Seeing Tang Lan raise the stakes in provocation,
Zhi Lin, a dignified Soul Douluo and Vice Chairman of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Education Committee—
Could he swallow this humiliation?
Of course not.
Without hesitation, he pulled out a white left leg bone and placed it on the auction stage.
"This is a Splitting Demon Claw Right Leg Bone, 11,000 years old!"
"It will also be added as a tournament prize!"
After speaking,
Zhi Lin sneered at Tang Lan—
Bringing a mere 6,000-year-old soul bone? You dare?
Tang Lan grinned.
Oh wow!
A 10,000-year left leg bone—how generous of him!
He secretly sighed in regret.
If only he still had that 10,000-year Tiger Eagle Left Arm Bone,
just for the sake of one-upping Zhi Lin,
he might have even lured out a 30,000-year soul bone from him!
But, alas—he had no extra soul bones left on him, so he had to let it go.
He cupped his hands toward Zhi Lin. "Vice Chairman Zhi Lin, such generosity!"
Zhi Lin snorted coldly.
And lectured, "Young people don't know their limits. Don't let arrogance cloud your judgment!"
Tang Lan smiled cheerfully, completely unbothered.
—Come on, the guy just gifted him a 10,000-year soul bone.
Letting him say a few words was no big deal.
At the same time, he couldn't help but reflect.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy had been too used to dominating,
so much so that they hadn't even bothered to investigate Tang Sect Academy.
After all—
Flender was inside Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Tang Lan could already spar with a Rank 70 Soul Saint upon admission,
Dai Mubai had also reached Rank 38,
and the rest of the group were all far from weak.
Had Zhi Lin done even a bit of homework,
he wouldn't have been so blindly confident and lost a 10,000-year soul bone so easily.
Next Auction Item—
"The next auction item is a 6,000-year-old Whale Gel!"
"According to the Tang Sect Encyclopedia, consuming this 6,000-year Whale Gel can increase physique equivalent to about 1,200 years of soul ring enhancement!"
"Even non-soul masters can strengthen their bodies and extend their prime!"
"Starting bid: 50,000 gold soul coins, with increments of at least 1,000 gold soul coins per bid!"
Auctions relied on a strong opening item.
So after the first soul bone,
the second item's tier naturally dropped.
Most of the items were for health benefits, calligraphy and paintings, or antique treasures.
Tang Lan wasn't interested.
But the nobles were bidding fiercely.
It was like two completely different worlds.
Tang Lan shook his head as he watched.
Without becoming a god, human life barely exceeds a century.
These so-called nobles, believing themselves high and mighty,
were nothing but dust to the gods,
not even worthy of being called ants.
At best, they were just specks of dust by the roadside, blown away in an instant.
With nothing better to do, Tang Lan focused on eating.
Casually chatting with Qian Renxue from time to time.
Frankly, it was boring.
—If he weren't waiting for the final showdown, he would've found an excuse to leave already.
Midway Through the Auction—
A particular auction item finally caught his attention.
"The next item, Lot #13, is a soul tool contributed by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"Its name is Divine Wind Boat—forged using the fins and tail of an Ink Flood Dragon. Its very material allows it to withstand the soul attacks of century-old soul beasts."
"When powered by soul force, it can travel a thousand miles per day, making it the perfect choice for long-distance travel!"
"Starting bid: 100,000 gold soul coins, with increments of at least 10,000 gold soul coins per bid!"
Oh ho!
A soul tool?
Looking at the palm-sized flying boat in Dou Dou's hands—
Tang Lan was intrigued.
Although he had a soul bone skill for flight,
flying himself was nowhere near as comfortable as riding in style.
Without hesitation, he bid, "150,000 gold soul coins."
The crowd turned to look.
Seeing that it was Tang Lan—the one who had been focused on eating—
they were a little surprised.
Then, silence.
Most of the nobles were low-level soul masters.
They had little interest in soul tools powered by soul force.
As for the few who considered competing,
the moment they remembered Tang Lan's multi-million gold soul coin fortune—
they quietly backed down.
As for Vice Chairman Zhi Lin,
he had already "won" once earlier.
There was no need to press further, or he'd look too petty.
Thus—
After a quick three-count,
Dou Dou happily struck the auction gavel.
"150,000 gold soul coins, sold!"
"Congratulations, Sect Master, on acquiring the Divine Wind Boat!"
A maid brought over the item, and Tang Lan examined it with interest.
Ning Fengzhi, upon seeing this, felt a bit regretful.
"I forgot that Brother Lan is very interested in soul tools."
"I'll be more mindful in the future."
Tang Lan never refused free benefits.
"Then I'll thank you in advance, Brother Ning." He grinned.
Ning Fengzhi simply nodded—it was just pocket change to him.
"If Little Lan likes soul tools so much," Qian Renxue added, "Qinghe will also keep an eye out for more."
Tang Lan replied, "Much appreciated. If you ever need help with cultivation techniques, feel free to ask me."
Qian Renxue smiled in response.
This exchange subtly reinforced their bond.
