"Done!"
Half an hour later, Liu Ling leaped out of the bathtub and turned to look at Gu He, who was seated in the gazebo.
"Teacher, I lasted for half an hour."
Hearing this, Gu He slowly set down the teacup in his hand and nodded approvingly at Liu Ling.
"Not bad. Keep up the good work, and we'll continue tomorrow."
"..."
Liu Ling's mouth twitched slightly at the response, but he eventually relented and replied, "Yes, Teacher."
"After you return, apply some ice to your body. It will help you recover faster." Gu He added, noticing the redness and swelling on Liu Ling's skin.
"Understood, Teacher." Liu Ling nodded and then slowly made his way out of the courtyard.
…
Two days later.
Early in the morning, Gu He left the Misty Cloud Sect and headed straight for the imperial capital. He had received news some time ago that today was the day of the auction at the Mittel Auction House.
Standing at the end of a bustling street, Gu He looked up at the grand Mittel Auction House before him and couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration.
Although he had visited this auction house before, this was his first time seeing it since crossing over to this world. The sheer scale of it left him momentarily awestruck.
At the entrance of the Mittel Auction House, more than a dozen stern-looking men in black robes stood guard. Each of them had sharp weapons strapped to their waists, and their eagle-like eyes scanned the crowd with vigilance.
From the faint aura emanating from these men, it was clear that three of them were at the Dou Practitioner level, while the rest were at the Dou Master level.
The fact that Dou Masters of such caliber were stationed as gatekeepers spoke volumes about the Mittel family's strength.
As one of the three great families of the Jia Ma Empire, their power was indeed formidable.
At this moment, Gu He was clad in a large white robe that completely concealed his face, so he wasn't concerned about being recognized.
It wasn't that he feared recognition, but rather that he wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Following the flow of the crowd, Gu He slowly entered the auction house. The vast interior once again left him momentarily distracted. After regaining his composure, he made his way toward the center of the hall.
The auction house was adorned with massive screens hanging on all sides, displaying countless items up for auction.
Gu He gave them a cursory glance but didn't spot anything particularly rare. It seemed the truly valuable treasures were being kept under wraps to maintain an air of mystery.
Of course, some of the more influential factions likely had ways of obtaining information about these hidden treasures through their own channels.
"If I had known earlier, I would have sent Liu Ling to gather some intel," Gu He thought to himself.
Under the name of Pill King Gu He, his disciples could easily inquire about the details of this auction, and the Mittel family would undoubtedly oblige.
After surveying the area, his gaze finally settled on the entrance to a treasure appraisal room. After a moment's hesitation, Gu He walked in.
Stepping inside, he was surprised to find that the large room was neatly divided into no fewer than a hundred small, private chambers.
These measures were presumably in place to protect the privacy of those presenting their treasures.
As soon as Gu He entered, a maid in a sleek uniform approached him. Her voice was soft and alluring as she asked, "Sir, are you here to appraise a treasure or to consign something for auction?"
"The latter," Gu He replied calmly.
"Please follow me," the maid said with a charming smile before turning and leading the way.
After walking nearly ten meters behind her, the maid stopped in front of a small private room.
She bowed respectfully to Gu He and said, "Sir, once you hand over the item you wish to auction to the master inside for evaluation, you will be assigned a seat based on the value of your item."
Nodding slightly, Gu He gently pushed open the black wooden door, stepped inside, and closed it behind him.
The small chamber was well-lit, and an elderly man with graying hair scrutinized Gu He with sharp eyes. However, since Gu He was almost entirely concealed within his robe, the old man couldn't make out much.
"Please, have a seat," the old man said, gesturing to the chair in front of the table.
After finishing his preparations for inspecting the auction items, he lowered his head and said calmly, "Present the item you wish to auction."
Gu He remained silent. With a wave of his hand, a small jade bottle appeared on the table.
"A pill?" The old man was momentarily taken aback by the sound of the jade bottle touching the table.
He raised his head, his eyes settling on the bottle. A flicker of surprise crossed his face as he donned a pair of thin, transparent gloves and carefully picked up the bottle.
He poured out its contents, and a golden pill fell into his palm.
As the pill landed, a bright golden light flashed, and an intense medicinal fragrance filled the room.
"What?!" The old man's expression changed slightly as he observed the golden light and inhaled the potent aroma.
His eyes widened as he examined the intricate patterns on the pill's surface, and a look of reverence appeared on his aged face.
"May I ask, sir, what kind of pill is this?" After a long moment of observation, the old man's face showed confusion, and he couldn't help but ask Gu He.
"This is a sixth-tier Dou Spirit Pill," Gu He replied calmly, his gaze fixed on the old man.
"What?!" The old man's face filled with shock, and he asked in disbelief, "This... this is a sixth-tier Dou Spirit Pill?"
Gu He glanced at the old man indifferently and said, "You should go and call the highest-ranking person in charge of the Mittel Auction House who is present here."
Hearing this, the old man was momentarily stunned. He then nodded and said, "Please wait a moment, sir. I will summon the supervising elder."
After waiting quietly for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, an elderly man pushed the door open and entered.
"Greetings, sir. I am the person in charge of the Mittel Auction House, Mittel Tushan," the old man introduced himself as soon as he entered.
"I am Gu He," Gu He replied flatly.
In the entire Jia Ma Empire, Gu He was likely the only one capable of producing a sixth-tier pill. Therefore, once he decided to auction the Dou Spirit Pill, his identity would inevitably be revealed.
"Indeed, it is the Pill King," Mittel Tushan said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Clearly, he had already guessed Gu He's identity. After all, aside from a sixth-tier alchemist, no one else could produce a sixth-tier pill.
"I simply wish to participate in this auction quietly," Gu He said slowly, looking at Mittel Tushan.
Hearing this, Mittel Tushan was momentarily taken aback but quickly smiled and nodded in understanding. "I understand. Rest assured, the news of your presence will not be leaked before the auction begins."
After all, once the sixth-tier pill appeared during the auction, even a fool would know that it was the work of Pill King Gu He.
…
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