The Xu Boy and the Ao Girl

For the [Description] entry, Xu Huxiao did not understand what it meant.

What surprised him was the [Value] given by the Eye of Omniscience.

Unmeasurable?!

There was actually something even his Eye of Omniscience could not see through. This was the first time he had encountered such a thing.

So he decisively had his mother bid on it.

All auctioned items would be delivered to the Xu Residence by the auction house's staff. This was a privilege reserved for VIPs.

The afternoon auction featured not only all kinds of Soul Tools and exquisite trinkets, but also various precious herbs and treasures for nourishing the body.

Seeing his mother sweep through the goods, Xu Huxiao simply remarked that the family's high-grade ingredients needed replenishing.

Ning Fengyu immediately understood. With a sweep of her hand, she had them bid on every precious herb and treasure.

In truth, the Xu Residence had never lacked high-grade ingredients or nourishing treasures. Xu Huxiao ate high-grade soul beast meat and all sorts of expensive ingredients every day.

That was why his strength and physique had grown so quickly.

Seeing that his mother Ning Fengyu was enjoying her shopping spree, the bored Xu Huxiao informed her before leaving the VIP room with Xiao Kong.

The two wandered around the Seven-Star Auction House.

Before he left, Ning Fengyu gave Xu Huxiao a black card engraved with golden patterns and told him to spend as he pleased.

The black card felt rather heavy in his hand, though he did not know what it was made of. A circle of seven purple diamonds was embedded at its center, making it look exceptionally noble. It represented the holder's status as a seven-star top-tier VIP of the auction house.

The Seven-Star Auction House divided its VIP ranks according to Gold Soul Coin spending. Spending one million Gold Soul Coins made one a one-star VIP, with further upgrades following the same pattern. However, VIPs above four stars needed more than spending records; their identity and status also had to be assessed. Only those who met the requirements could continue advancing.

After leaving the VIP room, Xu Huxiao, who was visiting the auction house for the first time, did not know its layout. Xiao Kong, on the other hand, was very familiar with the place.

And not just the place.

He was also familiar with those scantily clad female attendants.

If Xu Huxiao had not been present, and if he had not been worried about corrupting a child, Xiao Kong would probably have already had one woman on each arm.

Seeing Xiao Kong's itching impatience, Xu Huxiao said,

"Uncle Xiao Kong, if you have something to do, go take care of it first. You don't need to watch over me. I'll just look around inside."

Xiao Kong glared at him, pulling his gaze away from the curves of a sexy woman as he said,

"That won't do. I promised Big Brother that I wouldn't let you leave my sight for even half a second."

"Don't you go making me break my word."

"Ah, if only you weren't so young. Then today, we could have gone together to enjoy ourselves in the auction house's leisure and entertainment area. Hehe."

Hearing that, Xu Huxiao was somewhat speechless. Naturally, he understood what Xiao Kong meant by enjoying themselves. He just had not expected the auction house to offer that sort of business.

"Uncle Xiao Kong, does this leisure and entertainment area have good food? If it does, we could go take a look."

Xiao Kong lifted his red gourd and took a sip of wine. After thinking for a moment, he gave a lecherous grin.

"It does, and it'll send your soul soaring and leave you drunk with delight. But that isn't something a kid like you can have. Even if I explained it, you wouldn't understand."

"When you're older, you'll naturally understand. For now, let's go somewhere else that's fun."

"Oh."

I understand everything, but I really just wanted to find somewhere with good food...

Xu Huxiao silently grumbled to himself.

Besides its largest central auction area, the Seven-Star Auction House also had a treasure collection area, a leisure and entertainment area, and a lucky treasure draw area.

The treasure collection area and VIP rooms were both on the second floor, while the leisure and entertainment area was on the third floor. It only received VIPs of five stars or above.

The lucky treasure draw area was on the first floor. After walking for a while, the two arrived there. This was the fun place Xiao Kong had mentioned.

With a single glance, Xu Huxiao saw that the entire lucky treasure draw area was huge. The most eye-catching feature was the nine-story pyramid-shaped treasure draw zone at its center, enclosed by transparent mirrored walls.

