Joe gritted her silver teeth and shot Leo a fierce glare. She thought he was deliberately provoking her. In order to save face, she was about to raise her auction paddle.
The old woman quickly grabbed Joe’s hand and comforted her, “Miss Joe, there’s no need to quarrel with such a person. It’s not worth paying fifteen hundred Essence-Building Pills for the Snow Lotus Flower. We can buy better spiritual herbs for the snow leopard.”
Joe’s anger subsided slightly with the old woman’s words. She nodded and said, “Ursula, you’re right. But haven’t you noticed that this bastard is determined to get the Snowspirit Flower? If that’s the case, let’s add some fuel to the fire.”
Understanding Joe’s intention, the old woman released her grip.
“Fifteen hundred Essence-Building Pills!” Joe raised her auction paddle.
The scene erupted into a commotion. Fifteen hundred Essence-Building Pills were astronomical for martial artists from less reputable sects. Was it really worth it for just one Snowspirit Flower?
Leo noticed Joe’s expression, and his face darkened. This woman was ruthless.
“Two thousand Essence-Building Pills!” Leo raised his paddle to bid.
“Two thousand five hundred Essence-Building Pills!” Joe almost immediately followed Leo.
Now, Leo understood.
Joe was no fool; she wouldn’t spend two thousand five hundred Essence-Building Pills just to win a Snowspirit Flower. She was doing this to raise the price, forcing him to win at a higher cost and, in turn, strike a blow against him.
Leo stood up and, with a poker face, looked at Joe. He declared loudly, “I’ll raise my bid to three thousand Essence-Building Pills. If the lady truly desires this Snowspirit Flower, I’ll give it to you. Just add five more Essence-Building Pills, and I promise not to compete with you.”
While Leo was determined to obtain the Snowspirit Flower, it didn’t mean he wanted to fall into this woman’s trap. If he bid more than three thousand Essence-Building Pills for it, that would be truly foolish.
In the worst case, he would let Joe win the bid. After the auction ended, he could just take it by force.
Joe’s eyes flickered. She understood Leo’s message and decided she had squeezed enough out of him. She nodded and said, “With three thousand Essence-Building Pills, the gentleman is indeed generous. I yield to you.”
Although Joe admitted defeat, anyone could see the smugness on her face after the victory.
In the end, Leo won the Snowspirit Flower at the staggering price of three thousand Essence-Building Pills.
Oliver East was grinning from ear to ear. Though he had hosted many auctions, this was the first time he encountered such a situation, making him feel like life was truly enjoyable.
“Every year there are fools, but this year seems particularly abundant. Spending three thousand Essence-Building Pills for a Snowspirit Flower is unheard of.”
“Is this person bewitched? He probably doesn’t understand the concept of three thousand Essence-Building Pills. After the auction ends, if he can’t produce three thousand Essence-Building Pills, he’ll learn the consequences.”
“If I had three thousand Essence-Building Pills, I’d save it for the finale. Good items are usually kept for last.”
While the crowd discussed, Leo was being looked at as if he were a fool.
Leo, however, remained unfazed. As long as he could completely cure the evil fire in his chest with the Snowspirit Flower, everything else was inconsequential.
For a Snowspirit Flower, Violet witnessed the spectacle of three thousand Essence-Building Pills being spent for the first time. She couldn’t help but worry about Leo’s current state of mind. “Leo, are you okay?”
“No worries, Violet. My pockets aren’t short on Essence-Building Pills,” Leo chuckled, his gaze involuntarily shifting towards Joe. This woman was indeed ruthless.
After securing the Snowspirit Flower, Oliver East announced with a smile, “The auction will continue. Let’s bring out the next item.”
The subsequent item after the Snowspirit Flower was a hardback ancient book. The crowd widened their eyes in anticipation as Oliver East displayed the book on all sides.
“I hold in my hands a unique copy of a martial art book called ‘Moonlit Sword.’ It’s particularly suitable for high martial masters and martial generals. The starting bid is four hundred Essence-Building Pills, with increments of at least ten Essence-Building Pills. Let the bidding begin!”
“I’ve heard of the Moonlit Sword. They say it’s quite formidable. I want to win it and present it to the Sect Leader! Four hundred and fifty Essence-Building Pills!”
“Five hundred Essence-Building Pills!”
“Five hundred and fifty Essence-Building Pills!”
The bidding intensified, indicating the high demand for the ‘Moonlit Sword’ manual. Jennifer pondered for a moment and turned to Leo, saying, “Leo, could you help me secure this manual? Seven Stars Sword Sect specializes in sword techniques. Currently, we only have the Seven Star Flying Sword worth showcasing. Adding the Moonlit Sword would be a tremendous boost.”
“OK, it’s a done deal. Don’t forget, I’m also the honorary Sect Leader of Seven Stars Sword Sect.”
In fact, even before Jennifer asked, Leo had planned to secure the ‘Moonlit Sword’ manual. Anything beneficial to Seven Stars Sword Sect was something he would pursue.
“One thousand Essence-Building Pills!” Leo confidently raised his paddle, making a forceful bid.
This bid immediately drew everyone’s attention. However, when they saw it was Leo again, the expressions on their faces shifted from surprise to nonchalance.
“I knew it was that guy bidding. How rich is he? Bidding with him feels like bargaining for cabbages at the market.”
“If he’s not an idiot, then he must be genuinely wealthy. I wonder which family or martial sect he belongs to.”
“Since he’s bidding, I guess there’s no need for me to raise the price.”
Without any surprises, Leo secured the ‘Moonlit Sword’ manual for one thousand Essence-Building Pills.
Next up was a lineup of items-Blooming Flower Fist Technique, Fire Dragon Grass, Immortal Binding Rope-each more extraordinary and valuable than the last. The auction prices naturally bloomed like flowers. Take the Immortal Binding Rope, for example, starting at a base price of one thousand Essence-Building Pills.
However, these items didn’t hold much appeal for Leo. He was patiently waiting for the final climax-the last item.
After the Immortal Binding Rope was sold, a woman walked up to the auction stage holding a seemingly ordinary stick.
Oliver East introduced, “This item is called the Hidden Dragon Stick, originating from a secret realm in the wilderness. The Hidden Dragon Stick is most suitable for martial practitioners with a fire attribute. It possesses immense power, starting at a bid of fourteen hundred Essence-Building Pills, with increments of no less than fifty Essence-Building Pills. Let the bidding commence!”
“One thousand six hundred Essence-Building Pills!”
“One thousand seven hundred Essence-Building Pills!”
“I bid one thousand eight…!”
Even those from the second and first-rate martial sects and families in the front three rows started participating in the bidding frenzy.