bioinnovel Chapter 358 The Struggle
Chapter 358 The Struggle
Inside the auction hall of the Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Water, dozens of gilded chandeliers hung from the dome.
The dignitaries and nobles of various countries sat on velvet sofas, with exquisite silver tea sets and fresh fruit set on the table.
The auctioneer, holding a gilded microphone, announced: "Distinguished guests, we understand you may still have doubts about the effects of the Water of Life. To allow you to witness this miracle that transcends time, we propose that we invite one of our guests to come up on stage and try a low-grade bottle of the Water of Life, verifying its miraculous effects right here and now!"
The moment the words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.
The daimyo of the Land of Wind is nearly sixty years old. Although he longs for youth, he is unwilling to risk his body, fearing that the Water of Life might have side effects, the consequences would be unimaginable.
After a moment's hesitation, he turned to the finance minister beside him and said in an unquestionable tone, "Go and carefully feel every change in your body, then come back and report to me word for word."
The finance minister is 62 years old this year, and most of his hair is gray.
Upon hearing this, he trembled, but dared not disobey in the slightest, and could only bow his head and say, "Your subject... Your subject obeys the decree."
He slowly stood up, straightened his slightly wrinkled brocade robe, and walked slowly onto the auction stage amidst the curious gazes of the crowd.
With a gentle smile, the host handed over the "Minor Life Water" with both hands: "Rest assured, we have completed experiments on hundreds of volunteers, and its safety has been repeatedly verified, with absolutely no side effects. You only need to drink it all to feel the nourishment of life energy."
The finance minister took the crystal bottle; its cool surface eased his tense nerves slightly.
He took a deep breath, uncorked the bottle, and a sweet, herbal scent wafted out.
He tilted his head back and drank the liquid in the bottle in one gulp. The liquid was slightly cool in his mouth and slid down his throat into his stomach.
At first, he only felt a warm sensation in his abdomen, a warm current suddenly spreading from his abdomen, like a spring stream, slowly flowing through his limbs and bones.
He could clearly feel his previously stiff joints gradually becoming more flexible, his sore muscles feeling as if they were being gently massaged, and his cloudy eyes beginning to shine with a clear light.
The audience below the stage stared intently at his face, even their breathing became cautious.
The white hair at his temples was visibly fading, gradually turning a glossy black.
Like a withered tree blossoming in spring, it comes back to life, and its entire figure becomes more upright.
In just over ten seconds, the old and decrepit finance minister transformed into a ruddy-faced and upright thirty-year-old!
"My God! I really look younger! This is simply a miracle!"
A gasp of amazement erupted from the audience. The Daimyo of the Land of Earth leaned forward abruptly, placing his hands on the table.
His gaze was intense, as if he wanted to see right through the finance minister on the stage.
The daimyo of the Land of Lightning beside him clenched his fists, his breathing becoming rapid.
The host then held up a thin, silver needle, its tip gleaming coldly.
He said with a smile, "Distinguished guests, please take a close look. During the effective period of the Water of Life, the user's body will be continuously nourished by life energy, and even if there are external injuries, they can heal at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary people."
He walked slowly to the Minister of Finance and bowed slightly: "Your Excellency, in order to allow our distinguished guests to experience the effects more directly, may I borrow your arm?"
The finance minister looked at his hands, now younger and stronger, and was filled with awe.
He nodded immediately and extended his left arm.
The host, holding a silver needle, gently pricked his forearm under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
The needle pierced the skin, and a few drops of bright red blood immediately seeped out, slowly sliding down the arm.
Before the blood could even drip onto the velvet pad on the table, the skin at the wound healed at an astonishing speed and quickly disappeared.
"This is amazing! The effect is even more powerful than I've heard!"
The daimyo of the Land of Lightning could no longer contain his desire and strode onto the stage.
"Host, I just bought a bottle of premium life-giving water! I want to test just how powerful this treasure, which claims to maintain youth for eight years, really is!"
He is 66 years old this year, and his joints are stiff and his eyesight is declining.
Seeing the changes in the Minister of Finance of the Land of Wind just now, my longing for youth has been burning like a raging fire.
The host smiled and turned to the side: "The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning is indeed extraordinary! The life energy contained in the high-grade Water of Life is far more mellow than that of the low-grade and medium-grade. Not only does it restore life faster, but it can also repair deep old wounds, and the effect can last for eight years."
The daimyo of the Land of Lightning took the crystal bottle, flicked his wrist to remove the stopper, and a rich, refreshing fragrance instantly filled the air.
Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and drank the purple liquid in the bottle in one gulp.
A warm current, far stronger than the lower-level life-giving water, instantly swept over his entire body, as if countless gentle yet powerful hands were softly soothing every old wound on his body.
He could clearly feel his shoulders, which had been stiff from an old injury, gradually relaxing, and his aching knees becoming more flexible. Even his blurry vision became clear, and he could see the patterns on the white jade pillar dozens of meters away clearly.
He looked down at his hands. The skin on his palms, which had been covered in calluses, became smooth and firm at a speed visible to the naked eye. Even his fingernails became full and shiny.
