"A Level 7 Soul Tool, the Star Luo Formation, produced by Mingde Hall. It covers a fifty-meter radius centered on its wielder. Unless the wielder deactivates it, no one within that range can leave. Of course, anyone with the strength of a Titled Douluo, or a Level 8 fixed-installation soul cannon, can also smash through it with brute force..."
On the white jade platform.
An exquisite black wristguard lay on display.
A strange look crossed Xu Cheng's face.
This was basically Mordekaiser's one-on-one arena.
But one careless move, and that duel could turn into a gang beating...
He had been a little tempted, but once he heard the price-two million Gold Soul Coins-he gave up. He was poor.
He wasn't playing the pity card. He really was poor.
With his dual identities as a prince and Holy Son, he certainly didn't sound like someone who ought to be short of money.
The problem was that, as a prince, his position was awkward. He had no maternal relatives to rely on, no influence at court, and the only legacy his mother had left him was still toiling for the empire on the border.
As the Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Son, he did hold firm control over its branches in several towns around Mingdu.
But what money could the Holy Spirit Cult possibly have?
They were a bunch of Evil Soul Masters. They couldn't enjoy every advantage of timing, terrain, and popular support the way Shrek did. Student tuition alone brought the academy a considerable income. On top of that, Shrek City drew countless merchants, and the Treasure Gathering Pavilion raked in money hand over fist just from its commissions. With a forest at their backs, soul beast resources were hardly scarce, either. They could even build a "Soul Beast Pavilion" inside the academy...
Evil Soul Masters still couldn't show themselves in the light.
As for their brazen collusion with the Sun Moon Empire in the original story, that only happened after the reigning emperor passed away. Crown Prince Xu Tianran proposed naming them the empire's state-protecting divine cult. Both sides harbored their own schemes, conspiring together like wolves and jackals.
Setting aside the later period, when cooperation with the Sun Moon Empire finally improved the Holy Spirit Cult's finances.
Right now, at least, the Holy Spirit Cult was so poor its empty pockets practically rattled.
I still need to find a way to make money...
Xu Cheng thought helplessly.
Auction items came and went, one after another.
None suited Xu Cheng's tastes, so he sat on the sofa, eating fruit out of boredom.
"An Evil Eye Tyrant's sixty-thousand-year Head Soul Bone, from the Evil Demon Forest. It was slain by a Level 9 Soul Engineer who prefers to remain anonymous. Reportedly, it may have been an offspring of the Evil Eye Tyrant Sovereign, one of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts. Its pure bloodline yielded this precious Head Soul Bone..."
As he listened to the old man's introduction.
Xu Cheng slowly raised his head.
His crimson eyes burned with desire.
This was practically... tailor-made for him!
At present, he had not absorbed a single soul bone, leaving room for important ones such as the Ice Empress's torso bone in the future. This Evil Eye Tyrant's Head Soul Bone was absolutely something he craved.
It would also greatly enhance his Blood Eyes and spiritual power.
Its age was impressive, too. A sixty-thousand-year soul bone was unquestionably among the finest...
"Bidding starts at four million Gold Soul Coins!"
The old man brought his hammer down.
Xu Cheng, however, became much calmer.
There was no helping it. All his savings over the years amounted to only seven hundred thousand and change. How could he not calm down...?
Or... should I call in some backup? The Holy Spirit Cult might have no money, but it was teeming with talent. It had more than ten Super Douluos alone...
Wu Yun, Zhang Peng...
Xu Cheng's gaze gradually turned dangerous.
I'm a damn Evil Soul Master. My moral boundaries are plenty flexible. Worst comes to worst...
"Four million five hundred and fifty thousand!"
Beside him, Xiao Hongchen raised his paddle.
Xu Cheng looked over in surprise.
Xiao Hongchen merely smiled. "We're buddies, aren't we...?"
Xu Cheng felt strangely touched...
But soon.
"Four million six hundred thousand!"
