They Are My Guests

The receptionist took the Gold Soul Card, checked the balance, then held it in both hands and offered it back to Bai Wanwan.

"Dear guest, Auction Qualification Certificates come in five levels: white, yellow, purple, black, and red. A balance of one million Gold Soul Coins qualifies you for a black-level Auction Qualification Certificate. As for the highest, red-level certificate, you need not only over a million Gold Soul Coins but also a certain standing."

Bai Wanwan took back the Gold Soul Card and nodded slightly. "Understood. We don't have any particular standing, so a black-level Auction Qualification Certificate will do."

"Of course, dear guest."

The receptionist was just about to head to the front desk to arrange the Auction Qualification Certificate when a voice rang out from the doorway.

"Make it red-level. They are my guests."

Everyone turned toward the entrance and saw the Second Prince, Xue Luochuan, slowly walking in, dressed in royal attire.

"Your Highness, what a coincidence."

Bai Wanwan gave Xue Luochuan a polite smile as he approached.

"Indeed. I only came to have a look around the Auction House, and here I've run into you two young ladies."

Xue Luochuan smiled as well.

Qian Renxue glanced at Xue Luochuan before looking away. Everyone knew whether his appearance was truly a coincidence, and there was no need to spell it out.

The receptionist bowed slightly to the approaching Xue Luochuan, then changed the original black-level Auction Qualification Certificate to the highest red level.

After handing the Auction Qualification Certificate to Bai Wanwan, the receptionist led the way toward the second floor.

The second floor was the true heart of the Auction House, where the bidding took place.

When they reached the heavy doors, the receptionist took out three masks and offered them to Qian Renxue, Bai Wanwan, and Xue Luochuan. "These are to protect our guests' privacy and safety. If you aren't worried about having your purchases stolen after leaving the Auction House, you needn't wear one."

Bai Wanwan showed no intention of reaching for the mask offered to her.

Worried about being robbed after buying something?

What a joke. Two Level 95 Titled Douluos and Di Tian, a demigod, were protecting her from the shadows. Who had the strength to steal her things?

If anyone really tried, they would be like a mouse tugging on a cat's whiskers-seeking a thrill while trying out a race against death.

Qian Renxue had no intention of taking a mask either.

Only Xue Luochuan took one and put it on.

The heavy doors opened, and they entered the Auction Area, taking their seats in the Red Zone at the very front.

After bringing tea and delicate pastries, the receptionist quietly withdrew.

The auction had yet to begin. Qian Renxue picked up a pastry and held it to Bai Wanwan's lips.

Bai Wanwan froze for a moment, the tips of her ears quietly reddening, but she still took a bite of the pastry Qian Renxue offered.

Watching their rather intimate interaction, Xue Luochuan thought it over and decided there seemed to be nothing unusual about it. Sisters who were close feeding each other pastries was perfectly normal.

"Have you two young ladies come to the Auction House to buy something in particular?"

"I know the person in charge here. Perhaps I could arrange for you to buy it directly and skip the bidding."

Xue Luochuan asked softly.

"The residence Your Highness gave us is rather large. With so few people, living there would feel a little lonely, so we're planning to buy some maids to clean the residence and so on."

As Qian Renxue answered, she noticed that Bai Wanwan had finished her pastry and picked up another, holding it to her lips.

"Maids?"

"That was an oversight on my part."

"But I wouldn't recommend buying the Auction House's receptionists. They may be beautiful, but after the Auction House's specialized training, they've completely lost their souls. They aren't even worth employing as maids."

"However, the Auction House may have some who haven't been trained yet. They're much cheaper than the specially trained ones. I can ask for you later."

Xue Luochuan picked up the tea beside him and took a sip.

"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Your Highness."

Qian Renxue nodded slightly and offered Bai Wanwan a cup of tea.

Bai Wanwan accepted it and took a sip. After stealing a glance at Qian Renxue, she set the cup down.

"Your Highness, human trafficking is expressly forbidden in the Two Great Empires, yet the Auction House does it so openly. Does Emperor Xue Ye really know nothing about it?"

Bai Wanwan asked softly.

"Huh?"

Xue Luochuan gave Bai Wanwan a surprised look. "Young lady, this is Heaven Dou City. The Auction House is right under my Father Emperor's nose. Do you think he knows?"

"Human trafficking is certainly expressly forbidden. After all, that's something both empires agree on. But that rule was laid down by the imperial families. Who do you think stands behind the Auction House?"

Xue Luochuan's voice was perfectly calm.

The gap between commoners and nobles was like an impassable chasm. Even if a commoner was lucky enough to become a Soul Master, they still could not bridge it.

Being a Soul Master was indeed a prestigious vocation, but an insurmountable gulf still separated those with powerful backing from those without.

For Soul Masters with neither talent nor backing, obtaining a hundred-year soul ring at the outset was practically impossible. They usually started with a white ten-year soul ring. For those with backing, however, it took nothing more than a word.

It was true that human trafficking was expressly forbidden. Among commoners, it was absolutely prohibited. But what commoners saw as an explicit ban was, in the eyes of nobles, merely a few words they could take or leave.

After all, outside, a single Gold Soul Coin could cover a family of three's expenses for a year. Here, ten thousand Gold Soul Coins bought nothing more than admission.

Barring some extraordinary turn of events, commoners could never set foot here in their entire lives. Naturally, they would never learn that an explicit prohibition could simply be ignored.

Bai Wanwan silently raised her cup and took a sip of tea. She did not respond to Xue Luochuan again, but her eyes grew increasingly inscrutable, leaving her thoughts unreadable.

Qian Renxue lightly tapped her fingers against the armrest, likewise saying nothing.

Time slowly passed.

After twenty minutes or so, a staff member walked onto the auction stage carrying a tray covered with red cloth.

Almost instantly, nearly every guest taking part in the auction turned toward the covered tray, seemingly eager to discover what the first lot was.

"The auction has begun."

"I hope there'll be something that interests you two young ladies."

Xue Luochuan pointed toward the auction stage ahead. As he spoke, a faintly thoughtful look appeared in his eyes, and he kept a constant watch on Qian Renxue's and Bai Wanwan's expressions.