The two men walked one behind the other, soon leaving the Auction House's safe zone and arriving in a desolate valley. Golden Crocodile Douluo stopped, and Soul Power erupted around him. His golden crocodile Martial Soul appeared in full, with nine Soul Rings circling his body. The four black rings stood out in particular. The pressure of a level 98 Super Douluo bore down on Mo Chen like a mountain.
"Your Excellency, be careful!" Golden Crocodile Douluo roared. His right hand curled into a claw, wreathed in golden Soul Power, and struck toward Mo Chen. The blow looked simple, but contained the full measure of his lifelong cultivation—enough to tear through the defenses of an ordinary Titled Douluo.
Mo Chen remained where he was. Only when Golden Crocodile Douluo's claw was about to touch his chest did he slowly raise his right hand and gently block it. There was no earth-shaking collision, nor any roar of Soul Power. Golden Crocodile Douluo felt as though his claw had struck an immovable mountain. All his Soul Power was instantly dispersed, and a gentle yet irresistible force even pushed him back several steps.
Golden Crocodile Douluo was alarmed. He could clearly feel that Mo Chen hadn't even used his full strength to stop the blow, and the Soul Power fluctuations around him remained steady. He drew a deep breath and attacked again, this time using his Seventh Soul Skill—"Golden Crocodile Rending Heaven." Golden Soul Power condensed into the head of a giant crocodile, which lunged at Mo Chen with an aura that seemed capable of devouring everything.
A gleam flashed in Mo Chen's eyes, and at last, Soul Power rippled around him. No Martial Soul appeared, and no Soul Rings manifested. Only a pure, boundless force of Soul Power surged out like a tide. He raised a hand and swept it toward the golden crocodile's head, sending an invisible force crashing against it.
"Boom!" The golden crocodile's head disintegrated instantly, its fragments of Soul Power scattering like fireworks. The force sent Golden Crocodile Douluo staggering backward again and again. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.
"Y-You're a level 99 Peerless Douluo?" Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice trembled. In his nearly hundred years of life, he had never seen such overwhelming strength. This was undoubtedly the legendary Peerless Douluo—and he was even more powerful than Golden Crocodile Douluo had imagined!
Mo Chen withdrew his Soul Power, his tone still calm. "Now you should understand whether the Auction House is someone you can afford to provoke. Go back and tell Qian Daoliu: if Spirit Hall wants to obtain treasures at the auction, it must follow the rules and bid with Points. If it tries anything underhanded, it will bear the consequences."
Golden Crocodile Douluo didn't argue or attack again. He knew he was no match for Mo Chen, and that persisting would only bring him further humiliation. He gave Mo Chen a long look, then bowed. "Thank you for showing mercy. I will report what happened today to the Great Elder in full." With that, he turned into a streak of golden light and hurried back to Spirit Hall.
Watching Golden Crocodile Douluo's retreating figure, Mo Chen's smile faded, and a trace of concern crossed his eyes. Spirit Hall was far stronger than the other factions, and Qian Daoliu was a level 99 Peerless Douluo. If they truly fell out, even Mo Chen and Ling Shuang together might not be able to secure victory. Still, Lin Yue had already devised a plan to handle the situation. As long as Spirit Hall still wanted to obtain treasures from the Auction House, it wouldn't dare make a move lightly.
Meanwhile, inside Spirit Hall's Worship Hall, Golden Crocodile Douluo knelt before Qian Daoliu, his face pale as he reported what had happened. When he described how Mo Chen had effortlessly blocked his attack and wounded him without even summoning his Martial Soul, the several elders in the hall all looked shocked.
"You're saying that man is a level 99 Peerless Douluo, and even stronger than you?" Qian Daoliu's voice finally showed a hint of emotion, and a grave look flickered in his eyes. He hadn't expected Lin Yue to have a Peerless Douluo in his service—and more than one, at that. According to the reports, the Auction House had another powerful figure named Ling Shuang, whose strength was on par with Mo Chen's.
"Yes." Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded. "I'm certain his strength is at least at the peak of level 99. He may even have touched the threshold of godhood. If we want to move against the Auction House, we'll have to pay an enormous price."
Qian Daoliu fell silent for a long while. He swept his gaze across the elders in the hall, then said slowly, "It seems our earlier judgment was right. The Auction House is indeed not to be trifled with. I order all of Spirit Hall's forces to refrain from provoking the Auction House from this day forward. All purchases are to be made through bidding with Points. At the same time, step up the collection of resources and make sure we have enough Points before the next auction."
"Great Elder, what about Bibi Dong...?" one of the elders asked.
"I'll speak with Bibi Dong myself." Qian Daoliu rose to his feet. "If she wants to seize opportunities for Spirit Hall, she must abide by these rules."
With that, Qian Daoliu headed toward Pope's Palace. He knew that although Bibi Dong was domineering, she wouldn't stubbornly insist on her own way when Spirit Hall's interests as a whole were at stake. For now, obtaining treasures from the Auction House and strengthening Spirit Hall were what mattered most.
Inside Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong was reviewing the list of resources brought back from the Auction House. She was surprised to hear of Qian Daoliu's visit, but still rose to greet him. When she heard Qian Daoliu's order to "refrain from provoking the Auction House for the time being," a knowing look crossed her eyes. She nodded. "Rest assured, Great Elder. I know what matters. Spirit Hall's goal is to obtain treasures, not to make enemies of Peerless Douluo."
Qian Daoliu nodded in satisfaction. "Good. At the next auction, I'll have the Worship Hall contribute some resources to help you bid on high-value treasures."
After seeing Qian Daoliu off, Bibi Dong walked to the window and gazed toward the Auction House, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. She had once believed Spirit Hall was powerful enough to control everything, yet she hadn't expected a suddenly emerged Auction House to make even Qian Daoliu so cautious. Just how many secrets were still hidden by that man named Lin Yue and the Peerless Douluo in his service?
Meanwhile, in the top-floor loft of the Auction House, Lin Yue was looking at "Faction Developments" on the System Panel. When he saw the notification, "Spirit Hall's Worship Hall issues an order forbidding its forces from provoking the Auction House and steps up resource collection," a faint smile tugged at his lips. Mo Chen's test had gone very well. It had not only made Spirit Hall recognize the Auction House's strength, but also paved the way for future auctions.
He brought up the Task List, where a new side quest titled "Spirit Hall Resource Collection" had appeared. Its reward was a "God-level Soul Tool Design Fragment." Lin Yue knew this quest would spur Spirit Hall to gather resources even more frantically, while the Auction House would be the greatest beneficiary.
What had seemed like a simple test had completely changed Spirit Hall's attitude toward the Auction House. With Spirit Hall's concession, the other factions would be even less willing to provoke the Auction House, and its position would grow ever more secure. Lin Yue knew this was only the beginning. As more high-value Auction Items appeared, the balance of power across the Douluo Continent would undergo even more drastic changes. And amid those changes, he would gradually take control of the whole situation.
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