The auction hall was circular, with a fiery red curtain hanging from the stage. Below, nearly a thousand seats ascended and descended like steps, all occupied. The crowd buzzed with hushed conversations, creating a lively atmosphere.
However, Wang Zhong and his companions were not seated among the common attendees. The auction hall was divided into two levels. The lower level was for ordinary spectators or participants, while the second level, with its private rooms, was reserved for nobles like Zhu Zhu Yun.
Holding Zhu Zhu Qing in his arms, Wang Zhong stood by the window, looking down and taking in the entire hall.
"Welcome, esteemed guests, for gracing us with your presence at this auction. I am your host for this event..."
Wang Zhong's eyes narrowed as he observed the middle-aged man standing on stage, his posture rigidly upright, his expression cool and stern.
A Soul Emperor!
The man made no attempt to conceal his soul power fluctuations or aura. The palpable pressure washing over everyone proclaimed the formidable power present and the impressive backing of the establishment.
"I trust everyone understands the rules of an auction: the highest bid wins!"
"Without further ado, let us unveil our first item."
A woman, dressed and styled similarly to the welcoming hostesses outside, emerged carrying a silver tray. The tray was covered with a red cloth, concealing whatever lay beneath.
The man reached out and pulled off the cloth, revealing a metallic object resembling a bracer. Six pure white, jade-like stones adorned it, emitting a soft glow.
"A storage soul tool, with six cubic meters of storage space. The starting bid is sixty thousand gold soul coins, with each subsequent bid no less than one thousand gold soul coins."
"Esteemed guests, if you are interested, you may participate in the bidding!"
These were simple words, devoid of emotion and lacking any attempt to stir the atmosphere. From a professional standpoint, such an auctioneer would be considered unqualified.
However, this auction house, situated within the imperial city, did not require such frills. If you wanted to buy, you bid. If not, you remained silent, as there would always be others willing to acquire the item.
"Sixty-one thousand!"
"Sixty-two thousand!"
"Sixty-three thousand!"
...
"Sixty-eight thousand!"
"Sixty-eight thousand! First call!"
"Sixty-eight thousand! Second call!"
"Sixty-eight thousand! Third call!"
"Congratulations to this esteemed guest, this soul tool now belongs to you."
After a rather spirited bidding war, the bracer-shaped soul tool was acquired by a masked, powerfully built man.
"Next, we present the second item."
"This item consists of nine pure-colored pearls, originating from Han Hai City. Each pearl possesses nine different hues, unique in its own way."
"The starting bid is ten thousand, with each subsequent bid no less than one thousand."
The auctioneer gestured to the nine ladies behind him, who then unveiled the red cloths covering their trays. Nine beams of multicolored light, dazzling and magnificent, emanated from the stage.
Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, pink, white. Nine crystal-clear, jade-like pearls, each the size of a fist, rested within ornate boxes, showcasing their allure.
However, such items held little appeal for most of the audience.
The majority of those present were soul masters, and even those who were not were mostly wealthy and influential. Pearls were not something they lacked.
For a moment, the auction hall fell silent. The auctioneer, seemingly prepared for this, waited calmly for about ten breaths. Seeing no bids, he was about to declare the item unsold.
"Eleven thousand."
From within a private room, Wang Zhong raised a wooden bidding plaque by the floor-to-ceiling window. At that very moment, the auctioneer announced the price.
"Eleven thousand! First call, second call, third call!"
"Very well, these nine pearls now belong to this esteemed guest."
The auctioneer pointed towards the direction of Wang Zhong's private room, a hint of surprise in his expression. An item he had expected to be unsold had, in the end, been purchased.
However, upon seeing the location of the private room, his mind made a connection.
"A guest from the Zhu family. They must have purchased it as a gift, perhaps for one of the Zhu young ladies."
With a fleeting thought, he dismissed the matter. His task was to ensure the smooth running of the auction until its conclusion. Who bought what, or who it was gifted to, was of no concern to him.
"Wang Zhong, why did you bid on that!"
Inside the private room, Zhu Zhu Yun, who had been idly watching the proceedings from the sofa, asked with a hint of confusion.
"Didn't you say you wanted to apologize?"
"I thought these nine pearls looked quite nice."
Wang Zhong turned and replied with a smile.
"Ah! These are for an apology!"
"Well, although they are indeed beautiful, but, but, but..."
She stammered several times, ultimately unable to voice the words, "But I don't like pearls." It had been a casual remark, and she hadn't expected Wang Zhong to take it so seriously.
Zhu Zhu Yun sighed helplessly and then mumbled softly, "Really, giving gifts without bothering to inquire about people's preferences. How can you be so arbitrary."
Though Zhu Zhu Yun's murmur was quiet, the others in the room had sharp ears.
Zhu Zhu Ya and Zhu Zhu Yi immediately let out soft chuckles, their gazes fixed on Zhu Zhu Yun with peculiar expressions.
When had the usually dignified and aloof feline ever truly asked for a gift from someone?
Zhu Zhu Qing, in particular, seemed unusually subdued.
Such stares made Zhu Zhu Qing uncomfortable. She shot a fierce glare at her two sisters, playfully digging her nails into their soft sides.
Sounds of crisp, bell-like laughter and playful banter echoed, interspersed with girlish exclamations and pleas for mercy.
The atmosphere was one of joy and harmony, utterly devoid of the purported Zhu family rules.
"Perhaps their cruel future was not brought about by the Zhu family's rules, but rather they are but pawns sacrificed in the struggle for imperial power!"
Wang Zhong turned, gently rubbing the head of Zhu Zhu Qing, who was gazing at him with wide, curious eyes, his expression thoughtful.
However, this contemplation was soon broken as the third auction item was about to begin. For some reason, Wang Zhong felt an inexplicable, powerful longing and attraction emanating from an unknown part of his body.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we now present the third item."
"This is an extremely rare and incredibly hard mineral!"
"We have conducted tests, and this mineral remained undamaged by the full-force attack of a powerful offensive-type Soul Douluo!"
"Its hardness is truly unparalleled."
"If one could refine such a mineral and forge it into defensive armor, the resulting defense would be, I believe, self-explanatory!"
These simple words sparked considerable debate among the crowd, but not the fervent excitement one might expect. Instead, many sighs of regret were heard.
"A mineral that a Soul Douluo's full-force attack cannot even scratch. Who could possibly refine it and forge it?"
"Indeed, it's like a joke."
"Even the divine craftsman Lou Gao of Geng Xin City would be helpless against this mineral!"
"Who could disagree!"
In stark contrast to the sighs of regret and pity from the crowd, Wang Zhong's longing intensified.
The moment the red cloth was lifted, a solemn voice from the little fox echoed in his mind.
"Wang Zhong, acquire it at all costs!"