This grand auction, hosted by the royal family of the Sun Moon Empire and held in the Frost Palace, was naturally an event reserved only for those of high status in the northern regions of the empire.
Huo Yuhao mused to himself, 'These fantasy worlds really can't avoid the trope of the "grand auction". But to be fair, it does make sense. With so many rare cultivation treasures and heavenly materials, it's only natural that such gatherings would exist to auction them in a structured manner.'
After a simple night's rest in a double-bed room at a small inn, the next morning, the trio dressed to the nines before setting off for the Frost Palace to attend the auction.
However, their idea of "formalwear" was just a little different from what this world considered traditional. On the Douluo Continent, formal attire typically referred to elegant, traditional robes. Yet here was Huo Yuhao in a classic Earth-style suit, while Meng Hongchen and the Auspicious Beast wore sleek, black-and-white gowns that exuded modern elegance—something one would only expect from high society ladies of Earth's twenty-first century.
Having crossed over from Earth and armed with his powerful spiritual strength, Huo Yuhao could easily dig through every corner of his memory to retrieve even the faintest mental images of Earth fashion. Through this, he was able to reconstruct the designs of modern garments and have them recreated by the finest tailors in Mingdu.
To be honest, the tailors had been left in utter disbelief when they saw the clothes they had crafted to his specifications. They began questioning the very foundation of their decades-long careers. Compared to the clunky and gaudy formalwear they were used to, the minimalistic beauty and fluid elegance of these outfits were nothing short of revolutionary.
Before long, under Huo Yuhao's permission, these new styles began to hit the shelves of Mingdu's tailor shops. They quickly gained popularity among the upper class, even causing a wave of fashion reform in the city. It was a style renaissance that dovetailed beautifully with the industrial modernization the empire was undergoing.
Even better, these new garments were cheaper than the traditional ones decked out in jewels and embroidery. That meant even the middle class could afford them, and soon, Mingdu's streets were full of gentlemen in tailored suits and young ladies in graceful evening gowns.
But in the northern part of the empire, these clothes were still an anomaly—an exotic oddity that hadn't yet caught on.
So when Huo Yuhao and his two companions stepped out of the inn in their attire, they instantly became the center of attention. Even the innkeeper, upon seeing the trio check out, was stunned speechless. From their appearance alone, he was convinced they were some high-ranking nobility—what were such people doing staying in a modest little inn like his?
Attending the auction in the Frost Palace required an official invitation from the imperial family.
Naturally, the three of them had no such thing.
But that wasn't a problem. Not at all.
Before heading to the palace, they stopped by the estate of the former duke and met with the imperial official sent by Xu Tiannan to govern the region. When the man learned that the guests were Huo Yuhao and Meng Hongchen, he practically fell over himself with enthusiasm.
'Come on. In the current royal court, who doesn't know about Meng Hongchen, the granddaughter of the head of Mingde Hall, and Huo Yuhao, the famed disciple of Jing Hongchen and the foster grandson of Kong Deming? Their status alone warrants a royal feast.'
So of course, once he heard they wanted to attend the auction, he handed them a specially signed VIP invitation without hesitation. With this, they would gain access to one of the exclusive guest boxes within the Frost Palace's auction hall.
He even personally arranged for a royal carriage to transport them there.
Sitting inside the carriage, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but reflect. 'Not long ago, I was just a poor boy being oppressed and belittled in the White Tiger Duke's manor. And now, look at me. In just two or three years, everything's changed. Status, power… all flipped upside down. Turns out, it's not about what family you're born into. Face is something you earn for yourself. What's the use of having a noble father like the White Tiger Duke? It means nothing.'
His heart surged a little. The war was drawing near. He couldn't wait to step onto the battlefield and cross blades with his so-called father and his Western Corps. It was time for some good old-fashioned father-son bonding—Douluo-style.
The royal carriage wasn't as fast as the latest soul-powered cars, but it still carried the group swiftly to the Frost Palace.
Looking around, Huo Yuhao felt a wave of exasperation. 'The northern part of the empire is really lagging in modernization. So many of our projects are already underway… I hope the north can catch up, and soon.'
Inside the auction hall, their clothing once again attracted attention. While strange to the locals, it was undoubtedly eye-catching.
Many northern nobles quickly recognized the trio as distinguished guests from Mingdu. A wave of curiosity followed, and the crowd began to gather around them, trying to strike up conversations. After all, most of the nobles who remained here were thrilled with the downfall of the old regime and eager to form new alliances.
Seeing the flood of nobles approach, Huo Yuhao felt a headache coming on. 'I don't want to deal with this kind of socializing. It's nothing but a mess of insincere smiles and power plays.'
The Auspicious Beast was even more overwhelmed. She had never experienced so many humans crowding around her before and looked entirely out of place.
Quickly, the three slipped through the crowd with ghost-like agility and reached their private box. Once inside, they collectively let out a breath of relief and sat down, ready to watch the auction unfold.
The Frost Palace was decorated with a unique northern blend of rugged elegance. The icy blue theme permeated the entire hall. Intricate ice sculptures and sparkling ice lanterns were everywhere, giving the palace a magical, crystalline atmosphere.
In fact, Huo Yuhao even spotted rare materials like Extreme North Ice and pure ice crystals used in the décor. 'Seriously? This is just absurd wealth.'
Before long, the massive main hall of the Frost Palace was filled to capacity. From his elevated vantage point in the VIP box, Huo Yuhao could see the sea of heads below. This was the power of a high-profile auction—it could draw out every last bit of wealth from the noble families' private vaults.
(End of Chapter)
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