At the same time, it sent a clear message to the crowd—
The Crown Prince was practicing Tang Sect techniques.
This meant he had half a master's connection to Tang Lan,
so picking a fight wasn't a great idea.
Sure enough—
The expressions of Zhi Lin and the other two education committee members shifted slightly.
Chief Dream God Machine even whispered orders to a subordinate.
A Few Auction Items Later—
The subordinate returned, handing over a paper filled with densely packed text.
Dream God Machine glanced at it—
his eyes widened in disbelief!
Then, he angrily smacked the paper onto Zhi Lin's hand.
Zhi Lin, at first, was confused.
But after reading—
his face fell.
His gaze kept darting toward Tang Lan, filled with shock and disbelief.
Tang Lan just smiled, saying nothing.
See?
Such simple intel—any basic investigation would've revealed it.
But they were too arrogant to check, and now they paid the price.
Zhi Lin's face twitched, stiff and frozen.
If it weren't for Emperor Xue Ye's presence,
and if there wasn't still a sliver of hope for victory,
he might have fled the scene using his martial soul already.
—Getting scammed by a junior was an unbearable humiliation!
Next Auction Item—
"Up next—an artifact forged by the legendary craftsman Lou Gao—the Eight-Treasure Wishful Soft Armor!"
"This armor's material was developed after ten years of research by Master Lou Gao, utilizing a newly synthesized shape-memory metal!"
"It not only automatically adjusts to the wearer's physique,
but can even withstand a full-power sixth soul skill from an attack-type soul master!"
"Starting bid: 200,000 gold soul coins, with increments of at least 10,000 gold soul coins!"
"Let the bidding begin!"
Tang Lan's eyebrows lifted!
No wonder this auction had Emperor Xue Ye's presence—
the quality of the items was impressive.
A material that could passively resist a Rank 60 soul skill,
without even using soul power?
No wonder the nobles went crazy over it!
The bidding war was fierce, prices rising rapidly.
But Tang Lan, watching the armor on stage,
felt a little speechless.
A mix of muddy yellow and bright silver—
it looked cheap and gaudy.
If it were just worn inside clothing, he wouldn't mind.
But why the hell did they embed an entire ring of diamonds around it?!
Just…
Even legendary craftsmen, at the end of the day, were just blacksmiths.
Their aesthetic sense was truly questionable.
Tang Lan hadn't expected this turn of events.
Until—
"470,000 gold soul coins!"
That voice was all too familiar—Tang San had placed the bid.
—As the head of the firearms production line, his income wasn't low either.
Tang Lan hadn't restricted his earnings.
After all, most fortuitous encounters couldn't be bought with money.
So Tang San had his own stash of funds.
However…
Since you want this soft armor, don't blame me for being impolite!
He couldn't directly compete with his own brother.
So, he used mental link transmission to Qian Renxue—
"Qinghe, I want to win this soft armor, but I can't openly bid against my brother. Can you bid for me?"
Qian Renxue gave him a puzzled look.
According to intelligence reports—
Tang San might be a disappointment, but Tang Lan still doted on him.
So why now—?
Thinking of Zhu Zhuqing, Qian Renxue understood.
—He got a woman and doesn't need his brother anymore.
But regardless of the reason—
Tang Lan had asked, and she couldn't refuse.
She gave a subtle nod, agreeing.
As the bidding escalated,
the starting price of 200,000 gold soul coins was pushed up to 710,000 by the competing nobles.
It had long surpassed the soft armor's actual value.
Many nobles felt it wasn't worth it and withdrew.
Until finally—
Tang San, struggling, placed a bid of 800,000 gold soul coins, and no one else raised the price.
Just as he thought he had secured the item—
"850,000 gold soul coins."
An immediate 50,000-coin increase!
Tang San turned toward the voice—
Qian Renxue was smiling and nodding at him.
She even added, "Qinghe has a lower cultivation level, this soft armor is perfect for me. I hope Vice Sect Master Tang will be generous."
At this point—
If there wasn't an absolute necessity,
it was proper etiquette to yield to the Crown Prince.
But as the countdown began—
Tang San clenched his teeth and bid: "1,000,000 gold soul coins!"
He gave no explanation,
making it seem like he was raising the price out of spite.
Qian Renxue's brows furrowed slightly.
She glanced at Tang Lan, then stood up with a smile.
"It seems Vice Sect Master Tang is determined to obtain this soft armor."
"In that case, Qinghe shall add to the tournament's prestige as well."
"2,000,000 gold soul coins!"
Good heavens!
A direct 1,000,000-coin increase?!
Even though it was under the pretense of 'adding prestige to the tournament',
everyone could see it—
Qian Renxue was making a statement.
—How could the Crown Prince lose face over mere gold?!
Tang San's eyes burned with frustration!
He stared at the soft armor, on the verge of bidding again—
—After all, his brother was here.
Victory in the tournament was guaranteed.
He could always ask his brother to refund him later.
But just then—
Tang Lan's mental link reached him.
"Xiao San."
"Unless absolutely necessary, do not offend the Crown Prince."
