Chapter 612 Meeting on a Narrow Road, Seeing Blood on a Bayone
The price offered by Saionji Tsunekatsu almost knocked Rong Guofa right out. He looked at Saionji Tsunekatsu in astonishment and said, "What is this Japanese guy doing? Is he crazy? How can someone bid like that? No matter how valuable this thing is, it's not worth 100 million yuan!"
Shen You and Shen Qian, who had followed Shen Wan here to watch the show, were also shocked by Saionji Tsunekatsu's overbearing bid. Shen Qian said to his father in a low voice, "Father, this Japanese guy is so fierce! Is this item really worth so much money?"
Shen Wancai narrowed his eyes and stared at Saionji Tsunekatsu. He said in a low voice, "I don't know if it's worth that much, but..."
"But what?" Shen Qian asked curiously.
Shen Wancai glanced at Li Yundong quickly and said calmly, "Well, later, I will know whether this thing is really worth so much money or not."
Shen Wancai hadn't been expecting the Medicine King Tripod to soar to such a high price so quickly. The increase was so huge that it was even more exaggerated than real estate prices!
But for an experienced and calculating businessman like him, the most important thing now was just to confirm the general value of this Medicine King Tripod in Li Yundong's heart, and then figure out whether he should take action or not.
In the face of Saionji Tsunekatsu's reckless bidding, the auction room instantly fell into a dead silence. Obviously, Saionji Tsunekatsu's bid was like a heavy punch at the hearts of almost all the people on the scene, running right through their psychological bottom line.
Su Chan tugged at Li Yundong's sleeve and said with a pale face, "Yundong, should we raise the price?"
Li Yundong looked at Saionji Tsunekatsu as if he was facing a formidable enemy. He said with a sullen face, "I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this!"
After all, Zhou Qin was a well-informed and knowledgeable person. As soon as she saw Tsunekatsu's posture, she whispered, "Oh no, it seems like this guy is pretty determined to get it! Master, what should we do?"
Li Yundong quickly did some calculations in his mind. At this point, they had collected together 50 million yuan. Du Fei from the Quanzhen Dragon Sect could mobilize about 90 million yuan to be used in the auction. Even if they factored in the ability to pay back the debt, the maximum amount of money on both sides should be no more than 300 million yuan. Otherwise, their plan would hit a major obstacle.
However, in just a few bids, the price had already surpassed 100 million. If it continued to increase at this speed, would he be able to win against this Japanese?
Even if he could bid for the medicine king tripod now, if the bidding price went too expensive and caused him to get into debt, how could he cultivate? Even if he could use the medicine king tripod to refine pills, the refining cycle would take a long time, and everyone in the Fox Zen School would be wasting their cultivation time on making money to pay off the debt!
This was like going to war and killing ten thousand enemies but losing twenty thousand people! The losses outweighed the gains!
What if the Japanese opponent had such an idea? What could they do? Even if he wasn't thinking this himself, the other sects would be happy to see it happen!
There was a saying that it was better to break one finger than injure all ten. Instead of fighting a bloody battle, it was better to give up decisively so as not to get stuck in the mud.
But was the king medicine tripod going to be lost just like that?
Seeing that Li Yundong was hesitating, Zi Yuan coaxed him in a low voice, "Li Yundong, you haven't reached our bottom line yet. Let's first test how determined this Japanese is."
Li Yundong had been hesitating between persisting and giving up. At the words of the Zi Yuan, he suddenly had an idea. He nodded to her and quickly raised his paddle.
The auctioneer had already been expecting the king medicine tripod to reach an amazing price, and there were many of the auctioneers in the room. However, what he hadn't expected was that as soon as the item began to be auctioned, the atmosphere would turn white-hot.
He was so excited that his voice was a little strained. He said loudly, "One hundred million yuan going once, is there any higher price than this!? One hundred million yuan going twice! One hundred and thirty... Ah, someone has offered a price of one hundred and forty million yuan! Is there any higher offer than this?"
Hearing this price, the ordinary merchants who had originally wanted to bid for the item burst into an uproar.
It was already insane that the price had jumped from 50 million yuan to 100 million yuan. They had not expected that there would be someone who wanted to raise the price again. Moreover, the price had gone from 140 million yuan to 150 million yuan!
It was too fierce! Too bloody!
When Du Fei heard Li Yundong's bid, he couldn't help looking at him. When their eyes met, he nodded slightly to him, and there was a hint of appreciation in his gaze.
Du Fei was not only a cultivator but also an experienced businessman. Of course, he knew that Li Yundong's sudden price-increase was the best tactic in gaining victory against Saionji Tsunekatsu.
