Chapter 76: Riddler, Get Out of Gotham!
"You—"
Xu Jiujiu never expected Huo Yuhao to be so resolute, directly rejecting her royal brother's goodwill without hesitation.
Why?
Could it be that he truly felt no sense of belonging to the Star Luo Empire at all? She had investigated Huo Yuhao's background in detail—so detailed that she knew things few others did.
She simply couldn't believe that just one year in the Sun Moon Empire could make him so unwilling to look back. After all, hadn't he lived in the Star Luo Empire for eleven years?
Could it be that those eleven years of childhood were worth less than this single year?
Her brother had just said that Yuhao had suffered great grievances. But what kind of hardship could drive a boy to risk his life crossing thousands of miles to flee the Star Luo Empire?
And what kind of past could allow a twelve-year-old child to casually utter words like "Just a little wind and frost"—so calm, yet carrying such weight, resilience, and hidden stories?
Xu Jiujiu's eyes fell upon Huo Yuhao. She saw a kind of suppressed resilience in his gaze—pride, solitude, and complexity, all tangled together in ways she couldn't even describe.
Since Yuhao clearly didn't want to speak further, Xu Jiawei wisely decided to drop the subject. After all, his men were already investigating. Before the tournament ended, he was bound to uncover the truth.
Still, he decided to make one last attempt.
"Yuhao, I don't know what you've been through," he said smoothly, "but since you were once a subject of the Star Luo Empire, there must be some bond between you and the royal family."
"If you wish, I can personally settle your grudges—no matter who your enemies are. Moreover, I can gift you this Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone. What do you think?"
What did he think? Of course—not a chance!
Yuhao didn't believe a word of it. If he admitted now that he was Dai Hao's son, Xu Jiawei would reveal his true colors in an instant.
And a gift? Hah. Everything already had a hidden price tag attached. In this world, there was no such thing as free fortune.
"Thank you for Your Majesty's kindness," Huo Yuhao replied calmly. "But I am not one to betray my principles for profit. At the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, I have friends, teachers, and brothers. In my current life, I am already content. I have no intention of returning to the Star Luo Empire."
"I see. Very well," Xu Jiawei nodded. "But I remain curious about your past. If fate allows, I would like to be a listener someday."
Fate allowing? Oh, there would definitely be an opportunity. Yuhao was already planning to drop a bombshell at the right moment. Hopefully, Xu Jiawei wouldn't lose his composure then. Who knew? It might even turn out to benefit him in the end.
The White Tiger Duke is a hereditary Duke of the Star Luo Empire, and Dai Hao even controls the command of the Empire's three armies, serving as the commander of the Western Army. The White Tiger Duke was once part of the Star Luo Imperial family. To be honest, in a normal World, such an existence would have long been viewed with suspicion and eliminated by the Emperor.
The reason why the Star Luo Imperial family still relies on, or rather, values the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, is simply because the Sun Moon Empire's military presence on the border creates such a sense of oppression that the entire Star Luo is uneasy and has no choice but to do so.
Compensation for taking the throne? Who would believe such nonsense?
Royalty—there are no "good people" among them!
Xu Jiawei was about to leave when Meng Hongchen suddenly spoke up. She had already received Yuhao's subtle eye signal.
"Your Majesty of Star Luo Empire," she said with a smile, "we from the Sun Moon side are willing to purchase this soul bone for twenty million gold soul coins, bypassing the auction process entirely. What does Your Majesty think?"
To be honest, if not for the limitation that only an Ultimate Ice attribute Soul Master could absorb it, this Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone could easily fetch over thirty million.
But with such a glaring flaw… Well, Ultimate attributes weren't exactly common.
"Oh? Could it be that this young lady is an Ultimate Ice Soul Master?" Xu Jiawei asked with feigned curiosity. He knew it was impossible, but probing for information never hurt.
"Not an Ultimate," Meng Hongchen replied calmly. "But my martial soul possesses the ice attribute. I simply wish to try."
That answer hit Xu Jiawei right where he liked it. Not an Ultimate? Perfect. Brave enough to try? Even better. He admired that kind of defiance.
