The Sky Dou Royal Auction House was a colossal venue capable of accommodating thousands of people simultaneously. Its opulent decor rivaled that of the palaces of some smaller nations.
Gu Feng and Dugu Yan arrived side by side at the entrance of the auction house. Just as they were about to step inside, a doorman extended his hand to stop them.
The doorman wore a professional smile, his tone polite yet firm. "Excuse me, may I see your identification? The Royal Auction House does not admit ordinary guests. If you lack the appropriate status, you may also undergo an asset assessment."
Gu Feng calmly retrieved a token of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School from his pocket and handed it to the doorman.
The doorman lowered his gaze, and as soon as his eyes fell upon the token, a flicker of awe crossed his face. He hurriedly returned the token to Gu Feng with both hands, his demeanor becoming extremely respectful. "Please, come right in. A dedicated staff member will brief you on the house rules shortly."
Dugu Yan couldn't help but pout, her voice tinged with a hint of envy. "Seems like your status is what really matters. People from major sects are always treated differently. When I mentioned my grandfather earlier, they wouldn't let me in."
Gu Feng smiled mysteriously, his tone thoughtful. "Perhaps Senior Dugu has his own reasons…"
"I don't care about his reasons. If he won't let me in, I'll just force my way in. Come on, let's hurry inside and see what this place is all about."
With that, Dugu Yan grabbed Gu Feng's hand and eagerly pulled him into the auction house.
As soon as they stepped inside, a graceful and beautiful maidservant approached them.
The maidservant wore an exquisite eye mask and moved with the elegance of a cat, her every gesture exuding a unique charm.
She glided over to Gu Feng, giving a slight bow that revealed a glimpse of her fair skin. Her voice was soft and melodious. "Please follow me. Within the auction house, the royal family ensures your safety. However, once you step outside, your fate is in your own hands. Therefore, I kindly ask that you wear these specially crafted masks."
Dugu Yan, keenly aware of the maidservant's deliberate actions, felt a surge of displeasure. She let out a soft huff and quickly pulled Gu Feng behind her, shielding him from the maidservant's view as if protecting her territory.
Seeing this, a faint flicker of disappointment crossed the maidservant's eyes, but she quickly resumed her professional smile.
She was a maidservant specially trained by the Sky Dou Royal Auction House, having been brought here since childhood. The royal family provided them with opportunities to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, making each of them highly accomplished. However, behind this lay a cruel fate. If they failed to find someone to redeem them during their prime years, they would either be released back into ordinary life if they were lucky, or, if unlucky, be mercilessly sent to the entertainment quarters, where they would continue to generate revenue for the royal family.
Dugu Yan waved her hand, her expression slightly impatient. "Alright, we understand. You may leave now."
"Yes," the maidservant replied with a slight bow before slowly retreating.
After the maid's figure disappeared outside the door, Dugu Yan immediately turned around and tapped Gu Feng's forehead with her finger, chiding him, "You naughty boy, you must never come here alone in the future. The women here are all cunning; they might just devour you whole."
Gu Feng's mouth twitched slightly, and he looked utterly helpless.
Speaking of cunning women, you're not exactly a saint either.
However, Gu Feng obediently nodded and urged, "Sister YanYan, let's hurry to the auction hall."
It was no wonder he was anxious. The day before they arrived, he had already found out that this time, the Royal Auction House seemed to be auctioning a treasure from the sea...
Gu Feng and Dugu Yan entered the auction hall and casually found seats in the back row.
The first few rounds of the auction were filled with items of mediocre value, utterly failing to pique their interest.
Dugu Yan felt waves of drowsiness washing over her and yawned repeatedly out of boredom. She occasionally nudged Gu Feng beside her, muttering in a very low voice, "When will they bring out something fresh and interesting? If this goes on, I'm really going to fall asleep."
Gu Feng patiently comforted her, his eyes occasionally scanning the bustling crowd below, secretly anticipating the main event.
Just as everyone was starting to feel bored, the auctioneer suddenly announced mysteriously in a loud voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, what's coming next are rare treasures. You're in for a treat."
The noisy and chaotic hall instantly fell silent. Everyone's gaze was drawn as if by an invisible force, all focusing on the stage.
The auctioneer waved his hand, and the staff brought up a cage tightly covered with a black cloth.
Seeing this, Dugu Yan was full of surprise and couldn't help but exclaim, "A cage? Could it be that the auction house is selling a Soul Beast this time?"
Gu Feng's expression darkened, and he said in a somber tone, "Sometimes, what's being bought and sold isn't necessarily just a Soul Beast..."
The auctioneer's words were just the tip of the iceberg in the dirty underbelly of the daily lives of these noble lords.
After all, what could be openly discussed was no longer anything special.
"Huh?"
Dugu Yan was full of confusion, unable to grasp the deeper meaning behind Gu Feng's words, her mind a complete blank.
At that moment, the auctioneer on stage suddenly yanked off the black cloth, and instantly, a petite black-haired loli appeared before everyone's eyes.
The loli had a pair of fluffy fox ears gently twitching on her head and a playful, fluffy fox tail swaying behind her. Every move she made exuded a unique charm.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this girl is a special existence with a Spirit Mutation. Once you take her home and train her as a personal maid, it will undoubtedly be an extraordinary experience."
The auctioneer deliberately drew out his words, wearing a knowing, lecherous smile that all men would understand.
Upon hearing this, the eyes of the noblemen in the audience filled with undisguised lust and greed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the starting bid is one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
"I bid one hundred and ten thousand!"
A portly nobleman eagerly made the first bid, his plump face brimming with uncontrollable greed.
"One hundred and twenty thousand!"
Immediately after, a sharp-voiced nobleman followed suit, his eyes filled with urgency and desire.
The price continued to soar, and in just a short while, it easily surpassed three hundred thousand.
Dugu Yan's expression turned extremely grim. Having grown up in a prestigious Soul Master family, she was aware of the dark dealings that existed in the Soul Master World. However, witnessing such a scene where people were treated as commodities being bought and sold filled her with righteous indignation.
She finally understood why Dugu Bo had forbidden her from coming to such places.
"This is too much! How can they commit such heinous acts?"
Dugu Yan's chest heaved with anger as she turned to Gu Feng with pleading eyes. "Xiao Feng, can we save her? We can't just stand by and watch her fall into the hands of these villains."
(End of Chapter)