Dugu Yan was clearly a regular. She headed up the steps with practiced ease, still saying, "Their spicy rabbit heads and grilled fish are second to none. You'll know once you try them."
But the moment they stepped through the door, the proprietor working an abacus behind the counter looked up, immediately set down his ledger, and hurried over, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Venerable Lord! What brings you here today? You should have sent word ahead so your servant could prepare our finest feast!"
Dugu Yan stopped in her tracks, stunned, and turned to look at Li Chen.
"???"
She knew Li Chen had built a power from nothing and even established an academy, but he had never mentioned that Heaven Dou City's most popular restaurant was his property too.
Li Chen glanced at the proprietor, actually using Analysis to confirm his information. "Lü Jiuyi, a quiet private room, and one of each signature dish."
With a casual flick, he sent three emeralds flying. Lü Jiuyi caught them, his eyes lighting up, and immediately bowed with a beaming smile. "Right away! This way upstairs, Venerable Lord!"
He turned and shouted toward the kitchen, "Waiter! Take the Venerable Lord to the Heaven Room!"
A waiter hurried over, gestured for them to follow, and led the three upstairs.
Li Chen could tell without investigating that the waiter wasn't Villager. He was probably an ordinary person Shang Lu had hired, while the villagers handled management and collected payments.
Only after they reached the third floor and the waiter opened the Heaven Room's door and withdrew did Dugu Yan finally lean over, unable to hold back any longer. "The Heaven Room! That's treatment I only get when Grandpa comes in person."
The dishes arrived one after another, and the three ate and chatted. As night deepened, the streets outside glowed with lights, and a burst of commotion rose from across the way.
Li Chen turned to look. It was the Heaven Dou Auction House diagonally opposite them.
Dugu Yan followed his gaze. "Oh, right. I think the Heaven Dou Auction House is auctioning a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone tonight."
She picked up a morsel with her chopsticks.
"We have nothing to do after dinner anyway. Why don't we take a look? We can just watch without buying anything and enjoy the excitement."
Li Chen looked away. "Sure. No harm in taking a look."
Wine Fox ate quietly. At that, she lifted her eyes but said nothing.
About another half hour passed. With all three well fed and satisfied, Dugu Yan stood first. "Let's go. If we're much later, there might not be any good seats left."
The three walked to the auction house entrance. With Dugu Yan there-or rather, the Titled Douluo Dugu Bo backing her-they had something far more effective than any calling card.
The hall was spacious and brightly lit, with the auction stage in the center. Quite a few Soul Masters had already taken seats around it in twos and threes.
Since they had only come to watch, they picked some seats at random in the middle and sat down.
They had barely settled in when a middle-aged man in sumptuous brocade robes approached at an unhurried pace. His features were gentle, his bearing refined. Behind him followed a white-haired elder whose eyes were half closed. His sword aura was contained within him, leaving ordinary people unable to gauge his depth.
The two took seats beside Dugu Yan. The middle-aged man turned to glance at her and nodded slightly. "Miss Dugu, you're here too? What a coincidence."
Dugu Yan replied politely, "Sect Master Ning, I had nothing to do, so I came to enjoy the excitement."
Ning Fengzhi smiled, his gaze passing over Li Chen and Wine Fox. He asked no questions, merely giving them a polite nod before turning back toward the auction stage.
Sword Douluo, behind him, gave Wine Fox an extra look. His gaze sharpened for an instant, then returned to normal.
Seven or eight items passed across the auction stage in succession, including medicinal herbs and rare ores, while bids rose one after another from the audience.
Li Chen leaned back in his chair, listening intermittently with little interest. Shang Lu had already collected many of these things.
Now that he had the Transformation Table, he only needed to collect one of each and let the table learn it.
Dugu Yan, however, watched attentively. Occasionally, she leaned over to murmur about whether one item was worth its price or another was useful. Li Chen answered casually, patiently waiting for her to have her fill.
Wine Fox sat quietly on his other side, her gaze resting on the auction stage, her expression placid. She looked as though she had simply come along to pass the time.
The auctioneer suddenly lowered his voice a little, adding a deliberately cultivated air of mystery. "Our next item is somewhat special. Our male guests, in particular, should pay attention."
As the auctioneer spoke, three burly men pushed a cage covered by a huge red cloth onto the stage.
The red cloth covered it completely. Faint rustling came from inside, as though some small beast were shifting uneasily, occasionally accompanied by a very soft whimper or two.
Everyone's attention was drawn to it. Some craned their necks, trying to see through the red cloth, while others leaned close and whispered among themselves.
The auctioneer was in no hurry to lift the cloth. Instead, he slowly circled the cage, thoroughly whetting their appetites before announcing:
"This offering comes as a pair. I can reveal the starting price to our distinguished guests now: three hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, with each increase no lower than ten thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Once he judged the atmosphere sufficiently charged, the auctioneer grabbed the red cloth and yanked it away. "Distinguished guests, take a good look! A pair of twin sisters whose bodies mutated during their Martial Soul Awakening. Such a rarity comes along only once in a century!"
The red cloth fell away, revealing two girls huddled inside the iron cage, one silver-haired and the other brown-haired. Each had a pair of furry beast ears, and their short tails were tucked tightly behind them.
They wore only a few scraps of cloth that barely covered their intimate parts. Large expanses of bare skin were exposed, glaringly stark beneath the auction hall's lights.
Someone in the audience whistled. Others leaned forward.
The auctioneer struck while the iron was hot. "You may now place your bids."
Li Chen frowned as he watched the twin girls being auctioned onstage. Though he didn't consider himself a good person, this kind of slave trade made him uncomfortable.
In the neighboring seat, Ning Fengzhi pondered briefly, then reached out first to press the button on his armrest.
The auctioneer looked over and called out, "A guest in the white section raises the bid by ten thousand! The current bid is three hundred and ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
Dugu Yan abruptly turned toward Ning Fengzhi, her eyes widening, disbelief written all over her face. The dignified sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was actually bidding on this?
Dugu Yan abruptly turned toward Ning Fengzhi, her eyes widening, disbelief written all over her face.
Noticing her gaze, Ning Fengzhi shook his head slightly. His voice was gentle but earnest. "There is still light in these sisters' eyes. Their souls have not yet been worn away.
Those who have lost their souls are already beyond the meaning of salvation. But when we encounter those whose souls remain, how can we not save them?"
Dugu Yan froze for a moment, then blinked, only half understanding.
Before she could fully digest those words, Li Chen followed suit and pressed the button on his own armrest. The auctioneer's voice rang out again. "A guest in the white section raises the bid by ten thousand! The current bid is three hundred and twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
Dugu Yan whipped back around to stare at Li Chen. Her eyes plainly seemed to say, You're not actually some pervert, are you?
"Sect Master Ning is right. They're still worth saving, but I can..." Li Chen left the rest unfinished, merely motioning for her to look at Wine Fox.
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