178: Chapter 178: The Magic Treasure Auction, the Divine Fire Sect's Ambushes
The results of the blind test were like a gust of wind, blowing away the last shred of doubt and prejudice in everyone's hearts regarding "industrial products."
Indeed, while works of art were fine, they were ultimately like flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water—elusive and unattainable.
But an "industrial product" that was stable, reliable, and capable of continuously providing high-quality resources was the thing that could truly change their destiny!
Having realized this, the way everyone looked at that "alchemy god generation iii" changed completely.
It was the look of a hungry wolf spotting a piece of fat meat, or a lecher seeing a beautiful woman.
Greed, desire, undisguised.
"Consultant Jiang! Stop keeping us in suspense! Name your price!"
"That's right! We want this machine! Just say how many spirit stones you want!"
"Our Tianfeng Valley offers one million low-grade spirit stones!"
"One million? Are you trying to send off a beggar? Our Blackwater Sect offers 1.5 million!"
Before Jiang Ning could make a formal announcement, the crowd below was already in an uproar, starting to bid on their own.
The scene was, for a moment, even livelier than a vegetable market.
Jiang Ning raised her hand and pressed it downward.
"Everyone, please calm down."
She waited until the venue was slightly quieter before smiling and saying, "Thank you all for your kind support. This first unit, and the only 'alchemy god generation iii' alchemy machine at this expo, will be publicly auctioned at tonight's grand finale auction."
"The highest bidder wins."
This news allowed those large sects determined to obtain it to breathe a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it was an auction.
In this way, they would have the opportunity to use their deep financial resources to secure this divine machine.
As for those smaller sects and families with weaker strength, they wore looks of disappointment.
They knew that once it entered the auction, the price of this machine would definitely skyrocket to an astronomical figure they wouldn't even dare to imagine.
It seemed this treasure was ultimately not meant for them.
In a corner of the venue.
The disciples of the Shenhuo Sect were supporting the dispirited Master Huorong, their expressions ugly to the extreme.
As the leaders in the field of artifact refining, when had their Shenhuo Sect ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace at an expo?
All the limelight had been stolen by that Qingyun Sect, which had appeared out of nowhere!
"Grand... Grandmaster..." a disciple asked cautiously, "What... what should we do now?"
Master Huorong slowly raised his head.
His originally ruddy face was now ashen. Yet, in his cloudy eyes, a flicker of unwillingness and resentment shimmered.
"What to do?"
He gritted his teeth and squeezed a few words through the gaps.
"She wants to sell it? I'm going to make sure she doesn't sell it so easily!"
He looked at Jiang Ning, who was surrounded by the crowd like stars around the moon, his eyes chillingly cold.
"Pass down my order!"
"At tonight's auction, spare no cost and drive up the price for me!"
"I want to see who can afford it!"
The disciple was startled, "Grandmaster, do you mean... we should maliciously drive up the price?"
"And what if I do?" Master Huorong snorted coldly, "My Shenhuo Sect has been passed down for a thousand years with deep foundations! In terms of financial power, who can compare with us?!"
"Doesn't she want to use this machine to promote her ridiculous 'industrialization' concept?"
"Then I will make the price of this machine so high that everyone will be deterred! I will make it a luxury item more expensive than any 'work of art'!"
"I want her to slap her own face with her own hands!"
"I want everyone to know that in this world, in the end, one still has to rely on foundation and strength to speak!"
His face revealed a trace of pathological madness.
He knew his Dao heart was already destroyed.
But before he completely fell, he wanted to drag that woman who had ruined everything for him down into the abyss together!
Night fell.
The night in Tianxuan City was even more dazzling than the day.
Countless pearls and magical treasures adorned the entire floating city, making it look like a divine realm.
The expo's grand finale auction officially began in the top-tier auction hall of Wanbao Pavilion.
Inside the venue, there was not a single empty seat.
Those who could sit here were all helmsmen of major powers or wealthy merchants and tycoons from across the land.
Everyone was waiting for the appearance of that final auction item.
After the warm-up of dozens of rare treasures, the atmosphere of the venue had already been pushed to a climax.
Finally, amidst the expectant gazes of the masses.
That silver-white "alchemy god generation iii" alchemy machine was slowly pushed to the center of the auction stage.
"Everyone!"
The gold-medal auctioneer from Wanbao Pavilion in charge of the event shouted in his highly provocative voice:
"A brand new era is right before our eyes!"
"And the key to unlocking this era is this!"
"'alchemy god generation iii' fully automatic alchemy production line! Starting bid: one million low-grade spirit stones! Each increment must not be lower than one hundred thousand!"
"Now, the auction begins!"
"1.1 million!"
No sooner had his voice fallen than a bid came from a private box.
"1.2 million!"
"1.3 million!"
"I bid two million!"
The price climbed rapidly, as if it were riding a rocket.
In just a few minutes, it had already broken through the five-million mark!
This was already a terrifying price sufficient to bankrupt many second-rate sects.
However, the enthusiasm for bidding did not diminish in the slightest.
Just then, a voice full of arrogance rang out from a luxurious private box.
"Ten million!"
It was the Shenhuo Sect!
Once this price was announced, the entire venue instantly went silent.
Everyone was stunned by this doubled bid.
Ten million low-grade spirit stones!
This was too grand a gesture!
However, before anyone could react.
From another private box, a steady voice sounded: "11 million!"
It was the Blackwater Sect.
"15 million!" The Shenhuo Sect's voice followed without hesitation!
Hiss—
The entire venue gasped.
This was no auction; this was clearly a high-stakes gamble betting the sect's destiny!
On the Blackwater Sect's side, there was a moment of silence.
Clearly, this price also made them feel immense pressure.
"16 million..." they added tentatively.
"20 million!"
The Shenhuo Sect's voice, like a thunderclap, once again resounded throughout the venue!
Mad!
Master Huorong was absolutely mad!
Everyone could see that the Shenhuo Sect was not bidding normally at all.
They were using a near-suicidal method to maliciously drive up the price!
Their goal was to push this machine to a falsely high position that no one could reach!
The atmosphere in the venue became incredibly strange.
Everyone who wanted to bid stopped.
Looking at the Shenhuo Sect's reckless and crazy appearance, they all felt deep trepidation.
No one was willing to fight to the death with a crazed artifact refining master for an uncertain future.
On the auction stage, cold sweat seeped from the auctioneer's forehead.
Having worked in the industry for many years, he had never seen such a crazy scene.
"20 million... are there any higher bids?"
He called out these words with difficulty.
The entire venue was deadly silent.
From the Shenhuo Sect's private box, Master Huorong's irrepressible, triumphant laughter rang out.
He had succeeded.
Using the thousand-year accumulation of the Shenhuo Sect, he had successfully sniped that woman's ambition!
He felt as if he could already see her face, turning livid because her plan had gone bankrupt.
However, just the moment before the auctioneer was about to drop the hammer.
A cool, feminine voice, transmitted through an amplification magical treasure, slowly drifted out from the Qingyun Sect's private box and resounded throughout the entire venue.
"Everyone, please calm down."
"It seems there are still some misunderstandings regarding the value of this machine."
"Before the final hammer falls, I need to announce a new sales plan."