Chapter 134 A Frenzied Auction: 30,000 for Two is a Zero!

"One hundred thousand taels of gold!"

Sikong Changfeng's voice, imbued with profound inner strength, echoed throughout the magnificent Changqing Tower hall.

The sound was like a bomb dropped into a calm, deep lake, instantly creating towering waves.

Inside the main hall, the central platform was carved from a single piece of ancient cold jade, emitting wisps of white mist.

In the very center of the swirling white mist, a crystal-clear mutton-fat jade bowl rested quietly on a sandalwood tray.

The jade bowl contains a small portion of a pure, dark golden broth.

The broth seemed to have a life of its own, slowly flowing in the bowl, with tiny golden bubbles occasionally rising to the surface.

Each time a bubble bursts, it releases a unique fragrance that is difficult to describe in words.

Just one whiff of this fragrance made everyone present feel their pores open up, and even their internal energy, which had been stagnant for many years, showed signs of stirring.

Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Soup!

It is said to be a peerless divine medicine that can forcibly pull someone back from the brink of death as long as they have a breath left, and can even add sixty years of pure internal energy out of thin air!

A starting price of 100,000 taels of gold would have deterred most people in Tianqi City or Xueyue City in normal times, and they might even have cursed the auctioneer for being greedy for money.

One hundred thousand taels of gold is enough to arm an elite heavy cavalry force of tens of thousands of men, and enough to buy several of the most prosperous streets in Jiangnan!

But at Changqing Tower, a place filled with miracles and myths, where even the laws of space can be arbitrarily distorted, under the fatal allure of the words "resurrection," 100,000 taels of gold seemed to become an insignificant number, or even... just an admission ticket.

"One hundred and ten thousand taels!"

Almost the instant Sikong Changfeng finished speaking, before the echo had even faded from the beam, a hurried, hoarse, and heavily panting old voice suddenly rang out.

That was the Marquis of Pingnan.

This once ruthless and invincible military commander, who was a fierce warrior on the northern border battlefield, is now ravaged by time and old wounds, barely recognizable as human.

He was emaciated, with sunken eyes and his face covered with brown age spots. He could only barely keep on his last breath by drinking soup made from the finest thousand-year-old ginseng from Changbai Mountain.

At this moment, he was being supported by two burly, powerfully trained guards, and his whole body was trembling violently.

But he still stubbornly and shakily raised the bidding paddle in his hand.

His eyes, which were originally cloudy, were now filled with bloodshot veins as he stared intently at the jade bowl on the high platform, as if it were the only salvation in his life, the only rope that would save him from falling into the underworld.

"One hundred and twenty thousand taels!"

No sooner had the Marquis of Pingnan finished speaking than another powerful voice boomed out, ruthlessly drowning him out.

The bidder was Shen Wansan, the current head of the Shen family in Jiangnan.

This business tycoon, who was said to be incredibly wealthy and whose businesses spanned the entire Northern Li region and even several surrounding countries, was sweating profusely at this moment.

His obese body was squeezed into the large armchair, and he kept wiping the oily sweat from his forehead and neck with an expensive Shu brocade handkerchief.

But in his small eyes, squeezed into slits by fat, gleamed the extreme shrewdness and almost manic greed characteristic of a businessman.

"My lord, you are already so old, half your body is already in the grave, why insist on this? This bowl of soup, my Shen family is determined to have! Not only for longevity, but also to help my Shen family ancestor break through his limitations! 130,000 taels!"

Shen Wansan roared at the top of his lungs, his face trembling with the fat.

"Outrageous! You greedy merchant, reeking of money, dare to try and take my life?! 150,000 taels!"

Marquis Pingnan was furious and coughed violently, even coughing up a trace of dark red blood, but he did not hesitate at all in raising the sign.

"180,000 taels!"

"190,000 taels!"

"Two hundred thousand taels!"

……

The price is rising at an astonishing speed.

Those princes, ministers, and powerful families who were usually high and mighty and would argue fiercely over a few thousand taels of silver in the imperial court were now like middle-aged women haggling over a few cabbages in the market, completely lacking any semblance of decorum.

They eagerly raised their placards as if they were not gold, but a pile of waste paper.

Inside the private room on the second floor.

Su Changqing was leaning back on the comfortable couch, enjoying the lychees that Li Hanyi had peeled for him, while watching the almost frenzied bidding below, a faint sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

"People die for wealth, birds die for food. The world has no shortage of people who are greedy for life and afraid of death."

