soul land: Huo Yuhao Inheriting Centipede Immortal

The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—once one of the three great sects ten thousand years ago.

Back then, it belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire, located just outside the capital, Heaven Dou City.

 Later, due to the unchecked growth of various kingdom powers and a rebellion by old aristocratic families, the Heaven Dou Empire split into the Heaven Soul Empire and the Dou Spirit Empire. At that point, the sect chose to side with the old nobility and kingdom forces, joining the newly formed Dou Spirit Empire.

Although no longer considered one of the top three sects in the current era, its situation has vastly improved compared to ten thousand years ago.

Today, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect still controls vast wealth and resources. While no one within the sect has yet broken through the limitations of their Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial spirit, the sect supports four Title Douluo-level worshippers, two of whom are Super Douluo.

This makes the sect a formidable force both in terms of combat power and financial might, commanding significant influence across the Douluo Continent. Fewer than ten forces on the entire continent could surpass it in overall strength.

Upon entering Nine Treasures City, fully controlled by the sect, Huo Yuhao and his companions were awed by the city's splendor. It boasted treasures from all corners of the four empires—more than even Shrek City.

Moreover, the city's widespread use of soul tools revealed the sect's deep investment in the development of this technology, presenting new opportunities in the modern era.

During the group's tour, Zhang Lexuan shared more about the sect's background, giving everyone a deeper understanding of its power.

The Sect's Success Today Can Be Attributed to Three Factors:

1. Background

Not political, but divine.

 The sect's heritage includes Ning Rongrong, the Nine-Colored Goddess, and Oscar, the God of Food.

Even though they've neither returned to the mortal world nor contributed directly to the sect, their godhood alone casts a long shadow over it.

"A god's name is like the shadow of a great tree—looming and ever-present."

No one dares to provoke the sect too severely, for fear that these divine ancestors might suddenly intervene. If a god were to find their descendants being bullied, what mortal could withstand their wrath?

Thus, most factions avoid clashing with the sect, and the sect in turn maintains a peaceful approach to gain prosperity.

This isn't unique—any sect with divine backing tends to thrive, unless they court their own destruction.

Case in point: Spirit Hall. At its peak, it was unstoppable—until it recklessly let Bibi Dong lead, resulting in its demise.

 Another example is Tang Sect, which foolishly put all its resources into supporting the useless Blue Silver Grass martial spirit. When soul tool technology rose, they failed to adapt and declined.

2. Allies

The sect no longer aligns with the old "Three Great Sects" ideology of "United in spirit and strength."

Instead, it champions a new slogan:

"Descendants of the Seven Monsters, united in heart."

Using its wealth as a key, the sect has built strong ties with Shrek Academy, the Star Luo Empire, and other forces that once supported the Shrek Seven Devils. Thanks to these relationships, the sect's business ventures across the continent have thrived.

Of course, the now-deteriorated Tang Sect—a "poor relative"—isn't worth that unity anymore. Even Shrek Academy has stopped supporting them, and so has the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

3. Backing from the Dou Spirit Empire

The sect's decision to join the Dou Spirit Empire alongside the nobility and kingdoms paid off—earning it a high status. Coupled with its accumulated wealth and strength, it is now likely the most powerful sect in the entire empire.

With no serious competition, it has grown rapidly.

It's even said the Dou Spirit imperial family must consider the sect leader's stance before making decisions.

But the sect wisely avoids overstepping and stays out of political power struggles.

Because once a sect challenges imperial authority, the backlash may come not only from the Dou Spirit Empire but also from all three empires.

"Some lines must never be crossed."

 Royal authority still reigns supreme on the Douluo Continent.

Their strategy is smart—it's clear they are a sect that uses brains, not just brawn.

As for why the sect sided with the old nobility and kingdom powers during the empire's split?

After losing top-tier combatants (sword broken, bones shattered), all they had left was a divine name. If they hadn't taken a risk, they might have ended up like the Heavenly Dragon Sect—a shell of their former glory.

