With Master Miaoqing personally attesting, nothing more needs to be said.
It can only be stated that the formula for the Gathering Aperture Pill truly has an effect.
"The reason we can't determine whether it's a third-grade pill is because its effects are comparable to a high-grade third-grade pill. However, the medicinal materials used to refine this pill... are worth about the same as those used to refine a second-grade pill."
What?!
The hall erupted again upon hearing the presiding deacon's words.
A formula better than most third-grade pills required only the same medicinal materials as some second-grade pills!
This...this...
if Master Miaoqing hadn't personally testified, everyone present would have doubted whether they were dreaming.
"Because the medicinal materials required to refine this Gathering Aperture Pill fall into the category of second-grade pills, yet its effects are more potent than third-grade pills, the starting price for this Gathering Aperture Pill formula in this auction is set at one million low-grade spirit stones."
One million!
Hearing this number, the faces of some small families darkened.
Such a figure represents decades of accumulation for a small family; they simply couldn't afford it.
Moreover, even if they could, the formula for the Gathering Aperture Pill would likely be snatched away after the auction.
Only second-rate and first-rate families could afford to auction such a formula.
"One million one hundred thousand!"
The presiding deacon's words had barely faded when someone spoke up.
It was the patriarch of a second-rate family, the Feng family. The Feng family primarily dealt in martial arts in Beiyun City and were quite well-known.
"Feng Wuxing, one million one hundred thousand? You've bid too little!"
The speaker was a burly middle-aged man with a full beard, who laughed loudly, "One million five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
"This is Miao Qianxing, the patriarch of the Miao family. The Miao family ranks among the top second-rate families; it seems they'll have to compete this time."
Seeing Miao Qianxing speak, Feng Wuxing trembled and sat down.
Compared to the Miao family, the Feng family's foundation was still inferior; they couldn't compare.
"Three million!"
Just as all was silent, a voice tinged with coldness suddenly rang out.
The entire hall fell silent.
Three million!
The price of 1.5 million low-grade spirit stones had skyrocketed to three million—a leap only the four great families could achieve.
Everyone hurriedly looked over, only to see a person clad in a long black robe and wearing a black hat. Their voice had clearly been altered, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female.
"Three million five hundred thousand!"
At this moment, the Qi family patriarch finally couldn't help but speak.
The Qi family was
a top-tier family among second-rate families, primarily producing and selling mortal artifacts.
What the Qi family currently lacked were experts at the Spirit Cave Realm and income from pills.
For every one of the four great families, the sales of divine weapons and pills were the most crucial sources of income.
The Qi family lacked income from pills; once this was addressed, the Qi family could very well become the fifth-largest family within the next five years.
"Five million!"
Just as Qi Zhengsheng, the head of the Qi family, finished speaking, the man in black spoke again.
Five million.
Raising the price from three and a half million low-grade spirit stones to five million—only the four great families would dare to do such a bold move.
For a moment, everyone looked at the man in black, wanting to know who he was.
"Five million, is there a higher price?"
Hearing the price of five million, the auctioneer was also stunned.
Five million—in the past few decades, no spirit pill or divine weapon in Beiyun City had ever reached such a high price.
At this moment, Diao Zhenyun and Wang Dongyu also fell silent; they had no choice but to remain silent.
If they bought it for five million, the price would double to ten million. Ten million low-grade spirit stones were worth one hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Even the Wang and Diao families, among the four great families, wouldn't dare to take such a risk.
In the end, the Huiqiao Pill was bought by the mysterious man in black for five million low-grade spirit stones.
For a moment, many people sighed in disbelief.
The Gathering Aperture Pill could almost guarantee a family's rapid rise within a few years; no one could resist its allure.
It represented the birth of a martial artist at the Spirit Aperture Realm—how could anyone remain calm?
Therefore, even after the Gathering Aperture Pill was auctioned, the entire auction hall was still abuzz with discussion.
"Ahem, everyone, please be quiet. Next, we will proceed with the final item in this auction: the formula for a Grade 3 elixir."
The auctioneer stepped onto the stage again, coughing as he spoke. "I hope you can all remain calm when I announce the formula for this elixir."
"First of all, this elixir has been appraised by Master Miaoqing as a top-tier Grade 3 elixir, a truly exceptional Grade 3 elixir. Therefore, the starting price is three million low-grade spirit stones."
"Three million? That's outrageous!"
"Three million! That starting price is too high!"
"Yes, it seems only second-rate families and the four great families can compete for it."
Hearing the murmurs from the crowd, the auctioneer continued, "This price may
seem unacceptable to some right now, so please allow me to explain the effects of this Grade 3 elixir formula."
