Chapter 151: Chapter 117: Lost Their Mind
Alchemist Zhuang sent a voice transmission.
Chen Jianghe glanced over from the corner of his eye and noticed that Ji Wujin was wearing a half-mask.
The mask emanated a faint, pale blue light, obscuring his features.
Chen Jianghe wasn’t curious about Ji Wujin’s origins. He was more interested in the mask on Ji Wujin’s face, and the profits of a Puppet Master.
’That’s a nice item. I wonder if it can block Divine Sense,’ Chen Jianghe thought. ’Two thousand and ten Spirit Stones... are Puppet Masters that rich?’
As the excitement over the Purple Mist Red Fruit died down.
The twenty-eighth treasure, while also quite good, failed to generate the same level of enthusiasm as the Purple Mist Red Fruit.
After all, the Purple Mist Red Fruit was a Main Material for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, capable of stirring up the emotions of the entire auction hall.
The subsequent treasures were only useful to Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
Qi Refining Cultivators like them were just here to watch the show.
When the twenty-ninth treasure appeared, another wave of excitement swept through the auction, but it had nothing to do with Chen Jianghe.
In fact, most of the Cultivators remained quite calm.
Only the elderly, whose lifespans were nearing their end, had eyes gleaming with green light, looking as if they would rush the stage and snatch the treasure at any moment.
"The twenty-ninth treasure is a bottle of Lifespan Extension Pills! There are three pills in total. Fellow Daoists who have never taken one before are in luck."
"These three Lifespan Extension Pills can extend one’s life by nearly eighteen years, giving our fellow Daoists enough time to cultivate the next generation."
"I’m sure you are all getting impatient, so this old man won’t waste any more words. The auction will now begin! The starting price is 1,500 Spirit Stones, and each bid must be an increment of no less than fifty Spirit Stones."
"1,600 Spirit Stones."
"1,650 Spirit Stones."
"..."
"2,100 Spirit Stones."
Alchemist Zhuang glanced indifferently at the Lifespan Extension Pills on the stage and sent a voice transmission to Chen Jianghe, "Saving the Lifespan Extension Pills for this late in the auction... I knew the Hundred Treasures Tower was up to some dirty tricks."
The market price for a single Lifespan Extension Pill was five hundred Spirit Stones, one hundred less than a Youthful Pill.
Likewise, they had a price but were never on the market.
You could only find them at auctions.
However, once a Lifespan Extension Pill appeared at an auction, while it wouldn’t cause the same frenzy as a Youthful Pill and see its price inflate to 1,500 Spirit Stones, it would still typically sell for around eight hundred Spirit Stones.
In other words, if the three pills were auctioned separately, they could fetch a total of 2,400 Spirit Stones, yet the Hundred Treasures Tower was selling them as a single lot.
This undoubtedly increased the competition.
It let those Cultivators nearing the end of their lives know that if they couldn’t win them this time, there might not be a next time.
"It is a bit dirty, but when it comes to making Spirit Stones, there’s no shame."
Chen Jianghe commented.
If he were the auctioneer, he’d be even more ruthless.
He’d first auction two Lifespan Extension Pills together to drive the Cultivators with little time left into a frenzy.
Then he’d auction the last one separately.
That way, he could squeeze out at least another hundred Spirit Stones.
Chen Jianghe was a bit puzzled as to why Alchemist Zhuang wasn’t bidding. Logically, Alchemist Zhuang should need the Lifespan Extension Pills more than anyone.
As for Spirit Stones?
Would a High-Grade Alchemist who had long given up hope of reaching Foundation Establishment be short on Spirit Stones?
Perhaps he had to support his family in the past, but what family did he have now?
With only a granddaughter and a disciple by his side, his expenses couldn’t be very high.
’Looks like Alchemist Zhuang has already taken a Lifespan Extension Pill,’ Chen Jianghe guessed. Only someone who had already used one would be uninterested in the three pills on the auction stage.
Chen Jianghe then turned his attention back to the auction. The competition was fierce, with bidders’ eyes spitting fire.
Whenever an old man’s bid was surpassed by another, he would shoot a furious glare at his rival.
It had to be said, bidding for Lifespan Extension Pills was an easy way to make enemies.
"2,250 Spirit Stones."
"2,300 Spirit Stones."
"2,400 Spirit Stones."
The price had already reached the typical peak for such an auction, but the bidding showed no signs of stopping.
It quickly soared to 2,600 Spirit Stones.
This had already surpassed the all-time high for Lifespan Extension Pills.
"2,700 Spirit Stones."
A familiar voice rang out. It was the Yun Family Ancestor, finally joining the bidding.
He went straight to 2,700 Spirit Stones.
