Auction Begins

The maid led Gu Shenggo and the others into the auction house, conducting herself with utmost professionalism. Every ten steps, she paused to gesture and guide them, accurately leading them to the appraisal hall.

Eight appraisal tables stood in the appraisal hall, where eight appraisers of varying ages were examining the auction items before them.

The maid walked up to the oldest appraiser, who was dressed like an old scholar, and said,

"Appraiser Number Seven, please appraise this guest's Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone."

"A Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone!"

Upon hearing that a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone was to be appraised, all the appraisers set down their work and looked at the maid, their eyes filled with shock. Was it real?

It was not as though Heaven Dou Auction House had never auctioned Soul Bones before, but they had all been hundred-year or thousand-year grade, and exceedingly rare. They might not even auction one off in an entire year.

Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones, also known as the "Treasure of the Blood River," were priceless.

The appraisers all turned their gazes toward the Golden Thunder Electric Roc left leg bone in Gu Shenggo's hand. Faint lightning glimmered across it, while golden light shone brilliantly.

To their eyes, it was more captivating than any beauty in the world!

"A Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone... This old man is appraising one for the first time as well. I can only make a fool of myself."

Appraiser Number Seven sighed endlessly. He had appraised several thousand-year Soul Bones before, but this was the first time he had ever seen a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone.

Gu Shenggo handed the Golden Thunder Electric Roc left leg bone to Appraiser Number Seven and let him examine it slowly. There was still over half an hour before the auction began, so there was no rush.

"May I ask what soul beast this Soul Bone came from, and what its exact age was?"

The appraisers gathered around the Soul Bone, while Appraiser Number Seven asked Gu Shenggo for some information about it.

After recalling it for a moment, Gu Shenggo answered, "A forty-thousand-year Golden Thunder Electric Roc. It's a speed-type Soul Bone."

"A forty-thousand-year Soul Bone!"

They had thought it was merely a Soul Bone that had just passed the ten-thousand-year mark. They never expected it to be forty thousand years old. Its value was simply too great for them to estimate.

Appraiser Number Seven could only verify its authenticity. As for the final price, Gu Shenggo would have to decide that himself.

This was no longer something an auction house could put a price on.

After a round of appraisal, the appraisers could barely bear to put down the Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, sighing in admiration. They had never expected to encounter such a peerless treasure. It would be impossible to come across another in the future.

"This Soul Bone contains powerful Soul Power. It is genuine."

The auction house supervisor who had rushed over upon hearing the news was equally stunned when he saw the Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone surrounded by the appraisers. It truly was a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone—the Treasure of the Blood River!

"Honored guest, I am Rajef, supervisor of Heaven Dou Auction House. Are you certain you wish to auction this Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone? Heaven Dou Auction House may also purchase your Soul Bone privately and offer you a satisfactory price."

Supervisor Rajef looked at Gu Shenggo with a broad smile, his tone carrying a trace of respect as he presented another option.

Gu Shenggo shook his head and said directly, "Auction it. As for the reserve price, will you set it or will I?"

Hearing that Gu Shenggo intended to auction it, Rajef revealed a disappointed expression and continued,

"Of course you will set it. What reserve price do you intend to use?"

"Ten million. There's no problem with that reserve price, right?"

Gu Shenggo casually named a price, leaving Rajef somewhat stunned. It was not too high, but rather a little too low.

After all, an auction house in the Star Luo Empire had once auctioned a twenty-seven-thousand-year leg Soul Bone for fifteen million. Gu Shenggo's price was far too low.

In Rajef's view, it should have been at least twelve million.

"Of course there's no problem. When do you intend to auction it?"

Rajef hurriedly asked. If they waited until the next auction, Heaven Dou Auction House could still promote it and attract Soul Masters from across the continent.

"Today's auction. I happen to be attending as well."

Gu Shenggo shook his head as he spoke, leaving Rajef somewhat taken aback. This...

Although today's auction had also been carefully planned, with quite a few influential nobles and prominent figures in attendance, if they publicized the Soul Bone, the next auction would be even grander.

But since it was Gu Shenggo's request, Rajef could only comply.

"We'll do as you say. The auction is about to begin, so your Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone will serve as the finale item. Please follow me."

Rajef invited Gu Shenggo and the others into the auction hall, then had the auction staff take the Soul Bone away to prepare it for auction.

Gu Shenggo was not worried in the slightest that Heaven Dou Auction House would swallow the Soul Bone for themselves. If they dared...

They could get a taste of Solomon's Domain—He would flatten Heaven Dou City to the ground.

Rajef led Gu Shenggo and the others to a private room on the second floor. It was lavishly furnished and superbly positioned, allowing them to overlook the entire auction hall through specially made glass.

He turned around and asked Gu Shenggo with a smile.

"Honored guest, are you satisfied with this private room?"

Gu Shenggo looked around, then gazed through the specially made glass at the auction hall below. It had gradually filled with people; it seemed this auction was quite appealing.

"Not bad. You may leave."

Rajef nodded respectfully and turned to depart.

Gu Shenggo sat on the soft sofa, looking down at the auction hall packed with guests as he awaited the auction's beginning.

Meanwhile, Hu Yun and her daughter knelt on the floor and continued diligently serving Gu Shenggo. This was the only thing they could do. Otherwise, what use would Gu Shenggo have for them?

More than ten minutes later, the auction began as scheduled.

A middle-aged auctioneer in formal attire held his martial soul, an unusually shaped hammer. Paired with two hundred-year Soul Rings, it possessed a special ability that could somewhat beguile people.

However, it was of little use against most people. Those affected were all nouveau riche who had come to attend the auction.

"Greetings, honored guests. I am today's auctioneer, Sfok. I will be bringing down the hammer on the next one hundred and thirty-seven auction items."

After introducing himself, Auctioneer Sfok began hosting the event.

Some sharp-eyed guests noticed that an additional item had been added to the auction list.

However, they did not pay it any mind. Such things happened often and were nothing unusual.

"The first auction item is one stalk of Four-Leaf Spirit Grass, with a starting price of five thousand gold coins."

The first item was a medicinal herb capable of increasing Soul Power, drawing competitive bids from several Soul Masters.

As Gu Shenggo looked at the Four-Leaf Spirit Grass, some information about it surfaced in his mind.

The more leaves a Spirit Grass had, the more precious it was. According to Spirit Hall records, there had once been a Spirit Grass with as many as seventeen leaves, guarded by a seventy-thousand-year Golden Earth Dragon. It was worth a fortune; even a Soul Douluo could raise their Soul Power by one rank after consuming it.

Douluo Continent was not stuck in some primitive age. Soul Masters were not fools, so naturally they knew that consuming all kinds of heavenly treasures containing Soul Power would increase their strength faster.

The descendants of great families advanced their Soul Power faster than commoners not merely because of their Innate Soul Power, but also because they could consume all kinds of heavenly treasures to increase their Soul Power.

Commoners on Douluo Continent lacked knowledge, while the nobles controlled everything.

In the eyes of the nobility, Spirit Hall had always been a thorn in their flesh. By helping commoners awaken their martial souls, Spirit Hall was essentially giving them a chance to rise up and challenge noble authority.

I've always wondered what the so-called three great treasure basins were supposed to be, and what Tang San's past life was all about.