The nine-level pyramid was covered in black boxes of varying sizes. No one knew what was inside them, and the rules were written nearby.

A black box from the lowest level cost one thousand Gold Soul Coins. Each level higher cost an additional thousand Gold Soul Coins, while the black boxes on the top level cost nine thousand Gold Soul Coins each.

If the item inside a purchased box was worth more than the Gold Soul Coins spent on it, the buyer could keep the item and the auction house would refund the purchase price.

For the nobles of Spirit City, buying black boxes was a novel kind of lottery and was extremely popular.

When Xu Huxiao and Xiao Kong arrived, quite a few people had already gathered around the nine-level pyramid treasure draw zone and were buying boxes.

It was said that the winning rate was quite good. Several people had opened black boxes containing highly valuable items.

Xu Huxiao understood at a glance.

A blind box lottery.

Then Xu Huxiao immediately became interested. With the Eye of Omniscience to cheat, wouldn't he be able to draw to his heart's content?

He was not short on money, but no matter how rich someone was, they still could not resist the joy of getting things for free!

"Hehe, little Huxiao, want to test your luck?" Xiao Kong asked, seeing Xu Huxiao's eyes light up.

"They also have box betting over there. Two people pick black boxes at the same time and compare whose item is worth more. The winner gets the wager."

"Sure."

Xu Huxiao smiled. Just as he was about to show off his skills, an arrogant young girl's voice rang out.

"Hey, Xu family's boy, want to compare luck with me?"

Xu Huxiao turned toward the voice. One adult and two children were walking toward him.

The one speaking was a girl with wine-red hair. She was none other than Orleans, whom he had seen during his martial soul awakening.

Beside her stood her younger brother Ao Li'ao and a short, fat soul master acting as their bodyguard.

Xu Huxiao looked at the short, fat soul master for three seconds and received the information. Like Xiao Kong, he was a Soul Sage.

[Human]: Jin Huan

[Age]: Forty-four

[Martial Soul]: Three-Legged Golden Toad

[Level]: Level Seventy-Two

[Soul Skills]: First Yellow—Golden Toad Crash; Second Yellow—Three-Legged Shadowless Kick; Third Purple—Radiant Gold Entanglement; Fourth Purple—Golden Toad Demon God Transformation...

[Inner Thoughts]: This lord isn't only good at fighting. Treasure hunting is what I'm truly best at.

A Three-Legged Golden Toad? Treasure hunting?

Xu Huxiao focused on the [Martial Soul] entry, and information appeared within it.

[Martial Soul Trait]: Soul masters with the Three-Legged Golden Toad martial soul possess an innate sensitivity toward treasures and are extraordinarily gifted at treasure hunting.

This treasure-hunting trait was somewhat similar to his mother's Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda martial soul.

Then Xu Huxiao suddenly understood why his mother had been buying things so aggressively.

Most of the items Ning Fengyu had bought were slightly more valuable in the eyes of his Eye of Omniscience than the prices she had paid for them.

At first, he had thought his mother was simply lucky. Now that he thought about it, it was probably because of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda martial soul.

It seemed that his mother had her own way of making money.

There was indeed a reason why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could become the wealthiest sect on the continent.

After obtaining the information, Xu Huxiao looked at Orleans, who was slightly shorter than him, and said,

"Oh, little girl of the Ao family, what do you want to compete in?"

"What do you mean, little girl? You're so rude. I have a name, you know. My name is Orleans."

"Likewise, I'm not some Xu family's boy. My name is Xu Huxiao."

"Hmph~"

Orleans was left speechless. She knew Xu Huxiao was pointing out her earlier rudeness.

She had done it deliberately. As children of titled Douluos, she naturally knew the name of Demon Bear Douluo's son. However, in Orleans's eyes, his mutated martial soul, a pair of arms, was far inferior to the Ghost Leopard martial soul she had inherited. Even if he possessed Innate Full Soul Power, he would never amount to much in the future, so she instinctively considered herself superior.

