As Nalan Jie thought about the branding poison coursing through his body, a shadow loomed over his heart. Once the poison erupted, there would be no cure.
As the pillar of the Nalan family, if he were to fall before Yanran had grown strong enough, the Nalan family would be in grave danger.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
At that moment, a knock echoed from outside the private room, pulling Nalan Jie out of his brooding thoughts.
"Come in," Nalan Jie called out softly.
The door creaked open, and a graceful maid entered, holding a list in her hands.
"Respected guest, this is the updated list of auction items sent by the elder. Would you like to take a look?" The maid placed the list gently on the table before Nalan Jie.
"A list of auction items?" Nalan Jie frowned, puzzled. "Didn't he already give me one?"
The maid smiled faintly and explained, "The supervisor mentioned that an additional item has been added to this auction. This is the latest revised list."
"An additional item?" Nalan Jie's expression shifted slightly, a hint of curiosity flashing across his face.
"I will take her leave now," the maid said with a graceful bow before exiting the room.
"Could it be some extraordinary treasure?" Nalan Jie wondered aloud as he picked up the list and began to examine it carefully.
After a moment, his breathing quickened, and his face changed dramatically.
"Sixth Tier Dou Spirit Pill! The final item of this auction is actually a sixth-Tier Dou Spirit Pill!" Nalan Jie's eyes widened in astonishment as he stared at the list in his hand.
His mind raced. 'I must obtain this Dou Spirit Pill!'
For four years since being poisoned, Nalan Jie had been stuck at the six-star Dou King realm, unable to break through.
Every time the branding poison flared up, he had to expend a significant amount of energy to suppress it. Not only had his progress stalled, but his cultivation had even shown signs of decline in recent years.
The appearance of this Dou Spirit Pill gave him hope.
If he could obtain it, he might finally break through to the seven-star Dou King realm.
At that point, he might even be able to suppress the branding poison in one fell swoop—or perhaps even eradicate it entirely.
The thought filled Nalan Jie with excitement. 'Today, I will secure this Dou Spirit Pill, no matter the cost.'
…
Meanwhile, in a private room not far away, Mu Chen, the head of the Mu family, had also received the updated list from a maid.
"Dou Spirit Pill! Hahaha, there's actually a Dou Spirit Pill up for auction! Heaven is on my side!" Mu Chen's excitement surpassed even Nalan Jie's.
Although the Mu family was counted among the three great families of the imperial capital, alongside the Nalan and Mittel families, Mu Chen knew there was still a significant gap in strength between the Mu family and the other two.
If not for the Mu family's deep ties to the Jia Ma Empire and their considerable influence in the military, they might not have been able to compete with the other two families at all.
Moreover, Mu Chen's cultivation was at the four-star Dou King realm, placing him among the top ten powerhouses in the Jia Ma Empire—but only barely, as he was at the very bottom of that list.
Now, as he looked at the list in his hand, his face lit up with excitement.
'If I can obtain this Dou Spirit Pill, my strength will increase significantly. This could narrow the gap between the Mu family and the other two great families, allowing us to solidify our position among the three major families.'
A similar scene was unfolding in the private rooms of other influential figures in the imperial capital.
…
In the early stages of the auction, there were no particularly remarkable items to stir up excitement.
The bidding was dominated by those seated in the main auction hall, while the powerful factions in the private rooms remained silent, biding their time.
Ding!
A crisp chime rang out from the crystal platform as Mittel Tushan, the auctioneer, stepped forward with a small silver tray in hand.
On the tray were two transparent jade bottles, each containing a glowing pill.
As soon as the pills appeared, they drew the attention of the crowd. After all, on the Dou qi Continent, pills were as valuable as dou techniques, capable of drawing countless people to their allure.
"Hehe, this pill is called the 'Qingling Pill.' Many of you must have heard of it. It can help those who have been stuck at the peak of the Dou Master realm break through their barriers in one go."
"This particular Qingling Pill is of the second generation. With a bit of luck, those who take it might even advance to the two-star level," Mittel Tushan explained with a smile.
As soon as he finished speaking, the auction house erupted into murmurs. Countless eyes turned to the jade bottles on the tray, filled with desire.
Pills that could help people break through cultivation barriers were exceedingly rare, even in the imperial capital.
While the difference between Dou Master and Dou Grandmaster might seem minor, stepping into the latter was a qualitative leap in the path of Dou Qi cultivation.
Many people remained stuck at the peak of the Dou Master realm for years, unable to take that crucial step.
The Qingling Pill, however, could solve this problem with ease.
As soon as it was unveiled, even some of the major families in the front rows showed interest. After all, a single Qingling Pill could produce a Dou Grandmaster, making it a highly cost-effective investment in the long run.
While Dou Emperor powerhouses were considered experts in the Jia Ma Empire, Dou Grandmaster were the backbone of many forces. Adding a few more to their ranks would only strengthen their position.
"Of course, since you've heard of the Qingling Pill, you must also be aware of its side effects," the auctioneer added with a sly smile, deliberately glossing over the specifics of the pill's backlash.
He then waved his hand and announced, "The starting bid is 33 thousand gold coins!"
"34 thousand gold coins!" someone shouted from the back almost immediately.
"35 thousand gold coins!" Another voice chimed in. The Qingling Pill had clearly piqued the interest of many, and within moments, the bidding had already surpassed the initial price.
…
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