Given that the sect focuses on support-type soul masters, they've always had innate weaknesses and had to seize every opportunity.

History proved they gambled right.

And unlike the Tang Sect, they didn't naïvely assume that once a god had emerged from the sect, everything would work out forever.

That's the right way to grow.

Even the Dai Family gave up power when they were weak to survive.

Meanwhile, the Tang Sect? It's as if every sect leader had underdeveloped brains. After repeated failures, they still refused to change. Just because one of them became a god, does that mean the rest can?

Inspirational stories are for listening, not for blind imitation.

 In reality, once the lucky few are fed, they break the pot the others cook in.

Different people interpret the same situation differently.

From Zhang Lexuan's explanation:

Ma Xiaotao heard "Seven Monsters united," and felt proud—like a sister sect bond.

Wei Na heard about alliances and thought it might be a way to influence the Dou Spirit Empire.

Ling Luocheng focused on the resources and wondered what she could find in Nine Treasures City.

But Huo Yuhao?

He thought:

"If I wiped out the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect tonight, would the Dou Spirit Empire fall into chaos tomorrow?"

After thinking, he concluded: No.

Despite their power, the sect doesn't participate in governance. If they fell, Nine Treasures City might be thrown into chaos, but the empire itself would soon stabilize.

In fact, many factions would likely celebrate their fall, eager to snatch up their resources.

That thought alone made Huo Yuhao uneasy—it would be letting others reap the rewards.

Just then, Zhang Lexuan said gravely:

"I told you all this to warn you—beware of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."

The trio looked confused.

 Hadn't she just spoken of them like allies?

"Why? Didn't their Title Douluo help us during the beast tide?" Ma Xiaotao asked.

"Yes, they helped," Zhang Lexuan replied, "but not out of sincerity."

She continued solemnly:

"Before we left, Elder Song warned me—be cautious of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

 They may appear harmless, but they've already used economic power to control many forces—even reached into Shrek City.

 All they lack now... is an opportunity."

Because of Zhang Lexuan's words, everyone was deeply shaken—though the reasons varied from person to person.

To be honest, even Huo Yuhao was stunned by what she said—he almost threw out his back.

Wait a second… How did the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect suddenly start doubting Shrek?

 In fact, the reasoning that Elder Song supposedly gave, as recounted by Zhang Lexuan, was extremely flimsy—basically just nitpicking. But Zhang Lexuan chose to believe it, and Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen agreed as well. Only Wei Na looked thoughtful but remained silent.

After all, it wasn't her being suspected!

 Wei Na often felt out of place with her sisters because she was too rational.

Soon, Huo Yuhao pieced things together.

"It must be that the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect did something to provoke Shrek Academy, which made them start getting annoyed with the sect," he thought to himself.

In any case, it didn't matter much. If the Elders in the Sea God's Pavilion were annoyed at the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, that was all that really mattered.

Without Mu En, the Sea God's Pavilion's average moral compass and collective intelligence had taken a steep nosedive. Of course, that's not counting Huo Yuhao's own morality and intelligence.

The Sea God's Pavilion was now very likely to create some earth-shaking "wisdom" with their internal "genius," possibly causing real trouble.

In the original story, the Sea God's Pavilion only needed to maintain its combat strength and serve as the front-line enforcer, while the person behind the scenes handled all the tough thinking. Now, that behind-the-scenes figure still had just as many responsibilities—but the Pavilion could no longer simply be a stable enforcer.

After all, Xuan Zi didn't have many years left to live.

The Elders in the Pavilion were full of insecurity.

Thus, the past support from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the friendship between the two powers became irrelevant the moment Shrek Academy felt threatened. Everything was now about putting Shrek first!

 If they suspect you of having ulterior motives, you'd better not only be clean—but also be powerful.

Otherwise, you're a destabilizing element who must be dealt with.