"Very well. Jiujiu informs the auction hall that due to unforeseen issues, the royal family has decided to withdraw this soul bone from bidding. It will no longer be offered to the public."
He had initially planned to dump the defective item on the Sun Moon group. When Yuhao exposed the flaw, he thought the Sun Moon side wouldn't buy it anymore. But now that they asked for it themselves? That was perfect.
"Yes, Royal Brother."
And so, with both sides believing they had scored a massive bargain, the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone officially went to the Sun Moon faction. As for the public explanation? Naturally, the story told outside was entirely different.
"Yuhao," Xiao Hongchen asked doubtfully, "didn't you say only an Ultimate Ice attribute Soul Master could absorb it? But Meng isn't an Ultimate Ice attribute Soul Master. Why let her step into this trap? Unless… this bone has some hidden advantage we don't know about?"
"You'll understand in the future," Yuhao said faintly.
Riddler, get out of Gotham!
As for how Yuhao had spotted the defect in the first place, Xiao Hongchen attributed it to Yuhao's third soul ring.
His Three-Legged Golden Toad martial soul had invested heavily in the Metal Manipulation talent, but Yuhao seemed to retain another special trait—the toad's natural ability to sense rare treasures.
That, Xiao Hongchen believed, was the only reason Yuhao could so confidently identify the flaw.
Half an hour later, Xu Jiujiu returned to the stage. Announcing that the Ice Jade Scorpion Soul Bone had been withdrawn due to potential risks, she watched as the crowd's expressions shifted to disappointment.
Among those most disappointed were Ling Luochen and Su Tong. Though they knew there were risks, the Starlight Auction House had not revealed what they were, and both still believed they might have been able to absorb it.
After all, that was nearly a seventy-thousand-year-old soul bone. If fused successfully, it would have granted a massive leap in power for the tournament.
Blame those Sun Moon fellows for raising objections! They had ruined everything.
Compared to Ling Luochen, Su Tong was far calmer. Her philosophy was simple: If fate grants it, it is mine. If not, I will not cling to it. She never fought for what wasn't hers.
Meanwhile, the so-called culprit of the whole affair, Huo Yuhao, paid no attention to anyone's regrets. His gaze was already fixed on the next item—the one resting on the auction platform, shrouded by a soul guidance device yet radiating an extraordinary presence.
He was right. Because he hadn't intervened recklessly, the Snow Empress ultimately chose to seal her origin power with a hundred-thousand-year Snow Lotus and begin her transformation.
And now, Xu Jiujiu's voice rang out once more.
"Next, we present a treasure even more precious than a hundred-thousand-year soul rings or soul bones: a hundred-thousand-year soul beast embryo!"
The hall instantly erupted in gasps. Countless people rubbed their ears, afraid they'd misheard.
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast embryo?
Did such a thing truly exist? And it was being auctioned?
Was the Star Luo royal family insane—or was the entire world?!
"This aura… it feels so familiar."
The Ice Empress narrowed her eyes at the embryo. The occasional pulse of energy tugged at her memory, stirring emotions she could not yet place.
Yuhao said nothing. Telling her now would only trigger emotional turmoil, jeopardizing his plan.
The Sun Moon side was equally unsettled.
"Star Luo Empire… how could they possibly have something like this?!"
"What's going on? How could such a treasure appear here?"
As the uproar spread, Xu Jiujiu raised her voice again.
"This hundred-thousand-year soul beast embryo was captured by a Level Nine Soul Engineer. At the exact moment a hundred-thousand-year beast was transforming into human form, he seized and sealed it within a Level Nine soul guidance device—the God Sealing Altar."
"Because it was captured during transformation, the beast's memories have been sealed away. If one can successfully absorb this embryo, not only will they obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone, but they may even…"
"…awaken a second martial soul!"
The hall fell into utter frenzy.
A second martial soul—long considered a mere theory, only possible under the most perfect conditions, when a beast offered no resistance. Yet here it was, presented openly by the Star Luo royal family.
Shock. Frenzy. Madness. The entire auction hall was on fire!
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End of Chapter