Chapter 3 First Arrival in This Precious Land, Establishing the Authority of Rules.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
The outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, a once desolate and sparsely populated area, is now bustling with activity. Soul Master forces from all over the continent, filled with complex emotions including curiosity, wariness, and greed, have arrived in this region one after another.
At dawn, before the mist had completely dissipated, the magnificent building of the Zhutian Auction Pavilion appeared and disappeared in the morning light, like a lurking beast, exuding a mysterious and majestic aura.
An hour before the auction was scheduled to begin, hundreds of people had already gathered in the open space in front of the auction hall. They were in small groups, each keeping their own distance and maintaining a wary air. Whispers and discussions rose and fell, but no one dared to approach the mysterious building.
"Judging from that architectural style, it's definitely not something from our continent." Ning Fengzhi stood in front of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's group, his sharp eyes scrutinizing the auction hall. "Uncle Jian, can you sense anything?"
Chen Xin closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then shook his head: "My senses are blocked. There is an extremely strong energy field around that building, and my sword intent cannot penetrate it."
Gu Rong chuckled hoarsely: "Interesting. This is the first time I've seen a place where even that old scoundrel gets humiliated."
On the other side, the Spirit Hall's contingent was the most conspicuous. Bibi Dong did not come in person; instead, she was represented by Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Mei Ying, followed by more than ten cardinals—a truly impressive lineup.
"Ghost, do you think this auction house is real or fake?" Yue Guan asked, toying with a rare and precious chrysanthemum, his tone both flippant and cautious.
A ghostly figure appeared and disappeared in the shadows: "The truth will soon be known. But to be able to deliver an invitation to the Papal Palace so quietly is no ordinary power."
Others, such as the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family, the four lower sects, and representatives of the two great empires, also had their own thoughts and waited quietly.
Suddenly, the two huge sandalwood doors of the auction hall slowly opened, and a refreshing fragrance wafted out, invigorating everyone.
Two elderly men in black robes stepped out; it was Mo Chen. Their faces were expressionless, their gazes sharp as lightning, sweeping over everyone present. The invisible pressure instantly silenced the noisy scene, as if a huge boulder had been placed on everyone's hearts.
"Such terrifying pressure..." Chen Xin's eyes narrowed. "It's definitely at the level of a Title Douluo, and it's no less than mine!"
Gu Rong also dropped his joking expression and asked solemnly, "Both of them are peerless Douluo? What's the background of this auction house?"
Mo Chen stepped forward, his voice calm yet clear, reaching everyone's ears: "The auction is about to begin. Please abide by the auction house rules. Entry requires verification of funds; those whose assets do not meet the standard will not be allowed entry."
As soon as he finished speaking, a jade tablet slowly rose from the ground, with golden characters appearing on it, which were the four rules set by Lin Yue.
"Verification of funds? What a show of bravado!" a gruff voice rang out. Everyone looked over and saw a burly man with a face full of scars walk out, followed by several companions.
"It's Mad Rhinoceros Douluo!" Someone recognized the burly man's identity. "A newly promoted level 92 titled Douluo, known for his strength and defense."
Mad Rhino Douluo swaggered up to Mo Chen and arrogantly declared, "I've traveled all over the country for years, and I've never seen an auction house require proof of funds beforehand! Who knows if you guys are scammers..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mo Chen's eyes turned cold. Without him making any move, Mad Rhino Douluo was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, flying backward and crashing heavily into an ancient tree dozens of meters away, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The entire room fell silent!
A titled Douluo was severely injured without even having a chance to fight back!
Mo Chen's voice remained calm: "Rule number one: fighting is prohibited within fifty miles of the auction pavilion. Considering this is your first offense, I'll give you a small punishment as a warning. If you dare to offend again, I'll cripple your cultivation."
Mad Rhinoceros Douluo struggled to his feet, his face filled with terror. He dared not utter another word and slunk away to the back of the crowd.
This scene shocked everyone. Those who had harbored some ulterior motives immediately put them aside.
"Now, let's begin the asset verification." Mo Chen stepped forward, a crystal ball appearing in his hand.
"Place your hand on the verification ball and infuse it with your soul power. Those who meet the asset requirements will have the ball light up white; they will receive a regular seat. Those with substantial assets will have the ball light up blue and can go up to the second-floor private room. Those with insufficient assets, please leave on your own."
The group exchanged bewildered glances, but ultimately the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was the first to step forward. Ning Fengzhi placed his hand on the crystal ball, which immediately emitted a dazzling blue light.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, please go to the private room on the second floor." Mo Chen nodded slightly.
Next came the representative from the Spirit Hall, who also lit up with blue light and was led to the second floor.
Subsequently, the major forces verified their assets one after another, and most of them lit up with blue or white light, while only a few small forces lit up with red light and left the scene in embarrassment.
Just as the verification of funds was nearing its end, a group of figures emerged from the forest, causing quite a commotion.
Leading the group were three stunningly beautiful women. The one in the middle had silver hair and purple eyes, possessing an otherworldly aura, like a celestial maiden descended from heaven. To her left and right were a man and a woman. The man was dressed in black with golden eyes, exuding an imposing presence; the woman was dressed in a green dress, graceful and full of life.