Still, Huo Yuhao estimated that Shrek wouldn't really act against the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. On the one hand, the sect had deep foundations. On the other hand, Shrek couldn't just casually wipe them out.

At most, the two sides would make some mutually beneficial deals and continue to act like close allies.

Of course, all of this depended on one thing: that the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect didn't self-destruct and hand Shrek a reason on a silver platter.

After Zhang Lexuan's warning, the group checked into lodgings in Nine Treasures City—at the Nine Treasures Hotel, which was owned by the sect itself.

Compared to the Tianlong and Dilong Hotels, Nine Treasures Hotel was even more luxurious. Just its exterior was more magnificent and lavish.

Naturally, the sect knew that Huo Yuhao and his party had arrived in Nine Treasures City, but they didn't act like other factions, sending disciples to greet them with great fanfare or dispatching high-ranking elders to curry favor.

Instead, they chose to offer subtle perks through small details—neither too cold nor overly enthusiastic. It created a warm and pleasant impression, making them more likable.

But what the sect could never expect was that because of Zhang Lexuan's earlier warning, Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen had developed a low opinion of them. First impressions mattered.

Wei Na sided with her sisters. And because the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had joined the Dou Ling Empire, the Heavenly Soul Empire—and even the Lai Family—viewed them with caution and suspicion.

When in Nine Treasures City, one must experience its most iconic event: the top-tier auction.

It was said that in these auctions, you could buy treasures from all four great empires!

 Of course, that was an exaggeration—but the Nine Treasures City's top-tier auctions were indeed unmatched elsewhere, known for their abundance of rare items.

That same night, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect thoughtfully delivered an invitation to the auction to the group.

Naturally, the group was interested and didn't decline.

After dressing up and donning masks to conceal their identities, Huo Yuhao and his companions entered the Nine Treasures Auction House. After presenting their invitation, they were led by a maid to the central hall—where the top-tier auctions took place.

They were even assigned a private suite—Suite Zero, a special reserved room. Upon inquiring, they learned that this suite was exclusively prepared for Shrek Academy, with no access for outsiders.

 Further questions revealed that Suite One was for the Dou Ling royal family, Suite Two for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect itself, and the other suites had no fixed owners.

Sitting in Shrek's exclusive suite, the group couldn't help but sigh—this sect was loaded.

The suite was even more lavish than those at the Starlight Auction House.

The Nine Treasures Auction House was no smaller in scale than the Starlight Auction House—and even more extravagant. The maids working here were all at least three-ring Soul Elders, outer disciples of the sect, and all strikingly beautiful with excellent figures.

Unlike the underground setup of the Starlight Auction House, this auction house was built above ground.

It had become one of Nine Treasures City's most iconic landmarks.

During the day, the central hall would host regular auctions—jewelry, land deeds, and other mundane items.

But at midnight, it would transform into a top-tier auction house, hosting a one-hour session where rare treasures were auctioned.

These included smuggled rare metals from the Sun Moon Empire, high-performance soul tools, hard-to-find soul bones, and even ancient relics or leads about hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.

The variety was astounding, but all items shared one trait: none were ordinary and all had value for soul masters.

If the auction house ever received an especially valuable item, they would hype the event in advance to attract powerful clients and host a truly top-tier auction.

As midnight approached, more and more masked figures arrived—all radiating soul power, clearly people of status and wealth. No ordinary people in sight.

Even among these elites, there were distinctions—some sat in the general hall, others, like Huo Yuhao's group, had private suites.

Just before the auction was about to start—

A maid knocked on their door and announced that an old acquaintance had come to visit, asking if they would like to meet them.

The group exchanged glances.

"Huh? Who has an old acquaintance in Nine Treasures City?"

 "Could it be some friends Huo Yuhao met on the road?" Wei Na guessed.

"Maybe. But we'll know if we meet them," Ma Xiaotao smiled, though her gaze toward Huo Yuhao carried suspicion.

