Douluo Continent: The Eternal Order of the Azure Sky.

Otherwise, it's still uncertain who would acquire that fire-attribute soul bone, which has a wider applicability than ice-attribute soul bones.

Their economic strength could not possibly compare to that of Kong Deming, the wealthiest man in the Sun Moon Empire, which was the most financially powerful. After all, Kong Deming controlled the allocation of national soul guidance research funds.

Xu Guoyi often joked: "The state collects taxes, but Confucius spends the money."

The situation of the other three great empires is not much better than that of Shrek Academy. They are large and powerful, but they also have many expenses. Their cash flow, which they can really allocate at will, may not be as good as Shrek Academy's.

And, a top-tier sect.

VIP Room No. 3

"Have you found out who offered 150 million?"

There were only two people in this VIP room, both of whom looked to be in their forties.

The speaker was small in stature, but had an unusually large head, making him look somewhat like a bobblehead. His sparse hair was still yellow, but his eyes shone brightly, like beacons, when they opened and closed.

The other person was tall, and most notably, his right arm was exceptionally thick, at least twice the size of his left arm. He exuded an aura of a prehistoric beast.

The black-level auctioneer in their room seemed to have just returned from somewhere; he strode forward and stood frozen in front of him.

"They are from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy. The one who made the bid is a young man. He is not very old, but he has a very high status among the group."

"I'm asking about its specific origins!"

As he spoke, the large-headed man narrowed his eyes, and then the air in the entire VIP room began to distort violently. It felt like seeing ripples on water in a blazing fire when one was in a trance. Everything in the room seemed to become unreal.

The black-level auctioneer trembled all over, his eyes quickly becoming even more dazed, but the words that came out of his mouth disappointed the two:

"I asked my superiors, but they didn't know either."

This big-headed man easily controlled a person's mind without even releasing his martial spirit!

Even if that black-level auctioneer was just an ordinary person, this was still an extraordinary skill.

"Second brother, you're really something. Since we can't find out his origins and the sect can't raise more money in a short time, why don't we just take control of the people at this auction house and rob the items and that kid together?"

The burly man spoke in a low voice, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, and a series of cracking sounds came from his thick right arm.

That wasn't the sound of bones, but rather the explosive roar produced by the extreme compression of the airflow around the arm.

Their ability to achieve this level of physical control speaks volumes about their identities.

“Yu Tao, if you want to die, don’t drag me down with you. This Starlight Auction House is backed by the Star Luo Royal Family. I can sense four Title Douluos guarding it. Even if we use our second awakening abilities, the two of us can only handle three at most. We simply don’t have the strength to snatch back the 100,000-year-old soul beast embryo.”

"Moreover," the man named Lang Ya, the second-ranked third-generation member of the Body Sect, couldn't help but point to his large head and said helplessly:

"Can you use your brain? That kid can't possibly be one of us. The Silver Dragon Martial Soul is so domineering. If he really has twin Martial Souls, then his second Martial Soul must be at the same level as the Silver Dragon, or even stronger. Even if he is 'human' and has reached the Silver-level innate second awakening limit, he still wouldn't be stronger than the Silver Dragon. Besides, if he really had two such powerful Martial Souls, he should have exploded and died long ago."

The man he called Yutao looked resentful:

"I don't have a brain, I only have hands. I couldn't have been wrong about the changes in his hands that day. It wasn't just his meridians, flesh and blood, but even his bones were involved in the changes in his power. Apart from our own martial soul, what other soul master can achieve such a level of body control?"

Langya had no choice but to scratch his sparse blond hair in exasperation and concede:

"Alright, then our primary task is to keep a close eye on his whereabouts. If a suitable opportunity arises, we can probe him a little."

"But I still want to emphasize that he cannot possess a physical martial soul."

Yu Tao retorted in a muffled voice:

"What if?"

"I'll eat shit," Lang Ya replied irritably.

Chapter 110 The Final Four, Battle Star Luo

Upon hearing this, Yu Tao said nothing more, but nodded thoughtfully.

Similar scenarios unfolded almost simultaneously in several VIP rooms, though the methods used to gather information varied. With the Starlight Auction House's subtle cooperation, how could the background of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy in VIP Room Number Two remain a secret?

The astronomical price of 150 million gold soul coins remained unchallenged. This figure was terrifying for any faction.

Room number one.

As Xu Jiawei listened to the successive reports, a slight smile finally appeared on his face.

"One hundred and fifty million. Regardless of who's behind you, I hope you like this gift from me."

