributed them at all and instead sold them under Zhen Zhen's name.
He was certain that Mo Qi would no longer refine or use Mist Dispersion Pills. Since there were no Mist Dispersion Pills, why waste these treasures on disciples? Therefore, Zhong Gui and Lai Yaoshi were both unscrupulous merchants, not cultivators.
Later, Mo Qi was busy with various matters and under public pressure, he didn't go to extract souls from demonic beasts. It was also difficult to find existing beast souls, so he didn't refine any more Beast Soul Pills. As a result, he accidentally created a "limited edition."
At this moment, Mo Qi suddenly had an idea: if he only refined one or two of all his pills, would they all be limited editions?
The presenter with the fiery figure continued: "After taking this Beast Soul Pill, not only will your cultivation increase rapidly, but the killing power of your techniques and divine abilities will also be enhanced. For example, if you are using a flying sword, a barrier that was previously impenetrable might be instantly penetrated after taking the Beast Soul Pill. In addition to these numerous benefits, such as extending lifespan, strengthening the body, and enhancing certain abilities, users have all reported positive results. The starting bid is one hundred million spirit stone coins, with each bid increasing by ten million spirit stone coins."
Mo Qi was overwhelmed with emotion. What kind of world was this!
What pained him even more was that someone below responded: "One hundred and ten million!"
"One hundred and twenty million!"
"One hundred and thirty million!" Without any warning, Xue Ying suddenly raised her card.
Everyone looked at her in astonishment. They believed her father had the means, but at this rate of spending, even a mountain of gold wouldn't be enough for her.
"One hundred and forty million!" Someone in front bid. Xie Yu saw it was someone from the Cui family. He thought, perhaps only the Cui family had such boldness. Many people had the purchasing power of over a hundred million, but it depended on what they were buying. If it were a manor, many would buy it. But if it were just a pill, besides having the purchasing power, one also needed the courage.
Xue Ying wanted to bid again.
Mo Qi reached out, passed over Shui Ling's head, and stopped her: "Miss Xue, actually, I can also refine this kind of pill. I'll refine a batch then and give you one directly. There's no need to spend so much."
Xue Ying was stunned, not expecting Mo Qi to stop her. She then pondered and said, "But this pill is a limited edition, after all!"
Mo Qi hesitated, then seemed to make a great decision and said, "Actually, this pill was refined by me."
As soon as he said this, not only Xue Ying didn't believe him, but Shui Ling, Jin Yan, the Xie siblings, and others also didn't believe him. Wu Siqi was skeptical, because in the Nine Divine Realms, if there was one famous alchemist, it was Zhen Zhen. However, the pills she refined were far less potent than Mo's pills, and it was not heard that she refined Beast Soul Pills. Moreover, he knew very well that Zhen Zhen was famous in the Nine Divine Realms largely because of that beauty pageant.
"Zhen Zhen can't refine Beast Soul Pills," Mo Qi said, as if speaking to Xue Ying, or perhaps to himself. His tone was filled with heartbreak, and anyone could hear the myriad of bitterness and helplessness in his words. Xue Ying felt that Mo Qi had a special affection for the deceased Zhen Zhen.
"I believe you," Xue Ying said decisively.
"One hundred and fifty million!" Shui Ling raised her card.
Mo Qi rolled his eyes: "If you want me to give you one, just say so. There's no need to be so indirect."
Shui Ling lowered her head, feigning shyness: "I'm shy."
Mo Qi gave her a look: "If no one else bids later, what will you do?"
Shui Ling smiled: "You'll help me."
Mo Qi turned his face away, putting on a cool demeanor: "Do you think I'll pay attention to you!"
At this moment, the presenter on stage was already counting: "One hundred and fifty million once, one hundred and fifty million twice..."
Mo Qi and Shui Ling's hearts were clenched!
Suddenly, the Cui family in front raised their card again: "One hundred and sixty million!"
Mo Qi and Shui Ling both breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, Jin Yan was tentatively about to raise her card. Mo Qi immediately said, "I'll give you one later too." Jin Yan immediately lowered her slowly raised hand. Mo Qi then said to Wu Siqi and the Xie siblings, "Those of you with cards, don't bid. After I refine the Beast Soul Pills, I'll give each of you one. Everyone here will get one."
Everyone was overjoyed and burst into cheers. The people in the hall, not understanding what was happening, all turned to look at them, their expressions like they were looking at lunatics. The group immediately fell silent and turned their attention back to the stage.
Finally, the Cui family acquired the Beast Soul Pill for one hundred and sixty million spirit stone coins.
After an unknown amount of time, the Nine Lives Grass was brought out. Xie Yu looked at Mo Qi, saying excitedly, "It's here, it's here."
Mo Qi was also extremely excited. His hands and feet trembled uncontrollably, and his mind buzzed. He didn't even hear the presenter's vivid description. Finally, he heard a bid: "The starting bid is two hundred million spirit stone coins!"
A low gasp echoed through the hall.
This starting bid had already eliminated a large number of people! Many had come for this Nine Lives Grass. Seeing that bidding was hopeless, they shook their heads and sighed, withdrawing from the venue.
Amidst the commotion, Mo Qi raised his bidding card: "Two hundred and ten million!"
The presenter on stage excitedly shouted, "Someone has bid, someone has bid!" It seemed she didn't believe anyone could afford to bid at this starting price, so she was naturally surprised and delighted to see a response.