C9 Three-handed Goods

Lin Yih's first acquisition at the auction set him back a hefty 100,000 yuan.

Now, with only 160,000 yuan to his name, he figured he could probably only afford one more item going forward.

...

The auction continued.

In the midst of it, Lin Yih picked up a bracelet.

Name: Mu Hua Bracelet

Type: Special

Material: Water Crystal Shards, Light Attribute Insect Core

Effects: Refreshing (*2), Luminosity (1x), Bathing (1)

Evaluation: Finely crafted from unwanted horn fragments! (Details: ...)

Overall Score: 38

Winning Bid: 50,000 yuan!

The effects were just average, but it would make a nice gift for Lin Wushuang.

Meanwhile.

Perhaps due to Mike's lack of comedic commentary, the auction quickly progressed to the final two items.

"Up next is a bottle of pills called Dali Vajra! This is an innovative medicinal concoction, with a very novel structure and ingredients!"

Indeed, in this world, there were no doctors, only pharmacists, hence no such thing as pills.

"Its effect is straightforward! It grants the user a burst of double strength for a brief period!" Mike concluded, then turned to lift a small bottle of pills from the display table, holding it up for all to see clearly.

The prospect of double strength sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd!

This was seen as a lifeline in perilous times—a single additional opportunity could mean the difference between life and death. Sometimes, the tide of a desperate fight hinges on just that little bit.

As Mike was about to delve further into the pill's details, the crowd parted, and an elderly man emerged, calling out, "Hey! Little Mike, how long does the effect of this pill last?"

The previously boisterous crowd fell silent at the old man's appearance.

Mike, who had maintained a serious demeanor since the auction began, now wore a smile.

"Yo! Elder Hua, what brings you here today?" Mike teased with a grin.

"What, I'm not allowed to visit? I'm not so old I can't walk!" Elder Hua retorted with an eye roll, wondering what mischief the young rascal was up to.

Mike shook his head: "I wouldn't dare say you can't come. If you wish, you're welcome anytime. I'd be the first to handle anyone who says otherwise!"

"But with the crowd we have here, if you were to get knocked over by accident, it would be a tremendous loss for Red Leaf Town." Mike's tone shifted as he clutched his chest, feigning heartache.

Elder Hua gave Mike a look of disdain, as if he were staring at an idiot.

"Cut the chatter. Tell me how long the pill's burst effect lasts and what the side effects are."

Elder Hua was clearly eager, barely able to wait to learn of the pill's potency.

A pill he had never encountered before! With an effect twice as powerful as a One Star Potion!

The thought alone was enough to make Elder Hua, a lifelong One Star Potioneer, salivate with anticipation.

If its effects lasted over three minutes, even by a second, it would match the efficacy of a Two Stars Potion.

A Two Stars Potion! This tiny bottle could potentially help Elder Hua, who had been stuck at the One Star peak his entire life, break through his plateau and achieve the revered status of a Two Stars Potioneer before his time was up.

Why not use other Two Stars Potions? The answer was clear. How gifted could a Potioneer be if they've been stuck at One Star for most of their life?

Besides, Mike had mentioned this was a new type of potion.

Elder Hua was also keen to glean some inspiration from it.

For a Potioneer who had been at an impasse for so long, even the faintest hint of a breakthrough was irresistibly alluring.

...

In private room number three.

Lin Yih watched as the crowd grew noisy once again, his mouth twitching in response.

"Twice the power? A miraculous effect lasting half an hour?"

He mulled it over.

Good grief! It's a third-rate product!

Wasn't this just the cheapest pill he'd redeemed from the system?

And yet, it had caused such a stir?

As he watched the frenzied bidding, culminating in the sale of five tiny pills for a staggering 150,000 yuan, Lin Yih's heart gave an involuntary twinge.

What a loss! A massive loss!

"That damn store manager! He flipped it for double the price. He's more ruthless than I am, flaunting it right in front of me!"

"If I catch him, I'll skin him alive," Lin Yih grumbled in frustration.

Ultimately, Elder Hua didn't manage to secure the small bottle of pills he coveted.

Too many bidders had driven the price up too high, leaving Elder Hua to silently weep in defeat.

"Such a shame, not enough money!" he lamented.

Having failed to win the bid, Elder Hua sighed and headed for the auction house exit without further delay.

He had special potions at home still awaiting his study. There was no time left to waste.

"Hey, Elder Hua, don't be heartbroken..." Mike offered a word of comfort as he and the crowd watched Elder Hua walk away.

But unbeknownst to them all,

Elder Hua had barely left the auction house when he was confronted by a black bear.

In that moment, Elder Hua faced the creature with a serene expression, while stealthily scanning the pitch-black surroundings.

That quick glance sent a wave of unease through Elder Hua's heart.

Pah! Pah! Pah!

The steady cadence of footsteps drew nearer and nearer to Elder Hua.

Upon recognizing the face before him, Elder Hua trembled involuntarily. Was this not the very person who had won the new medicine at the auction?

"Haha! Elder Hua, there's no use looking around. I've made sure we won't be disturbed. You might as well come with me without a fuss."

The speaker was a short man with a scarred face, now blocking Elder Hua's remaining path.

"What do you want, young man?" Elder Hua demanded, his voice firm. "I am one of the only top-tier pharmacists in Red Leaf Town! Do you dare lay a finger on me?"

"Oh? I'd like to see what happens if I do."

No sooner had he spoken than the short man gestured for his Pet Beast to take care of Elder Hua.

With an angry roar, the black bear effortlessly dispatched Elder Hua's two insect beasts, as if swatting flies.

"Pfft!"

The intense backlash from his Pet Beasts' demise turned Elder Hua's complexion ghostly white.

Elder Hua, now feeble, leaned against the wall and sat down, giving up the fight.

A single thought dominated his mind: I'm done for...

In the shadows, the short man watched Elder Hua's collapse, his mouth twisting into a smirk, "It's time to move up our plans..."

...

Some time passed before the short man and his black bear departed.

What he hadn't anticipated was that Elder Hua, whom he assumed was utterly defeated, stirred ever so slightly after he was gone.

Back at the auction house,

Mike had a cage shrouded in black cloth brought to the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

With his radiant smile beaming once more, Mike announced,

"Get ready to cheer for the next item up for auction!"