The crowd turned back, letting out gasps of surprise. When they saw it was the owner of Mo’s Pill Shop, they sighed in realization.
“Two hundred and ten million once, two hundred and ten million twice!” the fiery young woman announced as if going through the motions, believing no one would bid higher. The audience thought the same.
Just then, a steady and resonant voice declared, “Two hundred and fifty million!”
The crowd nearly dropped their jaws. Someone was actually bidding higher, and by a staggering forty million spirit stone coins! Who was this unlucky soul with such audacity and power? They followed the sound and saw a towering figure standing unmoving at the front. Those in the front row turned and saw his face, their expressions turning to shock: “I didn’t expect him to be here too!”
Mo Qi looked at the back and felt a sense of familiarity. It seemed like… He couldn’t help but glance at Xue Ying, Shui Ling, and Jin Yan. Their incredulous expressions confirmed his suspicion.
No matter who it was, he would crush them with money. Without hesitation, he raised his paddle again: “Three hundred million!”
“Ah?” gasps echoed through the hall!
Unexpectedly, Xue Renkui, standing ahead, also raised his paddle without a moment’s delay and called out, “Four hundred million!”
The entire venue erupted in an uproar!
Mo Qi was also shocked. He rapidly calculated in his mind, wondering if Xue Renkui was deliberately trying to outbid him. Did he truly have the purchasing power?
Logically, the Zhenghe Sect’s annual income was substantial, but it wasn’t all Xue Renkui’s personal fortune. His individual assets shouldn’t be that vast.
He mentally assessed Physician Lai’s personal wealth, estimating it wouldn’t exceed four hundred million spirit stone coins. Xue Renkui, with his shrewd business acumen, was a top-tier wealthy sect leader in the Nine Gods Realm, dealing in spirit stones, herbs, pills, and artifacts, amassing wealth from multiple avenues. Even if Xue Renkui was more capable than him, adding another hundred million at most would be the limit.
If he kept bidding higher than Mo Qi, it would be a deliberate attempt to prevent Mo Qi from winning the bid. Even if he won, he could simply refuse to pay, as the penalty for reneging on a bid wasn’t that severe, perhaps just forfeiting the deposit.
Indeed, after Mo Qi called out “Five hundred million,” Xue Renkui unhesitatingly bid, “Six hundred million.” The gasps from below grew louder and louder.
Mo Qi, however, realized that no matter how high he bid, he wouldn’t win. The opponent would always outbid him. He believed Xue Renkui couldn’t possibly have six hundred million spirit stone coins. Regardless of how much he earned, he had been treating Xue Ying and buying her medicine for over a decade, which must have cost a fortune. How much savings could he possibly have? Unless he was embezzling, but his reputation was impeccable. Jin Yan and others praised his character with reverence, making him seem like no corrupt official.
At this moment, he glanced at Xue Ying. Tears welled up in her eyes. What did that signify? She must have felt that her father was resorting to any means, even despicable ones, to prevent her from staying at Mo’s Pill Shop.
But what if Xue Renkui produced six hundred million after all? To be safe, and to avoid future regret, Mo Qi called out, “One billion!” He decided that today, he would use all his assets to acquire this Nine Life Grass!
The hall once again erupted in a chorus of amazed exclamations. Those beside Mo Qi all turned to him with fearful eyes, believing he had gone mad, while simultaneously marveling at his financial prowess!
This time, Xue Renkui finally fell silent, seemingly in thought.
The fiery young woman on stage began the count: “One billion once…”
“Eleven hundred million!” Xue Renkui raised his paddle and continued.
The surrounding crowd burst into cheers, but Mo Qi remained remarkably calm. He was almost certain that the opponent was now bidding wildly.
All eyes turned to Mo Qi, anticipating his next bid. However, Mo Qi disappointed them this time. He sat there quietly. Even as the fiery young woman announced, “Eleven hundred million once, eleven hundred million twice…,” he remained unmoved.
The surrounding people sighed, finding the anticlimactic end rather dull.
