[Ding!]
[The system detected that the host had reached the Soul Elder level. Small experience packages could no longer meet upgrade requirements, so the lottery system would undergo changes.]
[Ding!]
[Medium Soul Power experience packages would now be added to the lottery pool. Each draw would now cost 10,000 reputation points.]
[Every ten draws would guarantee one medium Soul Power experience package.]
[An exchange shop had been unlocked. Daily items and small Soul Power experience packages had been moved to the shop.]
Shen An focused his thoughts, and sure enough, a new "Shop" option appeared on the system's virtual panel.
He tapped in, and rows of item names appeared.
Cola, ham, potato chips—all were displayed, with very affordable prices.
A bottle of cola cost just 1 reputation point.
As for small Soul Power experience packages? 5,000 reputation points each...
Shen An rubbed his chin in thought. If daily items had been moved out, did that mean future draws would only yield functional items? If so, that wasn't bad.
Otherwise, spending 100,000 reputation points per draw only to get mostly useless stuff would feel like a downgrade.
As for the medium Soul Power experience packages, Shen An was looking forward to their effects. If not for having spent all his reputation points, he would have loved to try his luck right away.
Setting aside his thoughts, Shen An efficiently gathered the bloodstained bedding and prepared to wash off the blood from his body.
He needed to restore the room before the two girls returned. To ensure his breakthrough went smoothly, he had even sent Tom to pester them into going shopping.
The system-granted Soul Rings were too unbelievable—it was best not to expose them.
"Looks like I'll have to pretend to go hunt for a Soul Ring again."
Shen An enjoyed the smooth sensation of water running over his body as he muttered to himself.
But for his fourth Soul Ring, he didn't need to change its color. He could just have Tom paint the black ring a lighter shade.
That way, his displayed Soul Rings would be: Yellow, Purple, Purple, and Black.
It was good to show some extraordinary traits—it attracted attention.
But he had to be careful. Being a genius was fine, but being a monster would only invite jealousy.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking made Shen An pause.
Were Tom and the girls back already? And knocking so politely?
When he opened the door, surprise flashed across his face.
Xue Qinghe smiled. "Long time no see."
"Brother Xue, what brings you here?" Shen An asked in astonishment.
"Hmph. You haven't come to see me in so long—can't I visit you instead?"
Xue Qinghe sounded displeased, but beneath that tone, Shen An detected a faint trace of... resentment?
Shen An shook his head vigorously. No way. He must have imagined it. Xue Qinghe was the ambitious Crown Prince—he wouldn't act like some petty wife.
"Haha, I've been absorbed in training lately and haven't had time to catch up. Come in, Brother Xue."
Xue Qinghe nodded and stepped inside, only to find the house empty. A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
Had those two women left?
"Shen An, where is everyone?" Xue Qinghe probed.
Shen An retrieved ice-cold cola and snacks—none of which existed in the Douluo Continent—from the fridge and set them on the table.
"They went shopping with Tom."
Xue Qinghe's mood instantly darkened.
He had thought Shen An had taken his advice and become a proper, disciplined young man. Yet he was still living with those two girls?
"Brother Xue, try these. They're specialties from my hometown."
Xue Qinghe picked up the cola but found the sealing mechanism strange. He had no idea how to open it.
Already irritated, he let out a displeased hmph.
For some reason, Xue Qinghe felt a little wronged.
Shen An was his only friend. Even though it had only been a little over a month since they last met, he had thought of Shen An often.
Seeing him again filled Xue Qinghe with an indescribable sense of belonging.
But Shen An was still living with two beautiful young women!
What if feelings developed over time? The thought made Xue Qinghe seethe.
Shen An chuckled and took the cola back, expertly popping the tab before handing it over. He opened another for himself.
"This is really good. Cheers, Brother Xue."
Casually, Shen An moved closer and slung an arm over Xue Qinghe's shoulders, raising his bottle for a toast.
The clean, masculine scent of Shen An's freshly showered body filled Xue Qinghe's senses, making his head spin slightly.
Stay calm. This is normal between friends.
Xue Qinghe took small sips of cola, silently reassuring himself.
Then, a mischievous thought struck.
If it was normal for friends to hug and shoulder-pat, then... could he do the same?
A strange thrill ran through Xue Qinghe. The idea alone was exhilarating—he had never done anything like this before.
Gazing at Shen An's handsome face, Xue Qinghe's heart raced.
It's just a normal gesture between friends. I'm a guy right now. It's fine.
