Chapter 49: Fierce Competition

"Who is this guy?"

"So conspicuous, could it be the Nalan family or perhaps the Mu family?"

As Miteer-Tushan announced the results, the crowd turned their gaze towards Gu He's private room, their expressions filled with astonishment.

In their eyes, only the top families in the imperial capital would dare to act so ostentatiously.

Nalan Jie and Mu Chen also looked towards Gu He's private room, speculating which family the bidder came from.

The reason they refrained from bidding was to conserve their strength for the upcoming competition for the finale—the Dou Spirit Pill.

The climax caused by the Fifth-Grade Magic Beast Egg gradually subsided after a while.

Shortly after, Gu He, who had been idling in his chair, suddenly became drawn to a medicinal herb placed on the crystal tray by Miteer-Tushan.

This medicinal herb was completely fiery red, as if bathed in blood. It was about the size of a palm and resembled Lingzhi. As soon as it appeared, a faint fragrance emanated, refreshing the spirits of those near the crystal tray.

"It's indeed the Fire Spirit Mushroom. This auction is not in vain."

Observing the fiery red Lingzhi in Miteer-Tushan's hand, a smile involuntarily appeared on Gu He's lips.

Although this Fire Spirit Mushroom was only a Fifth-Grade spiritual herb, it had no practical use for Gu He.

However, this Fire Spirit Mushroom was the main ingredient for a Fifth-Grade pill.

The Revival Purple Pill!

Yes, this Fire Spirit Mushroom was the main ingredient for refining the Revival Purple Pill.

And the function of the Revival Purple Pill was to completely restore the declining strength caused by seals or internal injuries.

Gu He was preparing this Revival Purple Pill specifically for Hai Bo Dong, the Ice Emperor, who had retreated to the Desert City in the Tagore Desert due to the seal of the Snake Queen Medusa.

Since Gu He intended to seize the Blue Lotus Heart Flame, he needed to obtain the map that recorded the location of the Blue Lotus Heart Flame from Hai Bo Dong's hands.

Furthermore, Hai Bo Dong also possessed a fragmentary map of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame.

These were all things that Gu He wanted to acquire.

To obtain them from Hai Bo Dong, he would probably have to do as Xiao Yan did in the original work—help him refine a Breaking Barrier Pill.

Thinking of Hai Bo Dong, a smile appeared on Gu He's lips.

Speaking of which, he and Hai Bo Dong could be considered old acquaintances.

Back then, after he won first place in the Alchemist Grand Competition, it was Hai Bo Dong who approached him on behalf of the Miteer family.

Although he later declined Hai Bo Dong's invitation and joined the Yunlan Sect, their relationship was still quite good.

In a while, when he went to the Tagore Desert, he would pay a proper visit to this old friend.

And the Revival Purple Pill he was currently preparing was meant to make Hai Bo Dong owe him a favor.

...

"The Fire Spirit Mushroom only exists at the bottom of volcanoes, absorbing volcanic energy and the fire from the earth's core to grow. It is extremely difficult for ordinary people to collect, and even some Dou Spirit experts or even Dou King experts wouldn't dare to venture into such a place easily," explained Miteer-Tushan to the audience from the crystal platform.

Afterwards, Miteer-Tushan on the crystal platform proceeded to explain in detail the uses and origins of the Fire Spirit Mushroom. The response from the crowd was quite positive, indicating that many people were interested in this Fire Spirit Mushroom.

"Hehe, based on our evaluation, the starting price for this Fire Spirit Mushroom is set at seven hundred thousand. Let the bidding begin," Miteer-Tushan announced with a smile, looking towards the crowd.

After the high price was announced, some of the people who were initially interested became disheartened. Although they could afford the seven hundred thousand, in such a fierce competition, it was normal for the price to double. Their funds were not abundant, so they had to bid within their means.

"Seven hundred and twenty thousand!"

Of course, aside from those who wanted to withdraw from the bidding, there were still quite a few who were determined to compete for this item.

"Seven hundred and forty thousand!"

...

Gu He sat quietly in his chair, listening to the steadily increasing prices, but he didn't rush to join the competition.

As time passed, the number of bidders gradually decreased due to the soaring prices. In the end, only two people remained in the bidding war, and the price had already reached around one million and seventy thousand.

"One million and two hundred thousand!"

Just as the price in the arena reached a stalemate, a lazy voice finally sounded. Countless gazes followed the sound, eventually stopping at Gu He's private room.

The sudden surge in price surprised everyone present. And when Miteer-Tushan saw that the person shouting the bid was Gu He once again, a hint of astonishment flashed in his eyes.

In his opinion, there shouldn't be anything that Gu He was interested in at this auction.

But unexpectedly, this Alchemy King was so active?

He had already made two consecutive bids, and both were surprisingly generous.

The price of one million and two hundred thousand overwhelmed the remaining two competitors. Feeling the gaze from all around, Gu He paid no attention.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

After Miteer-Tushan realized what had happened, he asked the crowd three times before finally bringing down the auction hammer heavily.

"This guy succeeded again?"

"Who is this person? Where does he come from with such abundant funds?"

