The brief two words instantly made the atmosphere in the hall become heavy.
All eyes fell on Master Daozang.
"What's wrong, Master Daozang? Is there a problem with the fragment?"
"Could it be that the fragment is not a high-grade artifact at all, but a low-grade one?"
"Is the fragment fake? Did we all come here for nothing?"
Hearing the crowd's doubts, Min Ziqiong's parents' expressions suddenly became tense.
They felt sweat on their backs and their hearts faltered.
If there was truly a problem with the fragment, they would be in deep trouble this time!
Offending so many famous wealthy individuals and Xuanmen masters at once, the Min family could directly announce their demise!
From then on, there would be no Min family in Jianghai!
"Master Daozang..." Min Ziqiong's father cautiously stepped forward.
Master Daozang, whose eyes had been fixed on the powder without moving, finally spoke after a long while: "It is not fake."
These four words finally eased Min Ziqiong's father's worried heart.
"You scared me to death, you scared me to death..." Min Ziqiong's mother also patted her chest, looking as if she had just escaped a great danger.
The other guests, upon hearing this, relaxed. At the same time, they couldn't help but ask, "Then why did Master Daozang say it wasn't right?"
Master Daozang turned his head and looked at the guests, "I said it wasn't right because the spirituality contained in these powders is very strange. It gives me a feeling... how to describe it? A feeling that does not belong to this era."
"It's as if this artifact was once an implement of an ancient Xuanmen great master, and it carries the aura of techniques vastly different from our current era. Although the spirituality is very thin, it is exceptionally pure."
"Let me give you an analogy you can understand! These powders are like the powder of a top-quality emerald. Even though they are broken into pieces, you can still see their exceptionally high quality from them."
*Swish!*
Hearing Master Daozang's analogy, the wealthy individuals who hadn't understood before suddenly had their eyes light up.
They didn't understand Xuanmen knowledge, but they understood jade and gemstones!
Top-quality emerald!
These five words were enough to describe the quality of this artifact!
No need to say more, just one word: buy!
They had to acquire it at all costs!
The atmosphere instantly shifted from solemn silence to heated excitement.
"Brother Min, don't hesitate! Start the bidding!"
"Exactly, hurry up and start! Nominally, this is a tasting event, but we all know what this event actually is. So, let's not play coy. Brother Min, stop with the formalities and just announce the start of the bidding!"
"Yes, yes, let's bid early and finish early. If I happen to win it, I'll have to rush it to Master Hai Zhu!"
"Oh, Old Tang, you're quite confident! I'm afraid you won't be able to win it! But I never expected you to have connections with the great master Liu Haizhu..."
The guests on the scene chattered, all urging Min Ziqiong's father to start the auction.
Facing such enthusiastic demands, Min Ziqiong's father's smile was so wide it was about to split his face.
He no longer bothered with pretense or formalities and waved his hand decisively, "Then the auction begins!"
"Starting price - one hundred million!"
Hearing this price, the guests in the hall showed expressions of "as expected."
Clearly, they had already made their own assessments.
"To save time for my colleagues and friends, I will directly raise the price. Two hundred million!"
At this point, someone raised their hand and said.
"Tsk tsk, Old Tang, you're really willing to spend money. But if you're willing, are we all not? I'll also raise the price, three hundred million!"
However, with only two bids, the price had already tripled to a staggering three hundred million!
Listening to this number, Min Ziqiong's parents exchanged glances, and pure joy was about to overflow from their eyes!
Their most optimistic estimate before was only three hundred million, and they hadn't expected the bidding to reach this figure at the very beginning!
They were truly making a fortune this time!
Ying Chen had finally done one good thing, giving them a great opportunity to become rich overnight!
"We must thank Ying Chen properly another day and buy him several large boxes of instant noodles and soda! I heard security guards like these things the most!" Min Ziqiong's mother whispered to Min Ziqiong's father.
"Uh..." Min Ziqiong's father felt speechless.
Making hundreds of millions, and then gifting instant noodles and cola, how embarrassing would that be if it got out!
However, Min Ziqiong's father dared not voice any objection and could only pretend to preside over the auction.
"Three hundred million, the current price is three hundred million. Are there any other big shots willing to increase the bid? Perhaps with just a ten-million increase, this fragment of a high-grade artifact, certified by Master Daozang, will be yours!"
Min Ziqiong's father directly used Master Daozang's reputation to his advantage, and he even upgraded "high-grade artifact" to "top-grade artifact."
"Three hundred and fifty million!"
It had to be said, this tactic was indeed effective.
Someone immediately increased the bid.
Although it wasn't an increase of one hundred million like before, it was still fifty million.
"Three hundred and eighty million!"
"Four hundred million!"
In the blink of an eye, the price reached four hundred million.
Min Ziqiong's parents felt like they could barely breathe.
Before, they were worried about one hundred million, begging and pleading; now, they suddenly possessed wealth of at least four hundred million!
And this wealth was still climbing!
"Hmph!" At this moment, Master Daozang let out a cold snort and stood up.
"How long will it take if you keep increasing the price bit by bit?"
"I'll directly offer a final price! If you exceed this price, you can take the item away, and I will withdraw! If you can't exceed it, then let me have this item! I will be indebted to all of you, and I will surely repay you in the future!"
"My final price is—eight hundred million!"
Master Daozang, however, made a shocking statement, offering a sky-high price of eight hundred million!
*Plop!*
Min Ziqiong's mother next to him was so shocked by the number that her eyes rolled back, and she fainted!
"Old woman, old woman..." Min Ziqiong's father quickly pinched her philtrum and slapped her face, finally managing to wake her up.
The mood of the other guests was not much better than Min Ziqiong's mother's.
They were also in a state of great shock.
Their psychological price was around five hundred million, and anything more they considered not worth it.
But they never expected Master Daozang to directly jump to eight hundred million!
An increase of a full three hundred million, not QQ coins or ghost money, but real, hard cash!
No matter how wealthy they were, they had to consider it carefully.
After all, no one would spend an extra three hundred million on something not worth it.
Most importantly, Master Daozang's words were exceptionally well-phrased.
Master Daozang was willing to be indebted to the guests present and repay them in the future!
This made many guests' hearts flutter.
The favor of a person like Master Daozang was not easily obtained.
"I forfeit."
"I forfeit too."
"I forfeit as well."
In the blink of an eye, the guests present announced their forfeiture one after another.
Master Daozang cupped his hands in thanks to each guest.
The guests, in turn, congratulated Master Daozang on acquiring the artifact.
The situation seemed to be settled, and the artifact fragment was about to be sold for eight hundred million.
But just as Min Ziqiong's father was excitedly preparing to announce it, someone suddenly stood up and said, "I bid one billion!"
These four words were like a bombshell dropped on the scene.
It stunned everyone.
Including Master Daozang.