CHAPTER 183: CHAPTER 157 INDEPENDENT FORMULATION SYNTHESIS! (THREE IN ONE, 5/5)_2

As Chen Mo raised his placard, the bidding began.

The price for the formula quickly rose to two billion. A seemingly useless formula was bid up to two billion. For Pharmacist Lin, this amount was already more than enough.

But the bidding continued.

"2.5 billion!"

Chen Mo directly raised his bid by 500 million, hoping to dissuade the others. He felt the formula’s price had already reached a reasonable ceiling. After all, judging from Pharmacist Lin’s attitude, this wasn’t some priceless item, and those present must have more or less sensed this.

It was indeed as Chen Mo had guessed.

When he bid 2.5 billion, everyone fell silent.

This development rather puzzled some of the less astute onlookers, who weren’t prone to overthinking. In their view, it was a simple calculation: learn the formula, make ten bottles, and sell them for at least ten billion in return. Even after deducting material costs, making a profit of five billion should be feasible, right? Why hesitate over a 2.5 billion formula?

The sole reason for everyone’s hesitation was the lack of a four-star pharmacist in their respective families.

Among the many people gathered there, only two or three actually knew a four-star pharmacist—and they all knew the same one.

Others were planning to secure the formula first, and then try to befriend a four-star pharmacist.

For some of the wealthier individuals present, personal safety and longevity were far more important than mere money. If they could befriend a four-star pharmacist, it would be convenient to obtain prescriptions from them in the future. Moreover, if they personally presented the formula, wouldn’t the pharmacist feel obliged to give them some of the resulting Ten-Thousand Spirit Medicine in return?

During the auction, the three bidders who knew a four-star pharmacist stopped bidding after communicating remotely with a certain four-star pharmacist in another area. Although the four-star pharmacist they consulted hadn’t obtained the Ten-Thousand Spirit Medicine’s prescription himself, he had been incrementally receiving tasks for other potion formulas. From these, he could roughly deduce certain possibilities. The Ten-Thousand Spirit Medicine’s prescription might very well be something obtainable after successfully preparing a greater number of other potions. And after learning that the situation at the venue was essentially a small-scale auction, he became even more certain of this conjecture. However, as it wasn’t yet confirmed, he couldn’t definitively say if Pharmacist Lin was right to sell this formula. But he suspected foul play and advised the people he knew to stop bidding.

Conversely, the few individuals still bidding against Chen Mo were completely oblivious to these undercurrents.

The price had already reached 2.5 billion, which was no small sum. If their families already employed a four-star pharmacist, they might have been willing to pay more. However, they were merely bidding for the *possibility* of befriending a four-star pharmacist. Investing too much money for such a slim possibility wasn’t prudent.

But they didn’t completely give up and were still occasionally raising the price.

Soon, the price had increased to three billion.

These people are truly persistent! I thought 2.5 billion would be enough to deter them, but they’re still at it.

Although Chen Mo really wanted to get this formula, if the price got too high, he would have to consider giving up. After all, this whole affair reeked of something suspicious.

He continuously observed Pharmacist Lin’s expressions using his Pioneer perception ability. With this meticulous perception ability, he could easily capture any change in Pharmacist Lin’s expression. Through these observations, Chen Mo had already confirmed his suspicion: the formula Pharmacist Lin was auctioning was definitely not worth that much! When Chen Mo had bid 2.5 billion, Pharmacist Lin’s reaction had been one of pleasant surprise. Now, with the price at three billion, although Pharmacist Lin maintained a poker face, Chen Mo could sense his inner delight.

Seeing that the other bidders were growing increasingly hesitant and weary, Chen Mo once again added 500 million in one go.

"3.5 billion!"

If the bids keep increasing by only a hundred million at a time, these people will likely cling on. I need to hit them hard.

It wasn’t yet clear if this had intimidated the other bidders, but Liu Yiming, watching from nearby, was already terrified. He had just learned that Chen Mo had only received a reward of 11 eternal gold coins from the Academy Alliance. Where on earth did he get 3.5 billion to bid with? Making wild bids like that, if he actually won, meant the deposit would be forfeited. He was immediately flustered.

And with Chen Mo’s abrupt bid increase of another 500 million, the remaining bidders finally wavered.

"Three point five billion, going once! Are there any further bids?"

"Three point five billion, going twice! Miss this formula, and who knows when you’ll see it again!"

After two reminders, no one in the crowd responded. After all, the price was too high. They weren’t bidding for a pharmacist within their own families, so such a high price was entirely inappropriate. Besides, they also sensed that this auction was rather peculiar and were reluctant to bid further.

The girl looked around. Seeing no one else raising their bid, she continued, "Three point five billion, going three times! Congratulations to bidder number 55 for successfully acquiring the Ten-Thousand Spirit Medicine’s prescription! Please come to the stage to complete the transaction."

Oh crap!

When Liu Yiming saw that Chen Mo had actually won the bid and was even asked to complete the transaction publicly, he grew even more frantic. If Chen Mo couldn’t produce the money, not only would the deposit be confiscated, but he’d also become a public laughingstock.

Worried, he immediately rushed over to Chen Mo.

"Brother Mo, why did you bid so much? What are we going to do now?"

"What do you mean, what should we do?" Chen Mo glanced at Liu Yiming in surprise, then quickly understood. He chuckled. "Don’t worry, I have the money. I earned a lot in the assessment instance before. I found many valuable items, like the Life-Lengthening Fruit, and sold them for a significant sum."