The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 44: The Supreme Dan Owner Is Me

The Supreme Dan Owner Is Me . . .

For treasures as precious as these supreme dan beads, the fact that there were ten available exceeded most people's expectations. However, for those who eagerly coveted these supreme dan beads, even ten wasn't nearly enough.

At least a hundred groups had set their sights on acquiring these coveted beads. However, with only ten available, the competition was bound to be fierce. People in the audience began to check their wallets, mentally preparing for the bidding war that was about to unfold.

Xiao Mo-Yan, a mix of relief and nervousness, washed over him. With ten beads up for auction, he was almost guaranteed to secure at least one. However, he knew that obtaining even a single bead would require him to outbid numerous contenders, and it wouldn't come cheap.

Guan Wan-Shan, the auctioneer, stood energetically on the stage, ready to kick off the bidding. "We will now begin the auction for the first supreme dan bead!" he announced enthusiastically. "The starting price is 100 thousand silver bars, and each subsequent bid must be at least 25 thousand more!"

A heavy silence hung in the room after his announcement. No one immediately stepped forward with a bid. It wasn't that the beads were unwanted; rather, the potential bidders were carefully calculating their moves. They needed to determine how much they were willing to bid to be the first sect to secure one of these prized beads.

Finally, Meng Wu-Fei from the Qing-Yun Sect broke the silence. He raised his voice confidently, "150 thousand from OUR QING-YUN SECT!"

Guan Wan-Shan furrowed his brow upon hearing Meng Wu-Fei's bid, and those in balcony No. 17, including Ye Xiao, felt a pang of irritation. People were muttering their frustrations.

"Why emphasize 'OUR QING-YUN SECT'?"

The implication was clear – Meng Wu-Fei was not only bidding on behalf of his sect, but he was also using this as a veiled threat. Any sect that dared to compete with Qing-Yun would make an enemy of the entire sect, and the consequences were something to be carefully considered.

As expected, after Meng Wu-Fei's statement, no one else dared to bid. It simply wasn't worth the risk of crossing the Qing-Yun Sect. Even Xiao Mo-Yan remained silent, knowing the consequences of challenging such a powerful group.

Guan Wan-Shan, despite his cunning calculations, hadn't accounted for the audacity of these influential sects.

"Master Meng from the Qing-Yun Sect bids 150 thousand. Any other bids?" Guan Wan-Shan announced reluctantly. He couldn't hide his frustration as he continued, "150 thousand once... anyone? 150 thousand twice... 150 thousand..."

Suddenly, a voice from above broke the silence. "500 thousand!"

It was Cha-Eun Xiao.

The Xiao Monarch couldn't bear to see his supreme dan bead sold at such a low price. He wasn't willing to let it go without a fight.

"If you're shameless enough to bid so low, I won't hesitate to make things difficult for you," Cha-Eun Xiao thought, his determination clear. "These are my belongings, and I won't allow them to go for a bargain."

Meng Wu-Fei's expression darkened as he turned to face the source of the voice, realizing that this bidding war had just escalated.

Cha-Eun Xiao confidently pushed open the door to balcony No.17 and spoke with a resolute tone, "Honestly, I wasn't planning to bid for this supreme dan. It didn't pique my interest. But witnessing someone trying to snatch it for a mere 150 thousand is nothing short of sacrilege! This treasure deserves respect. Furthermore, fairness should prevail in any trade, regardless of your royal or sect status. When you enter this auction, you must abide by the rules. Using your influence to bully others is a despicable act. So, Master Meng, it won't be as easy as you thought. If you want it, be prepared to pay its rightful price, or I'll be the first to challenge you!"

Meng Wu-Fei squinted his eyes and responded with a chilly tone, "You certainly have guts, Mr. Feng. But who exactly are you?"

The underlying message was clear: "You, an unknown, dare to obstruct me from obtaining what I desire?"

Cha-Eun Xiao held his head high and replied composedly, "I may be a nobody, but I am the original owner of these supreme dan beads!"

His declaration left everyone in stunned silence.

"The owner of the supreme dan beads!"

"He possesses the supreme dan beads!"

No wonder he had diligently collected those valuable medicinal ingredients. He was indeed a supreme dan-maker!

All eyes turned toward him, including those of the girl in white, Xiu Er, and others from martial sects and noble clans.

Cha-Eun Xiao narrowed his eyes and nonchalantly glanced at the representatives of the Mu Clan. "Perhaps, with my status as a supreme dan-maker, I can put those Mu Clan scoundrels in their place."

Meng Wu-Fei's expression soured as he retorted, "Even if you are the owner of these supreme dan beads, what can you possibly do?"

Cha-Eun Xiao replied leisurely, "Well, I suppose the owner of these supreme dan beads can't do much. However, I'm deeply disappointed that my supreme dan beads are being treated this way in this auction. Thus, I can choose to reclaim them. As for others' possessions, I cannot make any promises or decisions. But I can guarantee this—starting today, there will be no more supreme dan in this world."

He grinned, baring his teeth, and continued, "Once I retrieve them, I will swallow all ten beads. If they are to be desecrated, I'd rather see these beads cease to exist."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Everyone stared at him wide-eyed, unable to utter a word.

This individual was not just a supreme dan-maker; he was also a supreme troublemaker.

