Lin Ciyan remained calm, leading Zhang Lexuan to sit down in the main seat of the central sofa.
He glanced at the surprised crowd and said, "Please sit down."
Zhang Lexuan sat obediently beside him, her moon-white dress spread out on the silver silk sofa.
Her long, slender legs were placed sideways and together, her posture elegant.
Ling Luochеn sat quietly on the other side of Lin Ciyan, her icy blue eyes sweeping across the room before finally settling on him.
Ma Xiaotao pouted and sat down next to Ling Luochеn, her long orange hair gleaming faintly under the light.
The people took their seats one after another.
At this moment, a middle-aged man dressed in a white suit with gold trim walked in, followed by six maids.
He bowed respectfully to Lin Ciyan: "Honorable guest, I am the manager of this auction, surnamed Chen. What services do you require? We can provide you with a private explanation of the auction items, or meet any other needs."
Lin Ciyan waved his hand. "No need, we can take a look ourselves."
"Yes." Supervisor Chen bowed. "Then I won't bother you any longer. If you need anything, please press the Soul Guidance Communicator next to the sofa, and we will handle it for you immediately."
After saying this, he left with his maid and gently closed the door.
The VIP room fell silent.
Everyone then relaxed a little.
Wang Yan looked at everything before him, still deeply shocked.
He originally thought that Lin Ciyan bringing a reserve team to the auction already showed he had seen the world.
But now...
Compared to this Golden Supreme VIP Room, the Purple-Grade VIP Card in his hand... was utterly insignificant.
"Alright." Zhang Lexuan's gentle voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention back.
She looked at the seven members of the reserve team and said softly, "Now that we're at the auction house, before the auction starts, I'll briefly tell you about the current situation in the Soul Master World."
Everyone sat upright and solemnly.
Zhang Lexuan slowly said, "This year's All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament is quite different from previous years. The difference lies in the fact that there are now very few purely Soul Master Academy. The development direction of all academies is the integration of Soul Engineer and Soul Master."
She paused, then continued, "There are many ways to integrate them. For ordinary academies, the simplest approach is to diligently cultivate their own Soul Master and then purchase Soul Tool to equip them with. All they need to know is how to operate the Soul Tool."
"Just like when we were in the first elimination round, when Yuhao and Wang Dong activated the Golden Road, their opponents had Defensive Soul Tool. This situation is almost universal in this tournament."
Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up.
He did remember that when the attack hit, the opponent's body glowed with the light of a soul-guided shield.
Zhang Lexuan looked at Jiang Nannan: "To give a simple example, what would happen if a speed-type Soul Master like Nannan were equipped with Soul Tool that increases speed, and she could use it freely? At the same time, considering her weakness in defense, wouldn't equipping her with some Defensive Soul Tool that protect her life allow her to unleash her full potential without any worries?"
Jiang Nannan seemed to be deep in thought.
Xu Sanshi frowned and said, "But Grandmaster, Soul Tool are, after all, external objects."
"Shouldn't our battles as Soul Master be purely about skill? The abilities we cultivate ourselves are the most reliable and trustworthy."
Zhang Lexuan nodded. "You're right. And I can tell you for sure that this idea is shared by the vast majority of the academy's higher-ups. And it is precisely because of this that the development of the academy's Soul Guidance Department has been constrained."
She then changed the subject. "However, based on my observations of this year's competition, I must say that this mindset has reached a point where it must change."
" Soul Tool have become the weapons of Soul Master; this is a product of the evolution of the times. If we do not keep up with the pace of progress, we will one day be eliminated."
Wang Yan listened from the side, his heart filled with excitement.
What the Grandmaster sister said was exactly what he had been trying to express all along!
Zhang Lexuan continued, "While Shrek Academy certainly possesses a rich foundation, how long can we squander it?"
"You will be the next generation of Shrek Seven Devils, and I hope to start by changing you."
She looked at Bei Bei: " Bei Bei, what do you think?"
After a moment's thought, Bei Bei said earnestly, "I agree with Grandmaster. I'm willing to try using it in conjunction with the Soul Tool."
He paused, then continued, "With Tang Ya's help, I joined the Tang Sect. Everyone knows the history of the Tang Sect. It was once glorious on the continent. But why didn't that glory last? Of course, there were factors of human error, but more importantly, the Tang Sect was eliminated by the times."
"The emergence of Soul Tool directly impacted the Tang Sect's economic resources, which is the root cause of the Tang Sect decline. The pace of the times is unstoppable. Only by adapting to the times can the Tang Sect rise again."
Xu Sanshi thought for a moment and nodded, saying, " Grandmaster Sister is right. Having Defensive Soul Tool will make us more composed in times of crisis."
Zhang Lexuan said gently, "It's good that you've figured it out. However, the choice is yours. I won't force you, and neither will the academy. I just hope you can think about this issue seriously."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Lin Ciyan.
Lin Ciyan remained leaning back on the sofa, eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the discussion that had just taken place.
But Zhang Lexuan knew that Lin Ciyan always adhered to the concept of making the most of everything, using whatever was available to reduce all troubles to zero.
Lin Ciyan naturally agreed with her viewpoint.
"The auction is about to begin." Lin Ciyan opened his eyes and looked at the transparent Soul Tool Glass wall.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
Inside the auction hall below, the lights gradually dimmed, while the lights on the auction stage began to brighten.
A woman in a purple dress walked onto the stage from one side of the auction hall.
She looked to be around thirty years old, with a dignified and beautiful appearance, and a faint smile on her face.
As she walked, she moved gracefully, her well-tailored long dress perfectly outlining her mature figure.
The neckline of the purple dress was plunging just right, revealing a patch of fair skin.
Her skirt swayed gently with her steps, revealing glimpses of her long, slender legs.
She walked to the center of the auction stage, her gaze sweeping across the entire room, finally glancing, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, towards the direction of the golden VIP room.
Then, she smiled slightly, her red lips parting slightly:
"Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Starlight Auction House. Our auction is about to begin. Please take your seats."
A beautiful and melodious female voice came from all directions through the Amplifying Soul Tool, carrying a unique magnetism.
The auction hall fell silent. The already dim wall lamps gradually dimmed, while the lights on the auction stage began to shine brighter.