Douluo: Soul-Breaking Gun

Chapter 8: The Heaven Dou Auction

After dinner, Niu Jinfeng led Yang Potian to the Heaven Dou Auction House.

Upon arrival, they were greeted by an enormous circular building that resembled a modern stadium. The auction house spanned nearly 500 meters in diameter and stood over 80 meters tall. The pristine white structure was both luxurious and dignified.

At the entrance stood four beautiful young women, each with elegant features and statuesque figures, standing around 1.75 meters tall. They wore long dresses that highlighted their graceful curves, and their youthful faces suggested they were no older than twenty. Their movements were polished yet refined, clearly the result of rigorous training.

One of the young women approached Yang Potian and Niu Jinfeng, bowing slightly. "How may I assist you?"

Without a word, Niu Jinfeng produced a sleek black card, displaying it to the attendant.

The young woman examined the card closely, then returned it to Niu Jinfeng with a respectful smile. "Welcome, esteemed Black Card member. Would you like to proceed to the main hall or a private room?"

"A private room, please," Niu Jinfeng replied.

"Certainly. Please follow me."

The young woman led them inside, moving with professional grace. The interior wasn't flashy, but rather understated and elegant, with the floors made of milky white marble and the walls decorated with minimal yet tasteful bas-reliefs. Every ten steps, their guide would pause to gesture them forward, precisely indicating their route.

Along the way, numerous guards were stationed, presumably to ensure order and prevent any disturbances or thefts.

Before long, they arrived at their room. The attendant gestured to it, saying, "Honored Black Card members, this is your private room. The auction will begin shortly."

With a nod from Niu Jinfeng, the young woman departed.

Potian examined the room. Its interior was simple, with eight seats arranged along a one-way glass wall that faced the main auction floor. The layout provided an unobstructed view of the entire venue, while ensuring privacy from the outside.

From their vantage point, Potian observed that the auction hall was divided into five colored sections. The rows closest to the stage were red, followed by black, purple, yellow, and white, each divided into seats and private rooms, likely based on preference and status.

Soon, there was a knock at the door, and a hostess entered, bringing tea and refreshments for Potian and his mother. Potian noticed that all the auction's attendants were women, similar in height to those at the entrance but dressed more provocatively, with revealing necklines and skirts that subtly hinted at the allure beneath.

"Mom, how did you get a Black Card for the auction house?" Potian asked.

"Son, don't underestimate me. Of course I have a Black Card! It's just that I don't come here as often, or I'd even have a Red Card. Your grandfather has one, after all."

Ignoring his mother's response, Potian focused on the attendants, recalling something Ning Fengzhi had once said in the original story. The attendants seemed expressionless, their gazes somewhat blank—as if, as Ning Fengzhi had put it, they were "soulless and just following orders." At first, Potian had thought this made sense, but upon reflection, he found it absurd. If they lacked even control over their bodies, how could they have a soul? They just lacked hope and freedom; given the chance, they might be able to regain their spirits.

The auction began shortly after. The host was a stunning woman in a red dress. Tall, graceful, and with impeccable poise, she captivated the room with her charm and mastery over the crowd—far beyond the caliber of hosts Potian had seen in his previous life.

As each item appeared on the central platform, a large screen projected the image, giving the audience a detailed view from every angle.

The hostess described each item's origin, use, and value with skillful and persuasive language, setting an opening bid. The crowd buzzed with excitement—some people debated the items' worth, others lamented not bringing enough gold soul coins, and still others discussed the final bid prices.

The items varied widely in both nature and price, ranging from antique swords and relics to rare herbs and soul tools. Even a "cat-girl" was auctioned, just like in the original story, as well as various precious metals.

Then, something particularly interesting appeared on stage.

The hostess in red introduced the item: "Esteemed guests, next we present a rare treasure."

Displayed on the auction plate was a fist-sized black substance, marked by fine, gel-like patterns.

"As you can see, this item is a block of whale gelatin—specifically, ten-thousand-year whale gelatin. For any gentleman seeking an enhancement, this is the ultimate tonic."

The crowd of men erupted in excitement.

"This ten-thousand-year-old whale gelatin has a starting bid of 10,000 gold soul coins."

"10,100 gold soul coins!"

"10,200 gold soul coins!"

…

The price quickly climbed to 30,000 gold soul coins.

"Mom, buy that whale gelatin for me!" Potian urged.

Niu Jinfeng looked at him, confused. "What would a kid like you know about the uses of whale gelatin?"

"Mom, I've been reading a lot lately. Whale gelatin has other benefits too! Buy it for Dad—it'll be useful for him."

Although she hesitated, Niu Jinfeng couldn't resist her son's request and bid 50,000 gold soul coins, winning the item.

The room fell silent. A woman buying whale gelatin? Was her husband lacking…something?

Niu Jinfeng couldn't help but feel awkward. Here she was, a woman with her young son, buying whale gelatin. If anyone found out, she'd be the subject of endless gossip.

(End of Chapter)