She suspected the visitor might be yet another woman Huo Yuhao had attracted.

In the end, the group agreed to meet the visitor.

Two figures entered the suite. Leading was a short-haired girl in a glazed long dress, exuding elegance like a princess. Behind her was a heroic-looking girl in a red dress, clearly uncomfortable in such attire—and her face was full of displeasure at having to visit this suite.

Upon seeing them, Wei Na was the first to exclaim in surprise, "Ning Tian? Wu Feng?!"

That's right—it was Ning Tian and Wu Feng, two well-known girls from Huo Yuhao's outer court class at Shrek Academy. They were supposed to be studying at Shrek—yet here they were, in Nine Treasures City, in this suite.

Since Wei Na had also studied with Huo Yuhao in the outer court, she naturally recognized them.

Huo Yuhao, however, was deep in thought.

"So... is the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect giving up on top and mid lanes... and trying to conquer my bottom lane now?"

"Huo Yuhao, Senior Sister Wei Na, and the other senior sisters from the inner courtyard, it's a pleasure to meet you all here. I'm Ning Tian, a fifth-year student from Shrek's outer courtyard, and this is my companion Wu Feng. We are both disciples of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Ning Tian introduced herself with a warm smile that made people feel at ease. "If you don't mind, we'd like to accompany you to this auction. I believe it won't disappoint."

Seeing Ning Tian like this, none of the girls harbored any dislike toward her. They couldn't help but admit — she was indeed impressive.

As for Wu Feng, no one paid much attention to her.

Wu Feng herself knew she couldn't cause trouble, or it would put Ning Tian in an awkward spot. However, she would never stoop to fawning over Huo Yuhao with a smile. So, she kept a stern expression and positioned herself as Ning Tian's bodyguard.

She saw her mission as preventing Huo Yuhao from doing anything to Ning Tian — she must protect her!

Possibly because Wu Feng wasn't used to wearing a dress, her movements were somewhat stiff when walking or standing. Fortunately, she didn't make a fool of herself.

Ning Tian's graceful demeanor quickly earned the girls' friendliness. Wei Na smiled and invited her into the private room.

Everyone sat on the sofa and began chatting casually.

Having received aristocratic education, both Wei Na and Ning Tian were smooth in conversation and quickly livened up the atmosphere.

Ning Tian and Wei Na already knew each other. Wei Na could recognize all the pretty girls from Huo Yuhao's class, and Ning Tian had even joined Huo Yuhao's fan club. Likewise, Ning Tian knew of Wei Na — the Heavenly Soul Princess who had entered Shrek Academy just to be with Huo Yuhao.

Because Ning Tian understood Wei Na, she felt a bit awkward around her.

After all, she wasn't just here to welcome Huo Yuhao and his group — she clearly had intentions of winning Huo Yuhao over. In other words, she wanted to steal the man.

Just like ten thousand years ago, core disciples of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect must seek powerful and gifted battle-type Soul Masters as their partners.

And Huo Yuhao was a perfect candidate for Ning Tian.

She understood that if she could become Huo Yuhao's partner, not only would her future be secure, but she could also skip the internal competition for the sect leader position — she'd be the guaranteed heir.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect thought the same.

When Huo Yuhao entered the Douling Empire, the sect had arranged for Ning Tian and Wu Feng to return from Shrek Academy.

Their goal: use the old classmates' connection to build favor with Huo Yuhao.

If Ning Tian could get even closer and form a marriage alliance, that would be ideal.

If Ning Tian and Huo Yuhao ended up together, they wouldn't even need Huo Yuhao to join the sect. When the two eventually inherited their respective positions — Huo Yuhao as Sea God Pavilion Master and Ning Tian as Sect Leader — the ties between Shrek and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would become even stronger.

It could even go down as a legendary tale in the history of the Douluo Continent.

