Leng Yaozhu

Seated in the private room of the VIP section, the soft seats and perfectly balanced lighting created a comfortable atmosphere. Yet Demon Spirit seemed unable to sit still, not out of excitement, but from instinctive vigilance. Her senses were like the finest radar, silently sweeping over the increasingly dense crowd below and the more concealed private rooms above.

"Brother Yuhao," she suddenly nudged Huo Yuhao's arm, signaling him to look toward an independent private room on the auction house's second floor, one with an excellent view and specially treated glass that appeared dark from the outside. Her voice was extremely low. "Over there... there's a Super Douluo-level soul power fluctuation. It's very strong. And... I also vaguely caught a trace of an extremely, extremely pure elemental aura. It feels a lot like the master's, but also somehow different... more concentrated." As she spoke, she subconsciously checked the inconspicuous little accessories around her wrist and neck—the custom shielding soul devices Huo Yuhao had made were functioning normally, flawlessly concealing both her unique aura and Huo Yuhao's soul power fluctuations.

Huo Yuhao followed her gaze and happened to see the curtain of that private room lift slightly, as though someone was entering. In that instant, he caught sight of a blurred yet exceptionally poised profile—a woman in a luxurious long gown, her hair piled high, bearing herself with dignified authority and grace. Though he only caught a glimpse, and she had clearly used basic means to conceal her appearance, the blazing intensity and soaring air unique to a top-tier fire-attribute soul master that faintly showed in her every movement, combined with her location and Super Douluo cultivation...

"That silhouette and presence... seem familiar." Huo Yuhao frowned slightly as he rapidly searched his memories. He had gathered intelligence on the key figures of the Spirit Pagoda's upper ranks. "Could it be... the Spirit Pagoda's vice tower master, Sky Phoenix Douluo Leng Yaozhu? Why would she appear at an auction in Aolai City?" He did not directly connect the elemental fluctuation Demon Spirit had sensed with Leng Yaozhu. After all, Sky Phoenix Douluo was famous for fire, which felt different from that pure elemental fluctuation that encompassed multiple attributes. This filled him with doubts. The arrival of a Spirit Pagoda giant at an auction in such a border city was itself highly unusual.

"Could the Silver Dragon King's true body be in the Spirit Pagoda?" Recalling the elemental fluctuation Demon Spirit had mentioned, Huo Yuhao analyzed, "Ah, it seems the avatar and the true body can communicate directly. Na'er really did recognize Di Tian this morning."

With that, Leng Yaozhu's appearance, Gu Yue's elemental aura, and Na'er's reaction that morning formed a clear logical loop. It further confirmed that Na'er was the Silver Dragon King's avatar and revealed the possible range of activity and cover identity of the Silver Dragon King's true body.

At that moment, a soft knock came from outside the private room, followed by the sweet yet respectful voice of a well-trained woman. "Dear guest, hello. I am the dedicated attendant for this private room. The auction is about to begin. Would you require my full-service item introductions and bidding assistance?"

"Yes. Come in." Huo Yuhao withdrew from his thoughts, his tone returning to calm.

The door opened, and a woman in the auction house's standard uniform entered. She looked to be in her early twenties, with refined makeup and a proper smile. She first bowed slightly to Huo Yuhao and Demon Spirit, her smile sincere without being overly familiar. "Greetings, honored guests. It is my pleasure to serve you. I am Xiaoxu, Xu Wei. During the auction, I will introduce the items, analyze the bidding situation, and handle related matters for you." Her gaze swiftly but politely swept over the two of them, clearly assessing their type and needs. Her manner was professional.

"Miss Xu, please introduce the key items in today's auction first." Huo Yuhao motioned for her to sit.

"Certainly." Xiaoxu sat in an auxiliary chair to one side, her back straight and her words clear. "The core theme of tonight's monthly auction is special alloy ingots supplied by the Dark Gold Mountainforge Workshop under Master Bear Lord, a newly promoted master of the Blacksmiths Association. Three sets of the Unmoving Mountain series alloys in different specifications will be offered this time. They will undoubtedly be the most fiercely contested items tonight." She paused, a trace of industry knowledge appearing in her eyes. "Master Bear Lord's forging method is highly unusual. He does not forge piece by piece. Instead, based on his mood and inspiration, he selects top-grade raw materials to forge enormous billets as a whole and infuse them with laws. Afterward, he uses his unique Dark Gold Terror Bear Claw innate ability to divide them precisely, ensuring that the internal structure of every separated alloy block remains perfectly intact and its performance uniformly consistent. Because of this uniqueness, his extremely high forging success rate, and his unpredictable release schedule, his alloys have always been top-tier hard currency on the market, with demand far exceeding supply. Having three sets released today is already an exceptionally rare opportunity."

