As the red-faced elder appeared, the voices in the hall instantly lowered, and some of the stronger ones had unnatural expressions. The shopkeeper, Yao, was momentarily stunned, but then her face filled with a warm smile. She hurriedly descended from the stage, approached the red-faced elder, and coquettishly laughed, “It’s quite an honor for Old Master Qi to grace us with his presence. I thought you wouldn’t have the time to attend this major auction hosted by the Black Emperor Sect…”
“Hehe, Shopkeeper Yao, what are you saying? The quality of herbs at the Thousand Medicines Hall is not ordinary; even I can’t help but be moved. Moreover, this exchange gathering isn’t held frequently, so no matter how busy I am, I still must come and take a look,” the elder known as Old Master Qi said with a loud laugh. His voice was so loud that many people in the hall frowned, but they didn’t dare to speak out because of his prestige and background in Black Emperor City.
“It’s such a pleasure to have Old Master Qi visit our humble shop. Luckily, the exchange gathering hasn’t formally started yet. Please, Old Master, take the honored seat,” Shopkeeper Yao said with a smile, stepping aside and gesturing for him to sit.
Seeing this, the red-faced elder did not hesitate. With a hearty laugh, he walked towards the front of the platform and sat down in the most prominent seat, scanning the crowd with a nonchalant gaze. His eyes lingered on Xiao Yan for a moment before he looked away.
Seeing the red-faced elder take the seat, Shopkeeper Yao let out an imperceptible sigh, inwardly cursing, “This old man always comes and relies on his backing in Black Emperor City to keep other bidders from competing.”
The red-faced elder had considerable influence, being the chief pharmacist of the Black Emperor Sect. It was said that he had recently reached the sixth-grade level, making him the top alchemist in Black Emperor City. With the support of the Black Emperor Sect, he was a significant figure in the city. Others dared not compete with him, which wasn’t good for the Thousand Medicines Hall, as they needed competitive bidding to maximize their profits. This behavior somewhat disrupted the rules.
Although Shopkeeper Yao was somewhat displeased, she dared not say anything due to the red-faced elder’s influence. Thus, she had no joy in seeing him.
“This old man has a sharp eye. I wonder what herbs he will take this time,” Shopkeeper Yao thought, clenching her hands inside her sleeves. These herbs were hard-earned, and the cost was substantial.
Shopkeeper Yao shook her head, suppressing her emotions, and quickly stepped onto the high platform. Her face once again showed a smile as she began to host the exchange gathering.
Xiao Yan and his companions sat in a backseat, as none of the previously displayed herbs were what he needed. His gaze mostly stayed on the red-faced elder. From the expressions of the surrounding pharmacists when he appeared, it seemed this man held a high position in Black Emperor City. Additionally, he seemed a bit unpopular, but many refrained from expressing their displeasure.
With his exceptional soul perception, Xiao Yan could sense that this red-faced elder’s alchemical skills were higher than those of the Yan Alliance’s Fa Ma, though perhaps a bit lower than Gu He. Overall, he was a genuine alchemy master, revered by many factions in the Dark Region.
As the exchange gathering began, some pharmacists scanned the herbs. If they found something suitable, they would approach, but to take the desired herbs, they needed to provide potions of equal value.
Observing the proceedings, Xiao Yan noticed that the herbs’ value was roughly half or less of the value of the potions they could be used to make. For example, if a herb was needed for a fourth-grade potion, a third-grade potion would be required for the exchange, determined by the Thousand Medicines Hall. If prepared, they could trade directly, or if not, there were quality medicinal pots available for on-site preparation.
The first batch of herbs did not catch Xiao Yan’s interest, but many third and fourth-grade pharmacists were drawn to them, and exchanges began. If they didn’t have the potions, some pharmacists would prepare them on the spot, raising the temperature in the hall. Those uninterested in the first batch watched the others work.
Bored, Xiao Yan and his companions observed the live alchemy, but soon lost interest. Their methods were too crude for someone of his level.
In the hall, other seated pharmacists also remained, with slightly higher skill levels. The first batch of inferior herbs did not appeal to them, and the red-faced elder seemed the most idle. He was visibly annoyed by the poor-quality herbs, looking eager for the best to be brought out.
As time passed, the inferior herbs were gradually selected, and better quality herbs were brought out. The previously disinterested, but skilled pharmacists, began to show interest and discussed terms for exchange.
As fewer and fewer herbs remained on the stone platform, their quality improved. Some even interested the red-faced elder, though he made no moves. It seemed he was prepared.
When only a few jade boxes remained on the stone platform, the only ones still seated were Xiao Yan and the red-faced elder.
Seeing Xiao Yan and his companions had not moved, the red-faced elder looked at Xiao Yan with a frown.
Feeling the gaze, Xiao Yan turned his head, met his eyes, and then looked away, showing no fear.
This calm demeanor surprised the red-faced elder, who felt a surge of anger. He hadn’t experienced such disregard for a long time.
In the hall, the successful pharmacists remained, watching Xiao Yan and the red-faced elder. Such gatherings often reached their peak at the end.
“Next, we present the highest quality herbs of the Thousand Medicines Hall. We’ve paid a great price for these,” Shopkeeper Yao said, smiling. She clapped her hands, and a few maids brought out five jade boxes with vivid green colors.
The strong herbal aroma spread through the hall, surprising many pharmacists. The red-faced elder, who had been leaning back, sat up, his eyes gleaming at the boxes.
Shopkeeper Yao’s gaze swept the hall, stopping on Xiao Yan. She smiled, “If you’re interested, please make your move.”
Xiao Yan’s gaze fixed on three of the boxes, recognizing them as the final ingredients for the Heavenly Soul Fusing Blood Pill.
Taking a deep breath, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Xiao Yan stood and walked towards the stone platform.
All eyes turned to him, curious if such a young man could offer fourth or fifth-grade potions to exchange for these high-quality herbs.
Under the gaze, Xiao Yan stopped in front of the platform, smiling at the beautiful Shopkeeper Yao. He slowly pulled the three jade boxes in front of him, asking, “Please, what potions do I need to exchange for these?”
Shopkeeper Yao smiled sweetly, about to answer, but her expression changed. A large hand suddenly stretched out from behind Xiao Yan, pressing on one of the boxes, and a clear, loud voice rang out, “This Jade Bone Fruit… I’ll take it.”
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