Su Changqing toyed with a lychee pit in his hand, then flicked it casually. With a "whoosh," the lychee pit accurately passed through the crack in the window and landed on the head of a masked man in the corner of the hall who was preparing to sneak away.

"Ouch!"

The masked man clutched his head and screamed, attracting the attention of those around him.

"What's going on? Is there an assassin?"

"Grab him quickly!"

Several guards from Changqing Tower (who were actually disciples of Lei Family Fortress) immediately rushed forward and pinned the masked man to the ground.

"Don't be nervous, he's just a petty thief."

Su Changqing's lazy voice came down from the second floor, "Trying to steal things in the chaos? Don't you know where you are? Lei Wujie, throw him out, and break his legs while you're at it, so he'll learn his lesson."

"Okay, brother-in-law!"

Lei Wujie responded excitedly, picked up the masked man like a chick, and swaggered out.

This little incident did not interrupt the auction; on the contrary, it made those present realize the terrifying power of Changqing Tower even more deeply.

Even a highly skilled expert, hidden deep within and at least at the Free and Easy Realm, could be easily subdued by Su Changqing with a single lychee pit. In this place, who would dare to act recklessly?

"Two hundred thousand taels!"

The bidding price has already exceeded 200,000 taels of gold.

At this point, only a handful of people were still holding up signs.

Marquis Pingnan, the head of the Shen family, and a mysterious old man who sat in the corner, wearing a bamboo hat and whose face could not be seen.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand taels!"

The head of the Shen family gritted his teeth and quoted a price that even he found painful.

This already represents nearly a third of the Shen family's liquid assets. Adding more would likely disrupt the family's normal operations.

But he was unwilling to accept it!

This is a miraculous medicine that can bring people back from the dead and increase their cultivation by sixty years!

If I can capture this, not only will I be able to save my own life, but I can also ensure that the Shen family will be glorious for another hundred years!

"Three hundred thousand taels."

The mysterious old man wearing a straw hat finally spoke.

His voice was hoarse and deep, like two rusty pieces of iron rubbing together, which was extremely unpleasant to listen to.

But the price he quoted was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, causing the head of the Shen family to slump into his chair.

"Three...three hundred thousand taels?!"

Sikong Changfeng stood on the high platform, his hand holding the auction gavel trembling slightly.

He originally thought that the 300,000 taels of gold was an "impossible task" set for him by Su Changqing, and he was even prepared to go back to washing dishes for the rest of his life.

But to his utter surprise, in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, someone actually shouted out that price! And judging from the old man's demeanor, it seemed that this wasn't even his bottom line!

"Three hundred thousand taels...is there anything higher?"

Sikong Changfeng tried to calm his excited emotions and looked around the room.

Marquis Pingnan lowered his hand helplessly. Although he was a marquis, the foundation of his mansion was not as good as those aristocratic families that had been passed down for hundreds of years. Three hundred thousand taels of gold had exceeded his limit.

The head of the Shen family also looked dejected, and could only watch helplessly as the bowl of divine medicine slipped through his fingers.

The entire room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by this astronomical figure.

"Three hundred thousand taels, for the first time."

Sikong Changfeng raised the small wooden mallet.

"Three hundred thousand taels, the second time."

Just as he was about to press the button for the third time and announce the deal.

"Wait a moment."

A clear voice suddenly came from the entrance of the main hall.

Everyone turned around and saw a young man dressed in a moon-white robe and holding a folding fan, leading several attendants as he slowly walked into the main hall.

He had a handsome face and a refined demeanor, but there was an undeniable air of arrogance about him.

"That's... Duan Tianya, the young master of the Duan family in Jiangnan!"

Someone in the crowd recognized the young man and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

The Duan family of Jiangnan is a top-tier martial arts family, on par with the Tang Clan and Lei Family Fortress of Sichuan! Moreover, the Duan family is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also extremely wealthy, with their financial resources even surpassing those of the Shen family!

"Three hundred and fifty thousand taels."

Duan Tianya walked to the center of the hall, and without even glancing at the bowl of soup on the high platform, he directly announced a price that made everyone gasp.

"hiss--!"

"Three hundred and fifty thousand taels?! Has the Duan family gone mad?!"

"That's 350,000 taels of gold! That could buy so many cities!"

Faced with the shocked gazes of the crowd, Duan Tianya simply smiled faintly.

"My ancestor has been unwell recently, and the Duan family is determined to obtain this 'Nine-Turn Resurrection Soup.' I hope that you seniors will give us face and not compete with us juniors any further."

