Auction

"Oh? It's you." The grilled fish stall outside Red Mountain Academy opened right on schedule. When Huo Yuhao saw Tang Wulin's family approaching, he smiled familiarly and took three especially plump sea fish from the ice bucket beside him. "Perfect. These are the last three big ones today. I'll give you a discount—take all three for ten Federal Credits."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Tang Wulin's eyes immediately lit up. He quickly counted out the coins and carefully handed them over. The price was such a pleasant surprise. For him and Na'er, a decent breakfast elsewhere would cost at least twelve Federal Credits, yet here they could eat well and fill up for only ten. He carefully accepted the hot grilled fish wrapped in oil paper and asked expectantly, "Uncle, will you... will you keep selling grilled fish here?"

"Hahaha." As Huo Yuhao deftly packed up the stall, put out the charcoal, and returned his tools to their places, he said with a smile, "I'm afraid not, little one. Uncle's home is in Eastsea City. I came here to take care of something, and I'll have to go back in another week or two."

"Then... then can I come buy some every morning for the next few days?" Tang Wulin asked, looking up at him with hopeful blue eyes.

"Of course, as long as Uncle sets up his stall." Huo Yuhao answered gently. Before leaving, he naturally reached out and ruffled Tang Wulin's soft sea-blue hair. "See you tomorrow."

As they watched Huo Yuhao and Demon Spirit push their food cart away, Tang Wulin was completely satisfied. Yet Tang Ziran and Lang Yue exchanged a glance and saw the same doubt and unease in each other's eyes.

"Ziran," Lang Yue said in a lowered voice, guiding her husband and the children closer to the roadside, "don't you think... it's too coincidental, and too good?" Her brows were tightly furrowed. "A grilled fish made with ingredients and skill like his would sell for twelve to fifteen Federal Credits even by the seafood market. Not only is he selling them cheaply, but it seemed like he specifically saved the best three for the children. They were in the ice bucket, where no one else had even seen them. This... this doesn't feel like business. It feels more like..."

"Like he was waiting specifically for us—or rather, for Wulin and Na'er." Tang Ziran took over, his voice low. As a soul circuit designer, he was more accustomed to analyzing logic and anomalies. "The city hasn't been peaceful lately. There have been several cases of missing children, and the police have warned parents to watch out for strangers. This Master Huo... the timing of his appearance and the kindness he's shown both feel deliberate." He looked worriedly at his son, who was happily dividing the grilled fish with Na'er. "Especially his attitude toward Wulin. He's far too familiar and affectionate."

Lang Yue's face turned even paler. "Could he... be someone from the Spirit Pagoda? They were especially 'interested' in Wulin's martial soul records before." The thought sent a chill through her.

"I'm not sure." Tang Ziran put an arm around his wife's shoulders, both comforting her and making a decision. "But there's no harm in being careful, no matter where he comes from. Starting tomorrow, we'll personally escort Wulin and Na'er to the school gate and watch them enter their classroom. We must also pick them up from school on time. As for Master Huo's grilled fish... for now, they should eat less of it."

The couple reached an agreement. The small joy brought by the cheap, delicious food had been replaced by heavier vigilance. Their hands tightened unconsciously around the children's as they merged into the crowd leaving school, yet they could not shake the feeling that an invisible pressure hung over their ordinary family.

Meanwhile, in a secluded place far from the academy streets, Huo Yuhao stopped his cart, his brows tightly drawn. His fingertips lightly brushed the Eternal Snowflake pendant beneath his clothes, as though sensing something in the distance. A trace of worry flashed through his ice-blue eyes.

"The seal is being consumed faster than expected," he said quietly to Demon Spirit. "The Sea God's divine power Tang San left in the old scarf is steadily weakening, and the Eternal Snowflake Mark I left behind is also being slowly eroded. Although the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core is dormant, the unconscious sense of presence and assimilating power it gives off are gradually wearing down the protective layer."

"Brother Yuhao, do we need to strengthen the seal?" Demon Spirit asked with concern.

