Vast Sea City Grand Auction

Ji Wuming packed his things and headed for the Vast Sea City Auction House. Ever since he had obtained enough Gold Soul Coins, he had been searching for Soul Tools and special items.

Just as Dean Shui had said, having a thousand-year Second Soul Ring was an extremely conspicuous trait. Though he could refrain from releasing his Soul Rings during battle, if he took part in Soul Fighting matches with others, he would have no choice but to reveal them.

If he failed to conceal it and was discovered, he would either have to join a faction or be eliminated by one in advance.

Although Dean Shui thought highly of him and would not voluntarily tell others about his second thousand-year Soul Ring, Ji Wuming could not possibly remain alone in some secluded place, cultivating until he became a Soul King or even a Soul Emperor before emerging.

Moreover, the most important part of a Soul Master's path was fighting others and Soul Beasts, which was the only way to identify and make up for one's shortcomings to the greatest extent.

"I hope Vast Sea City's grand auction, held once every three years, won't disappoint me!"

Ji Wuming looked at the blue circular building before him, which covered no less than three thousand square meters, and his obsession with battle grew ever deeper.

Just as he took out his Gold Card for the gate attendant to verify his funds, Ji Wuming turned around and saw Dean Shui.

It can't be such a coincidence, can it? Is the auction house in this coastal stronghold of the Heaven Dou Empire also part of the Shui Family's business?

As he pondered this, Dean Shui, who had been speaking with someone, spotted him as well and immediately walked over.

Before Dean Shui could speak, Ji Wuming asked first, "Dean, why are you here? Could it be that the Shui Family also gets a share of the Vast Sea City Auction House's profits?"

"No, I'm here to bid on a few things."

Dean Shui looked at Ji Wuming, whom he had not seen in a month, and missed him quite a bit. Since Ji Wuming was attending the auction as well, what came afterward would be much easier to handle.

"Come on. The auction is about to begin. If anything catches your eye, I can bid on it for you."

"Dean, I've got plenty of money."

Ji Wuming took back his Gold Card after the verification and headed inside, with Dean Shui following close behind. At a corner, the two collected and put on masks, then followed the attendant into the magnificent auction area.

As the bidders filed into the venue,

Boom

The doors of the auction area closed, and the massive auction held once every three years officially began. A graceful woman in a gorgeous blue dress stepped onto the auction stage.

"Esteemed guests, Vast Sea City's grand auction, held once every three years, is about to begin. I hope each of you can acquire something you desire."

Before her words had even faded, an auction item was brought up. When the red cloth was lifted, ten pieces of yellowish-red Whale Rubber stacked together appeared before the crowd.

"Esteemed guests, this Whale Rubber was harvested from the Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast—the Deep Sea Unicorn Whale Pod. I needn't explain its wondrous uses, need I? This auction will not be conducted by weight, but by the piece. Each piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber has a starting price of one thousand Gold Soul Coins. Bidding begins now."

"I want one. Eleven hundred Gold Soul Coins."

"Twelve hundred."

There were not many bidders. Even though everyone wore masks, they still did not want others to judge them as being inadequate in that particular regard just because they were bidding on Whale Rubber.

Ji Wuming stared at the ten pieces of Whale Rubber on the stage, swallowing continuously as desire filled his eyes. Whale Rubber that was merely a few hundred or thousand years old no longer had much body-tempering effect on him, but Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber was far beyond lower-year Whale Rubber.

However, his funds were limited, and he could not spend recklessly. At that moment, Dean Shui beside him directly raised his paddle and called out loudly,

"Ten pieces, ten thousand Gold Soul Coins."

The entire venue fell silent in an instant. Then, quite a few people looked toward Dean Shui and mocked him.

"Buying so much at once? Don't tell me your body is severely depleted."

Dean Shui ignored the idle gossip. He merely glanced at Ji Wuming beside him, then continued waiting for the Host to bring down the hammer.

"Ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, once. Twice. Three times. Sold."

After receiving the items and paying ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, Dean Shui handed two pieces to Ji Wuming.

"Little Ji, these are for you. If this Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber were taken inland to sell, its price would be several times higher. Consider this my investment in you. Just don't forget me once you achieve something in the future."

Before he had even finished speaking, the Whale Rubber had already been placed in Ji Wuming's hands, leaving him no way to refuse but to accept it.

Dean Shui then turned his attention to the next item. As time passed second by second, the auction items were sold off one after another, including one or two Storage Soul Guiding Devices.

When an item made of a special material, neither a weapon nor a Soul Bone, was brought up, the Host spoke.

"This item is a special Soul Tool with the ability to conceal a person's aura. Whether one is hunting Soul Beasts or escaping their sight, with this item, no danger will be a problem."

At this point, the Host deliberately glanced at the curious distinguished guests in the VIP seats. Pointing at the special Soul Tool on display, she continued helplessly,

"However, this item was discovered in the Deep Sea Ruins. It was already damaged in many places when found and has suffered years of seawater erosion. Though it still retains its concealment effect, it is extremely unstable. The starting price is one thousand Gold Soul Coins. Bidding begins now."

The guests below adopted a wait-and-see attitude toward the item. Although this special Soul Tool was highly practical, its drawbacks were equally obvious.

Ji Wuming, however, was extremely interested. This auction had truly brought him an item he wanted. If he could repair this special Soul Tool with its concealment effect,

wouldn't that mean he would no longer need to go through the trouble of hunting illusion-beast-type Sea Soul Beasts, or travel all the way to the Far North to hunt Ice Silkworms for their Soul Bones?

"Thirteen hundred Gold Soul Coins!"

A plump young noble dressed in luxurious clothes began bidding. Though the Soul Tool was useless to him, he simply enjoyed collecting these impractical Soul Tools.

Ji Wuming had no time to haggle with him. He directly raised his paddle and called out a relatively high price.

"I bid four thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

The first person to be startled by those words was Dean Shui, Shui Wuliang, beside him.

"Little Ji, have you lost your mind? This damaged Soul Tool is worth no more than three thousand at most. Even if you buy it, it will probably only serve as a collectible and has no practical value whatsoever. Besides, methods for repairing Soul Tools have long since been lost."

"Dean, you know I've recently been buying Soul Tools everywhere. I want to try and see whether I can replicate or repair one or two Soul Tools."

As a coastal city, Soul Tools appeared fairly frequently here. Although it was a little early for him to begin studying Soul Tools now, there truly was no better option at present.

He could not possibly add a random simulation-type Soul Ring or a Soul Bone only a few hundred or thousand years old just to conceal his strength, could he?

Besides, he had already collected no fewer than twenty intact Soul Tools. He should be able to try reverse-engineering the various manufacturing processes of Soul Tools, as well as the most crucial Soul Power transmission arrays.