Many people who merely achieved First or Second Grade Open Heaven might suffer fatal backlash—even under the same conditions, the lower the grade, the smaller the chance of failure. That much was indisputable.
Across the entire Three Thousand Worlds, there was no reliable method or external force capable of improving this situation, let alone any medicinal pill that could help a cultivator increase their odds of successfully advancing to Open Heaven.
Perhaps such things had existed in the past, but as time wore on, they had long been lost to history, or had vanished for one reason or another.
Yet now, here at the Danxia Auction in Thousand Bird Star City, a Heavenly Origin Pill had appeared—a thing that was supposed to have been lost for ages. No wonder it had sent the crowd into an uproar.
On stage, the elder announced: "Although I cannot guarantee that this Heavenly Origin Pill will ensure success upon advancement, it can improve the odds by fifty percent."
Another wave of commotion swept through the hall. A fifty percent increase—that was a terrifying figure. It practically meant that any cultivator who made adequate preparations would succeed without fail.
In the private boxes, one after another, powerful spiritual senses extended outward, trying to get a closer look at the Heavenly Origin Pill. If this pill were genuinely authentic, the starting price of two million Open Heaven Pills was anything but expensive. And with the pill formula thrown in, it was practically a steal. After all, who didn't have several talented juniors and disciples? A pill like this, used in the right hands, could very well produce a top-tier powerhouse.
And how could that be measured by two million Open Heaven Pills? Even twenty million would be worth it.
Unfortunately, what could such probing really reveal?
Before long, the various spiritual senses withdrew, one after another, in disappointment.
The same person who had spoken earlier said: "This seat wishes to go on stage for an inspection. Would you be willing to make an exception?"
The Danxia Auction House seemed to have anticipated this, for the moment the man finished speaking, the elder on stage nodded: "Naturally."
The door to Box Two opened, and a powerfully built middle-aged man strode out. In a few steps he reached the high platform, cupped his fists in salute to the elder, then carefully picked up the jade bottle. He uncapped it, examined its contents closely, and took a whiff. His brows furrowed and relaxed intermittently—he had only ever heard of the Heavenly Origin Pill's existence and had never seen one in person, so he had no way of determining whether this was the genuine article.
After a moment, he set down the jade bottle and picked up the jade slip instead. He closed his eyes and probed it with his senses, then slowly shook his head and set it down before returning to his box.
The jade slip did contain the formula for the Heavenly Origin Pill, but it had clearly been sealed with numerous restrictions. Without breaking those restrictions, one could never glimpse the formula's entirety. The man's probing had only been able to discern what the Danxia Auction House permitted—for instance, several key raw materials required to refine the Heavenly Origin Pill.
The elder on stage spoke again: "Are there any other friends who would like to inspect it? You're all welcome to come up and take a look."
Indeed, many wished to do so. Over the next quarter hour, one Open Heaven Realm cultivator after another climbed the platform from the various private boxes to examine the pill and the formula.
Even the proprietress couldn't resist her curiosity and went to have a look.
When she returned, Bai Qi asked: "Proprietress, is it genuine?"
The proprietress replied: "The Danxia Auction House is a property of the Danxia Grotto-Heaven. Their reputation speaks for itself—they wouldn't dare put counterfeit goods up for auction. The pill should be real. However…"
"However what?"
"Even if the pill is genuine, don't expect anyone to actually refine a Heavenly Origin Pill using that formula. One of the key ingredients has long gone extinct. If it could be refined, do you think they'd have thrown the formula out there?"
Bai Qi suddenly understood: "The formula is useless, but by bundling it together with the pill, they create the impression that buyers are getting a tremendous bargain. Naturally, the price skyrockets."
Yang Kai asked out of curiosity: "What exactly is that extinct ingredient?"
Before the proprietress could answer, a voice rang out from one of the private boxes: "That Source Liquid of Heaven and Earth is a treasure that can only be born when heaven and earth first open. Where could one possibly find it now? The formula is useless—completely useless!"
Yang Kai froze. "The Source Liquid of Heaven and Earth?"
The proprietress nodded: "That's right. The extinct ingredient is the Source Liquid of Heaven and Earth. Unless someone could find a newly formed world opening for the first time… why are you two making those faces?" She looked up to see Yang Kai and Old Bai staring at each other with the strangest expressions on their faces.
Old Bai blinked, then pointed at Yang Kai: "He has the Source Liquid of Heaven and Earth."
Back when Old Bai had been advancing to the Open Heaven Realm at the Lock Yang Ground, he had been harassed by Qi Jinling, Qiu He, Yue He, and the others—nearly dying and losing his Dao in the process. In the end, it was Yang Kai who had fed him the Source Liquid of Heaven and Earth as a desperate last resort, pulling him back from the brink of failure. Without Yang Kai, there would have been no Old Bai today.