Chapter 227: The Seventh-Grade Pill: The Shapeshifting Pill!
On the auction stage, the white-haired auctioneer was still enthusiastically promoting the mysterious black cloth with an ancient aura. Despite all his efforts to increase the value of this mysterious cloth, it didn't seem to be working. In fact, some people in the audience were growing impatient, and a few hot-tempered individuals even began to curse.
Hearing the lackluster response from the crowd, the white-haired auctioneer could only sigh, swallowing to moisten his dry throat before saying with a bitter smile, "According to the rules, the starting price for this mysterious cloth is ten thousand gold coins. The bidding starts now."
As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, the massive auction hall fell into silence. Some people looked at the stage as if the auctioneer were an idiot. Who would spend ten thousand gold coins on a piece of cloth that might not even be valuable? Even if someone had that kind of money, they wouldn't waste it like this.
Underneath his black robe, Mo Yu's silver eyes were fixed on the mysterious cloth, a glint of interest flashing within them. With the special vision granted by his Thunder Extreme Silver Eyes, he could sense that this ancient cloth indeed had something unusual about it.
Although Mo Yu couldn't immediately determine the exact use of this mysterious cloth, he knew that, whether on his previous continent or the Dou Qi Continent, fortuitous encounters often led to unexpected treasures.
After all, as Mo Yu recalled, Xiao Yan was able to conquer the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame by following clues from a series of fragmented maps. The reason Xiao Yan was able to gather all those map fragments was that no one else had bothered with them.
Thus, the sudden appearance of this mysterious map cloth piqued Mo Yu's interest.
The auction hall remained silent for nearly five minutes. Just as the auctioneer was about to declare the auction a failure, a voice finally broke the silence, bringing him a sigh of relief.
"Ten thousand."
The calm voice shattered the stillness of the hall, and countless eyes turned toward the source, landing on a black-robed figure near the front rows. Murmurs of disbelief spread through the crowd.
"Is this guy crazy? Spending ten thousand on a worthless piece of cloth?"
Not only were the people in the back puzzled, but even some of the influential figures in the front rows cast curious glances at Mo Yu, who was completely shrouded in his black robe.
On the crystal platform, the auctioneer, hearing a bid at last, discreetly let out a breath of relief and smiled toward Mo Yu's direction. "This gentleman has bid ten thousand. Does anyone else wish to increase the bid?"
Hearing the auctioneer's words, many in the crowd rolled their eyes. Did he really think there were that many fools in the world?
The auctioneer seemed to realize his question was pointless. With an awkward laugh, he brought down the auction hammer.
Mo Yu was slightly taken aback at how easily he won the auction for a map that could potentially lead to a mysterious treasure. Then, he shook his head, amused at himself.
Spending so much time with Xiao Yan had apparently made him paranoid. The thought of Xiao Yan always having something snatched away halfway made Mo Yu chuckle. It seemed he wouldn't be enjoying that particular "privilege."
But then again, it made sense. Although the mysterious cloth was ancient, it appeared to be a simple item with little apparent value. The chaotic and unclear patterns on the cloth looked like a child's random doodles, hardly something that would lead people to believe it held any great secret. In such a situation, not even the Di Yan Auction House could confidently expect to sell it for ten thousand gold coins.
After all, not everyone had Mo Yu's Thunder Extreme Silver Eyes to see through things.
With the unknown nature of the cloth, few would be willing to part with ten thousand gold coins for something that might be utterly worthless.
After the mysterious black cloth was auctioned off, the event continued with the crowd eagerly anticipating the next items.
Following the auction of the mysterious map, several more items were brought up, some of which managed to reignite the crowd's enthusiasm. High-tier Xuan-level techniques and skills appeared as frequently as if they were common goods, something rarely seen in the Jia Ma Empire.
One such item, a high-tier Xuan-level movement technique, sparked a fierce bidding war among some of the top-tier second-rate sects, such as the Savage Beast Sect and the Blazing Fire Sect.
