Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Minimum Bid

The auction house.

"Master Mu, here's your receipt. The starting bid for the Spirit-Breaking Pill is four hundred thousand spirit stones. If there are no bidders, our auction house will buy it at the base price," the manager of the auction house, Mr. Li, courteously informed Mu Yuanfeng.

"Thank you," Mu Yuanfeng replied indifferently.

"It's an honor for our auction house to auction the elixir provided by the young master Mu. We should be the ones thanking you," said Elder Li.

Mu Yuanfeng smiled, "Pleasure doing business."

Mr. Li handed a card to Mu Yuanfeng, "Second Master Mu, there are already four hundred thousand spirit stones on this card. After the auction concludes, the remaining amount will be transferred to it."

Mu Yuanfeng nodded in acknowledgment, saying, "Thank you."

Mr. Li stroked his chin, struggling to suppress his grin. To think that someone would bring a Spirit-Breaking Pill to auction in a small city like this was an unexpected delight. Auctioning such an elixir would certainly boost the reputation of the auction house.

As Mu Yuanfeng and Mu Chen left, Yanwu, the chief auctioneer of the auction house, said with a puzzled expression, "Elder Li, why would Mu Yuanfeng auction such a valuable elixir? I noticed he's already a nine-star martial artist. It won't be long before he needs it."

"Do you think it was his choice?" Elder Li responded with a cold smirk.

Yanwu furrowed her brows, asking, "He didn't want to?"

"Unless driven to desperation, I doubt Mu Yuanfeng would've taken this step," Mr. Li opined sagely.

Yanwu looked at Mr. Li, perplexed, "You mean he was forced?"

"Troubles often arise from within the family. It's always been this way with great clans," Mr. Li sighed, "But it's none of our concern. This situation is advantageous for us."

After leaving the auction house, Mu Yuanfeng headed to the black market.

"Father, what's this 'Fire Fusion Liquid' worth a hundred thousand spirit stones?" Mu Chen inquired.

Mu Yuanfeng smiled, explaining, "There are many unique flame seeds in the world. Every alchemist wishes to absorb them. Capturing these flames is risky, but the fusion liquid can mitigate the danger."

Mu Chen nodded, "Such a thing exists?"

Mu Yuanfeng looked at Mu Chen, "I'll buy it for you."

Mu Chen's eyes widened in surprise. "Father, that's incredibly valuable!"

Mu Yuanfeng casually replied, "Don't worry. If you're fortunate enough to capture a unique flame seed in the future, what's a mere ten thousand stones?"

Having witnessed Mu Chen's potential, Mu Yuanfeng felt he was destined for alchemy. He regretted overlooking Mu Chen in the past and was now more than willing to invest in his son's future.

Mu Chen furrowed his brows. Currently, he could produce about fifty first-grade elixirs a day, each priced at ten spirit stones. His daily income was roughly five hundred spirit stones—a sizable sum for an average individual but a drop in the bucket for the truly wealthy.

Mu Yuanfeng took Mu Chen on an extended shopping spree in the black market, spending generously.

As Mu Yuanfeng took Mu Chen on a shopping spree, the Mu household was undergoing significant changes.

"Father, I can't believe the second brother handed over the elixir to the auction house. It's absurd! Why would he trust them with such a treasure?" Mu Yuanhang said, clearly frustrated.

Mu Ke sighed, "The Ji Yue Auction House has significant backing. Once they get something, they rarely let it go."

Mu Yuanhang clenched his teeth. Everything had unfolded as he'd anticipated, but in just half a day, everything had changed. To his disbelief, Mu Yuanfeng chose to auction the elixir rather than letting him become a Martial Spirit.

Mu Yuanhang gritted his teeth, deeply regretting in his heart.

"If had known, wouldn't have wasted efforts. should've just forcefully taken and consumed the elixir," he thought bitterly.

Mu Ke closed his eyes and asked, "Where is Yuanfeng now?"

"It seems he took Chen to the black market," an elder reported.

"At a time like this, he's still in the mood to take his son to the black market?" another elder, siding with Mu Yuanhang, grumbled.

Mu Yuanhang's pupils contracted suddenly. Everything had been going smoothly until Mu Chen was rejected by Zhuang Yu. From that moment, everything spiraled out of control.