Starlight Auction

In the audience stands.

Cheers erupted once more.

Yan Jingzhe sat amid the crowd and clapped twice along with everyone around him.

The merchant in the silk shirt beside him was still shouting at his companions, his tone brimming with the smugness of I told you so. "See? I said Shrek would win without breaking a sweat, but you wouldn't believe me."

Yan Jingzhe smiled and looked past the shifting heads below the stands toward the arena.

Huo Yuhao was withdrawing the hand he had placed on Ling Luochan's back, his face still flushed with the excitement of battle. Wang Dong leaned over and said something to him, and he shook his head with a smile. The others were all quite happy as well. Xi Xi patted the ice shards from her hands, while Gongyang Mo gestured to Bei Bei about the force behind that kick just now.

The seven onstage turned and headed toward the resting area.

Wang Yan was already waiting at the entrance, a small notebook in hand as though he were recording something.

Yan Jingzhe withdrew his gaze and leaned back in his chair. Next up was tonight's auction.

Night.

Yan Jingzhe brought the Shrek group to the entrance of the Starlight Auction. He had originally planned to come alone, but after casually mentioning it to Wang Yan, everyone else found out and wanted to broaden their horizons. With no other choice, he brought them all along.

As they entered the auction house, a young woman in a golden gown approached them. After giving a slight bow, she said, "Welcome, honored guests of Shrek Academy, to the Starlight Auction. I will now lead you to private room number one."

As soon as she finished speaking, she raised one hand and pressed it against the wall beside her.

A strange sight immediately appeared. Rippling patterns of light spread across the wall, and layer after layer of radiance gradually stabilized.

The wall opened to either side, revealing a magnificently gilded passage stretching into the depths. The girl in the golden gown led them toward private room number one.

When the door opened, they found themselves in a room of roughly two hundred square meters. The carved beams were elegant, the atmosphere tranquil, and the windows bright and spotless. The spacious private room was decorated with warm, refined wooden furnishings, while hanging curtains blocked out the surrounding clamor, leaving the room serene and secluded.

The broad sofa was carved from golden-thread nanmu wood and could accommodate at least twenty people. A jade table was laden with all sorts of drinks and food.

"Wow." Xiao Xiao was the first to lose her composure, letting out a quiet gasp.

Wang Dong also glanced around, though he refused to sound impressed. "It's all right. Just a tiny bit bigger than our academy's reception room."

Huo Yuhao said nothing, but his eyes said it all.

After everyone took their seats, the girl in the golden gown explained how to operate the Soul Guidance Screen, then left the private room.

They did not have to wait long.

The lights throughout the venue suddenly dimmed. Only dozens of golden Soul Guidance Lamps around the raised platform lit up in succession, their soft glow falling entirely upon the woman onstage.

This woman was none other than Star Luo's Princess Xu Jiujiu.

She wore a crimson Star Luo court gown, its hem embroidered with scattered golden stars. Her black hair was arranged in an imperial style, adorned only with a delicate Star Jade hairpin. Her makeup was understated, yet it made her jade-white skin appear even more lustrous. Tall and poised, she carried the composed nobility unique to a royal princess. She walked slowly to the center of the stage and performed a standard, intricate Star Luo court salute. A gentle smile rested in her eyes as her voice, amplified by a sound-enhancing Soul Guidance Device, rang clearly through every private room in the venue.

"Honored guests who have come from afar, thank you for your patience. I am the host of today's auction, Xu Jiujiu."

Every guest below was stunned. No one had expected that the auctioneer presiding over this top-tier continental auction would be Princess Jiujiu of the Star Luo Imperial Family. Her temperament was contradictory yet breathtaking. She possessed both the smooth, perceptive grace of an auction host and the natural composure and authority of royalty. Her eyes were bright as stars, and when they swept over the private rooms, they effortlessly suppressed the restless atmosphere throughout the hall. Applause broke out from all sides.

After waiting for the applause to fade, Princess Jiujiu smiled slightly. "To ensure that none of our honored guests leave disappointed, the Star Luo Imperial Family has prepared an exceptional grand gift for today's auction. Please do not miss it. Now, let us present the first item of the evening."

As her words fell, two girls in red gowns pushed a cart onto the auction stage. It was covered by a purple cloth. They wheeled it to the center and stopped, then lifted the covering together.

The moment the first auction item appeared, Xu Jiujiu's voice rang out again. "The Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Blade, an eighth-grade close-combat Soul Guidance Device. Its materials are extraordinarily precious, including a right arm bone produced by a ten-thousand-year Tyrant Tiger Soul Beast. It has the Soul Bone skill Tyrant Blade Slash engraved within it, and can increase the attack power of similar soul skills by fifty percent."

"Please note, honored guests, that when using this precious close-combat Soul Guidance Device to attack, every strike will carry the effect of Tyrant Blade Slash. Its effect can stack with any similar offensive soul skill."

"Furthermore, this Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Blade was crafted by the Illustrious Virtue Hall of the Sun Moon Empire. I believe those three words alone are enough to attest to its quality. A seven-ring Soul Saint may wield this blade. With it, a Soul Saint challenging a Soul Douluo beyond their rank becomes possible. Honored guests, you now have five minutes to examine it!"

As soon as Princess Jiujiu finished her introduction, eager expressions appeared in many private rooms. An eighth-grade Soul Guidance Device from the Illustrious Virtue Hall was a truly fine item. And this was only the first auction lot—tonight's offerings were clearly going to be exceptional.

"It's actually an eighth-grade Soul Guidance Device. Not bad. Is anyone interested? If you want it, just bid. If you don't have enough money, I can cover the difference," Yan Jingzhe commented inside private room number one.

"I'm rather interested in this Soul Guidance Device, Dean Yan," Dai Yueheng said. "But there's no need for you to cover the cost. I still have a little money on me."

"Mm, do as you please." Yan Jingzhe sounded unconcerned. Dai Yueheng was the eldest son of the White Tiger Duke, an ancient noble house whose title had been passed down for ten thousand years. The financial resources at his disposal were exceptionally substantial.

At that moment, the screen changed to a faint white. The image of the Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Blade faded into the background, while an enormous number—six hundred thousand—appeared on the screen. The bidding had already begun.

"Six hundred and fifty thousand," Dai Yueheng said decisively.

As soon as he made his bid, the maid in gold immediately performed a simple operation on the Soul Guidance Screen. The enormous number displayed changed to six hundred and fifty thousand.

After that, the number on the large screen began rising continuously.

The Gold Soul Coin amount soared in a straight line, surpassing one million in no time. However, after passing one million, the pace of the increases began to slow.

In the end, Dai Yueheng successfully won the Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Blade for one million five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Princess Jiujiu, dressed in her crimson gown, appeared on the screen once more. With a radiant smile, she gave a slight bow and said, "Thank you to the honored guest who acquired the Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Blade for supporting this auction."

"Senior Brother Dai is so rich," Jiang Nannan remarked inside the private room.

Xu Sanshi, the shameless admirer beside her, hurriedly said, "I'm rich too, Nannan. What do you want to buy? I'll buy it for you."

"No need, thank you." A trace of helplessness flashed through Jiang Nannan's eyes.

Bei Bei covered his forehead with both hands. He could not bear to watch.

At that moment, the next auction item appeared.