With the unveiling of "Three Thousand Thunder Claps," the atmosphere in the auction hall immediately surged into its most vibrant and dynamic peak. The leading powers on the front lines finally began their breathtaking, face-to-face bidding battles, leaving countless spectators stunned. "Three Thousand Thunder Claps" had no initial reserve price set. Yet, as soon as the auctioneer's hammer descended, the price skyrocketed to two million—such a dramatic surge was unprecedented for Xiao Yan since his birth. The sheer generosity and boldness displayed by these factions, under the compelling allure of this mid-tier technique, were truly remarkable. The steadily rising prices kept the hall alive with excited, roaring cheers, never faltering. Even though many participants were aware they no longer had a realistic chance of securing the item, the sheer intensity of the financial competition was enough to make them feel that their visit had truly been worthwhile. The intense bidding for the swiftly rising price finally began to wind down after nearly half an hour of relentless, dramatic competition, and by then, the "Three Thousand Thunder" price had climbed to an astonishing 8.27 million—8.27 million! That sum was no small feat—it equaled several years' worth of the Mittel family's total revenue in the Gamma Empire. Such a substantial sum, surely, would not go unnoticed or be casually offered even within the Black Corner Region. As the price reached this level, several weaker factions began to withdraw. With this continuous wave of price eliminations, ten minutes later, the gray-robed middle-aged representative from the Black Skull Tomb faction finally, with a visibly strained expression, announced a staggering price of 10.2 million, leaving the entire auction hall utterly silent. A Tier-1 Combat Technique for 10.2 million! The silent auction hall, after enduring nearly a few minutes, finally began to stir. One by one, eyes locked onto each other, all of them struck with awe and excitement—stunned by the staggering price. One million! Such a vast sum—how long would it take a single power to accumulate it? The black skeleton tomb's bold offer clearly left the Blood Sect and the Sky Serpent Prefecture utterly caught off guard. After exchanging glances, they all looked pale, retreating from the bids they had just formed. "Hmm… This is truly a battle of sheer intensity—millions of gold…." Gazing at the gradually winding down fierce competition, Xiao Yan couldn't help but shake his head, sighing inwardly. Then, with a touch of puzzlement, he asked, "Yet… can something as fundamental as a mid-tier technique really be measured solely in monetary terms?" "Hmm… that's a fair point. To prepare medicinal pills, you'd have to purchase herbs, wouldn't you? Otherwise, relying solely on yourself to gather rare herbs scattered across various regions of the continent—how much effort and time would that entail? For instance, to craft a Land Spirit Pill, the combined cost of its four ingredients alone would exceed five million gold. You don't need money, do you? Besides, great factions like the Blood Sect employ large teams, hire personnel, cultivate strong talents—what aspect of that doesn't require substantial funding? You simply haven't experienced the true cost of running such an operation." Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the elderly pharmacist paused, helplessly explaining to this usually money-averse, sheltered young man. Hearing the medic elder's helpless tone, Xiao Yan also managed a sheepish smile and looked up toward the crystal platform. When he saw the auctioneer, who had been glowing with a rosy complexion, suddenly stiffen and become serious, he was momentarily stunned, then murmured softly, "It seems the reserve treasures are finally going to make their appearance." Many others noticed the auctioneer's expression change—seemingly having uncovered something significant—and thus, their quiet murmurs ceased. All eyes now fixed intently on the highlight of this auction. "Finally, it's coming..." A gentle flush spread across the pale face of Fan Ling, the young chief of the Blood Sect, whose eyes sparkled with anticipation. At the Tian She Mansion, where the Black Skull Tomb was located, the earlier relaxed expressions also tightened. Their previously languid gaze now sharpened, becoming as keen and alert as that of an eagle. "Clap... clap..." The auctioneer, his face serious, tapped his hands firmly on the crystal platform. As his applause echoed, a series of crisp clicking sounds emerged from the edges of the platform, followed by a slow rise of a circular, dark metallic railing that eventually enclosed the entire platform in a sturdy, prison-like structure—so complete that even the space above the crystal platform was fully sealed by extending metal bars. "Please don't be overly concerned," he smiled warmly at the audience, explaining, "this is simply a measure we've taken to ensure the safety of our auction items." Upon seeing