Lin Yue didn't insist. He simply nodded and handed her a pale blue jade token. "This is a temporary pass for the Auction House. It'll let you come and go freely, and access basic information about Soul Beasts. You can stay here for a few days and see how the Auction House operates before you decide. If you change your mind, come find me anytime."
Xiao Wu took the token. It felt cool in her hand, and the words "Otherworld Auction House" were engraved on it in tiny characters. A faint Energy Fluctuation still lingered around it. She closed her fingers around the token and looked up at Lin Yue, gratitude filling her eyes. "Thank you... I'll give it serious thought."
Lin Yue smiled and turned to point toward a room on the west side of the hall. "That's a temporary lounge. There's fresh grass and spring water inside, the sort Soul Beasts like. You can rest there for now. If you want to learn about the Auction House's Soul Beast resources, you can ask the Administrator at the display cases anytime."
Xiao Wu thanked Lin Yue and headed for the lounge, lifting the hem of her skirt as she walked. Passing the display cases, she couldn't help glancing again at the Soft Bone Rabbit Heart Protection Scale. Her resolve was gradually tilting toward accepting the invitation. Perhaps staying at the Auction House really was a good way to protect her kind and find Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
Watching Xiao Wu walk away, Lin Yue smiled. Her joining would not only help develop the Auction House's Soul Beast exchange section, but also let him establish contact with the Soul Beast Clan in the Star Dou Great Forest through her, laying the groundwork for gathering higher-grade Soul Beast resources in the future. More importantly, he could sense the pure goodwill in Xiao Wu. Such kindness was rare indeed on the blood-soaked Douluo Continent.
"Master, could letting her stay at the Auction House pose a risk?" Mo Chen had appeared beside Lin Yue at some point and asked in a low voice. He was concerned that Xiao Wu's identity as a Soul Beast might attract the covetous attention of other factions and bring trouble to the Auction House.
"Of course there's a risk, but the opportunities are greater," Lin Yue replied. "The Star Dou Great Forest holds too many secrets, especially the Silver Dragon King and the ferocious beast Di Tian. If we can establish a partnership with them through Xiao Wu, it'll be crucial to the Auction House's future development. Besides, with us here, no one can hurt her inside the Auction House."
Mo Chen nodded and said no more. He knew Lin Yue always thought far ahead. Since his Master had made up his mind, all he had to do was his job as a guard.
In the lounge, Xiao Wu sat on a cushion by the window, turning the temporary pass over in her hands. She remembered what Tang San had said before, about becoming a powerful Soul Master to protect her and Master. She also thought of her friends in the Star Dou Great Forest, and how Titan Giant Ape Er Ming and Sky Azure Bull Python Da Ming had looked after her.
"If I can gain enough strength here, will I be able to protect more people?" Xiao Wu murmured. Her gaze gradually grew resolute. She decided to stay at the Auction House for now and see whether it really was, as Lin Yue had said, a place where Soul Beasts and humans could coexist in balance. If it was, she was willing to become the bridge between them.
As the sun set, Xiao Wu left the lounge and approached the Administrator of her own accord to ask about the Soul Beast resource exchange section's work. The Administrator patiently explained everything, from classifying Soul Beast materials to the needs of human Soul Masters and the precautions to take when communicating with Soul Beasts.
Xiao Wu listened intently, occasionally asking questions of her own, such as how to tell whether a human Soul Master meant harm and how to ensure Soul Beasts received fair resources in exchange for their materials. The Administrator was surprised by how much she knew about Soul Beasts and praised her thoughtfulness.
When night fell, Xiao Wu returned to the lounge and gazed at the Auction House lights outside the window. Her doubts gradually faded. She touched the Blue Silver Grass bracelet at her waist and murmured, "Tang San, once I grow stronger, I'll come find you. Then I'll tell you about a place that can protect so many of our friends."
Standing by a second-floor window, Lin Yue watched the light in the lounge and knew Xiao Wu had made her choice. He opened the System Panel and saw the newly added notice, "Soul Beast Exchange Section in Preparation." A satisfied smile touched his lips. The Auction House's plans had moved one step forward.