Back at the Academy, Ning Tian had already been interested in Huo Yuhao and had joined his fan club. But with so many girls around him, and his promotion to the inner courtyard after second year, her chances disappeared just as she began her pursuit.

Who would've thought fate would give her another chance — Huo Yuhao had come to her sect.

Ning Tian knew this opportunity was too important to miss, and she was fully committed.

It had to be said — as a core disciple of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Tian had both looks and manners of the highest order. Being a gem-type Soul Master, she also exuded a kind of noble elegance, as if her whole body sparkled like a living jewel.

People say not to judge by appearances, but looks often form the basis of a first impression.

Soon, thanks to her refinement, Ning Tian became friendly with Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen as well. Even Zhang Lexuan occasionally chatted with her.

But Ning Tian still talked to Huo Yuhao the most.

Meanwhile, Wu Feng sat alone, constantly watching Huo Yuhao with wary eyes.

Huo Yuhao responded with a smile.

Wu Feng, however, interpreted it as provocation, making her even angrier.

The girl she liked was welcoming the man she hated — what kind of cuckolded drama was this?!

If she weren't a girl herself and knew there was no chance with Ning Tian, Wu Feng would've already dragged Huo Yuhao out for a duel.

Zhang Lexuan clearly noticed the subtle motives and little games between Ning Tian and Wu Feng. "How many is this now?" she sighed internally, admitting Huo Yuhao really did attract women. She also became more cautious — better safe than sorry.

Not just Zhang Lexuan — Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen also exchanged glances, seeing the amusement in each other's eyes.

Though Ning Tian had an ulterior motive, her qualifications were undeniably solid. With her identity as a core disciple of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she was already eligible to join their inner circle.

The women of Shrek didn't believe just any girl had the qualifications to call them "sisters." Not all women were "worthy" to share a man with them.

It's like comparing female celebrities to influencers — one has status, the other just screams desperation.

Now in her fifth year, Ning Tian had matured from a little girl into a stunning beauty.

In truth, Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen felt Ning Tian's looks were not inferior to Jiang Nannan — once known as the outer courtyard's number one beauty.

As for the title "Number One Beauty of the Outer Courtyard," the inner courtyard had plenty of women who could contest that.

Inner courtyard girls were never short on beauty — when they were in the outer courtyard, each had the "beauty" label too.

But inner courtyard disciples didn't care about beauty. What they valued was strength.

In the end, Jiang Nannan only held that "beauty" title because there hadn't been much competition.

Now that she had graduated into the inner courtyard, the senior sisters would teach her that strength is more important than appearance.

Jiang Nannan, born with full soul power, was very diligent in her cultivation and had earned much recognition in the inner courtyard.

Of course, her loyal follower Xu Sanshi also followed her into the inner courtyard.

As for Wu Feng, following Ning Tian, her appearance was slightly less refined, but she had a heroic spirit not commonly seen in other women. Her figure was also more voluptuous than Ning Tian's.

One could say Wu Feng was also a beauty in her own right.

What Huo Yuhao cared about, however, was the strength of Ning Tian and Wu Feng.

In the original timeline, during the Sea God Fate Festival (about a year from now), Ning Tian was a rank-54 Soul Master.

But now, Huo Yuhao noticed — Ning Tian had already broken through to rank 50!

Though she had just reached it, given her cultivation momentum, she was clearly ahead of schedule compared to the original.

Not just Ning Tian — Wu Feng had also reached five soul rings, and her soul power was slightly higher.

When Huo Yuhao observed the two carefully, he noticed a familiar aura on them. Their skin was as white as jade.

It was obvious — they had both cultivated the "Jade Nourishment Technique"!

Ning Tian and Wu Feng came across the "Jade Cultivation Technique" through a fan club of Huo Yuhao.

This fan club was originally created by a group of brainwashed fangirls of Huo Yuhao. Taking advantage of the situation, Huo Yuhao turned it into an organization to attract cauldrons (women he could exploit for cultivation), effectively treating it as his personal talent reservoir.

