Inside the Heaven Dou Auction Hall.
As soon as the auctioneer's voice fell, a cacophony of bids rang out.
"I'll pay fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
"Sixty thousand!"
"Seventy thousand!"
The atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Though most attendees knew that the grand finale of today's auction would be the highly anticipated Body Spirit Maids, not everyone was here for that. Many understood that if the Heaven Dou Auction House was willing to put such maids up for sale, their innate talents likely fell short of the ones showcased in the livestream.
With no clear path to cultivating these talents, and the secrets of Body Spirit evolution locked away, only top-tier powers like the Spirit Hall or royal families stood a chance of unlocking their potential. As such, many of the attendees came for the spectacle rather than the opportunity to bid.
For now, items like the dazzling Jade Heart Necklace sparked intense interest, drawing bids from nobles and powerful soul masters, including Prince Xue Xing. Ning Fengzhi also joined the fray. Eventually, he won the necklace with a bid of fifty thousand gold soul coins.
The auctioneer continued, raising the gavel again.
"Our next item: a master-forged Black Steel Armor by the renowned smith Blackstone. Starting bid: thirty thousand gold soul coins!"
"Next, from the depths of the Endless Sea, we have a Ten Thousand-Year Rainbow Coral. Starting bid: fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
And so the auction rolled on, the gavel marking each sale with a crisp bang! as item after item found its new owner. An hour flew by, and thirty-two items had been auctioned. Now, it was time for the grand finale.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. We have arrived at today's highlight—our final item up for bid. I believe many of you already know what it is, so I won't keep you waiting any longer. Let them in!"
With a flourish, the auctioneer clapped his hands. From a passage behind the stage, two elegantly dressed young women emerged, leading a line of five maids clad in matching servant outfits. The girls, all varying in age and height, wore expressions of fear and uncertainty as they stepped onto the stage.
As the maids lined up before the audience, their distinctive traits became apparent. The first was a cute, short-haired girl with black cat ears twitching atop her head and a tail swishing nervously behind her.
Next came a taller girl with long silver hair and an aloof demeanor, sporting a pair of wolf ears and a fluffy tail. Following her was another, with striking orange hair and a vulpine charm, complete with golden fox ears and a tail.
The fourth and fifth maids had features resembling a cow and a white tiger, respectively. Both were tall and physically imposing, though the cow maid had a gentler air, while the tiger maid exuded a disciplined, martial aura.
The auctioneer, beaming, gestured toward the five. "Allow me to introduce our special guests today—these five maids, each with a unique Body Spirit. Unlike the human Body Spirits you may have seen in past livestreams, their spirits manifest as various beasts."
He paused for effect, letting the audience take in the sight before continuing. "Rather than reveal their names, I'll share their spirits and innate power levels. The cat maid possesses a Black Cat Body Spirit with an innate spirit power of level two. The wolf maid's White Wolf spirit has an innate power of level three. The fox maid is a Red Fox Body Spirit, also with a power of level two. The cow maid is similarly level three, and finally, the white tiger maid, with the strongest potential among them, has a level four spirit power."
"These five are being sold as a set, and the starting bid is one million gold soul coins! Bidding begins now!"
The auctioneer's smile widened as he announced the terms. A starting price of one million gold soul coins might seem high, but the rarity of these maids, especially with their distinctive traits, would surely attract interest.
Even without the boost from the livestreams, where the potential of Body Spirits had been showcased, exotic maids like the cat and wolf maids would have been enough to cause a frenzy among nobles. Now, their revealed potential only added to their allure. Averaging at two hundred thousand per maid, the price seemed more than fair to the auctioneer.
Among the audience, anticipation crackled in the air as many prepared to bid. Yet, Lin Yu was ready for this moment and had already devised his plan. He shot up from his seat dramatically, his hand slapping the armrest as if unable to contain his excitement.
"I'll bid two million gold soul coins!" he declared, loud enough for all to hear.
Simultaneously, seven rings of spirit energy flared to life around him, their colors striking—yellow, purple, black, black, black, black, and an otherworldly greenish-gold. The power they radiated washed over the room, a palpable wave that pressed down on everyone present.
The auction hall fell deathly silent as the pressure washed over the would-be bidders. Nobles and soul masters who had been gearing up to bid suddenly found their voices caught in their throats. All eyes locked on the rings hovering around Lin Yu, the sheer power of his aura making them hesitate.
That must be him—Lin Yu!
The name rippled through their minds. Many had seen him in the live streams, but witnessing his might in person left them awestruck.
Soul Sage level already? They marveled, recognizing the significance of his ring colors. And those rings—ten-thousand-year spirit rings starting from the second ring, and what on earth is that seventh ring?
It didn't take much more for the audience to draw a clear conclusion—crossing Lin Yu was not worth the risk. Even Ning Fengzhi and Prince Xue Xing, who were usually unperturbed by competition, hesitated. They exchanged glances and silently resigned themselves to letting Lin Yu have his way.
After all, if this young prodigy, known for his strength and rumored temper, had set his sights on these maids, no one wanted to provoke his ire.
The auctioneer, sensing the change in the room, swiftly seized the opportunity, his gavel poised. "Two million gold soul coins, going once, going twice—sold to the young gentleman in the front row!"
As the gavel fell, Lin Yu allowed his spirit pressure to recede, a small, satisfied smile playing on his lips.
Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 312 at patreon.com/MythMosaic.