the imposing, fortress-like enclosure, he added, "This enclosure is forged from cold iron—strong enough that even a Duke-level powerhouse would find it difficult to breach within a certain period of time." As he spoke, his eyes deliberately swept across the seats of the Blood Sect and the Sky Serpent Prefecture, conveying a clear, unspoken message. Regarding this particular emphasis from him, the representatives of the various powers only offered a faint smile and didn't give it much thought. It wasn't uncommon in past auctions for bidding wars to erupt over auctioned items. Thus, the cautiousness of the Eight-Door Sect was entirely understandable—otherwise, how could they face the black-angled domain if their own possessions were forcibly taken away? "Heard that, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, his gaze beneath the black robe subtly sweeping across the shadows of the auction hall. With his eyes, once tempered by flame, he could faintly perceive the glimmers of cold light among them. 'What exactly is this centerpiece? It's so significant that even the Eight Gates are treating it with such solemnity, with the Grand Master personally overseeing the proceedings?' Xiao Yan shook his head, murmuring in astonishment. 'Heh, just watch and see—surely it won't disappoint.' The old medicine master smiled, shaking his head in reply. Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan turned his attention back to the crystal platform. At that moment, the auctioneer was carefully bowing, retrieving a purple-gold platter half a foot in size from beneath the counter. Within the platter, a small jade box, no larger than a palm, stood prominently." The box had turned a pale, silvery hue. Though distant, the people below could clearly see the faint white cold aura emanating from the cold jade box—precisely the superior preservation quality of the finest cold jade. "Is this a pill?" Observing the small size of the box and recognizing the familiar preservation method, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then his eyes widened with growing astonishment. Pills valued higher than a mid-tier combat technique—what kind of rank could they be? Taking a deep breath of the cool air, Xiao Yan knew clearly that it had to be at least a seventh-rank pill to be possible. Seventh rank? To date, even Xiao Yan himself had never seen a pill of this caliber. "Indeed, it's a fine thing. Yet, why does this feeling...?" The Elder's voice carried a growing sense of gravity and a touch of curiosity. Crafting seventh-rank pills was no easy feat—indeed, even the creation of fifth-rank pills was sufficient to stir the energies of a small realm. Seventh-rank pills? Recalling the celestial phenomena he had witnessed upon successfully producing them years ago—the upheavals were almost as dramatic as the end of an age, truly awe-inspiring. On the Continent of Qi, only a few rare masters could achieve the mastery of crafting seventh-rank pills, and among them, all were now esteemed grandmasters. As the jade box appeared, every faction gathered at the front of the auction hall instantly straightened up, their eyes brimming with unhidden greed, fixed intently upon the jade box. Ignoring the greedy glances from outside the iron cage, the white-haired auctioneer, his hands slightly trembling, gently placed the purple-gold tray on the auction stage. With careful, dry fingers, he lifted the lid of the box, and at once, a surge of golden light erupted forth. The sudden brilliance of the light instantly illuminated the entire auction hall so clearly that some attendees, caught off guard, instinctively closed their eyes. Xiao Yan did not close his eyes to the golden glow. Through the shadow of his hat brim, his gaze remained firmly fixed on the cold jade box atop the crystal pedestal. There, a golden pill the size of a dragon's eye lay quietly within. The pill was exceptionally smooth, with two streams of golden energy flowing steadily within it, occasionally surging upward. Upon closer inspection, these golden currents coalesced into two slender golden dragons, intertwined and gently weaving through one another. A soft, resonant dragon's hum, transmitted through subtle vibrations in the air, slowly spread out, causing the souls of those present to tremble under the weight of its majestic presence. Staring into the interior of the pill where the medicinal qi had coalesced into a dragon-like form, Xiao Yan could not help but tremble, his face beneath the cloak radiating unmistakable astonishment. The phenomenon of medicinal qi condensing into spirit—something only pills of seventh rank or higher possessed! The entire auction hall fell into absolute silence, enveloped in the faint, intermittent sound of a dragon's roar. "Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Pill?" The soft murmurs of the herbal master suddenly echoed in Xiao Yan's mind, yet as he listened, he could not help but sense an overwhelming depth of solemnity and fury in those murmurs.