"Four million seven hundred thousand!"
"Five million!"
"Five million five hundred thousand!"
The price had already left them far behind.
It felt within sight, yet utterly beyond reach.
"..."
Watching the price soar, Xiao Hongchen felt his scalp prickle. His throat bobbed, and he was about to raise his paddle again.
But a hand stopped him.
Xu Cheng's expression was calm.
"No need, Xiao. Looks like this soul bone and I were fated to meet, but not to be together. There's no point forcing it."
"...All right."
Xiao Hongchen nodded reluctantly.
Although he was Jing Hongchen's grandson, throwing around that much money would probably land him in trouble once he returned.
The price of this soul bone was still climbing. He reckoned it would take at least four or five million Gold Soul Coins before it reached its peak. That was an astronomical sum.
Meng Hongchen also felt a little regretful.
She wanted to help, too, but her strength was limited. Her age was what it was, and her abilities were still lacking. She could hold her own among her peers, but against the whole of Mingdu...
In the end, a mysterious distinguished guest won the soul bone for nine million five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins...
Xu Cheng wrestled with himself for a while, but ultimately gave up in resignation.
Calling in backup might feel good for the moment, but the consequences were impossible to predict.
At worst, I'll just pretend I never came across it...
After the auction ended, he returned to the Experimental Area.
Xu Cheng braced both hands on the table, quietly thinking.
After this experience.
He, too, had realized the importance of financial resources.
But his identity as a prince, prestigious as it sounded, was also a shackle.
In other words, had he been an ordinary Sun Moon Empire student, once he demonstrated his talent, the entire academy would have backed him even if he had no money himself. Jing Hongchen might even have personally bought the soul bone and given it to him. Joining Mingde Hall in the future would have been repayment enough.
But he was a prince.
And with the struggle for succession underway, the situation was growing ever more sensitive, leaving no one at the academy willing to take sides lightly.
He was certain countless pairs of eyes had been fixed on him tonight.
That was also why he ultimately hadn't called in backup. The more he did, the more mistakes he could make. If he really stirred up trouble, he would truly lose the initiative...
His identity as the Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Son already made the Fourth Prince and the crown prince wary of him.
His immediate priority was to secure the public backing of a powerful figure in the Sun Moon Empire.
It could be Jing Hongchen, Elder Kong, or Elder Cheng...
"Whew..."
Xu Cheng let out a long, stale breath.
I need to pick up the pace.
"Why the long face?"
Nana's light, lilting voice rang out.
A pair of slender hands settled on his shoulders and began gently massaging them.
"...Heh, it's nothing."
Without turning around, Xu Cheng rubbed his temples.
The burden was heavy, and the road was long...
"..."
As the massage continued, the touch of those small hands vanished from his shoulders.
In its place, softness pressed against his back, swaying like waves.
A pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist from behind.
Xu Cheng: "..."
Warm, moist breaths brushed his ear.
"Big brother, you're always like this, trying to shoulder everything alone. Can't you let me share some of the burden?"
"Share..."
Xu Cheng paused.
Then he smiled helplessly.
This little girl could help him run the Holy Spirit Cult in the future, sure, but making money...
Wait!
Xu Cheng's eyes narrowed.
If he remembered correctly, in the original story, Ju Zi had lost her father as a child in the war between Sun Moon and the Star Luo Empire. Her mother, overcome with grief, had followed him in death, leaving her an orphan at around eleven.
And judging by the timing, that would be happening around now.
Ju Zi's ability to command was beyond question.
On the military side, her strategic brilliance had won the wholehearted respect of numerous Level 8 and Level 9 Soul Engineers far stronger than she was. When attacking the three nations, the Sun Moon army had swept forward under her leadership like a blade splitting bamboo.
On the civil side, she had started as Xu Tianran's secretary and earned his deep trust. Winning Xu Tianran's approval proved that her abilities were unquestionably sound. She could even be called an exceptional talent...
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