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Before Ye Wen and his group even stepped into the auction venue, a sharp-eyed staff member spotted them. A woman dressed in a red dress hurriedly jogged over.
"Greetings, My Lord. I've been waiting for some time. Please follow me."
Without a word, Ye Wen followed her inside.
Still, Ye Wen couldn't help but feel a slight sense of awe. His status had warranted the presence of one of the top auctioneers to personally escort him—a testament to the fact that great strength was an excellent ticket to entry in any world.
Though Ye Wen hadn't delved deeply into it, throughout the history of the Douluo Continent, the five colors—white, yellow, purple, black, and red—had always defined its hierarchical system.
Red wasn't a color just anyone could wear.
Within this auction venue, only the highest-ranking auctioneers or top-tier managers were qualified to don red attire.
This further highlighted the Star Luo Empire's regard for him.
As expected, Ye Wen and his group were led to a private booth.
Upon entering, the receptionist gently pressed a spot on the wall, and the previously dim room instantly brightened.
With the widespread use of soul-guiding tools, this was nothing extraordinary. What slightly surprised Ye Wen, however, was when the seemingly flawless wall suddenly began to emit light. As the glow intensified, the wall gradually transformed into a massive screen.
Though Ye Wen himself possessed recording and playback soul-guiding tools—crafted based on his own knowledge—he hadn't paid attention to such technology in this era. It was undoubtedly a highly advanced piece of equipment.
Still, Ye Wen remained composed. After all, who was he? A 99th-level Supreme Douluo! He couldn't act like some country bumpkin who'd never seen the world!
However, the girls were utterly fascinated by this unprecedented sight, letting out small gasps of wonder.
Huo Yu'er, being young and naturally curious, quietly asked the server, "Big Sister, is this a soul-guiding tool?"
The server didn't show any disrespect toward Huo Yuer's lack of knowledge. Instead, she smiled faintly and explained:
"Yes, Miss. This is a photonic screen custom-ordered from the Sun Moon Empire specifically for our auction house. It can transmit images through a special method. What's unique about it is that its core array isn't powered by soul force—it's said to use a rare mineral exclusive to the Sun Moon Empire."
Huo Yuer found it fascinating, though she didn't fully grasp the significance of this technology since Ye Wen hadn't exposed her to traditional soul engineering education.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya, on the other hand, understood its implications but chose to remain silent. One pursued extreme personal combat power, while the other already possessed techniques to kill soul masters without relying on soul master methods.
"Enough, Little Yu'er. This is merely an incomplete technology. Even the Sun Moon Empire hasn't perfected it yet. Right now, it's only capable of powering low-output household soul-guiding tools, and the energy consumption is enormous. Beyond showing off, it holds little practical value."
Ye Wen's calm voice brought the excited chatter to an abrupt halt, and everyone settled into their seats.
Throughout, Ye Wen maintained an air of composure that left a peculiar glimmer in the server's eyes.
She keenly sensed that Ye Wen seemed somewhat dismissive of the technology before him.
Such exclamations weren't limited to Ye Wen's booth. Other major factions invited to the auction were equally astonished. This technology signified that the Sun Moon Empire had begun advancing research into enabling non-soul masters to use soul-guiding tools.
An ominous weight settled over the hearts of the various factions, especially the two elders from Shrek Academy.
Ever since learning that the Sun Moon Empire had accepted the Holy Spirit Sect, it became clear that they were no longer inferior to the original three kingdoms of the Douluo Continent in terms of top-tier combat power. Their Titled Douluo-level forces were formidable as well.
The Sun Moon Empire boasted the most ninth-rank soul-guiding tools and ninth-rank fixed-cannon soul shells on the entire continent.
If research into enabling ordinary people to use soul-guiding tools succeeded, it would completely compensate for the lack of lower-tier extraordinary combat power in the Sun Moon Empire. The future of the Douluo Continent was entering a precarious phase.
The two elders from Shrek deeply realized how their academy had been harmed by its own arrogance.
After all, if the Star Luo Empire could afford such soul-guiding tools, there was no reason Shrek Academy couldn't. However, their long-standing reliance on pure soul master combat had caused them to unconsciously neglect gathering intelligence in this area.
Had Huo Yu'er, the Chosen One, stayed to absorb knowledge from the Sun Moon Empire during her exchange studies, things might have been different. But now that Huo Yu'er had left, whether Shrek could surpass others in soul-guiding technology had become an unknown.
"Old Song, I'll head back and report the situation first. You stay here and keep an eye on things."
One of the two guardians spoke up.
Given the urgency of the situation, there was no other choice. The guardian named Old Song nodded.
At this moment, another person entered Ye Wen's booth. Ye Wen glanced up—it was Xu Jiujiu.
???
Ye Wen was puzzled. Shouldn't Xu Jiujiu be hosting the auction as the chief auctioneer? Why had she suddenly come to his booth?
"Master," Xu Jiujiu greeted respectfully.
Ye Wen gave a light acknowledgment and then asked, "Are you done with your tasks? How did you find time to join us at this auction?"
Xu Jiujiu smiled faintly, her expression both comforting and tinged with playful reproach. "It's rare for all my senior sisters and Master to go out together. How could I, as the youngest disciple, not join in? Or has Master grown tired of me~"
Ye Wen, who had been somewhat relaxed, suddenly tensed up, feeling a newfound wariness toward Xu Jiujiu. Still, he thought, it was no surprise—she was truly a child of royalty, skilled in subtle manipulation.
"As long as you're happy, just don't regret spending your money on me later."
Ye Wen's helpless, reverse complaint made the smile in Xu Jiujiu's eyes deepen.
Through their days of interaction, Xu Jiujiu realized that the so-called Supreme Douluo wasn't as mysterious as the legends portrayed. Compared to a stern master, Ye Wen felt more like a caring older brother.
All in all, Xu Jiujiu had been enjoying herself immensely these past few days.
At this moment, a charming figure gracefully appeared on the silver screen—her pure face tinged with a hint of allure. Ordinary men who saw her might lose their composure.
Ye Wen had seen all kinds of women, and with the booth filled with girls, he showed no particular reaction.
After a round of pleasantries, the auction officially began.
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