Chapter 368
: The Harvest!
"Distinguished guests!"
The auctioneer's voice rose, carrying a tacit, ambiguous tone.
"The next item up for auction is a treasure coveted by every male Soul Master! The Glue of a Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Deep-Sea Beast!"
The red cloth was lifted, and on the crystal tray, an object about the size of two adult palms and an inch thick was revealed.
It has a warm, jade-like light gold color throughout, and its surface is covered with natural, translucent amber-like textures, with some signs of wear on the edges.
A faint, slightly salty yet incredibly rich and strange aura wafted through the air. The immense energy contained within it invigorated the Soul Masters near the front, making their blood flow seem to quicken.
Ten Thousand Year Whale Glue!
Upon seeing this item, many richly dressed male Soul Masters in the front row below the stage noticeably became more labored in their breathing, and their eyes turned intensely fervent.
The host was very good at creating a lively atmosphere, and his voice was incredibly seductive.
"Ten-thousand-year-old whale glue! Especially its 'strengthening' effect on certain... well, physiques is simply miraculous! Starting bid—150,000 gold soul coins!"
"Sixteen thousand!"
A burly Soul Master in the front row immediately raised a sign.
"180,000!"
Two hundred thousand!
The bidding was fierce and blatant, far more intense than when they had bid for Catwoman.
The air was filled with an unspoken competitive atmosphere among the males.
Lin Xia looked at the burning gazes below, a hint of mockery flashing across her deep eyes.
The quality of this ten-thousand-year-old whale glue is indeed excellent, containing a vast and pure amount of vital energy, which is one of the goals of his trip.
However, his purpose was completely different from that of the people in the audience.
As a materialized martial spirit, the stability of its foundation and the enhancement of its power also require a massive amount of top-grade energy to nourish it. This whale glue is an excellent supplement for it.
Meanwhile, some of the high-intensity physical tempering programs at the Gengjin City Core Research Institute also require such top-tier materials as a catalyst.
When the price reached 250,000, Lin Xia finally made his move. He didn't even bother to look at the bidding paddleboard, and directly addressed the steward standing beside him in his signature flat tone:
"Five hundred thousand."
The voice wasn't loud, but it was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a boiling oil pan.
"hiss--"
A collective gasp filled the auction hall. The buyers who had been fiercely competing just moments before fell silent, like ducks being choked, staring incredulously towards the top-floor VIP box.
Half a million? !
Just for a piece of whale glue?!
Although the elixir of the ancient whale is precious, a normal premium of 300,000 yuan is already the maximum!
Is this... because they have too much money to spend?
Or perhaps... he really has some special needs that are unknown to others?
Countless gazes turned strange.
Yu Tianheng and the others were once again stunned.
Dugu Yan looked at Lin Xia, a hint of inquiry flashing in her emerald eyes.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled as to why Lin Xia was so fixated on this item. Ning Rongrong muttered something under her breath.
"Brother Lin Xia...does he really need to replenish his energy?"
Although she was naive, she understood the host's ambiguous hints.
The auctioneer was so excited that his voice changed tone.
"Five...five hundred thousand! The top-floor VIP number one bids five hundred thousand gold soul coins! Any higher bids? Five hundred thousand once! Five hundred thousand twice! Five hundred thousand three times! Sold!!!"
With the gavel falling, the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue was in Lin Xia's possession. His expression remained calm, as if he had merely acquired an ordinary item. Lin Xia bid several more times in the subsequent auctions. When Ning Rongrong saw a soul tool necklace inlaid with deep-sea blue diamonds and exquisitely designed, her eyes lit up with delight.
Lin Xia caught a glimpse of it, casually quoted a price far exceeding its value, bid for it, and handed it to her.
"Here, this little trinket."
Ning Rongrong took the necklace; it was cool to the touch, and the blue diamond refracted a dreamlike light under the lamplight, clearly very valuable. The slight bitterness and earlier hesitation in her heart were instantly replaced by immense joy. Her face flushed slightly, and she clutched the necklace tightly, sweetly saying...
"Thank you, Brother Lin Xia!"
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze was drawn to a short dagger that was entirely black, with a blade that glowed with a faint purple light, and shaped like a cat's paw.
The dagger's design and the chilling, sharp aura it exuded subtly resonated with her Netherworld Cat Martial Soul.
Lin Xia saw this and also bid a high price. When the dagger was delivered to the private room, he picked it up and handed it to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Try it out to see if it fits."
Zhu Zhuqing took it; it felt slightly heavy in her hand, but the cold touch gave her a strange sense of peace. She infused a wisp of soul power into her fingertips, and the blade of the dagger blazed with purple light, emitting a soft hum, as if resonating with the Netherworld power within her.
A glint of light flashed in her cool eyes as she nodded gently at Lin Xia.
"fine thanks."
Dugu Yan took a fancy to a highly poisonous Seven Hearts of Phosphorus Flower, while Ye Lingling glanced at a piece of Soul-Soothing Warm Jade that could nourish the spirit.
Lin Xia did as they wished, taking pictures of them all.
Yu Tianheng, Yu Feng, and the others also selected some items they liked, and Lin Xia did not hesitate to spend money on them.
For him, these expenses were just a drop in the ocean; if his companions could gain something, then the trip would not have been in vain.
After yet another flashy but impractical antique was auctioned off for a high price, Lin Xia leaned back against the sofa, feeling utterly disheartened.
"That's enough, let's go."
He spoke calmly. The subsequent items, whether soul bones or soul beast cubs, failed to arouse his interest in the slightest.
He was used to seeing more high-end and cutting-edge auction items at the Sky Terrace in Gengjin City.
There was a gentle knock on the door of the private box, and the middle-aged manager of the auction house, whose smile was almost obsequious, personally led a group of waiters in.
The waiters carried exquisite trays or specially made boxes containing all the items Lin Xia had photographed.
The Wannian Whale Glue, housed in a temperature-controlled jade box, exudes a warm, golden glow and a powerful aura.
The icy marrow and jade heart retain their coldness within.
The fallen star and meteorite iron were dark and deep.
Ning Rongrong's blue diamond necklace, Zhu Zhuqing's cat paw dagger, Dugu Yan's poisonous flower, Ye Lingling's warm jade...
And finally, a huge iron cage covered with a thick black cloth was carefully carried in by four strong men.
The space inside the private room suddenly felt somewhat cramped. The waiters put down the items, bowed respectfully, and quickly withdrew, leaving only the steward and the huge iron cage behind.
The steward gently lifted a corner of the black cloth, revealing the cold, solid iron fence.
Lin Xia waved her hand, and the manager immediately understood, leading the last few waiters out of the private room and carefully closing the door.
Isolated from the outside noise, only Lin Xia and her group and the silent creature in the cage remained in the private room.
The atmosphere became somewhat tense again.
All eyes were on the iron cage. The black cloth was completely pulled back, and under the bright lights, the girl curled up inside was once again exposed to everyone.
She seemed even more curled up than when she was on the auction stage, her white cat tail tightly wrapped around her bare legs, her body trembling slightly uncontrollably, and the skin beneath her shell taut.
Those heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one green, were fixed on the cold ground. Their long, thick eyelashes trembled violently, filled with a deeper fear and an almost numb despair than before.
The auction was over, but for her, it was merely a transfer from an open cage to a more private and unknown one.
What will become of her, bought for one million gold soul coins?
She couldn't imagine it. (End of Chapter)