140: Breakthrough Pill and low-level Earth Rank combat skills

Jiang Donghua watched the fierce bidding on the auction stage with cold eyes, cursing inwardly.

"These lunatics! It's just a fourth-grade elixir formula, yet they've driven the price up to this extent?"

The two fourth-grade elixir formulas he had originally set his sights on, "Profound Fire Elixir" and "Azure Spirit Body Tempering Elixir," had now been driven to exorbitant prices.

The Alchemists were adding to their bids like their gold coins were burning their hands, and the final transaction price was almost double the market price!

"Buying it at that price is simply being a fool!"

He snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"Forget it, I'm not short on fourth-grade elixir formulas anyway, no need to be that fool."

However, to his surprise, when the auction reached the fifth-grade elixir formulas, the atmosphere suddenly cooled down.

Elder Bai Yan unveiled the brocade, revealing an ancient scroll glowing with a dark blue light, and announced loudly.

"fifth-grade elixir formula—'Soul Barrier Elixir'! After consuming this elixir, a soul barrier can be formed in a short time to resist soul attacks!"

The crowd below exchanged glances, their reactions flat.

Jiang Donghua raised an eyebrow, secretly pleased.

"Indeed, Fifth-Grade Alchemists are rare in the Black-Corner Region, let alone such an obscure elixir formula specifically for soul attacks."

He scanned the entire hall, finding that apart from a few mysterious figures in the private rooms who were still observing, almost no one was bidding.

"My chance has come!"

Seeing no bids, Bai Yan frowned slightly and added.

"Although this elixir is obscure, if you encounter an expert skilled in soul attacks, it can save your life at a critical moment!"

However, the hall remained silent.

Finally, Bai Yan reluctantly announced.

"Starting price, eight hundred thousand gold coins!"

Jiang Donghua's lips curved slightly, and he slowly raised his bidding paddle.

"Eight hundred and fifty thousand."

All eyes instantly focused on him, and many showed surprise.

"Someone's actually buying it?"

"Although this Pill Formula is rare, too few people can use it."

"Perhaps some Alchemist wants to collect it?"

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Jiang Donghua sneered inwardly.

"A bunch of frogs in a well! While experts who specialize in soul attacks are rare, once you encounter one, without preparation, it's a dead end!"

Seeing no one continued to bid, Bai Yan struck the gavel.

"Eight hundred and fifty thousand gold coins, sold!"

Jiang Donghua retrieved his bidding paddle with satisfaction, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"Although I didn't get a fourth-grade elixir formula at this auction, the value of this 'Soul Barrier Elixir' is probably far beyond their imagination!"

Jiang Donghua tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest, his gaze calmly watching the several rare medicinal herbs being presented on the auction stage one after another.

"Profound Ginseng, starting price eight hundred thousand!"

"Eight hundred and fifty thousand."

He casually raised his paddle, his voice calm.

"Nine hundred thousand!"

Someone on the other side raised the bid.

"One million."

Jiang Donghua didn't even lift an eyelid, directly raising the price by one hundred thousand.

The entire hall fell silent; no one contended further.

Red Silk glanced at him and transmitted her voice.

"Junior Brother, why are you bidding on these medicinal herbs? Are you really going to refine elixirs for Bai Xiaofeng?"

Jiang Donghua's lips curved slightly, and he gently stroked his storage ring.

"These medicinal herbs will have great use in the future."

Soon, several high-grade medicinal herbs all fell into his hands.

And as the last ordinary auction item was hammered down, the atmosphere of the entire auction house suddenly tightened.

Bai Yan took a deep breath, a hint of solemnity appearing on his aged face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what comes next is truly the main event of today!"

He waved his hand, and the ground in the center of the auction stage slowly split open, a jade platform protected by a high-grade formation slowly rising.

Above the jade platform, a completely black jade slip floated, its surface entwined with strange blood-colored patterns, slowly wriggling as if alive.

"earth rank low-tier Dou Technique—Xuan Yin Poisonous Fiend Palm!"

The entire hall instantly erupted!

"Di-rank Dou Technique! It's really a Di-rank Dou Technique!"

"Heavenly Serpent City actually brought out something like this this time?!"

In the private rooms on the second floor, several powerful auras subtly fluctuated, clearly indicating that many Dou Huang experts could not suppress their excitement.

Bai Xiaofeng's breathing was rapid, his fists clenched.

"Master Jiang, I must acquire this!"

Jiang Donghua's gaze was deep, and he said lightly.

"Ninth Young Master, there are many contenders for this item. Are you sure you want to make a move?"

Bai Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and said.

"As long as I can get it, I will definitely crush everyone else in the clan's grand competition!"

Jiang Donghua remained noncommittal, only scanning the auction hall, sneering inwardly.

"It seems the real big fish haven't shown up yet."

Sure enough, Bai Yan's next words shocked the entire hall again.

"This item is not owned by my Heavenly Serpent City, but entrusted for auction by a mysterious person."

"And his condition is that this item is for exchange only, not for sale!"

"It must be exchanged for an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method, elixirs, or clues to a strange flame of equivalent value!"

Boom!

The entire hall was in an uproar!

"Clues to a strange flame?! Are you kidding me!"

