Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

"Your Excellency Dugu, this is the VIP card for our Heaven Dou Auction House. Please accept it."

Before entering the auction hall, the manager of the Heaven Dou Auction House, upon learning that a Title Douluo had arrived, hurried out to personally present a pure gold card to Dugu Bo.

"Well, that's thoughtful." Dugu Bo accepted the VIP card without hesitation and asked with slight curiosity, "Which private box are we supposed to use?"

The manager smiled warmly and explained, "Your Excellency, the seating information is on the card. The auction runs continuously for 24 hours, so you may proceed to the designated seat whenever it's convenient for you."

Nodding in acknowledgment, Dugu Bo took the card and entered the auction house. He followed the hallway until it reached the end, then turned a corner, where an enormous auction hall came into view.

The sheer scale of the hall took Cheng Xiao by surprise. Despite his two lifetimes, it was the first time he had seen an auction house of such grandeur, leaving him momentarily speechless.

It was no wonder they restricted entry to ordinary people. Even if they somehow got inside, they wouldn't be able to afford anything. The opulence was overwhelming, from the densely packed seats to the auction platform, constructed entirely out of dazzling crystal towers—everything radiated luxury.

"Excuse me, sir. May I ask for your seat number?"

At that moment, a beautiful attendant approached them respectfully.

Without saying a word, Dugu Bo flipped the VIP card and handed it over. When the attendant saw the color of the card, her eyes flashed with surprise. Her demeanor became even more courteous as she gave a slight bow.

"Please follow me, honored guests."

She distributed masks to each of them, explaining that wearing masks was required for safety reasons and to protect clients' identities.

Dugu Bo initially thought of refusing, intending to declare his status as a Title Douluo, but upon reconsideration, he decided to put the mask on. While it didn't matter to him, it was different for his granddaughter and Cheng Xiao.

Once everything was in order, the attendant led the way, with the trio following her at a leisurely pace.

They walked through the enormous auction hall for about ten minutes until they reached a seating area near the crystalline auction platform.

"Here are your seats," the attendant said with a polite smile before bowing and departing.

"Finally, a seat! My legs were killing me."

Dugu Yan gracefully sank into the luxurious chair lined with plush velvet. The soft cushions were so comfortable that she felt an urge to curl up and stay there forever.

Cheng Xiao and Dugu Bo also took their seats without hesitation. However, the moment Cheng Xiao sat down, he sensed a sharp gaze directed toward him.

He frowned slightly and scanned the area. From a nearby section, the Sword Douluo Chen Xin, the Guardian Douluo of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, was staring at him.

Grinning, Cheng Xiao casually waved at him, then turned away to converse with Dugu Bo, his carefree gesture only making Chen Xin frown further.

"This kid…" Sword Douluo murmured, finally averting his gaze.

Beside him, the sect master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi, asked softly, "Uncle Jian, what's the matter? I saw someone greet you just now."

"It's nothing," Chen Xin replied, shaking his head slightly. "There's just something odd about that boy. His strength isn't impressive, but having Dugu Bo with him is no trivial matter. I have a hunch that the boy is far from ordinary."

"Is that so?" Ning Fengzhi's eyes gleamed. "Uncle Jian, I'll rely on you to keep an eye on him. Your insight is far greater than mine, and I might miss some subtleties."

"I understand." Chen Xin nodded. Despite meeting Cheng Xiao for the first time, his years of experience and intuition told him that the boy was no simple character.

But what intrigued him more was the relationship between the boy and Dugu Bo. How had he managed to earn the company, if not the favor, of such a peculiar old man?

In the Spirit Master world, Dugu Bo's eccentric personality was well-known. Very few people could get along with him, and Cheng Xiao clearly wasn't part of that small circle—at least not publicly.

"After the auction, let's go have a chat with them. It'll give us a chance to probe a bit into their relationship," Ning Fengzhi suggested, a sly smile forming on his lips.

His gaze flickered to Dugu Yan beside Dugu Bo, hinting at an idea. 'After all, I do have a daughter…'

As they waited for the auction to begin, inappropriate sounds began drifting through the hall. Both Cheng Xiao and Dugu Yan's faces darkened slightly as they realized what was happening—some guests were openly toying with the female attendants.

"Grandfather, what's wrong with these people? How can they act so shamelessly in public?" Dugu Yan asked indignantly.

"Yan Yan, not everyone in this world is blessed with strength," Dugu Bo replied flatly. "From what I know, these attendants are treated as property of the auction house. Whether it's their lives, bodies, or anything else—they all belong to the auction house."

"They were bought at a young age and trained for this role. They aren't just service staff; they're also items up for auction. If someone bids high enough, they can be purchased and taken away."

"That's horrible!" Dugu Yan exclaimed angrily. "I thought this auction would have some interesting things, but it's all so filthy!"

"This world is built on the principle of the strong devouring the weak," Cheng Xiao said suddenly.

Dugu Bo nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Only strength allows one to stand tall in this world. These attendants, despite awakening their Spirits, lacked spirit power. Without it, they remain ordinary people, destined to live like this."

"They've long lost any sense of personal will. Their indifference isn't due to carelessness; it's because they've already lost control over their own lives. They can only obey, having no spirit left within them."

"No matter how beautiful they may appear, they've lost their souls. So remember this—strength is the only way to escape such a fate."

"Even if you can't change fate, never give up. The progress you make today already surpasses the timid person you once were."