Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Sky-High Price
His plans to keep a low profile were instantly shattered by Chen Xing’s unbridled audacity.
"Hmph. You want this? This Prince will make sure you don’t get it." The Sixth Prince’s icy voice echoed through the auction hall.
The crowd suddenly realized what was happening. The Sixth Prince was deliberately going against the fat man.
Recalling the Sixth Prince’s earlier actions, the crowd couldn’t help but break into a flurry of discussion.
Only then did the Sixth Prince’s expression soften, and he felt a wave of satisfaction at his own ploy.
’Although I lost a lot of money bidding against Chen Xing earlier, it’s paying off now. To everyone else, it looks like I’m only bidding to spite him, not because... I’m having performance issues.’
"Heh heh, a pathetic impotent is a pathetic impotent. What’s the point of all this talk?" Chen Xing sneered.
’Fat bastard!’
The Sixth Prince clenched his fists, murder flashing in his eyes. He wished he could dice Chen Xing into a thousand pieces. ’This bastard is completely out of control.’
But before he could vent any of his hatred, Chen Xing was already shouting at the top of his lungs again, "Since you don’t want me to get my way, fine! I’ll bleed a little this time! Two million Profound Coins!"
Chen Xing’s shout was utterly satisfying. It was Ye Xuan who had told him to bid, and to bid aggressively without fear of the high price. Given his personality, he was naturally unrestrained.
In his private box, the Sixth Prince nearly coughed up blood!
He was just putting on a show; he genuinely wanted to buy the Dragon Bone Yang Grass. With one shout from Chen Xing, the price of the grass—originally worth a few hundred thousand at most—had multiplied several times over, making his heart bleed.
He almost couldn’t catch his breath.
Seeing the Sixth Prince fall silent, Chen Xing grew puzzled and sent a secret voice transmission: "Ye Xuan, are you sure the Sixth Prince is dead set on getting the Dragon Bone Yang Grass? Two million Profound Coins... he can’t be that much of a sucker, can he? Even if he’s really impotent and suffering from premature ejaculation, there are plenty of other treatments. He doesn’t have to buy this one."
Ye Xuan smiled faintly, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "Don’t worry. Just keep bidding as I told you. When the time is right, I’ll tell you to stop."
He had already discovered the Prince’s problem when he probed him with his Soul Sense earlier, so he knew exactly why the Sixth Prince was so desperate for the Dragon Bone Yang Grass. ’This is the perfect opportunity. If I don’t strike ruthlessly now, am I supposed to just give him a chance to make a comeback?’
’You dare oppose me, Ye Xuan? Then this time, I’ll make you lose everything.’
The Sixth Prince had constantly worked against him, and Ye Xuan was filled with pent-up rage.
But right now, it was the Sixth Prince who was bursting with the most fury.
Earlier, in his bid to ensure Ye Xuan and his companion left empty-handed, the Sixth Prince had repeatedly paid exorbitant prices for items he had no use for, spending over three million in total.
And while he was a Prince with vast financial resources, they weren’t infinite. A quick calculation showed that his total savings amounted to just over six million, meaning he now had only three million left.
He had planned to spend a few hundred thousand to win the Dragon Bone Yang Grass, which would still leave him with two million to continue going against Ye Xuan. He never imagined that damned fatty Chen Xing would interfere and drive the price of a Tier Four Spirit Medicine up to two million, making him so angry he almost spat blood.
However, acquiring the Dragon Bone Yang Grass was an absolute must for him; he had to continue bidding.
"Two million one hundred thousand!"
The Sixth Prince gritted his teeth, his face flushed a deep, purplish-red with anger. To feign indifference, he forced a smile and sneered, "Fat bastard, I know your body is weak and that you’re desperate for this Dragon Bone Yang Grass. But this Prince simply can’t let you have your way. I’ll see to it that you’re impotent for life."
"Tsk tsk, Your Highness, I wonder what deep-seated hatred you have for me that you must prevent me from winning this Dragon Bone Yang Grass?" Chen Xing chuckled slyly. "But since Your Highness has put it that way, I can’t possibly disappoint your kind intentions, now can I?"
The words had barely left his mouth when Chen Xing put on a look of heroic tragedy. His fat quivered as he raised a single finger and let out a bloodcurdling, theatrical roar, "I bid three million Profound Coins!"
An uproar!
The entire hall erupted. Everyone stared at Chen Xing, dumbfounded.
’A madman. This guy is a complete madman.’
The crowd roared, their eyes wide with utter shock.
’Spending three million Profound Coins on a Tier Four Spirit Medicine... did this fatty get his brains kicked in by a donkey, or are they just full of shit? With three million Profound Coins, what treasure couldn’t you buy? You could probably even get a few rare Tier Five Spirit Medicines!’
Chen Xing seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention. He cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd around him, then turned smugly to the Sixth Prince. "How about that, Your Highness? I’ve got plenty of money. Three million Profound Coins is nothing to me. Go on, raise the bid if you’ve got the guts. The higher you go, the more I have to bleed, and the more excited I get! It makes me so happy!"
His words were utterly domineering.
The Sixth Prince’s face went completely dark. He could no longer maintain his forced smile. Trembling with rage, he bit out, "Three million one hundred thousand Profound Coins!"
