(T/N: 'Lao Er' means 'Old second', referencing the second highest ranking person in charge.)
Three days later, Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong met Feng Xiaotian and his group at the entrance of the Tiandou Auction House.
"Feng Xiaotian, and everyone else, long time no see," Ning Rongrong waved to them.
Feng Xiaotian and the others smiled in response.
After exchanging greetings, the group headed toward the entrance of the Tiandou Auction House.
On the way, Feng Xiaotian said, "I heard this Tiandou Auction is much larger in scale than previous ones. The heads of our families will all be attending to show their support."
"The hype around the four soul bones is no small matter. I estimate that many people are still arriving from other cities." Ning Tianchen added, "As a result, the prices of the auction items will likely skyrocket, making it difficult for us to purchase what we need at a reasonable price."
Huo Wushuang pounded his chest in frustration and sighed, "If only we had managed to keep those soul bones back then, this auction wouldn't have attracted so many people, and we wouldn't be in this situation now."
Perhaps this was the butterfly effect.
Their unintentional actions had contributed to the grand scale of this Tiandou Auction.
Of course, it was still uncertain whether these four soul bones were the same ones they had discovered earlier.
The entrance to the auction house was already packed with people. Staff members guided black-level VIPs and above through exclusive channels into the venue.
Most of the people stuck at the main entrance were just trying to sneak in to join the excitement.
The auction house would verify the assets of these individuals one by one, a process that took a considerable amount of time.
Those in front who didn't meet the asset requirements were forced to leave, while those behind surged forward, causing this group to be trapped without an exit.
Many among them clung to the hope of being verified repeatedly, which significantly slowed down the efficiency of the auction house staff.
"Are these people crazy? Blocking the entrance like this means no one can get in," Ning Rongrong complained.
However, this wasn't entirely true.
The auction house truly cared about black-level VIPs and above, whose purchasing power far exceeded that of ordinary guests.
To make the auction appear lively, if the white-level seating area wasn't full by the time the auction began, the auction house would allow some people to enter to fill the seats.
These people desperately pushed forward, hoping to be let in at the last minute.
"So, what do we do?" Huo Wu asked, shrugging.
They had arrived late and couldn't possibly squeeze through the crowd at the front.
Ning Tianchen pointed to a side entrance. "Why should we fight with those people? We don't need to."
Aside from being disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Tianchen was also an imperial count. This status alone guaranteed him black-level VIP treatment at the auction house.
However, given the special circumstances of today, they chose not to head to the black-level VIP section.
Under the guidance of the staff, they entered through another route. Ning Tianchen explained their preferences, and the staff led them to the yellow-level VIP seating area.
Compared to the black-level VIP section, the yellow-level seats were noticeably smaller, only slightly larger than the white-level VIP seating.
Normally, during the Tiandou Auction, a yellow-level VIP could bring only one additional person into the venue.
But since Ning Tianchen was actually a black-level VIP, the auction house didn't mind him occupying five seats.
"Will sitting against the wall be too out of the way?" Feng Xiaotian asked.
Ning Tianchen replied, "Once the auctioneer introduces the items, you'll understand their uses—there's no need to see the stage clearly. Sitting here makes us less noticeable. Plus, there might even be opportunities to pick up bargains on certain items."
Not long after they sat down, many guests began arriving. The first red-level VIP to arrive was none other than Yu Luomian, the vice-patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.
Since the news about Yu Xiaogang had spread across the continent, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had fallen silent. Today marked the first public appearance of their disciples.
Yu Yuanzhen needed to guard the family's headquarters and couldn't leave freely, so Vice-Patriarch Yu Luomian had come instead.
He arrived at the auction house with the "Blue Lightning Twins," showing just how seriously they were taking this auction.
Feng Xiaotian remarked, "It's been a while since the Soul Master Tournament, but Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin's progress hasn't been slow—they're now Level 55 Soul Kings."
With his own cultivation at Level 65 as a Soul Emperor, he could easily discern their levels.
Similarly, Yu Luomian noticed Feng Xiaotian's probing gaze and glared back at him.
"Grandfather, what's wrong?" Yu Tianxin couldn't help but ask.