The auction was like a narrow path that was only broad enough for one person to walk down. As the saying goes, when you meet the hero, you win. Saionji Tsunekatsu kept raising the price fiercely. On the one hand, it showed his wealth. On the other hand, it shocked everyone who wanted to bid and showed his determination to win.
And Li Yundong expressed a very tough attitude with the same astonishing amount of money to Saionji Tsunekatsu. This attitude very likely made the other party think, "My opponent is also very rich, and this guy is bound to be my enemy!"
At this time, the other party would either be frightened by his opponent's momentum, as if they were playing with a shuttlecock, or they would meet each other on a narrow road.
But at this time, what would this Saionji Tsunekatsu do?
He glanced at Li Yundong and frowned slightly. He stared at Li Yundong like a flash of lightning, as if he wanted to see through his heart in an instant and catch sight of his trump card to see how much he could support himself.
Li Yundong also looked at Saionji Tsunekatsu without showing any sign of weakness. When their eyes met, it seemed that sparks were about to burst out in the air.
Although there was nothing unusual on Su Chan's face, her nervous hand grasped at Li Yundong's big palm tightly, and her body trembled slightly. She kept saying in her heart, "Don't raise the price, don't raise the price!"
As if he had heard Su Chan's prayer, Saionji Tsunekatsu remained silent for quite a while.
At this time, the auctioneer on the stage also shouted, "One hundred and forty million yuan going once! Is there any higher offer than this? One hundred and forty million yuan! Going twice!"
At this time, not only Su Chan, but also Zi Yuan and Zhou Qin, who had weathered many storms, couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Their eyes were fixed on the wooden gavel in the hands of the auctioneer, and their ears were pricked up high to hear whether there was anyone around continuing to raise the price.
Just as the auctioneer shouted for the third time, suddenly, a hand was raised high in the front row, and a cold voice called out, "200 million yuan!"
There was another burst of exclamation in the field!
Li Yundong and the others immediately looked at the source in unison!
"Zhang Ling!!" Li Yundong gritted his teeth and murmured angrily. "Damn it! Is she going to use her strength now?"
Zhang Ling's bid had shocked everyone on the scene. When reaching their limit, a runner would often be in pain and wonder, "Should I persist?"
But if they held on and broke through this limit, they could often continue to run smoothly.
Zhang Ling's bid had made everyone instantly realize: "The king medicine tripod will definitely go for a bloody price. If you don't have the strength and mental fortitude to win, you'd better give up as soon as possible!"
In an instant, many cultivation sects and ordinary merchants who had been intending to bid chose to give up. They changed from participants to spectators.
But the price of 200 million yuan had blown past the first psychological bottom line of Li Yundong and others. Li Yundong and Du Fei of the True Dragon Sect couldn't help looking at each other from a distance. Both of them saw a little fear lingering in each other's eyes.
Du Fei's eyes were full of hesitation and panic, and Li Yundong's were also full of unwillingness and hesitation.
The situation in the field was getting out of control, but they could do nothing about it!
At this time, the auctioneer was so excited that his whole body was shaking, and his eyes were a little red. He knew that with the conclusion of this auction, no matter what the result was, it would be record-breaking.
Although there were very few cases of auction pieces that were worth more than 100 million, people in the industry had once boldly predicted that the era of auction works worth more than 100 million would soon dawn.
But the auctioneer hadn't expected that it would happen so fast and with him at the forefront!
At this time, the villagers who were watching the auction backstage were so excited that they were about to faint. They hadn't expected that this thing that they had casually found would go for such a terrible sky-high price!
The auctioneer shouted in a hoarse voice, "200 million yuan, is there any higher price than this! 200 million yuan going once!"
At this time, there were very few people in the hall bidding again. Saionji Tsunekatsu and the others fell into hesitation. Although he had received the approval and support of Masako Tachibana before, if the price he paid was too high, he would not be able to bear the consequences!
But... was he going to give up just like that?
Saionji Tsunekatsu clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and shouted, "300 million!!!"
"Wow!" Almost everyone on the scene was alarmed by his madness!
For a moment, even the auctioneer's heart began beating so fast that he nearly fainted on the spot!
Throughout the world's auction history, no one had ever increased the price so much in a single bid!
Wasn't this Saionji Tsunekatsu crazy? Or did he truly need to get this king medicine tripod?!
At this time, Li Yundong and Zhang Ling were both frightened by his behavior. Although the Zhengyi School was the biggest sect in the cultivation world, almost no giant enterprise belonged to them. Most of their money came through incense. It could also be said that this was consuming the savings of the Zhengyi School and its roots.
If they fought too fiercely now, they would only be hurting themselves!
Cultivation was the most costly thing in the world. How could one cultivate without money? Not to mention support such a big sect?
Zhang Ling looked at Saionji Tsunekatsu in horror. She knew that if she really competed with Zhenyan Tantrism in terms of money, the Zhengyi School would not win.
