42: Jade of Living Beings

"The auction has officially begun!"

Under everyone's gaze, an auctioneer slowly walked onto the platform and made the announcement in a loud voice.

The auctioneer did not use an amplifier, yet his voice reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Every item in today's auction is a treasure. I sincerely wish all our honored guests success in bidding for the treasures you desire. Without further ado, let us present our first item."

As soon as he finished speaking, a beautiful young woman with delicate features and a curvaceous figure walked onto the platform carrying a tray. She wore a qipao.

The tray was covered with a red silk cloth, making it impossible to see what lay beneath.

The auctioneer didn't keep them in suspense. He whisked away the red silk, revealing an antique-looking ring set with two dark blue gemstones.

"Honored guests, please look. This bracelet is a superb Soul Tool. Each gemstone provides eight cubic meters of space, for a total of sixteen cubic meters between the two."

"Sixteen cubic meters of space puts it among the best of all known Soul Tools in the world today. What is rarer still is that each individual space in this Soul Tool is so large. That is especially rare."

"As the first item in today's auction, it has no starting price and no minimum bid increment. Honored guests, please place your bids."

As soon as he finished, someone pressed the bid button. "One hundred thousand!"

Someone in front immediately sneered. "How ridiculous! Someone actually dared to bid a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins? Aren't you afraid of making everyone laugh their teeth out? Five hundred thousand!"

Indeed, as that person had said, every item in this auction of superb treasures was worth more than five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. A bid of one hundred thousand was far too small-minded.

"Good, a red-tier guest has bid five hundred thousand. Do I hear a higher bid?"

The bids that followed rose much more slowly, unlike the earlier jump of four hundred thousand.

"Five hundred and thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins. A black-tier guest has bid five hundred and thirty thousand."

"Five hundred and fifty thousand."

"Five hundred and sixty thousand."

Soon, the Soul Tool's price rose to six hundred and fifty thousand, and it was finally sold to a guest in the black-tier guest area.

The auction continued in an orderly fashion, item after item being brought out.

Eight hundred thousand, nine hundred and fifty thousand-one item after another was sold for a high price.

The sight of countless Gold Soul Coins flowing like water behind it all made people marvel at the nobles' luxurious lives.

"Well? Still nothing you've taken a fancy to?" Fan Haige asked from beside him from time to time.

Jun Yan merely shook his head. "Let's wait a little longer! There isn't anything good here!"

On the platform, a young woman appeared again, carrying a tray with a brocade box on it.

The auctioneer took the brocade box from the tray and placed it on the auction table before him.

As he slowly opened the box, a faint green energy emerged from it. Inside lay a dark green jade disc, about the size of a small child's fist.

"This is the third-to-last item in today's auction, the Jade of Life. Our appraisers have confirmed that this piece of jade contains abundant life energy. The energy it gives off naturally can slowly heal injuries and preserve youth."

"Wah-" An uproar immediately broke out below the platform.

It was common knowledge that the Heaven Dou City Grand Auction House did not lie. Leaving everything else aside, the effects the auctioneer had described were tempting enough. The jade also contained vast life energy, and anyone who could absorb it would surely gain enormous benefits.

"However," the auctioneer suddenly changed tack, "we will not deceive our honored guests. Although we know the Jade of Life contains vast life energy, we have always found a way to use it and can only absorb the energy it gives off passively. We even sought out several Soul Douluo, but none of them found a way to absorb it."

"So, if any honored guest has taken a fancy to this precious jade and is confident in their ability to absorb its energy, you may wish to bid on it. As for our other guests, although I am the auctioneer, I still hope you will consider carefully."

He was worthy of being an auctioneer from the Heaven Dou City Grand Auction House. Other auctioneers stirred up bidders' emotions to make the bidding more intense. This auctioneer not only refrained from doing so, but instead urged everyone to remain calm and bid cautiously.

"The Jade of Life has a starting price of five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, with each increment no less than ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. Now, let the bidding begin."

"Five hundred and fifty thousand."

"Six hundred thousand."

"Six hundred and fifty thousand."

"Seven hundred thousand."

By the time the price reached seven hundred thousand, the bidding had noticeably slowed. After all, as the auctioneer had said, even Soul Douluo had been unable to determine the jade's exact use.

As for healing injuries and preserving youth, those were not difficult matters for these important figures.

The auctioneer asked, "A red-tier guest has bid seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Any higher bids? Seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins going once, seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins going twice, seven hundred and fifty-"

The auctioneer's voice stopped abruptly, and he changed his words. "Good, a black-tier guest has raised the bid to seven hundred and sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Any higher bids?"

"What is it, little Jun Yan? Are you interested in this jade?" Fan Haige asked.

Indeed, the person who had just raised the bid was Jun Yan.

When the Jade of Life appeared, Jun Yan had immediately become very interested. After all, life energy was precisely the energy he needed.

However, he hadn't bid right away. He waited until no one else was bidding before making his move.

Jun Yan nodded and said to Fan Haige, "Yes, I find this jade rather interesting. Perhaps it is fated to be mine."

"Since you're interested, I'll buy it for you!" With that, Fan Haige gave Salas a meaningful look.

Salas immediately understood and reached out to press the bid button.

"Good, a black-tier guest has bid seven hundred and seventy thousand Gold Soul Coins. Any higher bids?"

Jun Yan pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly. "Uncle, what are you doing? Doesn't that mean spending another ten thousand Gold Soul Coins for nothing?"

"Haha, it's only ten thousand Gold Soul Coins! I can still afford that."

Fan Haige laughed heartily. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout both the black-tier and red-tier guest areas.

Those who had originally intended to bid recognized Fan Haige's voice and immediately withdrew their hands. There was no need to offend a Platinum Bishop of the Martial Soul Sacred Temple over a piece of jade whose use was unknown.

That was exactly what Fan Haige had intended. After all, the money in his pocket hadn't been blown there by the wind.

The auctioneer naturally recognized Fan Haige as well and spoke at the right moment. "Any higher bids? If not, this Jade of Life will belong to this black-tier guest."

He quickened his pace. "Seven hundred and seventy thousand going once, seven hundred and seventy thousand going twice, seven hundred and seventy thousand going-"

Just then, a newborn calf truly showed no fear of the tiger. The auctioneer was about to utter the final word when someone pressed the bid button.

"A black-tier guest has bid eight hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins!"