Steeling himself, Xue Qinghe slowly reached out and draped an arm over Shen An's shoulders, mimicking his posture.
Shen An didn't suspect a thing—he often did the same with Xue Qinghe.
"Brother Xue, anything interesting happening in Heaven Dou City lately?" Shen An asked curiously.
Ancient societies like Douluo could be dull. Over the past month, aside from training his swordsmanship and playing with the cat and mouse, Shen An had mostly frequented the Great Spirit Arena.
He could use some gossip or entertainment.
Xue Qinghe's heart was pounding wildly.
The warmth of Shen An's body beneath his arm was intoxicating.
His physique is really well-trained... Should I give it a squeeze?
An even bolder idea surfaced.
Xue Qinghe, ever the decisive one, subtly tested the firmness of Shen An's shoulder as he spoke.
"The Heaven Dou Auction is starting. I came to invite you. It's a rare event—lots of unique items."
"There's something this time that might really help you."
Shen An didn't notice Xue Qinghe's increasingly bold touches, too intrigued by the mention of an auction.
"An auction?"
Xue Qinghe marveled at the density of Shen An's muscles, his pulse quickening. His cheeks and ears burned.
What's wrong with me?
He scolded himself internally.
Just this once. Never again. I just wanted to experience what it's like between friends. That's all.
BANG!
The door swung open again.
A cat strode in first, a small brown mouse perched on its shoulder, followed by two strikingly beautiful women.
Tom thought Shen An should assign it more tasks like this—taking the girls out was great.
Ning Rongrong was incredibly generous, buying whatever it wanted. Today, it had acquired several different types of fish.
"Huh? We have a guest." Ning Rongrong murmured.
Zhu Zhuqing's sharp eyes immediately landed on Xue Qinghe. Seeing it was a man, she relaxed slightly.
Shen An stood with a smile. "You're back. Brother Xue invited me to the Heaven Dou Auction. Want to come?"
As Shen An rose, Xue Qinghe's arm slipped off his shoulders. A faint sense of loss tugged at his heart.
But his impeccable composure betrayed none of his inner turmoil. He stood as well, smiling.
"Long time no see, Rongrong."
"Brother Qinghe, you two go ahead. Zhuqing and I are exhausted from shopping." Ning Rongrong said.
Xue Qinghe's mood brightened.
Perfect. He preferred having Shen An to himself.
But then it struck him—while he was busy with politics and cultivation, barely able to spare time for Shen An, Ning Rongrong was living with him?
The injustice rankled.
"Rongrong, does Uncle Ning know you're living here? If word gets out, it won't look good." Xue Qinghe said pointedly.
Ning Rongrong pouted. "Oh, don't worry, Brother Qinghe. I'll handle Father. Shen An motivates me to train harder—we're just friends."
So Ning Fengzhi knew but wasn't fully approving.
Xue Qinghe's mind whirled. Maybe he could subtly influence Ning Fengzhi further.
As for the other girl—her Martial Soul was the Netherworld Cat, meaning she was from the Star Luo Empire. He could always remind Shen An about their strict royal customs later.
Countless schemes flitted through Xue Qinghe's mind in an instant.
His true motives? Only he knew.
Having reached Soul Ancestor, Shen An was in high spirits. A change of scenery sounded nice. Plus, every outing with Xue Qinghe brought a flood of reputation points.
"Then we'll head out. Tom, Jerry, want to come?"
Tom, ever the clingy cat, naturally followed. Jerry opted for another nap.
The trio strolled leisurely, chatting along the way.
Their conversation ranged from casual topics to ideological debates—like Xue Qinghe's governance philosophies.
Though Shen An had no real interest in politics, the education from his past life allowed him to voice perspectives that left Xue Qinghe astonished.
Soon, they arrived at a massive circular building—nearly 500 meters in diameter and 80 meters tall.
Four tall, graceful young women stood at the auction house entrance, their figures alluring.
With Xue Qinghe leading, they encountered no delays.
Upon reaching the second floor, Shen An found the atmosphere completely different.
Scantily clad servers flaunted their curves, stirring primal desires in onlookers.
Shen An's gaze lingered briefly.
They were... appealing.
But beneath their beauty lay emptiness—souls long extinguished.
"These girls were purchased and trained from childhood. Their fate is to serve men—and they're also auction items. Interested? I could buy you a few."
Xue Qinghe's smile was pleasant, but beneath it, Shen An sensed something dangerous.