The Secret Technique Soul Bone was originally developed by the Sun Moon Empire.
Because the soul beast resources in the Sun Moon Empire were far inferior to those on the original Douluo Continent, it was very difficult to obtain high-quality soul bones.
The Secret Technique Soul Bone was born precisely for this reason.
Having been exposed to it from a young age, Xu Zihuang had a very detailed understanding of the internal secrets of these Secret Technique Soul Bones.
Just as the middle-aged steward had said, the quality of Secret Technique Soul Bones was far lower than soul bones obtained through normal hunting of soul beasts, even the most ordinary thousand-year soul bone.
The soul skills attached to Secret Technique Soul Bones could only be amplification-type skills, specifically amplifying strength, attack, defense, speed, or soul power.
Such soul skills were extremely common. Especially for beast martial soul masters, many would choose to attach an amplification-type skill that matched their martial soul to their first soul ring to better utilize the advantages of their beast martial soul.
Normally, if the soul master's own martial soul was powerful, a hundred-year amplification-type skill would generally provide around 50% amplification.
For example, the first soul skill of Dai Huabin and Dai Yueheng's White Tiger martial soul, White Tiger Barrier, could increase defense by 50%.
If the soul master's martial soul quality was slightly poorer, a hundred-year amplification-type skill would fluctuate around 30% amplification.
From this, it was clear that the quality of this Secret Technique of Speed Left Leg Bone was indeed average. The effect of its attached soul skill was even inferior to a typical hundred-year skill.
Of course, this was also related to the cultivation level of the hundred soul beasts that were hunted.
The Sun Moon Empire had summarized a very precise rule: if all one hundred hunted soul beasts were at the ten-year level, the amplification effect of the resulting Secret Technique Soul Bone would be below 10%.
If all were hundred-year soul beasts, the amplification effect would reach at least 30%.
If all were thousand-year soul beasts, the amplification effect would start at 50%. In short, the higher the cultivation of the soul beasts killed during the secret technique ritual, the better the amplification effect of the resulting Secret Technique Soul Bone.
As for hunting one hundred ten-thousand-year soul beasts to obtain a Secret Technique Soul Bone, that had never happened. Ten-thousand-year and higher soul beasts were not something just anyone could hunt. Moreover, under normal circumstances, the probability of a soul bone dropping from such high-level soul beasts was already higher than that of a Secret Technique Soul Bone, so naturally, no one would choose to do it that way.
However, the Secret Technique of Soul type Secret Technique Soul Bones were rather special. The soul skill attached to this type amplified soul power and was permanently effective. As the soul master's cultivation increased, the soul power amplification effect became better and better.
After all, the amplification percentage for soul power was fixed, while the total amount of a soul master's soul power would gradually increase with cultivation.
Correspondingly, compared to other Secret Technique Soul Bones, the amplification effect of the Secret Technique of Soul-type bones was much lower.
Even if it came from hunting one hundred thousand-year soul beasts, the amplification effect of a Secret Technique of Soul bone would not exceed 10%.
In Xu Zihuang's memories from his previous life, the Secret Technique of Soul Left Arm Bone that Zhou Yi had won from a bet with Mu Jin only provided 5% soul power amplification.
All in all, even among Secret Technique Soul Bones, this Secret Technique of Speed Left Leg Bone brought by the middle-aged steward was only at a lower-middle level. What truly gave it additional value was its fusion characteristic.
The middle-aged steward probed carefully, "Honored guest, are you satisfied with this soul bone?"
Xu Zihuang used his soul power to guide the soul bone into his palm and said indifferently, "Name your price."
"You jest, honored guest. Our Aodu Auction House has always been fair and would never quote randomly. This Secret Technique of Speed Left Leg Bone was originally intended to be put up for auction, but since you need it, we will sell it to you at the reserve price of 200,000 gold soul coins. As for the fifth-level invincible shield you crafted, we are willing to purchase it for 400,000 gold soul coins. What do you think?" The middle-aged steward revealed a fawning smile.
"Acceptable."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged steward immediately bowed and handed Xu Zihuang two purple-gold cards worth 100,000 gold soul coins each.
"If you ever have more soul tools to sell in the future, please consider our Aodu Auction House. The price will definitely satisfy you."
Anyone who could climb to his position without a strong background was a shrewd person. He did not rush to win Xu Zihuang over but decided to first build a good relationship. Some things had to be done step by step.
Seeing that the transaction was complete, Ke Ke couldn't help placing her hands on her hips and humming proudly.
"How about it? I didn't bring you to the wrong place, did I? Shouldn't you thank me?"
"Then, to show my gratitude, how about I treat Senior Sister Ke Ke to dinner later?" Xu Zihuang smiled faintly. He also happened to need an opportunity to speak clearly with Ke Ke.
But Ke Ke firmly shook her head.
"No way. Didn't we already agree that I would treat you tonight? We're rich now. Come on, let me continue showing you around Mingdu."
Xu Zihuang could only helplessly follow. Perhaps, apart from her little thoughts, Ke Ke also genuinely wanted to show him around Mingdu out of kindness.
The middle-aged steward and the attendant very tactfully did not interrupt their conversation. The steward even personally led the way for them all the way to the main entrance of the Aodu Auction House, watching them disappear.
Because several rare metal veins were continuously being mined nearby, the sky over Mingdu was often gray and hazy, not as clear as in Shrek City.
The wide streets were packed with dense crowds. Xu Zihuang quietly followed behind Ke Ke, taking in this capital city he had not seen in ten years.
Ten years ago, his circumstances were completely different from now. And he firmly believed that in the next ten years, earth-shaking changes would occur once again.
