章 175: Chapter 175: Nobility, Too, Is Hierarchical
The guards respectfully bowed without any intention of blocking the way, allowing the four individuals to enter the auction house freely.
Inside the grand entrance stood over a dozen hostesses, all employees of the auction house. Each wore a unique eye mask that partially obscured their faces.
They were adorned with vibrant makeup and dressed in "modest" attire, with skirts so short they barely covered their thighs.
If rated on a scale of 100, their appearances and figures would score at least 75—stunning beauties carefully selected from thousands.
"These girls have lost their souls, their sense of self..." Ning Fengzhi muttered, seemingly unconcerned that the individuals in question could hear him.
Even if they heard, it wouldn't matter. As Ning Fengzhi pointed out, these women had lost their sense of self, their very souls. They no longer comprehended emotions like anger.
"Hypocritical nobles, hypocritical royals," Kong muttered with disdain.
The Heaven Dou Empire officially forbids such practices, especially the buying and selling of slaves. Yet here, any of these girls could be taken away for 100,000 gold soul coins—their fates entirely decided by the buyer.
And this was in Heaven Dou City, the imperial capital of the Heaven Dou Empire!
Moreover, this was the Heaven Dou Auction House. Could such things happen without royal endorsement?
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin's eyelids twitched. They knew Kong wasn't wrong, but this was the territory of the Heaven Dou royal family.
The two averted their gazes and maintained stoic expressions, pretending not to hear anything, as they led Kong and Ei further inside.
The Heaven Dou Auction House was second only to the imperial palace in terms of opulence. Led by a hostess, they walked for about two minutes before encountering another staff member, one even more beautiful and even more "modestly" dressed.
Upon seeing Kong and his group, the hostess momentarily froze in surprise.
She quickly recovered, approaching with a "mask" in hand.
Most patrons here chose to wear masks. Even though their identities were often well-known, covering their faces allowed for a semblance of self-deception...
As she drew closer, the hostess caught sight of Kong's strikingly handsome features. Despite her lack of a "soul," she was momentarily stunned—Kong was almost as handsome as the reader might imagine!
Saying nothing, she maintained a professional smile and handed the masks to Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin. These two were regulars, and she was already familiar with the process.
After Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin discreetly accepted the masks, she offered a slight bow, presenting her best self to Kong.
"Sir, my lady, would you like masks as well?" she asked politely. "The auction house is a chaotic place, and wearing a mask can help you avoid many troubles."
If she were to be bought for 100,000 gold soul coins, she secretly hoped it would be by the young man before her!
"To be honest, I don't really understand. Can such small masks truly conceal one's identity?" Kong questioned.
"In Heaven Dou City, the circle of the elite isn't that large. Doesn't everyone already know who's who?"
Glancing at Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, he added, "You two haven't even changed clothes. Who wouldn't recognize you?"
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and the hostess holding the masks all froze.
"Uh…"
Was it possible that the primary purpose of these masks wasn't to hide identities but rather to mask one's conscience, allowing patrons to indulge freely within the auction house? After all, if everyone wore a mask, it was easier to pretend ignorance of each other's identities afterward.
Despite his comments, Kong still chose a purple mask for Ei, as he knew she liked the color. For himself, he picked one at random—he'd look handsome no matter what, thanks to his naturally dashing appearance!
As for the hostess's subtle hints, Kong ignored them entirely.
After all, with someone like Ei by his side, who could be a thousand—no, ten thousand times more beautiful than the hostess—why would he even spare a thought for others?
If Ei weren't present, Ning Fengzhi might have asked if Kong needed two attendants. But with Ei here, he wisely refrained from saying anything so reckless.
This wasn't building rapport; this was courting disaster!
Time passed, and the group of five, including the hostess, arrived at the main hall of the auction house.
The hall was divided into five sections, corresponding to the colors of soul rings: white, yellow, purple, black, and red.
The red section was the most prestigious, exclusively reserved for Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Even someone as esteemed as Ning Fengzhi was only allowed in the black section, specifically in the number one private room.
The four did not proceed to the black section but instead headed to the white section, the common hall without private rooms.
It's worth noting that even entry to the white section required a fee of 10,000 gold soul coins! Even among nobles and powerful soul masters, distinctions of rank existed, let alone for commoners.
Ning Fengzhi deliberately avoided taking Kong and Ei to the black section's private rooms. This was because the black section often included certain "complimentary" services provided by the auction house, which could be uncomfortable.
The auction was set to begin in about half an hour, or just over an hour. Waiting felt interminable, as it often did.
Fortunately, with Ei by his side, Kong managed to "endure" the wait.
As for Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, they were having an equally hard time. Kong and Ei were just too sweet together! At their age, witnessing such displays was, frankly, a bit much.
Suddenly, the appearance of two figures made Kong pause, thinking to himself, Could it really be this much of a coincidence?
In the original storyline, Tang San had once visited the Heaven Dou Auction House with Xiao Wu and coincidentally encountered Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin. However, back then, Tang San didn't know who they were.
Now, with Xiao Wu having fled and her whereabouts unknown, Tang San's companion at the auction house had naturally changed to none other than his mentor, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang.
The teacher-student duo had recently been facing significant difficulties. Yu Xiaogang himself couldn't quite understand how it had happened, but he had been removed from the Spirit Hall's registry!
This meant that despite his 29th-level soul power, he could no longer claim the corresponding soul master stipend.
Even more absurdly, Tang San, as his disciple, had also been removed from the registry. Tang San, being a Soul Elder, was entitled to a monthly stipend of 100 gold soul coins. However, with his removal from the registry, he could no longer collect it.
The Spirit Hall didn't offer any explanation for their actions, simply cutting off the teacher and disciple from their rightful stipends!
This left both Tang San and Yu Xiaogang utterly baffled and, once they processed the situation, furious.
The soul master stipend was funded by the two great empires, with the Spirit Hall merely acting as the distributor. On what grounds could the Spirit Hall withhold what rightfully belonged to them?
But no matter how angry they were, their combined soul power levels were nowhere near that of a Spirit Hall branch hall master. What could they do?
All they could do was harbor their resentment and vow to take revenge against the Spirit Hall when the opportunity arose.
And this was Heaven Dou City. The Spirit Hall's branch here, also known as the Spirit Temple, was led by a Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall—only one step away from earning the title of Titled Douluo…
(End of Chapter)
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