Douluo Dalu 2: You are an Evil Soul Master, but also a good person ?

This auction was classified as first-tier, among the very best.

Unlike last time, where it was exposed in a public setting, each participating group now had its own private space.

The rooms were heavily isolated, with extreme measures taken to ensure secrecy. Apart from the auction host, no one knew who was seated in which numbered room.

Inside one of the rooms, Xu Cheng sat leisurely on a sofa, casually eating some fruit.

It was as if nothing had just happened, though Nana's ears were still flushed red as she was pulled aside by Meng Hongchen for some whispered conversation. From time to time, the crisp laughter of young girls rang out.

At the very front, a large screen was displaying an image using the Sun-Moon Empire's light projection technology.

Before long, amidst the playful chatter, a stunningly beautiful young woman in an elegant dress appeared on the screen.

After giving a graceful bow to the audience, she began her opening remarks.

"That's your empire's princess?" Xu Cheng glanced at a maid standing nearby.

The maids allowed in here were of high standing. Just like how Qingya had "bewitched" Wang Yan, these were far from ordinary attendants.

"Yes. Your Highness knows the princess?" The maid looked surprised.

"Mm." Xu Cheng smiled and nodded.

"Hey, spill it! When did you start getting involved with the princess?" Xiao Hongchen sneaked over and whispered.

"I've heard of her, and she's heard of me. Though we haven't met before, doesn't that still count as knowing each other?" Xu Cheng shrugged.

Xiao Hongchen: Nice one…

Soon, Xu Jiujiao began her introduction.

"The Overlord Tiger Soul-Refining Saber, an eighth-tier melee soul tool. Made from extremely rare materials, including a ten-thousand-year-old Overlord Tiger's right arm bone, solidifying its soul bone skill, Overlord Slash. It also enhances similar soul skills by 50%."

"Please take note, dear guests. When using this exceptional melee soul tool, every strike will carry the effect of Overlord Slash. This effect can stack with any similar attack-type soul skill. Furthermore, through precise core formation guidance and the natural energy stored within the soul bone, Overlord Slash consumes only one-third of the usual soul power."

"Most importantly… this is a Mingde Hall product!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room frowned slightly.

This weapon, while not among the top-tier soul tools of the Sun-Moon Empire, still incorporated some cutting-edge technology.

The fact that such an item had appeared in an auction within the Star Luo Empire already spoke volumes.

Xu Cheng's smile gradually faded.

He had already been aware of such things, but the deeper he delved, the more secrets he uncovered.

In the original story, this batch of "military equipment" had played a significant role in Shrek Academy's soul tool research.

And despite being a melee-type soul tool, for high-level soul masters, melee soul tools were sometimes even more important than ranged or stationary soul tools. A well-crafted melee soul tool—especially one tailored to its user—could increase overall combat strength by one or even two levels.

Qingyi was a prime example. After advancing to a ninth-tier soul engineer, her teacher personally crafted a battle axe for her, allowing her to leap from an ordinary Title Douluo to a Super Douluo-level existence.

As Xu Cheng had expected, in Shrek Academy's private room, everyone was already buzzing with excitement.

He Caitou was explaining the weapon's mechanics to the others, while Dai Yueheng was practically salivating, eager to snatch it up.

When the bidding window opened, Dai Yueheng successfully won the saber for 1.3 million, his face brimming with joy.

——

Back in the Sun-Moon Empire's room…

"Stationary Soul Cannon Shells!"

Princess Jiujiao's voice echoed through the room.

"These twelve stationary soul cannon shells are also Mingde Hall products. Under normal circumstances, they pose a lethal threat to Soul Douluo-level soul masters. Each one contains an intricate core formation, as complex as that of a sixth-tier soul tool.

"Their attributes include Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Light, Darkness, Poison, Lightning, Ice, Metal, Explosion, and Paralysis. They require a minimum of a sixth-tier stationary soul cannon to fire, and for rapid fire, a seventh-tier or higher is necessary."

Inside the Sun-Moon Empire's room, the atmosphere grew tense.

Lin Xi and the others stole glances at Xu Cheng, who remained outwardly calm, watching the screen with an indifferent expression. However, no one dared to make a sound.

They could joke around normally, but they never forgot who he was.

The Crown Prince of the Sun-Moon Empire.

The future ruler of the empire.

It was almost certain that when they returned, the empire would undergo a major shakeup. These weapons had most likely been smuggled out from the military or Mingde Hall itself.

And for someone to have access to these and still manage to cover it up, their background had to be significant.

But while others had powerful connections, he had no one above him anymore. (The old emperor had already withdrawn from politics, living in seclusion in the harem, leaving all authority to Xu Cheng.)

"Heh… how interesting."

Xu Cheng exhaled slowly, a smile forming on his face.

But even Xiao Hongchen felt his scalp tingle, because the more he understood Xu Cheng, the clearer it became—when he smiled like this, it meant he was truly angry.

In reality, Xu Jiujiao's description hadn't been exaggerated. If all twelve shells were indeed sixth-tier, their power would be enough to cause even Title Douluo serious trouble.

The issue wasn't whether they were eighth-tier or ninth-tier.

The issue was the technology inside them. That was the true core concern.

——

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Even the auction attendant stood frozen, occasionally sneaking glances at Xu Cheng.

The sheer pressure was overwhelming.

He was merely sitting there, but it felt as if she were in the presence of the Emperor himself…

——

Meanwhile, inside Shrek Academy's room…

"This craftsmanship is incredible! The core formation is right at the tail end of the shell. Whoa, this part alone contains an acceleration circuit! And it's huge—meaning once the shell is fired, its speed will be insane. No wonder they require at least a sixth-tier stationary cannon to launch; otherwise, it'd probably explode in the barrel!"

He Caitou marveled at the craftsmanship, his excitement almost making him dance.

Wang Yan leaned in and asked quietly, "Caitou, are these shells worth studying?"

He Caitou nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely! A hundred percent! Wang Laoshi, we must buy them. These past years, our soul tool department has been focusing on stationary soul tools, but we've been stuck on how to improve the power of stationary cannon shells."

"Right now, our best shells barely reach fifth-tier quality. These things are expensive and disposable, yet we still can't make them ourselves. With these, we'll have an invaluable reference for developing higher-tier stationary cannon shells."

"Alright, I'll contact the academy leadership for funding immediately!"

Wang Yan wasted no time.

Since they had no hope of winning the tournament, this was a chance to gain merit elsewhere.

At the very least, he could achieve something…

——

(End of Chapter)