Far North

Three years later!

Edge of the Far North!

A boy nearly six feet tall, dressed in a heavy coat, walked across the boundless snowfield. The long trail of footprints beneath his feet was the best proof that he had been there.

But when the cold wind swept through, the footprints behind him vanished, as though they had never existed.

"Damn, it's cold. And I haven't even gone in yet. If I do, won't I turn into an icicle?"

Yuan Luo breathed warm air onto his hands, barely adding a little warmth.

"Finally, I can see it!"

Yuan Luo was overjoyed. Before him stood a three-story inn. In this icy wilderness, it counted as luxurious lodging.

Before Yuan Luo even entered, a waiter came over to greet him.

"Sir, are you here for a meal or a room?"

"I'll eat first, then arrange a room for the night."

"Certainly, this way, please!"

After eating something hot, Yuan Luo felt warmth spread through his body, and a sense of comfort surged through him.

The first floor was for dining, and the second was for lodging. What was the third floor for?

"Hey, waiter!" Yuan Luo called out, and the attendant hurried to his table.

"Sir, what can I do for you?"

"It's not even evening yet, but why are so many people going upstairs? What's on the third floor?"

From the very beginning, Yuan Luo had noticed people heading upstairs from time to time. It was only noon—were they really this impatient?

Moreover, they came in groups of burly men, with only the occasional woman among them.

"Sir, the third floor is our Auction House. Since we're close to the Far North, some adventurers bring back valuable items from there and sell them here. Over time, an Auction House was established on the third floor. If you're interested, you can take a look, but you'll need at least one hundred Gold Soul Coins in assets."

"An Auction House?"

Yuan Luo's heart itched. From childhood to now, he had never attended an auction even once.

"Can you take me there?"

"I'm afraid not. Once you reach the third floor, someone will naturally receive you."

Yuan Luo nodded and paid his bill.

He took out a mask from his Soul Tool and headed up to the third floor.

"Sir, please forgive us, but before entering the third floor, we need to verify your funds."

The moment he entered, a finely dressed young woman approached him.

With her hands folded before her, she gave Yuan Luo an apologetic bow.

Yuan Luo shook his head. "I'm here to sell something!"

The young woman nodded, then gestured with her arm. "This way, please!"

Yuan Luo followed her to a room made of ancient wood. Even the air seemed to have a refreshing effect.

"This is our appraiser, Grandmaster Sui."

The woman introduced the middle-aged man seated in a chair, then left the room. Before departing, she closed the door behind her.

"Young man, what do you wish to auction? We have standards here. Anything too inferior cannot be put up for auction!"

Grandmaster Sui saw the mask Yuan Luo wore but paid it no mind. It was commonplace here.

Some people attracted unwanted attention when they possessed valuable items. Wearing a mask offered a bit more protection.

Judging from Yuan Luo's build, clothing, neck, and the backs of his hands, Grandmaster Sui could tell fairly clearly that he was quite young.

Grandmaster Sui was immediately somewhat disappointed. What good item could someone so young possibly have?

"Hello, I wish to auction... a Soul Bone!"

Yuan Luo paused slightly before the final two words, startling Grandmaster Sui into rising to his feet.

Soul Bones were extremely important and rare in the Douluo Continent. Even the most ordinary Soul Bone could display tremendous effects in the hands of a suitable person.

He had never expected the young man before him to auction off a Soul Bone.

"Young brother, you aren't mistaken, are you? If you are deceiving us, we will hold you accountable!"

Grandmaster Sui asked again for confirmation. He truly could not believe Yuan Luo. Something as important as a Soul Bone would normally be secretly kept and used by Soul Masters themselves. Who would put one up for auction?

Under Grandmaster Sui's anxious gaze, Yuan Luo nodded.

From his Soul Tool, Yuan Luo took out a dark wooden box. He gently opened it, revealing a red bone before them.

The Left Arm Bone of a Thousand-Year Soul Beast, an Inferno Boar.

Grandmaster Sui accepted the Soul Bone with trembling hands. This was the first time he had encountered a Soul Bone. He had never imagined that he would get to see one in his lifetime.

Grandmaster Sui had Innate Soul Power of only rank one. Through relentless effort, he had reached rank nineteen Soul Power by the age of thirty.

Because his aptitude was too poor, he had cultivated for five years without breaking through rank twenty.

As he had grown older, he had needed to support his family.

From then on, Grandmaster Sui gave up cultivation and studied appraisal day and night. Finally, he became an outstanding appraisal grandmaster.

Relying on his reputation, he earned a great deal of money. With money, he could buy cultivation resources, and he had now reached rank twenty-one.

Although he did not know whether he could break through to Soul Elder in this lifetime, his appraisal skills were enough for him to make a decent living on the Douluo Continent.

"Are you certain you wish to auction it?"

Grandmaster Sui continued asking. Before he knew it, he had swallowed four or five times.

This had already put Yuan Luo on guard. He could not let this man develop ill intentions over the Soul Bone.

"Yes. Auction it."

After receiving Yuan Luo's affirmative answer, Grandmaster Sui began examining the Soul Bone himself.

Although he had never seen a Soul Bone before, his knowledge was extensive.

Yuan Luo had obtained this Soul Bone when he was ten years old.

At the time, Tang San had broken through rank twenty, and Yuan Luo had happened to accompany him to hunt a Soul Beast.

While Tang San was absorbing his Soul Ring, Yuan Luo searched the forest for prey alone and happened to encounter this Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

In the Soul Hunting Forest, Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were very difficult to find.

At any rate, it had been the first one Yuan Luo had ever seen, so this boar naturally caught his attention.

After killing it, he looted the corpse as usual and actually found a Soul Bone.

Logically speaking, since he had found a Fire Element Soul Bone that suited him quite well, Yuan Luo should have absorbed it.

At that time, however, he had already obtained a Left Arm Bone.

One day, when Yuan Luo was nine years old!

Inside a Mountain Cave on a mountain in Notting City, something like a membrane around Yuan Luo's body seemed to break through.

His entire body was bathed in golden and green light, and his aura underwent a complete transformation.

"I never expected this Dao Soul Fruit to be so powerful. It's probably no worse than Dugu Bo's immortal herbs—perhaps even better."

After consuming it, Yuan Luo's strength broke through rank thirty. His Soul Power had not increased by much, but his comprehension of the Metal Element and Wood Element had improved enormously.

The current Yuan Luo could probably easily kill a Soul Elder head-on. Even if he encountered a Soul Ancestor, he could kill one with some effort.

Ding! Congratulations, Host, on breaking through. The system is currently at a critical stage of being lazy. Your reward will be issued one year later, with a certain chance of receiving a top-tier reward. (Automatic reply)

???

Yuan Luo's mind was filled with question marks. This system was far too unreliable.

When he was about to die, it had not said a damn thing, yet it was even withholding his reward?

Forget it!

"Late is late. I need to stabilize my cultivation anyway. I've broken through too quickly. I'll wait until the reward is issued before hunting a Soul Ring. My life comes first."

Since returning last time, his Soul Power had broken through to rank twenty-four. After that, Yuan Luo had broken through roughly once every two months.

A few days ago, he had reached rank twenty-seven. In the end, he simply could not resist the temptation of the Dao Soul Fruit.

Originally, he had planned to use it after becoming a Soul Elder, since it might have yielded even greater effects then.

But when an unbelievably delicious thing was sitting right in your hand, who could resist the temptation?

Yuan Luo certainly could not.