By this point, those Ninth-Layer Qi Refining artisans had long been eliminated from the running.
The battlefield now belonged to the old men of Foundation Establishment.
"2,850 Spirit Stones."
Another Foundation Establishment Ancestor from a Foundation Establishment Immortal Race placed a bid.
"3,000 Spirit Stones." The Yun Family Ancestor raised the bid directly to 3,000 Spirit Stones, stunning all the Cultivators present.
Even Chen Jianghe was a little surprised.
’Is he insane? Or just terrified of dying?’
A Foundation Establishment Cultivator of his age had absolutely no chance of reaching Core Formation. Buying a Lifespan Extension Pill would only let him live for another decade or so.
In the end, he would still die.
But 3,000 Spirit Stones was enough to win a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Wouldn’t it be better to leave those 3,000 Spirit Stones to his descendants so they could find an opportunity to bid on a Foundation Establishment Pill in the future?
At this moment, Chen Jianghe couldn’t help but think of Daniu.
If these 3,000 Spirit Stones were used to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill for Yu Daniu, he would have a thirty percent chance of reaching Foundation Establishment.
Even if he failed, he would still survive.
Wasn’t that more valuable than letting a decrepit Foundation Establishment Ancestor live for another ten-odd years?
Once the price of 3,000 Spirit Stones was announced, the eyes of the Foundation Establishment Ancestors in the front rows all cleared up.
No one else made a bid.
The price of the Lifespan Extension Pills had already doubled.
They hadn’t reached the point of insanity that Female Cultivators did upon seeing a Youthful Pill, driving its price up to nearly three times its value.
The Yun Family Ancestor successfully won the three Lifespan Extension Pills for 3,000 Spirit Stones.
Sitting in the back, Chen Jianghe couldn’t see the Yun Family Ancestor’s expression, but since he had called out the price, he probably didn’t regret it.
It was just a bit baffling.
From anyone’s perspective, saving 3,000 Spirit Stones for a Foundation Establishment Pill was a much more cost-effective choice.
When the thirtieth treasure was revealed.
Chen Jianghe found it rather unremarkable. It held no appeal for him whatsoever; he felt that even spending a single Spirit Stone on it would be a loss.
But the two women beside him had fervent eyes.
Even Alchemist Zhuang’s composure wavered, and he seemed to have the notion of bidding.
"Next up is the thirtieth treasure! This is a blessing for our female Daoists—a Youthful Pill that the Hundred Treasures Tower went to great lengths to acquire from the Celestial South Sect for you!"
"After this auction, this old man doesn’t know if he’ll ever have the chance to see another Youthful Pill in his lifetime."
"This is a rare opportunity, and beauty waits for no one."
"To give every female Daoist a chance, this old man has set no starting price and no minimum bid increment for this item."
"Let the auction begin!"
Chen Jianghe watched the old auctioneer, whose every word stirred the soul and inflamed the emotions of the Female Cultivators.
He couldn’t help but give him a mental thumbs-up.
’He’s a veteran auctioneer, all right. He has a perfect grasp of human nature.’
No starting price would ignite the desire of every Female Cultivator, making the auction for the Youthful Pill even more heated and ensuring the final winner felt it was worth it.
And no minimum bid increment would further stoke their competitive spirit.
Sure enough, as soon as the old auctioneer’s voice fell, a Female Cultivator started the bidding.
"Eighty Spirit Stones."
Chen Jianghe turned to look at Jiang Ruxu, a helpless, bitter smile on his face. This girl was truly unpredictable.
’Next time, I’m definitely not coming with her. She draws too much attention.’
A Youthful Pill had a market price of six hundred Spirit Stones, and at auction, it could go for as high as 1,500.
’And here you are, starting the bid at eighty Spirit Stones.’
"Hehe, I only have eighty Spirit Stones."
Jiang Ruxu said with a mischievous smile, seeing everyone’s eyes fixed on her.
This immediately drew a wave of laughter.
However, there was no way a Youthful Pill was going to be sold for a mere eighty Spirit Stones.
The second bid shot straight up to 1,200 Spirit Stones, clearly giving the Qi Refining-stage Female Cultivators no chance.
After all, three of the thirteen Foundation Establishment Cultivators were young women, and their purpose for attending the auction was self-evident.
They were here for the Youthful Pill.
"1,400 Spirit Stones."
"1,460 Spirit Stones."
"..."
"1,600 Spirit Stones."
"1,610 Spirit Stones."
"1,612 Spirit Stones."
Listening to the bids for the Youthful Pill, Chen Jianghe noted that only the three female Foundation Establishment Cultivators were left.
The lack of a minimum bid increment had made them lose all reason.