"Two hundred thousand gold soul coins!"
A deep, commanding voice suddenly rang out, breaking the rhythm of the previous bidding. Everyone turned their heads to look—there, a middle-aged man dressed in a luxurious robe slowly raised his bidding paddle, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
"Two hundred fifty thousand gold soul coins!" another bidder quickly countered, unwilling to back down.
The bids surged once more like a wild stallion let loose, galloping upward at full speed. Xiao Ya, standing on the auction stage, silently observed the scene, already estimating the likely final selling price in her heart.
"Three hundred thousand gold soul coins!" The middle-aged man raised his bid again, his voice firm and resolute, clearly intent on winning this item.
The hall fell into a brief silence. Guests hesitated, weighing whether to continue raising the price. While the item was undoubtedly valuable, the bidding had already reached a steep level.
But then, a clear and melodious voice suddenly called out:
"Three hundred fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
All eyes turned toward the source. A young, beautiful woman slowly lifted her bidding paddle, a faint smile on her lips, her gaze calm and confident.
Xiao Ya was slightly surprised—she recognized this woman as the daughter of a well-known soul master clan in Heaven Dou City. Not only was she powerful, but she also came from a prestigious background. This item had now drawn the attention of some of the most influential guests.
In the end, the storage-type soul tool was won by this mysterious noble lady for three hundred fifty thousand gold soul coins. Xiao Ya gracefully announced the deal, casting a look of approval toward the buyer.
"Hmph. So it's her."
Dugu Yan scoffed coldly, her tone dripping with disdain.
"She's from the Qiu Clan, a control-type family in Heaven Dou City. Their clan's martial soul is the Wind and Snow Fan. The most powerful among them is just a Soul Sage, but they have connections in the imperial court, so they carry some weight in the capital."
"She's always putting on a show. Back when we were both at Heaven Dou Imperial Advanced Soul Master Academy, she acted completely different."
Judging by her tone, there was bad blood between the two.
Yun Yibai wisely refrained from getting involved in this particular type of female rivalry.
"Next up, we present a rare spiritual herb: the Purple Cloud Vine! It grows in dangerous terrains and draws in the essence of heaven and earth. It greatly aids in cultivation. Starting price: two hundred thousand gold soul coins!"
Xiao Ya's voice rang out again as the item was unveiled, seemingly calling out to all in attendance.
"Two hundred fifty thousand!" a gruff voice shouted from the crowd, breaking the brief silence.
"Two hundred sixty thousand!" Another bid quickly followed.
The price climbed steadily through round after round of bids. Yun Yibai and Dugu Yan quietly observed from their seats.
To be frank, this item would be considered subpar when compared to the spiritual plants available in Dugu Bo's Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
To others, this herb might be a rare treasure—but to Yun Yibai, it barely sparked interest. He had seen much better.
After the first two items, the third lot was… intriguing.
While it might not have been a good thing from a woman's perspective, for the many male guests, it was very exciting.
The third item for auction was a "Leopard Woman." She was being offered as a rare specimen, a unique lot made available specifically because of the influx of outsiders to Heaven Dou City.
The so-called "leopard woman" was a female soul master whose beast-type martial soul, a leopard, had caused her body to mutate during awakening—resulting in some leopard-like physical traits.
Sometimes, it's not that men don't want to spend money—it's that the product hasn't yet targeted their true desires.
This leopard woman immediately ignited intense bidding in the room.
Meanwhile, Dugu Yan silently raised her hand to block Yun Yibai's view.
"Teacher, did you invite me here today because you knew something rare would show up?" asked the young man in golden robes. Though the Heaven Dou Royal Family had a stake in this auction house, his royal duties usually left him little time for such leisurely affairs.
"Heh… Qinghe, even with work, you need to take time to relax," replied the man beside him, dressed in an elegant white suit.
"With the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament approaching, you've earned a break."
"Besides, the Heaven Dou Auction House is partly your asset. You should inspect your holdings now and then." The man gave a gentle smile.
"Teacher, the more important the moment, the less I can afford to relax. The more people are gathered, the greater the chaos."
The young man smiled bitterly.
"Qinghe, I know your sense of responsibility—but sometimes, a bit of rest is necessary to better handle what's ahead."
The man in white—Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and teacher to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe—spoke with calm seriousness.
He smiled slightly, eyes fixed on the auction stage, and said meaningfully,
"Qinghe, did you know that every so often, this auction house unveils some truly rare treasures? And today, one such special item is set to appear. It might be… helpful to you."
"Oh? What kind of item?" asked Xue Qinghe, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"A piece of ancient armor from long-lost ruins. It's said to possess extraordinary defensive power."
"You need to be more cautious, Qinghe. You're the empire's direct heir. While your position is stable, precautions are never a bad idea."
"Thank you, Teacher."
Xue Qinghe nodded with a warm smile.
"You and I—as teacher and student—are closer than father and son," said Ning Fengzhi, gently patting Qinghe's shoulder.
Of course, there's no such thing as affection without reason. Their relationship was built on mutual benefit.
Later in the auction, Yun Yibai successfully acquired a soul tool capable of storing living beings for 350,000 gold soul coins.
Then came the final item of the evening.
"Tonight's last auction item is a treasure discovered by a soul master team during an expedition into ancient ruins."
Xiao Ya's voice was tinged with excitement as she lifted the red cloth covering the item—a set of armor glowing with ancient brilliance.
"Distinguished guests, allow me to introduce this remarkable piece. After rigorous testing by top experts at our auction house, we have confirmed it is no ordinary armor."
"This set appears to be the work of a divine craftsman from ages past. According to our assessments, it can withstand the full power of a Soul Sage-level opponent!"
The moment she finished, a wave of shock rippled through the hall.
To withstand the attack of a Soul Sage—such a soul master holds enormous power across the Douluo Continent. Naturally, armor with such protection was immeasurably valuable.
"Starting bid: 500,000 gold soul coins!" Xiao Ya declared, her voice firm and commanding, igniting the auction hall into another frenzy.
(Note: In the original canon, Tang San once saw an armor piece called the "Eight-Hundred Layer Wishful Soft Armor" that could defend against Soul Emperor-level attacks. This ancient divine-forged item is certainly not inferior to that.)