If he wasn't satisfied, he would destroy everything.

"If you genuinely desire the supreme dan bead, then bid according to the rules. There are ten of them, which is not a small number. If you offer a fair price, you'll naturally obtain one," Cha-Eun Xiao calmly stated. "Under no circumstances should you use your power to oppress others. If I witness such behavior again, this auction will come to an immediate halt."

Meng Wu-Fei's face turned an unpleasant shade of green.

The two men flanking Cha-Eun Xiao had their hands firmly gripping the hilts of their swords, their eyes filled with a palpable aura of hostility aimed at him. But in this situation, they all knew that confronting Master Feng, who had just revealed himself as the 'owner of the supreme dan,' would be a grave mistake.

Indeed, anyone with the stature of a supreme dan-maker was not to be trifled with, not now, and certainly not in the future. The resources and influence such an individual wielded were beyond imagination.

Even the entire Qing-Yun Clan could not afford to provoke his ire. With a single word, he could turn the Qing-Yun Sect into a common enemy, merely by saying, "I will brew dan for those who bring down the Qing-Yun Sect."

Meng Wu-Fei took a few deep breaths, wearing a forced smile. "You are forthright and admirable. However, there seems to have been a misunderstanding between us. When I bid 150 thousand earlier, it was more of a probe. Selling the supreme dan bead for such a paltry sum would indeed be a desecration. If anyone wishes to place a bid, they are welcome to do so. I, with my status, could never impose my will upon the market like this. Since Brother Feng has proposed 500 thousand, I shall follow suit. I bid 750 thousand."

Meng Wu-Fei managed to contain his emotions enough to utter these words, though he couldn't help but think, "I'll seek my revenge another day."

The spectators breathed a collective sigh of relief. Meng Wu-Fei's concession had spared the Qing-Yun Sect from further disgrace. Facing the owner of the supreme dan, his restraint had garnered admiration. After all, he had confronted the true master of this coveted treasure.

Li Chang-Qing from the Cang-Shan Sect entered the fray, bidding, "One million."

Meng Wu-Fei swiftly countered, "One million and 50 thousand."

Cha-Eun Xiao remained silent.

The bidding had surpassed the one million mark, and it showed no signs of slowing. Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't find any delight in this situation; instead, he felt a pang of regret. He had sold five of these dan beads to the salesroom for a mere 100 thousand each, a decision he was now bitterly lamenting.

"I could jump off a building right now... How could I have miscalculated so badly, incurring such a huge loss?" he lamented internally, realizing he had lost at least five million.

He continued his inner monologue, "Oh my god... That's so much money! I'd rather die!"

While Cha-Eun Xiao was drowning in his financial woes, Xiao Mo-Yan finally made his move.

"One million and 250 thousand!" he declared.

"One million and 275 thousand!" Meng Wu-Fei gritted his teeth, determined to win this supreme dan bead.

"One million and 300 thousand!" Xiao Mo-Yan countered.

"One million and 325 thousand!" Meng Wu-Fei nearly choked on his words, his frustration evident.

He knew he had to secure this supreme dan bead; otherwise, it would be a grave humiliation after the recent altercation with Cha-Eun Xiao.

In the end, it was Meng Wu-Fei who secured the first supreme dan bead with a staggering bid of one million and 400 thousand silver bars. The spectators were left utterly astounded by the exorbitant price.

Despite the steep cost, Meng Wu-Fei's determination had paid off. However, even he couldn't deny that this price was exceptionally high.

The second supreme dan bead went to Xiao Mo-Yan for one million and 250 thousand, while the third was sold to Li Chang-Qing at the same price.

With the top three martial sects now in possession of one supreme dan bead each, they had achieved their primary objective for the day. The remaining bidders heaved a collective sigh of relief. They had resigned themselves to the fact that the first three supreme dan beads were out of their reach. Attempting to compete for them would only invite trouble from the formidable sects.

Nevertheless, the astronomical prices had left many of the other groups feeling disheartened. The bids had quickly escalated beyond their means, making it evident that they could not contend at such levels.

As the fourth dan bead came up for auction, people realized that the top three sects were unlikely to bid again. Consequently, other bidders began to step forward.

"Bidding 850 thousand."

"875 thousand!"

"900 thousand..."

The pace of the bidding had noticeably slowed. It was no longer the heated battle witnessed during the first three beads. When Mu Zi-He from the Mu Clan offered 950 thousand, the room fell into an uneasy silence.

Many were hopeful that the prices might decrease further, offering a chance for more participants to join in. Even experts like Guan Wan-Shan had expected the price to cap at one million this time.

However, a clear and resolute voice, belonging to a young girl in white, abruptly shattered those expectations. "One million and 250 thousand!" Her bold bid catapulted the price back to the levels of the previous three dan beads.

This unexpected twist frustrated most of the other bidders, who couldn't fathom why someone would intervene at this point.

Some grumbled, "We didn't want to provoke the three major sects with our bids earlier. Who does this young girl think she is?"

Among the disgruntled voices, Mu Zi-He seethed with anger. "Why does it always have to be someone interfering with me? Do they think I'm a pushover?"

This time, he refused to endure such humiliation any longer. He was determined not to let his Mu Clan be labeled as a clan of spineless cowards.

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