In the private room, Gu He sat quietly in his chair, fingers interlocked, as the escalating bids sounded in his ears. A faint smile played on his lips.
As expected of a shrewd businessman, Mittel Tushan had only highlighted the benefits of the Qingling Pill, carefully omitting its drawbacks.
While the pill could indeed help a Dou Practitioner break through barriers and advance, it only boosted one's strength by a star or two at most, and carried a significant risk of backlash.
The auction hall buzzed with fervent bids. In just ten minutes, the price of the Qingling Pill had soared from 35 thousand gold coins to 48 thousand gold coins.
The atmosphere grew tense as the bids climbed higher. After all, 48 thousand gold coins for a single pill was no small sum, and two pills would cost nearly a hundred thousand. For many, this price was simply too steep.
"55 thousand gold coins!"
Just as the bidding stalled at 49 thousand gold coins, a firm voice rang out from one of the private rooms.
Hearing the sudden jump in price, Gu He glanced over in mild surprise, murmuring to himself, "It seems a certain family has taken a keen interest in this Qingling Pill."
The bold bid from the private room immediately hushed the previously noisy auction hall.
Many who had been eager to raise the price exchanged hesitant glances before reluctantly sitting back down.
While they had some funds to spare, they knew better than to compete with the wealthier families in the private rooms.
"56 thousand gold coins!"
"57 thousand gold coins!"
"58 thousand gold coins!"
"59 thousand gold coins!"
The bidding war continued until the Qingling Pill was finally sold for a staggering 60 thousand gold coins.
After the Qingling Pill was auctioned off, the following items failed to generate much excitement. Some were sold after just a single bid, while others barely managed to attract attention.
Mittel Tushan couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. His performance and income were directly tied to the success of the auction.
Fortunately, after a lull that lasted over ten minutes, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. Even Gu He's attention was drawn to the next item up for auction.
On the crystal stage, Mittel Tushan carefully lifted a silver tray covered with a red cloth, his expression brimming with mystery.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next item will undoubtedly pique your interest. If nurtured properly, it could very well become a formidable force within your family, potentially reaching the strength of a Dou King!"
Hearing Mittel Tushan's introduction, Gu He's interest was piqued. He had a faint idea of what was coming.
"Behold, a Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg—the Iron-Winged Giant Eagle!"
With a dramatic flourish, Mittel Tushan removed the red cloth, revealing a blue Magical beast egg adorned with intricate, mysterious patterns.
"So, it's this..." Gu He murmured, a smile tugging at his lips as he observed the egg.
The appearance of the Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg momentarily silenced the auction hall, but the quiet didn't last long.
Soon, the room erupted into a frenzy of excitement.
Even the aristocratic families in the private rooms couldn't contain their enthusiasm. After all, obtaining this egg and successfully hatching it could grant them the aid of a Dou King-level Magical beast in the future.
Moreover, the Iron-Winged Giant Eagle was a rare flying Magical beast, adding to its allure.
"A Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg? I must have it!" In one of the private rooms, a middle-aged man gazed at the egg with fiery determination.
"Family Head, the price of a Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg will likely exceed a million gold coins. If we spend so recklessly now, we may not have enough to compete for the Dou King Pill later," a butler-like figure behind him whispered cautiously.
"You're right," the middle-aged man sighed. "But I fear the other major families are also eyeing the Dou King Pill. Competing with them would be a daunting task."
On the crystal stage, Mittel Tushan briefly explained the benefits of the Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg. The audience's eyes gleamed with desire as they hung onto his every word.
"Now that everyone understands the value of this Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg, let the auction begin! The starting bid is set at a million gold coins!" Mittel Tushan announced with a smile.
"A million gold coins? That's quite steep," Gu He mused, slightly taken aback. But considering the rarity of a flying Magical beast like the Iron-Winged Giant Eagle, he quickly reasoned that the price was justified.
However, he noticed that the million-gold-coin price tag immediately deterred many of the eager bidders. The fiery gazes in the room dimmed considerably as numerous participants withdrew from the competition.
"10 million gold coins!"
"20 million gold coins!"
"30 million gold coins!"
Almost as soon as Mittel Tushan finished speaking, bids began pouring in from the private rooms. Despite the high starting price, many aristocratic families were willing to compete for the Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg.
Soon, the price soared to 70 million gold coins. As the bids began to slow, Gu He decided it was time to make his move.
Indeed, this Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg was one of the items he had his eye on. While the egg itself held little value to him, he couldn't help but think of his disciple, who still lacked a Magical beast companion.
'If I gift this Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg to my disciple and trigger a ten-thousand-fold refund, what kind of Magical beast Egg might I receive in return?'
The thought filled him with anticipation. Without hesitation, he called out, "100 million gold coins!"
The moment the bid was announced, the auction hall erupted into an uproar. No one dared to counter the bid. By raising the price by 30 million gold coins in one go, Gu He had made his intentions clear: this Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg was his.
On the crystal stage, Mittel Tushan was momentarily stunned. 'Why would His Excellency Pill King be interested in a Rank 5 Magical Beast Egg?'
Though puzzled, he quickly regained his composure. After asking the audience three times if there were any further bids, he brought down the auction hammer with a resounding thud.
"Sold to His Excellency Pill for 100 million gold coins!"
…
P.S: I've been thinking about starting a new fanfic and have a few genres in mind. To help me decide, I've created a poll on Patreon. If you're interested, feel free to check it out and cast your vote!
The poll will close on May 26th, so be sure to get your vote in before then.
If you'd like to support me and gain access to advanced chapters, you can follow the link:
patreon.com/DarkLord621
📖 Explore my fanfiction collections:
🔹 Douluo: Infinite Lottery System - 289+ Chapter
🔹 Douluo: Peerless Gu Master - 185+ Chapter
🔹 My Disciple Are All Dou God - 100+ Chapter
Thank you for your support!