"We do, but we lack the key materials for now." Huo Yuhao took a neatly folded list from his pocket and unfolded it. Several rare medicinal herbs and minerals were listed on it. "Divine power is beyond my reach. I can only use heavenly treasures containing pure life energy or powerful stabilizing properties to build a buffer layer and reinforce the seal. Ten-year Snow Silkworms, fifty-year Heartclearing Grass, heartwood slices from hundred-year Soulcalming Wood, at least ten-year Dragonblood Vine... none of these are easy to find, and they're all expensive." His fingertip tapped the estimated price—around two hundred thousand Federal Credits.

He sighed, removed an ordinary-looking little cloth pouch from his waist, and gently tipped it over. Several dozen gleaming Gold Soul Coins, each containing fluctuations of ancient energy, fell into his palm. "Looks like I have no choice but to dip into the capital I 'earned' in Shrek City." The value of these Gold Soul Coins far exceeded their weight in gold. They were hard currency among hard currencies.

"Let's go, Xiaoling." He put the Gold Soul Coins away and looked toward the city's most prosperous district. "We're going to the Aolai City Grand Auction Hall. There's a monthly auction tonight. Perhaps they'll have what we need. That place always has some... 'magical' items turn up."

"An auction hall?" Demon Spirit's eyes immediately lit up with curiosity and excitement. "Sure, sure! I've never been inside one before!"

The Aolai City Grand Auction Hall stood in the city's most prosperous diamond district. It was an imposing circular building, its exterior walls made from massive sheets of soul-conducting glass and reinforced alloy. Under the night sky, it shimmered with flowing light, displaying wealth and power.

The auction hall's internal hierarchy was strict. The outermost ring was the ordinary auction area, which could be entered with only a small deposit to bid on relatively common soul master supplies, luxury goods, and bulk commodities. Further in was the VIP area, which required proof of assets worth at least one million Federal Credits or a recommendation from a renowned merchant house or soul master organization. Fine soul bones, advanced soul-conducting devices, rare metals, and older medicinal herbs appeared there.

At the very core was the top-tier SVIP auction area, open only to a handful of elite powers and super-rich individuals. Entry required not only proof of assets in the tens of millions, but also the appropriate status or a special invitation. It was said that soul bones, items related to hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, top-tier soul-conducting mecha cores, and even divine artifact fragments had appeared there. On the auction hall's information screen, one of tonight's finale previews was prominently displayed: "Dark Gold Mountainforge Workshop · Limited Special Alloy Ingot ('Unmoving Mountain' Series)," the work of the Blacksmiths Association's newly promoted grandmaster, Master Bear. Its description emphasized its "physical load-bearing capacity and soul power resonance properties surpassing those of conventional level-seven metals," and its starting bid was an eye-watering figure. This undoubtedly proved that Bear Lord's work had entered the ranks of the human world's most elite hard currencies.

Huo Yuhao led Demon Spirit straight through the bustling ordinary area and arrived at the VIP reception desk. He did not present any proof of assets. Instead, he simply placed five Gold Soul Coins gently on the polished black marble counter.

The receptionist was a well-trained middle-aged man. At first, he merely maintained his habitual smile, but when his gaze fell upon the ancient patterns and restrained energy of the Gold Soul Coins, his pupils abruptly contracted. He carefully picked one up and quickly tested it with a specialized soul-conducting instrument. An incomparably respectful smile immediately spread across his face.

"Honored guests, welcome. Your qualifications are beyond question. Please follow me to the VIP auction area." He did not even ask Huo Yuhao's name, because someone who could casually produce Gold Soul Coins of such purity and age was far beyond his ability to investigate.

They passed through a soundproof corridor that required special authorization to open, took a private elevator, and finally arrived at a private box high within the circular building. The box was not large, but it was exceptionally luxurious and comfortable. Before them stood a floor-to-ceiling one-way transparent window, giving them a clear view of the circular auction stage below while making it impossible for anyone outside to see into the room. Fresh fruit and premium drinks sat beside the soft soul beast-hide sofa, while the room's temperature and humidity had been adjusted to perfection.

Demon Spirit curiously pressed herself against the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the gradually seated crowd below, their figures appearing somewhat tiny, as well as the brilliantly lit auction stage. She whispered excitedly, "The view is so good here!"

Huo Yuhao sat down on the sofa and unfolded the medicinal herb list once more. His gaze was calm as he looked toward the auction stage, where the event was about to begin.