Mu Zisi surveyed the surroundings, took a deep breath, and declared, "The utility of this 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' is something everyone here is already fully aware of; this old man will not elaborate further. The auction now begins. There will be no starting bid, nor any restriction on the amount for each subsequent bid—it will be entirely up to you all to set the price. However, there is one condition: the guest who provided this 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' requires a cash transaction, with full payment due by sunset today at the latest."

The assembled guests gradually settled back into their seats, yet not a single voice broke the silence. After all, the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' was an unparalleled miracle medicine of the age, a treasure beyond measure; no matter how high the offered price, it would be impossible to gauge its true worth. For this reason, Nie Xinghai, Que Yu, and the others did not immediately step forward to name a price.

After a long pause, Cheng Feiliu, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, let out a hearty laugh: "Esteemed guests, since no one is speaking, allow this old man to toss out a paving brick to attract jade. Two hundred million!"

Seeing the two fingers Cheng Feiliu held up, murmurs of surprise involuntarily escaped the crowd's lips, though their expressions showed no real shock.

Two hundred million gold coins might very well equal the combined wealth of half the minor families in this very hall. Yet, for the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower,' this price was not only modest but perhaps even slightly low. Of course, this was mainly because the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' was too precious; whatever price was named, everyone would simply accept it as the going rate.

"Two hundred and fifty million!"

After a moment of contemplation, Nie Xinghai spoke up second.

The liquid assets held by the Nie family within Jiyang City had largely been spent on that single 'Red Floating Pill.' For two hundred and fifty million, fifty million of that had to be scraped together from surrounding cities that very day, while the remaining two hundred million could be temporarily borrowed from the Spirit Treasure Pavilion.

However, Nie Xinghai faintly shook his head after naming his bid, knowing that for two hundred and fifty million, the chance of securing the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' was almost nil.

"Two hundred and seventy million!"

Seeing Qu Tingyun enter the fray, Nie Xingyun couldn't help but let out a long sigh: "What a pity, what a pity. If we hadn't bid on that 'Red Floating Pill' earlier, our Nie family could have desperately scraped together over three hundred million gold coins tonight, giving us a much better chance to win the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower.'"

Two hundred and fifty million! This sum was already the absolute limit the Nie family could afford today. If the price went beyond this range, the Nie family would be willing in spirit but powerless in execution, left only to watch other families outbid them and claim that incomparably precious 'Fire Tree Silver Flower.'

Lian Tianxin was dismissive: "It might be for the best if we don't get it. If the Nie family were to obtain the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower,' it might not necessarily be a good thing."

"Tianxin speaks the truth."

Observing Qu Tingyun’s bid, Nie Xinghai’s expression was complex—part relief, part regret. "The sudden appearance of a miracle medicine like the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' at this auction during Jiyang City’s 'Thousand Spirits Medicine Fair' must have an underlying reason. Prudence is advisable. While the Nie family ranks among the top five within the Great Accomplishment Empire, if measured against the entire Celestial Spirit Continent, we don't even make the cut."

"Three hundred million!"

"Three hundred and ten million!"

"..."

The amounts cited in each bid were staggering, yet the intervals between them were unusually long. Cheng Feiliu, Qu Tingyun, Fu Erong, and Que Yu each required a significant period of deliberation before making their next offer. This auction, while not fiercely competitive in rapid exchanges, possessed a tension that surpassed anything previously experienced.

As onlookers felt their hearts tremble, they secretly sweated for those who were actively bidding.

"Three hundred and fifty million!"

Cheng Feiliu's voice remained as steady as ever.

Seeing Cheng Feiliu drive the price this high, Fu Erong let out a long sigh, leaning back against the chair as if utterly spent, as though he had just survived a life-or-death battle. His gaze toward the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' on the platform grew distant, before finally settling with a flicker of regret, and perhaps, a touch of release.

"Three hundred and sixty million!"

Que Yu spoke again, gritting his teeth and glaring at the distant Cheng Feiliu and Qu Tingyun. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his face slightly contorted; it appeared this price had pushed the Que family of Yege City past their sustainable limit.

Qu Tingyun spoke in a deep voice, "Three hundred and eighty million!"

"That old hag!"

Que Yu cursed softly, shaking his head in resignation. An indescribable weariness washed over him; this bidding war had drained nearly all his energy.

"Four hundred million!"

Cheng Feiliu raised his right palm and then curled his thumb inwards.

"It seems my Qu family cannot afford this 'Fire Tree Silver Flower,'" Qu Tingyun managed a wry smile and shook his head, his face etched with helplessness.

The Nie family of Jiyang, the Sunset Cloud Sect, the Que family of Yege, and the Li-Feng Qu family had successively withdrawn. It seemed inevitable that this magnificent rare treasure would fall into the hands of the Imperial Family!

"Heh..."

Cheng Feiliu gently touched his temple and let out a long breath, lowering his voice, "Zixuan, return to the residence immediately. Have your Uncle-Ancestor Feihong notify the family to dispatch experts to Jiyang City with the utmost haste to provide support. It would be best if your Imperial Grandfather could come along too."

"Understood."

The Fourth Prince knew the gravity of the situation; he nodded solemnly before rising and walking toward the side entrance of the hall.

"Four hundred million! That could buy eight 'Red Floating Pills!'"

Nie Kong sighed softly. The little fellow inside his Yaochi Acupoint was still excitedly clamoring, clearly urging Nie Kong to seize the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower.' However, the little one's wish was clearly a delusion. If no one else were around, he might risk cultivating slightly to see if he could absorb some of the medicinal fragrance, but in a hall teeming with such masters, the slightest movement from him would reveal clues through fluctuations in spiritual energy to those Spirit Masters and Void Spirit Masters present.

Mu Xiaoling pouted: "Only four hundred million! If this 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' hadn't been auctioned so suddenly, demanding full cash payment today, if we had another month, it could easily have broken past one billion, and the final transaction price might reach a number you cannot even imagine."

On this point, Nie Kong had to agree with Mu Xiaoling. Based on the current situation, no family remaining in the hall could compete with the Imperial Family, simply because the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' demanded full payment before nightfall, leaving no time for other families to gather funds.

After all, the price of this miracle drug was counted in the hundreds of millions, not a few million or tens of millions!

Mu Zisi finally withdrew his gaze from the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower,' a hint of reluctance in his eyes. "Esteemed guests, it appears no one else wishes to bid. Then this 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' belongs to..."

"Five hundred million!"

A hard, metallic-sounding voice rang out without warning, cutting off Mu Zisi mid-sentence.

Those two simple words exploded like successive thunderclaps through the hall, making everyone’s ears ring as they stared dumbfounded at the middle-aged man who had just stood up!

Just as things were about to settle, this fellow abruptly intervened, raising the price of the 'Fire Tree Silver Flower' by a full hundred million. Wasn't this an open slap in the face to the Empire's Royal Family? Such an action wasn't merely 'overestimating oneself'; it was 'courting death'!

Everyone stood with their mouths agape, utterly shocked by the man's foolish audacity! Nie Kong was also dumbstruck; he realized he actually knew the person who had just jumped up to disrupt the Royal Family—it was Bai Yuqing's father, Bai Tianjing!