A ray of dying sunlight slanted from the western horizon, making the entire Mingdu seem to sink into a rose-gold ocean. The surfaces of the tall metal buildings reflected dazzling halos.
As dusk gradually approached, the flow of people on the streets did not decrease but instead became even livelier.
Moving through the crowd, the two inevitably had physical contact from time to time.
Her back pressed against Xu Zihuang's chest, and Ke Ke jumped away as if startled, her fair earlobes instantly turning pink. Lost in her thoughts, shyness and hesitation appeared in her eyes, but they soon turned into determination.
"Fine, this lady is going all out today."
However, she didn't know that every change in her expression had been completely seen by Xu Zihuang.
When night fell, Ke Ke brought Xu Zihuang to a secluded bar.
Xu Zihuang glanced sideways at Ke Ke and frowned.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you've never been to a place like this?" Perhaps because she felt a little guilty, Ke Ke's reaction was clearly overly strong. Someone was getting anxious.
"Anyway, on the continent, fifteen is already considered adult. Today, big sis will broaden your horizons."
"Senior Sister Ke Ke, it really is my first time in a place like this," Xu Zihuang replied while trying to read the emotions deep in Ke Ke's eyes.
Although the bar wasn't large, it was packed and noisy. The moment they entered, a thick wave of clamor hit them, making Ke Ke very uncomfortable.
Despite talking big, this was actually her first time in such a place, too.
Still, she braced herself and had the waiter lead them to a booth in the corner of the bar. The spot was separated by several wooden panels, with two soft sofas and a low coffee table in the center.
It was much quieter than the rest of the bar.
And because it was in the corner, the lighting was dim, creating a nice atmosphere.
Xu Zihuang and Ke Ke sat facing each other.
Ke Ke pretended to be a regular and ordered the most expensive bottle of wine in the bar. The waiter's attitude immediately became much more attentive, and he quickly went to prepare it.
Xu Zihuang's gaze, however, froze on another booth in the opposite corner, more precisely, on a golden-haired young woman sitting on the sofa.
The young woman appeared to be not yet twenty years old. She wore a golden dress that did not expose any skin. Yet her breathtakingly beautiful face had skin as white as snow, a straight nose bridge, and slightly narrow phoenix eyes that gave off an impression of both majesty and holiness.
Her golden eyes were calm as still water, but Xu Zihuang could tell that she seemed to loathe this environment. For some unknown reason, however, she forced herself to remain seated there. Moreover, with his intangible and formless mental power, he was actually unable to discern her specific cultivation level.
This naturally made him take notice.
But what concerned him the most was that when he looked into those golden eyes, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
The moment Xu Zihuang's gaze landed on the golden-haired young woman, she seemed to sense it and turned her head, their eyes meeting.
This eye contact intensified the feeling in Xu Zihuang's heart.
"Good-looking?" Ke Ke's voice, carrying a hint of gnashing teeth, sounded beside him. Xu Zihuang came back to his senses and looked at Ke Ke across from him.
Ke Ke also glanced at the golden-haired young woman a few times, her eyes filled with depression and a sense of defeat.
She could accept being inferior to Ju Zi, but how was it that just by entering a random bar, she encountered someone whose beauty and aura completely surpassed hers? It was making her lose confidence.
"Hmph! As expected, all men are the same."
At that moment, the waiter came in carrying a tray with a bottle of pink rosé wine, two crystal glasses, and a bucket of ice.
Thinking they were just a young couple having a spat, the waiter smiled awkwardly and asked, "Miss, your wine has arrived. Shall I open it now?"
Ke Ke replied irritably, "Open it."
The waiter naturally followed Ke Ke's instructions, opened the bottle, placed two ice cubes in each glass, poured the wine until it just covered the ice, set the glasses in front of them, and respectfully withdrew.
Xu Zihuang calmly took a sip of the cool, fragrant rose wine and smiled as he answered Ke Ke's earlier question.
"Senior Sister Ke Ke, liking beautiful things is human nature. You wouldn't want to suppress my nature, would you?"
Ke Ke fell silent because she could hear the deeper meaning in Xu Zihuang's words. Although she usually seemed carefree, she was exceptionally sensitive in certain situations.
She gulped down the rosé wine in her glass in one go.
The faint rose fragrance accompanied the wine down her throat, evaporating as if on its own. Waves of warmth spread through her body, making all her pores seem to open.
A charming flush also appeared on her pretty face.
Then she downed one glass after another.
With her stubborn personality, of course, she wouldn't back down now. She was deliberately trying to get drunk.
If she got drunk, there would be an opportunity. She refused to believe that Yu Tianhuang would really ignore her.
Moreover, as long as a soul master wanted to, they could use soul power to evaporate the alcohol in their body at any time as long as their consciousness remained clear.
Later, she could just pretend to be half-drunk, half-sober.
That way, she could advance or retreat as needed.
It had to be said that scheming a little was an innate talent of girls, even for someone as straightforward as Ke Ke.
On the other side, the cold and elegant golden-haired young woman also sank into thought.
"Those eyes… why do they look so much like…"
She unconsciously tightened her grip on her wine glass.
In the very next moment, she suddenly became alert.
The target she had been waiting for had appeared.
A thin man walked in, his face somewhat pale.
But that was all; apart from that, he looked no different from an ordinary person.
Yet Xu Zihuang's gaze sharpened. From this thin man, he clearly sensed a cold, sinister, and evil soul power aura.
The man possessed Soul Emperor-level cultivation, and he was an evil soul master!
His second martial soul, the Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon, possessed extreme thunder attributes and was extremely sensitive to all things evil and sinister.
His judgment could not be wrong.
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