The big-headed man shook his head. “No, we can’t. This Starlight Auction House is under the control of the Star Luo Empire. Furthermore, there will definitely be people acting as security for such a top-ranked auction. I can feel at least four different powerful auras here. There are four t.i.tled Douluo here, do you want to die? Unless our sect elders are here, we won’t be able to achieve anything good. Relax, this hundred thousand year soul beast embryo is not so easily absorbed. So what if they manage to win the bid for it? As long as we can identify the right target, we can always get it back.”
Similar situations to this played out across the several guest rooms. It was just the methods they used to seek out information that were different. With the secret cooperation of the Starlight Auction House, how could the ident.i.ties of the members of the Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineering Academy remain a secret?
The figure of 150 million golden soul coins did not continue to soar any further. This astronomical figure was frightening to everyone, no matter how powerful they were.
“As expected, they’ve all been scared by me.” In the second guest room, Xiao Hongchen snorted and turned his head towards Elder Ma. Then, he said, “Elder Ma, this treasure is a knotty problem for us. Our safety cannot be guaranteed during the handover and takeover process at this auction. Once the exchange is done, bring it back to our academy immediately and pa.s.s it to our ancestor. Once it enters the Ill.u.s.trious Virtue Hall, let’s see who’ll dare to harbor any ill intentions.”
Elder Ma nodded and said, “This should be the case. We must still try our best to remain low-profile. It’s rare to see an auction item that’s worth hundreds of millions in the history of the continent. I will return through the secret pa.s.sageway that the Ill.u.s.trious Virtue Hall has in Star Luo City.”
The first guest room.
The Star Luo Emperor listened to all the news that was being conveyed to him, and the smile on his face became brighter and brighter.
“150 million. Ill.u.s.trious Virtue Hallmaster, I hope you like this gift I’m giving you.” After he finished speaking, he stood up slowly, and the soul screen in front of him tore in half. Then, the figure of this Star Luo Emperor disappeared within that secret pa.s.sageway.
The secret pa.s.sageway of every guest room opened to allow the guests that had partic.i.p.ated in the bidding to leave secretly. Shrek Academy was no exception.
w.a.n.g Yan did not keep these things to himself this time. The Tyrannical Tiger Soulblade was paid for by Dao Yaoheng, but he kept this rare, Cla.s.s 8 close-combat soul tool in his pocket. As for that entire set of Cla.s.s 6 stationary soul cannon sh.e.l.ls, he directly pa.s.sed them to He Caitou. Regarding soul tools, no one in Shrek Academy was as knowledgeable as him. It was best for him to hold onto the items.
He Caitou put the 12 sh.e.l.ls away carefully. He was so excited that his tanned face swelled with red. Even though the sh.e.l.ls were only Cla.s.s 6, they could not be underestimated. They could not be measured based on ordinary soul tools. As they could only be used once, the power of these Cla.s.s 6 sh.e.l.ls were more frightening than Cla.s.s 8 long-range soul tools. Right now, the most powerful sh.e.l.ls that Shrek Academy knew of were only Cla.s.s 8. A Cla.s.s 8 sh.e.l.l could crush a small-sized city, and it was only produced in limited quant.i.ties by the Sun Moon Empire as a weapon in battles.
w.a.n.g Yan specially instructed him not to use them during the tournament. At this time, everyone had only just returned to the Grand Imperial Star Hotel quietly. Tomorrow, they were going to face a tough opponent!
After returning to their rooms, Huo Yuhao and w.a.n.g Dong started their cultivation as usual. As the Haodong Power was summoned and was supplemented by the Golden Light Left Arm Bone, the two of them entered a state of meditation.
Huo Yuhao did not know that the Skydream Iceworm and Ice Empress were communicating through their minds in his spiritual sea.
“Humans are becoming more and more evil. They are already eyeing our 极北荒原. Our clan members…” The Ice Empress said furiously.
The Skydream Iceworm sighed. “What’s the point of getting angry? Can you change anything by being like this? Furthermore, from a certain standpoint, we can no longer treat ourselves as soul beasts after we fused with Yuhao. We are now a part of Yuhao, and perhaps a part of the humans too. This world is about the survival of the fittest. Humans have killed countless soul beasts. However, what happened when there were humans tens of thousands of years ago, when the continent was just created? They were just food for us soul beasts.”
The Ice Empress seemed to calm down slightly. “Humans are frightening creatures. There are many powerful soul beasts that have lived for tens of thousands of years, such as the both of us. However, we have only remained as soul beasts for as long as the continent has existed. What we have improved are only our powers too. But look at the humans. They created cities and invented all sorts of cultivation techniques. They even have soul tools that are increasingly threatening to our existence. I am truly worried that soul beasts will disappear from the face of this world in times to come.”
