The auctioneer was delighted as well.
Century-old plant soul beasts...
They were rare commodities in a place like an auction house.
And the rarer something was, the more an auction house coveted it.
After all, ordinary daily necessities could be bought at any shop, so customers would not make a special trip to an auction house.
But the scarcer something was, the harder it was to obtain through normal channels, and the greater the auction house's value became.
Because they were rare, customers came to auction houses looking for them, and their prices were driven even higher.
Acquiring four century-old plant soul beasts at once was an extremely worthwhile deal for the auction house as well.
The procedures were soon completed.
The auction house was highly efficient. Appraisal, valuation, transfer, receipt issuance—a whole series of processes...
Took no more than ten minutes altogether.
The auctioneer handed a brand-new bank card to Han Li with both hands. The Federal Bank logo was printed on its surface, and it held eight million Federal Currency.
"Young friend, if you have any more century-old plant soul beasts in the future, feel free to keep supplying them to our auction house."
The auctioneer said it casually, his tone polite and relaxed, without much expectation.
Naturally, he did not think too deeply about it.
After all, the value of century-old plant soul beasts was based on the understanding of ordinary soul masters.
To ordinary soul masters and small or medium-sized clans, century-old plant soul beasts were indeed rare treasures, things one could only hope to encounter.
But to those great clans and powerful factions with millennia of inheritance, such things were nothing worth mentioning.
They had dedicated breeding grounds and cultivation bases of their own. Forget century-old soul beasts—even thousand-year or ten-thousand-year soul beasts could be cultivated by them.
The Spirit Pagoda was even more so.
Its soul spirit supply system was complete and vast. It had no need to purchase such scattered soul rings from outside.
And in the auctioneer's eyes, Han Li might have come from a small clan that had been passed down for a century.
Such small clans occasionally brought out inherited items from their ancestors to exchange for money. It was hardly uncommon.
Besides, being able to produce four century-old plant soul beasts at once was already quite impressive.
But as for continuing to supply them in the future...
The auctioneer did not really believe it.
So he had merely said it in passing.
It was simply a professional habit.
But Han Li did not reach out to accept the bank card.
He spoke.
"I need one Century Ice Crystal Fruit, one Century Red Flame Fruit, and ten drops of blood from a century-old soul beast with dragon bloodline."
"Deduct the money from the card."
The auctioneer was slightly stunned, and his motion of offering the card paused.
A Century Ice Crystal Fruit, a Century Red Flame Fruit, and blood from a century-old soul beast with dragon bloodline.
There was something indescribably strange about these three items being paired together.
Ice and fire were inherently opposing attributes. Few people needed both at the same time.
Not to mention adding soul beast blood with dragon bloodline on top of that.
But the auctioneer quickly recovered. The surprise on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a professional smile.
"Certainly. Please wait a moment."
The auctioneer turned and left the room to retrieve the items Han Li needed from the storeroom.
Han Li sat on the sofa and waited quietly.
These three items were not particularly precious.
Although century-old Ice Crystal Fruit and Red Flame Fruit were relatively rare spirit fruits.
They were not uncommon in the auction house's inventory.
As for the blood of a century-old soul beast with dragon bloodline...
Though demand for it was even lower.
The auction house still kept some common materials in stock.
Thus, the auctioneer soon returned carrying a tray.
On the tray sat an exquisite jade box, another jade box of the same size, and a sealed small glass bottle.
The auctioneer then set the tray on the coffee table.
He opened the lids of the two jade boxes, each of which held a spirit fruit lying quietly inside.
One was entirely icy blue, its surface covered in delicate frost. Even through the jade box, one could feel wisps of chill—
A Century Ice Crystal Fruit.
The other was fiery red, with faint, tiny patterns visible on its skin, as though flames were dancing across it—
A Century Red Flame Fruit.
And the glass bottle contained ten drops of blood from a century-old soul beast with dragon bloodline.
At that moment, the auctioneer set down the tray and spoke.
"The century-old Ice Crystal Fruit and Red Flame Fruit are each priced at five hundred thousand Federal Currency, while ten drops of blood from a century-old soul beast with dragon bloodline cost one hundred thousand Federal Currency."
"Of course, I'll make the decision."
"I'll waive that one hundred thousand for you."
"So there are still seven million left on the card."
Han Li nodded, his tone calm.
"Thank you."
He took the bank card, then placed the Ice Crystal Fruit, Red Flame Fruit, and the bottle of soul beast blood with dragon bloodline into his Storage Bracelet, his movements swift and decisive.
Afterward, Han Li left the auction house under the guidance of the same greeter from before.
However, Han Li did not hurry back to the orphanage. Instead, he strolled along the street at an unhurried pace.
He was considering something.
Places like auction houses saw countless customers come and go. They appeared polite on the surface, but no one could say whether they might make little moves behind the scenes.
He might only be a child who had come to sell something.
But four century-old plant soul beasts were no small temptation to anyone.
Moreover, he looked only seven years old.
A seven-year-old child bringing four century-old plant soul beasts alone to an auction house for a transaction was enough in itself to arouse some people's curiosity.
If the auction house secretly sent someone to follow him and probe his background, he would be placed in a passive position.
Therefore, to prevent the auction house from following him without his noticing.
Han Li decided not to return yet.
He turned directly and headed toward another part of Aolai City.
The Spirit Pagoda.
The Aolai City branch of the Spirit Pagoda was a towering building located in the city's central district.
The Spirit Pagoda was a colossal force across the entire continent.
The branch pagoda in every city was one of its most conspicuous buildings.
Han Li entered the Spirit Pagoda. The interior was spacious and brightly lit, with quite a few people coming and going.
Han Li found a spot in a corner of the Spirit Pagoda's main hall and quietly sat down.
People came and went through the hall, but no one noticed the child sitting in the corner.
Han Li was in no hurry. He closed his eyes to rest.
Occasionally, he opened his eyes to observe his surroundings, then closed them again and continued waiting.
It was not until he had remained there for three hours that he finally rose and left.
Three hours was neither long nor short, but it was enough to make anyone following him lose patience, and enough to leave a deep impression on the auction house's people.
He had entered the Spirit Pagoda and remained there for a long time.
Han Li's constant sitting there also made the Spirit Pagoda staff find him strange.
After entering, the boy had not said a word. He had simply sat quietly in the corner for three hours.
He neither inquired about services nor purchased a soul spirit.
Three hours later...
He inexplicably got up and left again.
What a strange child.
Before you continue