"Lord Vice City Lord, may I ask whether this spirit pill was brought out from the Five-Colored Pagoda?" someone in the crowd called out.
The Drunken Elder smiled and nodded. "Indeed it was. Moreover, this spirit pill is not one of the pills previously placed inside by those great sects—it is a true ancient spirit pill. As you can all see, because it possesses Pill Veins, the medicinal potency of this pill has been perfectly preserved. Otherwise, after so many millennia, even the most extraordinary spirit pill would have long since crumbled to ash."
Once a spirit pill was refined, it would typically be stored in a jade vial to preserve its potency and slow the loss of its medicinal power.
However, no matter how high the grade, a spirit pill's potency would eventually drain away completely over time, ultimately becoming worthless refuse.
But if a spirit pill developed Pill Veins, this was no longer a concern. Pill Veins could autonomously absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, thereby maintaining the pill's potency without any decline. And Pill Clouds, which could form atop the Pill Veins, were even more remarkable. A spirit pill that bore Pill Clouds would actually see its medicinal potency gradually increase over time.
The longer the passage of time, the more terrifying its potency would become.
If a Void King grade spirit pill developed Pill Clouds upon being refined, and was then nourished through thousands or even tens of thousands of years of accumulation, the medicinal power contained within might rival even an Emperor grade pill.
Yang Kai happened to possess such a spirit pill.
Back when he had obtained the Purple Void Cauldron in the Emperor's Garden, there had been a Dragon Flame Purple Vein Pill inside—one that had developed Pill Clouds. It had been refined by the master of the "True Compendium of the Dao of Alchemy," and for reasons unknown, had been left behind inside the Purple Void Cauldron, ultimately falling into Yang Kai's hands as a stroke of incredible luck.
The Emperor's Garden had lain dormant for tens of thousands of years, and during that time the Dragon Flame Purple Vein Pill had been nourished by its Pill Cloud for tens of thousands of years as well. So even though it was only a mid-grade Void King pill, the medicinal power it contained might not lose out even to an Emperor grade pill.
Such a pill would likely be of great use even to an Emperor Realm cultivator.
The reason Yang Kai had never dared to consume it was precisely because he feared the medicinal power was too strong for his body to withstand, and so he had kept it in storage until now.
He would not dare claim that this was the only pill of its kind in all the world, but there were certainly no more than ten such pills in existence. One could only imagine how invaluable it was.
Even with his current strength, Yang Kai did not dare casually consume that Dragon Flame Purple Vein Pill. He would have to wait until his strength grew further before he could test whether his body could endure its medicinal power.
"Lord Vice City Lord, what grade is this spirit pill, and what is its use?" a warrior below the stage asked. This was precisely the question everyone was most eager to know.
The Drunken Elder smiled faintly. "Even if you hadn't asked, this old man was just about to explain. After many of our city's experts worked together with several alchemists over the course of several days of study, the final conclusion was that this spirit pill is a mid-grade Dao Source grade spirit pill. And its effect is exceedingly tempting."
At the Drunken Elder's words, the warriors in the crowd immediately perked up, their eyes full of anticipation as they gazed toward the stage.
"No one knows what this spirit pill was specifically called in ancient times. The original recipe has long since been lost. The City Lord has named it the Leopard Liberation Marrow Cleansing Pill. As for its specific use… heh heh. You can tell from the name—it is capable of cleansing the marrow and renewing the tendons, allowing one to undergo a complete rebirth and enhance a warrior's cultivation aptitude."
The moment the Drunken Elder finished speaking, cries of astonishment erupted throughout the crowd, and the gazes fixed upon the Leopard Liberation Marrow Cleansing Pill turned burning and frantic.
Even the powerful figures in the private boxes released their Divine Sense to probe the pill.
It was no wonder everyone reacted this way. A spirit pill capable of cleansing the marrow and renewing the tendons, enhancing one's cultivation aptitude—how wondrous was that? At the very least, aside from a handful of miraculous medicines that existed only in legend, there was nothing else in the Star Realm that could do the same.
Yet this Leopard Liberation Marrow Cleansing Pill possessed such heaven-defying effects.
No one complained about their aptitude being too good. Everyone wanted to ascend to a higher level. Why were so many Void King Stage Three cultivators unable to break through to the Dao Source Realm? Some were limited by their cultivation technique, or by injuries, or by various other reasons.
But the vast majority were held back by insufficient aptitude!
If one could enhance that aptitude even slightly, it might be enough to undergo a complete transformation and enter the Dao Source Realm with ease.
And the Leopard Liberation Marrow Cleansing Pill before them was evidently such a thing. Naturally, it invited intense desire.
"I don't think that's quite right, Lord Vice City Lord." A man's voice suddenly came from one of the private boxes—it was the man from the Jiang family who had been placing bids multiple times earlier. "If this spirit pill truly had such miraculous effects, who would ever bear to put it up for auction rather than consume it themselves? This Jiang believes that any warrior with even a modicum of sense would never make such a choice. Lord Vice City Lord, is there perhaps something wrong with this pill?"
Hearing this, the warriors whose eyes had just been burning with desire felt a jolt of alarm. They secretly realized the Jiang family man's reasoning made perfect sense. If the Leopard Liberation Marrow Cleansing Pill's effects were truly so miraculous, what fool would put it up for auction? One could even say that City Lord Duan Yuanshan himself would have kept it for private use.
It was just that the beautiful picture the Drunken Elder had painted had made everyone subconsciously overlook this concern. Now, reminded by the Jiang family man, they all woke up to it. One after another, they began peppering questions, demanding that the Drunken Elder explain clearly.
The Drunken Elder glanced toward the Jiang family's private box and let out a chuckle. "Brother Jiang asks a fine question. This Leopard Liberation Marrow Cleansing Pill is indeed marvelous, but it does carry significant drawbacks!"
"Oh? Do tell!" the Jiang family man said in a deep voice.
"First, although this spirit pill can indeed cleanse the marrow and renew the tendons, it only works on cultivators at the Saint King Realm and below. Those above the Saint King Realm will see no effect whatsoever from consuming it. Second, its effects only last until the consumer cultivates up to the Void King Realm. Once the consumer breaks through to the Void King Realm, their aptitude will revert to its original state. Of course, apart from these two limitations, the spirit pill has no other downsides whatsoever, and consuming it will not produce any lingering side effects. Please rest assured about that."
"How can such a strange spirit pill exist under heaven?" the Jiang family man exclaimed in astonishment.