As soon as Qingqing finished speaking, the entire venue was in an uproar. Unlike skills, equipment was classified into seven levels: low, medium, high, rare, epic, legendary, and divine. Moreover, equipment was far more precious than skills. Only those who had advanced to S-level or above in forging-related professions could forge equipment. The level-up process for life-related professions was not comparable to that of combat-related ones. For combat-related professions, as long as one persisted and didn't die, they could continuously level up by fighting monsters. However, for life-related professions, such as blacksmithing, there were different levels: low-level blacksmith, medium-level blacksmith, high-level blacksmith, blacksmith master, blacksmith grandmaster, and the legendary divine blacksmith! To level up, one had to keep spending money and forging. With practice, one's level would naturally increase. Ordinary people simply couldn't afford the vast resources required for a blacksmith's growth. Even in the entire Qingcheng, the highest level of blacksmith was only high-level. This meant that the equipment produced in Qingcheng was at most high-level, and even then, success was not guaranteed after a hundred attempts. Only blacksmith masters could forge rare-level equipment!
This also meant that the Imperial Dragon Ring before them must have been forged by a blacksmith master!
At this moment, Ye Lin's mouth twitched involuntarily. A ring that could increase mental power by 30% was a huge boost for a profession changer. He knew that his forbidden spell, Burning Cycle, could increase mental power by 100%, but that was at the cost of his life force. If a rich kid wore six Imperial Dragon Rings, their mental power increase would be an astonishing 180%, which was more than what he could achieve by burning his life force. No wonder a profession changer with a full set of legendary equipment could easily defeat ten beginners.
However, the price of the Imperial Dragon Ring was also daunting. The starting price was a whopping eight million, and based on previous experiences with auctioning skill scrolls, the final price would definitely not be lower than twenty million!
Twenty million! Ye Lin counted on his fingers and realized he would have to sell about 666 kidneys to raise that amount. Even his immortal body found this number outrageous.
But fortunately, he had Ji Lingyu!
"Nine million!" Ji's father immediately called out the price, raising the price of the Imperial Dragon Ring by one million. However, this price was clearly not enough to scare off other competitors, and many people began to bid.
"Nine million two hundred thousand!"
"Ten million!"
"Twelve million!"
Everyone knew how precious a rare-level equipment was. In Qingcheng, it was a treasure that money couldn't buy because there were no blacksmith masters in the city. Just then, Ji's father called out another price.
"Fifteen million!"
The entire venue was in an uproar as the price was raised by three million. Everyone could see that Ji Group was determined to get this Imperial Dragon Ring. There were still people bidding, but the number of bidders had significantly decreased. When Ji's father raised the price to eighteen million, the venue fell silent.
Eighteen million for a rare-level equipment was a reasonable price. There was no need to raise it further.
Ji's father's lips curled into a faint smile. Eighteen million for a chance for his son to enter a top academy was worth it. After all, he only had this one son. Where else could he spend the money if not on him? Although the Imperial Dragon Ring was to be given to Ye Lin, the profession of a forbidden spell caster was short-lived. In a few years, when Ye Lin died, wouldn't the equipment on him still belong to his son Ji Lingyu?
"Eighteen million once."
"Eighteen million twice."
"Eighteen million three times. Let's congratulate Ji Group..." Just as the auctioneer Qingqing of the Treasures Hall was about to announce that Jiifu had successfully bid for the Imperial Dragon Wish Fulfilling Ring, a lazy and arrogant voice rang out.
"Twenty million!"
The moment the voice rang out, everyone turned around in surprise. Bidding was normal, but to bid at the very last second was clearly an act of provocation towards the Ji Group. Who on earth had such audacity?
Ji's father's face darkened instantly, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. But when he saw the bidder, everyone was stunned.
It was a man with a greasy hairstyle, looking a bit overweight, with a kind smile on his lips.
"Underground King, Kenson!"
"Was it intentional or accidental? The Ji Group and Kenson have no connection at all."
"Hard to say! But it seems they have some grudge."
Everyone was buzzing with speculation, sensing something unusual. Although Kenson hadn't made any big moves in recent years, everyone knew that there was only one eternal king of the underground world in Qingcheng, and that was Kenson!
Ji's father was also completely bewildered at this moment. He had never offended Kenson and had only met him a few times. What did this mean?
"Mr. Kenson, did I do something to offend you?" Adhering to the principle of harmony brings wealth, Ji's father didn't get angry but put on a smile.
"Mr. Ji, what are you talking about! At an auction, it's the highest bidder who gets it! Can't I Kenson also have my eye on this Imperial Dragon Wish Ring?"
Kenson smiled benignly, without any airs, but his eyes swept over Ye Lin without a hint of emotion. In his heart, he was thinking, you Ji Group, still pretending to be clueless now, huh? That Ye Lin is already standing behind you.
Ye Lin was also sizing up Kenson. If not told, he wouldn't have guessed that the man before him was the king of the underground world in Qingcheng.
Their gazes met across the room, both with a hint of coldness in their eyes, while Ji's father was left completely confused in the middle.
Could it be that Kenson was really just interested in the Imperial Dragon Wish Ring?
"Twenty-one million," Ji's father tentatively bid again.
But the same scenario played out. The moment Qingqing announced the price, Kenson shouted out twenty-two million.
Ji's father's heart skipped a beat. He was now certain that Kenson was really targeting the Ji Group. This was definitely not a good sign.
"Mr. Kenson, where have I offended you? Please make it clear," Ji's father said very respectfully.
It wasn't that he was afraid of Kenson, but it just didn't make sense to offend such a person for no reason. It was against his interests.
"Make it clear?" Kenson's eyes turned cold upon hearing this. He leaned close to Ji's father and whispered, "You killed my men and still ask me to make it clear? You're a man! Your challenge, I Kenson accept! I promise to make your family suffer!"
Ye Lin had burned down his dozens of men and the farm, and was then taken away by Ji's eldest son, Ji Lingyu, in person. Kenson wouldn't believe that the Ji Group wasn't behind it.
Ji's father's act of feigning ignorance was seen by Kenson as a blatant provocation! Ji's father was even more confused. What? A challenge? How did he challenge Kenson? But he understood the last four words.
"Family ruin and death!"
Ji's father's face turned pale. He had repeatedly given Kenson face, but Kenson was now threatening his family's lives. If he continued to back down, he would be a complete coward.
The Ji Group was not some soft target to be pushed around!
"Since Mr. Kenson refuses to make it clear, then let's follow the rules of the auction!"
"Thirty million!"