Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 562 The End of Monopoly Pricing

"Have you heard? The Verdant Moon Auction Hall is apparently auctioning a Grade-7 pill from the Mu Clan!"

"What?! Is that for real?"

"Yes! They're really hyping it up. The whole city is buzzing about it!"

"This is the benefit of having a Grandmaster Alchemist within the empire... Let's go and see!"

News of this spread like wildfire, igniting countless hearts.

People flocked to witness the event, even knowing they couldn't afford a bid.

However, this was not an isolated incident.

Other auction houses quickly announced their own Grade-7 pills up for auction.

Many were drawn to the allure of Grade-7 pills.

Not only locals, but also cultivators, merchants, and even envoys from distant regions.

The Mu Clan began a steady release of pills.

These were supplied to reputable merchant houses and auction halls – those with existing ties to them.

This move served as both a favor and a strategic play.

By permitting these businesses to auction Grade-7 pills, they drew in wealthier attendees.

Greater attention was garnered.

More influence was gained.

In return, the Mu Clan reaped profits and solidified their alliances.

Soon, such scenes became commonplace.

"Another Grade-7 pill is being auctioned!"

"Where this time?"

"The Golden Silk Auction Hall!"

"Hurry! We might still make it in time!"

Grade-7 pills—

Once impossibly rare, they were now appearing with increasing frequency.

Naturally, the vast majority still couldn't afford them.

But that wasn't the main point.

The very fact that they were being sold so often indicated that the supply of Grade-7 pills was no longer scarce.

The Desolate Heaven Empire was experiencing a surge.

Its economic activity boomed.

Its influence expanded significantly.

This was because the participants were no longer confined within the empire's borders.

Experts from neighboring empires began to arrive.

Affluent merchants crossed regional boundaries.

Even formidable clans dispatched representatives.

All converged for a single reason – the pills.

And this, in turn, stimulated all aspects of commerce.

Trade flourished.

Marketplaces expanded.

Cities became more vibrant.

The entire empire reaped the benefits.

It formed a continuous cycle.

The Mu Clan produced the pills.

Auction houses distributed them. Foreign entities brought in wealth.

And the empire grew increasingly powerful.

A perfect, self-sustaining loop.

However, not everyone rejoiced in this development.

The Vermillion Pill Empire watched from the sidelines with growing unease.

It appeared their strategy to curb the Mu Clan's progress was failing.

Their attempt to buy out all the ingredients?

It barely slowed the Mu Clan down.

They continued releasing Grade-7 pills occasionally, to the point where the Vermillion Pill Empire began to question if they were even genuinely trying to prevent the Mu Clan from acquiring the necessary components.

The repercussions of having rivals were becoming starkly evident.

One auction.

Two auctions.

Then, a multitude of them.

Each event chipped away at their prior dominance.

Each one weakened their grip on the market.

Finally, they grasped that merely obstructing the Mu Clan from

acquiring ingredients was insufficient.

The Emperor, alongside the Grandmaster Alchemist, appeared to have reached

a definitive resolution.

Shortly thereafter, an announcement emanated from the Vermillion Pill Empire.

The Vermillion Pill Empire would be holding its own auction for Grade-7 pills!

Initially, many believed this move would cripple the Mu Clan. After all, if both factions released pills into the market simultaneously—

Surely, the Mu Clan's profits would plummet.

But what transpired next was something few had fully anticipated.

The Vermillion Pill Empire did indeed aim to suppress the Mu Clan.

Their objective was to attract customers and divert them from purchasing the Mu

Clan's pills.

However, this resulted in an overabundance of Grade-7 pills flooding the market, which inevitably drove down their prices.

While they succeeded in reducing the Mu Clan's gains, they were simultaneously eroding their own profits.

And this outcome was far more agonizing for them.

Previously, a Grade-7 pill, such as the Heavenly Tribulation Tempering Pill, would consistently command a price of at least three million gold coins.

Sometimes even exceeding that amount.

There was simply no alternative.

Supply was scarce. Demand was overwhelming. Buyers had no other options.

They paid whatever price was demanded.

But now?

Circumstances had dramatically shifted.

With the Mu Clan steadily releasing Grade-7 pills, and now the Vermillion Pill

Empire joining them—

Buyers were no longer feeling desperate.

They possessed choices, and they believed that even if they missed out on securing a pill this time, another opportunity would soon arise.

There was no longer any need to engage in exorbitant bidding.

They could simply wait their turn.

That single alteration in perspective reshaped the entire landscape.

The fierce bidding wars for Grade-7 pills gradually lost their intensity.

The sense of urgency evaporated.

Prices began to decline precipitously.

From three million...

To two and a half million...

Then—

A bare two million.

And on occasion, even less.

The drop was steep and undeniable.

For many, it was a shocking turn of events.

For others, it was exhilarating. Because they understood the profound implication of this shift.

The era of monopolized pricing for Grade-7 pills was drawing to a close.

While the cultivators were celebrating, the Vermillion Pill Empire felt the most pressure.

They had grown accustomed to dictating prices and demanding exorbitant sums, extracting maximum profit from every pill they sold. This had been their established foundation and source of strength. However, that bedrock was now trembling.

Every pill sold at a reduced price represented a loss compared to their previous earnings. In contrast, the Mu Clan remained composed because their objectives were different. Even one million gold coins was already a substantial profit for them. Of course, more was always welcome, but they were not dismayed by lesser returns.

This was because, for the Mu Clan, this represented an expansion of their influence and market share. They were not endeavoring to preserve an outdated system; rather, they were constructing a new one. This fundamental difference was starkly apparent.

As the Vermillion Pill Empire spiraled into increasing frustration, the Mu Clan proceeded with unwavering steadiness, appearing completely unconcerned by the declining prices.

Amidst this upheaval, the true beneficiaries were the cultivators, particularly those at the Peak Great Ascension Realm. They could now finally afford to purchase pills that would aid their transition to the Immortal Realm.

"This is all thanks to the Mu Clan," one cultivator remarked.

"Without them, prices would never have dropped so significantly," another added.

"So this is what genuine competition looks like…" a third murmured.

A wave of gratitude, even admiration, swept through many. This was precisely what they had long hoped for upon hearing that the Mu Clan possessed a Grandmaster Alchemist.

Naturally, no one had anticipated witnessing such effects so swiftly. It had not even been four months since Mu Tianxuan was revealed as a Grade-7 Grandmaster, yet the price of Grade-7 pills had already been slashed by nearly half. A transformation that should have spanned years had been accomplished in mere months.

Perhaps the celebration hosted by the Mu Clan had even delayed this outcome slightly.

Furthermore, those who had consumed the Heavenly Ascension Tempering Pill could attest to its superiority over the Heavenly Tribulation Tempering Pill. Consequently, demand for the Heavenly Ascension Tempering Pill surged, even surpassing that of the Heavenly Tribulation Tempering Pill, naturally commanding a slightly higher price.

This proved immensely beneficial for the Mu Clan. Moreover, for other pills offering effects comparable to those from the Vermillion Pill Empire, buyers clearly recognized the superior quality of the Mu Clan's offerings.

This distinction ensured that the Mu Clan's pills maintained a higher demand. Even when the Vermillion Pill Empire attempted to flood the market with their own Grade-7 pills, their customer base did not dwindle. In fact, it grew.

The entire market for pills had been revolutionized by a single clan, and the Vermillion Pill Empire found itself utterly incapable of halting their momentum!