Fortunately for him, no one raised the bid again.
Siana stood on the high platform and announced, "Since no one is willing to raise the bid, this last fruit goes to the guest in room number 2; congratulations!"
After that, her gaze went over the crowd and the rooms on higher floors as she said, "With this, today's auction has come to an end--those who were able to buy the things they desired, congratulations to you. As for the rest, please try your luck in the next auction in three months."
"Now, those who have yet to obtain their items, please wait in your seats or rooms. Someone will deliver them to you shortly while the rest of you, please don't rush and maintain order as you go out."
After saying this, she and the four behind her jumped down the platform and vanished from everyone's sight.
The crowd didn't stay and walked out of the auction hall while discussing the auction.
"Man, I tell you. This is one of the craziest auctions I've seen."
"Yeah, I can't believe I saw people bidding millions of Mana stones."
"I wonder if all wealthy people are so crazy. Just to increase one or two minor stages in their cultivation, they spent 4 million."
"If I had that kind of wealth, I would have used it to buy different types of pills that can assist my cultivation. Although it would take a few months or maybe a few years more to increase my cultivation by two stages, those pills won't even cost 500,000 Mana stones."
"Tch, that's why you won't achieve much in your life. Don't you know, for people like them; time is more valuable than wealth."
"..."
When Siana announced Max as the winner, Leticia became very excited and couldn't wait for the fruits to be delivered so that she could have one of them.
Belen was also delighted inwardly, but she didn't show it in case Rima became sad since she wouldn't get one.
However, she was worried in vain. Rima took the initiative and congratulated them both.
Max was relieved and smiled when he saw the happiness on Leticia's and Belen's faces. He turned to the middle-aged lady and said, "Let me make another copy of the spell for you until they deliver the fruits here.
"That would be best." The middle-aged lady nodded, and just when Max was about to ask for a pen and paper, she took a long scroll and pen and gave him, "I've already prepared these for you."
"Thanks." Max nodded, took them and started inscribing the [Destruction wheel] on the scroll.
After a while, he was done and handed over the spell scroll to her. She gave it a thorough read before putting it away.
After a while, the old man from before came with their spirit fruits in wooden cases. He handed them to Max, nodded toward the middle-aged lady and went out.
The middle-aged lady took a spatial bag and said, "Dear guest, since you sold us the second copy of your spell, the auction hall has decided to waive the auction fee for the auctioned copy of the spell. So, after deducting the cost of the egg and two-spirit fruits which you bought from your earnings of the two copies of [Destruction wheel] combined, we owe you 2.45 million low-grade Mana stones."
She then handed the spatial bag to him, "These are your 2.45 million Mana stones. Please count if you wish."
Max took it and took a peek inside. The Mana stones were piled up to form a small mountain. At the mere thought of counting them, Max felt dizzy. He smiled and said, "It's okay. There is no need to count. I believe in your auction house's reputation."
"I'm happy to hear that." The middle-aged lady smiled modestly and then said, "If there is nothing else, let me escort you out."
"Um, Elder, can you help me with something?" Max suddenly remembered something.
"Oh? Please say it. If I can, I'll try my best to help you out." The middle-aged lady said.
"A friend of mine has bone-deep scars on her face, and they aren't healing from the ordinary healing pills because those scars were caused by a dark elemental beast. I heard there is a pill called beauty pill that can heal those kinds of scars. However, it is very rare. So, I was wondering if I can find that pill in Ninam city?" Max asked.
Rima, Belen and Leticia looked at each other when they heard this and became a little nervous because they knew who this friend of his was. It was Flavia.
'So, there is really something going on between them.' They thought. When they remembered how beautiful and elegant Flavia was before she got injured, they suddenly felt insecure.
"What a coincidence! I happen to know someone who has that very pill." The middle-aged lady exclaimed when she heard him.
"Really?" Max's eyes brightened up immediately. Ever since he saw her scars, he wanted to cure them. However, he didn't have enough Mana stones and neither did he know where he could find the pill since it was so rare.
So, when he found out that he could take things from the system on credit, he wanted to take that beauty pill for Flavia, but because the things in the system shop were ridiculously expensive, he decided to wait and try to buy it from the market. However, he had yet to figure out a way from which he could earn enough Mana stones for that.
So, now that he had more than enough Mana stones and Ninam city was also famous for trade, he naturally wanted to try to find it now.
"Yes." The middle-aged lady nodded and said, "This a friend of mine is an alchemist. He refined three pills a few years ago, two of which have been sold, so there should be one more remaining. If you want it, I'll send someone with you to show you the way to his shop."
"Yes. Please do." Max immediately nodded.
"Okay. Please follow me." She said and led them out of the room.
Coincidently, the doors to room number 3 and 5 also opened at that time, and two groups of people walked out.
The group from room number 3 had three people; one was the golden-robed woman and two old ladies behind her, while the other group had only two people who were elves, a young boy and a woman.
When the Elvin pair saw Max's and the golden-robed lady's group, he glanced at the middle-aged lady leading Max and others and said in a displeased tone, "Why were these humans given high-ranking rooms while we were given the last room on the third floor? Does it mean your auction house favour humans over the people from your own race now?"
The middle-aged lady didn't get angry and said, "How our auction house works shouldn't be your concern, right, sir?"
"You! How dare..." The boy became angry at her. However, the woman beside him stopped him from speaking and apologised to the middle-aged lady, "Please don't mind him. He is young and doesn't know how to behave."
Right after that, she took off with the boy in tow.
After that, the middle-aged lady led Max's group away too. The golden-robed woman watched them go with interest and thought, 'So, they were the ones who bought that egg and two of the spirit fruits. I don't think they are from any prominent family in the kingdom.'
Seeing her interest in them, the amiable old lady behind her asked, "Milady, should I find out who they are?"
"No. There is no need." The golden-robed woman shook her head before walking away.
...
When they reached the second floor, Max suddenly remembered that he also needed 300,000 mid-grade Mana stones for the teleportation to the demon continent.
Therefore, he asked, "Elder, what's the exchange rate if I want to exchange low-grade Mana stones for mid-grade ones?"
"The market conversion ratio is 1:100. However, you won't find anyone willing to give exchange their mid-grade Mana stones for the low-grade ones since they are very rare in our kingdom."
"That's too bad." Max sighed and thought, 'It seems there is no choice but to use Lust points.'
...
After a while, Max and the company headed toward the shop where they might find the beauty pill under the guidance of a young Elvin girl.
