The starting bid for the Deep Blue Glory Skull was a staggering 10 million gold soul coins, with each subsequent bid requiring an increase of no less than 50,000 gold soul coins.
Such an exorbitant price was enough to bankrupt a city—truly a treasure capable of toppling nations. Even the students of Shrek Academy were taken aback.
'Well, even if we pooled all the resources of an entire city, acquiring such a treasure would still be nearly impossible.'
After gritting his teeth and following the bidding for two rounds, Wang Yan began to feel overwhelmed. If this were for Huo Yuhao, he wouldn't hesitate—but for Ling Luochen?
He didn't dare make such a financial decision lightly.
Though Shrek City was wealthy, its annual tax revenue only amounted to hundreds of millions of gold soul coins. The academy's primary income came from missions undertaken by its powerful soul masters—particularly from hunting soul beasts.
Even a 100,000-year soul beast wasn't beyond their reach, and the value of such a creature was incalculable. Beyond the soul ring and soul bone, even the flesh and blood of such a beast were priceless treasures.
However, over the past millennium, Shrek Academy had exercised restraint in this regard. After all, soul beasts were living beings too.
The most pressing reason, though, was avoiding another beast tide from the Star Dou Forest. The Body Sect's fate served as a grim reminder.
Thus, while the academy recognized the immense wealth hidden within the forest, they refrained from large-scale hunts, only assisting students in obtaining soul rings when absolutely necessary.
"Yuhao, should we continue?" Wang Yan glanced at Huo Yuhao awkwardly, his eyes seeking guidance.
Despite being the nominal leader of the group, decisions of this magnitude still required Huo Yuhao's approval.
Seeing Wang Yan's hesitation, Huo Yuhao shot him a disdainful look.
"We must buy it!"
"If there are consequences, I'll bear them alone."
Internally, Huo Yuhao sighed.
'Xiao Wang, you really don't understand, do you?'
He had started with bold claims, spouted nonsense in the middle, and now fell silent at the crucial moment.
Did Wang Yan truly believe the Star Luo Royal Family was auctioning the Deep Blue Glory out of charity?
Gold soul coins were just numbers. The real value lay in converting wealth into tangible power—an opportunity that couldn't be measured in mere currency.
Even if the academy reclaimed it later, the profit would be astronomical.
Even if Huo Yuhao himself couldn't use it, the Deep Blue Glory was a once-in-a-lifetime treasure for others. With its power, creating a Titled Douluo would be effortless.
And with Ling Luochen's talent, the skull could propel her to the realm of a Super Douluo in the future.
Once the Heir of the Sea God Pavilion Master spoke, Wang Yan had no choice but to comply.
His confidence renewed, Wang Yan resumed bidding.
In the end, despite the shocked gazes of the Shrek contingent and Meng Hongchen's frustrated wails, the Deep Blue Glory Skull was secured by Shrek for 25 million gold soul coins.
…
"Qing Ya", the auctioneer, smiled warmly, her eyes lingering on Wang Yan with an unreadable glint.
The group she had overseen had bid on three items—a feat that would greatly benefit her career.
Soon, a waiter arrived with the skull. After Wang Yan provided a Shrek credit certificate as collateral, Ling Luochen chose to absorb the skull on the spot.
Wang Yan didn't stop her.
Since Huo Yuhao wasn't claiming it, Ling Luochen was the most suitable candidate.
"Be careful during the fusion. Don't rush." Wang Yan reminded.
While soul rings prioritized age, soul bones valued quality.
Though the Deep Blue Glory was only 40,000 years old, its quality rivaled that of a typical 100,000-year soul bone for Ling Luochen.
Nodding solemnly, Ling Luochen took a deep breath and sat cross-legged.
This was her only chance in this lifetime—she had to seize it.
As for the massive debt? She didn't care.
She had already planned to remain at Shrek after graduation. Now, this only deepened her bond with the academy.
'At worst, I'll devote my life to Shrek!'
Ma Xiaotao watched Ling Luochen with a mix of envy and bitterness.
Her emotions toward Ling Luochen had always been complex. Initially, she disliked her for refusing to help suppress her Evil Fire and even mocking her with "I have mysophobia."
But after surviving life-and-death situations together—corpse explosions, joint training, and the Tournament—their relationship had thawed slightly.
"Yuhao, do you think her ice element will evolve into Ultimate Ice after fusing with this skull?"
"No." Huo Yuhao shook his head.
"The soul bone itself isn't at the Ultimate Ice level, and Senior Ling's ice affinity is still far from it. At best, her martial soul might evolve once."