Yu Luomian sneered, "Some presumptuous brat was peeking at your strength."
Following his line of sight, Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin spotted Ning Tianchen and the others.
Ning Rongrong had her soul power concealed, so they didn't sense anything unusual. Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang's soul levels were similar to theirs, so they weren't particularly alarmed. However, Ning Tianchen and Feng Xiaotian gave off an unfathomable aura.
Clearly, these two were far stronger than them.
"Grandfather, what level are Feng Xiaotian and Ning Tianchen at?" Yu Tianxin asked in a low voice.
As one of the "Blue Lightning Twins," he refused to let his cultivation fall too far behind others.
Yu Luomian quickly assessed Feng Xiaotian's strength—Level 65 Soul Emperor. As for Ning Tianchen, something seemed to block his probing, and Yu Luomian couldn't detect any fluctuations in his soul power.
"Feng Xiaotian is ten levels higher than us?" The brothers exchanged glances, both feeling incredulous.
During the Soul Master Tournament, Ning Tianchen's soul power was nearly on par with Feng Xiaotian's. It was safe to say his strength wouldn't be weaker than Feng Xiaotian's.
This comparison left the two feeling suffocated.
It seemed they would never catch up to Ning Tianchen and Feng Xiaotian in this lifetime.
Originally, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had high hopes for the "Blue Lightning Twins," even claiming that once they became Title Douluo, the family's ranking among the top three sects could improve.
But ever since Ning Tianchen emerged, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had been overshadowed by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Improving their sect's ranking seemed almost impossible.
The humiliation inflicted on Yu Xiaogang by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect during the academic exchange conference was something they could never avenge.
Yu Luomian said nothing more, casting a fierce glare in Ning Tianchen's direction before leading the twins into the red VIP suite.
---
"Finally couldn't resist showing your killing intent, huh?" Ning Tianchen thought coldly.
Although Yu Luomian's murderous aura had flashed by in an instant, Ning Tianchen had caught it perfectly.
This confirmed that Yu Luomian was likely the mastermind behind the ambush in the Thunderclap Grand Canyon.
Ning Tianchen felt puzzled.
Before the attack in the Thunderclap Grand Canyon, Ning Fengzhi had explicitly expressed his desire to collaborate with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family and even made significant concessions in the terms of cooperation.
During that period, relations between the two sects were certainly not bad. Yet Yu Luomian had targeted him, completely disrupting the balance.
Yu Lao Er possessed the strength of an 89th-level Soul Douluo. With Ning Tianchen's current cultivation at Level 74, it would indeed be difficult to handle him. However, Yu Luomian wasn't young anymore—whether he could fully unleash his strength remained uncertain.
On the other hand, Ning Tianchen had dual martial soul true bodies, as well as hundred-thousand-year soul rings and soul bones. If he were to face Yu Luomian, he might stand a chance.
In the past, he had been weak, unable to confront someone like Yu Luomian and forced to avoid direct confrontation. Now, with sufficient strength to challenge him, there was no reason for him to back down.
Huo Wu glanced at Ning Tianchen. To her, his soul power felt as deep and vast as the ocean, far surpassing Feng Xiaotian.
After a moment of contemplation, she couldn't help but ask, "Ning Tianchen, what level are you at now? I feel like you're much stronger than Xiaotian."
Ning Tianchen didn't answer directly. "Hm, I'm not much stronger than Xiaotian."
Pausing for a moment, he changed the subject. "There's still some time before the auction begins. This auction has over 300 items, and it will likely last from afternoon until early morning tomorrow."
To ensure they didn't miss any item, they needed to rest and conserve their energy.
At his suggestion, everyone closed their eyes and relaxed in their seats, waiting for the auction to begin.
---
Time flew by, and it was just past noon.
The guests gradually filled the venue, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the auctioneer stepped onto the stage to preside over the event.
"Thank you all for attending this Tiandou Auction. I am the auctioneer, Yuan Yuan," the female auctioneer's crisp and lively voice immediately ignited the guests' enthusiasm.
Ning Tianchen opened his eyes, stretched lazily, and casually scanned the attendees in the venue.
