The auction: a Soul Bone to warm things up
The internal auction of the Spirit Pagoda is, of course, not held within the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda.
As a dedicated residential area specially built by the Spirit Pagoda and renovated over hundreds of years, it has long been clearly separated from the outside world.
The residential area has its own supermarkets, elite Soul Master Academy, high-level healing hospital, dispute mediation center, and even an independent security department directly under the Spirit Pagoda. The laws and regulations are different from those of the Federation law outside.
Although the entire area is nominally part of Shrek City, it has long been the private domain of the Spirit Pagoda. Not only can ordinary Soul Master not set foot in, but even the Federation's law enforcement teams dare not approach it without the Spirit Pagoda's permission.
The auction was naturally held in the heart of this area.
A magnificent building, constructed entirely of obsidian, sits quietly deep in the shade of the trees. Gilded patterns adorn the cracks in the walls and the lintels, understated yet exuding a weighty sense of majesty.
Two rows of guards in black uniforms stood ramrod straight at the entrance. Each of them was at least Three-Ring Soul Elder, with Soul Tool Gun of the Spirit Pagoda standard at their waist. Their eyes were sharp as eagles, scanning everyone who passed by.
Leng Yaozhu led the two of them in a private soul-guided vehicle, and they arrived at their destination in just ten minutes.
As soon as the car came to a stop, the captain in charge quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and showed utmost respect.
"Greetings, Your Heavenly Phoenix Douluo."
Leng Yaozhu sat in the car, only nodding slightly, without even rolling down the window.
The car slowly drove into the underground private driveway and directly into the VIP parking area inside the auction building.
After getting out of the car, a purple-clad attendant was already waiting with a bow, leading the three of them through a private VIP passage. The walls on both sides of the passage were inlaid with evenly glowing stones, and the soft white light filled the entire passage. The floor was paved with whole pieces of warm cloud stone, which felt warm and smooth underfoot, and there was not a sound when walking on it.
After walking for about half a minute, the waiter stopped in front of a heavy door with gilded edges, bowed, and pushed the door open.
"Your Majesty, we have arrived at Box A, Room 1."
Leng Yaozhu went in first.
Bai Yushan and Gu Yue followed behind, glancing around.
The private box was located in the very center of the top floor of the auction hall, offering a superb view. A huge, soundproof crystal glass panel stretched out at an angle, providing a clear view of the entire auction hall below.
The private room was very spacious, with a thick snow-covered cashmere carpet on the floor that completely swallowed up the sound of footsteps.
Several large black leather sofas were arranged in a semicircle along the glass, next to which stood a carved purple wood bar counter, which was filled with all kinds of spiritual fruits and aged soul wine. In the corner, there was even a small Soul Gathering Array pattern, which was slowly gathering Soul Power at all times. Cultivating inside was 30% faster than outside.
As soon as the three sat down, two beautiful servants in green robes bowed and entered. After curtsying, they poured amber-colored century-old soul wine for the three without saying a word, and also placed several plates of sliced top-grade spiritual fruits on the table. Their movements were as light as shadows, without making a sound.
After serving the food, the waiter bowed and left, gently closing the door to the private room.
The entire time was so quiet it was as if the person didn't exist.
"It's alright."
Leng Yaozhu leaned back on the sofa, picked up her wine glass and swirled it, her gaze falling on the auction hall below.
The hall was already about 70-80% full, bustling with people, but there was little noise. Everyone was quietly waiting for the show to start, showing that they were all regular customers and very well-behaved.
"It's nothing special."
Bai Yushan shrugged, picked up a spirit fruit, and popped it into his mouth.
The fruit melted in the mouth, and a gentle surge of Soul Power slid down the throat, nourishing the meridians. Its quality was far superior to what the Eastsea Academy had provided.
Gu Yue curiously leaned over the crystal glass and looked down, her silver-purple eyes reflecting the lights of the hall with a hint of novelty.
This was her first time attending an auction of this caliber.
A few minutes later.
The warm lights on the auction stage suddenly dimmed, and a spotlight shone directly onto the center of the stage.
A middle-aged man in a dark suit walked up with a polite smile.
His cultivation was understated, and he possessed a natural, well-rounded demeanor, clearly a seasoned host accustomed to grand occasions.
Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Spirit Pagoda's end-of-season internal auction.
The host bowed slightly, his clear voice carrying throughout the entire auction hall via the soul-guided device.
"We won't waste time with the usual formalities; everyone knows what's going on."
"Without further ado, let's bring up the first item."
As soon as he finished speaking, a hostess from backstage gracefully walked up carrying a tray covered with black velvet.
In the center of the tray was a bone the size of a fist.
It is a deep dark blue-green color with a faint glow on the surface, and naturally has rings of cloud leopard patterns on it.
Even from a distance, one could feel the powerful Soul Power emanating from it, pressing down heavily on people.
"The first item up for auction: the hind leg bone of a 600-year-old Hell Panther."
The host gestured and began to speak with a smile.
"A speed-type Soul Bone possesses a slight spatial teleportation attribute. After fusion with Agility Attack System Soul Master, their speed will increase by at least 30%, not to mention their increased agility."
For most people today, a century-old Soul Bone wouldn't actually be of much use.
In this era, Battle Armor, mechs, and Soul Tool have almost completely replaced, or even surpassed, the benefits that Soul Bone bring to Soul Master.
But there is one thing that Soul Master cannot ignore!
That is the improvement of the quality of the Martial Soul, or even the improvement of the bloodline within the body!
Long ago, someone proposed that even a lizard Martial Soul, as long as it possesses a Sisi of dragon blood, can enhance that trace of dragon blood by hunting dragon Soul Ring and absorbing dragon Soul Bone, thereby achieving a leap in Martial Soul!
This leap will be passed down through bloodlines.
Meanwhile, in this era, land-based Soul Beast were almost extinct. Apart from those Soul Beast used for breeding and research, wild Soul Beast were virtually extinct.
The remaining powerful Soul Beast are also protected by a group of Ferocious Beast in the core of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Therefore, even a six-hundred-year-old Soul Bone is of paramount importance in the outside world!
The crowd below the stage immediately stirred with some commotion.
Many people leaned forward.
No one could resist being tempted.
Martial Soul Leap!
Many Soul Master spend their entire lives stuck with low-level Martial Soul, struggling endlessly with no hope of advancement.
If one could purify their bloodline and improve the quality of their Martial Soul through Soul Bone, that would be nothing short of defying fate!
This improvement can even be passed down through bloodlines to the next generation, benefiting future generations.
"A six-hundred-year-old, naturally grown, wild Soul Bone —everyone knows what its significance is in the outside world."
The host smiled and waved his hand.
I won't say any more.
"Hhind leg bone of a 600-year-old wild Hell Panther, starting bid: three million Federation Coins!"
"Each bid increase must be no less than 500,000!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
Three and a half million!
Immediately, someone held up a sign; it was a fat man in brocade robes sitting in the front row of the hall.
Four million!
Four and a half million!
The calls for price increases rose and fell, one after another.
Prices skyrocketed.
In just a few breaths, it surged to six million.