We'll Set Out to Sea First Thing Tomorrow Morning
Finally, the auctioneer's tone shifted to a cautious reminder.
"However, we need to remind our distinguished guests that since terrifying Sea Soul Beast often appear in the deep sea, and even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast are not uncommon, we suggest that whoever wins this item should only use it in coastal areas and not take it out to the open sea or deep sea, so as to avoid unpredictable dangers."
"Alright, this amazing ancient Soul Tool, the 'Dragon Abyss Boat,' which combines practicality and aesthetic value, has a starting price of 10,000 Gold Soul Coin! Each bid must be at least 500 Gold Soul Coin higher! Distinguished guests, you may place your bids now!"
After the auctioneer finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the Auction House.
The starting price of 10,000 Gold Soul Coin is not low, and its use is limited, which makes some people who are purely looking for tools for maritime trade or combat Soul Tool hesitate.
But Lin Xia's eyes lit up.
Dive 300 meters underwater?
Is it completely transparent so that you can observe the outside world?
Can accommodate twelve to fifteen people?
Isn't this exactly what they needed for this trip?
While the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud can provide shelter, its primary function is defense and attack, not as a dedicated navigation tool.
With this Dragon Abyss Boat, their maneuverability, stealth, and safety at sea will be greatly improved!
Even if they encounter storms or certain Sea Soul Beast, they can dive underwater to take temporary shelter.
"Eleven thousand Gold Soul Coin!"
A voice rang out from the front row; it belonged to a fat man who looked like a businessman and wore crystal glasses.
"Twelve thousand Gold Soul Coin!"
From another direction, a middle-aged man dressed in the attire of Sea Soul Master made a bid.
Bidding prices climbed slowly.
Clearly, there are still people who know their stuff and need it, but the price increase isn't drastic.
Lin Xia waited patiently for a while. When the price was raised to 18,000 Gold Soul Coin and the bidding became fierce, he raised the fluorescent sign in his hand, and his calm voice came through clearly through the soul-guided loudspeaker:
"Twenty-five thousand Gold Soul Coin."
A one-time price increase of 7,000 Gold Soul Coin!
This move caused a slight stir in the Auction House, with many eyes turning to the last row, but in the dim light, only a few blurry figures and flashing plaques could be seen.
The fat man who looked like a businessman frowned, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and gave up.
This price exceeded his expectations.
The middle-aged Sea Soul Master seemed somewhat unwilling, and gritted his teeth.
"Twenty-six thousand!"
Without hesitation, Lin Xia raised her sign again.
Thirty thousand.
Another four Gold Soul Coin were added!
His tone was calm, yet it carried a sense of unwavering confidence.
The middle-aged Sea Soul Master opened his mouth, but ultimately slumped down.
Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coin is a very high price for a Soul Tool whose main functions are sightseeing and risk avoidance, and which is not recommended for venturing into the open sea.
The auctioneer surveyed the room and, after confirming that no one else would bid, brought down his gavel.
"Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coin, for the first time!"
"Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coin, for the second time!"
"Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coin, third time! Sold! Congratulations to this distinguished guest for successfully bidding on the ancient Soul Tool, the Dragon Abyss Boat!"
With the sound of the hammer falling, Lin Xia felt reassured.
With this item, the sea voyage to Sea God Island has an extra layer of protection.
He could almost see them riding in the transparent Dragon Abyss Boat, safely traversing the magnificent underwater world.
Dugu Yan leaned closer and chuckled softly:
"Wow, that's quite a lot, Lin Xia. But this ship does look really interesting; I'll have to see the underwater scenery properly when it arrives."
Hu Liena nodded as well.
"Being able to dive definitely makes things much safer. Even if we encounter a storm or a powerful Sea Soul Beast, we'll have a way out."
Xie Yue calmly said:
"We need to test its maximum diving depth, defensive strength, and Soul Power consumption. We can't necessarily trust everything the auctioneer says."
Yan scratched his head.
"Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coin... that's enough to buy countless lavish meals. But something that can save your life is worth it!"
Ye Lingling sat quietly to the side, her gaze falling on the Dragon Abyss Boat being carefully carried off the stage by the etiquette ladies, a hint of curiosity flashing in her cool eyes.
After bidding for the Dragon Abyss Boat, Lin Xia did not rush to leave. He then looked at the following items, but most of them were deep-sea minerals, Pearl, corals, or ordinary Soul Tool related to Sea Soul Master. There was nothing he particularly needed.
After the auction ended and the transaction was completed, the group carefully put away the small, exquisite, milky-white Dragon Abyss Boat model before quietly leaving the bustling Auction House with the flow of people.
Night had fallen, but Vast Sea City remained brightly lit, and the sea breeze carried a damp, salty smell as it swept through the streets.
Back at the Sea Tide Inn, Lin Xia took out the Dragon Abyss Boat and infused it with a wisp of Soul Power.
The foot-long shuttle-shaped model suddenly emitted a soft, milky-white halo, which then spread out like mercury spilling onto the ground. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a transparent boat about twelve meters long with smooth and beautiful lines, quietly hovering an inch above the floor of the room. The boat's hull was crystal clear, and the seats and control devices inside were vaguely visible. It was indeed incredibly magical.
A crowd gathered to watch, marveling at the spectacle.
"We'll set sail first thing tomorrow morning."
Lin Xia withdrew his Soul Power, and the Dragon Abyss Boat returned to its original form and fell into his hands.
"With this, plus the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, as long as we don't encounter anything too outrageous, reaching the outer perimeter of Sea God Island shouldn't be a problem. Everyone, get some rest tonight and conserve your energy."
Nothing more was said that night.
The next morning, as dawn broke, the sea breeze, carrying the chill of late autumn, swept into the narrow streets and alleys of Vast Sea City.
Lin Xia and the others traversed almost the entire sleeping city, exiting through the west gate.
Outside the city gate, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a rugged and steep black rocky coastline.
A wide, clearly meticulously carved and paved Plate road winds down like a giant python, carving a smooth path to the sea through the hard rocky terrain.
This is the lifeline of the Vast Sea City Wharf; all ships wishing to set sail must pass through this route.
Although the morning chill had not yet dissipated, the dock was already bustling with activity and filled with the sounds of people.
A vast dock area unfolded before everyone's eyes, with at least twenty wooden piers, each hundreds of meters long, stretching deep into the azure bay like the arms of a giant.
Hundreds of ships of varying sizes and shapes are densely moored on both sides of the pier, their masts standing tall, their sails either rolled up or unfurled, forming a spectacular forest of sails.
The air was filled with the strong smell of the sea, the salty freshness of the catch, the tung oil from the ship's hull, and the rough shouts of the dockworkers.
This is the starting and ending point of wealth, the beating heart of Vast Sea City, where countless goods are loaded and unloaded, and countless dreams set sail or dock here.
Despite the countless powerful and dangerous Sea Soul Beast lurking in the depths of the ocean, and the fact that ships and crew members perish every year, the idea of "living off the sea" has long been ingrained in the bones of the people of Vast Sea City.
The vast saline-alkali land outside the city is uncultivable; the only way to obtain everything necessary for survival is to extract resources from the boundless blue sky.
This innate spirit of adventure and reverence for and dependence on the sea have sustained the prosperity of this coastal metropolis.