Auction?

At this moment, Skysea City.

Inside Tianhai Auction House.

A figure wore a crimson cloak, with an Arceus mask covering his face.

Old Dou's gaze constantly swept back and forth as he searched for something.

At that moment, a staff member nearby found Old Dou's unusual attire rather strange.

Very few people dressed like this nowadays, and he was even wearing a mask.

Why was this person hiding his identity?

"Excuse me, may I ask what you would like to buy?" a female attendant stepped forward and asked.

Old Dou replied calmly, "I'll look around by myself."

"Alright!"

After saying that, the female attendant retreated. She went to a corner, took out a Soul Guidance Communicator, and contacted the manager.

"Manager, a strange person just arrived. He's wearing a cloak and a mask."

Upon hearing this, the manager on the other end of the communicator immediately became alert.

There was an extremely important auction today. Nothing could go wrong.

At that moment, Old Dou headed alone in a certain direction. In his mind, he was getting closer and closer to something.

"I didn't expect a Slate to be in here," Old Dou murmured softly.

"Please stop, sir!" a voice called out from behind Old Dou.

Old Dou turned his head and saw a chubby figure walking toward him step by step.

Several people in security uniforms had also surrounded him.

The fat manager said, "Sir, an auction is being held ahead."

"Mm." Old Dou nodded to show that he understood, then turned around and continued forward.

"Can't you understand what I'm saying?" The fat manager rushed directly in front of Old Dou, his gaze unfriendly.

Old Dou frowned beneath his mask as he looked at the figure before him, who was not even as tall as his neck.

"Leave now," the fat manager said.

"What if I refuse?" Old Dou's tone remained calm.

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Spikes appeared behind the fat manager, and one Soul Ring after another descended around him.

A Six-Ring Soul Emperor!

"You can't just sit in the manager's seat without some strength!" The fat manager raised his head and continued, "Are you leaving or not?"

The surrounding security guards revealed envious expressions, while the female attendants in the distance looked at him with admiration in their eyes.

Old Dou did not say a word. However, an aura spread outward.

With a bang.

The fat manager's legs bent, and he dropped directly to his knees.

The others instantly froze in place, staring in disbelief at the crimson figure.

Old Dou walked past the fat manager and the stunned security guards. Step by step, he headed forward.

Several minutes later, the fat manager finally stood up with trembling legs. An unidentified yellow liquid was visible between them.

His lips trembled as he said, "A... a Titled Douluo!"

Meanwhile, Su Yu entered the auction hall.

He immediately saw figures seated in their respective places, while an auctioneer onstage continuously promoted the items.

"This is the fourth item in today's auction: a thousand-year Dragon Scale Fruit! The starting bid is one million Federal Credits! Each bid increase must be no less than one hundred thousand Federal Credits!"

After saying that, the auctioneer raised his hammer and slammed it down hard.

The auction began.

At that moment, Old Dou casually found an empty seat and sat down.

In the seat beside him was a blue-haired girl of eight or nine.

A middle-aged man sat beside the little girl, presumably her father.

Old Dou looked up toward the auction stage. The Dragon Scale Fruit was quickly sold, ultimately closing at five million Federal Credits.

At that moment, Old Dou sensed that the second Slate was inside this auction hall.

More accurately, it was backstage.

Was the Slate brought here for auction? Old Dou thought.

Strange. Could someone actually use the Slate?

A sense of unease welled up in his heart.

At that moment, Old Dou heard the conversation between the father and daughter beside him.

"Xiaoyan, what do you want?"

"I want that!"

Old Dou turned his head and saw the girl pointing at a necklace on the auction stage.

Could she be Xu Xiaoyan?

Her age was eight or nine, and her hair color matched as well.

However, he did not ask anything. He quietly remained seated and waited for the following auction items.

Time slowly passed. At some point, more and more figures in security uniforms appeared throughout the auction hall.

Their gazes were fixed tightly on the crimson figure wearing the mask.

Old Dou paid them no attention. However, as one auction item after another was sold onstage, he still had not spotted what he wanted.

Before he knew it, they had reached the final item.

At that moment, the auctioneer loudly announced:

"Everyone, today's auction has reached its conclusion. Now, let us present our grand finale item! I believe many of you came specifically for this item!"

Old Dou frowned. He saw someone carrying a tray onto the stage, covered by a red cloth.

However, he was one hundred percent certain that what lay beneath it was what he had been searching for.

The second Slate.

Strange. Does someone know what the Slate does? Otherwise, how could it possibly be the finale item? Old Dou was puzzled.

The father and daughter beside him had a glimmer in their eyes upon seeing the finale item, as though they were determined to obtain it.

The auctioneer paused before continuing, "Today's finale item is a piece of metal. Its effects are unknown, but it is incomparably hard. If it can be forged into battle armor, it will become the strongest battle armor!"

Metal? Forged into battle armor?

For a moment, Old Dou was somewhat dumbfounded.

Could these people not even tell the difference between stone and metal?

Indeed, if an Elemental Slate were forged into battle armor, it should be extremely powerful. But across the entire Douluo Continent, was there really anyone capable of forging it?

At that moment, the auctioneer lifted the red cloth, revealing the true form of the finale item.

The Steel Slate!

Old Dou could never be mistaken. It was the Steel-Type Slate among the eighteen elements.

"The starting bid is five million Federal Credits. Each bid increase must be no less than one hundred thousand Federal Credits."

With a swing of the auctioneer's small hammer, the auction officially began.

The next second, a voice rang out.

"Ten million!"

The auction hall instantly fell silent.

Immediately afterward, a second voice rang out.

"Ten million one hundred thousand!"

Then, one bid after another rang out.

Old Dou was immediately stunned.

"No, it's just a Slate! Is this really necessary? You don't even know what it is. Are you buying it to gather dust?"

Perhaps the prospect of the strongest battle armor was too enticing. Everyone bid with all their might, and some even took out mortgages and loans.

"This really isn't necessary!" Old Dou was nearly incoherent.

The price continued soaring wildly.

Only when it reached twenty million Federal Credits did the number of bidders slowly begin to decrease.

"Thirty million!" someone said, raising a number plate.

Old Dou turned his head and saw that it was Xiaoyan's father beside him who had made the bid.

That was all the Rocket Team had earned in three years, yet a single Slate could sell for so much.