Gazing at the dead silent grand hall, Elder Baoshan smiled. He was well aware of the allure of the Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus, and thus he had kept a fragment of a map related to it until now. Within the grand hall, numerous fervent gazes were fixed on the fragmented map. The people present were not ordinary individuals, but to them, the Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus remained as mythical as ever; they had only heard of it and never seen it with their own eyes. Of course, this did nothing to diminish their yearning for it. The stronger an item, no matter how perilous it might be, would always attract countless greedy gazes.
Although the fragmented map did not guarantee the presence of the Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus, obtaining it would provide some information about it. If one could track it down through the clues, the benefits would be immeasurable.
“Hehe, the owner of this fragment is willing to exchange it for some medicinal pills. The quality of these pills must at least reach the rank of Eight-Grade Pill with Six-Colored Pill Thunder. As for the quantity, that’s up to all of you.” Elder Baoshan smiled and then swept his gaze over the crowd. “Now, the bidding starts. Gentlemen, if you please.”
Interest in the map was evident in the hall. Almost immediately, an aged and raspy voice rang out: “Three Eighth-Grade Pills with Six-Colored Pill Thunder.”
“Four Eighth-Grade Pills with Six-Colored Pill Thunder.”
“Five.”
Within minutes, the competitive bids raised the atmosphere to a fever pitch. The bidding price rose rapidly under Elder Baoshan’s smiling gaze. Everyone knew that the value of a fragmented map was far less than the numbers being bid, but if one could find the Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus with it, the investment would be worth more than the cost.
“What should we do?” Xiao Yan asked, his brows furrowed slightly at the sight of so many interested bidders.
“Let’s not rush. Wait and see,” said the Pharmacist Elder, shaking his head gently.
Xiao Yan nodded and forced himself to calm down, though his frown deepened as the bids continued to rise. He had underestimated the attraction of the Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus. Even a fragmented map was enough to drive these people wild.
The bids escalated rapidly, and within ten minutes, the price became one Eighth-Grade Pill with Seven-Colored Pill Thunder. Xiao Yan himself looked grim at the high cost. A pill capable of drawing Seven-Colored Pill Thunder was a difficult creation, even for him.
Fortunately, the current price had already exceeded the limits of many, so the number of bidders was dwindling. However, everyone knew that those remaining were the true powerhouses with deep pockets.
“Five Eighth-Grade Pills with Seven-Colored Pill Thunder.”
A slightly fiery and cold voice rang out, and the hall fell into a temporary hush. All eyes turned to the direction of the voice, but they saw only a figure shrouded in black robes.
“Eight.”
A simple but old voice echoed. Xiao Yan felt a small sigh of relief; finally, the Pharmacist Elder had made his move. But whether he could really secure the map was uncertain—these people were not to be underestimated.
“Hmph.”
Seeing the Pharmacist Elder intervene, the previous bidder snorted coldly and hesitated before gritting his teeth. “One Eighth-Grade Pill with Eight-Colored Pill Thunder!”
Murmurs of shock broke out. Clearly, few had expected such a high offer for a map.
“Three…”
The voice was calm but overpowering. Hearing this, the man had no choice but to back down, grudgingly.
Xiao Yan sighed in relief when the man did not counter. Just as he was about to speak, the Pharmacist Elder’s warning voice echoed in his ear: “Don’t get too happy.”
“Five.”
The icy voice made Xiao Yan raise an eyebrow, and he followed the voice to see a thin, emaciated figure sitting cross-legged on a stone chair. The figure sensed Xiao Yan’s gaze and turned, sending a sharp, chilling glare that caused the space around to ripple. At the same time, a pressure enveloped Xiao Yan.
“Snort!”
The Pharmacist Elder responded with a chilly snort and a casual wave, dispelling the invisible pressure.
“This person is very strong…” Xiao Yan felt a chill as he witnessed the silent clash between the Pharmacist Elder and the mysterious man.
“Be careful. This man is a half-step Semi-Saint.”
Xiao Yan’s expression changed at the Pharmacist Elder’s words. This gathering was indeed hiding many powerful figures.
“Eight.”
As the Pharmacist Elder called out, his brow furrowed. Clearly, the bidding was straining his plans.
“Hehe, this friend offers eight Eighth-Grade Pills with Eight-Colored Pill Thunder. Any further bids?”
The hall fell silent, and all eyes turned to the thin man who had been bidding against the Pharmacist Elder.
The thin, black-robed man sneered and said, “One Eighth-Grade Pill with Nine-Colored Pill Thunder. If you can top this, the map is yours!”
Seeing the man offer such a high-level pill, many let out a breath, silently shaking their heads at the madness.
Xiao Yan’s face turned grim. He had a pill of such level, but using it would be too great a loss. After all, the Dan Beast, if properly fed, could potentially become a Ninth-Grade Pill, making its value skyrocket and even catching the eye of Dou Sheng-level experts. Such potential was not to be squandered.
The Pharmacist Elder tapped the armrest, his face likely furrowed under his hood. Xiao Yan tugged at his sleeve, silently shaking his head. This was not the time to be rash. Even if they couldn’t obtain the map openly, other means were available.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s gesture, the Pharmacist Elder slowly spread his hand, nodding. In a low voice, he said, “The cost is too high, but I know the identity of that old man. An old rival. This time, we can settle some old scores.”
The Pharmacist Elder, by nature, would not let the last map slip away. Just as Xiao Yan thought, if they couldn’t obtain it openly, other means were necessary. They had done this before, successfully securing another map. It seemed history would repeat itself.
“Hehe…”
The thin, black-robed man chuckled eerily, then turned to Elder Baoshan, waving his hand. A pure white rabbit appeared in his palm, exuding a rich pill fragrance. Many present, even semi-Saints, found their eyes reddening at the sight of a pill capable of drawing Nine-Colored Pill Thunder.
Stroking the rabbit, the man felt a pang of pain, but thinking of the Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus, he hardened his resolve. Light enveloped the rabbit, and it flew swiftly towards Elder Baoshan.
As the Nine-Colored Pill Thunder pill zipped through the hall, many were tempted to intercept it. Luckily, they didn’t lose their sanity and refrained from action after a struggle.
Elder Baoshan caught the light, examining the white rabbit. Feeling the terrifyingly pure energy, he nodded, his eyes filled with amazement. Clearly, he hadn’t expected anyone to part with such a pill.
“Friend, the transaction is complete. The map is yours.”
Carefully putting away the rabbit, Elder Baoshan flicked the ancient map, which transformed into a beam of light, flying towards the thin, black-robed old man. The latter grabbed it with a smug smile.
As the old man took the map, Xiao Yan’s grip tightened, his eyes cold. The Demonic Borer of the Pure Lotus was his, and so the map must be too, even if the old man was a near-Semi-Saint!
“Hehe, the last item of this spatial exchange is not an object, but a piece of information. Though this information might soon spread across the Central Plains, we should still have the first details here…”
After the map transaction, Elder Baoshan looked at the crowd and said, “Don’t worry, this information is free, but it is quite sensational, so it was saved for last…”
Everyone’s brows furrowed, glancing at the elder with puzzled looks. What kind of information was this?
Elder Baoshan smiled and spoke, “The legendary Bodhi Ancient Tree, which can make one an instant Sage, has reappeared after a ten-thousand-year hiatus…”
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