His prior assistance in briefly elevating her to Ultimate Ice had relied entirely on the Ice Soul Body martial soul, not her own capabilities.
As Ling Luochen's fusion progressed smoothly, Xu Jiu Jiu's melodious voice echoed through the hall.
"Next is the final auction item of the night."
Huo Yuhao's expression turned serious.
After losing the Starlight Auction House to Xue Di, he hadn't expected to encounter another priceless treasure.
After all, the Conferred God Platform was still in his possession.
Soul tools of this caliber were exceedingly rare—especially a class 9 soul tool with near-zero practical use.
'The soul engineer behind this must've been out of their mind.'
Only the Sun and Moon Empire possessed soul engineers capable of forging such a masterpiece.
In the original timeline, the Star Luo Empire's scheme to shift blame had been nothing more than a convenient ploy.
As the soul tool projection shimmered, Xu Jiu Jiu reappeared—now clad in a golden gown, her beauty accentuated by the elegant attire.
"When our auctioneers don golden robes, it signifies that the final bid must exceed 100 million gold soul coins." Qing Ya explained reverently.
"H-How much?!"
"100 million?!"
Even Huo Yuhao inhaled sharply.
'Easy come, easy go.'
Earning 20 million earlier had been due to looting the legacies of two Titled Douluo.
But making such wealth through legitimate means?
'It's nearly impossible.'
…
Xu Jiu Jiu's tone grew solemn.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what I present next may well be the most valuable item in our auction house's history."
"Its worth surpasses even a 100,000-year soul ring and soul bone. It is unique—beyond monetary measure."
The crowd buzzed with excitement.
'Higher value than a 100,000-year soul beast's remains?'
'Isn't this just an exaggeration?'
Xu Jiu Jiu continued, "This is a consumable—a medicinal treasure. Behold!"
The projection shifted, revealing a wooden tray adorned with hundreds of gemstones. At its center lay a swirling blue mist, trapped within a class 9 soul tool—the Conferred God Platform.
Huo Yuhao's eyes narrowed.
'This… is identical to the one I possess.'
The mystery of how a non-soul engineer had delivered it was now solved—it wasn't his creation.
If this alteration stemmed from the Snow Empress' early transformation, it made perfect sense.
"This mist is the essence of a 100,000-year soul beast that chose to reincarnate as a human. Captured mid-transformation, it was sealed within the Conferred God Platform."
Xu Jiu Jiu's voice dropped to a whisper.
"If absorbed, it may grant the user… a second martial soul."
Silence.
Then—collective gasps.
An artificial second martial soul?!
Ice Empress scoffed internally.
"Even if it succeeds, there'll be backlash later. The soul beast's consciousness remains—it'll grow stronger with each soul ring added."
Skydream agreed. "The martial soul will rebel eventually."
Huo Yuhao smirked.
'I wasn't planning to buy it anyway.'
…
As in the original timeline, the Conferred God Platform and the soul beast embryo fell to the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
Meanwhile, due to Ling Luochen's absorption process, the Shrek group lingered in their VIP room.
Qing Ya stayed behind to attend to them, striking up a conversation with Wang Yan—who grew increasingly flustered under her gaze.
Despite being a senior Shrek instructor equivalent to a Peking University professor, Wang Yan—a 30-year-old bachelor—had zero experience with romance, dedicating his life to soul master theory.
As the group chatted amongst themselves:
Xixi teased, "Auctioneer Qing Ya's improved—she's even flirting with Teacher Wang!"
Ma Xiaotao rolled her eyes. "The moment that woman smiled, Teacher Wang started stuttering. Pathetic."
Huo Yuhao chuckled. "Wouldn't it be great if they ended up together?"
Tang Ya nodded. "Teacher Wang isn't getting any younger. This might solve his 'lifelong problem'."
Xu Sanshi grinned. "If I were him, I wouldn't last a second."
Beibei smirked. "Auctioneer Qing Ya's mature charm is quite alluring—"
A sharp glare from Tang Ya made him backtrack. "—Not that I'm into that type!"
Noticing Huo Yuhao's agreement, Wang Dong'er leaned in.
"Yuhao… do you prefer mature women?"
Huo Yuhao smirked.
"I prefer beauty in all forms."
[Achievement Triggered!]
[Obtained: Frost Arrow Gu. A fourth-rank Gu. Upon activation, it fires a high-speed frost arrow.]
[Evaluation: My glory, long faded.]
…
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