Pin Yiyun's face turned beet red, his breath heaving as he gasped for air. He felt the dissatisfaction from the elders of his family and his face was marked by lines of frustration. That girl was ruthless, not only giving him a metaphorical stab but openly provoking him. He had reported to his family that each bottle was worth a thousand Gold Coins and had thought he had struck a great bargain at the time. Now, seeing so many bottles of Primordial Essence Liquid before him, and each only for six hundred Gold Coins, he suddenly felt the urge to vomit blood.
"Primordial Essence Liquid, is this the Primordial Essence Liquid that's been circulating in the market recently?" An aristocrat asked softly, hardly believing it. Rumor had it that Primordial Essence Liquid was concocted by a mysterious alchemist, and the few bottles that did appear on the market, barely a dozen, were sold out instantly, and their actual appearance was not even known.
Ouyang Jin's gaze burned with intensity as it landed on Zhiyan, seemingly oblivious to the boiling commotion around him. At that moment, his entire world consisted solely of Zhiyan, that flash of pink, that exquisite beauty more dazzling under the sunlight, calm and serene, her lazy smile hinting at nonchalance, as though everything unfolding before her was expected.
She stood out effortlessly like a natural luminescent body, captivated onlookers with just a glance, making them unable to look away.
Feeling a scorching gaze upon her, Zhiyan looked up and met Ouyang Jin's eyes. Startled at first, she then curved her lips into a brilliant smile. Her charmingly smooth cheeks beamed with a bright laughter as she playfully waved her hands in the air, mischievous yet endearing, cute but naive.
Ouyang Jin hadn't expected her to look over and was momentarily stunned. When he saw her smiling at him, his pupils sharply constricted and his heart fiercely pounded, it was the first time she had given him such a warm smile, not cold indifference, but an unexpected and overwhelming warmth.
His eyes darkened, as intense emotions surged and fermented within his chest. Ouyang Jin clenched his hands tightly, fixing his eyes on her petite figure, engraving her completely into his heart. If it weren't for the wrong timing, if it weren't for the many eyes watching them, he would have dashed onto the stage right then, taken her into his arms, and claimed her forcefully, announcing that she would be his from then on.
A minute passed, and Ouyang Jin's gaze was still fixed on her, causing Zhiyan's mouth to twitch speechlessly as she shifted her gaze away. This blockhead, with such good Medicinal Liquid available, why was he looking at her?
If it wasn't for the expectation of the exciting acts to follow, she would not have smiled foolishly at him. It proved that she should never show him any softness.
"Primordial Essence Liquid, six hundred Gold Coins a bottle, it's rare to come across such an opportunity. Damn it, I must buy a bottle today," a burly man declared, rolling up his sleeves, his eyes shining with eagerness.
"Pfft, have you not seen how many people are here? They say it's six hundred Gold Coins a bottle, but the price will skyrocket well beyond that. Just wait and see," a man in green clothes chuckled. Six hundred Gold Coins was indeed a good price, but one had to actually be able to purchase it. With a sea of people and nobility all richer than he was, bidding against those wealthy folks was as pointless as dashing one's head against a block of tofu.
"Please, everyone, quiet down," a dignified voice called as the speaker raised his hands lightly, addressing the crowd, "as I just mentioned, six hundred Gold Coins a bottle, absolutely no increase in price. Considering the large number here, these eighty-one bottles of Medicinal Liquid will definitely not suffice. Therefore, to ensure fairness, each person is only allowed to purchase one item. Those who have already bought cannot partake in subsequent purchases." He looked around, knowing that at this rate, even if it were two thousand Gold Coins a bottle, there would still be buyers.
Boom, the crowd erupted once more. The prominent families seated at the front quieted down, retracted their gaze from the Primordial Essence Liquid rather quickly, scoffing at the notion. Primordial Essence Liquid was indeed impressive, but it was only a Second-grade Medicinal Liquid after all. They'd heard that this sales meeting had prepared the Fourth-grade Mid-level Spirit Gathering Liquid, which made the Primordial Essence Liquid seem insignificant in comparison.
After much commotion, the first batch of Primordial Essence Liquid finally sold out at six hundred Gold Coins per bottle. The eighty-one individuals who got their hands on the Medicinal Liquid were exceptionally excited. Those who didn't manage to buy were filled with envy, jealousy, or wore a bitter expression, with most of the crowd sighing in resignation. This event was not only a contest of strength but also a testament to luck. Those who succeeded in buying the Medicinal Liquid were undoubtedly the lucky ones.
"Hmph, now that's more like it." Pin Yiyun gave a light snort of satisfaction regarding the sales method.
"Next up is also a second-grade medicinal liquid, Qi Gathering Liquid, priced at 1,200 gold coins per bottle." As soon as Wen Cheng finished speaking, there was a visible jolt among those in the front row, such as Ouyang Feng, followed by a sense of relief. They probably mistook the Qi Gathering Liquid for Spirit Gathering Liquid.
The same ninety-nine bottles, also a second-grade medicinal liquid, but the difference was that the price had doubled, costing 1,200 gold coins per bottle. Pin Yiyun's lips twitched again; it seemed he had underestimated this girl. She was not kind-hearted enough to keep the prices low; instead, she was cunning and calculating, purposely whetting their appetite. He should have known, with her character, when did she ever miss an opportunity to fleece someone?
Even though the price had doubled, the bottles still sold out in less than five minutes. Following that, another two types of second-grade medicinal liquids and three types of third-grade medicinal liquids were sold. The amount remained at ninety-nine bottles, but the price skyrocketed to 19,200 gold coins each.
Of course, not everyone could afford this price. Except for the three major families who did not participate, almost all the prominent nobles of Jincheng joined in. High prices meant great prestige, and who would dare snub Wen Cheng's face by letting the event go dull? The answer was, of course, no one.
"Haha, excellent, excellent, everyone's enthusiasm is commendable. On behalf of my granddaughter, I thank you all for your participation and for your generous spending!" Wen Cheng said, bowing slightly to the audience below. Boom, everyone shuddered, their blood coursing backward, speechless with excitement. The highly revered Wen Cheng was actually offering them a salute?
Wow, too thrilling!
Blushing with excitement, everyone hurriedly returned the gesture. Zhiyan flashed a helpless look at Wen Cheng. In truth, he didn't need to do this—although the medicinal liquids were expensive, they meant little to those nobles chasing fame and fortune. Moreover, with the imposing Wen Cheng presiding, those people would fear not spending enough rather than worrying about an extra ten or twenty thousand coins.
Naturally, Wen Cheng's gesture sent the atmosphere to its peak—everyone present, both nobles and commoners, shouted and cheered loudly with waving arms.
"Hehe, the next part will be hosted by Yanyan. Everyone, please try to stay quiet and don't frighten my precious granddaughter." Wen Cheng smiled warmly, and the venue quickly quieted down a good deal, with all eyes moving uniformly towards the delicate girl approaching from the rear.
Ouyang Feng, Xiahou Kong, and Situ Ba all tensed up, their eyes fixed on Zhiyan, and the hands by their sides clenched involuntarily. They were finally at this moment!
"There's no need to say what is coming up next. As for the price—" Zhiyan's lips curved slightly, her gaze lingering on people like Ouyang Feng, pausing deliberately for a second, "Five hundred thousand gold coins per bottle!"
Whew, upon hearing five hundred thousand, Ouyang Feng and the others finally relaxed, relieved that the price was acceptable.