After speaking, he slowly stood up, and the soul guidance screen in front of him cracked open to both sides. The figure of the Star Luo Emperor quietly disappeared into the hidden passage.

The secret passages of each VIP room opened one after another, ensuring that the VIPs participating in the auction could leave discreetly. The group from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was no exception.

"This is the embryo of a 100,000-year-old soul beast?"

Inside VIP room number two, everyone gathered in a circle, their eyes focused on the white stream of energy that swirled and danced in the golden light.

After briefly appreciating the Fengshen Platform, mainly examining its design style, Kong Deming concluded:

"It should be the one that leaked out of Xu Guoti's hands. It's laughable that the Xingluo Xu family thought they could incite suspicion among us in this way. Even Xiao Jingzi wouldn't fall for such a trick."

Kong Tianxu nodded, then brushed aside Xiao Hongchen's groping hand, which seemed to be reaching out to ease the awkwardness:

"Alright, let's leave here first."

As he spoke, he lightly tapped his finger on the Conferred God Platform, and the swirling air miraculously quieted down. In the faint white mist, a tiny human figure appeared and disappeared, curling up and sleeping like a human infant.

Just as Kong Tianxu put it into his storage soul ring, Elder Ma hesitated and spoke:

"Tianxu, this treasure is an absolute hot potato. Countless people are eyeing it. Why don't we have Elder Kong use Mingde Hall's secret channels in Xingluo City to bring it back to Mingdu? With Elder Kong's protection, there shouldn't be any risks."

“Old Ma, there’s no need to worry,” Kong Tianxu and Kong Deming exchanged a glance, both of them exuding confidence. “There’s nowhere on the mainland safer than here.”

"Oh?" Although Old Ma was puzzled, he could only express his emotions in this way.

"Because there is a divine will in the dark."

Kong Tianxu stepped out of the secret passage with a smile and looked up at the night sky.

Above the clouds, two figures stood side by side.

"The inheritor of the gods is indeed blessed by heaven, even encountering such a miraculous treasure. I estimate that if Xingluo were not in dire need of funds, the old senior of the Xingguan Xu family would never have been willing to take it out."

Long Xiaoyao stood on the void, his black robe fluttering gently in the night breeze, and smiled at Ye Xishui.

With his cultivation level, even without using his eyes, he could sense what was happening in the auction house, which was heavily guarded.

"Xiaoyao, some scoundrels are already preparing to make their move. Should you go or should I go?"

Ye Xishui didn't say much, her gaze fixed on a shadow behind the Sun and Moon group.

“I’ll go,” Long Xiaoyao said with a wry smile. “Xi Shui, your soul power fluctuations are too unique. Mu En isn’t too far from here, so it’s best if we don’t meet him.”

Ye Xishui nodded slightly. Long Xiaoyao had traveled thousands of miles from the Sun Moon Empire, not just to meet her, but also to ensure Kong Tianxu's absolute safety in this place where the winds of change were intertwined.

In the hazy night, a darkness deeper than the night itself quietly spread somewhere in Xingluo City.

……

The undercurrents at the Starlight Auction were ultimately just a ripple; during the day, Star Luo City was still filled with the excitement of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament.

Just as Kong Tianxu had predicted, the Douling Royal Advanced Soul Master Academy, the number one academy of the Douling Empire with five Soul Kings, was powerless to resist them.

Although the opponent had painstakingly prepared a level 7 Thunder Cannon and an invincible shield for protection, along with collective defense and illusionary control, this was nothing short of showing off in front of the Sun Moon Empire.

With each of Kong Tianxu's seven teammates equipped with an invincible shield, coupled with the terrifying power of the super-energy cannon, they completely overwhelmed their opponents, causing them to tumble off the stage and forcing them to forfeit the subsequent individual elimination rounds.

After fusing with the soul bone that was extremely compatible with her, Ma Xiaotao displayed an even more terrifying dominance. With the absolute advantage of being the number one cultivator in this competition and even in the history of the competition at level 69, she easily defeated the opposing team and led Shrek Academy into the top eight.

Both teams advanced triumphantly, winning consecutive battles in the subsequent quarterfinals, pushing the tournament to the final four.

The epilogue often signifies the arrival of the climax.

Besides Kong Tianxu and his team, the teams that made it into the top four include Shrek Academy, Star Luo National Academy, and the Imperial Academy of the Heavenly Soul Empire.

Among them, Xingluo National Academy and Di'ao Academy are undoubtedly relatively weak. The audience unanimously believes that the champion will be decided between Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Team.

