Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife

For a soul engineer, a carving knife is no less valuable than a blueprint for a Level 9 soul tool.

Whenever one of these carving knives emerges, it inevitably triggers a frenzy among high-level soul engineers. Even at top-tier auctions, such items rarely make an appearance.

It's no exaggeration to say that these knives are seen only once in a century!

The crowd began to discuss excitedly, and the auction hall buzzed with energy.

Upon hearing this, Su Luoheng's pupils contracted suddenly as if something had just flashed through his mind.

A ranked carving knife, at an auction?

Could it be that one?

To actually appear here... Is it really that much of a coincidence?

But even if it isn't that particular carving knife, he was determined to try and acquire it. Ranked carving knives are especially important for soul engineers, and a quality knife could greatly enhance his efficiency.

At the same time...

In the auction hall below, several people could no longer hold back and started urging them to proceed.

"Yao Yao, let the bidding begin already!"

Li Yaoyao smiled gently and calmed the crowd's eager anticipation. "Please, esteemed guests, hold your excitement for a moment. Actually, there's something you should know about this carving knife. It has a reputation that I'm sure most of you soul engineers are aware of: Ranked ninety-nine on the Carving Knife Leaderboard, it's infamously known as the 'Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife.'"

"..."

"Therefore, we urge our valued guests to consider carefully before purchasing. We can guarantee that as long as you don't channel soul power into it, there won't be any backlash against the wielder. So, even as a ranked carving knife, it could still be a valuable collectible."

Li Yaoyao continued explaining the story of the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife in detail.

To summarize, this carving knife is incredibly powerful, but it also carries a significant downside. None of its previous owners have escaped its harmful effects, and the auction house advises potential buyers to prioritize it as a collector's item.

If one insists on using it... any accidents would be at their own risk.

So, despite it being a ranked carving knife, upon hearing about its side effects, some attendees' enthusiasm began to wane.

A carving knife that can't be used—no matter how precious—what good is it?

"..."

In a private box on the second floor...

"It really is the Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife!"

Su Luoheng's breathing quickened, his eyes locked intently on the auction platform—more precisely, on the carving knife on it!

That carving knife actually appeared here.

But the curse on it posed a problem. The only one who could currently lift it was Electrolux, but at this moment...

Su Luoheng's eyes lit up!

Immediately, he focused, gathering his spiritual power to make contact with the Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife again. This time, a sharp aura surged toward him.

But unlike before, this time he didn't evade it!

Boom—

In that brief moment, he seemed to see a sharp blade, slicing through his condensed spiritual power.

He quickly withdrew his spiritual power, bringing back with it a remnant of the Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife's sharp aura. The Sea of Spirit within him rippled slightly as it absorbed the impact.

This commotion—was it enough?

"Life-Gold?!"

"How could that appear here?!"

Just as Su Luoheng was pondering, a faint gray bead in the Sea of Spirit—the lingering consciousness of Electrolux—began to tremble slightly. In the next moment, a voice filled with astonishment echoed within.

"It worked!"

Upon hearing the voice, Su Luoheng felt a surge of joy in his heart.

With Electrolux awakened, the issue of the knife's curse would naturally be resolved!

"Senior? You've awakened again?" Su Luoheng asked, acting as if nothing unusual had happened.

Electrolux took a deep breath, trying to suppress the excitement in his tone.

"Kid, if my eyes don't deceive me, this carving knife is made from Life-Gold. It's no ordinary blade—you must win it, no matter the cost!"

Su Luoheng feigned concern. "Senior, according to their introduction, this carving knife is supposed to be cursed."

"Just win it. Once it's in your hands, I'll sense it and help you resolve its curse. To be frank, having it will bring you immense benefits. Moreover, my remaining consciousness won't have to worry about fading away."

Electrolux didn't hold back, explaining the advantages of Life-Gold.

"I understand." Su Luoheng nodded earnestly.

Even without Electrolux, he would still want this knife! Others might not realize its significance, but he knew well that Life-Gold could be life-saving. Having it was like having a second life.

Even if the curse couldn't be lifted immediately, he couldn't afford to miss this chance.

"The Soul-Devouring Carving Knife has a starting bid of 300,000 gold soul coins, with a minimum increment of 1,000 gold soul coins. Esteemed guests, you may begin bidding."

Li Yaoyao's gaze swept across the hall, her face adorned with a smile.

Despite the knife's infamous reputation, she had no fear of it failing to sell.

After all, it was a ranked carving knife. Especially with its two unique properties, it was an irresistible temptation for soul engineers!

Furthermore, this was the Sun Moon Empire, where soul engineers held a prominent place.

A high-quality carving knife could bring countless benefits.

Status, prestige, wealth, and more.

So, even though these high-ranking soul engineers knew about the dangers, many still felt tempted to try their luck.

Who knew—maybe the curse would end with them?

Fortune favors the bold, after all. Perhaps they'd be the lucky one?

[Author Note: According to the original story, the Soul-Devouring Knife first appeared in a top-tier auction, was purchased by the Starlight Auction House, and then passed through several auctions in Star Luo City before finally appearing before the main character. So, I've placed its initial auction appearance here.]

The auction for the Soul-Devouring Knife officially began!

"300,000 gold soul coins!"

"305,000 gold soul coins!"

"320,000 gold soul coins!"

"330,000 gold soul coins!"

Before Su Luoheng could even bid, others had already jumped in eagerly.

In fact, two out of the ten private boxes had already started bidding for the knife.

As expected, even with the knife's notorious reputation, it was hard for soul engineers to resist trying.

And besides, if the knife was dangerous with repeated use, they'd simply use it sparingly. Surely, solutions could be found for any problem...

Once the guests in the private boxes joined the bidding, the regular bidders in the audience essentially lost their chance to compete.

Initially, a few regulars tried to keep up.

But when the price rose to 340,000, only two private boxes were left competing, leaving the other bidders without even the chance to join.

"350,000 gold soul coins!"

The light screen for Box Five updated with a high bid.

"355,000 gold soul coins!"

Box Two followed closely, but this time the increment was only 5,000.

At this price point, Box Five went silent for a while. Finally, as Li Yaoyao began the second countdown, the light screen refreshed, raising the price to 360,000 gold soul coins.

This time, Box Two fell completely silent.

It wasn't because they lacked the funds, but because they wanted to save resources for the final showpiece items.