Dust Settles?

The Demon Soul Great White Shark, like the Evil Spirit Orca, another apex predator of the sea, possessed not only a powerful body but also exceptional Spiritual Power. It even had several Innate Soul Skills of the spiritual attack type.

It was precisely because of this that the Demon Soul Great White Shark race had avoided falling noticeably behind despite being thoroughly countered by the Evil Spirit Orca.

Although the Soul Bone before them came from a Demon Soul Great White Shark with only nine thousand years of Cultivation, its quality was beyond question. Not only was the Soul Bone itself exceptionally complete, but from Zhu Yao's earlier introduction, the skill attached to it had clearly already undergone Soul Skill solidification.

There had always been a saying regarding Soul Bones in the Soul Master World: any Soul Bone that imposed attribute requirements on a Soul Master or had solidified Soul Skills was exceptionally powerful.

Although Soul Bones with attribute requirements for a Soul Master's Martial Soul could only be fused by the small number of Soul Masters with matching attributes, once they suited the Soul Master, the enhancement they provided far surpassed that of Soul Bones without attribute requirements.

As for Soul Skill solidification, that was the best of the best among Soul Bones. Only Soul Bones produced by especially powerful Soul Beast races could possibly possess solidified Soul Skills. Since the Martial Soul quality of most Soul Masters could not compare to those top-tier Soul Beasts with noble bloodlines, they naturally could not cause the attached Soul Skills to change due to their own Martial Souls during the fusion process.

And if a Soul Master successfully fused with a Soul Bone containing a solidified Soul Skill, it was equivalent to perfectly replicating the Innate Soul Skill of those top-tier Soul Beasts.

Yaoyang, seated in the top-tier private room, examined the Soul Bone with a thoughtful expression. Then he slowly walked over to Xu Zihuang and asked solemnly, "Zihuang, the Demon Soul Great White Shark that produced this Soul Bone was a little low in age, but both its attributes and the solidified Soul Skill within it should suit you very well. If you're interested in this Soul Bone, I can get it for you."

His words were brimming with confidence and composure.

After operating on Yueshu Island for so many years, the wealth under his control was more than enough to win this Soul Bone at auction. At most, he would further offend the pirate groups with whom his relations were already far from harmonious.

"No need, Brother Yang. To be honest, this Soul Bone seems fairly ordinary to me. There's no need for you to spend so much on my account." Meeting Yaoyang's gaze, Xu Zihuang smiled meaningfully. "Besides, Brother Yang, the reason you were willing to offend the Demon Crocodile Pirates in order to take over this Soul Bone and put it up for auction was probably to make the Five Great Pirate Groups develop mutual grievances, wasn't it?"

"That's right. I did have that intention." Yaoyang gave Xu Zihuang an approving look.

He had only briefly introduced the situation in the Yuenan Islands, yet Xu Zihuang had seen through his thoughts at a glance.

Of course, if Xu Zihuang truly wanted this Soul Bone, then even if Yaoyang abandoned that plan, he would still help Xu Zihuang obtain it.

"In that case, let's sit back and enjoy the show together." Xu Zihuang lazily stretched his body and looked again toward the private rooms opposite them. His calm, deep-purple eyes became especially profound.

Logically speaking, the Head Bone from a Demon Soul Great White Shark with nine thousand years of Cultivation should have been enough to drive all the bidders present into a frenzy. Yet in reality, only four parties bid for it: the other four of the Five Great Pirate Groups, excluding the Silver Fin Pirate Group.

In just a few minutes, the price had already soared to 1.8 million Gold Soul Coins.

Unlike the earlier thousand-year Evil Spirit Orca, while the bidders at the auction center coveted this Soul Bone, reason told them that it was not something they had any chance of laying their hands on.

This was not the Sun Moon Empire, nor was it one of the Three Great Empires of the Douluo Continent. This was the Yuenan Islands, a place far more chaotic than the Douluo Continent. Without a sufficiently powerful background, even if they won the Soul Bone, they could not be certain of leaving alive.

Unless they remained in Yueshu City forever. Yueshu City was under the direct jurisdiction of the Viscount of Yuennan, and with five hundred Yueshu City Guards, even the Five Great Pirate Groups did not dare cause trouble here.

The one who had just called out the high price of 1.8 million Gold Soul Coins was Jing Gu, leader of the Whale Shark Pirates. Just as the Whale Shark Pirates' name suggested, his Martial Soul was a whale shark, a fairly powerful kind of Soul Beast in the ocean.

This Head Bone from a nine-thousand-year Demon Soul Great White Shark was exceptionally compatible with his Martial Soul. He was determined to obtain it.

Zi Jing, leader of the Purple Snake Pirates, sat in the private room beside Jing Gu's. She twirled several strands of purple hair by her temples with her delicate jade fingers, then lightly tapped the raised metal block on the table and laughed in a soft, seductive voice. "Since Big Brother Jing has offered such a high price, it seems this little sister can only give up."

The metal block before her was a Voice Transmission Soul Tool connected to all the private rooms. As long as Soul Power was poured into it, one's voice could be transmitted.

Naturally, the three people in the top-tier private room, Xu Zihuang included, heard Zi Jing's voice as well.

"You let me have it." Another slightly low voice sounded in the room. It belonged to Jing Gu, who seemed to be a man of few words.

Meanwhile, E Luo, leader of the Demon Crocodile Pirates, instantly darkened. E Cheng, seated beside him, had long since lost the arrogance in his gaze. Clenching his fists, he looked anxiously at his grandfather.

"Grandfather..."

Because of the violent fluctuations in his emotions, his originally brownish-yellow eyes changed dramatically. One pupil turned icy blue, while the other became fiery red. An aura of extreme cold and extreme heat spread outward from his body.

E Luo merely cast E Cheng a faint glance, and the latter hurriedly sat upright, somewhat fearful.

"Don't worry. No one can take this Soul Bone away. If it's yours, it will be yours eventually." As he spoke, he raised the price to 1.9 million Gold Soul Coins.

"Two million." Seeing E Luo bid again, Jing Gu's expression changed, but he gritted his teeth and raised the price once more.

"Hmph!" After pondering for a moment, E Luo's sole remaining brownish-yellow eye brimmed with coldness as his broad palm slammed heavily onto the table before him.

Fine cracks silently spread across it. Roughly two breaths later, the heavy table, built entirely from marble, crumbled into dust.

"Return to the ship first!"

E Cheng rose blankly to his feet, then immediately understood his grandfather's meaning. He was overjoyed. Even his steps became somewhat buoyant as he swept a disdainful gaze over everyone in the auction center.

Do you know the greatest difference between you and me? Whatever I want, I can get.

Because the gap between us lies in our birth.

Speechless. The power went out on my end. If it comes back before ten, I can post a second update; otherwise, I'll make it up tomorrow. I'm updating from my phone first, in case my phone runs out of battery too.