Tang San urgently responded.
"Brother! I have to get it!"
"The alloy's flexibility is crucial for the new Buddha Fury Tang Lotus! I can't afford to lose it!"
Tang Lan understood immediately.
No wonder Tang San was so desperate.
It was because this related to the top-ranking hidden weapon, the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus.
Which meant…
The opportunity level of this event was even higher?!
Then there was even more reason to stop him from getting it!
"Xiao San, Emperor Xue Ye is here today. If you openly defy the Crown Prince, it won't be good for Tang Sect."
"Let him have it for now. I'll find a way to trade for it later."
Tang San hesitated, conflicted.
But in the end—
He knew the situation was hopeless.
He could only sigh in frustration.
And watch as Dou Dou counted down and struck the auction gavel.
At that moment—
Tang Lan received a system notification.
[You have interfered with the birth of the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus, delaying its creation significantly. You have seized a considerable portion of Tang San's fate!]
[Reward: Indestructible Vajra Divine Art!]
In an instant—
A flood of information poured into his mind but was quickly digested by his vast spiritual power.
This technique was different from the Indestructible Vajra Physique,
which strengthened the body through refining techniques.
The Indestructible Vajra Divine Art was a transformation-based technique!
It could turn the entire body golden,
granting invulnerability, poison immunity, indestructibility, and ultimate resilience!
Sound familiar?
It overlapped quite a bit with the ultimate mastery of the Nine Yang Divine Art—
the Indestructible Vajra Body!
But!
The Indestructible Vajra Divine Art could further enhance his defense, strength, speed, and other attributes on top of the Indestructible Vajra Physique.
It was essentially another Martial Soul Avatar.
Moreover,
the duration of this technique depended on the user's cultivation power.
Simply put—it was a transformation ability that continuously drained energy.
Unfortunately for everyone else…
Tang Lan regenerated energy quickly, had backup energy reserves, and could absorb energy from others to replenish himself!
As long as his opponent didn't fall,
Tang Lan could keep the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art active indefinitely.
By the time he reached Rank 70 Soul Sage, he could even stack it with Martial Soul Avatar.
Wouldn't crushing a Soul Douluo be a piece of cake?
"Tsk!"
"Tang San, what a great guy!"
But the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art was just a technique.
Even with the Indestructible Vajra Physique as a foundation,
he still had to train it step by step.
That immortal herb, Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum,
had allowed Dai Mubai to cultivate an indestructible body.
Wouldn't it also accelerate the cultivation of the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art?
Regardless,
this immortal herb was now his.
As for Dai Mubai?
He was just being groomed as a future subordinate god—no need for such a high-level resource.
A lower-tier immortal herb would do—let him train the technique slowly.
"And now, we have our grand finale auction item!"
Dou Dou's voice rose in excitement—
"This item is another soul tool, discovered by Heaven Dou Royal Academy in an ancient ruin!"
She dramatically unveiled the red cloth, revealing a ring.
Tang Lan immediately recognized it—
a storage ring.
Strange…
Didn't Zhao Wuji say…?
Before he could complete his thought,
Dou Dou picked up the storage ring, her hand flashed,
and suddenly—
a small hammer, no larger than a palm, dropped to the ground.
"BOOM—!!!"
A deafening explosion shook the hall, startling the entire audience!
The auction stage collapsed instantly.
Dou Dou summoned her White Dove Martial Soul, spreading her wings and taking flight.
Several Rank 50 Beast Soul Masters rushed in to move the hammer together.
Dou Dou, now hovering, excitedly introduced the item—
"This hammer-shaped soul tool, though only the size of a palm, weighs ten thousand jin!"
"And when infused with soul power, its weight will continue to increase!"
"To fully wield it, a Rank 70 Soul Sage is the bare minimum qualification!"
"For detailed specifications, you'll need to win the bid to find out."
"Starting price: 150,000 gold soul coins, with increments of at least 10,000 gold soul coins!"
"Let the bidding begin!"
As soon as Dou Dou finished speaking—
silence fell over the venue.
An unknown, insanely heavy soul tool?
The nobles weren't interested at all.
As for the remaining soul masters—
Those interested didn't have the money.
Those who had the money weren't interested.
No matter how exaggerated Dou Dou's pitch was,
no one bid.
This put Dream God Machine and the other education committee members in an awkward position.
They had originally prepared this as the grand finale item!
If it failed to sell at Heaven Dou Royal Academy…
That would be humiliating.
Meanwhile,
Tang Lan stared at the small hammer, deep in thought.
Somehow,
he felt a strange connection to it—
as if it was meant for him?
Just as he was about to place a bid—
"150,000 gold soul coins, I'll take it."
…Huh?
That voice…
Tang San?!
Why was Tang San bidding for this soul tool?
It wasn't in the original story at all…
…Wait!
Grand finale item going unsold, protagonist snatches it for cheap—
Wasn't this the most cliché trope ever?!
"Looks like my intuition was right—there's something special about this hammer-shaped soul tool!"
In that case…
Sorry, Xiao San—this one's mine!
(End of Chapter)