The fan club had one purpose: "Follow in Huo Yuhao's footsteps, and make oneself better."

Put simply—it was a cult.

To be fair, anyone able to enter Shrek Academy had some talent, and the group included many high-potential individuals.

Only females could join. Those with good aptitude or those who proved their worth could become high-ranking members and gain access to the Jade Cultivation Technique.

As for loyalty to Huo Yuhao—it wasn't actually required. Because when Brother Hao wanted to "eat meat," he never cared about the meat's opinion.

Some newcomers truly became fans of Huo Yuhao after hearing of his many "deeds."

Of course, the true core of the organization were the original brainwashed girls, who were fanatically loyal and possessed even more techniques.

With Huo Yuhao's teachings and resources, these girls rose to become top figures in the outer court.

Some were already six-ring Soul Emperors.

The era of the "Twin Stars of the Outer Court" was over. The most famous now were the "Seven Fairies of the Outer Court"—all from Huo Yuhao's fan club and candidates for the next generation of Shrek's Seven Monsters.

Sadly, Ning Tian and Wu Feng hadn't had the technique long enough to be included among them.

Shrek Academy had never suspected the fan club. On the contrary, they were impressed: "No wonder they're Huo Yuhao's fans—so talented!" With so many rising stars, they believed Shrek's future would shine even brighter under his leadership.

In fact, due to how rapidly members improved after getting the technique, Shrek was even considering officially recognizing the fan club and promoting similar student organizations.

They called this "the Idol Effect."

As for secrecy around the Jade Cultivation Technique, Huo Yuhao wasn't concerned. First, the method only worked for women. Second, it differed greatly from the techniques used by evil soul masters.

Even if it were exposed, he could claim it was a self-developed soul technique created jointly with the girls. At most, it would just add another line to his legend—and possibly earn him more favor from female soul masters.

The technique also had cosmetic benefits—making Huo Yuhao a potential legend in Douluo's beauty scene.

And if it spread, it might help him grow even more cauldrons.

Still, among the fan club's high-ranking members, nearly none shared the technique. On the Douluo Continent, self-created soul techniques were viewed as sacred personal achievements. Sharing them without permission could damage one's reputation or make enemies—even relatives wouldn't receive it casually.

The fan club's core members were all top talents with the potential to become Title Douluo. No one wanted to offend that many future powerhouses.

More importantly—they didn't want to offend Huo Yuhao.

Because once he became the Pavilion Master of the Sea God's Pavilion, offending him meant offending the whole of Shrek.

So Ning Tian and Wu Feng didn't reveal the technique to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect either.

Huo Yuhao hadn't harvested these two from his "garden" yet—but that day was coming.

He was even considering picking Ning Tian first.

Because her fate—her 命格—surprised him. He'd never paid much attention before, assuming she was just another talented girl. But looking closely now, she gave him a pleasant surprise.

Ning Tian had three fate traits:

[Glazed Fate]: Body like glazed jade, heart like crystal. Gifted, elegant, and beautiful.

[Treasure Magnet]: Frequently encounters fortune. Will obtain a great treasure in her lifetime.

[Jade Maiden]: Vessel of ancient jade, made of crystal essence. Trusted by heaven and earth, harbinger of blessings.

Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes.

[Glazed Fate] and [Treasure Magnet]—one internal, one external—meant success was inevitable. Even if she were born a commoner with a poor martial soul, she could still become a lead protagonist with such destiny traits.

But the last one—[Jade Maiden]—was special. It was one of the Six Artifact Fates, and the real reason Huo Yuhao was tempted.

The Six Artifacts—Bi, Cong, Gui, Zhang, Huang, Hu—were ancient ceremonial jades used in offerings to heaven and earth. Each had a corresponding fate trait.

These fates only occurred in women, and each woman could have only one. They appeared irregularly and couldn't yet be predicted.