"That's... a soul beast from the Star Dou Great Forest?" a Title Douluo exclaimed in surprise, subconsciously releasing his martial soul.
The scene immediately became tense. Human soul masters and soul beasts had a long-standing grudge, and now that they met, the tension was palpable.
Di Tian snorted coldly, unleashing a terrifying aura that made many Soul Masters gasp for breath.
Chen Xin's expression changed drastically, and the Seven Kill Sword was already in his hand.
Just as conflict was about to erupt, Mo Chen suddenly spoke up: "Private fights are prohibited within the auction house's territory. If you want to fight, leave the area within fifty miles."
Gu Yuena gently raised her hand, stopping Di Tian. She walked towards the verification sphere and placed her slender hand on it. The sphere immediately burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant blue light, even faintly tinged with gold.
Mo Chen bowed slightly: "Honored guest, please go to the VIP room on the third floor."
This scene shocked everyone. The third floor? No one had ever been able to go up to the third floor before! Just who are these soul beasts?
Gu Yuena nodded slightly and calmly led Di Tian and Bi Ji inside, leaving behind a group of bewildered human soul masters.
...
Inside the auction hall, everyone was once again awestruck by its luxury and wonder.
The space was far more expansive than it appeared from the outside, clearly indicating the use of advanced spatial technology. The ceiling was inlaid with luminous gems, sparkling like a starry sky. The seats were comfortable and luxurious, each with a crystal panel in front for bidding.
The private rooms on the second and third floors are even more luxurious, with dedicated waiters and crystal windows that allow one-way viewing of the area below, ensuring excellent privacy.
Ning Fengzhi stood by the window of the second-floor private room, looking down: "Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, what do you think?"
Chen Xin said solemnly, "Unfathomable. The two gatekeepers are extremely powerful, and the building itself is even more wondrous. Most importantly, they don't seem to care whether the visitors are humans or soul beasts."
Gu Rong nodded:
"It seems that the background of this auction house is more complicated than we imagined."
Meanwhile, inside the Spirit Hall's private room, Yue Guan and Gui Mei were also exchanging whispers.
"We must report the situation here to His Holiness the Pope as soon as possible," Ghost said in a deep voice.
"The appearance of these soul beasts is no small matter, especially that silver-haired woman, who gives me an extremely dangerous feeling."
Yue Guan was unusually serious: "And those two gatekeepers, their strength is probably no less than ours. This auction house is no simple matter."
In the VIP room on the third floor, Gu Yuena sat quietly by the window, a strange light flashing in her purple eyes.
"My lord, why are you being so polite to humans?" Di Tian asked, somewhat indignant.
Gu Yuena said softly, "Di Tian, haven't you sensed it yet? This building... has a divine aura. And it's not just any ordinary divine aura."
Brigitte replied softly, "Indeed, the life energy here is extremely pure and rich, which enhances my healing abilities."
Gu Yuena looked at the auction stage, her eyes deep: "I have a feeling that this might be a turning point for our soul beast race."
...
When the hour hand pointed to the hour of Si (9-11 AM), the lights in the auction hall suddenly dimmed, leaving only a beam of light shining on the auction stage.
A figure quietly appeared in the pillar of light, dressed in a jade-like blue robe, with a smile on his face; it was Lin Yue.
"Welcome to the All-Heavens Auction House." His voice was calm yet carried a strange penetrating power, echoing in every corner. "I am the owner here, Lin Yue."
All eyes were focused on this seemingly ordinary young man, yet no one dared to underestimate him—how could someone who could control two peerless Douluo be simple?
"Enough with the small talk, let's begin the auction." Lin Yue said decisively, "Today's first item is a Soul Power Enhancement Pill (low-grade)."
A white jade bottle appeared on the display stand, and a round pill could be vaguely seen through the bottle.
"This pill can increase the soul power of soul masters below level 50 by 1 level without any side effects," Lin Yue explained simply. "The starting bid is 1000 points, and it can be exchanged using items of equivalent value as collateral."
The crowd erupted in uproar. A soul power boost without any side effects? This completely overturned the common sense of the soul master world!
"1100 points!" Someone quickly made a bid.
"1200!"
"1500!"
The price soared until it was finally won by a small sect for 3200 points. The sect leader inspected the goods and paid on the spot, and his hands were trembling with excitement.
The final item, "Soul Core Condensation Method (Beginner)," sparked a fierce battle for the second-floor private rooms. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Spirit Hall were locked in a fierce competition, with the price soaring to 50,000 points. In the end, Ning Fengzhi gritted his teeth and won the bid.
With three items sold, the atmosphere in the room was completely electric. Everyone realized that the treasures at this auction house were truly exceptional!
Lin Yue looked at the excited crowd below the stage and smiled slightly:
"Today's auction is now over. The second auction will be held in three days, with even more treasures to be seen. Please look forward to it."
After saying that, he disappeared quietly, ignoring everyone's attempts to stop him.
Representatives from various factions left one after another with mixed feelings, each eager to report back to their sects what they had witnessed that day.
At that moment, no one noticed that Gu Yuena was looking in the direction where Lin Yue had disappeared, her purple eyes flashing with a strange light, by the window on the third floor of the auction house.
"Lin Yue, is that right? An interesting human..."