Seeing this, Mo Yu couldn't help but shake his head. Although the Di Yan Auction House wasn't particularly famous in the Black-Corner Region, and few top-tier sects had sent representatives, they still had plenty of valuable items to offer.
The excitement from the high-tier Xuan-level movement technique gradually subsided, and Mo Yu, who had been idly watching, was suddenly drawn to another item on the crystal platform—a small blue crystal in a silver tray.
The crystal was about the size of a palm and looked like a piece of blue glass, radiating a faint, ethereal spatial power that caused those near the crystal platform to focus their attention.
"Is that... Emerald Blue Crystal? Kid, you've got some luck to come across something like this. Attending this auction was definitely the right choice; this Emerald Blue Crystal is perfect for you," Snake Uncle's raspy voice echoed in Mo Yu's mind.
"Emerald Blue Crystal?" Mo Yu was momentarily stunned before a smile of delight appeared on his face. "This crystal contains a strong spatial power. Do you know its origin, Snake Uncle?"
"Hehe, where there's Emerald Blue Crystal, a Dou Zong-level or higher expert has likely fallen. It's said that Emerald Blue Crystal forms deep underground, absorbing the spatial power from the corpses of such experts over many years, making it a rare and valuable treasure," Snake Uncle explained.
Mo Yu nodded slightly, impressed by the crystal's connection to fallen Dou Zong or even Dou Zun experts, which explained its rich spatial power.
"If that's the case, I can't let this one slip by. It'll be perfect for enhancing the Shattering Void Thunder."
As Mo Yu conversed with Snake Uncle, the auctioneer on stage detailed the properties and origins of the Emerald Blue Crystal. His explanation was well-received, and many in the crowd seemed interested in acquiring the crystal.
"Hehe, after careful evaluation, the starting bid for this Emerald Blue Crystal is set at sixty thousand gold coins. Let the bidding begin," the white-haired auctioneer announced with a smile, looking expectantly at the crowd.
As the high starting price was announced, some people who had been interested in the crystal immediately lost hope.
"Sixty-two thousand!" However, there were still plenty of people eager to bid on the item.
"Sixty-four thousand!"
Mo Yu sat quietly in his seat, listening to the rising bids but didn't rush to join in.
As time passed, the number of bidders dwindled as the price climbed higher, leaving only two serious contenders, one of whom was an elder from the Blazing Fire Sect.
The price had already reached ninety-two thousand gold coins.
"One hundred thousand!" Just as the bidding war stalled, a neutral-sounding voice called out. Countless eyes turned toward the source, landing on the black-robed figure who slowly stood up—Mo Yu.
Mo Yu's bid of one hundred thousand gold coins instantly drew the attention of the entire auction hall. Not everyone could afford to spend a million.
Even the elder from the Blazing Fire Sect, a sect as powerful as the Savage Beast Sect, frowned and, after a moment's consideration, decided to give up.
As expected, when the auction hammer fell once again, the Emerald Blue Crystal found its way into Mo Yu's pocket.
With a calm expression, Mo Yu sat down and closed his eyes.
Although he had only participated in two bids, he had already spent over a hundred thousand gold coins, and he needed to reserve about another hundred thousand to buy materials for forging the Soul-Merging Sacred Cup.
Having made his purchases, Mo Yu felt no urge to continue bidding.
As time slowly passed and the auction neared its conclusion, the final, most significant item of the day was finally brought out.
Opening his eyes, Mo Yu looked toward the crystal platform. When he saw the auctioneer, whose face had been glowing with enthusiasm, suddenly adopt a solemn expression, Mo Yu couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity. "It looks like the highlight of the auction is about to begin."
Noticing the auctioneer's change in demeanor, many in the crowd fell silent, their whispers dying out as they focused intently on the main event.
"So it's finally coming out..." Savage Beast Sect's young master Gao Ba's muscular arms tensed slightly, and a bloodthirsty gleam flashed in his eyes as he spoke in a low, rumbling voice.
