Snippet-3_C12:-DouluoDaluFF_Dugu_Chen (Patreon)

12. Auction Conclusion (2).

│3rd Person POV │

[Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City, Heaven Dou Auction House...]

Yue Guan sat in one of the Heaven Dou Auction House’s private chambers, a faint smile playing on his lips. Across from him was Elder Xuan, holding a jade box in his hands. The jade box appeared unassuming at first glance, however, Yue Guan and Elder Xuan knew the value of the content it held.

Elder Xuan bowed slightly before speaking. “Lord Yue Guan, this jade box contains the method. The contents remain untouched since we received them from the seller. All knowledge of its contents remains exclusively with the original seller and your esteemed self. Once this exchange is complete, our involvement ceases.”

“Hmm… If the contents remain untouched, I wonder—how did you verify its authenticity?” Yue Guan questioned.

Elder Xuan chuckled, unfazed by the inquiry. “Naturally, the seller provided a demonstration—one convincing enough that no further proof was necessary.” His grip on the jade box remained firm as he met Yue Guan’s gaze. “The Heaven Dou Auction House does not deal in uncertainties, Lord Yue Guan. If we present something as genuine, then rest assured, it is exactly as claimed.”

Yue Guan’s smile deepened, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair. “A demonstration, you say? Now that is intriguing.” His golden eyes gleamed with amusement. “May I inquire exactly what demonstration the seller provided?”

Elder Xuan’s expression remained composed, though a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. “I’m afraid that is confidential, Lord Yue Guan. The Heaven Dou Auction House maintains absolute discretion in all dealings. Protecting our clients’ secrets is a principle we do not compromise on.”

Yue Guan studied him for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. “Of course. It would be unbecoming of me to expect otherwise.” He leaned back slightly, his posture exuding quiet satisfaction. “A demonstration convincing enough to place this as the Annual Auction’s grand finale… That alone is proof enough.”

Elder Xuan gave a slight nod as if to acknowledge the unspoken understanding between them. Then, without further delay, he extended the jade box forward. “Then, as per the deal, the method is now yours.”

Yue Guan reached out, his movements unhurried yet deliberate, fingers brushing against the cool surface of the box. He could sense the intricate seals woven into it, a testament to the auction house’s meticulous care. With a single smooth motion, he secured it within his storage Soul Tool.

“The Heaven Dou Auction House has outdone itself once again,” Yue Guan remarked, rising from his seat and adjusting the folds of his robe.

Elder Xuan chuckled, his tone light yet knowing, “And I hope our Auction House continues to surprise our guests.”

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│3rd Person POV │

Meanwhile, in another private chamber of the vast auction house, a lone figure sat in quiet contemplation.

Dugu Bo leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded as he waited for the Auction House personnel to deliver his earnings.

A soft knock on the door signaled the arrival of Elder Xuan. The auctioneer entered with a polite nod, carrying a Soul Tool in his hands.

“Senior Dugu,” Elder Xuan greeted, placing the Soul Tool on the table between them. “I must say, your item made quite the impact. The final bid exceeded even our most optimistic estimates.”

Dugu Bo glanced at the Soul Tool but made no move to pick it up just yet. “I expected a high price, but I hadn’t anticipated quite this much.” His tone was calm, matter-of-fact. “I assume there were no issues with the payment?”

“None,” Elder Xuan confirmed. “And given the attention this sale has brought to the auction house, we’ve decided to lower our commission to five percent. A small price to pay for the goodwill and prestige gained. Additionally, this storage Soul Tool is a small token of thanks from our Heaven Dou Auction House.”

Dugu Bo let out a quiet hum of acknowledgment. He reached out, taking the Soul Tool and infusing a trace of his soul power into it.

Upon inspecting the Soul Tool, he found out that it had a storage space of 10 cubic meters and there was a pile of Gold Soul Coins within. After a quick verification of the amount, he slipped the Soul Tool into his robes.

“A fair exchange,” he said simply, standing up. “Your auction house handled the matter well.”

Elder Xuan hesitated slightly before continuing. “I must mention, however, that the buyer of the method inquired about how we verified its authenticity. Naturally, we didn't divulge any details regarding the demonstration you provided. As per our policy, the Auction House upholds the confidentiality of such matters.”

Dugu Bo’s expression remained unchanged, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he listened. “You did well to maintain confidentiality,” he said, his tone even.

Elder Xuan smiled slightly. “We do our best. If you ever have more business, we’d be happy to accommodate.”

Dugu Bo gave a small nod before heading toward the door. “We’ll see.”

With that, he left the chamber, his mind already shifting to his next course of action.

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│3rd Person POV │

[Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City, Dugu Mansion...]

“It’s been six months already since I awakened my Martial Soul, huh?” Dugu Chen muttered, reclining under the shade of a large tree in the courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, and a faint breeze rustled the branches above, bringing with it the scent of earth and greenery.

He was resting after finishing a session of cultivating the Heaven’s Eye Spirit Refining Art, letting his body and soul power settle.

“Big brother, look! Mochi found a shiny rock again!”

A bright voice broke the peaceful quiet, and Dugu Yan came running toward him, excitement clear on her face. In her hands, she clutched a smooth, green-colored stone, holding it up as if it were the greatest treasure in the world.