Besides, she ranked seventh on the Talent Ranking, while Xu Huxiao was somewhere beyond twentieth place.

Unexpectedly, this Xu family's boy showed no awareness of his lower talent. It would have been one thing if he had not admired and flattered her, but he even carried himself with such confidence and pride.

Hmph, how annoying!

Orleans had been spoiled since childhood and naturally could not stand being slighted. In the blink of an eye, she came up with a good way to get back at him.

"Fine, Xu Huxiao, right? I'll compete with you in box betting."

"But we won't wager Gold Soul Coins. That's boring. We'll wager something more interesting."

Xu Huxiao smiled. This little girl from the Ao family had written her displeasure and desire to play tricks all over her face.

"Orleans, what interesting thing do you want to wager?"

"We'll wager an oath. The loser must swear that whenever they see the winner in the future, no matter the occasion, they must call her Boss and obey Boss's words one hundred percent."

"Best two out of three. What do you say? Do you dare accept?"

Just as Xu Huxiao was about to answer, Xiao Kong grabbed him and suspiciously glanced at the Soul Sage opposite them.

"Huxiao, I won't interfere with children's matters, but I seem to have heard that the fat guy over there named Jin Huan has very good luck with drawing black boxes."

"Uncle Xiao Kong doesn't want you to suffer for nothing. If you compete with this girl, set a rule that neither side's Soul Sage can interfere."

Xiao Kong did not deliberately lower his voice, so Orleans heard every word clearly.

"It's all about luck. This uncle can help pick boxes too. Or are you afraid and don't dare compete with us?"

Xiao Kong was about to argue when Xu Huxiao cut in first.

"Who said we're afraid? I accept. Best two out of three."

Good luck? Treasure hunting? Could either of those possibly beat my titanium-alloy Eye of Omniscience?

"Good! Then let's begin!"

Before the nine-level pyramid treasure draw zone.

Orleans was full of confidence. She knew about Jin Huan's martial soul trait. Even with the black boxes blocking his senses, it would still be easy for him to find high-value items.

With that in mind, Orleans wanted to test her own luck in the first draw. After all, they had a Soul Sage to back them up.

"There are the most black boxes on the first level. How about we draw from this level?"

"Anything is fine."

"Then will you draw first, or will I?"

"Ladies first."

Although the Xu boy was rather polite, Orleans found him increasingly annoying, especially when she saw that calm expression of his, as if victory were already in his grasp.

She simply could not accept it. Why should he act like that?

Just wait. I'll make you lose so badly you won't know what hit you.

But when she thought of Xu Huxiao calling her Boss later and obeying her words one hundred percent, she became excited.

"Fine! I'll draw first. Let's see... I'll choose that black box numbered 1-26."

That black box was neither large nor small, less than two feet in length and width, and completely unremarkable.

Yet after Orleans chose it, she inexplicably felt that something precious had to be hidden inside.

A sexy attendant took out the box and placed it on the special box-betting table.

Orleans lifted her chin, put her hands on her hips, and proudly said,

"Your turn, Xu family's... Xu Huxiao."

Xu Huxiao looked at the black box Orleans had chosen. Since he was only extracting its [Value] information, the details of the black box appeared in his mind in less than three seconds.

[Value of Black Box 1-26]: Five Copper Soul Coins.

It seemed this little girl's luck was rather bad. A thousand-Gold-Soul-Coin draw had only yielded something worth five Copper Soul Coins.

"Let's see. Then I'll choose the adjacent black box numbered 1-27. I have a feeling there's definitely treasure inside."

Xu Huxiao swept his gaze across the area and directly chose black box 1-27, which was worth five Gold Soul Coins in the Eye of Omniscience.

The sexy woman took out the box. The two black boxes were about the same size and were placed on the box-betting table. Xu Huxiao and Orleans both handed over their black cards. After paying one thousand Gold Soul Coins, it was time for the exciting box opening.

"Honored guests, I am the attendant Liu Qingqing. I will now open the boxes for you."