The Attack of the Wastrel

“I’ve got to buy it, regardless of the price,” Rong Yuan thought to himself as he stared at the bottle in Ye Rong’s hand. He was seated in one of the private rooms, and his eyes shone with determination.

Since Ye Rong dared to guarantee the product with his reputation on the line, it was highly likely that the Spirit Cleansing Pill’s effect would be no less than the Yuli Snow Lotus. Even if it was not exactly the same, it would not differ by too much. For such an incredible pill, it was only right that it was obtained and consumed by someone suitable. In Rong Yuan’s heart, the only one who deserved it was none other than Gu Lingzhi.

Even before he obtained the pill, Rong Yuan had already begun daydreaming about Gu Lingzhi’s reaction when she received the pill.

Would she be surprised, delighted, or maybe even elated? Then, Rong Yuan shook his head, thinking, what if Gu Lingzhi ultimately rejected him when he gave it to her?

That person’s defences were too tight; exactly how much effort would it take for him to get through her guard? He needed to think of a way to give it to her such that she wouldn’t think of it as something useless, but also not something too precious that she wouldn’t accept it.

He had no doubt that he would win it.

Still, many others in the private rooms were thinking the exact same thing as Rong Yuan, determined to get the highest bid for it.

The Ye Store’s reputation was the foundation of their business. Ye Rong’s declaration inspired confidence among the crowd, and the atmosphere livened up immediately. Those who originally had the intent to just spectate suddenly felt interested in participating in the bidding.

Anyway, if the pill did not turn out to be as effective as advertised, the Ye Store would offer a full refund. Either way, they would not lose out in the purchase. Only an idiot would miss out on such a good deal.

Seeing how the crowd responded, Ye Rong smiled and continued, “Now then, I believe everyone has a good understanding of the Spirit Cleansing Pill by now, so let’s begin with that. The starting price for the pill is… three million spirit stones.”

“What!” Gu Lingzhi exclaimed, choking on the tea that she was drinking as she heard Ye Rong’s announcement. She looked at the stage in disbelief.

Didn’t they agree on one million spirit stones as the starting price? How did it jump to thrice the price of that? 

Would there really be anyone buying a low grade Black-Level pill for the price of a middle grade Earth-Level pill?

However, the following events proved that Gu Lingzhi’s worries were groundless. Following Ye Rong’s announcement, some people were hesitating whether to pay such an astronomical price for a pill intended for Martial Students, but once they considered the supposed effect of the Spirit Cleansing Pill, they reconciled themselves with the price.

If Ye Rong’s words really were true, this starting price of three million was appropriate.

Instantly, people started to call out their bids one after another.

“Three million two hundred thousand!”

“Three million five hundred thousand!”

“Three million eight hundred thousand.”

As the price climbed higher and higher, Gu Lingzhi’s eyes grew wider and wider.

She never expected that a single Spirit Cleansing Pill could raise such a ruckus.

“We could actually raise the price higher,” Qin Xinran suddenly whispered, grasping Gu Lingzhi’s hand. “If we announce that we have actually consumed the Spirit Cleansing Pills and have a Martial Sage or higher-ranked cultivator inspect our Spiritual Roots, they would be able to get proof that the Spirit Cleansing Pill is worth its price.”

Gu Lingzhi wordlessly looked up at the sky. If these people who were fighting so desperately over the Spirit Cleansing Pill were to find out that it was merely an elementary foundational pill used by core disciples in the Spirit Tribe, how would they react?

Within a few minutes, the bidding price had exceeded five million spirit stones. Then, a lazy voice rang out, “Ten million.”

Hearing this voice, silence descended upon the crowd.

Rong Yuan’s voice was recognized by almost everyone of importance within the city. Still, hadn’t he consumed the Yuli Snow Lotus before? Also, wasn’t he way past the stage where the Spirit Cleansing Pill would be effective for him? What’s the point of him spending such a large sum to bid for the Spirit Cleansing Pill?

Yet, without waiting for anyone to react, another deep voice sounded out, “I bid twelve million.”

This voice, it was Yan Liang!

For some reason, hearing these two voices, Gu Lingzhi felt a bad premonition rising in her heart.

It would be great if she could earn a big sum of money, as long as it was not from Rong Yuan or Yan Liang.

“I’m willing to bet that both the Third Prince and Yan Liang intend to buy this pill for Lingzhi,” Ye Fei speculated.

Gu Lingzhi turned to look at her, saying, “Based on what I know, Yan Liang still has a sister who just entered the Royal School this year.”

“Haha, that’s where you’re wrong,” Ye Fei laughed exaggeratedly hearing Gu Lingzhi’s words. “Have you ever heard of this phrase, forgetting relations when chasing beautiful flowers? In the face of love, everyone else becomes invisible.”

“General Yan wouldn’t agree to him spending money like this.” Could Yan Liang possible be so stupid as to spend millions on someone who was already engaged?

“That may not necessarily be so, what if he intends to create a rift between Gu Lingzhi and the Third Prince, so that he himself gets a shot?”

Gu Lingzhi considered Ye Fei’s words, before resolutely shaking her head to deny it. “He isn’t that kind of person.”

Even though she had not interacted long with him, Gu Lingzhi had a very strong impression of Yan Liang as an extremely serious person. How could someone like that do something so stupid? That kind of behaviour seemed much more like Rong Yuan’s style.

“You’ll know soon enough whether they’re doing this for you,” Ye Fei teased.

Although Tianfeng Jin and Qin Xinran did not join in the conversation, it was obvious from the expressions on their face that they were listening attentively and were highly amused.

While Ye Fei was poking fun of Gu Lingzhi, the bidding was nearing its climax. The price of the Spirit Cleansing Pill had reached thirteen million, and there were still a number of people who had not dropped out of the competition. These were all people from the major factions in the Xia Kingdom.

“Thirteen and a half million,” the Great Elder of the Beicheng clan said, with much less energy than before. As the Great Elder of one of the Four Great Clans in the Xia Kingdom, a few thousand spirit stones were nothing to him. However, paying the price of a Earth-Level treasure for a pill meant for Martial Students still made him feel somewhat reluctant, especially when he was not yet certain of the medicinal effects.

Fifteen million! That was the upper limit that the Great Elder decided on. Thinking that, his tightly furrowed brows began to relax.

However, just as he made that decision, someone lazily shouted a bid, “Fifteen million!”

The crowd was immediately stunned into silence for a short moment, before erupting into noise again. Someone exclaimed, “These people are just as crazy as the Jubao Pavilion! How can a pill for a Martial Student hit such ridiculous prices?”

Fifteen million spirit stones was more than enough to buy a decent upper rank Earth Level spirit treasure already! Wasn’t it just crazy to spend that on a pill with unknown effects?

The Beicheng Great Elder glared at the room the Third Prince was in, thinking to himself, “He’s spending so much money to please a woman? This Third Prince is really ensnared by his lust. I guess his accomplishments will only go so far…”

“The Great Elder is absolutely right, for someone who is so distracted by their lust, they won’t go far in their cultivation.”

In another room, Yan Liang’s face twitched. Dressed in a silvery grey robe, his right hand was clenched tightly around his leg, and his back was ramrod straight.

He did not have a powerful person like Consort Rong backing him up, unlike the Third Prince. For him, the cost of purchasing the Spirit Cleansing Pill would come completely from his own pocket. Fifteen million spirit stones was his limit.

Taking a deep breath, Yan Liang calmed himself down before calling out his final price, “Sixteen million seven hundred thousand!”