The auction proceeded in an orderly fashion, while Ye Nantian was escorted backstage for the transaction of the Breakthrough Pill.
"Sold for five hundred million. Will you be paying by card or bank transfer?"
The staff member, after carefully boxing the Breakthrough Pill, asked Ye Nantian.
"Damn it, I'm not paying by card or bank transfer! Hand it over!"
Ye Nantian had no intention of paying. Upon seeing the Breakthrough Pill, his eyes gleamed with greed, and he lunged to snatch it.
The staff member, caught off guard by someone attempting to steal an item at an auction, was momentarily stunned as Ye Nantian snatched the box away.
Su Fan, who was in the backstage area, witnessed the entire event.
"Friend, I advise you to pay up obediently," Su Fan said softly.
"Heh!" Ye Nantian sneered dismissively.
"I won't pay. What can you do about it?"
Ye Nantian's brazen attitude made one want to punch him.
As he spoke, he exuded the aura of a peak Kaiyang realm cultivator, intending to renege on the payment through sheer force.
"Sigh." Su Fan sighed softly.
"Uncle-Master, I'll trouble you," Su Fan said to Fang Yunzi, who was seated beside the auction stage.
"A small matter," Fang Yunzi replied nonchalantly.
He had only recently broken through and saw this as an opportunity to stretch his limbs.
"Fang Yunzi?" Ye Nantian actually recognized Fang Yunzi.
"Old man Ye, at your age, you still resort to such thievery. Aren't you ashamed?" Fang Yunzi taunted.
"This has nothing to do with you. You'd best not meddle," Ye Nantian warned Fang Yunzi.
He wasn't afraid of Fang Yunzi; both were peak Kaiyang realm cultivators, and their relative strengths were unknown.
"Alas, your Ye family's reckless nature is truly a tradition. Utterly foolish!" Fang Yunzi ceased his banter and stepped forward, striking Ye Nantian with a palm. His Jade Heng realm strength was immediately revealed.
Ye Nantian's pupils contracted instantly. He couldn't believe Fang Yunzi had already broken through to the Jade Heng realm!
Boom!
Ye Nantian's figure was sent flying directly from the backstage, landing beside the auction stage.
Fang Yunzi, now dressed in security attire, emerged from the backstage, holding the box containing the Breakthrough Pill.
This sudden turn of events brought the auction to a halt. The auctioneer looked towards the commotion with confusion.
"My apologies for the interruption, everyone. This individual made a fraudulent bid, unable to afford the price he offered, and attempted to forcibly seize the auctioned item. He and his entire family have been blacklisted by our Martial Alliance. Guards, escort all members of the Ye family out!" Dongfang Tingyin, following closely behind Fang Yunzi, announced to the assembled crowd.
This was a perfect opportunity to showcase the Martial Alliance's might and let people know they were not to be trifled with, preventing frequent disturbances.
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
Ye Nantian, a peak Kaiyang realm cultivator, had been defeated and rendered unconscious?
The attendees began to re-evaluate the Martial Alliance. Their ability to present such treasures and their rapid rise were no accident; the Martial Alliance's strength was not to be underestimated.
"Grandfather!" Ye Xingchen exclaimed and rushed to Ye Nantian's side, looking helpless at his unconscious grandfather.
"Young Master Ye, please!" Security personnel quickly approached, their demeanor polite yet firm as they escorted Ye Xingchen out.
Ye Xingchen glared at the security guards and then resentfully at Dongfang Tingyin and the other Martial Alliance members. He could only leave in disgrace, filled with anger but unable to voice it. With his peak Kaiyang realm grandfather defeated, what else could he do?
"My apologies for the brief interruption. This Breakthrough Pill will be re-auctioned. Please bid rationally and within your means," Dongfang Tingyin seized the opportunity to warn the attendees against reckless bidding.
Following this incident, the atmosphere in the hall quieted considerably, and the bidding became stable, with no further instances of irrational offers. The first two Breakthrough Pills were sold for four hundred and eighty million and four hundred and seventy million respectively.
The competition for the final Breakthrough Pill became even more intense, with the price steadily climbing, even surpassing the previous two. Some who had observed the price trend from the earlier auctions and lacked sufficient funds had already instructed their younger family members to fetch more money. With the funds now arriving, the price continued to surge.
"Five hundred million!" The price once again reached five hundred million.
"Five hundred and ten million!" A person in a black robe raised their hand.
All eyes turned towards them. This price had reached a new height. Ye Nantian was the first to bid five hundred million, and he hadn't even paid yet. Now, someone had bid five hundred and ten million!
"Five hundred and twenty million!" An elder gritted his teeth and called out a new price, representing the last of his Xu family's fortune. If anyone bid higher, he would be unable to match it.
This time, the person in the black robe remained silent, merely glancing at the elder.
"Five hundred and twenty million, first call!"
"Five hundred and twenty million, second call!"
"Are there any higher bids?"
"Five hundred and twenty million, third call! Sold!" With the auctioneer's gavel strike, the auction concluded.
Su Fan had amassed nearly two billion from this auction! He could barely believe it. He was now completely free of financial worries and could focus on improving his strength.
...
Outside the Martial Alliance, a figure in a black robe stood on a rooftop, quietly observing the entrance, as if waiting for something. Soon, the Xu family elder, having completed his transaction, emerged from the Martial Alliance. He had declined the Martial Alliance's offer to cultivate within their premises, intending to maximize the Breakthrough Pill's effect by combining it with rare heavenly treasures to attempt a breakthrough to the Jade Heng realm! The figure in the black robe quietly followed as the Xu family elder departed.
The Xu family elder had intended to fly directly back to the capital, but since there were no flights to the capital that night, he had to wait until the next morning. Therefore, under the arrangement of his younger family members, he checked into a hotel. The figure in the black robe followed him directly into the hotel and proceeded to the Xu family elder's room.
*Ding dong!*
"Who is it?" The Xu family elder's voice came from inside the room after the doorbell was rung.
The figure in the black robe did not reply, simply waiting patiently. The Xu family elder, puzzled, got up and walked to the door to see what was happening.
Upon opening the door, the Xu family elder saw the figure in the black robe. He had seen this person at the auction venue, as they had competed for the same Breakthrough Pill, and both had paid special attention to each other. The Xu family elder immediately realized something was wrong.
But it was too late. The figure in the black robe, whose hands had been empty moments before, suddenly produced a knife, which plunged directly into the Xu family elder's heart.
The Xu family elder's body trembled, and he looked at the figure in the black robe in shock.
"Who... who are you?" The Xu family elder asked, filled with unwillingness. He didn't even know who had killed him.
"You shouldn't have competed with me for the Breakthrough Pill. My surname is Long," the figure in the black robe said softly.
The Xu family elder's eyes widened. He now knew who this person was.
"Long... family..." Uttering these two words, the light in the Xu family elder's eyes faded.
Long Ying retrieved the Breakthrough Pill from the Xu family elder's body. Once he broke through to the Jade Heng realm, he would make Su Fan pay for this blood debt!