Chapter 1596: A Stunning Feat

Everyone showed expressions of utter astonishment, looking toward that middle-aged man.

“It’s Ning Lixiao, an elder of the Ning family! My god, he raised the price by five hundred million!”

“Is the Ning family trying to reciprocate kindness and get closer to Elder Ye?”

“Twenty billion for a third-tier divine pill? Crazy! Absolutely crazy!”

…

Shi Song clearly hadn’t expected an unexpected rival to appear, and he looked at Ning Lixiao with some surprise.

“Twenty-one billion!” Shi Song said through gritted teeth.

“Twenty-five billion!” Ning Lixiao remained expressionless, adding four billion with great calm.

Shi Song’s face changed, and he said to Ning Lixiao in a deep voice, “Ning Lixiao, are you crazy? Driving up the price like this benefits no one!”

Ning Lixiao said indifferently, “Since I’m bidding, it’s worth this price! Shi Zhiyong needs it, and Tianping needs it too. Enough talk, it goes to the highest bidder!”

Shi Song’s face flickered with uncertainty, and he gritted his teeth, “Twenty-six billion! Ning Lixiao, if you’ve got the guts, go to thirty billion!”

Ning Lixiao glanced at him and slowly spoke, “Thirty-five billion!”

“Hiss…”

Everyone drew in a cold breath. They had long expected the Sun-Moon Universe Pill to be very expensive, but they never imagined it would reach such a price!

A price of thirty-five billion could even buy some flawed divine sovereign treasures.

Yet it was only a third-tier divine pill!

Shi Song’s face changed several times, and he said very unhappily, “Ning Lixiao, you’re ruthless! This Sun-Moon Universe Pill, I’ll let your Ning family have it!”

Ning Lixiao cupped his hands and smiled, “Brother Shi Song, thank you for yielding.”

“Thirty-five billion! The Ning family has bid thirty-five billion. Is there any higher?”

Steward Zhang paused, swept his gaze across the crowd, and continued, “Thirty-five billion, first call! Thirty-five billion, second call! Thirty-five billion, third call! Sold! Congratulations to the Ning family for obtaining the first virtual-spirit-grade Sun-Moon Universe Pill in the history of Tianying Imperial City!”

The hammer fell!

Everyone was dumbfounded, hardly believing the price.

Never had a third-tier divine pill sold for the astronomical price of thirty-five billion.

Some even felt that the Ning family had been taken for a ride.

Although the pill was one in a million, the price of thirty-five billion still made them feel it wasn’t worth it.

However, Ning Lixiao clearly didn’t share that sentiment.

After receiving the pill, he found Ye Yuan, cupped his hands, and smiled, “Elder Ye, during these days, Siyu has been under your care. On behalf of the Ning family, I am deeply grateful.”

Ning Lixiao was very clever. Although he bought the pill for thirty-five billion, he didn’t use it as a gesture of goodwill.

As if the pill really was worth thirty-five billion.

Instead, he came to Ye Yuan to express gratitude for Ning Siyu’s matters.

In fact, the Ning family valued Ning Siyu very highly.

The Ning family had strong influence in the Martial Tower, but their power in the Alchemy Tower was almost zero.

There was no helping it; cultivating an alchemy genius was far harder than cultivating a martial arts genius.

But what troubled the Ning family was that Ning Siyu had always been lazy and unmotivated.

Yet today, the Ning family saw a completely transformed Ning Siyu, which delighted them beyond measure.

Now, who could still doubt that Ning Siyu wasn’t trained by Ye Yuan?

Other than Ye Yuan, who else could have made Ning Siyu change so much in such a short time?

Moreover, the terrifying talent displayed by this young man before them was absolutely worth the Ning family’s friendship.

Although thirty-five billion was a bit steep, the money was well spent!

Ye Yuan understood clearly and also smiled, “This girl has good talent. If she were a piece of rotten wood, I couldn’t have carved her.”

Ning Lixiao laughed heartily, “Elder Ye is right. You don’t know, but Siyu, relying on her talent, was willful and playful, causing the Ning family endless worry—until she met Elder Ye! Now she finally knows that there is always a sky beyond the sky, and people beyond people. Before Elder Ye, any genius pales in comparison!”

It sounded like flattery, but Ning Lixiao meant it from the bottom of his heart.

Ning Siyu’s talent was strong, but Song Qiyang’s talent was no weaker, and what happened?

Song Qiyang wasn’t even fit to hold Ye Yuan’s shoes!

Who was Ye Yuan?

He was the one who had instantly killed the Grand Elder!

Once Ye Yuan broke through to the Divine Sovereign realm, he would become a force to be reckoned with in the Alchemy Tower, almost on par with the two elders!

After today, Ye Yuan’s fame would spread throughout Tianying Imperial City, and the threshold of Ye Mansion would likely be worn down by visitors.

“Fang Rong, haven’t you greeted Elder Ye? Don’t you know the rules?” Ning Lixiao suddenly said to Ning Fangrong beside him.

Ning Fangrong stood by his side like a wronged little daughter-in-law.

Back then, he had made arrogant remarks before Ye Yuan, never expecting that in the blink of an eye, Ye Yuan would become an elder of the Alchemy Tower.

What a deadly turn of events!

“Fang Rong… pays respects to Elder Ye!” Ning Fangrong cupped his hands.

Ye Yuan smiled, “Long time no see. Young Master Ning, please don’t stand on ceremony.”

Ning Fangrong said awkwardly, “I was ignorant before. I hope Elder Ye won’t take it to heart.”

Ye Yuan nodded, “I’m not that petty. Let bygones be bygones.”

The minor conflict between Ye Yuan and Ning Fangrong was naturally known to Ning Lixiao.

Hearing Ye Yuan say this now, his heart was put at ease.

“Elder Ye truly made a stunning feat! I’ve been coveting this virtual-spirit-grade Sun-Moon Universe Pill. I wonder… if Elder Ye could refine another one? My Shi family is willing to pay twenty billion divine source stones for your trouble,” at this moment, Shi Song, an elder of the Shi family, also came over, cupped his hands, and said to Ye Yuan.

The Shi family’s strength was on par with the Ning family, so gathering a full set of ingredients for the Sun-Moon Universe Pill was naturally no problem.

But pills were easy to find; an alchemist who could refine a virtual-spirit-grade pill was extremely rare!

Ye Yuan smiled, “Thank you for the compliment, Elder Shi. It’s not that I don’t want to, but this virtual-spirit-grade Sun-Moon Universe Pill isn’t something I can refine at will. That I succeeded today was partly due to luck. How about you wait a while, until my strength improves and I have more confidence, then I’ll refine it?”

In truth, Ye Yuan had a sixty to seventy percent chance of refining a virtual-spirit-grade pill.

But he naturally wouldn’t say that to Shi Song.

The Ning family had just paid thirty-five billion to win the pill, and you offer twenty billion for me to refine one? Are you looking down on me, Ye Yuan?

Moreover, if I refine one for twenty billion, where would that leave the Ning family’s face?

In essence, the Shi family felt the Sun-Moon Universe Pill wasn’t worth thirty-five billion.

But Ye Yuan knew clearly that thirty-five billion was a bargain for the Ning family!

Before long, the Ning family would understand.

Ye Yuan could clearly tell who was closer, the Ning family or the Shi family, and naturally wouldn’t do something to undermine his own position.

Shi Song said with regret, “Then… when Elder Ye breaks through, I will shamelessly come to ask for a pill!”