"As everyone knows, our Beiyun City is located near the Beiyun Mountains. The medicinal herbs and iron ore we obtain all come from the Beiyun Mountains. When you enter the Beiyun Mountains, you will inevitably encounter ferocious beasts and be attacked. Losing limbs is common."
"Once a martial artist loses an arm or a hand, they are practically crippled. Therefore, this pill is called the Jade Bone Pill, a third-grade elixir that enables a martial artist to regenerate limbs, restore blood and bone, and the resulting flesh and bone are more than ten times stronger than before."
"Jade Bone Pill!"
"Flesh and bone regeneration, limb regeneration!"
"My God, did I hear that right?"
A collective gasp filled the hall.
This pill was far more valuable than the Gathering Aperture Pill.
Thousands upon thousands of martial artists come and go in Beiyun City each year, and more than half of them, even those who escape the mountains, are missing limbs.
Such martial artists would become crippled in the future.
This Jade Bone Pill, while powerful in other cities, is nowhere near as popular as it is in Beiyun City.
Three million low-grade spirit stones isn't expensive.
It's worth it, very worth it!
The family patriarchs present are all shrewd shrewd. Buying a pill-making workshop for three million low-grade spirit stones, even if they hire a third-grade alchemist to refine it later, a single pill can earn them 500,000 or even a million spirit stones. Such a deal is incredibly profitable.
"Alright, four million, I, Feng Wuxing, offer four million. Buying this pill formula is like buying a mountain of gold."
"Feng Wuxing, four million and you still want to buy it? My Miao family offers five million."
"Five million five hundred thousand!"
At this moment, all the families present couldn't hold back any longer. This Jade Bone
Pill was simply too much to ask for. Third-grade pills are all precious, but their value is also important.
The value of this Jade Bone Pill definitely surpasses most third-grade pills.
"Gathering Aperture Pill, Jade Bone Pill, Master, I want to refine these pills too!" Seeing the usually composed patriarchs in the auction hall going crazy, Miao Xianyu couldn't help but exclaim.
The formulas for these two grade-three pills were simply too precious to resist.
"Don't worry, your master will teach you everything later. But for now, if you can refine the five grade-two pill formulas I gave you, I'll pass on even better pills to you."
"Really?"
Miao Xianyu's eyes lit up upon hearing Mu Yun's words.
For a true alchemist, pill formulas were the most attractive thing.
Even Master Miao Qing was astonished when she saw the formulas for these two grade-three pills.
After confirming that the formulas were fine, Master Miao Qing had planned to buy them herself, but Mu Yun was willing to give them to him directly, and he was too embarrassed to accept them, so he gave up.
"Six million!"
At this moment, the price of the Jade Bone Pill in the auction house had risen to six million low-grade spirit stones.
Six million low-grade spirit stones meant the total net income of the four major families for a year.
However, this price showed no sign of stopping.
Diao Zhenyun and Wang Dongyu, standing beside Shao Mingyu, couldn't sit still any longer.
The Jade Bone Pill was an irresistible temptation for both families.
If it were bought by other top-tier second-rate families, their families would be surpassed within two years.
"Seven million!"
Finally, Diao Zhenyun couldn't help but speak up.
According to Mu Yun's agreement, he actually needed to pay fourteen million low-grade spirit stones, but he couldn't care less about that now.
With the Diao family's methods, they could earn back fourteen million low-grade spirit stones in less than two years with the Jade Bone Pill.
"Eight million!"
Wang Dongyu also couldn't resist making a move.
The temptation of the Jade Bone Pill was simply too great.
"You..." Seeing Diao Zhenyun and Wang Dongyu make their moves, Shao Mingyu's face turned ashen. However, before he could utter a word, a shout suddenly rang out.
"I bid nine million!"
This shout silenced the entire auction hall.
Nine million was already an astronomical price.
However, when Shao Mingyu saw the bidder who offered nine million, his face turned pale.
"Master Gu Huo!"
"Elder Gu Huo!"
Staring wide-eyed at Gu Huo, Shao Mingyu was speechless.
"Elder Shao, I'm sorry."
Looking at Shao Mingyu, Gu Huo apologized.
Gu Huo, a third-grade alchemist, was a renowned alchemy master within the Holy Pill Sect, and also an assistant Shao Mingyu had invited this time.
He had helped the Diao and Wang families defeat the Qin and Mu families.
But who would have thought that Master Gu Huo would still be tempted by the Jade Bone Pill, and even willing to offer nine million low-grade spirit stones.
"Elder Shao, I know what you invited me here for, but this time, I am determined to get this pill formula!"
Looking at Shao Mingyu, Gu Huo's face showed an unprecedented determination.