Finally, Xue Renkui successfully acquired the Nine Life Grass for eleven hundred million. However, Xue Renkui showed no signs of victory.
Xue Ying, too, held back tears that kept welling up, her eyes turning red but no tears falling.
The subsequent auctions were mundane. Nothing else fetched such a high price. Mo Qi spent the entire time with his eyes closed, resting. When the auction ended, he stared intently at Xue Renkui. Seeing Xue Renkui leave without looking back, he followed the successful bidders to the back hall and asked the relevant person in charge, “Xue Renkui, who bid for the Nine Life Grass, has left. He forfeited, so shouldn’t the Nine Life Grass go to me, the second-highest bidder?”
A person in charge replied, “Under normal circumstances, we give the bidder three days. If he fails to pay within these three days, we consider it a forfeiture and confiscate his deposit. This auctioned item will then be re-auctioned at the next sale.”
“I can also wait for the re-auction, but do you think it will still fetch a billion spirit stone coins?” Mo Qi scoffed.
“Please wait a moment,” the person in charge said after a brief pause.
He then turned to consult with several other officials. An old man with a white beard whispered a few words to him, after which he turned back to Mo Qi and said, “Given the suspicion of malicious disruption of the auction, it might be unfair to you to strictly adhere to the original bidding rules. After deliberation among us officials, we have decided that if Sect Leader Xue does not come to pay within three days, you may acquire the Nine Life Grass at your bid of one billion.”
Mo Qi thought to himself that they probably felt it was unfair to him to uphold the rules. But he remained outwardly composed, offering a faint smile before turning to leave.
Outside the main gate, Wu Siqi and others had been waiting for a long time, but Xue Ying was nowhere to be seen. Shui Ling mentioned seeing her chase after her father, likely to ask him for money for the Immortal Binding Rope.
Mo Qi said, “Let’s hope so!”
Xie Yucai said, “We need to go home now. We’ll take our leave.”
Xie Yuchan smiled brightly at Mo Qi, “Don’t forget your promise, our Beast Soul Pills.”
Xie Yucai glared at her, “Child, why are you so clueless? Don’t you see the situation? Is this the time to demand things?” He then grabbed Xie Yuchan by her braid and dragged her away, “Come, let’s go home.”
Xie Yuzhu and Xie Yuhuan followed with smiles.
Mo Qi suddenly had an idea. Since Xue Ying was going to ask Xue Renkui for money, why shouldn’t he go ask Xue Renkui for money too? After all, he had treated his daughter’s chronic illness for decades and couldn’t do it for free. He should at least get some medical fees.
He worried about delays. These three days were enough for many unforeseen events to occur. Based on the current signs, Xue Renkui simply didn’t want Mo Qi to successfully acquire the Nine Life Grass. But it was better to be safe than sorry. What if he genuinely wanted the Nine Life Grass? What if he scraped together the eleven hundred million spirit stone coins? Then Mo Qi would have missed a golden opportunity. If he went to collect his debt, it would be like rubbing salt in the wound, further reducing Xue Renkui’s chances of gathering eleven hundred million. If he couldn’t collect it, he would stick to him like a persistent stain, deterring anyone from lending him money.
So, he asked Shui Ling, Jin Yan, and Wu Siqi to return to the shop first, while he followed Xue Ying. When Shui Ling asked where he was going, he only said he had something to attend to, without elaborating.
Xue Ying was flying slowly through the sky, supported by Xiao Cui and Xiao Hong. Mo Qi quickly caught up. Seeing that Xue Ying’s eyes were still red, he prepared to comfort her, but then heard Xue Ying say, “Shopkeeper Mo, don’t worry. He doesn’t have that many spirit stone coins. That item will eventually belong to you.”
This girl was thinking of comforting others first; she was truly considerate.
Mo Qi nodded, “Thank you, Miss Xue!”
“Where are you going?” Xue Ying asked, slightly puzzled by his persistent following.
