“505,000!”

“510,000!”

“600,000!”

The price for the ingredients continued to climb. Only the people in the general seating were competing right now. Everyone in the VIP booths remained silent, allowing the price to climb.

“She did that on purpose, didn’t she?” asked Wu Jian.

Hou Jingshu tilted her head. “You’re talking about how she decided to auction off their star item before the Fifteen Thousand Year Spirit Spring Water?”

He nodded. “It’s common for the best item to be auctioned off last. Fifteen Thousand Year Spirit Spring water is incredibly valuable, but its value cannot be compared to the ingredients for the Three-Layered Red Yin Yang Pill.”

The Nirvana Soothing Pill, which required Ten Thousand Year Spirit Spring Water, might have been a higher tier pill, but the Three-Layered Red Yin Yang Pill had a much greater application and was therefore more valuable. All the Nirvana Soothing Pill did was cure rare ailments and poison. Since very few people suffered from such ailments, there was low demand for the pill. On the other hand, every peak Asura Realm cultivator wanted a Three-Layered Red Yin Yang Pill since it would let them break through to the next realm. Its high demand made it far more valuable.

The item being auctioned was Fifteen Thousand Year Spirit Spring Water, but it still wasn’t as valuable as the ingredients being auctioned right now.

“You are right.” Hou Jingshu nodded. “Lihua definitely did this for my benefit. Not only will auctioning this off first cause everyone else to spend their money, but it will give me more money to use. It does not matter to me if I have to use all the money we get from auctioning those ingredients. Nothing is more important than my father’s life.”

Wu Jian agreed with her. Ingredients could also be found, money could always be made, but a life once lost was a life that would never return.

“2,000,000 spirit coins!” someone from one of the VIP booths suddenly bid. It was a woman’s voice. Her tone like cold like a harsh winter, freezing everyone on the general seats.

“That was Hua Xue,” Hou Jingshu said. “I only ever met her once, but I’ll never forget that cold voice.”

“2,100,000 spirit coins!” another person said. This one was also from the VIP booth. The arrogant tone was one that Wu Jian remembered well. It was Cì Chuān, first prince of the Zhou Kingdom.

“2,200,000,” said Duo Ling. His voice was calm and composed.

“The fact that everyone is raising the price by a hundred thousand spirit coins is ridiculous,” Wu Jian mumbled.

“It feels like you’re going to lose your perspective of money, doesn’t it?” said Hou Jingshu with a smile.

She wasn’t wrong. The common citizens only used bronze, silver, and sometimes gold coins. One gold coin was generally enough for a normal family to live for a year. Spirit coins were used by cultivators. A single spirit coin was worth more than most commoners would ever see in their lifetime. Even the Wu Clan had rarely ever dealt in spirit coins, but now, here he was, watching as people bid millions of spirit coins on a single item.

He felt like his sense of values were becoming skewed.

“3,000,000!” another voice interrupted his musings. They had just spoken with Húndàn Wang, so he recognized the voice. He decided to satisfy his curiosity about the man.

“What can you tell me about Húndàn Wang?”

“You mean aside from the fact that he is the son of Sect Master Húndàn Qie of the Saintly Sword Sect. He acts humble on the outside, but he is very prideful in his abilities. Of course, it’s not like he doesn’t have a reason to be proud. He reached the peak of the Asura Realm before he turned twenty. That’s impressive even in larger sects. He will probably join the Heavenly Sword Sect before too long. He just needs to reach the Human Limit Realm before he turns twenty-five to be considered eligible to join.”

“So he needs this pill,” said Wu Jian.

“Yes.”

“I noticed that he seemed to have a thing for you.”

Hou Jingshu grimaced. “… Yes. Both him and Retou Meng met me when I was younger. It was during my social debut. He declared in front of everybody at the party that he would marry me.”

“That means… he knew you before I did,” said Wu Jian.

“It does. Are you jealous?”

“Should I be?” Hou Jingshu and Wu Jian stared at each other. He then surprised the woman by pulling her into a hug. He whispered in her ear, eliciting a shiver. “It doesn’t matter what Húndàn Wang feels for you. You’re mine, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes,” Hou Jingshu mumbled with a blush.

Wu Jian grinned. “I’m not giving up my right to stand beside you to someone else. If anyone tries, I will gladly kick their ass.”

Hou Jingshu did not say anything, but her blush as she buried her face into his shoulder told him plenty.

“4,000,000!”

“4,500,000!”

Meanwhile, the price for the Three-Layered Red Yin Yang Pill had not abated in the slightest. The amount being bid had become astronomical.

There were only four bidders left now; Dong Luo, Húndàn Wang, Cì Chuān, and Hua Xie continued to raise the price. It wasn’t long before the price exceeded 5,000,000 spirit coins.

The first to drop out of the price bid was Xua Hie. The Ice Phoenix Sect was the third most powerful sect in the Shang Kingdom, but against the first prince of the Zhou Kingdom and Luo Dong from the Wind-Lightning Pavilion, she may as well have been a popper. Húndàn Wang of the Saintly Sword Sect likely had more to bid than her as well. No doubt the sect master had given him a rather large limit cap because of how important this was for his cultivation.

“10,000,000.”

“10,500,000!”

“11,000,000.”

The second person to drop out was Cì Chuān. Wu Jian was surprised by this. The young man had flaunted his wealth so much that Wu Jian expected him to keep bidding.

“He’s probably saving his money for the Fifteen Thousand Year Spirit Spring Water,” Hou Jingshu said, biting her lower lip.

