Listening to the young man's mumbles, Qian Le'er could only pretend not to hear. She had heard plenty of suggestive remarks over the years and had developed ways to handle them, but she thought to herself, This little brother isn't as innocent as he looks.
Fortunately, Zhao Li quickly got to the point. He decided to use the current conversation as an opportunity to propose a collaboration.
"Gathering the Medicinal Ingredients needed for the Meridian Opening Pill isn't a simple matter for me. How about this: if you can provide the necessary Medicinal Ingredients, I can give you five sets of Meridian Opening Pills. Your Auction House can help me collect some Cultivation Techniques. I only need Yellow Tier ones, any attribute is fine. I'll buy them at a 10% premium over the market price. What do you think?"
Hearing what Zhao Li said, Qian Le'er quickly adopted her professional demeanor. After a quick calculation in her mind, she resumed her shrewd businesswoman persona and began to negotiate.
"I wonder how many Cultivation Techniques young master needs. If it's not many, the Auction House can provide them now. There's no need for a premium purchase, but we would need five more sets of Pills."
Zhao Li needed quite a few Cultivation Techniques, and alchemy wasn't easy. Naturally, he wouldn't let himself be treated like a mere alchemist tool or laborer.
"I need quite a few Cultivation Techniques. You can start collecting them. Whatever you can gather within seven days is fine. As for the compensation, why don't we see what price these Pills can fetch at auction before deciding?"
Zhao Li wasn't one to suffer losses. He naturally knew that the auction price would generally be significantly higher than the Pills' value. Although he didn't know the exact amount, he definitely wouldn't lose out. Why wouldn't he?
"Alright, let's go in and participate in the auction first. Perhaps young master might have some unexpected gains." Qian Le'er heard this and wasn't in a hurry. Since there was a demand, the person wouldn't run away.
After arranging for Zhao Li to participate in the current auction, Qian Le'er also arranged for someone to be responsible for collecting Cultivation Techniques.
This was Zhao Li's first time in an auction house. He declined a private room and casually chose a corner in the main hall to sit down.
Watching the bustling auction before him, Zhao Li indeed felt a sense of novelty. It was much more interesting than what he had seen on television in his previous life.
Seeing the enthusiastic bidding, Zhao Li occasionally participated in the bidding himself, just calling out a price once or twice casually, without getting carried away or arguing.
After several auction items, although Zhao Li had bid, he didn't win a single one.
Zhao Li's behavior naturally attracted the attention of some people, who speculated which young master was here to squander money again. He even detected quite a few malicious gazes with his keen senses.
At this moment, the auctioneer brought out another auction item and unveiled the cloth covering it. It was precisely the Meridian Opening Pill that Zhao Li had provided.
"According to Master Aobaniu of our Auction House, this is a Tier 2 Pill, the Meridian Opening Pill, and it is considered high-grade among Tier 2 Pills. Its effects can not only speed up Cultivation Speed and increase Cultivation Level, but also enhance Cultivation Talent. If you want your younger generation to be more outstanding and leave others in the dust, then bid for it. Because the number of Pills is limited, this set of Pills will be auctioned separately. The starting bid for a single bottle is 20,000 Gold Coins, and each bid must not be less than 1,000 Gold Coins. Everyone, please place your bids."
Zhao Li listened, admiring his sales pitch. His words stirred up the enthusiasm of the crowd.
The people participating in the auction became excited upon hearing about the Pills' effects. In this small city, Tier 2 Pills were already rare, let alone Pills that could enhance Cultivation Talent and accelerate cultivation.
Since the Auction House said Master Aobaniu had appraised them, everyone had no doubts and started bidding one after another.
Soon, the price reached a high of 100,000 Gold Coins. Ultimately, this bottle of Pills was acquired by the Su Family, one of the three major families in Qing Province, for 130,000 Gold Coins.
