Something flashed from deep within Li Mo’s eyes and all the secrets of the Millennium Cold Jade behind the bulletproof glass were laid bare.
‘First rate quality, usable for one use!’
‘Eh?’ Li Mo’s eyes flickered as he noticed a talisman hidden in the Millennium Cold Jade.
‘Is this…’
Li Mo’s heart skipped a beat.
Unlike the short description used for Jade Pagoda, Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen, learned scholars in antiques, presented the Millennium Cold Jade with a flourish of details.
A jade was either yin or yang. A yang jade was also known as a fire jade, while a yin jade a cold jade. Millennias wasn’t enough to create this marvel, it needed a suitable environment. One wouldn’t do without the other.
The bulletproof glass opened and the atmosphere in the hall got chilly.
“Wearing this Millennium Cold Jade can delay aging. In particular to a woman, keeping her youthful and exuberant. And what’s marvelous is that it has no side effect, a rejuvenating item brought to us by nature!”
“If you could turn your attention to the screen…”
Yu Boyan gestured to the display above him showing a charming woman in her thirties.
“She is Madam Ning, the previous owner of the Millennium Cold Jade. Can anyone guess when she had this picture taken? At 59.”
“Wow~”
This was heard especially from mature ladies that began to show signs of aging yet still had an elegant air.
“The Millennium Cold Jade will start off at 10 million!”
“Oh, Director Yang, you’re back!” Ma Changhe noticed Yang Jianchuan was returning just as the Millennium Cold Jade was up for bidding.
Yang Jianchuan had lost his gloomy look and the small perk of his mouth showed his mood was quite uplifted.
“20 million!” The first bid belonged to the vice-chairman Ye Yunfei, of the Thunderstruck Enterprise’s Chinese division.
“It’s Director Ye…”
“Oh my, Director Ye is also here.”
“Directo Ye is buying it for his wife.”
“Directo Ye’s wife is quite old, 36. She is also a celebrity that looks in her twenties. She doesn’t need it.”
“Not now maybe, but later she will.”
“Director Ye is actually rich.”
Zhang Ming sat next to Ye Yunfei with sunglasses on yet didn’t show any reaction when he raised his sign.
Ye Mei’s mother was a movie celebrity who made her debut a dozen years ago. Despite not enjoying a smashing success, her name traveled all the same, making her something of an empress in Feng City.
“Director Ye, your madam is a superstar and still looks like a lady. There’s no need of this item right now. Please leave it to my aged mother, she is almost 70. She can’t do without it.”
Hu Dezhi stood up, announcing 21 million. This guy seemed to like everything, though each time he bidded was in small increments.
“30!” Ye Yunfei declared.
“35!” This time it was someone else. Millennium Cold Jade’s rejuvenating effect got many interested.
Ye Yunfei bidded, “40!”
“Director Ye is amazing. I can’t keep up.” Hu Dezhi sat down.
“Is there anyone else who bids more?” The auctioneer inquired.
After Su Haonan bought Jade Pagoda, Lin Sichong and other guests, fixed only on that item, left. The ones that remained were Hu Dezhi, with his unfathomably deep pockets, and people with average budgets.
“40 million going once!”
“50!”
Li Mo raised his sign. The top grade Millennium Cold Jade held enough jade core to refine his blood vessels. It was a must have.
“80!” Yang Jianchuan added in a clear voice.
“80 million going once!”
“100!” Li Mo cried again.
“120!” Yang Jianchuan followed.
“150 million!” Ye Yunfei stood up, his face grave.
Zhang Ming was, on the contrary, quite relaxed.
“200!” Yang Jianchuan shouted through gritted teeth.
In fact, Yang Jianchuan’s clan wasn’t much different Ma Changhe’s, his entire assets summing up to less than a 100 million. He could fork so much now because he had a hidden backer.
Yang Jianchuan informed his boss that he couldn’t get the Jade Pagoda the first chance he got. And why he returned was because his boss said to get the Millennium Cold Jade.
Yang Jianchuan was clueless to Jade Pagoda and Millennium Cold Jade’s effects. His thinking was simple. Get the items and his boss would reward him.
Yang Jianchuan snorted at Li Mo.
Not anyone who wasn’t someone could have 200 million on them.
Li Mo pondered before he said, “300.”
The crowd was whispering.
Yang Jianchuan’s smile froze. Thinking the four great clans weren’t here to fight him, the Millennium Cold Jade would be in the bag.
“300? Can you pay that much? Can you take it if you don’t have it?” Yang Jianchuan spoke coldly.
Li Mo ignored him.
“310.” Ye Yunfei raised his sign.
“350 million!” Yang Jianchuan shouted before Ye Yunfei got to sit down.
This number included Yang Jianchuan’s family’s assets. Failing here meant earning his boss’ wrath.
“400!” Ye Yunfei bidded.
Yang Jianchuan slumped in his seat. He had reached his limit.
“500!” Li Mo said.
The jade core inside the Millennium Cold Jade was a must have for him. It was priceless, and affected his cultivation speed.
When the races of the universe descended, no amount of money would help him if he had no means to protect himself.
Ye Yunfei was quiet.
“How shameful to lose before a nobody.” Zhang Ming’s mockery was only for Ye Yunfei’s ears alone.
“600!” Ye Yunfei stood up.
“1 billion!” Li Mo said.
The hall was in shock.
Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen were flabbergast.
One billion over a piece of cold jade? What was up with today?
Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen looked at each other baffled.
A secret surrounded Jade Pagoda that garnered 3 billion. What then of the Millennium Cold Jade?
Ye Yunfei took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Zhang Ming sneered.
“1 billion going once!”
“1 billion going twice!”
“Sold!”
The hammer landed and Li Mo bought the Millennium Cold Jade with one billion RMB.
No one knew Li Mo’s thinking, that to him, this jade core was worth far more than just a billion. Not to mention there was also a talisman inside.
Li Mo sent An Yuxin to bring it, who was dazed the whole trip.
‘Billion?’
‘Billion?!’
On stage, she lightly pinched herself, ‘Ow, it’s not a dream!’
Jian Xiaoyan started shouting when she noticed the chaos of voices in the audience, “The last item of this evening is the jade king Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen inspected.”
“Our friends dabbing in jade all know stone-beting’s rule. One cut makes the difference between a win or a loss…”
Li Mo saw the jade king he found when he was on the antique street being brought in by four strong men in the middle of Jian Xiaoyan’s introduction.
“Grandmaster Huang, good to meet you. I am Hu Dezhi, from Chuan Province, that hot and stubborn place.”
Hu Dezhi was overfamiliar as he sat next to Huang Lixing.
Li Mo said, “Master, it’s getting late. We should head back.”
Now that he got what he wanted, Li Mo had no intention of staying.
“Chap, where’s the fire? Didn’t you hear the anchor saying this is the last public item?”
“After that comes the private auction, filled with many wondrous things.”
Li Mo stared blanckly for a second.
Hu Dezhi smiled, “To get into the private auction, one has to either receive the host’s invitation directly, or buy items in the public auction that exceed the value of 200 million. Why do you think I was buying all this time? It was all to get an invitation to the private auction!”
Li Mo was stupefied.
The master cutter was now going on stage.
