"Lord Dugu, this is the VIP guest card for the Heaven Dou Auction House. Please accept it."
Just before entering the auction house, the person in charge of Heaven Dou Auction House, having learned that a Titled Douluo had arrived, hurried out and handed Dugu Bo a card made entirely of pure gold.
"Thoughtful of you." Dugu Bo took the VIP card without ceremony and, with a hint of curiosity, asked, "Which box are we supposed to go to?"
The manager smiled. "Lord, the card has your seat number. The auction runs twenty-four hours a day. You may take your seat according to the number on the card."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo nodded and took the VIP card, walking into the auction house. Following the corridor to its end, then turning a corner, a massive auction hall suddenly came into view for the three of them.
The scale of the auction hall surprised Cheng Xiao. In his two lives, he had never seen an auction house like this before, and the feeling was difficult to describe.
No wonder ordinary people weren't allowed in. Even if they came, they probably couldn't afford anything. The place was extravagantly luxurious— the densely packed seats and the auction stage, almost entirely constructed from dazzling crystal towers, all radiated an air of opulence.
"Sir, may I ask for your seat number?" At that moment, a pretty maid approached briskly and asked respectfully.
Dugu Bo handed over the VIP card he had just received. Upon seeing the card, the maid's eyes widened slightly, and her demeanor became even more respectful. Bowing slightly, she said softly, "Please follow me, all three of you."
After speaking, the maid handed Cheng Xiao and the others masks, carefully explaining that masks were required to enter the auction, both for decorum and for the safety of the patrons.
Dugu Bo had initially thought to announce his identity as a Titled Douluo, but reconsidered and put the mask on. He didn't mind, but his granddaughter and Cheng Xiao had no choice.
Once everything was arranged, the maid led the way, with the three following behind at a steady pace.
After about ten minutes of walking through the enormous auction hall, they stopped near the crystal auction stage.
"These are your seats," the maid said, pointing to a spot beside the stage, smiling faintly at Cheng Xiao and Dugu Bo before bowing and stepping back.
"Finally, I can sit. My legs are sore," Dugu Yan said elegantly, lowering herself into the plush, finely upholstered seat. The softness made her want to curl up within it.
Cheng Xiao and Dugu Bo also sat without hesitation. However, as soon as he did, Cheng Xiao sensed a sharp gaze fixed on him.
Frowning slightly, he swept his eyes and saw that on a nearby seat, the Sword Douluo he had encountered at the entrance— the Guardian Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—was watching him.
Cheng Xiao's lips curved into a grin. He waved broadly at him and then leaned toward Dugu Bo to chat, a casual gesture that caused the Sword Douluo's brows to knit tightly.
"This boy…" Sword Douluo Chen Xin slowly withdrew his gaze. Beside him, Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, asked quietly, "Uncle Sword, what is it? Did someone greet you just now?"
"Nothing, just that this boy seems peculiar." Chen Xin shook his head slightly and said calmly, "His strength is not remarkable, but the Dugu Bo beside him is no ordinary person. Moreover, I have a faint sense that this boy is not as simple as he appears."
"Really?" Ning Fengzhi's eyes gleamed sharply. "Uncle Sword, please pay extra attention to him. My strength is not as profound as yours, so I cannot perceive certain potential abilities."
"I understand." Chen Xin nodded. Though this was the first time he had seen the boy, his intuition—honed over years immersed in swordsmanship—instantly discerned that the boy was unusual.
What intrigued him even more was the boy's status—what kind of identity allowed him to be so close to Dugu Bo? Their relationship appeared excellent, which was astonishing.
In the spirit master world, everyone knew of Dugu Bo's eccentricity. Becoming his friend was rare—countable on one hand in the entire spirit master world. The boy before him clearly did not belong to that small circle.
"Hm, after the auction ends, we'll go have a chat. Let's see the nature of this boy's relationship with Dugu Bo," Ning Fengzhi said with a faint smile. He had also noticed Dugu Yan and intended to observe carefully.
After all, he had a daughter…
Before the auction began, faint but unpleasant noises drifted through the hall. Cheng Xiao and Dugu Yan's expressions changed slightly, as the people around them openly toyed with the auction house's maids. The inappropriate sounds came from this.
"Grandpa, what are these people doing? How can they do such things in public?" Dugu Yan asked, indignantly.
"Yan Yan, you must understand that not everyone in this world has great power," Dugu Bo said calmly. "From what I know, these maids are considered part of the auction house. Their lives, bodies, and other aspects are all controlled."
"They were purchased by the auction house when young and trained. They are not only staff but also part of the items being auctioned. Anyone willing to pay can take them away."
"Why is it like this?" Dugu Yan said in anger. "I thought the auction would be something interesting, but it's so filthy."
"This world is inherently a place where the strong devour the weak. Only by becoming powerful can one survive," Cheng Xiao said suddenly.
Dugu Bo nodded in approval. "Well said. Only by being strong can one stand firm. These maids are ordinary people without awakened soul power. Even if Spirit Hall awakens their martial souls, without actual soul force, they are destined to remain ordinary."
"The fate of ordinary people is harsh. They appear indifferent, emotionless, and without self-respect, but in truth, they have long lost their own hearts and cannot determine their own destinies. How tragic is that?"
"All they can do now is obey. These maids may be beautiful, but their souls belong to no one. Hence, always remember one truth: in a world of survival of the fittest, only by continuously becoming stronger can one escape fate."
"Even if fate cannot be changed, never give up. At the very least, what you do now surpasses the timid self you once were."
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" BTTH: Writing Up a Diaries, Xiao Yan Became My Fanboy "
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" BTTH: I'm Just an Alchemist "
" BTTH: Traveling Through with the Ancestral Talisman"
" Douluo: Ranking the Top Ten Peerless Goddesses at the Start "
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(End of Chapter)