He slowly raised his head, and the audience below held their breath, watching his face undergo an astonishing change.
In a short while, the daimyo of the Land of Lightning transformed from a weathered old man into a vibrant young man in his thirties!
"Hahaha! That felt great! So satisfying!"
The daimyo of the Land of Lightning couldn't help but burst into laughter, his voice booming like a bell.
He moved his hands and feet, feeling the powerful force coming from his arms.
Then, he performed several swift kicks and punches on stage. Each movement was rapid and powerful, a stark contrast to his earlier aged appearance.
With a smile, the host earnestly teased, "Your Highness, the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, as far as we know, you have many wives and concubines in your household. You should exercise more restraint in your daily life. After all, too many times will deplete your life energy, causing the life-giving water to have a shorter shelf life, which would be a real shame."
Upon hearing this, the entire room erupted in laughter.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning wasn't annoyed at all, slapping his thigh and laughing, "Thanks for the reminder, host! As long as I can maintain this youthful vitality, what's a few years of restraint! Once I've enjoyed myself enough, I'll just buy a few more bottles of high-grade life-giving water!"
The laughter gradually subsided, but the fervor in everyone's hearts grew even stronger, their eyes fixed on the remaining water of life on the stage, filled with longing.
The host raised the microphone at the opportune moment, his voice becoming solemn once more: "Distinguished guests, the effects of the Water of Life are evident to all! Now, we shall continue the auction! The first item to be auctioned is the Intermediate Water of Life, with a starting price of 300 tons of gold, and each bid must increase by at least 20 tons of gold! Please raise your paddles to bid!"
"320 tons!" As soon as the words were spoken, a nobleman from a small country sitting on the right immediately raised his sign, his voice tinged with urgency.
"350 tons!" Another nobleman followed closely behind, his eyes fixed on the intermediate-grade life-giving water on the platform.
Bidding erupted instantly, silver bidding paddles were raised one after another under the lights, and prices soared.
Ultimately, the intermediate-grade water of life was acquired by the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning for 720 tons of gold.
He raised his sign without hesitation, clearly wanting to stock up on a few more bottles in case of emergency.
"Next, we will be bidding on the grand finale of this auction: High-Grade Water of Life!"
The announcer's enthusiastic voice, the spotlight focused on him: "The starting bid for the premium 'Water of Life' is 800 tons of gold, with each bid increasing by at least 100 tons of gold! The bidding now begins!"
"1000 tons!" The daimyo of the Land of Lightning raised his sign almost instantly, clearly intending to intimidate others with his wealth.
"1200 tons!" The daimyo of the Land of Earth immediately raised his paddle, his eyes resolute, his fingers gripping the paddle tightly.
He had already made up his mind to obtain the advanced life-giving water no matter what, even if it meant emptying the national treasury.
The daimyo of the Land of Wind sat in his seat, his fingers lightly tapping the table as he quickly calculated in his mind: the effects of the high-grade life-giving water are remarkable, capable of maintaining youth for eight years. If he misses this opportunity, he may not have another chance.
He looked up at the purple crystal bottle on the platform and suddenly raised his bidding paddle: "1800 tons!"
The moment the price was announced, the entire room fell silent.
The daimyo of the Land of Lightning frowned, instinctively wanting to raise his paddle again, but remembering that the remaining gold in the national treasury was to be used for subsequent immigration rewards, he could only reluctantly put his hand down, his eyes full of regret.
The daimyo of the Land of Earth hesitated for a moment, then, seeing the resolute expression on the daimyo of the Land of Wind's face, slowly lowered his token.
The gold he brought was insufficient to support higher prices, so he had no choice but to give it up.
"1800 tons once! 1800 tons twice! 1800 tons three times! Sold!"
The gilded gavel in the host's hand slammed down with a crisp sound: "Congratulations to the Daimyo of the Wind Kingdom for successfully bidding on the first batch of High-Grade Water of Life!"
The daimyo of the Land of Wind breathed a sigh of relief, a smug smile appearing on his lips. He gestured for his attendant to write it down, his heart filled with anticipation for his youth.
But his joy was short-lived. The host took another purple crystal bottle from a servant and said with a smile, "Distinguished guests, I imagine many of you have yet to win the bid for the Premium Water of Life. Next, we will begin the auction for the third bottle of Premium Water of Life. The starting price remains 800 tons of gold, with each bid increasing by at least 100 tons of gold!"
"1000 tons!" The daimyo of the Land of Earth immediately raised his sign, his eyes filled with eagerness, clearly not wanting to miss this opportunity again.
"1500 tons!" A mysterious nobleman hidden in the crowd suddenly raised his sign, his voice low but with a hint of confidence.
The daimyo of the Land of Earth took a deep breath, raised the bidding paddle again, and declared with a sense of desperation: "1700 tons!"
The mysterious nobleman hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and put down the number plate.
No one else raised their paddles, and the third portion of Advanced Life Water was successfully purchased by the Daimyo of the Land of Earth.
He let out a long sigh of relief, a smile of immense relief spreading across his face, as if a tremendous burden had been lifted.