The Skydream Iceworm said, “It’s possible. Our greatest flaw is that we are not united. The stronger a soul beast, the more it’ll act in this way. Take you for an example. Would your Ice Jade Scorpion clan be willing to team up with the t.i.tan Snow Devils under the t.i.tan Snow Devil King? The humans possess a significant advantage over any of our species. At the same time, humans are adept in inventions and thinking. We are unable to match up to them in these aspects. They are the dominant ones on the continent now, and they will continue to be so in the future.”
The Ice Empress was a little stunned as she said, “I couldn’t tell! You are really able to tell everything clearly.”
The Skydream Iceworm said proudly, “If not, do you think I’ve been sleeping for these few million years that I’ve lived?”
“Weren’t you?” The Ice Empress replied as she acted stunned.
“Of course not.” The Skydream Iceworm was a little cross as he retorted.
The Ice Empress seemed to feel much better, and sighed slightly before saying, “After losing my power that could control everything around me, I’m actually thinking more than I did in the past. Although the humans are powerful, us soul beasts were the rulers of this world much earlier. Perhaps we’re not very united now. However, us soul beasts will retaliate against the humans when their existence affects our survival.”
“Whatever goes,” The Skydream Iceworm answered lazily, “Anyway, I’m only just a soul ring now. As long as Yuhao is fine, I don’t care about anything else. Don’t force Yuhao either. He is already working very hard. There’s one phrase by the humans that’s well-said – everything has to be done just right. Come, let’s sleep together for a while.”
“Who’s sleeping with you?” The Ice Empress said tempestuously.
The Skydream Iceworm snorted and said, “We don’t have bodies now, and are sealed in Yuhao’s spiritual sea. If we’re not sleeping together, then what’re we doing? Whether you’re going to admit it or not, can’t I just visualize it for myself? Wahahaha.”
“You rascal.”
“Beside my favorite little scorpion! Sleep…”
The Skydream Iceworm went silent, and the Ice Empress eventually laughed after being cross for half the day, “Rascal, I wouldn’t have let you take advantage of me if I wasn’t destined to fail in my attempt to break through the bottleneck. It’s weird. Why did I feel a sense of familiarity when I saw that soul beast embryo today? Don’t tell me that it’s a hundred thousand year soul beast that comes from the extreme north? But if it’s only just a new hundred thousand year soul beast that is preparing to be reborn as a human, why did I feel such a sense of familiarity?”
Early the next morning, the sun rose over a clear day in Star Luo Plaza.
After breakfast, the bustling crowd in Star Luo Plaza could be clearly seen from afar if one stood at the corridor in front of the window.
The round of 16 was divided into 4 matches every day for 4 days. As the previous t.i.tle holders of this tournament, the Shrek Academy would be the first to compete. Their opponent was the Dou Ling Imperial Soul Academy that had 5 soul kings, and which was the top academy in the Dou Ling Empire.
w.a.n.g Dong placed his hands on Huo Yuhao’s shoulder and asked, “What’re you thinking of? Are you nervous, or excited?”
Huo Yuhao laughed cheekily and said, “Neither. I was just thinking about whether we’ll set a record as the youngest to become champions if we do become champions.”
w.a.n.g Dong chuckled, “What a kid. Wait till you become the champion.”
Huo Yuhao snapped at him, “You dare to lecture me even though you are younger than me? Are you that unconfident? Don’t forget that we have already…”
“Don’t say it.” w.a.n.g Dong covered his mouth and pushed his words back down his throat.
Huo Yuhao also understood. He scratched his head and wrenched his hands away, “I was just a little excited.”
w.a.n.g Dong snorted and said, “Do you think that I can’t see that look of complacency in your eyes? Don’t forget that no matter how powerful our soul skills are, our current cultivations are not sufficient yet. Little kid, know your place. We are not the main forces.”
Huo Yuhao guffawed and said, “Little w.a.n.g Dong, you are indeed my mentor. Thanks for the reminder. Honestly speaking, the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone did not make me lose my calm. It’s just that I can’t repress my excitement from the success of our experiment. It seems like we are destined to be together.”
w.a.n.g Dong turned red and retorted, “Nonsense. Who’s destined to be together with you?”
Huo Yuhao replied cheekily, “Why are you blus.h.i.+ng? You must be thinking of something wayward. It’s fine if you’re young and never learned what’s right. But your mind is full of dirty thoughts.”
“Huo Yuhao, are you looking to be whacked?” w.a.n.g Dong grabbed his shoulder. Huo Yuhao turned his body and dodged. As the two of them horsed around, w.a.n.g Yan coincidentally walked out of his room. Huo Yuhao dodged until he hit w.a.n.g Yan in the back, and w.a.n.g Dong did not manage to grab him in time.
w.a.n.g Yan laughed, “What are the both of you doing?” Today, the Shrek Academy was about to send its strongest lineup from its team for the tournament. Hence, w.a.n.g Yan was much more relaxed. With 2 soul emperors holding the fort and his own arrangements and strategy, surely victory was theirs?