Suddenly, a guest behind him patted his shoulder. "Young man, what are you looking at?"
Ning Tianchen turned around and saw a middle-aged man dressed as a merchant.
He politely responded, "Just checking out the upcoming items."
The auction house only distributed the list of items in advance to black-level VIPs and above. Guests at purple-level or below would only learn about the items as the auctioneer introduced them during the event.
The man chuckled, "Look at your attire—you must be from a wealthy family. Let me tell you, there's almost no chance for people like us to win anything here."
Seeing Ning Tianchen's indifferent expression, he continued, "Don't be a fool. There are at least forty or fifty black-level and red-level VIPs here today. With our financial power, how can we compete with them? Even if they decide to give us something, we'd have to pay a much higher price to secure it. Uncle's been through this before—take my advice. Money doesn't come easy, so don't waste it. Just being able to enter here and sit in the yellow-level VIP section already makes you successful. For the upcoming items, just look—but don't touch."
Ning Tianchen nodded politely.
The middle-aged man seemed to be a chatterbox. From the first item onward, he kept talking to Ning Tianchen nonstop.
"This Moonlight Crystal Ball—I got one when I was younger. It's nothing special; you can use it for lighting at night, but you can't even read the words in a book…"
"This painting by the former emperor is worth collecting, but it's damaged, and the price is a bit high. When you have time, come visit my place, and I'll show you the complete original…"
---
Beside him, Ning Rongrong made a gesture to Ning Tianchen.
The meaning was: Aren't you bothered by this guy's chatter?
Ning Tianchen shook his head faintly.
The atmosphere in the auction house was relatively quiet, and sitting here for a long time could get unbearably boring. Having someone to talk to was actually a nice way to pass the time.
After more than ten items had been auctioned, Ning Tianchen checked the list in his hand and confirmed that the next item, a lighting-type soul-guiding device, was something Ning Fengzhi needed.
Soon, the item was brought up to the auction stage. The auctioneer introduced it: "This is a set of soul-guiding lamps excavated from ancient ruins. Simply infuse a small amount of soul power, and the lamp will provide illumination."
As she spoke, Auctioneer Yuan Yuan lightly tapped the soul-guiding device with her finger.
As soul power flowed into it, the device emitted a dazzling light.
In the darkness of night, such bright illumination could easily light up an area with a radius of two hundred meters.
Ning Tianchen didn't find it hard to guess why Ning Fengzhi wanted this soul-guiding lamp.
With such bright light, if the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect were to come under enemy attack, their disciples wouldn't be left fumbling in the dark.
"The starting bid is one hundred thousand gold spirit coins, with each subsequent bid increment no less than ten thousand gold spirit coins."
As soon as the host finished speaking, only a few purple-level VIPs placed bids, and the increments weren't large.
"Spending over a hundred thousand gold spirit coins on a lamp? Are they out of their minds?" The man behind Ning Tianchen couldn't help but sneer.
Indeed, for ordinary people, spending hundreds of thousands or even millions of gold spirit coins on a soul-guiding lamp would seem completely irrational.
But for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, this was a strategic item, and no price was too high.
Rarely were there lamps on the continent capable of illuminating such a wide area. Rarity increased value, so the price was quite reasonable.
"Two hundred thousand gold spirit coins," Ning Tianchen raised his bidding paddle and announced clearly.
The man behind him froze for a moment before blurting out, "Damn, are you crazy? Did you just ignore everything I said?"
Ning Tianchen didn't respond but instead smiled faintly once again.
Inside the red VIP suite…
Yu Tianheng glanced back at the yellow VIP section and said, "It's Ning Tianchen. What does he want with a soul-guiding lamp?"
Yu Tianxin added, equally puzzled, "Why is he treating a simple lighting soul-guiding device like it's some kind of treasure?"
In their eyes, this thing was utterly worthless—completely useless.
Yu Luomian sneered, "If they want it, let's play along."
"Grandfather, please don't!" Yu Tianxin quickly intervened, explaining, "Earlier, we crossed paths with them. Given the relationship between our sect and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, it's possible this is a trap they've set for us."
"If we bid, wouldn't we just be wasting money on a useless lamp?"
