Not long after they settled into the private room, someone from the auction house brought over a list of items up for bid.
Salas stepped forward to take it, then handed it to Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong skimmed the list. Apart from the Wishful Treasure Pouch, there was nothing she particularly needed.
"Apart from the Wishful Treasure Pouch, which we must win, do either of you need the Soul Bone?" Bibi Dong asked Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
Yue Guan took the list. "A Two-Thousand-Year Soul Bone? Its age is too low. Old Ghost and I won't bother competing for it."
"Still, we could put this Soul Bone in the treasury and award it to someone at Soul Saint and Below who's earned it. It would make a fine reward."
"That's a good idea," Bibi Dong said. "How much does a Soul Bone usually cost?"
"Saintess, a thousand-year Soul Bone goes for around one million Gold Soul Coins," Yue Guan replied. "Each additional thousand years adds another million. So this Two-Thousand-Year Soul Bone that's about to go up for auction should cost around two million."
"All right." Bibi Dong nodded. "Salas, you handle the bidding. Win the Wishful Treasure Pouch no matter the price, but don't bid more than two million for the Soul Bone."
Salas bowed. "Understood, Your Highness."
He then walked over to the window.
The auction began promptly at eight that evening.
After several rounds of bidding, the Wishful Treasure Pouch finally came up.
"The next item is called the Wishful Treasure Pouch. It has approximately half a cubic meter of space inside, can hold living things, and preserves the spiritual energy of plants. The starting bid is ten thousand Gold Soul Coins."
In Private Room One, Ning Fengzhi, the new sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, said, "It can keep food fresh. Not bad. We could add it to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Treasury Pavilion."
Ning Fengzhi went to the window and called out, "Twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins."
The Auctioneer announced, "The guest in Private Room One bids twenty thousand!"
"Twenty thousand, going once!"
"Fifty thousand," Salas called.
"Fifty thousand! The guest in Private Room Three bids fifty thousand!"
Meanwhile, an elderly man dressed entirely in green looked toward the two private rooms from the main hall. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Spirit Hall. Interesting."
"I like this thing too. Sixty thousand!"
Ning Fengzhi looked from Private Room Three to the old man below. "Strange. Salas of Spirit Hall and the renowned Poison Soul Master Dugu Bo can't be short of Space Soul Tools. Why are they interested in such a small item?"
Down in the first-floor hall, Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes.
He had come to the auction simply to browse and see whether any rare poisonous plants or creatures turned up.
He had no need for a Space Soul Tool like the Wishful Treasure Pouch, but its ability to preserve plants had immediately caught his interest.
He could use it to store his Highly Poisonous Medicinal Herbs.
Seated on the sofa, Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Your Highness," Yue Guan said, "Private Room One belongs to Ning Fengzhi, who became sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect last year."
"As for the man in the hall, he should be Dugu Bo, the Level 89 Soul Douluo renowned across the continent for his poison."
Bibi Dong nodded without saying anything more.
She glanced at Salas. Taking the hint, he raised his paddle again.
"Seventy thousand."
Dugu Bo raised his paddle right after him. "Eighty thousand."
Ning Fengzhi frowned. This was not what he had expected. He had thought no one would be interested, yet not only was a Soul Douluo bidding, Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop Salas was bidding too.
Ning Fengzhi raised his paddle. "Ninety thousand."
Dugu Bo hesitated when he heard the bid. He did like the Wishful Treasure Pouch, but the price had already risen beyond its value.
Let's see if Spirit Hall bids again.
To the surprise of both Dugu Bo and Ning Fengzhi, Salas raised his paddle almost without hesitation. "One hundred thousand."
"Heavens! One hundred thousand! The guest in Private Room Three bids one hundred thousand. Any higher bids?"
Ning Fengzhi was about to raise his paddle, but a middle-aged man with Sword Brows, Starry Eyes stopped him. "Fengzhi, that's enough. It isn't worth it."
"Uncle Jian, I can't stop now," Ning Fengzhi said quickly. "The price is already far beyond what this Treasure Pouch is worth, yet Spirit Hall keeps bidding without hesitation. I'm afraid it holds some secret I don't know about."
"So we can't let Spirit Hall have it. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has an abundance of anything, it's money."
With that, Ning Fengzhi raised his paddle. "One hundred and fifty thousand."
Salas's face darkened at the price. He turned to Bibi Dong. "Your Highness, he's doing this on purpose. Ning Fengzhi is definitely doing this on purpose. At this price, he could buy a Soul Tool with far more space inside."
"Interesting," Yue Guan said slowly. "Your Highness, I heard Ning Fengzhi has been seeking closer ties with the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family since becoming sect master. It seems the rumors are true."
Bibi Dong said coldly, "Yue Guan, you bid. Understood?"
"Yes!" Yue Guan smiled, took the paddle from Salas, and went to the window.
"One hundred and fifty-one thousand!" Yue Guan called.
"This Treasure Pouch is mine."
As soon as he spoke, a powerful pressure swept through the hall.
When did a Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall arrive in Heaven Dou City? Dugu Bo frowned. He's even releasing his Soul Power to threaten everyone. Is this Treasure Pouch that important to Spirit Hall?
Ning Fengzhi had much the same thought.
"That aura..." Ning Fengzhi said in surprise. "Could it be...?"
"That's right. A Titled Douluo," Sword Douluo said slowly. "Judging by his voice, it should be the Pope's favored Chrysanthemum Douluo."
"So it's him." Ning Fengzhi murmured the title, then turned to Sword Douluo beside him.
"Uncle Jian, it makes no sense for Spirit Hall to send a Titled Douluo to bid on a small item."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin nodded. "It doesn't. But that's all the more reason not to keep bidding. Now that Chrysanthemum Douluo has shown himself, another Titled Douluo will be nearby: Ghost Douluo, who works with him from the shadows."
"Fengzhi, he named his price and released his Soul Power. The warning is clear. If you keep bidding, you'll be openly fighting Spirit Hall for it and making an enemy of them."
Ning Fengzhi lowered his paddle.
"You're right, Uncle Jian." He let out a breath. "I won't bid again. But I'll find out why Spirit Hall cares so much about this thing, and why they appeared in Heaven Dou City without a word."
"One hundred and fifty-one thousand, going once! Going twice! Going three times... Sold!"
The Auctioneer brought down his hammer.
He soon had someone bring up the item, and payment and delivery were exchanged on the spot.
Salas took the Wishful Treasure Pouch, inspected it, then handed it to Bibi Dong.
"Yue Guan, it's yours," Bibi Dong said.
Yue Guan took the Treasure Pouch. "Thank you, Your Highness. I never expected a Treasure Pouch that can hold living things to draw a bidding war with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"They didn't truly want it," Bibi Dong said. "Ning Fengzhi was testing us."
Yue Guan nodded. "I saw that too. By the time he bid one hundred and fifty thousand, it clearly wasn't about the Treasure Pouch itself.
"I'd wager Ning Fengzhi thought it held some secret, so he decided he couldn't let us have it."
Bibi Dong smiled. "I'll remember that. When the Soul Bone comes up, we'll make them pay dearly."
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