Zhao Li watched the soaring price and secretly clicked his tongue. They say alchemists are the richest, and this truly opened his eyes. It was faster than robbing someone. No wonder alchemists had such arrogant expressions.
Under the stimulation of the auctioneer's words, the next bottle of Meridian Opening Pills even fetched a high price of 150,000 Gold Coins and was pocketed by a young man of about seventeen or eighteen years old.
The Pill auction came to an end. Zhao Li felt like he was about to get rich. He even considered whether he should become a heartless alchemy tool.
Immediately, Zhao Li looked at the people leaving the auction house one after another and noticed some malicious gazes directed at that young man.
"The next auction item is a Fragmented Map of an Unknown Ruin. The material it's made of cannot be destroyed even by a Great Dou Master. Since it's only a part, it's being auctioned again. If someone is lucky enough to gather the other parts, they might obtain a Supreme Opportunity." The auctioneer brought out the next auction item.
After the initial novelty wore off, Zhao Li had been feeling a bit bored, but he suddenly became energetic.
Zhao Li knew about this kind of item. Most people might never have the chance to encounter another part in their lifetime, but protagonists could easily collect them.
Although I don't know what ruin it is, I can bid on it first. Since the Qian Family put it up for auction in a place like this, they must have researched it and decided it wasn't worth exploring themselves. Hmm, I can't rule out the possibility of them waiting for someone to stumble upon something. Zhao Li pondered for a while and still felt it was worth acquiring. Even if I can't complete the map, I can give it to the Flame Emperor later. If he gets some opportunity from it, I won't lose anything by exchanging it for a favor.
Although the auctioneer said there was a possibility of obtaining a great opportunity, everyone wasn't foolish. It wasn't as sought after as items they could actually hold in their hands. Only a few who considered themselves chosen by destiny were bidding in twos and threes. Seeing this, Zhao Li also participated and finally obtained the Fragmented Map for 50,000 Gold Coins.
Zhao Li sighed again. The same item had different fates depending on where it was placed. If this were in the Central Plains, or if someone with foresight encountered it, it might fetch a sky-high price, just like the Demonic Flame Fragmented Map in the novels. Its value in the Black Corner Region and at a Spatial Trading Point was incomparable.
Soon, the auction ended.
As soon as Zhao Li returned to the previous trading room, Qian Le'er took out an Amethyst Card and handed it to Zhao Li. "This is the Gold Coins from the two bottles of Pills after deducting the Auction House's handling fee. Please keep it safe."
Zhao Li nodded in acknowledgment, took the card, and put it into his Storage Ring.
"What about the transaction we discussed earlier?" Zhao Li asked.
"As you said, we will collect Cultivation Techniques in exchange for five sets of Pills. The price of the Cultivation Techniques will be calculated separately, based on the market trading price," Qian Le'er had already thought of a cooperation method after the Pill auction.
"Alright, then I'll come back in a week. I hope we have a pleasant cooperation!"
"A pleasant cooperation. My name is Qian Le'er. May I know your name, sir?" Qian Le'er extended her fair and delicate hand, introducing herself to show goodwill.
Zhao Li reached out and shook her hand, giving a pseudonym, "Xu Changqing."
...
Having completed the transaction and obtained the materials for refining the Meridian Opening Pill, Zhao Li left the Auction House. As he exited, he could still faintly feel some eyes watching him.
Zhao Li found a place to stay in the city and checked in.
Wealth moves people's hearts. Although I'm not afraid of trouble, I should avoid it if possible. Thinking this, Zhao Li changed his clothes and returned to his original appearance before leaving the inn.
A week's time. With the Auction House's capabilities, they should be able to collect most of the Cultivation Techniques. I should find a place to refine the Pills first. This time, I should be able to save a few sets of Medicinal Ingredients... Zhao Li wandered around the city for a while, wanting to find a place to refine Pills, but there weren't many suitable places in the city. He then left the city, preparing to check out the outskirts of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range.
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