Ye Bufan smiled upon hearing the introduction of the Po Gu Dan, thinking it was merely a low-level Marrow Cleansing Pill. If he had the necessary ingredients, he could concoct a batch himself.
“Master, what are you smiling about?” Zhu Zizhen noticed Ye Bufan’s expression and asked, puzzled.
“I just thought of another medicinal pill that is far, far more effective than this Po Gu Dan, upon hearing its effects,” Ye Bufan explained to Zhu Zizhen.
Ye Bufan glanced back at Zhu Zizhen. Since Marrow Cleansing Pills were mentioned, Ye Bufan had already been contemplating refining one for Zhu Zizhen. This would allow him to begin cultivation faster and grasp the Thirteen Needles of Zhuyou more quickly.
“Old Zhu, after the auction ends, I’ll give you a list of ingredients. Help me gather them. I intend to refine pills,” Ye Bufan told Zhu Zizhen.
Upon hearing that Ye Bufan was going to refine pills, Zhu Zizhen’s eyes lit up.
“Master, will you need my help then?” Zhu Zizhen asked.
“Your current control over heat is insufficient. We’ll discuss it after you’ve begun practicing the Thirteen Needles of Zhuyou,” Ye Bufan replied decisively. Pill refining was a very complex process that required strong perception. A single misstep could easily lead to an explosion of the alchemy furnace. As long as Zhu Zizhen hadn’t started cultivation, he couldn’t assist in refining pills.
Of course, if Ye Bufan successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage and his perception could coalesce into what was known as spiritual power, allowing him to protect himself and others simultaneously, then Zhu Zizhen’s assistance would be acceptable.
Zhu Zizhen, upon hearing this, did not become disheartened by Ye Bufan’s refusal. Instead, his eyes shone with renewed hope for his future.
“Alright, Master. I will study and cultivate diligently!” Zhu Zizhen declared.
If Wang Xinyan were present now, she would be utterly astonished. Zhu Zizhen, who now appeared to be an obedient student listening to his teacher, was a far cry from the divine doctor he was perceived to be.
However, the most pressing matter at hand was how to bid for the Po Gu Dan and obtain the wooden box it was stored in.
This presented Ye Bufan with a larger problem: money.
In a city like Jinhe, there weren’t many martial artists. With the Po Gu Dan, a family could cultivate their own martial artist, and many would undoubtedly desire it.
Ye Bufan, on the other hand, only had the ten million from Chu He. He had already spent four million on the medicinal ingredients for the Spirit Gathering Pill, leaving him with only six million. Zhu Zizhen, even more so, was so engrossed in ancient Chinese medicine that he couldn’t possibly produce such a sum.
“Master, do you want this Po Gu Dan?” Zhu Zizhen, sensing Ye Bufan’s thoughts, asked.
Ye Bufan nodded. “This Po Gu Dan is useless to me, but the box it’s in is of great use.”
Without a word, Zhu Zizhen took out a bank card from his pocket.
“Master, I’ve been practicing medicine for many years, and my patients are often high-ranking officials. I’ve dedicated myself to ancient Chinese medicine, collecting ancient texts, acupuncture techniques, and more. This requires significant resources and effort, and I’ve also saved some money for myself. See if this is enough. If not, I can use my old reputation to help you raise the rest through connections.” Zhu Zizhen offered.
“How much money is in here?” Ye Bufan inquired.
“Around three to four hundred million,” Zhu Zizhen replied.
Ye Bufan took a deep breath. Judging by the current trajectory, three to four hundred million would certainly not be enough. Even if Zhu Zizhen immediately tried to raise more funds, it would be too late.
“Distinguished guests, the starting bid for the Po Gu Dan is three hundred million Great Xia coins, with increments of fifty million,” Tong Su’s voice announced.
“I bid three hundred million,” Lin Daoyuan was the first to place a bid.
“I bid five hundred million,” Jin Yucheng of the Jin family also made a bid.
Ye Bufan took a deep breath and pulled out his phone to call Chu He.
“Xiao Fan.” Chu He was somewhat surprised by Ye Bufan’s call at this particular time.
“Elder Chu, I need the box for this Po Gu Dan,” Ye Bufan stated his purpose directly.
“Hmm?” Chu He seemed to have trouble believing what he heard. After Ye Bufan agreed to become a guest elder of the Chu family, the Po Gu Dan had lost its appeal to Chu He. However, he couldn’t understand why Ye Bufan, already a high-level martial artist, would still want the Po Gu Dan.
Ye Bufan, with no time to explain, pondered for a moment and said, “Help me bid for it. I can promise to train five more high-level martial artists for the Chu family.”
“What?” Chu He was utterly astonished, his voice rising, drawing the attention of Chu Mengyao, Wang Xinyan, and others nearby.
Five high-level martial artists – what a concept! Even the leader of the Martial Alliance might not dare to make such a promise. Chu He felt as if he were dreaming.
“Xiao Fan, you can’t just say such things lightly,” Chu He cautioned.
“Elder Chu, do you think I have any reason to lie to you?” Ye Bufan asked into the phone.
Chu He took a deep breath, his mind racing. Three seconds later, Chu He decided to take a gamble.
“Alright!” Chu He declared. “I will do my utmost to help you secure this Po Gu Dan.”
While the two were on the phone, the auction had already reached seven hundred million.
Meanwhile, in the Yang family’s private room, the atmosphere was also quite heated.
“Elder Zhou, are you certain this Po Gu Dan can restore my son to his former self?” Yang Xuancheng asked Zhou Zhixiong, who was behind him.
Yang Fei had barely managed to reattach his vital organs after that night, but doctors said the injuries were too severe for a full recovery.
Zhou Zhixiong nodded with great certainty. “This Po Gu Dan, also known as the Po E Dan, not only expels impurities from the body but also possesses the efficacy to restore bodily functions. If Young Master Yang Fei takes it, he will undoubtedly recover.”
The Yang family already had martial artists in their ranks and didn’t particularly need the Po Gu Dan. They hadn’t intended to join the bidding, but upon learning of its restorative properties, Yang Xuancheng became restless.
“Eight hundred million!” Yang Xuancheng placed his bid.
“Nine hundred million!” Chu He finally made his bid at this moment.
“Online bidder number 7 bids, nine hundred and fifty million,” the artificial intelligence voice announced.
“One billion,” Yang Xuancheng bid again.
“One point one billion,” the Chu family bid.
Seeing the Chu family’s bid, Yang Xuancheng immediately looked towards their private room.
“Elder Chu, the Chu family already has martial artists. You shouldn’t need the Po Gu Dan, should you?” Yang Xuancheng contacted Chu He through the private room’s communicator.
Chu He remained composed upon hearing Yang Xuancheng’s words. “Your Yang family also has martial artists. Are you trying to monopolize the martial artists in Jinhe?”
“You!” Yang Xuancheng took a deep breath. “This Po Gu Dan can save my youngest son. Don’t you have any idea why my youngest son is in this state?”
“Don’t you have any idea why your youngest son is in this state?” Chu He retorted fiercely, not yielding an inch. “I haven’t settled accounts with you for this matter yet, and you still have the audacity to come to me!”