Tang San, Frightened, Heaven Dou Auction House

Ma Xiunuo, who was directing the others, heard the voice and turned around. A plain-looking little boy wearing the uniform of Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy came into view.

"Hello, little friend. My name is Ma Xiunuo, and I am the person in charge of Nuoding City's Spirit Hall Branch."

"Hello, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo." Tang San bowed to Ma Xiunuo.

Not long ago, he had killed a Mandala Snake with over four hundred years of cultivation in the Soul Hunting Forest, saving Yu Xiaogang, who had nearly been killed by the Soul Beast while unsuccessfully hunting a soul ring for him. He had successfully absorbed his first soul ring and stepped into the realm of Soul Masters.

Yu Xiaogang had told him that after becoming a Soul Master, he could come to Spirit Hall to receive a subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin per month. That was far more than he earned forging iron for others.

"Little friend, your name is Tang San, right? It is remarkable that you have cultivated to become a Soul Master at such a young age. But please wait a moment. Once I finish directing them to hang Elder Sword Saint's portrait, I'll register you as a Soul Master," Ma Xiunuo said kindly.

"Alright, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo. Please attend to your work first," Tang San replied obediently.

He then raised his head to look at the workers in front of him. They were climbing the outer wall of the Spirit Hall Branch, supporting a wooden plaque roughly fifteen meters long and three meters wide as they carefully secured it in place.

A person was painted on the plaque. Although the man wore luxurious clothing, his beard was unkempt. His eyes were exceptionally sharp, and he held a golden longsword in his hand. Nine black soul rings hung vertically behind him.

"Hm?" Tang San's expression changed.

Nine black soul rings—Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings?!

This... how was that possible? Wasn't the maximum age limit for a first soul ring only four hundred and twenty-three years? How could this person have nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings?

When in doubt, ask.

"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, who is that old grandpa in the painting? Why does he have nine black soul rings?" Tang San asked Ma Xiunuo, pretending to be an inexperienced child.

"Haha, that is our Spirit Hall's newly appointed Elder, Sword Saint Douluo—His Excellency Yan Chixia. His Excellency Sword Saint is a remarkable existence. Ordinary people come to Spirit Hall to awaken their martial souls at the age of six, but His Excellency Sword Saint initially had no desire to become a Soul Master. Only at the age of fifty-six did he change his mind and travel to the Spirit Hall temple in Heaven Dou City to awaken his martial soul."

"He only awakened his martial soul at fifty-six?" Tang San froze. Was this man an idiot? He had wasted fifty years for nothing.

"That's right. There are people on the continent who awaken their martial souls after the age of six, but most will certainly do so by the age of seven or eight. Awakening a martial soul at fifty-six, however—His Excellency Sword Saint could be said to have broken the record for the latest martial soul awakening," Ma Xiunuo said with a smile.

"Then how does he have nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings?" Tang San asked in confusion.

Judging by the portrait, this person did not seem to be sixty yet. Even if he were sixty, how could he cultivate to become a Titled Douluo in just four years and have every soul ring be over ten thousand years old?

"Hahaha, that is why His Excellency Sword Saint is such a remarkable existence, completely different from ordinary people like us. The moment he awakened, he possessed Level 92 Innate Soul Power!" Ma Xiunuo said, stroking his beard with an admiring expression.

"Level 92 Innate Soul Power?!" Tang San was frightened—truly frightened. How could such a person exist? Was he even human?

"The moment His Excellency Sword Saint awakened, he already possessed Soul Power at the level of a Titled Douluo. Naturally, he could begin absorbing soul rings from the ten-thousand-year level. It is said that when His Excellency Sword Saint hunted his ninth soul ring, he had once set his sights on a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Unfortunately, that Soul Beast had an ally, while His Excellency Sword Saint was hunting alone at the time. With the strength of only eight soul rings, he could not defeat two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Left with no choice, he had to give up. Otherwise, his final soul ring would not have been a ten-thousand-year one, but a hundred-thousand-year one!" At this point, Ma Xiunuo sighed regretfully.

Although he had met Yan Chixia in person, it was still a terrible pity that such an existence had failed to obtain a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

Listening to Ma Xiunuo, Tang San felt as though he were dreaming.

Awakening a martial soul at fifty-six, Level 92 Innate Soul Power, nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, and almost obtaining a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring...

Was this man the protagonist of some storybook?

"The notice board beside us has just posted His Excellency Sword Saint's deeds. If you are interested, you can go take a look," Ma Xiunuo said to Tang San.

Upon hearing that, Tang San immediately ran over to the notice board. He found that what was written there was much the same as what Ma Xiunuo had said.

Such a person had truly appeared on the continent—nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings... Was he perhaps the strongest Titled Douluo?

In the shadows, Tang Hao, his entire body concealed beneath a black cloak, listened to Tang San's conversation with Ma Xiunuo. He raised his head to look at the wooden plaque depicting Yan Chixia after activating his martial soul, and his brow gradually furrowed.

He did not believe Spirit Hall would deceive the world over something like this. Since they dared to publicize this man's information, it meant that Yan Chixia would certainly appear publicly on behalf of Spirit Hall. He would not remain hidden in Spirit City forever, refusing to show himself.

Lying about his Soul Power and soul rings to create a false image for him could not deceive the world for long.

Spirit Hall had gained such a powerful expert. For him, that was truly terrible news!

"His Excellency Sword Saint is truly unbelievable!" Tang San exclaimed sincerely after reading the announcement.

"Yes. If the news had not come from Spirit City, I would not have dared believe it either," Ma Xiunuo, who had followed him over, agreed.

Heaven Dou City, the Heaven Dou Auction House.

"Your Excellency, Baron Ye, these Thunder Fire Talismans are truly remarkable. Their power is actually comparable to an attack from a four-ring Soul Ancestor!" After testing one Thunder Fire Talisman, the appraiser said to the two of them, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes.

"Can you arrange an auction for us as soon as possible?" Shi Jian was a Titled Douluo. He sat in his chair, silently drinking tea, while Ye Zhou stood before him and negotiated with the Auction House.

"Of course. However, may I ask whether the two of you intend to auction the remaining five Thunder Fire Talismans together or separately?" the appraiser asked Ye Zhou.

"Together." Auctioning a few talismans separately would make them seem poor.

"Very well. I will arrange it for you immediately," the appraiser said respectfully. He then bowed to Shi Jian before turning and leaving.

"Uncle Jian, let's go take a look out front as well. I've never attended an auction before," Ye Zhou said to Shi Jian after the appraiser left.

Shi Jian had never attended an auction either. He had long been waiting for Ye Zhou to say that, as he too wanted to broaden his horizons.

"Alright," Shi Jian said as he rose to his feet.

"Take us to the auction hall," Ye Zhou said to the attendant beside him.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Baron. Please follow me," the attendant replied respectfully, then led the two through an inner passage and into the auction hall.

The moment they entered, dazzling light struck their eyes, and their field of vision suddenly opened up. An auction hall spanning roughly five thousand square meters appeared before Ye Zhou.

Damn, so many people. So magnificent. So extravagant!