In the cultivation world of China, the only one who could spar with them was probably the External Alchemy's Gezao Sect.
After all, Zhenyan Tantrism had been saving for thousands of years. In particular, Japan's control over the cultivation world was relatively loose. It could even be said that the Japanese cultivation world had penetrated deeply into this country.
The political circles of this country could be infiltrated and controlled by underworld forces, let alone the cultivation world.
And once the power of the cultivation world was combined with the power of the country, the huge force produced would be beyond ordinary people's imagination!
"Saionji Tsunekatsu... Did he really come to snatch the medicine king tripod on behalf of the Zhenyan Tantrism?" Zhang Ling stared at him and thought quickly. "Isn't he afraid that the cultivation world of China and Japan will become enemies with each other? Or, is he just trying to scare me?"
Zou Ping gritted her teeth and said to Zhang Ling, "Master, why don't we fight to the death with them?"
Zhang Ling's expression was extremely ugly. She couldn't decide for a moment, but the auctioneer on the stage wouldn't wait for her. He hysterically shouted three times on stage that he was about to make a final decision. Zhang Kongyun suddenly raised the paddle in his hand and shouted, "350 million yuan!"
The crowd was again horrified. At this time, most of the people there had given up. They just looked at the bustling scene with curiosity. "What kind of tremendous, sky-high price can this king medicine tripod go for?"
When Zhang Ling heard Zhang Kongyun's bid, she suddenly turned her head, stared at him, and said in a low voice, "Shidee, this is all the money we have!"
Zhang Kongxiao laughed and said calmly, "I know. Anyway, there are all of our trump cards. Why don't we just show them all?"
With a look of reluctance on her face, Zhang Ling turned her head and glared at Rong Guofa. She thought bitterly in her heart, "If this b*stard hadn't consumed 80 million yuan in advance... Hum!"
Most of the time, bidding was like riding a fierce tiger. The further one went, the more dangerous it would become, and the harder it would be to get off the tiger. No one was willing to admit defeat easily. Usually, the bidder would just be gambling to win some face!
As the saying goes, people should fight for one breath, and the Buddha should fight for an incense stick of time!
But no matter what, in the face of the amazing price of 350 million yuan, Saionji Tsunekatsu couldn't calm down. The body of Rigoino, Chang Sheng Vajra, trembled slightly. Beside him, Dong Mu's face grew even paler, and he kept swallowing his saliva.
Dong Mu whispered to Saionji Tsunekatsu, "Chang Shengjun, you can't go any higher. Besides, Masako Tachibana will be angry!"
Saionji Tsunekatsu gritted his teeth and responded in a low voice, "If I can't complete her task, she won't just be angry!"
He then made up his mind and shouted resolutely, "400 million!"
All of a sudden, it was as if a bomb had gone off!
Saionji Tsunekatsu had offered a total of three bids: one hundred million yuan, three hundred million yuan, and four hundred million yuan! Such an astonishing increase in price was unprecedented and frightening.
In an instant, Zhang Ling became overwhelmed by the determination of Saionji Tsunekatsu, as if someone had pierced her heart with a sword. Her face was pale, and she was dumbstruck and couldn't even speak. Zhang Kongyun couldn't help shaking his head and sighing, a helpless look on his face.
Su Chan pinched Li Yundong's hand in horror and said in a low voice, "Yundong, it's already at 400 million yuan... What, what should we do?"
Li Yundong sighed deeply, looking pained. "Don't think about it. This is completely beyond our expectations! This is not a price we can afford. We... are out!"
Although they had expected such a situation on some level, the faces of Zi Yuan, Zhou Qin, and the others were all depressed and sullen.
Ao Wushuang sighed and shook his head. "This is the will of heaven. There's nothing we can do about it!"
Su Chan asked in surprise, "Does it mean that the king medicine tripod will be taken away by the Japanese?"
Li Yundong looked at the auctioneer on the stage repeating the price again and again, and his eyes were fixed on the gavel in the auctioneer's hand falling down little by little...
But just as the hammer was about to make its final thud, someone suddenly raised their hand.
The auctioneer's hammer instantly stopped in mid-air, and the auctioneer shouted in a frenzied and excited voice, "Someone has bid, someone has offered a higher price!! Four hundred million yuan, is there any higher offer than this!?"
Everyone on the scene had originally thought that 400 million yuan would be the final price of the bet. They hadn't anticipated that someone would raise the price again at this time!
"Who is this person? How could he be as crazy as Saionji Tsunekatsu?"
At this moment, this auction had turned into a hand-to-hand fight between the two madmen. The battle between gold had reached its climax, and the air was filled with a terrible smell of blood.
For a moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on this person!