Auction Ends, Interception

With the high bid of eighty million shouted out, Yu Yuanzhen finally ceased his bidding.

This price had already exceeded his psychological limit. After all, Yu Luomian was only level eighty-five; even with the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma, the difficulty of becoming a Title Douluo remained significant. To stake the majority of the sect's liquid assets on this was simply not worth it.

At the same time, in another private box, Moonlight and Ghost Douluo exchanged glances, their faces filled with helplessness, though deep within their eyes hid a trace of imperceptible glee.

Even counting the twenty-five million from the sale of the spirit bone, they only had seventy-five million on them. They hadn't even really started bidding when Ning Fengzhi's single sentence blocked their path forward.

"Old Ghost, it seems we won't be able to complete our mission this time. Tell me, after we return, how will Her Majesty the Pope deal with us?" Moonlight curled his orchid-shaped fingers, his tone filled with self-mockery.

"She has no reason to." Ghost Douluo's language was as concise as ever.

"Yes, she has no reason to..." Moonlight sighed faintly, "but does she need a reason?"

As the words fell, both men fell into silence.

A month ago, because of the intelligence transmitted from Notting City, they had been inexplicably berated by Bibi Dong, even suffering minor injuries.

Now, being sent to buy such a treasure for that good-for-nothing, the two of them, who had rarely received any significant rewards, felt quite aggrieved.

While they were conversing, the bidding in the arena continued, and the price of the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma had already soared to ninety-seven million!

Only Ning Fengzhi and the old man from the Star Luo Empire remained in the bidding.

"One hundred million Gold Soul Coins." Ning Fengzhi's voice rang out once more. This time, his increment was small. "Old sir, Ning is determined to obtain this herb today, so I shall shamelessly accept it. I hope you will not take offense, elder."

Through the continuous bidding, Ning Fengzhi had long since figured out the other party's bottom line. Unsurprisingly, this one hundred million was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

The facts were just as Ning Fengzhi had expected. After he announced the price of one hundred million, the other party indeed did not continue to follow, falling completely silent.

The auctioneer looked at the quiet venue, feeling as if his heart were about to jump out of his throat.

He took a deep breath, raised the small wooden gavel with a trembling hand, and with the loudest voice he could muster, completed the most glorious pronouncement of his career.

"One hundred million Gold Soul Coins—sold!"

Inside the private box, Bai Shu did not pay attention to the subsequent events, instead instructing Dugu Bo: "Senior Dugu, I leave the following settlement procedures to you."

"Yes, thank you for your trust, Young Master." Dugu Bo bowed and replied with some excitement. It was his first time handling such a massive fortune; even just passing it through his hands made his heart surge with emotion.

Immediately after, Bai Shu turned to look at Old Xie: "Old Xie, let us leave the city immediately as well. Moonlight and the others should be leaving in a hurry; if we are late, we might miss them."

With Old Xie leading the way, the speed of the two was naturally extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, they were far from the bustling capital. It was not until they reached a dense forest a hundred miles outside the city that Old Xie stopped.

"Old Xie, are you sure they will pass through here?"

Old Xie said with certainty: "Young Master, rest assured. Those two did not hide their route of travel at all; they should arrive very soon."

Sure enough, the moment Old Xie's words fell, two streams of light pierced through the clouds in the distant sky, speeding toward their direction. It was indeed the hurried Moonlight and Ghost Douluo!

"Old Xie, stop them."

Old Xie grinned, revealing his stark white teeth: "Young Master, wait a moment!"

To ensure nothing went wrong, Old Xie even released his own spirit directly. His previously restrained aura erupted, and a terrifying pressure soared into the sky!

In an instant, a strange blue and red light screen spread wildly with him at the center, turning the surrounding thousand meters into a poisonous purgatory!

This was one of Old Xie's ninth spirit skills, the Blood Demon Poison Domain.

"Not good! It's a domain! Retreat quickly!"

Moonlight and Ghost Douluo sensed this chilling fluctuation of Soul Power the moment Old Xie's aura erupted. Ghost Douluo even let out a shout, and as black mist churned, he tried to turn around and flee.

This pressure was even a notch stronger than what Pope Bibi Dong had displayed!

But how could their speed compare to the speed of a domain's release?

The two had only just made the motion to retreat when they were completely enveloped by the blue and red poison domain.

A cold and heavy pressure descended from thin air, and they felt the circulation of their Soul Power within their bodies instantly stagnate by at least twenty percent!

At the same time, Old Xie's figure, amidst the distortion of the poison mist, appeared silently in front of the two like a teleportation.

Moonlight and Ghost Douluo were terrified, subconsciously releasing their spirits. The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and the Ghost Spirit Soul appeared simultaneously.

They looked in horror at the old man before them whose aura was unfathomable, especially when their eyes landed on the scarlet, blood-like hundred-thousand-year spirit ring at Old Xie's feet, which instantly reminded them of some unpleasant memories.

However, Old Xie had no intention of attacking the two, merely standing with his hands behind his back, making a gesture of invitation, and saying indifferently:

"The two of you, my Young Master invites you to come down and have a chat."

Moonlight and Ghost Douluo looked at each other, both seeing deep suspicion in the other's eyes.

Who was this person? And who was his Young Master? To set up such a formation just to "invite" them? However, if they just followed the other party obediently, how was that any different from walking into a trap?

Old Xie saw their concerns and said with some disdain:

"Rest assured, if I wanted to harm you two little ones, I wouldn't need to play these tricks. With your strength, you aren't qualified to make me go to such lengths."

"Senior, may I ask who your Young Master is?" Moonlight hesitated for a moment before deciding to clarify the situation first.

"Who my Young Master is, you will know once you see him."

"This... Senior, we two still have a mission from Spirit Hall to carry out, I'm afraid we cannot leave with you." Moonlight brought up Spirit Hall, hoping to make the other party wary.

"Heh, so you mean you want me to do it myself?"

Before the words had even faded, behind Old Xie, the massive phantom of the Blood Demon Scorpion Emperor let out a silent roar toward the sky. The terrifying killing intent pressed down on the two like a physical weight, making them unable to breathe, as if they would be torn to shreds at the slightest disagreement.

Faced with Xie Biyan's threat, Yue Guan and Gui mei displayed astonishing coordination; as Title Douluo, their dignity would never allow them to surrender without a fight!

Without a word of exchange, the two moved instantly!

"Eighth Soul Skill, Myriad Streams of Flowing Light."

"Eighth Soul Skill, Hundred Ghosts Devouring the Heart."

In an instant, countless golden petals shimmering with a sharp, metallic luster converged into a brilliant torrent, tearing through the mist within the Poison Domain and heading straight for Xie Biyan's face; wherever it passed, the air emitted a sharp, mournful wail!

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the moment Xie Biyan's vision was obstructed, Gui mei launched a bizarre soul attack. The invisible resentment of a hundred ghosts coalesced into a mental storm, as if to drag a person's soul into an endless hell!

However, faced with the thunderous combined strike of two Title Douluo, Xie Biyan's expression did not change in the slightest; he merely raised his right hand slowly.

He did not even use any soul skills, simply striking out lightly toward the void in front of him.

The next moment, a massive red and blue palm manifested out of thin air, slapping directly against the torrent of golden petals.