She then briefly introduced several other important soul device items, such as a Blazing Sun-type soul cannon turret core energy converter marked as the final work of a certain seventh-rank mecha master, as well as a prototype of a portable Shadow soul barrier generator said to briefly block spiritual detection below the Soul Saint level.

After listening, Huo Yuhao nodded and went straight to the point. He handed her the list containing four materials. "Will these four items appear today? Based on your experience, roughly how much should I prepare?"

Xiaoxu accepted the list with both hands and quickly looked it over—Ten-Year Snow Silkworm, Fifty-Year Heart-Clearing Herb, hundred-year Soulcalming Wood slices, and Ten-Year Dragonblood Vine. She pondered for a moment, calculating rapidly, before looking up with professional advice. "Sir, all four rare materials are indeed scheduled for auction today. On an ordinary day, the bidders might each have their own targets, and the total price would likely fall between 180,000 and 220,000 Federal Credits. But tonight is different." She pointed toward the crowd below, which had already begun to stir. "More than seventy percent of the serious buyers are here for the Dark-Gold Heavy Peak alloys and those signature soul devices. The competition for these valuable materials, which are mainly used in medicines, nourishment, or specific cultivation, will be much lighter. My personal estimate is that, if handled properly, 130,000 to 150,000 Federal Credits should give us an excellent chance of obtaining all of them."

Huo Yuhao seemed fairly satisfied with her analysis. Without another word, he placed the small leather pouch containing twenty Gold Soul Coins on the tea table before her and Demon Spirit.

"I must have these four materials. During the auction, you will handle all bidding on my behalf." His voice was steady, but it carried unquestionable decisiveness. "Use the money in here. You decide the final expenditure. Whatever remains, no matter how much, is yours as payment. I have only one requirement: the items must be secured. Keep the process as smooth and low-profile as possible. Do not draw attention."

Looking at the ordinary-looking but weighty pouch, Xiaoxu's breath caught almost imperceptibly. It was not as if she had never met wealthy patrons before, but such a direct, trusting commission with such generous compensation still shook her inwardly. She quickly composed herself, solemnly took the pouch in both hands, rose to her feet, and gave Huo Yuhao a deep bow. Her tone became even more serious and resolute. "Thank you for placing such trust in me, sir! Please rest assured, Xiaoxu will do everything in her power to acquire every target item for you at the most reasonable price and ensure that the process remains smooth and discreet."

"Good. Go prepare. I'll wait here for your results after the auction." Huo Yuhao waved his hand.

"Yes, sir. Then I shall take my leave and coordinate with the auction platform to confirm the item numbers and formulate a bidding strategy. If anything arises, I will report to you immediately through the private room line." Xiaoxu bowed once more, carefully gripping the pouch as she steadily left the private room and gently closed the door behind her. She knew that this was not only a generous reward, but also an immense test and recognition of her professional ability.

Meanwhile, in the top SVIP private room with the best view of the auction house, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Sky Phoenix Douluo Leng Yaozhu sat comfortably in the main seat. Today, she wore a dark red fitted outfit convenient for movement, covered by a robe of the same color. She had lost some of her usual grand majesty and gained a touch of casual flair, yet the aura of a Super Douluo still flowed around her unconsciously. As she looked at the quietly seated girl beside her, her eyes held undisguised concern.

That girl was Gu Yue. She wore a simple light-purple dress, her smooth purple hair cascading over her shoulders, the ends naturally curling slightly. The light from outside intermingled with the gentle lighting of the private room, falling over her jade-like profile, while her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes. She sat upright, her calm gaze directed toward the noisy auction house below. Her violet eyes were as deep as ancient wells, as though all clamor had been shut out, leaving her in a world of tranquil solitude. Her beauty possessed an untouched, aloof purity, but that excessive quietness also made her seem somewhat difficult to approach.

