The outskirts of Star Dou Great Forest were bustling with people.
Compared to three days ago, the number of factions attending the auction had nearly doubled. After hearing how spectacular the First Auction had been, many sects and families that had taken a wait-and-see approach last time could no longer hold back. They had sent important figures to attend.
In the open space in front of the Auction Pavilion, carriages and horses crowded together, and banners fluttered in the wind. The various factions kept their distance from one another, clearly divided. They spoke in low voices, yet their gazes all turned toward the entrance of the mysterious building.
Among the crowd, one seemingly ordinary group went almost unnoticed. It was Flender, Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and the others from Shrek Academy. They had blended in with a small sect's party, hoping to enter without drawing attention.
"Is that the Myriad Worlds Auction Pavilion?" Tang San gazed at the magnificent building in the distance, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes. The Mysterious Heaven Skill began circulating on its own, allowing him to sense the terrifying field of energy surrounding the building.
Yu Xiaogang nodded gravely, clutching the plain invitation in his hand. "It looks unremarkable, yet they can produce treasures like those with ease... Either it's an incredible scam, or..." He left the thought unfinished, but confusion and frustration filled his eyes.
Flender pushed up his glasses, his small eyes gleaming shrewdly. "Scam or not, with this many people gathered here, the admission fees alone must bring in a tidy sum! What a shame, what a shame..."
Xiao Wu edged closer to Tang San uneasily and whispered, "Brother, I have a feeling there's something frightening inside that building..."
Tang San gently took her hand. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Just then, the doors of the Auction Pavilion slowly opened, and Mo Chen appeared once more, standing like a guardian at the gate. His powerful pressure instantly silenced the noisy crowd.
"Please line up and have your assets verified before entering." Mo Chen's voice was calm, yet carried clearly through the crowd. "I'll repeat the Auction House rules: no fighting is permitted inside. Violators will be dealt with severely."
After what had happened with Mad Rhinoceros Douluo last time, no one dared cause trouble. Everyone obediently lined up for the asset verification.
When it was the Shrek group's turn, Flender stepped forward with a sycophantic smile and placed his hand on the verification orb. A faint white glow appeared, just enough to meet the entry requirement.
"Ordinary seats. Please go inside," Mo Chen said, expressionless as he ushered them through.
Yu Xiaogang furrowed his brow but had no choice but to lead the others inside the Auction Pavilion.
The moment they entered the hall, they were stunned by its luxury and wonders. The spacious, brightly lit interior, the exquisite decor, and the unmistakably expanded sense of space all surpassed their expectations.
"What a fortune they must have spent..." Flender murmured. His professional instincts kicked in, and he began estimating the construction costs. The more he calculated, the more astonished he became.
Tang San, meanwhile, sharply surveyed his surroundings. He quietly activated his Purple Demon Eye, trying to see through the place, but an invisible force blocked him. The backlash made his eyes ache.
"Third Brother, what's wrong?" Xiao Wu asked with concern.
Tang San shook his head, his expression grave. "There's something unusual about this place. My Purple Demon Eye can't see through it at all."
They found their seats and waited for the auction to begin.
Just then, a commotion broke out at the entrance. A group dressed in Spirit Hall uniforms strode in, led by a woman in an extravagant papal robe. A purple-gold crown rested on her head, and she held a scepter. Her beauty was breathtaking, but her bearing carried a suffocating authority.
"Pope Bibi Dong!" someone cried out.
The entire hall fell silent. Everyone's gaze focused on her. The Spirit Hall Pope had personally come—this was a momentous event!
Bibi Dong paid no heed to the attention around her and walked straight to the verification orb. When she placed her hand on it, the orb erupted in a brilliant blue light unlike anything seen before, with even a hint of gold flowing through it.
"Spirit Hall, please proceed to the third-floor private suite," Long Yi said, bowing slightly. His manner was clearly more respectful than it had been toward the other factions.
Bibi Dong nodded faintly and gracefully ascended to the third floor beneath the crowd's reverent gazes.
Tang San stared at Bibi Dong's retreating figure, his fists clenching unconsciously. Spirit Hall—his mother's murderer...
Yu Xiaogang's expression was even more complicated. As he watched the figure he had once known so well, pain and resentment flashed in his eyes, along with a trace of longing he could barely conceal.
"All right, the auction's about to begin," Flender reminded them quietly, drawing their attention back.
The lights dimmed, a beam shone down on the Auction Platform, and Lin Yue appeared once more.
"Welcome back, everyone." He smiled and swept his gaze across the hall. "Today's auction will feature six treasures. I'm sure they won't disappoint."