"Tch. And you call yourself a Prince? So stingy. I raise the price by at least half a million each time, yet a great Prince like you only adds a measly one hundred thousand. You’re beneath my contempt." Chen Xing said with a look of disdain, glancing at Ye Xuan before continuing, "Let me show you how to bid. I’m bidding four million!"
THUD!
The moment the Sixth Prince heard the bid, he collapsed onto the floor.
’You fat bastard! You deserve death by a thousand cuts! This Prince will personally slice you into a million pieces!’
But Chen Xing could still be heard gloating, "Now *this* is how you bid at an auction! Isn’t this exhilarating, everyone? When you’ve got money, you can be capricious."
These words made the Sixth Prince’s face turn pale, his eyes bulging.
Scornful gazes shot toward him from all around. Only a profligate son or a complete idiot would bid like that.
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
Seeing this, Chen Ming and the others at his side rushed forward, their faces tense with worry, unsure of what had happened to the Sixth Prince.
"Chen Ming, Qin Tian, the rest of you! Do you have any money? Give it all to me!"
The Sixth Prince scrambled to his feet, his face ashen. He was grinding his teeth, and his eyes were completely bloodshot.
His appearance startled Chen Ming and the others.
"Your Highness, the Dragon Bone Yang Grass is already up to four million. That fat bastard must be bleeding from his heart by now. Why don’t we just let him win it? We’ve already trapped him for a good amount. There’s no need to push it. If he suddenly stops bidding and we’re stuck with the Dragon Bone Yang Grass, wouldn’t that be a waste?"
Chen Ming and the others tried to reason with him.
’Waste my ass!’
The Sixth Prince wanted nothing more than to slap Chen Ming to the ground, but he couldn’t reveal the truth. He glared and snarled, "Damn it! Just lend me the money! Enough with the nonsense, hurry up and get it out! Are you afraid this Prince won’t pay you back?"
Right now, what the Sixth Prince feared most was the auctioneer’s gavel falling to finalize the sale. If that happened, he’d rather be dead.
Soon, the men managed to scrape together another two million.
"Sixth Prince, what’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Are you trying to save me money? Don’t you worry, I’ve got so much money it’s burning a hole in my pocket!" Chen Xing said with a wicked grin.
The Sixth Prince, having just secured the funds, shuddered with rage. He truly wanted to storm out, but the thought of his limp... appendage... was ultimately too much to bear. He could only swallow his pride and suffer in silence. He snarled, "I bid five million three hundred thousand! Fat bastard, if you have the guts, I dare you to add more! Believe me when I say this Prince will have you cut into a thousand pieces!"
This was the absolute limit of all the funds he could borrow and scrape together.
Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes. His Soul Sense had clearly observed the Sixth Prince scrambling for money, and he knew the funds in box number six had hit rock bottom. If Chen Xing bid again, the Sixth Prince wouldn’t have the means to counter, even if he wanted to. The bluff would be called, and they would be stuck with the item for real. He immediately shot a subtle look at Chen Xing.
Chen Xing caught his meaning and burst out laughing. "His Highness the Sixth Prince is truly wealthy! Five million three hundred thousand Profound Coins, tsk tsk. You’re counting every last coin, it seems. By the way, Your Highness, didn’t you say you were only participating in this auction to stop me from getting what I want? But now it looks like you’re the one who desperately needs this Dragon Bone Yang Grass... Oh! I get it now!"
Chen Xing slapped his forehead as if in sudden realization and said with a lewd grin, "Ah, this is all my fault, Your Highness. Why didn’t you just say so? If I’d known you were suffering so badly from impotence and premature ejaculation, you just had to say the word! I would have let you have it right away. I thought you were just raising the price to make me bleed, so to satisfy Your Highness’s... hobby, I kept bidding high to let you have your fun. This... this is a most unfortunate mix-up."
"Forget it, forget it. Seeing as Your Highness is in such desperate need of... performance-enhancing medicine, I’ll do you a favor and let you have it for over five million. But, Sixth Prince, I must remind you: when it comes to matters of the bedroom, it all comes down to natural talent. Medicine can only enhance what’s already there. If you’re not gifted from birth, no supplement in the world is going to help."
Laughing, Chen Xing sat right back down.
The Sixth Prince’s eyes were wide as saucers. He ground his teeth, his gaze terrifying. If he could, he would have ripped Chen Xing to shreds right then and there.
At this point, anyone in the crowd who still didn’t understand that the Sixth Prince genuinely wanted the Dragon Bone Yang Grass would have to be an idiot.
And so, the farce finally came to a close, with the Sixth Prince winning the Dragon Bone Yang Grass—originally worth a few hundred thousand Profound Coins at most—for the staggering price of five million three hundred thousand Profound Coins.
The sight left everyone in the crowd speechless, and many couldn’t help but shake their heads in private.
Paying nearly ten times the price for a Tier Four Spirit Medicine—one whose only function was as an aphrodisiac—could no longer be called profligate. It was just plain shit for brains.
And yet, it was impossible to feel any sympathy for him. After all, during the earlier part of the auction, the Sixth Prince had made it clear he was out to make Ye Xuan’s group miserable and prevent them from winning a single item. It was Ye Xuan’s party that had bid first, showing their interest in the Dragon Bone Yang Grass, and only then did the Sixth Prince intervene.
