Chapter 13:The Soul Devouring Blade
"It's… a ten-thousand-year soul bone?!"
The moment the red cloth was lifted, the soul guide screen displayed the item's details.
A left leg bone, deep green in color, radiating a faint but eerie glow. Even through the screen, its aura was overwhelming.
Chen Junting raised an eyebrow and turned to Qinglan.
"Aunt Qing, this is how we're starting?"
"If we don't start big, how do we attract buyers?"
Qinglan casually picked up a fruit, popping it into her mouth with an air of indifference, as if a ten-thousand-year soul bone was nothing but a trinket.
"Compared to the reputation of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, a mere ten-thousand-year soul bone is insignificant."
…A mere ten-thousand-year soul bone?
Chen Junting blinked, momentarily stunned by the arrogance. Before he could say anything, Ning Tian spoke up, answering his unspoken question.
"Brother Jun Ting, everything that appears at the auction is first screened by the sect. If it's something the sect truly needs, they'll buy it directly before it even reaches the auction floor. What remains is carefully chosen for spectacle—stuff good enough to impress, but not valuable enough that the sect wants it for itself."
"So... this is just bait?"
Ning Tian nodded. "Exactly. Without headline items, future auctions wouldn't attract buyers. That's why Aunt Qing says it's 'just' a ten-thousand-year soul bone."
Understanding dawned on Chen Junting. "I've been in the sect for two and a half years, yet I still think like an outsider… It seems I haven't fully adjusted to being a top disciple of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. I need to broaden my horizons. Then again, all I've seen in the sect is—well, mostly rare ingredients."
On the screen, the auctioneer, dressed in a flowing red brocade robe, swayed gracefully as she spoke, her sultry voice igniting the desires of the bidders.
"Ladies and gentlemen, as many of you know, this ten-thousand-year soul bone ranks fourth on the Soul Master Dream List, a ranking of the most coveted treasures for soul masters."
Pausing for effect, she let the murmurs settle before continuing.
"This left leg bone, belonging to the 30,000-year-old Gale Wolf King, possesses a solidified soul skill. Upon activation, the user enters a berserk state, increasing attack and defense by 100%, and speed by another 100%. However, while in this state, all other soul skills are locked."
Chen Junting's eyes gleamed. Not bad at all!
If he didn't already have a left leg bone prepared by the sect—one with a higher age and better origins—he might have been tempted. Amplification skills were among the most valuable soul bone skills, second only to concept and domain abilities.
But the next announcement made the auction hall explode with excitement.
"This soul bone… is connected to the gods!"
The entire room erupted into chaos. Even Chen Junting's eyes widened in shock as he whipped his head toward Qinglan.
Qinglan, however, remained unbothered. She waved a hand dismissively.
"Not that kind of connection. The only soul bone in our sect truly linked to the gods is yours. This is just a marketing trick."
Sure enough, the auctioneer clarified.
"According to ancient records, Dai Mubai, ancestor of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, once wielded a leg bone with the exact same skill."
She let the words linger before delivering the finishing blow.
"So… do you dare to let this opportunity slip by?"
Silence.
Five seconds.
Then—
"Starting bid: nine million gold soul coins! The auction will begin in five minutes. Minimum increment: 30,000 gold soul coins!"
Five minutes passed, and the bidding frenzy began.
The price quickly soared past ten million, finally stopping at over eighteen million gold soul coins.
Chen Junting smirked. "That's way over its real value. Who's the sucker that paid that much?"
"The White Tiger Duke's Mansion, most likely." Qinglan answered before Ning Tian could even think. "Someone from their house is here today. Given their pride, they wouldn't not buy it, no matter the price."
Chen Junting was about to nod when something clicked. He turned to Qinglan, suspicion flashing in his eyes.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Qinglan sipped her tea, completely unbothered. "All businessmen are liars."
The auction continued, featuring rare items such as an eighth-level soul guide from the Sun Moon Empire, the Millennium Ice Marrow likely bought by Shrek Academy, and even a Level 8 Fixed Soul Cannon, a weapon of strategic importance.
One extraordinary item after another, yet Chen Junting remained unfazed. His mindset had changed.
That was, until—
"For our next item, all soul engineers in the room, pay close attention!"
The red cloth was lifted, revealing a carving knife.
Simple. Black. Marked with faint engravings that pulsed with an eerie glow. Its presence carried an undeniable sense of age and mystery.
"This, dear guests, is the Soul Devouring Blade!"
Instantly, a heated argument broke out inside their room.
"Xiaotian, I need that carving knife." Chen Junting's voice was firm, his gaze burning with resolve.
"No!" Ning Tian's rejection was just as resolute. Her eyes were red, filled with worry. "This blade is cursed. Thirty-seven people have died using it. Nine turned into evil soul masters! I refuse to let you touch it!"
Chen Junting sighed. "Xiaotian, I have a plan to neutralize its dangers. If it works, it could be a game-changer for me."
But Ning Tian was unyielding.
Chen Junting thought for a moment before offering a compromise. "Alright. We buy it, take it back to the sect, and let the light-attribute soul masters purify it first. If they say it's safe, then I'll use it. Sound fair?"
Ning Tian hesitated.
Qinglan stepped in. "Xiaotian, let's do as he says. I'll personally oversee the purification. If it remains dangerous, he won't lay a finger on it."
Ning Tian glanced between the two before sighing in defeat. "Fine. But if it's still cursed, we destroy it."
With that settled, the bidding began.
Because of its dark history, only one other bidder was competing. They soon backed out, leaving Chen Junting and his group to claim the Soul Devouring Blade effortlessly.
Now that they had what they came for, the rest of the auction lost its appeal.
As they left, they headed straight for the Jiubao Pavilion, where Elder Zhang Ming was already waiting for them.
After all—
At dawn, they would be returning to the sect.
(End of Chapter)
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Stones me hard~