He believed it was entirely possible that Ning Tianchen was setting them up.
The previous few auction items had at least some value—even if purchased at a high price, they wouldn't be completely useless. But this lamp? It would just take up space. If they bought it, they'd likely end up throwing it away.
Furthermore, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had lost many businesses within the cities in recent years, and the entire sect was tightening its belt to survive. They also didn't have much money to spare.
Yu Luomian found this reasoning sound and abandoned the idea of competing with them.
In the end, the soul-guiding lamp was sold to Ning Tianchen for two hundred thousand gold spirit coins.
Among the red and black VIP sections, aside from Ning Tianchen and Yu Luomian, no one paid attention to Ning Tianchen's actions, which created excellent conditions for his next move.
---
After consecutively purchasing several high-priced items, the man behind Ning Tianchen's attitude toward him began to change.
"Young man… no, no, my lord, may I ask who your esteemed father is?"
Having spent years in the business world, if this man lacked even basic perceptiveness, how could he have accumulated enough wealth to sit in the yellow VIP section?
The total value of the items Ning Tianchen had just purchased exceeded one million gold spirit coins. And given his young age, he must be the second-generation heir of some powerful family.
Could a family wealthy enough to allow their heir to spend such vast sums of money possibly be an ordinary family?
Moreover, someone with such resources should logically be seated in the black VIP section. Why was he squeezed into the yellow VIP section?
"This person talks way too much," Ning Rongrong couldn't help but comment.
Ning Tianchen patted her shoulder and chuckled, "There's a pretty interesting toy coming up next. Want to buy it?"
Ning Rongrong took out the auction list from her soul-guiding device, glanced at it, and giggled, "Hehe, Rongrong wants it!"
"The auction list…" The man behind them clutched his face in astonishment.
This scene further confirmed his suspicions.
Finding him amusing, Ning Tianchen smiled and said, "Hello, honorable elder, what is your name?"
The man quickly responded with a smile, "My lord jests. My humble surname is Xue, and my given name is Fei. You may call me 'Little Fei' if you wish."
It wasn't surprising for merchants to be opportunistic; his behavior was typical.
However, Ning Tianchen did need him to do something at the moment.
Previously, Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong had consecutively won several bids. If their seat numbers kept appearing in the auction records, it might raise suspicions that they were pretending to be weak while secretly being strong, potentially provoking malicious price hikes from higher-level VIPs.
Ning Tianchen still had several more items to bid on and didn't want to attract unwanted attention.
"Mr. Xue, we need item number 103. I'd like to place the bid under your name. Don't worry—I won't trick you," Ning Tianchen said.
Xue Fei, being a shrewd individual, recognized this as an opportunity to ingratiate himself with someone of high status. He readily agreed, "My lord, leave it to me. I'll handle it."
About half an incense stick's time later, item number 103 was brought out.
It was a finely crafted defensive soul-guiding device. According to the auctioneer, this device could withstand three full-power attacks from Soul Sages or lower-level soul masters.
Such a beautifully crafted and highly protective soul-guiding device was an invaluable treasure for anyone.
The starting bid was two hundred thousand gold spirit coins, and the price quickly rose to three hundred thousand. Soon after, several black VIPs joined the bidding, driving the price up to seven hundred thousand gold spirit coins.
Xue Fei, being knowledgeable, remarked, "My lord, the price has almost reached its peak at seven hundred thousand gold spirit coins. Should we continue bidding?"
This soul-guiding device was intended as a gift for Ning Rongrong. Moreover, judging by its appearance, it was a beautiful blue-and-gold necklace that Ning Rongrong absolutely adored.
Waving his hand, Ning Tianchen instructed, "Add fifty thousand first and see how it goes."
"Seven hundred fifty thousand gold spirit coins!" Xue Fei announced loudly.
Inside the red VIP suite, Yu Luomian also wanted this soul-guiding device.
Yu Tianxin's current strength was lacking, and he faced life-threatening danger when encountering soul masters above the Soul Emperor level. Obtaining this soul-guiding device could save his life in critical moments.
Yu Luomian doted on this grandson dearly and raised the bid, "Nine hundred thousand gold spirit coins."
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)