“He’s not going to make a Nirvana Soothing Pill too, is he?” asked Wu Jian.

“That is a possibility, but I doubt it.” Hou Jingshu shook her head as Húndàn Wang shouted “13,000,000!” to the shock of the crowd. “There are other pills that spirit spring water can be used in. Fifteen Thousand Year Spirit Spring Water can be used in a Nirvana Soothing Pill, but it’s actually in excess of what we need. On the other hand, there are several tier 5 and tier 6 pills that use it as one of the core ingredients… but you’d have to ask Zhou Lihua what they are.”

Wu Jian nodded and focused back on the auction.

“20,000,000!” Húndàn Wang shouted.

Silence reigned after this stifling number was announced. Twenty million was such a ridiculously high number that it made Wu Jian’s head spin. However, this was good for them.

“Is there anyone else who would like to bid?” asked Zhou Lihua. “20,000,000 going once. 20,000,000 going twice.”

“25,000,000,” a calm voice that had not spoken before now rang out in the auction house.

Wu Jian turned in the direction of the voice, but he couldn’t see past the VIP booth. Whoever they were, he didn’t think they sounded old, but they didn’t sound young either. It was like there was a disparity in their voice that made them seem both young and old at the same time.

“It’s probably a powerful alchemist,” said Hou Jingshu. “While cultivators are often hailed as the most powerful force on the continent, it is actually alchemists who hold the most power. After all, cultivators would never be able to reach the heights they do without an alchemist to refine them pills. Who knows which old monster this is.”

“Will anyone else make another bid?” asked Zhou Lihua. Up to this point, she had been using her feminine wiles to raise up the crowd, but she seemed to recognize that the two individuals bidding right now wouldn’t be swayed by appearance.

“26,000,000,” Húndàn Wang suddenly said. “I hope you will forgive me for asking, but I hope you will give me some face. I need these ingredients.”

“Hmph. You can take your face and shove it up your ass. I care not. I am only here because my apprentice is getting close to being able to refine tier 5 pills, and I would like her to have the ingredients on hand when she does. 30,000,000.”

Wu Jian could not see Húndàn Wang through the one-way window of his booth, but he could almost imagine the man biting his lips in frustration.

It seemed like 30,000,000 was more than what Húndàn Wang could bid, and so Zhou Lihua closed the bidding.

“The ingredients for the Three-Layered Red Yin Yang Pill goes to the anonymous alchemy master in the Omega Booth. Congratulations.” Zhou Lihua clapped several times, then smiled at the audience. “Now, we have one more item to auction, but I believe everyone could use a short break from all the excitement. Refreshments will be provided to everyone during this fifteen minute break. Please, relax and enjoy yourselves.”

Wu Jian and Hou Jingshu leaned back as if all the energy had been expelled from their bodies. The bidding from this auction were even more intense than the one in Shēnyuān. The amount of money being spent on this auction boggled his mind.

“I’m surprised by how much those ingredients went for. There was a Three-Layered Red Yin Yang Pill being auctioned at the Shēnyuān Auction House, but it only went for one hundred thousand spirit coins,” Wu Jian mumbled.

“There are a lot of factors that determine something’s value,” Hou Jingshu said. “Don’t forget that the Ming Province is more prosperous than us. They might not be able to compete with the Zhou Kingdom or Xia Dynasty, but the ingredients required for this pill are more readily available there than they are here. There’s also a good chance the pill was of low-quality. The difference between a low-quality pill and a high-quality pill can also determine its value.”

“That makes me wonder why Duo Long is here,” Wu Jian mumbled.

“I don’t know that either… though he seems to have a grudge against you. Did you do something to make him hate you?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“Ah. Well… I did kinda kill his apprentice,” he admitted.

Hou Jingshu took a deep breath. “He likely isn’t here for the auction then. I bet my life that’s just an excuse to observe you.”

“Do you think he’ll try to kill me?” asked Wu Jian.

She shook her head. “I’m sure he would, if he thought he could get away with it, but that choice was removed from the table the moment he realized my close relationship with you. The Ming Province might be more powerful overall, but we have more cultivators at the Asura Realm and the backing of the Heavenly Sword Sect. He won’t do something that could endanger his sect.”

Wu Jian agreed.

Just then, someone knocked on the door and a voice came from the other side.

“Your Highness, I have come to deliver your earnings.”

Wu Jian and Hou Jingshu leapt to their feet in surprise.

“Come in,” Hou Jingshu said as Wu Jian put his mask back on.

The door opened and Zhou Lihua walked in with a broad smile. Zhou Wen was behind her, carrying a tray upon which a single ring sat. The woman whose beauty could ruin nations and whose fox-like smile promised mischief grinned at the pair.

“Zhou Lihua! Are you sure you’re allowed to come see me?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“What is this? Do you not want me here?” asked Zhou Lihua, affecting a hurt expression.

Hou Jingshu shook her head. “You know that’s not it. I’m just surprised. You are the host of this auction. I didn’t think you’d be allowed to visit one of the bidders.”

“We’re normally not supposed to, but it’s okay this time. I cannot stay long, but I have permission.” Zhou Lihua gestured Zhou Wen, or rather, the ring sitting on the tray in her hands. “These are your earnings. 25,500,000 spirit coins. We’ve already removed our fifteen percent fee.”

Hou Jingshu took the ring and eyed it. He felt her chi flow into the ring, checking and verifying the contents. Wu Jian was excited and relieved. They now had roughly fifty million spirit coins. He was confident that not a single person in this auction would be able to outbid them now.