"Gu Yue, don't just sit there daydreaming." Leng Yaozhu's voice was especially gentle, carrying the affection of an elder. "Didn't you say you had been feeling stifled at the academy and wanted to come out, relax, and see different places? An auction house is a very interesting window. You can see all kinds of people here, and you can also come across plenty of strange and rare things." As she spoke, she pointed at the alloy ingots below, already being displayed in the warm-up presentation with their dark metallic sheen. "For example, tonight's main attraction, the alloys from the Dark Gold Mountainforge Workshop. That Bear Lord has an incredibly strange temper. He forges entirely according to his mood, but his craftsmanship truly is this good." She raised a thumbs-up. "The alloys he forges outperform those of his peers by far. In Shrek City and Mingdu, people fight desperately over them. Here in Aolai City, because of the information and distribution channels, prices can sometimes be more friendly instead. It's a chance to pick up a bargain. If you're interested in forging or soul devices, you can take a closer look."

Gu Yue's lashes trembled lightly, as if she had been roused from some deep train of thought. She turned her head slightly toward Leng Yaozhu, her voice soft. "Master, I..." Her words seemed hesitant.

Leng Yaozhu thought she was still troubled by the "innate soul power level two" measured during her martial soul awakening not long ago, and her heart softened further. She reached out and gently rubbed Gu Yue's head, the motion full of comfort. "Silly child, are you still thinking about the test? Don't take that number too seriously. Your Elemental Envoy martial soul is very special. Your master can sense its extraordinary nature. Innate soul power is only a starting point, not the end. With me here, I will definitely help you find the cultivation path best suited to you and fully uncover your potential. Cheer up, all right?"

Feeling the warmth from atop her head, an extremely complicated emotion flashed through Gu Yue's eyes. There was a faint ripple, as well as something deeper that could not be put into words. She obediently lowered her head slightly and said softly, "Thank you, Master. I... feel much better. It was just truly a little unexpected." This was not entirely a lie. As the Silver Dragon King, after splitting off Na'er as her avatar, her own identity as "Gu Yue" was also in a state of extreme restraint and adjustment as she integrated into the human world. The result of innate soul power level two had been unexpected. Personally experiencing this assessment of "weakness" was still somewhat stifling for her. What occupied more of her thoughts at the moment was the trace of Di Tian's appearance in Aolai City, and the possible impact it could have on her plans. Leng Yaozhu's warm concern was like a barrier, temporarily shielding her from the storms outside, but it did not reach the deepest waves within her heart.

To change the subject, and to justify some of the actions she might need to take next, Gu Yue raised her eyes toward Leng Yaozhu. Her tone held a faint, tentative request. "Master, tomorrow... can we try some local food? I heard there's a grilled fish stall outside Red Mountain Academy that tastes very good and is reasonably priced." She had originally planned to act more independently, but Leng Yaozhu, worried that she would become depressed after her "poor test result," had insisted on accompanying and caring for her. Gu Yue could only adjust her plans accordingly.

At her words, a relieved smile immediately blossomed across Leng Yaozhu's face. This girl was too quiet by nature; it was rare for her to actively express a desire to try something. "Of course!" she agreed readily. "Tomorrow, your master will take you to sample Aolai City's specialties. But for now, let's watch tonight's auction first. Perhaps there will be some little item suitable for you, or something that can help stabilize soul power and nourish your spiritual power." She hoped that the atmosphere of the auction would help Gu Yue open up a little.

Gu Yue nodded lightly and turned her gaze back to the auction platform. Below, the auctioneer had begun introducing the first warm-up item in an impassioned voice. The noisy voices and flashing bid lights surged like a tide, yet the invisible stillness around her quietly pushed them away. Part of her thoughts remained in the venue, vigilant for any abnormal soul power or elemental fluctuations. Another part had already drifted toward the ordinary Red Mountain Academy and the grilled fish stall before its gates, where smoke curled upward. Di Tian, what exactly are you planning?

The auction house lights fully converged on the main platform, and bidding placards began rising one after another. Huo Yuhao waited for good news in the VIP private room, Gu Yue overlooked the entire venue from the higher room, and Demon Spirit, like the most alert little beast, extended her senses into every corner. The clamor of money and desire flowed through the air, concealing the even more intricate undercurrents beneath.