Chapter 39: Millennium Blood Ganoderma

"Fifteen million!" The sudden bid caused a ripple of shock throughout the crowd, their faces showing surprise and bewilderment. Who was this reckless person? How dare they compete with Lindon for an item. Such boldness! Unable to suppress their curiosity, the crowd turned to look in the direction of the voice. Upon seeing that the bidder was none other than Ruxley, all of their faces changed. Many of them had witnessed the earlier conflict between Ruxley and Arden, so they recognized Ruxley immediately. What they didn't expect was that he would dare compete with Lindon at this moment. This was openly challenging Lindon. One must know that Lindon was not like Elowen or Arden, mere second or third-generation scions. Lindon was the eldest son and future heir of the Doyle family. In terms of status and position, he was far above Elowen and Arden. To offend Lindon was to offend a power that no one in all of Shiphay City could save one from. Lindon furrowed his brows, casting a cold glance at Ruxley, his eyes flashing with a hint of danger. Because he had arrived late today, he hadn't witnessed the earlier conflict between Ruxley and Arden. Seeing this unknown person daring to compete with him, an unwelcome irritation stirred in his heart. However, he didn't continue bidding. This 150-year-old wild ginseng was worth around ten million at most, and he had already raised the price to thirteen and a half million—a significant overbid. If he continued, it would be a severe financial loss. Although the Doyle family wasn't short on money, he had no desire to be the fool overpaying for something. There were still plenty of high-grade medicinal herbs to come, so he decided to let this one go to the young man. Lindon gave Ruxley a cold glare, then gave up the bidding. In the end, Ruxley secured the wild ginseng for fifteen million. Facing Lindon's gaze, which was filled with warning, Ruxley remained indifferent, crossing his legs as he gently tapped his right hand on his knee, paying no heed to the implied threat. He was determined to claim every single high-grade medicinal herb in today's auction, and no one would take any of them away from him. For the next stretch of the auction, Olympus Auction House put up a total of twenty-eight high-grade medicinal herbs for bidding. Each of these herbs was over a hundred years old, with some reaching the rare age of two or three hundred years. The crowd fiercely competed for these herbs, and the prices soared rapidly. Ruxley, however, was in no rush to bid. He always waited until the crowd was nearly finished before making his decisive bid to clinch the deal. In the end, Ruxley spent nearly seven hundred million to secure all twenty-eight high-grade herbs. Lindon's face turned ashen, the dark look in his eyes as intense as a brewing storm. He had originally intended to secure all twenty-eight of the high-grade herbs. But to his dismay, Ruxley seemed determined to go against him. Every time the bidding reached its final stage, Ruxley would jump in to compete. No matter how high Lindon raised the price, Ruxley would follow without hesitation, as if the herbs cost him nothing. Who was this young man? Where did he get such vast wealth? At that moment, everyone else present was equally shocked. While they were all billionaires in their own right, they couldn't spend nearly seven hundred million in one go to buy high-grade medicinal herbs like Ruxley did. After all, these herbs, while precious, had to be used effectively. Otherwise, buying them would just be a waste. With the sale of those twenty-eight high-grade herbs, the auction reached its final climax. "Ladies and gentlemen, up next is the last high-grade medicinal herb for today and the highlight of our auction—the Millennium Blood Ganoderma!" Damian, the auctioneer, announced excitedly to the crowd. The staff of Olympus Auction House carefully carried a beautifully crafted jade box onto the stage. The jade box was made of top-quality jade, and its surface was intricately carved with a dragon and phoenix motif, making it a work of art on its own, valued at several million. Damian gently opened the lid of the jade box, and in an instant, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the entire auction hall, invigorating everyone present. The crowd eagerly leaned forward to catch a glimpse of the contents of the box and saw a large, deep-red ganoderma sitting at its center. The ganoderma was about the size of a soccer ball, its surface flawless, without a single blemish or insect hole. It looked like a masterpiece carved by nature itself. "Ladies and gentlemen, this Millennium Blood Ganoderma was discovered by our Olympus Auction House herbalists in a valley deep in Celestial Mountain. It has over thirteen hundred years of history and is extremely rare, even when considering all of Saultrouge Kingdom. Don't miss this chance!"  Hearing Damian's introduction, the eyes of the audience lit up with fervor. High-grade herbs over a hundred years old were already increasingly rare on the market, and finding a herb over a thousand years old was even more difficult. This Blood Ganoderma, aged over thirteen hundred years, was undeniably a priceless treasure. Damian tapped the gavel in his hand and loudly announced, "The starting bid for the Millennium Blood Ganoderma is fifty million, with each subsequent bid requiring an increase of at least one million. Please place your bids!" As soon as the words left his mouth, a middle-aged man immediately raised his hand and shouted, "Sixty million!" Before his hand even dropped, an elder followed up with a bid, "Seventy million!" This Millennium Blood Ganoderma was an unmatched treasure—something that could only be found by chance. Even in the capital, there would be countless families fighting for it. As a result, the crowd was determined to secure this item for themselves, and the price rapidly climbed. In no time, it reached two hundred and fifty million, far surpassing any of the previous high-grade herbs. "Three hundred and fifty million!" Seeing fewer people placing bids, Lindon directly raised the price by one hundred million. The entire auction hall immediately fell silent. It was clear to everyone that Lindon was determined to win this Millennium Blood Ganoderma. "Ladies and gentlemen, this herb is crucial to our Doyle family. I hope you all can give us the courtesy of stepping back and letting us have it," Lindon said in a low voice. Hearing this, the families that were still considering bidding immediately chose to withdraw. The herb's true value was about three hundred million, and any higher would not be worth it. Rather than risk offending the Doyle family, it was better to sell them a favor and step back. "Anyone else willing to place a higher bid? This is a once-in-a-lifetime treasure, and you might never get another chance!" Damian said excitedly, trying to encourage the crowd to keep bidding. However, there was no response from the audience. Seeing this, a satisfied smile spread across Lindon's face. However, just when he thought victory was within his grasp, a familiar voice echoed through the auction hall. "Four hundred million!"