"Could he be from one of the three major aristocratic families?"

Nalan Jie and Mu Chen also wore expressions of astonishment and doubt.

Gu He had made two consecutive bids, and both were extraordinary. This made them start to question his identity.

"Could he be from the royal family?"

Suddenly, a thought crossed their minds.

But soon, they dismissed that idea.

If someone from the royal family had participated in this auction, their focus would undoubtedly be on the final Dou Spirit Pill.

How could they spend such a large amount of money on these two items?

Thinking of this, both of them were filled with doubt in their hearts.

Thinking of the upcoming auction of the Dou Spirit Pill, a flash of insight crossed their minds.

Where did Miteer Auction House get the Dou Spirit Pill from?

And it wasn't even announced in advance?

According to reason, if Miteer Auction House had a Dou Spirit Pill for auction, they should have publicized it extensively.

This would also allow the participants of the auction to make adequate preparations.

Even the level of this auction could be elevated to the level of Heaven Grade.

However, Miteer Auction House did not take any of these actions.

Unless Miteer Auction House obtained this Dou Spirit Pill unexpectedly and didn't have time to send out a notification.

And this Dou Spirit Pill is a sixth-grade pill, which can only be refined by one person in the entire Gamma Empire.

In an instant, Nalan Jie and Mu Chen already had the answer in their hearts.

That is, the Alchemy King, Gu He, also participated in this auction and even provided this sixth-grade pill, Dou Spirit Pill.

Thinking of the person who had been bidding aggressively just now, Nalan Jie and Mu Chen almost concluded in their hearts that this person was Gu He, the Alchemy King.

However, it seemed that the Alchemy King, Gu He, didn't seem to need these things either?

Thinking of the fifth-grade magical beast egg and the Fire Spirit Mushroom that the person had just bought, Nalan Jie and Mu Chen were suddenly filled with confusion.

............

"Ladies and gentlemen, the next item to be auctioned is the last item of this auction and also the grand finale."

"I believe that the upcoming item will definitely not disappoint everyone."

At this moment, a slightly excited voice came from the crystal auction platform, Miteer-Tushan.

Upon hearing the voice, Gu He couldn't help but look up at the crystal platform, and when he saw Miteer-Tushan's face glowing with excitement, his expression couldn't help but freeze for a moment, then he whispered, "It seems like the Dou Spirit Pill is about to make an appearance."

"It seems that the hidden treasure of this auction is about to come out."

Seeing the change in Miteer-Tushan's complexion, many people noticed something, and their whispered conversations automatically ceased. Their unwavering gazes eagerly awaited the climax of this auction.

"Finally, it's about to come out."

Upon hearing Miteer-Tushan's words, a hint of rosy color appeared on the aged face, and Nalan Jie's eyes flickered with a strange light in the private room as he murmured.

[English]

On the other side, Mu Chen, the head of the Mu family, also restrained the smile on his face at this moment. His originally indifferent gaze became as sharp as an eagle's.

"Clap clap."

On the crystal platform, Miteer-Tushan solemnly clapped his hands.

And as his applause rang out, a series of clicking sounds suddenly came from the edge of the crystal platform. Then, a circle of black metal fences slowly rose, eventually forming a circular shape that enclosed the platform. Even the space above the crystal platform was tightly covered by extending metal bars.

"Hehe, please don't be too concerned, everyone. This is just a precautionary measure we have taken to ensure the security of the auction items." Seeing the prison-like fence constructed, Miteer-Tushan on the crystal platform smiled at the crowd and explained.

"This prison is made of cold iron. Even a Dou King powerhouse would find it difficult to break free within a certain period of time."

As he spoke, the auctioneer's eyes intentionally swept across the various private rooms, implying a clear message.

The representatives of the families only smiled faintly in response to his special indication, not paying too much attention. In previous auctions, incidents of people attempting to snatch auction items had occurred.

Therefore, it was normal for Miteer Auction House to be cautious. Otherwise, if someone forcefully took something away on their own territory, what face would they have in the Gamma Empire?

Upon witnessing Miteer Auction House's overly cautious actions, Gu He was also taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his composure.

For a Dou King powerhouse, the Dou Spirit Pill was indeed too tempting, and it was highly possible that some people would take risks.

Moreover, Gu He sensed that there were a few hidden auras on the second floor of Miteer Auction House.

Among them, one aura was extremely powerful and should belong to a Dou King.

Gu He speculated that this aura should come from Miteer's family head, Miteer-Tengshan.

"It seems that even Miteer-Tengshan is not entirely at ease with this Dou Spirit Pill." Gu He smiled.

Gu He continued to gaze at the crystal platform. At this moment, the auctioneer carefully bent down and took out a half-foot-sized purple-gold plate from a cabinet below. Within that purple-gold plate, a palm-sized cold jade box stood proudly.

The box turned pale white in color. Although it was far away, people below could still clearly see the faint white cold air emanating from the cold jade box. This was the highest quality cold jade, possessing the ability to preserve the cold air.

With the appearance of the cold jade box, all the prestigious families at the auction straightened their bodies, their eyes filled with undisguised greed, staring intently at the cold jade box.

