Ling Luochеn was feeling great, but next door, Ma Xiaotao was having a miserable time.
As a Spirit Saint, her five senses were naturally sharp. And although the hotel had decent soundproofing, it was no match for the racket some people were making.
The muffled moans, one after another, were like demonic sounds drilling into her brain. They left Ma Xiaotao, who was trying to heal, so restless that the Evil Fire in her body nearly flared up again.
"Damn Ling Luochеn!" Ma Xiaotao gritted her teeth, her red hair floating despite the lack of wind. "She acts like some icy goddess all the time, but who knew she'd be so enthusiastic behind closed doors! She's definitely doing it on purpose! Absolutely trying to rile me up!"
Ma Xiaotao knew full well: aside from that little bastard Huo Yuhao, who else could have gotten into Ling Luochеn's bed?
Two days passed in a flash, and the first round of the round-robin tournament came to an end.
After two nights of Huo Yuhao's "hard work," Ling Luochеn's injuries had miraculously healed most of the way, and she had more or less regained her combat strength.
But now, when this once aloof ice beauty saw Huo Yuhao, her cool eyes instantly turned into a pool of spring water, rippling with light. She was no longer the least bit distant—in fact, she looked just like a newlywed bride.
The second round of the tournament was tomorrow. After dinner, the team leader, Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan, waved her hand to ease everyone's nerves and led the group to "relax" at Star Light Auction House, the finest auction house in Star Luo City.
Inside the luxurious private room, Ma Xiaotao made a point of squeezing in beside Huo Yuhao. Her beautiful eyes were as full of grievance as those of a neglected wife, and she stared fixedly at him. He grew so uncomfortable that he was practically breaking out in a cold sweat.
Suddenly, he felt a sharp pinch in the soft flesh at his waist.
Ma Xiaotao dug in with her slender fingers, then leaned close to Huo Yuhao's ear. Her breath was sweet, but her voice carried a hint of gritted teeth. "You've been having a pretty good time these past few days, huh? Leaving me all alone to listen through the wall was fun, was it?"
"Ahem... Sister Xiaotao, let me explain... It was for her recovery..." Huo Yuhao laughed nervously.
"Enough nonsense!" Ma Xiaotao glared at him and lowered her voice, her tone carrying an unmistakably domineering edge. "I need treatment too. Tonight... come to my room. You promised me before, no matter how many women you have, you'd make sure I was satisfied. If you try to welch on that promise, I'll roast you and eat you!"
As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Ling Luochеn, who was sitting not far away. The challenge in her eyes was unmistakable.
Ling Luochеn felt guilty, so she naturally didn't dare meet Ma Xiaotao's gaze. But she secretly resolved that if she got another chance, she'd make sure Ma Xiaotao couldn't sleep all night.
Huo Yuhao made up his mind too. He'd held back because he was worried about Ma Xiaotao's injuries, but all that had done was let trouble flare up in his own backyard. Next, he'd have to put her firmly in her place and win her over completely.
If he couldn't make Ma Xiaotao's legs go weak at the sight of him, how was he supposed to get by from now on? What about Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao? What about Senior Sister Zhang?
Soon, the auction officially began.
The first item up for bid was an exquisite metal wrist guard.
"Third-grade Soul Guidance Paralysis Ray. Fires instantly, and if it hits, it can paralyze a Spirit King-level Soul Master for one second. Opening bid: one thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
The bids quickly climbed.
"Two thousand five hundred Gold Soul Coins!"
In the end, Zhang Lexuan won the bid.
This Soul Tool would be a considerable boost for the Reserve Team.
After receiving it, Zhang Lexuan turned to Wang Dong. "Wang Dong, you can have this Soul Tool. You're fast, and it'll work well with your speed."
Wang Dong frowned and waved her hand in distaste. "Senior Sister, I don't want it. I hate these cold metal contraptions. Soul Masters should fight with their own Martial Souls. What kind of skill is it to rely on an outside tool?"
The loathing seemed ingrained in her bones, and even carried a hint of inexplicable superiority.
Huo Yuhao sneered inwardly.
What, an inborn dislike? This was nothing but the work of that high-and-mighty God King Tang.
The rise of Soul Tools had led to the decline of the Tang Sect. Naturally, the small-minded God King hated Soul Tools with a passion, and had passed that attitude on to his own daughter.
"Wang Dong, take it." Huo Yuhao grabbed the wrist guard and forced it into her hand.
"I don't want it! Why are you forcing me?" Wang Dong snapped, trying to pull away.
