Angel Holy Sword?

"There really are a lot of rich people in Ming Capital."

Xu Tianming watched helplessly as the number on the auction platform's electronic screen climbed at a furious pace, breaking through thirty million in mere moments.

However, once it passed thirty million, the changes on the electronic screen gradually slowed.

"People who can attend this kind of auction aren't fools."

Zhang Tiezhu, who understood these matters best, spoke quietly to Xu Tianming.

"Although this ton of Star Pattern Steel is worth more than fifty million, its origin is unknown."

"The buyer has to shoulder considerable risk, so items at black-market auctions like this generally sell for only seventy or eighty percent of their market value."

Xu Tianming nodded in sudden understanding.

Just as Zhang Tiezhu had said, the ton of Star Pattern Steel was ultimately sold for a little over forty million.

The first auction item had clearly stirred up the atmosphere in the auction hall.

The following items, such as Soul Tools, Spirit Bones, and other rare metals, might not have been as valuable as the first lot.

But they still sold for impressive prices.

The smile on auctioneer Xiaowei's face became increasingly radiant.

Poor Zhang Tiezhu and poor-plus Xu Tianming were truly just there to broaden their horizons. The two words in their pockets, "no money," did not even qualify them to place a bid.

"The next auction item is a rather strange Soul Tool."

Xiaowei paused to catch her breath before continuing as she pointed at the stage.

"This broken sword seems to be part of some Soul Tool. Even the Level 9 Soul Master we invited was unable to identify its material."

"However, one thing is certain: this sword is extraordinarily sturdy. Even an Eighth-Level Soul Engineer would be unable to inflict any meaningful damage on it."

Displayed on the platform was a rust-covered blade, seemingly the lower half of a longsword.

"Although we do not know what this broken sword looked like before it snapped."

"The fact that even a Level 9 Soul Master cannot identify its material, along with its incredible hardness, makes it without question an excellent material for crafting Soul Tools."

It was merely a broken sword, and only the lower half of one at that. Xu Tianming had initially paid it little attention.

At most, he was curious about its material.

"Tianming, this broken sword carries the same wondrous aura as those metal fragments from before!"

Just as Xu Tianming withdrew his gaze, Electrolux's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"And I can sense a dense holy aura slumbering within this broken sword!"

Xu Tianming's expression changed abruptly, and he immediately sat upright.

Divine artifact, broken sword, holy aura!

As his eyes flickered, an idea gradually took shape in Xu Tianming's mind.

During the era of Peerless Tang Sect, Douluo Continent had not produced any true divine artifacts.

The Sigh of the Ice and Snow Goddess—Morning Dew Knife—that Huo Yuhao later obtained had been passed down to him by the already ascended Rong Nianbing.

Yet two divine artifacts had completely vanished after the Battle of the Two Gods ten thousand years ago.

One was the Rakshasa Demon Scythe of Rakshasa God Bibi Dong.

The other was Qian Renxue's Angel Holy Sword.

After their owners had been defeated and killed by Tang God King, those two divine artifacts had completely disappeared from the continent.

"Could this be part of the Angel Holy Sword?"

Xu Tianming stared fixedly at the broken sword on the display platform, unable to stop a flash of burning excitement from appearing in his eyes.

Although Spirit Hall had been completely destroyed, the Angel Martial Soul of the Qian Clan had ultimately survived.

Take Ye Guyi, for instance. Her whereabouts were currently unknown, but she was most likely in the Pingfan Alliance. She possessed the mutated Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, the Holy Angel.

And this Spirit Master with an Angel Martial Soul inherited from Douluo Continent had actually made her first appearance in the Sun Moon Empire.

That alone was a very subtle matter.

If anyone claimed that Shrek Academy, Tang Sect, and the Three Douluo Kingdoms had not suppressed Spirit Masters with Angel Martial Souls, Xu Tianming would not believe it even if they beat him to death.

"What's wrong? You want that broken sword with only half left?"

Zhang Tiezhu naturally noticed Xu Tianming's unusual reaction and asked curiously.

"Yeah."

Xu Tianming nodded heavily.

"Mentor Zhang, how much money do you have? Consider it a loan to me."

"I have to get this broken sword!"

With such a treasure before him, how could Xu Tianming possibly let it go so easily?

"I may be an Eighth-Level Soul Engineer... but you know I don't have any noteworthy achievements."

Zhang Tiezhu gave a bitter laugh.

"Most of Mingde Hall's limited funding has also gone toward buying rare metals... I only have eighty thousand Gold Soul Coins on me now."

Xu Tianming rubbed his head in frustration. He himself only had twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Even combined, they only had one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

"Given the material and mystery of this broken sword, the starting bid is fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Hearing auctioneer Xiaowei's voice from the stage, Xu Tianming finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Fifty thousand... Surely no one will compete with me for this thing?"

After watching the number on the electronic screen remain unchanged for quite a while, Xu Tianming entered sixty thousand on the screen beside his armrest.

But it was as though he had pressed some strange button. The number on the electronic screen instantly jumped to seventy thousand.

"Damn it... There must be shills in this auction house driving up the price!"

Xu Tianming tapped the armrest, his expression immediately turning ugly.

He was not an idiot. When no one bid, the number on the electronic screen did not move at all.

But the instant he placed a bid, someone else immediately bid after him.

If that was not a shill, then what was?

"Don't panic!"

Seeing Xu Tianming about to enter another price, Zhang Tiezhu hurriedly stopped him.

"If you're this anxious, they may realize that you genuinely want this item."

"When that happens, they'll only drive the price up even harder!"

Xu Tianming took several deep breaths at those words, and his expression slowly calmed.

"Mentor Zhang, then what should I do?"

In the end, he still lacked life experience. Xu Tianming immediately asked Zhang Tiezhu.

"Wait. Wait until the very last moment before bidding."

Zhang Tiezhu sneered.

"And don't raise the price by ten thousand at a time. Raise it by one thousand at a time."

"That way, they'll be afraid the item will end up stuck in their hands, so they naturally won't dare inflate the price too much."

"I've learned a lot."

Xu Tianming immediately understood and repeatedly cupped his hands toward Zhang Tiezhu.

As expected, old ginger was spicier.

Following Zhang Tiezhu's method, Xu Tianming only bid whenever Xiaowei was about to bring down her hammer.

And each time, he raised the price by only one thousand Gold Soul Coins.

In the end, the price of this auction item settled at ninety thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Having wasted so much time on something that looked worthless, even auctioneer Xiaowei had a trace of displeasure flash through her eyes.

"Ninety thousand Gold Soul Coins, going once. Ninety thousand Gold Soul Coins, going twice. Ninety thousand Gold Soul Coins, going three times!"

The auction hammer in Xiaowei's hand crashed heavily onto the platform, and her voice finally allowed Xu Tianming to completely relax.

"Congratulations to this honored guest for successfully winning this item!"