Ignoring the greedy gazes outside the iron cage, Miteer~Tu Shan gently placed the purple-gold plate on the auction table. With trembling fingers, he carefully lifted the lid of the box, and suddenly, a burst of yellow light shot out.

Along with the yellow light, there were energy fluctuations in the void.

The sudden burst of light illuminated the entire auction venue, causing some unprepared individuals to instinctively close their eyes.

After they adjusted, their gazes were firmly locked onto the cold jade box on the crystal platform.

There, a golden pill the size of a dragon's eye lay quietly, with an extremely smooth surface.

The pill emitted a strong energy vibration, a phenomenon only possessed by sixth-grade or higher-level pills!

The entire auction venue fell into a deathly silence under the faint golden light.

Although many people in the venue were not clear about the exact details of this pill, judging from the previous burst of golden light, they could vaguely understand its extraordinary nature. Therefore, their faces involuntarily revealed a greedy expression.

Compared to those who were unaware of the pill's effects, the high-level members of the prestigious families in the private rooms were suddenly filled with excitement. Some powerful individuals even had their qi overflow uncontrollably due to their emotional fluctuations.

On the crystal platform, Miteer~Tu Shan slowly scanned the shocked faces in the entire venue, satisfied with their reactions. He then pointed at the golden pill, smiling, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the highlight of our auction: the sixth-grade pill, Dou Spirit Pill!"

Wow!

As Miteer~Tu Shan's words fell, the entire venue fell silent, followed by a deafening uproar and gasps of astonishment, filling the air above the auction.

Red eyes, accompanied by rapid breaths, stared fixedly at the golden pill. A sixth-grade pill? For almost half of the people present, they would never have the opportunity to see a pill of this level in their lifetime. And now, this rumored high-level pill had unexpectedly appeared before their eyes. How could they not be excited and lose control?

On the crystal platform, seeing the atmosphere created by the Dou Spirit Pill, Miteer~Tu Shan smiled contentedly and turned his gaze to the forces seated in the private rooms. He knew that these people were the strong contenders for the Dou Spirit Pill.

"Don't waste time, make your bids," some impatient voices came from the private rooms in response to Miteer~Tu Shan's verbose words.

Nalan Jie and Mu Chen's eyes were fixed on the Dou Spirit Pill in Miteer~Tu Shan's hand, filled with fervor.

"Hehe." Nodding with a smile, the auctioneer cleared his throat and said seriously, "The value of this Dou Spirit Pill, I believe everyone understands. Now, I won't set a starting price. You can bid as you wish, and the highest bidder will win."

With the appearance of the Dou Spirit Pill, the atmosphere in the auction venue entered its most heated phase. The high-level members in the private rooms finally began the bidding, leaving countless people dumbfounded with their red faces and bare-chested competition.

Even though there was no initial starting price for the Dou Spirit Pill, as soon as Miteer~Tu Shan's auction hammer fell, the price skyrocketed to two million gold coins.

And this price continued to rise.

"Two million one hundred thousand gold coins!"

"Two million three hundred thousand gold coins!"

"Two million five hundred thousand gold coins!"

...

"Three million gold coins!"

After a few breaths, the price of the Dou Spirit Pill had already risen to three million gold coins.

This scene left most of the people present dumbfounded and incredulous.

Such a terrifying increase in price was something they had never witnessed in all their years of existence.

To spend such a fortune, displaying such extravagance and boldness, the allure of the sixth-grade Dou Spirit Pill had fully brought out the desires of those influential forces.

The steadily rising price kept the auction venue filled with excited roars, never falling for a moment. Even though many people knew they no longer had the qualifications to compete for the item, being able to witness such a thrilling money competition made them feel that this trip was not in vain.

The rapidly escalating price, after nearly half an hour of intense bidding, finally began to reach its conclusion. At this point, the price of the Dou Spirit Pill had soared to a staggering five million two hundred thousand.

Over five million, such a huge sum of money was equivalent to the total annual income of the Miteer family in the Gama Empire.

This kind of enormous amount, even in the entire Gama Empire, I'm afraid there are only a few forces that can casually take it out without any concern.

With the price reaching this point, some weaker forces finally began to give up. As the relentless bidding continued, ten minutes later, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Nalan Jie's eyes, and he finally gritted his teeth and announced a sky-high price of six million, shaking the entire auction venue into silence.

A sixth-grade pill, a six million sky-high price!

The silent auction venue gradually recovered after nearly a few minutes, and gazes met one another, all shocked and filled with excitement by the terrifying price.

Six million, such a massive amount, how long would it take for a family to accumulate?

Nalan Jie's unexpectedly high bid caught Mu Chen and the other influential families off guard. After exchanging glances, their faces turned unsightly, and they withdrew their bidding intentions.

"Why aren't you hammering it down?"

Seeing that no one else was bidding, Nalan Jie couldn't help but urge Miteer~Tu Shan, who was still staring blankly at the crystal platform.

Miteer~Tu Shan then reacted and, after symbolically confirming three times to the audience below, directly hammered down the gavel.