But Huo Yuhao held her hand tightly, his gaze suddenly turning utterly serious, even stern. "Wang Dong, look me in the eye. Do you really hate Soul Tools? Or are you just rejecting them blindly? The times are changing, and Soul Tools are the way of the future. If an enemy points one at your head someday, are you going to use your arrogance to stop the blast?"
"I..." Wang Dong was startled by Huo Yuhao's sudden seriousness. As she looked into his eyes, which seemed able to see right through her, that inexplicable resistance within her began to waver.
"I'm doing this for your own good. You always say you want to keep up with me and not hold me back. Only by understanding and mastering Soul Tools can you surpass them. Do you want to follow behind me your whole life and be a burden?" Huo Yuhao continued to coax her along—through a mix of persuasion and intimidation.
Wang Dong bit her lip, but in the end, she gave in beneath Huo Yuhao's oppressive gaze and reluctantly put on the wrist guard. "Fine... I'll use it. Honestly, why do you have to be so fierce..."
"That's more like it!" Huo Yuhao patted Wang Dong's head, as if smoothing the fur of his pet kitten.
Just then, a cheerful notification rang in Huo Yuhao's mind:
[Ding! Detected that Tang San in the Divine Realm has become intensely enraged because his daughter accepted a Soul Tool. Anger Points +999!]
Huo Yuhao's lips curled into a faint smile, and his mood improved greatly.
The auction continued.
Zhang Lexuan was flush with cash, and she bought more than a dozen practical Soul Tools in a row, handing them out to everyone.
Then the second-to-last item appeared.
"Fourth-grade Soul Tool for storing energy, commonly known as a 'Milk Bottle.' It can store Soul Power and help Soul Masters recover quickly. Opening bid: five thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
Just as Zhang Lexuan was about to raise her bidding paddle again, Huo Yuhao stopped her hand.
"Senior Sister, there's no need to bid on this one."
"Why not? It's very useful in a battle of attrition," Zhang Lexuan asked, puzzled.
Huo Yuhao poured a pile of metal bottles from his storage ring and casually scattered them across the table. "Why spend money on junk like this fourth-grade stuff? I've got a bunch of fifth-grade ones lying around. Everyone can take as many as they want. There's plenty."
The entire room fell silent.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the pile of Milk Bottles radiating intense Soul Power, then looked at Huo Yuhao, who wore a completely unruffled expression.
"F-fifth-grade?!"
Only then did everyone remember that Huo Yuhao was also a powerful Soul Engineer. It was just that his monstrous talent as a Soul Master had overshadowed his achievements with Soul Tools.
Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath, her gaze filled with amazement and mixed feelings. "You... just how many more surprises are you hiding from us? If you had something this good, why didn't you bring it out sooner?"
"The earlier matches weren't much of a challenge, so we didn't need these," Huo Yuhao said with a smile.
Finally, the auction's grand finale arrived.
A young woman in formal attire carried a tray onto the stage. A red cloth covered it.
The instant the cloth was removed, a bloodcurdling aura spread through the room. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
It was a black Engraving Knife, dark from end to end. It seemed to swallow the light around it, radiating an ominous aura.
"Ranking List Engraving Knife, ranked ninety-ninth: Ferocious Blade Soul Devourer!"
The auctioneer's voice trembled. "It has had thirty-seven owners, and every single one of them met a gruesome end. It can even devour souls. This is a cursed demon blade. Opening bid: one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."
The entire room fell silent.
Ranking List Engraving Knives usually started at three hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and the final price could easily reach several million. But this one's reputation for bloodshed was too fearsome. Who would be foolish enough to buy it?
Just as the auctioneer thought it would go unsold and was about to bring down the hammer—
"One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."
A calm voice came from the private room.
Zhang Lexuan's expression changed dramatically. "Yuhao, have you lost your mind?! That's a ferocious blade! It'll devour its owner's soul! With your talent, the academy will definitely find a better Engraving Knife for you. There's no need to take this risk!"
Ma Xiaotao panicked too. "Exactly, Yuhao! If something happens to you, what will I... what will we do?"
"Don't worry, Senior Sister, Sister Xiaotao." A confident glint flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes. "I'm sure I can suppress it. For me, this blade is an opportunity, not a disaster."
What curse? It was just a seal left behind by an Evil Soul Master. Even if his Necromancy wasn't advanced enough to break it, Electrolux certainly wasn't there for nothing.
Seeing Huo Yuhao's resolute gaze, Zhang Lexuan hesitated for a moment before finally sighing. "All right... if you're determined. But be careful. If anything seems wrong, throw it away immediately!"
"Sold!"
As the auction hammer fell, Huo Yuhao was delighted.
The Life Gold was his!
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