Although he spoke politely, his tone revealed an overbearing determination to win.

The mysterious old man wearing a straw hat slowly turned his head and glanced at Duan Tianya.

Although his face was obscured, everyone could sense the cold and murderous intent emanating from beneath his straw hat.

"Four hundred thousand taels."

The old man spoke again, his voice still hoarse, but now tinged with anger.

"Whoosh—!"

The entire venue erupted in cheers!

Four hundred thousand taels! This far exceeds the value of the soup itself! This is clearly a power struggle between two top-tier forces!

"Four hundred and fifty thousand taels." Duan Tianya's smile faded slightly, but his eyes became even more determined.

"Five hundred thousand taels!" the old man demanded without backing down.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand taels!"

"Six hundred thousand taels!"

……

Prices skyrocketed, making Sikong Changfeng's heart pound and even his breathing become difficult.

Six hundred thousand taels of gold!

That's enough to buy several Snowmoon Cities?!

He even began to suspect that these people had moved their entire family's vaults here.

Inside a private room on the second floor.

Xiao Se frowned slightly as he looked at the two people bidding frantically below.

"Sir, that old man wearing a straw hat is probably not a simple person."

Xiao Se said in a low voice,

"Although there was no fluctuation of internal energy on his body, I could feel that the air around him seemed to be distorted by some strange force. This kind of ability to conceal one's aura is definitely not something an ordinary martial artist can do."

"Yes, I can see that."

Su Changqing peeled a grape and popped it into his mouth, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. "Just an old monster clinging to life. Probably lived too long and is afraid of death, so he wants to try his luck."

"Then... what about Duan Tianya?" Xiao Se asked again. "The Duan family of Jiangnan has always been low-key, so why are they making such a fuss over this bowl of soup?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's really to save his grandfather, or maybe... he has other motives."

Su Changqing stretched and said, "I don't care what their purpose is, as long as they pay me. I only care about money, not people."

Just as the two were talking.

The bidding below has reached a fever pitch.

"One million taels!"

The mysterious old man suddenly stood up, his voice sharp with extreme anger, "Young Master Duan, if you dare to raise the price again, I guarantee that your entire Duan family will not see the sun rise tomorrow!"

One million taels of gold!

The moment that number was announced, the entire hall seemed to be muted.

Everyone was stunned by these terrifying numbers.

Duan Tianya's expression also changed.

One million taels was already beyond his means. If the price were to increase further, he would have to use the family's core assets.

Although he was arrogant, he wasn't stupid. He was willing to pay any price to save his grandfather, but if he risked the future of his entire family, it wouldn't be worth it.

Moreover, the threat from this mysterious old man made him feel an unprecedented pressure.

He had no doubt that this old man truly had the ability to destroy the Duan family!

"Since you are so persistent, then I, your junior, will do you a favor."

Duan Tianya gritted his teeth and ultimately chose to give up.

"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you."

The mysterious old man snorted coldly and sat down again.

Sikong Changfeng stood on the high platform, feeling his heart pounding wildly.

One million taels of gold!

He had never seen so much money in his life!

"One million taels, for the first time!"

"One million taels, for the second time!"

"One million taels, for the third time!"

"make a deal!"

Sikong Changfeng made the final decision, his voice becoming somewhat hoarse with excitement.

"Congratulations to this senior for winning the bid for the first serving of 'Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Soup' at Changqinglou!"

A sparse clapping sounded in the hall. Most people were still reeling from the shock of the one million taels of gold.

The mysterious old man stood up and slowly walked towards the high platform.

He did not immediately take out the silver notes, but instead took out a black token from his pocket and handed it to Sikong Changfeng.

"This is the Black Gold Dragon Card of Tianxia Qianzhuang, which can be used to withdraw one million taels of gold at any branch."

The old man said in a hoarse voice, "Now, give me the soup."

Sikong Changfeng took the token, examined it carefully, and after confirming that it was correct, he cautiously handed over the jade bowl containing the "Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Soup".

The old man took the jade bowl, his eyes, hidden beneath his bamboo hat, fixed intently on the golden broth within, his breathing becoming rapid.

With trembling hands, he picked up the jade bowl, ready to drink it all in one gulp.

Just then.

"Wait a minute."

A lazy yet cold voice suddenly came from the second floor.

Su Changqing had somehow already stood by the railing, looking down at the mysterious old man with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

You can't drink this soup.