But their effects were well documented.

Women with Artifact Fates were always high-born and destined for greatness. Most crucially, men who coupled with them would receive a boost in one of six fortune types: martial, official, wealth, etc.

However, just like fragile jade, these fates could break.

If such a woman suffered a great trauma or betrayal, her fate would shatter—and the man who wronged her would be cursed.

Once broken, these traits turned dark—bringing misfortune to all around them.

In short, she'd go full villain mode.

Some had tried collecting all six Artifact Fates—unsuccessfully. Even just one could bring a lifetime of glory—if cherished properly.

Evil cultivators had tried to turn broken fated women into ghost spirits—only to be destroyed by backlash.

One such ghost required a literal immortal to descend and destroy it.

Later, it was discovered that women whose fate shattered became terrifyingly gifted in evil cultivation—even if they'd shown no talent before.

But they also tended to kill their masters.

Because, well—women are already irrational (the text says), and once they go blackened, no one can predict what they'll do.

Conclusion: Only use them normally. Once blackened, no one can handle them.

Huo Yuhao was after the benefits during the normal phase.

"If I recall correctly, the Jade Maiden brings blessings to her man—enhancing his fortune and making wishes come true!"

With Ning Tian's company, time seemed to fly by, and before long, the auction began.

Just like in the Starlight Auction Hall, the walls lit up with soul power, revealing the full splendor of the top-tier auction venue.

At the very moment the top-tier auction began, the entire hall transformed: the surrounding walls rose, unveiling the gilded, resplendent inner walls. The auction platform and the ground beneath rotated, replacing the previous platform with a more luxurious one, completely constructed from gemstones. The lighting in the auction hall also dimmed, except for the bright, dazzling lights shining on the platform itself.

In a mere instant, the already high-end auction venue had clearly upgraded by several levels.

The entire space exuded not only opulence but also an artistic flair—every detail was worth appreciating.

For Ma Xiaotao and the other girls, this was their first time witnessing such a sight, and their faces showed surprise. Huo Yuhao also played along, feigning astonishment.

Seeing this, Ning Tian smiled slightly.

Wu Feng, meanwhile, looked smug—she was eager to see Huo Yuhao looking inexperienced. But before she could make a mocking remark, Ning Tian, knowing her personality well, discreetly pinched her thigh, cutting off her comment.

What Ning Tian didn't notice, though, was that Wu Feng had blushed.

"This top-tier auction house took the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect ten years to build. It's arguably the most elite auction venue on the entire continent. Every item auctioned here is a continental treasure. I believe it won't disappoint," Ning Tian explained with a calm smile—neither arrogant nor boastful. She answered their curiosity while simultaneously showcasing the strength of her clan.

Everyone present was familiar with the efficiency of soul master construction teams—after all, Shrek City's southern wall, which had been destroyed, was rebuilt in just a few months, and even made sturdier.

The fact that this auction house took ten years to complete spoke volumes about the effort and investment the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had put into it.

Those intricate mechanisms alone were beyond the reach of ordinary factions or architecture.

After all, even in this era of Douluo Dalu, intricate mechanical constructs were still primarily within the Tang Sect's domain. Even eighth-tier soul engineers regarded mechanical techniques as near-miraculous.

This was exactly how Huo Yuhao had once lured Xuan Ziwen—to show him such "miracles."

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, second only to the Tang Sect in their reliance on hidden weapons, had long purchased such devices from them. Although they couldn't replicate the weapons, they had clearly studied them and developed some of their own mechanical systems.

Then, the auctioneer entered.

She was a graceful woman dressed in a robe of glazed gems, her appearance on par with Ning Tian's—or perhaps more mature and refined.

She was, in fact, a direct member of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The martial soul projection in her aura was unmistakably the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and her power had reached the Soul Sage level.

A regular auction wouldn't warrant a direct clan member as auctioneer—but for a top-tier event, it made sense. Authenticity mattered.

