"Ladies and gentlemen, you have all seen the Jade Spirit; now, let me introduce something that is not well understood by all,"
the Auctioneer’s voice boomed, enunciating every word to reach every corner of the hall.
"The Jade Spirit is the supreme treasure among jade. If Glass-type Imperial Green is considered the best of jade, then the Jade Spirit is the best of the best! Meng Po, the world’s number one Jade King for the past hundred years, as recorded in his materials, states that the Jade Spirit possesses dozens of functions: it prolongs life, strengthens the body, and preserves youth! It is a rare treasure that is hard to come by! Ladies and gentlemen, today, thanks to Yuyuanzhai and Miss An, such a rare treasure has made its appearance in the Xuanjin Xuandu Auction House!"
The Auctioneer’s excitement grew as he spoke, and the emotive passion in his tone set the atmosphere alight, with the guests seated in the auction house eagerly rubbing their hands together, ready to battle it out for this rare treasure.
"Enough talk, the auction starts now! The Jade Spirit, starting bid: one hundred million!"
No sooner had his words died away than the voices of bids began to rise one after another around the auction seats.
"One hundred and fifty million!"
"One hundred and eighty million!"
"Two hundred million!"
"Six hundred and ten million!"
In no time at all, the price had already soared to ten billion. An Yiqing watched with a smirk as the guests on the first floor fought over it, her mind working like a calculator with the rapid clacking of keys.
Standing behind An Yiqing, Zhang Yuksheng listened to the escalating string of numbers, his heart beating so furiously that he almost poured out a couple of Quick-Acting Heart-Saving Pills to take.
"Miss, we really do have a lot of rich people in Xuanjin!" He mused internally about the business revenue while expressing his amazement.
An Yiqing chuckled softly and shook her head, "Brother Yusheng, you’re only partly right. Xuanjin indeed has many wealthy individuals, but there are even more who fear death."
Zhang Yuksheng blinked in surprise, then nodded in agreement.
Yes, if the Jade Spirit were merely an ordinary rare treasure, these wealthy and powerful individuals would never be willing to spend so much to bid for it. What they coveted was the Jade Spirit’s ability to prolong life and keep youth eternal.
As time trickled away, the bidding on the first floor remained fervent.
The Auctioneer conducting the proceedings was now soaked in sweat, his black suit sticking tightly to him, sending slight chills down his spine.
Yet, at this moment, the Auctioneer felt not a hint of discomfort, his heart and eyes filled only with excitement and ardor. Having been in the industry for many years, he had handled countless treasures, including those worth billions. But an auction as frenzied as today’s for the Jade Spirit was truly unprecedented!
The Auctioneer even envisioned the Jade Spirit reaching a record price through his gavel!
"Good! Fifteen billion from this gentleman! Is there a higher bid? Is the life-extending Jade Spirit going to be sold for fifteen billion? Any higher offers?! Good! Sixteen billion! Is there more? Any more?"
The Auctioneer, drenched in sweat from excitement, animatedly used his golden tongue to stir the guests present.
In a private room on the second floor, An Yiqing nodded in approval upon hearing the Auctioneer’s increasingly vigorous promotions.
"Brother Yusheng, this Auctioneer is decent; we can consider him for our future auctions," she commented.
Understanding An Yiqing’s implication, Zhang Yuksheng respectfully nodded, "Miss, what would be your ideal price for this Jade Spirit?"