Nearby, the members of the Blazing Fire Sect and other factions also grew serious, their previously relaxed gazes sharpening like eagle eyes.
"Clap, clap."
On the crystal platform, the auctioneer's face was stern as he clapped his hands. As the sound echoed, the edges of the platform emitted a series of mechanical clicks. A circle of pitch-black metal bars slowly rose, forming a barrier around the platform. Even the space above the crystal platform was covered by metal bars that extended from the sides, sealing it completely.
Mo Yu wasn't surprised by the Di Yan Sect's precautions, but his curiosity grew. It seemed that this auction was about to unveil something truly extraordinary.
"Oh, I suddenly sense a lot of hidden auras around the auction hall. On the second floor, there are even several Dou Wang-level presences. They must be elders of the Di Yan Sect. It looks like they're really cautious," Snake Uncle's voice echoed in Mo Yu's mind.
Hearing this, Mo Yu's silver eyes, hidden under his hood, subtly scanned the shadows around the auction hall. He too sensed the presence of some ominous figures lurking in the darkness on the second floor.
"What could this grand finale item be to make the Di Yan Sect so cautious?" Mo Yu wondered, his curiosity piqued.
"Let's keep watching. I'm sure it won't disappoint," Snake Uncle replied with a playful shake of his head.
Mo Yu nodded slightly and refocused on the crystal platform. The auctioneer was now carefully retrieving a small, purple-gold tray from a cabinet below the stage. On the tray rested a palm-sized box made of icy jade.
The box was pale white, and even from a distance, the crowd could see the faint white mist emanating from it. This was a sign of the finest quality icy jade, known for its excellent ability to preserve its contents.
"Could it be a pill?"
Seeing the size of the box and the preservation method, Mo Yu, though primarily an artifact refiner, was familiar enough with pills to recognize what it held.
His silver eyes narrowed slightly as he focused his Thunder Extreme Silver Eyes on the icy jade box. As he sensed the powerful medicinal energy within, he couldn't help but be surprised.
A seventh-grade pill!
Taking a deep breath, Mo Yu understood that this was at least a seventh-grade pill, given its potent medicinal energy.
The Black-Corner Region truly lived up to its reputation as the most chaotic yet opportunity-rich place on the continent—anything seemed possible here.
If Mo Yu recalled correctly, Xiao Yan would also encounter a seventh-grade pill after entering the Black-Corner Region, one invented by his teacher Yao Lao, called the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill.
Two seventh-grade pills would be considered extremely rare treasures even in the vast Zhongzhou.
With the appearance of the icy jade box, several powerful factions at the front of the auction hall sat up straight, their eyes filled with undisguised greed as they stared at the box.
Ignoring the covetous stares from outside the metal cage, the white-haired auctioneer, his hands trembling slightly, carefully placed the purple-gold tray on the auction table. His withered fingers cautiously lifted the lid of the box, and suddenly, a beam of red light shot out.
The sudden burst of red light illuminated the entire auction hall, causing some unprepared individuals to reflexively close their eyes.
Mo Yu, however, didn't close his eyes. His silver eyes, hidden beneath the shadow of his hood, remained locked on the icy jade box on the crystal platform, where a red pill the size of a dragon's eye lay quietly.
The pill's surface was incredibly smooth, with a stream of red energy swirling within. Occasionally, the red energy would surge up, forming a humanoid shape.
But as the red energy condensed into a humanoid form, it emitted a faint beastly roar. The roar reverberated through the air, causing the souls of those who heard it to tremble involuntarily under the pressure of this beastly might.
As Mo Yu stared at the pill, with its internal energy forming into a humanoid shape, a look of solemnity appeared on his face.
A pill with its own spirit—an unusual phenomenon that only seventh-grade or higher pills could exhibit!
The entire auction hall fell into a deathly silence as the faint humanoid beast roar echoed.
"A seventh-grade pill, the Shapeshifting Pill!?"
(End of Chapter)
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