Perched atop her head, nestled in her dark hair, was Mochi, Dugu Chen’s Niffler Martial Spirit. The small creature twitched its nose, its beady eyes gleaming with satisfaction at its latest find.

With a soft smile, Dugu Chen sat up and turned to his little sister. “Let me see what you two found this time,” he said, holding out his hand.

Dugu Yan eagerly placed the stone in his palm, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Mochi let out a soft chitter, leaning forward from its perch as if waiting for Dugu Chen’s verdict.

He turned the stone over, pretending to examine it thoroughly. In truth, he already knew—it was just an ordinary piece of jade, one he had hidden in a corner of the courtyard.

"Not bad," Dugu Chen remarked, handing the jade back to her. "You two found another piece of jade."

Dugu Yan grinned, hugging the stone to her chest. “I knew it! Mochi has the best eye for treasures!” She reached up and ruffled the Niffler’s fur, earning a pleased chirp from the little creature.

“Let’s go treasure hunting again, Mochi!” With that declaration, Dugu Yan spun around and dashed off.

Dugu Chen shook his head in amusement, watching her go. Just as he was about to lean back again, a calm voice spoke behind him.

“How long did Mochi take to find the jade this time?”

Turning his head slightly, Dugu Chen saw his grandfather standing behind him.

“A few minutes,” Dugu Chen answered. “I hid that piece right after I finished cultivating the Heaven’s Eye Spirit Refining Art for the day.”

Dugu Bo nodded in approval, his gaze briefly following Dugu Yan as she ran off with her newfound ‘treasure.’ “It was a good idea to train Mochi’s treasure-hunting ability this way,” he remarked.

Dugu Chen chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Honestly, I just came up with it to keep Mochi and Yan Yan busy so I could cultivate in peace.”

At that, Dugu Bo let out a low chuckle, “You say that, but I can tell you enjoy it just as much as they do.”

Dugu Chen grinned but said nothing, neither confirming nor denying his grandfather’s words.

“Anyway, how did the auction go?” Dugu Chen asked, shifting the conversation.

Dugu Bo exhaled through his nose, a trace of satisfaction in his expression. “Better than expected. The final bid was far higher than what I had initially anticipated. 25 Million Gold Soul Coins.”

Dugu Chen raised a brow. “That high?”

His grandfather gave a small nod and continued, “Yes, the competition was fierce near the end.” He patted the storage Soul Tool hidden in his robes. “Also, after the Auction ended, the buyer of the method was particularly... interested in how its authenticity was verified, but the Auction House kept their silence. They even lowered their commission from their usual 10% to 5%.”

Hearing his grandfather’s words, Dugu Chen’s thoughts briefly wandered to the process they had used to prove the method’s authenticity.

To confirm its effectiveness without actually revealing the method, thus preventing the Auction House from selling it privately later on, they had allowed the Appraisers to examine his physique.

After six months of practicing the Jade Body Refining Art, his physical quality had far surpassed what would be expected of a Rank 10 Soul Master, especially one without a Soul Ring. On top of that, it was well-known that his Martial Soul had undergone a negative mutation, which did nothing to enhance his physical strength, unlike the Beast-type Martial Souls that naturally boosted the physique of their owners.

It was almost impossible for anyone to believe his physique could have developed to such an extent naturally.

The Appraisers had seen a young Rank 10 Soul Master with a body far stronger than anyone should expect at such an early stage in their cultivation. No Soul Master, especially one without a Soul Ring, should be able to display such physical prowess.

Shaking those thoughts aside, Dugu Chen asked, “Who won the bid, Grandpa?”

Dugu Bo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he answered, “Yue Guan, a Rank 89 Soul Douluo from Martial Soul Hall.”

“Yue Guan,” Dugu Chen repeated, his brows furrowing. ‘Doesn’t Grandpa have a slightly antagonistic relationship with him in Canon? I remember Grandpa calling him Chrysanthemum Guan; which can also mean Asshole in slang terms.’

“Anyway, I must say, Chen’er,” Dugu Bo began, shifting the topic, “Your idea of selling the method of using Whale Glue to strengthen the physique of anyone to generate money was very successful.”

Dugu Chen chuckled lightly, the satisfaction of their success clear in his voice. “I knew the demand for such a method would be high, easily earning us enough money to secure the Jade Gemstones of Green Jade Birds from nobles.

“After all, high physical quality means that a Soul Master will be able to absorb a Soul Ring above the age limit. No organisation will say no to acquiring a method capable of increasing the physical quality of anyone, effectively allowing them to increase the overall strength of their Soul Masters from top to bottom.”

Dugu Bo’s gaze softened slightly as he looked at his grandson. “You have a sharp mind, Chen’er. Keep thinking like this, and you’ll go far.

“On another note, Chen’er, how is your cultivation of the Jade Refining Body Art and the Heaven’s Eye Spirit Refining Art progressing? Do you feel you’re ready to get your first Soul Ring now?”

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A/N: Here's another chapter of Douluo Dalu FF.I know that I promised to deliver three chapters till today. And I will do my best to keep my promise. I will post another chapter within a few hours. After that, I will need your good luck to finish the last promised chapter. So, wish me luck.

Anyway, if you see any mistakes, please don't hesitate to point them out.

Well then, Good day. See ya guys later.