The group reached Star Luo City, the capital of the Star Dou Empire, in less than three days. Two luxurious carriages now rolled briskly through Star Luo City's gates, where a sea of people crowded the streets.
Qian Duoduo instructed the coachmen to find an inn where they could rest for a day. The two carriages stopped not far from the inn.
"Three rooms!"
Qian Duoduo approached the inn's front desk, took gold soul coins out of his Soul Tool, and placed them on the counter. The receptionist immediately took three keys from behind her.
The three keys corresponded to rooms 401 through 403. Qian Duoduo took them from the receptionist at once, then turned to distribute them to the four people behind him.
Bei Bei and Fan Yu shared one room, Qian Duoduo took another, and the remaining room went to Mu Changqing and Na'er. The five took their keys and immediately went up to the fourth floor.
Holding Na'er's fair hand, Mu Changqing opened the door to room 403. They entered a very simple room containing only two beds, a desk, and a wardrobe.
"Brother~ let's cultivate for a while first!"
Na'er pulled Mu Changqing onto a bed. They sat cross-legged, a current of power circulating between their bodies.
"God King of Destruction, are you there?"
Mu Changqing's consciousness had already sunk into his Sea of Spirit. He called out into the empty Sea of Spirit.
"I am! What do you need me for?"
The God King of Destruction's divine sense appeared in the Sea of Spirit, asking with those questions in mind. Destruction had been spending some lovey-dovey time with the Goddess of Life!
"Tonight, I'll bring back a cursed carving knife. Could you help me remove the curse on it?"
Mu Changqing cautiously asked the God King of Destruction, who pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Something like that is no more effort than lifting a hand for me!"
With that, the God King of Destruction once again faded from the Sea of Spirit. Mu Changqing's consciousness returned to his body, and he opened his eyes. Na'er was still cultivating.
Noticing the diminished flow of Soul Power in her body, Na'er stopped cultivating and threw herself into Mu Changqing's arms again.
Na'er leaned close to Mu Changqing's ear and gently blew on it. Her warm, moist breath made his entire body shudder, and his face rapidly began to flush.
"Na'er... what are you doing?"
"Brother! Do you still remember saying three years ago that you liked little lolis?"
"Na'er has kept that in her heart all this time!"
Mu Changqing was startled by Na'er's eyes, which brimmed with possessiveness. Three years ago, he had only blurted it out unintentionally.
"Brother! Come downstairs and take a walk with me!"
Seeing Mu Changqing's dazed expression, Na'er smiled sweetly at him and tapped him on the head.
Holding hands, they pushed open the bedroom door. As though remembering something, Mu Changqing led Na'er to Qian Duoduo's room.
After they knocked, Qian Duoduo opened the door with a languid expression. Rubbing his eyes, he questioned Mu Changqing.
"Changqing, what is it?"
"Elder Qian, come to the auction house with me!"
Mu Changqing offered no further explanation. Qian Duoduo was the only Titled Douluo present, so Mu Changqing had come to him for safety's sake.
"Let's go!"
Without asking any more questions, Qian Duoduo walked ahead of Mu Changqing, and the three immediately headed downstairs.
"Brother, I want some candied hawthorns!"
Na'er's eyes fixed on a stall selling candied hawthorns not far away, and she swallowed.
Mu Changqing went over and bought three skewers of candied hawthorns for Na'er. Then the three continued on their way, sweetness filling Na'er's mouth as she ate.
Whatever festival Star Dou City was celebrating that day, it was exceptionally lively, with seas of people everywhere.
Mu Changqing noticed that the buildings here all retained their old-fashioned appearance and that Soul Tools were rarely seen. That was enough to show that the original three nations of Douluo placed little importance on developing Soul Tools.
No wonder the Sun Moon Empire later beat them until they scattered like fallen petals on flowing water. Sure enough, those who lag behind get beaten.
After walking for a while, the three arrived at Star Dou City's largest auction house. Many people were coming and going, all of them either wealthy or influential.
"Honored guests, have you come to consign something for auction?"
As the three entered the auction house, a young maid wearing an auction house uniform approached and politely addressed them.
Mu Changqing shook his head. "We've come to ask about an item. The price is negotiable."
Hearing that they had come to buy something, and seeing that each of them wore expensive clothing and clearly came from distinguished backgrounds, the maid hurried to the back to notify someone of higher rank.
"Everyone, please come inside!"
Mu Changqing and the other two followed the maid into a reception room, where she poured each of them a cup of fine tea.
The maid immediately left the reception room to notify her superior so they could handle the matter.
Before long, a middle-aged man politely pushed open the door and entered, smiling cheerfully at the three before him.
"Young master! May I ask what you wish to buy?"
The middle-aged man looked at Mu Changqing, his tone full of ingratiation. Qian Duoduo sat to one side, shutting his ears to everything around him.
Aside from auctioning items, the Star Dou Auction House sold most things, provided one had the money.
"I want the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife!"
Mu Changqing smiled faintly and came straight to the point.
At those words, even the highly professional manager froze.
"Are you mad? What do you want that carving knife for?"
"That carving knife still contains an evil soul master's evil thoughts! Those who used it before either died or became evil souls!"
Qian Duoduo immediately spoke up to stop him. As a Class 8 soul engineer, how could he not know about this cursed carving knife?
Seeing that Qian Duoduo nearby knew the item and intended to stop Mu Changqing from buying it, the manager said nothing more. He was also deeply shocked; no one had ever come straight out and asked to buy this carving knife like that before.
After all, if they really sold it, the auction house might end up with a reputation for harming people.
After all, in the manager's eyes, buying this carving knife was little different from throwing one's life away.
"Brother, do you really want to buy such a dangerous carving knife?"
As soon as Na'er heard that the carving knife could make someone fall and become an evil soul, worry filled her face.
"Elder Qian! Don't worry. I have a way! I don't do things without preparation!"
"One hundred thousand gold soul coins for this Soul-Devouring Carving Knife. That's my firm offer!"
Mu Changqing spoke with ironclad resolve, seemingly completely confident about this cursed carving knife. In the original story, Huo Yuhao had also offered one hundred thousand gold soul coins, so he would not be losing out.
"Fine!... Do as you please!"
Qian Duoduo no longer tried to dissuade him.
"Sir! Since you're certain you want it, I'll have someone bring it over right away!"
Seeing Mu Changqing's confident manner and such a high offer, the manager would certainly sell it if he could.
"Sir, here is the item you requested!"
A maid held a wooden box in her hands. From time to time, a trace of a cursed and evil presence seeped from it.
"Here is a card containing one hundred thousand gold soul coins!"
Mu Changqing placed a gold card on the table and took the wooden box from the maid. As he drew close to the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife, he could sense the heavy presence of the evil soul master's lingering thoughts within it.
Once Mu Changqing finished the transaction, the three immediately rose and left the Starlight Auction House, heading back toward the inn.
"Interesting!"
A girl of around fourteen appeared on the stairs, watching the three figures depart.
She was none other than Xu Jiujiu, princess of the Star Luo Empire. Upon hearing that someone had bought the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife, she had rushed over immediately, but she was still a step too late. They had already left.