The first Auction Item was soon brought out: a set of Soul Tools called the "Seven Star Array Flag," capable of setting up a simple defensive formation. The Starting Price was 3,000 Points.
Bidding began at once. In the end, a mid-sized sect bought it for 8,500 Points.
The second and third Auction Items followed. They were rare medicinal herbs and Soul Tools, and both sparked fierce bidding.
Yu Xiaogang kept his brow furrowed. He murmured, "These things are precious, but still within reason... Was the last auction just a gimmick?"
Just then, the fourth Auction Item was brought out. It was a strange Crystal that emitted a soft glow.
"This item is called the 'Treasure-Identifying Eye,'" Lin Yue explained. "When merged with the eye, it can greatly enhance one's ability to appraise treasures for a short time, allowing the user to see part of an object's nature and the flow of its energy. The effect lasts for an hour and can be used three times. The Starting Price is 8,000 Points!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Xiaogang abruptly sat upright, his eyes blazing!
This was practically made for him! If he could see an object's true nature, it would be a revolutionary breakthrough for his theoretical research!
"Teacher?" Tang San noticed Yu Xiaogang's reaction.
Yu Xiaogang was so excited that his voice trembled. "This... this thing is incredibly important to me! I have to get it!"
But when the bidding began, Yu Xiaogang quickly fell into despair.
"10,000 Points!" Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect made the first bid.
"12,000!" came a calm voice from the Spirit Hall suite.
"15,000!" The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan refused to be outdone.
The price soared rapidly, soon passing the 20,000-Point mark. Yu Xiaogang's face grew paler and paler. Even his entire fortune wouldn't have covered the difference.
Flender shook his head with a bitter smile. "Xiaogang, this price is outrageous. We..."
Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth and suddenly stood up. "I... I can put my Theoretical Research Notes up as collateral! They contain the essence of my life's work!"
The hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted in mocking laughter.
"Theoretical Research Notes? What are those?"
"Has he lost his mind? He thinks something like that is worth using as collateral?"
"Looks like he's gone mad over that treasure..."
Even Lin Yue shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry, but this Auction House only accepts physical items as collateral."
Yu Xiaogang's face turned deathly pale. He slumped back into his seat. Tang San hurried to comfort him. "Teacher, don't take it to heart. Something like this may be all flash and no substance. It might not be as miraculous as it seems."
But Yu Xiaogang's eyes were full of disappointment and resentment. He had devoted his life to theoretical research, yet he couldn't even obtain a treasure that would help with his studies...
In the end, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect bought the Treasure-Identifying Eye for the high price of 32,000 Points.
Ning Fengzhi accepted the Crystal and nodded with satisfaction. "With this, our sect's ability to appraise treasures will improve significantly. Our commercial profits should increase by at least thirty percent."
The next two Auction Items also sparked fierce bidding, but the Shrek group had lost interest. Yu Xiaogang was consumed by his sense of defeat, while Tang San clenched his fists in secret, feeling an inexplicable dislike for this Auction House.
Just as the auction was about to end, Lin Yue suddenly spoke. "We have one final special item to add to the auction—the 'Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well Map.'"
A finely drawn map appeared on the display stand. It clearly marked the location and terrain of a certain valley.
"This map points to a place of great value, filled with rare medicinal herbs that can greatly benefit a Soul Master's cultivation." Lin Yue smiled meaningfully. "The Starting Price is 5,000 Points."
Tang San looked up sharply, shock flashing in his eyes. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? Wasn't that Dugu Bo's medicinal garden?
He instinctively looked toward Dugu Bo and saw that his face had turned livid. Clearly, he hadn't expected his secret to be made public.
"10,000 Points!" Dugu Bo practically roared the bid. He had to protect his secret!
However, Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect also began bidding, and the price quickly soared.
In the end, Dugu Bo had no choice but to put up a large quantity of rare herbs and poisons as collateral. He bought the map for the staggering price of 58,000 Points, preserving the secret of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The auction ended, and people began filing out.
The Shrek group quietly left the Auction Pavilion, the mood heavy.
"Damn it!" Dai Mubai couldn't help punching a tree. "Those major sects are way too overbearing. They don't give small factions like us a chance!"
Oscar smiled bitterly. "What can we do? We're poor."
Yu Xiaogang remained silent, his gaze vacant. The day's events had dealt him a heavy blow.
Seeing his teacher so dejected, Tang San's resentment toward the Auction House reached its peak. He swore to himself that one day, he would make this arrogant Auction House pay...
What they didn't know was that on the top floor of the Auction Pavilion, Lin Yue watched their retreating figures through the Crystal Window, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"The seeds have been sown. Now we'll see when they sprout..."
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