The Martial Soul Slot Card and Martial Soul Awakening Card were both very expensive in the game shop. Soul bones were not even available there-or rather, trading in them had not been unlocked yet.
But once the excitement passed, a problem arose. These were all good things, so how would they divide them after completing the quest?
Wang Zhongwang: "As much as I want those rewards, I know my own limits. I'll just earn some spending money. Once I've saved enough, I can buy them directly from the game shop."
Primordial One: "I'm thinking the same thing. This quest clearly won't be easy. You three will have to do the heavy lifting."
Agile Dog in the Mountains: "No objections here, as long as our rich friend can give us a little extra. I'm seriously running out of funds."
Qian Xixi: "How about this? I'll take the ten-thousand-year soul bone from the rewards and give everyone some Fate Coins as compensation."
Ten-Year Veteran: "I Am an Angel, let's each choose one of the other two and give everyone else some Fate Coins as compensation. What do you think?"
I Am an Angel: "No problem. Let's do that."
Since the other players would receive three shares of Fate Coins as compensation, they naturally had no objections either.
Ten-Year Veteran: "Now that we've settled the rewards, let's discuss how to complete this quest."
Spirit Hall Eternal: "The quest map already marks where the quest item is, but it's in the imperial palace's treasury. Forcing our way in is absolutely impossible."
Wang Zhongwang: "They'll definitely have to transport it to the Auction House for the auction. That journey will be our chance to strike."
I Am an Angel: "The transport route will definitely be kept secret. Even if we can track the quest item's movements on the quest map, we'll have very little time to prepare."
Qian Xixi: "We don't need much preparation time. All we need to do is get our hands on the item and turn it in."
Qian Xixi: "The game shop has Concealment Cloaks. Once we put them on, we'll be very hard to detect. They're great for sneak attacks. They're a little pricey, but I can still afford a few."
Spirit Hall Eternal: "Big spender, you're a legend! Got room for another ornament hanging off your thigh?"
Ten-Year Veteran: "Stay on topic. Let's finalize the plan. We strike during transport, use C4 to create chaos, then make a targeted grab."
Wang Zhongwang: "That works, but what if a Title Douluo is guarding it?"
Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "Then we can rush in and blow ourselves up. Blowing ourselves up with C4 might not hurt a Title Douluo, but holding him up for a little while shouldn't be a problem."
Primordial One: "Exactly. There are so many of us. As long as one of us gets the quest item and turns it in, the quest counts as complete."
Qian Xixi: "Whoever personally turns in the quest item gets an extra share of Fate Coins from me."
Wang Zhongwang: "Now that's generous, big spender!"
Just like that, the players settled on their quest plan with little fuss. Behind the scenes, Tang Yi kept feeling that it was far too simple and brutal.
"Forget it. Maybe the simpler and more brutal a plan is, the better it works."
In the following round-robin matches of the Soul Master Tournament, the players drew team battles every time.
Once their opponents discovered that they could neither break through Qian Xixi's defenses nor disrupt the Super-Concentrated Soul Guidance Cannon as it charged, they surrendered decisively.
They had no desire to be blasted like Qinglang Academy. One slip could get someone killed.
Because of the game system's rewards, some people also noticed the changes in the colors of the players' soul rings.
But even those who noticed did not go out of their way to ask. Even if anyone did ask, the players had already agreed on their story: pin it on the Sea God, Tang San.
The auction storyline would begin after the round-robin stage ended. Once they finished their matches, the players kept their eyes on the quest item's movements on the game map.
Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "It's moving! It's finally moving!"
Ten-Year Veteran: "Let's go. Plans can't keep up with changes, so everyone can adapt as needed."
Wang Zhongwang: "Got it!"
Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "Don't worry. We only have one target: the quest item! Charge!"
Primordial One: "Can you act normal? We need to keep a low profile right now. A low profile, understand?"
The team voice chat was lively, but the players moved cautiously.
Qian Xixi, Ten-Year Veteran, and I Am an Angel wore Concealment Cloaks, while the other players wore ordinary black robes.
Since it was nighttime, even ordinary black robes offered decent concealment.
Watching the quest item's direction and speed of movement on the game map, the players pooled their observations and worked out the best ambush location.
All the players lay in wait nearby.
The Star Luo Imperial Family attached great importance to this auction. Even its host was Princess Xu Jiujiu herself.
Naturally, security for the valuable auction items was no trifling matter. A Title Douluo was guarding the Ice Jade Scorpion Soul Bone.
Cheng Gang was a rank 91 Title Douluo with the title Giant Strength. His martial soul was the Ant Emperor.
Although he was a pure strength-type soul master, an ant's senses were keen.
"Something's wrong! What scoundrels dare run wild here!"
Wang Zhongwang: "Holy shit! There really is a Title Douluo! What do we do?"
Ten-Year Veteran: "Stick to the plan. Detonate!"
Boom! The planted C4 exploded with a roar, sending orange flames soaring into the sky.
Immediately afterward, taking advantage of the chaos from the explosion, the players all rushed toward the quest item's location.
"A pack of skulking rats. You're courting death!"
Cheng Gang slashed at Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior, killing him instantly. Before dying, however, Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior had already thrown out his C4.
Boom! Another explosion rang out. The quest item was in a carriage, which was now engulfed by the blast.
At this sight, Cheng Gang's expression darkened further.
"Damn it! Fifth soul skill: Ten-Direction Annihilation Slash!"
The attack covered a vast area, instantly killing all the remaining players who had charged forward. But when the players died, their C4 detonated along with them.
The simultaneous C4 detonations produced an even more powerful blast, forcing even Cheng Gang to defend himself for a moment.
Ten-Year Veteran kept his eyes fixed on Cheng Gang, the big boss. This boss did not even have a health bar yet; he was clearly a character they could not defeat at their current stage.
Ten-Year Veteran: "Now!"
Qian Xixi, I Am an Angel, and Ten-Year Veteran charged straight into the explosion as well, pinpointing the quest item's location amid the blast.
Their Concealment Cloaks had kept Cheng Gang from noticing them earlier, but once they made their move, he still detected them.
"Damn it!"
Seeing that some fish had slipped through the net, Cheng Gang flew into a rage and instantly charged at the three of them at tremendous speed.
Ten-Year Veteran: "No! We won't make it! Qian Xixi, let's hold him off."
Qian Xixi: "All right!"
Ten-Year Veteran and Qian Xixi immediately changed direction and charged at Cheng Gang, buying time for I Am an Angel.
"Die!"
Cheng Gang paid the two no heed at all, and neither of them intended to stop a Title Douluo like Cheng Gang through their own strength.
What Ten-Year Veteran pulled out was still C4, but what Qian Duoduo pulled out was not. It was a Level 8 Soul Guidance Bomb, more powerful than C4.
Qian Xixi: "Heh heh heh! Don't you run!"
Before you continue