“I’m going to ask your father for money. I cured your illness, and your father hasn’t paid me my medical fees yet,” Mo Qi replied, fearing she might be upset, he added, “I’m a businessman, so… you can understand, right?”
Xue Ying did not show the disappointment Mo Qi had imagined. Her eyes flickered, and she said, “Your intentions are not merely for the wine, are they?”
Mo Qi smiled, “Miss Xue is truly intelligent; nothing escapes you.”
Xue Ying smiled faintly and asked, “I can see you are determined to get that Nine Life Grass. What does the Nine Life Grass truly mean to you?”
Mo Qi pondered for a moment and said, “It means saving a life!”
“Is it to save Miss Zhen Zhen?” Xue Ying continued to ask.
Mo Qi paused, then nodded silently.
Upon reaching Yuxia Mountain, Xue Ying sent Xiao Hong and Xiao Cui back first. She then casually asked a disciple and easily learned of Xue Renkui’s whereabouts. He was indeed borrowing money everywhere, first from the elders, then from the peak lords. At that moment, he was on Zixia Peak seeking a loan from Peak Lord Yang Qiaozhi.
Xue Ying and Mo Qi went directly to Zixia Peak. On Zixia Peak, they intercepted Xue Renkui as he emerged from the main hall.
Xue Renkui was clearly surprised to see them both. He then looked at Xue Ying with some disappointment and said, “You’re not here to ask me for money, are you?”
Xue Ying was equally disappointed, “Father, do you really need to go this far to prevent Shopkeeper Mo from obtaining that Nine Life Grass?”
Xue Renkui froze, as if he had choked on his food and couldn’t catch his breath. After a long while, Xue Renkui sighed and said, “In your eyes, is your father that kind of person? Have you never considered that I also need that Nine Life Grass?”
Xue Ying was startled. She truly hadn’t considered this.
“What… what do you need the Nine Life Grass for?” Xue Ying asked softly.
Xue Renkui took out a bottle-shaped artifact, his eyes fixed on the bottle, and said with some emotion, “Although your mother passed away over a decade ago, I have preserved her soul, hoping to bring her back to life one day. I’ve heard that the Nine Life Grass, combined with other herbs, can refine a soul-returning pill, thus achieving the resurrection of the soul. That is why I am determined to obtain this Nine Life Grass at all costs.”
Xue Ying stared blankly at the bottle, “How come I’ve never heard you mention this before?”
Xue Renkui shook his head, “You have been in poor health all these years, enduring both mental and physical torment. How could I add to your burden, causing you even the slightest worry or distress?”
Xue Ying’s vision blurred with tears. She had come to ask Xue Renkui for money, but had completely forgotten about it by now.
Mo Qi, however, remained resolute. “I apologize, but you are trying to save someone, and I am also trying to save someone. We can compete fairly, but you still owe me the money.”
Xue Renkui looked bewildered and angrily asked, “What money do I owe you? Don’t make things up.”
Xue Ying lowered her head and, being sensible, walked aside.
Mo Qi said righteously, “I treated your daughter’s illness; I can’t do it for free, can I?”
Xue Renkui was stunned!
Indeed, how could he have forgotten this? Previously, all the physicians and alchemists, whether they had just visited or genuinely attempted treatment, had been compensated appropriately. But with Mo Qi, he had not only dismissed the matter but had also sent people to investigate his background. Upon learning that Mo Qi was a notorious womanizer in the Nine Gods Realm, he had spoken ill of Mo Qi to Xue Ying, trying to prevent her from seeing him. Who knew Xue Ying would still meet Mo Qi, and then refuse to leave Mo’s Pill Shop? This had driven him to distraction, causing him to completely forget about paying Mo Qi for his treatment.
“How much?” Xue Renkui asked directly.
“One billion spirit stone coins,” Mo Qi replied.
“One billion? Why don’t you just rob someone?” Xue Renkui retorted angrily.
Mo Qi chuckled, “May I ask, Sect Leader, how much is a life worth?”
Xue Renkui fell silent.