Golden Hall, Evil Soul Masters

"Uuuugh..."

Wang Dong panicked and wanted to call for help, but a large hand covered her mouth.

The person covering her mouth was a man in a black cloak. He stood half a head taller than her and was so strong that she could barely resist.

"Don't scream. It's me."

Zi Yao whispered into her ear.

Wang Dong calmed down, and her whole demeanor gradually relaxed.

Zi Yao looked Wang Dong over and saw that she was still wearing the Royal Academy's School Uniform. He was somewhat speechless.

He tossed out a black robe from his Space Soul Tool and said with mild reproach, "Put this on and follow me."

"Okay."

Hearing the reproach in his tone, Wang Dong did not dare say anything. It seemed she had caused him trouble, so she obediently pulled on the black robe.

The two entered a concealed door together and instantly seemed to arrive in another world.

This was an enormous hall beneath a golden dome. The ceiling seemed to be outlined by countless golden threads, providing ample illumination for the entire auction house.

Rows upon rows of seats extended neatly downward, while a ring of upward-slanting escalators ran along the side.

At the very top were circular rooms suspended in midair, presumably reserved for the most distinguished guests.

Zi Yao chose two seats in a corner. The auction seemed not to have begun yet, and many guests dressed in black robes filed in.

"Where is this?"

Wang Dong asked timidly.

"The Golden Hall, the largest auction house in all of Ming Du," Zi Yao replied flatly.

The largest auction house?

Wang Dong looked at the maids moving back and forth. Their clothing left almost nothing covered.

They were all young girls specially trained for this purpose. They felt no shame over their exposure, and had long since grown numb even to the groping and harassment of certain guests.

"This is an auction house, so why are those girls dressed like that? I thought this was... that kind of place!" Wang Dong said, embarrassed and angry.

"You guessed right. That service is available here as well. For one thousand Gold Soul Coins, you can do whatever you want with a maid. Lust often stimulates people to spend; it's one of their marketing methods," Zi Yao answered calmly.

"Despicable. Disgusting..." Wang Dong muttered.

"This is the Underground World. Calling them despicable and disgusting would be praise."

Zi Yao gave a soft laugh, looking incredibly relaxed and expectant.

Ever since entering Ming Du, he had asked the Ordinary Alliance to help him search for information on the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade.

Today, he had finally found a lead.

Within the Evening Water Alliance's Golden Hall, the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade would be auctioned as the grand finale item.

Suddenly,

a black-robed man sat down beside Zi Yao without warning. Just from his laugh alone, one could tell he was incomparably sleazy without even seeing his face.

"Friend, top-quality goods. Fiery temperament. Her first time, guaranteed to satisfy you. Just two thousand Gold Soul Coins."

As he spoke, he pulled over an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old Red-Haired Girl. She kept her head lowered, making her features impossible to see clearly, but her full, voluptuous figure showed that she was a beauty. Several bloody, torn wounds marred her exposed fair skin.

"Look up!"

The black-robed man lowered his voice and pinched the girl's chin, forcing it up. Her face was astonishingly pretty, her eyes brimming with tears of humiliation. Her lower lip had been bitten pale, making her look utterly pitiful.

Seeing how miserable the girl was, Wang Dong could not help feeling sympathy for her. "How much is your female companion? I'll buy her."

The young, clear voice of a boy made the black-robed man pause. He turned to look at Zi Yao again, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Without hesitation, Zi Yao drew a blue-gold dagger and thrust it through his black robe, pressing it to the man's throat.

"Get lost!"

The icy shout terrified the black-robed man. The greed in his eyes vanished, and he could only leave sullenly with the Red-Haired Girl in tow.

"Why did you let him leave? That sister is so pitiful!"

Wang Dong asked in confusion, frowning with concern.

"Do you think we're playing house? This is the Evil Soul Masters' stronghold. Save yourself before saving others. If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"

Zi Yao said impatiently.

He only wanted to wait quietly for the Spirit Devouring Fierce Blade to appear. He did not want any unexpected complications.

Evil Soul Masters were the most terrifying and cruel. When killing for profit, they showed no mercy whatsoever.

The reason everyone present wore black robes was to prevent others from seeing through them. The unknown was what made others most wary.

And what Wang Dong had said was far too naive. No one who frequented the Golden Hall would say they wanted to buy a woman, because everyone regarded them as nothing more than playthings.

Even if they said it, they would not call them female companions.

Her lavish manner would also stir the greed of these Evil Soul Masters.

Having little experience in the world, Wang Dong gradually came to understand that she was not in the Clear Sky Sect, nor in the Royal Academy, but in the Underground World's foremost auction house.

Here, there was no pity, no morality, and even less humanity.

Those were all weaknesses.

"Sorry. I won't talk carelessly anymore."

Wang Dong apologized sincerely.

Zi Yao nodded slightly, temporarily forgiving her.

Wang Dong had grown up in the Clear Sky Sect and knew far too little about the current Soul Master World.

The continent was far more chaotic now than it had been ten thousand years ago. Evil Soul Masters ran rampant, and one careless mistake could cost someone their life.

The auction finally began.

At the center of the hall was a thirty-square-meter black opening. Zi Yao had originally wondered what it was, but when the golden light of the dome grew even more dazzling, a white platform slowly rose from below and stopped three meters above the ground.

A young woman of breathtaking, seductive beauty stood in the center of the auction stage. A faint smile rested on her face, while her form-fitting long dress perfectly outlined her mature figure.

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Golden Hall. Our auction is about to begin. Please take your seats."

"I am the auctioneer, Qiu He. I will be serving all our honored guests tonight."

Her suggestive words instantly enlivened the crowd. Some troublemakers even asked whether an overnight encounter with the auctioneer was among the items being sold.

Auctioneer Qiu He merely rolled her eyes coquettishly without responding, then brought out the first auction item.

"The Soul Ascension Pill. I believe everyone knows of this famous pill, so there is no need for me to introduce it further. The starting bid is thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins, with each increase no less than one thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"Thirty-five thousand!"

"Forty thousand!"

"Forty-one thousand!"

Many people began calling out bids, though most remained unmoved.

For pills like the Soul Ascension Pill,

most of them had already taken one. Buying it would only be for the younger generation of their families.

Wang Dong was somewhat interested as well. After receiving Zi Yao's permission, she spent fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins to secure the pill. She secretly rejoiced, thinking that after taking this Soul Ascension Pill, she would probably rise another level.