Originally, the biggest favorite to win the championship should have been the undisputed one, but the matches of the Sun and Moon team in recent times have also made many people see their shortcomings. Not only are they outnumbered, but their overall strength is also relatively worrying. However, Kong Tianxu's outstanding individual strength has masked some of their weaknesses.

While Shrek Academy has an unstoppable force like Ma Xiaotao, it also faces similar problems. As a result, in some underground betting markets, the odds of Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy winning the championship reached an unprecedented 1 to 1.

Early morning, the first day of the semifinals, team battles.

The rest area had been renovated, leaving only four zones, with each team spaced far apart. Nearly half an hour before the start of the match, all four teams had already arrived.

Occasionally, their eyes would meet, and invisible sparks seemed to fly through the air. Especially the members of the Shrek Academy reserve team, who looked at Kong Tianxu as if they wanted to devour him.

Dai Yueheng also looked displeased. He was just as frustrated as Ma Xiaotao. On the day Kong Tianxu faced Shrek Academy, he happened to be recovering from an injury at the hotel. He was completely unaware of the situation and lost Shrek Academy's honor. No wonder he was upset.

Cain, Xu Tianzhen, and Meng Hongchen all glared back without backing down. Cain, in particular, exuded a sharp and cold aura that he made no attempt to conceal, causing Jiang Nannan's expression to change slightly, and Dai Yueheng's eyes to flash with horror.

He was surprised to find that even with his Soul Emperor level cultivation, he was barely able to suppress Cain's sharp aura. Xu Sanshi, on the other hand, was more composed, but his expression was extremely cold.

While both sides were highly motivated, the atmosphere in the rest area became solemn, tense, and even somewhat ominous.

Kong Tianxu and Ma Xiaotao, however, seemed completely unaware, both calmly adjusting their breathing and preparing for battle in their respective seats.

As dawn broke, bright sunlight streamed onto the wide red carpet of Xingluo Square. Ten minutes before the draw began, the gates of the Imperial Palace swung open, and Xu Jiawei, surrounded by palace guards, strode out and headed straight for the competition stage.

The people and soldiers immediately noticed the emperor's appearance, and shouts of "Long live the emperor!" erupted everywhere. Members of the four battle teams also stood up to pay their respects.

Kong Tianxu didn't make any further moves, only raising his eyes to look over. Beside Xu Jiawei, besides his old acquaintance Huang Jinxu, the Heavenly Fiend Douluo, there were three other Title Douluos whose auras were in no way inferior.

According to Ye Xishui's investigation, the number of Title Douluos scattered throughout Xingluo Square at this moment has already exceeded the number on both hands.

This number is not an exaggeration. Over ten thousand years, as Soul Masters' understanding of Martial Souls has deepened, the probability of Title Douluo appearing has increased significantly compared to the past.

However, some Title Douluos rely too much on drugs when breaking through, which makes their actual strength slightly weaker.

Of course, even with an increase in numbers, the total number of Title Douluos remains scarce. Moreover, even within the same realm, differences in martial souls, cultivation methods, soul rings, and soul bones result in vastly different strengths.

After a grand yet humorous opening, Xu Jiawei nodded in acknowledgment. Of the four elders who followed him onto the stage, Huang Jinxu, the Heavenly Fiend Douluo, took two steps forward, facing the rest area, and announced in a deep voice:

"Please invite the captains of the four teams to come up on stage to draw lots."

Although this wasn't Huang Jinxu's first appearance, his powerful aura as a Title Douluo still drew cheers from the audience, as it was a testament to the strength of the Star Luo Empire.

Kong Tianxu glanced at Xu Jiujiu, who was about to take the stage from the Star Luo team. After a moment's thought, he took out the Life Carving Knife and hid it in his sleeve before stepping onto the stage.

Shrek Academy's representative is Ma Xiaotao, while Di'ao Academy's is a young man of medium build with broad shoulders and a calm, steadfast demeanor.

But now no one pays attention to this mysterious Soul Emperor who has never made a move before; everyone is already captivated by Xu Jiujiu, who is completely different from that night at the Starlight Auction House.

Wearing a light yellow outfit used as competition attire by the Star Luo National Academy, this princess today is a far cry from her elegant and noble demeanor at the auction. Dressed in this outfit, she exudes a dashing and heroic air.

Her well-tailored clothes accentuated her beautiful figure, her pretty face was smiling, and her long golden hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, making her particularly eye-catching.