This blood-generating pill, while precious due to its rare ingredients, wasn't extraordinarily so, as its effects were limited to those with insufficient blood qi. Nevertheless, it sparked a bidding war at the auction, quickly driving its price to three million eight hundred thousand.
"This blood-generating pill is that expensive?" Zhou Yu asked, surprised.
Qian Fuhua, beside him, explained, "Indeed. I also have many of the ingredients needed to refine it. However, traditional medicine is in decline, and fewer people know how to concoct pills, making the craft itself more valuable."
Zhou Yu twitched his lips, thinking he had dozens of bottles of the same pill lying around from his early days of practicing pill refinement.
As expected, the blood-generating pill eventually sold for seven million. The buyer was surprisingly from a third-rate family; rumor had it his son suffered from thalassemia, making the pill a perfect fit.
The subsequent auction items, though not inferior, failed to stir much excitement. Most attendees had already spent heavily and wished to save their funds for the later, more coveted items. Consequently, prices remained only slightly above market value.
Just as Zhou Yu began to feel bored, the host on stage grew mysterious. "What we have next is truly extraordinary."
"Everyone knows about the new drug developed by the Xie family in Jiangnan City, don't you?"
The host's words ignited a buzz among the audience. Jiangnan City wasn't far from Yunhai City, and the affairs between the Xie and Shi families had been widely publicized. Thus, everyone was aware of the Xie family's development of a longevity-extending drug.
"They say the longevity drug can add ten to twenty years to one's lifespan!"
"Don't even mention it. I tried to buy one for my grandfather, but it was impossible to find, no matter the price."
"Exactly. The listed price was six million eight hundred eighty thousand, but even with tens of millions, you might not get one. Rumor has it the ingredients are so rare that they're sold in limited quantities."
"Could it be that the auction today has longevity drugs for sale?"
The crowd's gaze turned toward the stage with renewed intensity. Who wouldn't want to extend their life? Even the young craved such an opportunity.
The host, hearing the whispers, smiled enigmatically and nodded. "That's right. We have managed to procure five of these longevity drugs for this auction!"
"As you all know, while the Xie family sets the price at six million eight hundred eighty thousand, they are currently unavailable. This is a rare opportunity, so seize it!"
"The starting bid for the longevity drug is seven million. Bidding begins now!"
As the host finished speaking, everyone scrambled to raise their bidding paddles, except for Zhou Yu's table.
Observing the frenzy, Zhou Yu turned to Zhu Ling'er. He, as the primary developer of the longevity drug, knew the ingredients weren't as rare as rumored. The six million eight hundred eighty thousand price tag was already a significant profit. He wondered why it was in such high demand.
Zhu Ling'er stuck out her tongue. With the close ties between the Zhu and Xie families, she understood the situation. She whispered, "This is the old man's strategy. If I'm not mistaken, these five longevity drugs are likely being auctioned by the Xie family themselves..."
In other words, the Xie family was creating artificial scarcity to drive up the price of the longevity drug—effectively promoting their own product at a higher valuation.
"Grandpa said this is a temporary strategy to recoup some funds from the wealthy first," Zhu Ling'er quickly explained, sensing Zhou Yu's potential displeasure.
Zhou Yu nodded. Looking at the affluent attendees, he agreed they deserved to loosen their purse strings.
Ultimately, each longevity drug was sold for sixty million, totaling five items. The Xie family members involved in the sale were making a fortune! Zhou Yu couldn't help but admire Elder Xie's business acumen; he was indeed adept at making money.
Following the longevity drugs were calligraphy and paintings. Zhou Yu purchased two pieces, mainly because his Yunlan Tiangong lacked decoration and he wanted to hang them to give the place a sense of liveliness.
After a long wait, the highly anticipated Primordial Stone finally appeared. Unlike other items, which were brought on stage by waitresses in qipaos or covered with a red cloth for mystery, the Primordial Stone was escorted by over a dozen burly bodyguards. Its name alone suggested its value, and many martial artists had come specifically for it, prompting the auction house to take extra security measures.
"Esteemed guests, you already know what the final item is, don't you?" the host declared. "Legend has it that Primordial Qi is the purest gas at the dawn of creation. This Primordial Stone, it is said, contains a trace of this Primordial Violet Qi!"
"Starting bid: sixty million!"
As the host finished, bids began to rise. Previously, the bidding had been primarily among those in the main hall, with prices not reaching exorbitant levels. However, for the Primordial Stone, even patrons in the private boxes started raising their paddles. The bids quickly surpassed one hundred million. Soon, the main hall fell silent, as most of the smaller families' total assets couldn't match such a sum. The competition intensified among the box patrons.
With each successive bid, the host's smile widened. "Two hundred million! Two hundred million for the first time, two hundred million for the second time, two hundred million..."
The bidding stalled at two hundred million. Although the Primordial Stone was valuable, no one present knew its exact function or whether it could be used by martial artists. Hence, they hesitated to bid higher.
Just as the Primordial Stone was about to be sold, Zhou Yu raised his paddle. "Su family bids, three hundred million."
Zhou Yu's announcement sent the entire venue into an uproar. Even the wealthiest patrons in the boxes bid in increments of millions, at most ten million. No one had ever raised the bid by a full hundred million like Zhou Yu. All eyes turned to the Su family's table, curious about who possessed such immense wealth.
Unfazed by the attention, Zhou Yu remained still. The host, however, began to call out: "Three hundred million for the first time! Three hundred million for the second time! Three hundred million... Excellent! VIP number 96 bids again, three hundred and twenty million!"