Now he needed to wait for Xiao Wu to officially join, then use her to establish contact with the Soul Beast Clan in the Star Dou Great Forest. Before that, however, the upcoming First Auction was what would truly shock the Douluo Continent—
Just after the morning bells rang three times in the imperial capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, a lavish Gilded Carriage departed the Crown Prince's Mansion and sped along the smooth imperial road toward the heart of the Douluo Continent. Inside, Qian Renxue sat upright on a cushioned seat. Her moon-white brocade robe made her features look handsome, and her brows held the gentle poise distinctive to the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, "Xue Qinghe." Yet beneath those narrow phoenix eyes lurked a sharpness and wariness that didn't match her appearance.
"Your Highness, the Auction House's safety zone is just ahead." The coachman's voice came from outside the carriage, tinged with barely concealed reverence.
Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes. Her fingers absently rubbed the jade pendant at her waist—the "calling card" she had prepared for this inspection: a piece of Thousand Year Warm Jade containing a trace of Soul Power, enough to exchange for the Auction House's Base Points. She took a deep breath and suppressed her thoughts. Coming here as Xue Qinghe, she needed not only to learn the truth about the Auction House, but also to find out how one could obtain permission to access high-grade treasures. If she could secure priority bidding rights for Spirit Hall, it would be a great achievement.
The carriage stopped at the edge of the safety zone outside the Auction House. Qian Renxue straightened her robe and stepped down. Unlike Xiao Wu, who had been a little green when she arrived, she carried herself with the effortless composure of nobility. Her gaze swept over the Black Jade Main Building and the Golden Light Screen, and a flicker of amazement crossed her eyes. The architecture and Energy Fluctuation far exceeded anything currently found on the Douluo Continent. No wonder even her mother, Bibi Dong, was so interested in it.
"Your Highness Xue Qinghe, forgive us for not welcoming you sooner." Two Silver Armored Guards saw Qian Renxue's attire and bearing and immediately stepped forward to pay their respects, their tone more deferential than it would have been toward an ordinary visitor.
Qian Renxue gave a slight nod. Her voice was gentle, yet carried unquestionable authority. "I've heard that your Auction House has rare and wondrous treasures, so I've come to take a look. How may I enter?"
"Your Highness need only exchange for Points to enter. The Thousand Year Warm Jade you're carrying can be exchanged for 10,000 Base Points." As he spoke, the guard led Qian Renxue to the Points exchange counter.
After exchanging for a Point Voucher, Qian Renxue entered the Auction House hall with the jade token in hand. Unlike Xiao Wu, who had focused on Soul Beast materials, she immediately surveyed the display cases on either side of the hall, carefully studying the Soul Power fluctuations of each treasure. From low-grade Soul Power Recovery Potions to mid-grade Soul Bone Repair Talismans and high-grade Immortal Herb Seedlings, every item stirred something in her. Most of all, the object wrapped in black velvet at the back of the display case caught her attention. She couldn't make out its full shape, but its aura was enough to make her soul tremble.
"You seem quite interested in the high-grade treasures, Your Excellency." A warm voice suddenly came from behind her.
Qian Renxue's heart tightened. She spun around to see Lin Yue standing behind her, though she hadn't noticed him arrive. He held a cup of tea, his gaze deep as he studied her. For some reason, under Lin Yue's gaze, she felt as though her disguise had been stripped away and all her thoughts laid bare.
"Are you the Master of the Auction House?" Qian Renxue forced herself to stay calm and cupped her hands in greeting. "I am Xue Qinghe. I've long heard of the Otherworld Auction House, and have come to see it for myself."
Lin Yue smiled and offered her the tea. "You're too kind, Your Highness. Please, have some tea. The Auction House has many treasures, but viewing high-grade ones requires special access. If you're only here for a casual look around, I'm afraid you won't get to see the most important items."
Qian Renxue accepted the tea. As her fingertips touched the cup, her wariness deepened. Lin Yue's words were clearly probing her motives. She replied without revealing her thoughts, "Oh? What sort of 'special access' do you mean? As the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, I could offer support from the empire. Would that qualify me for access?"
She deliberately dangled the prospect of "support from the Heaven Dou Empire" to see whether Lin Yue would reveal more for the sake of profit. After all, in her view, no faction could refuse an offer of cooperation from an empire.
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