After all, the top auctioneer at the Starlight Auction Hall was a princess of the empire.

Ning Tian introduced her from the side: "She is my cousin, Ning Zhirou, a Soul Sage with seven rings. She's the premier auctioneer of the entire Nine Treasure City, and the exclusive host for top-tier auctions."

"Welcome, honored guests, to tonight's top-tier auction," Ning Zhirou said with a gentle smile. Her voice was melodious, like a stream trickling through one's heart.

But Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. He sensed a soul power fluctuation hidden within her voice.

Extending his spiritual sense, he found that it wasn't due to some self-developed soul skill, but rather from an external spirit bone located in her throat.

This spirit bone endowed her voice with an enchanting quality—perfect for her profession.

Without his exceptional spiritual power, Huo Yuhao might not have noticed anything unusual.

Ignoring her words, he instead focused on examining Ning Zhirou's Fate Attributes.

Like Ning Tian, she had three Fate Marks, though all of them were different:

[Seven Treasure Fate]: Radiant and noble, bringing wealth and stability. Among the Seven Jewels of Prajna, one is granted.

[Wealth Magnet]: Naturally attracts wealth and shows exceptional talent in business.

[Glazed]: Nobility and prosperity.

Huo Yuhao thought: her Fate Marks weren't as formidable as Ning Tian's, but still impressive. Or rather, they represented what one might expect from a typical Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda soul master.

The [Seven Treasure Fate] already hinted at wealth—her martial soul itself was a jewel-type and granted the ability to appraise precious stones, making wealth almost inevitable.

Its greatest feature, however, was the line: "Among the Seven Jewels of Prajna, one is granted."

This concept of the "Seven Jewels of Prajna" came from Buddhism. Huo Yuhao used his own knowledge to interpret the fate marks—each jewel represents a different attribute or blessing.

Simply put, this fate grants a random unique effect, and the same fate could bestow different boons to different people.

Her third Fate, [Glazed], was one of those Prajna Jewels—ensuring a lifetime of wealth and nobility.

As for [Wealth Magnet], that was simply part of Ning Zhirou's personal disposition.

All in all, with these three fate marks combined, Ning Zhirou was destined never to be poor. She was a living treasure herself!

As expected of a core member of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

What intrigued Huo Yuhao now was—what were the Fate Marks of the other core members of the sect?

Ignoring the distraction from Ning Zhirou's words, Huo Yuhao quickly focused again—the first item of the auction was unveiled, and it was a major one.

"Fifty-thousand-year Blazing Fire Savage Bull Torso Bone! Starting price: Ten million Gold Soul Coins!"

After her introduction, the auction officially began. There was no need for flashy demonstrations—everyone knew the items on this stage were top-tier.

That's the reputation of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Bidding started immediately.

"Ten million?" Wei Na was slightly surprised. She knew that kind of money could raise a full cavalry unit composed entirely of soul masters.

Ning Tian smiled. "If Brother Yuhao or the elder sisters fancy it, I'd be happy to bid on your behalf. Don't worry—it's from my personal funds."

Again, the wealth of the sect's core members was astonishing—spending ten million as casually as others might spend pocket change.

"It's alright. This soul bone doesn't suit me," Ma Xiaotao declined with a shake of her head. She was the only one compatible with it, but she already had a torso bone—also fifty-thousand-year grade.

In the end, the bone was sold for thirty-five million, far above its base value.

Clearly, Ning Zhirou's "Wealth Magnet" attribute was already at work.

Fifteen minutes into the auction…

The second item was brought on stage.

"Second item: a Grade-7 Soul Tool Milk Bottle…"

"Third item: Top-tier medicinal herb—Lionheart Grass, enhances physical strength and constitution…"

"Fourth item, and the final piece of tonight's top-tier auction: Ninety-thousand-year Bloodspike Pufferfish Poison Sac!"

Huo Yuhao: So it really was aimed at me!