"Earth-Rank Cultivation Method? Who would bring out something like that to exchange?!"

The moment Bai Yan announced that the Xuan Yin Poisonous Fiend Palm had to be exchanged for goods, the atmosphere of the entire auction house instantly became subtle.

The faces of many representatives of forces who were originally determined to win changed dramatically, while those true powerhouses with deep foundations had their eyes gleaming, rising one after another and walking towards the secret room behind the auction house.

Bai Xiaofeng suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with unwillingness and longing.

"Master Jiang, I'll go try!"

Jiang Donghua nodded faintly.

"Ninth Young Master, please do."

Bai Xiaofeng, accompanied by Hong Yu and Bi Yao, hurried out of the private room, his back showing an impatient eagerness.

Red Silk looked at his retreating figure and scoffed.

"This kid, does he really think he can produce something that would tempt a Dou Zong?"

Jiang Donghua tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his gaze profound.

"It's good for him to hit a wall; it saves him from always thinking the world revolves around him."

Not long after, Bai Xiaofeng returned.

Unlike his high spirits when he left, his face was now gloomy, his steps heavy, and his eyes filled with frustration.

"Damn it!"

He slammed his fist on the table, and several fine cracks immediately appeared on the spiritual wood surface.

Hong Yu and Bi Yao stood by with downcast eyes, not daring to breathe loudly.

Jiang Donghua asked with feigned concern.

"Ninth Young Master, how was it?"

Bai Xiaofeng slumped down, gritting his teeth.

"The appraiser in that secret room didn't even look at what I brought out! He said, 'Ninth Young Master, these items of yours are merely ordinary things to a Dou Zong!'"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became, his fists clenching with a cracking sound.

"I, the dignified Ninth Young Master of Heavenly Serpent City, don't even have the qualifications to participate!"

Jiang Donghua sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he comforted him.

"Ninth Young Master, don't mind it. Di-rank Dou Techniques are inherently precious. To be able to exchange for something of equal value, one must at least be a Dou Zong or a first-rate force."

Bai Xiaofeng growled unwillingly.

"But I'm not reconciled! If I can obtain this Xuan Yin Poisonous Fiend Palm, I can absolutely suppress everyone else in the clan's grand competition!"

No one responded. After more than ten minutes, it was unknown who acquired the item or if the original buyer took the earth rank low-tier Dou Technique away.

In any case, the next auction item was brought onto the stage, and the atmosphere of the entire auction house suddenly solidified.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the elixir on the auction stage, which glowed with a dark blue aura. Spiritual patterns faintly flowed on its surface, containing the aura of some kind of heavenly law.

Sixth-grade elixir—Break-Sect Pill!

A heaven-defying item capable of helping a Peak Dou Huang Expert break through to Dou Zong!

At this moment, Bai Yan's aged face carried a rare solemnity. He carefully held the elixir with both hands, his voice deep and resonant, spreading throughout the entire auction house.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the value of this elixir, I believe, needs no further explanation from this old man."

"For a Peak Dou Huang, if they obtain this elixir, they will have a seventy percent chance of stepping into the Dou Zong realm!"

"And once one achieves Dou Zong, where in this vast world can they not go?!"

He scanned the entire hall, a meaningful smile slowly curving at the corner of his lips.

Boom!

The entire hall instantly erupted!

"Break-Sect Pill! It's really the Break-Sect Pill!"

"Heavenly Serpent City actually put something like this up for auction this time?!"

"Damn it! I should have brought more gold coins!"

In the VIP rooms on the second floor, many representatives of first-rate forces stood up, their eyes flashing with greed.

Jiang Donghua's gaze narrowed slightly, and he mused inwardly.

"A sixth-grade elixir... It seems there really is a high-grade Alchemist backing Heavenly Serpent City."

Red Silk transmitted her voice.

"Junior Brother, if this item falls into the hands of certain people, it might break the current balance of Heavenly Serpent City."

Jiang Donghua nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping towards Bai Xiaofeng.

He saw that the Ninth Young Master's face was flushed, his breathing rapid, his eyes full of longing, but it quickly turned into deep helplessness.

"Alas~ What a pity, an elixir of this level is simply beyond my reach."

He gave a wry smile and looked at Jiang Donghua.

"Master Jiang, if you are interested, you might as well try."

Jiang Donghua smiled faintly.

"Ninth Young Master, you jest. I am merely an Alchemist; where would I get so many gold coins? Moreover, there's no one around me who needs this Break-Sect Pill. Keeping something like this on me would just be inviting trouble, wouldn't it?"

Bai Xiaofeng sighed.

"Indeed, the competition for this Break-Sect Pill..."

Just then, the auctioneer Bai Yan's voice sounded again.

"Break-Sect Pill, starting price five million!"

"Each bid increase must not be less than one hundred thousand!"

As soon as his voice fell, a hoarse voice immediately came from a private room on the second floor.

"Six million!"

A direct increase of one million!

The entire hall was in an uproar!

Immediately after, another cold voice sounded.

"Seven million!"

"Seven million five hundred thousand!"

"Eight million!"

The price soared wildly, breaking through the ten million mark in just a few breaths!

Jiang Donghua narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the private rooms that were bidding, a cold sneer in his heart.