When Qian Yu and the others entered the auction house, they found that the decoration was extremely posh, with precious crystals, diamonds, and various other ornaments hanging around as if they were free of charge...
Just one glance was enough to make it clear that this was not a place for the poor!
And that very obvious high-end atmosphere could even make the poor feel a strong sense of inferiority deep down...
Tang Wutong asked with a curious face, "Senior Brother Xu, since you are so familiar, did you use to enjoy coming here a lot?"
She had once been the Young Sect Master of the Hao Tian Clan, but she spent most of her time within the sect grounds. Niu Tian and Titan would hardly allow her to leave the Hao Tian Clan!
Xu Sanshi, upon hearing her question, seemed to think of something, and his face suddenly turned red as he coughed a few times, disguising his words, "Cough cough... that can't be said. I had no choice back in the day, the elders of the sect always had to take me out to see the world."
Jiang Nannan, standing by his side, saw this very suspicious behavior from Xu Sanshi, and a hint of skepticism flashed through her eyes...
But in the next moment, she felt she probably knew why Xu Sanshi's face was red...
They saw two men with their cheeks covered and wearing grey robes walking into the auction place, carrying between them a cage-like object that resembled an enormous birdcage...
Even though it was covered with a black cloth, one could faintly see the cage trembling continuously, and from within came the sound of subdued whimpers...
Tang Wutong's attention was also drawn, and with her beautiful eyes fixed on the cage-like object, she asked Xu Sanshi curiously, "Senior Brother Xu, what is inside that? A pet?"
Xu Sanshi, knowing full well that there was a living person inside, said somewhat guiltily, "Cough cough... yes, it's a pet. Sister Wu Tong, Sister Nannan, let's hurry inside."
Jiang Nannan, with an ugly look on her face, turned to Qian Yu and asked, "Qian Yu, can you tell what's inside there?"
She probably had a hunch already, but she still wasn't quite sure!
If even this kind of thing was allowed, then the auction house definitely wasn't a good place.
Qian Yu's gaze sharpened as a few threads of Divine Power quietly surged into the birdcage hidden beneath the cloth...
His eyes flickered a few times, and he thought to himself, "Is this... a Soul Master who has experienced anomalies due to a mutation of their Martial Soul?"
Seeing the change in Qian Yu's expression, Jiang Nannan urgently asked, "Qian Yu, what is inside?"
Qian Yu did not answer but waved his hand...
A great gust suddenly burst forth, effortlessly sweeping away the black cloth covering the cage, revealing its true content...
The structure on the outside was indeed a birdcage, but inside, shockingly, was a naked Female Soul Master, her enticing face like an aphrodisiac that no man could resist...
But the difference was, this Female Soul Master had the ears of a beast! Her body had undergone a mutation due to her Martial Soul...
Seeing this scene, both Tang Wutong and Jiang Nannan's pupils constricted in disbelief, "This... is this human trafficking?"
Tang Wutong looked at Xu Sanshi with some anger, "Senior Brother Xu, is this what you called a pet?"
Jiang Nannan, looking at the two black-robed men crouching down to pick up the black cloth, coldly scolded, "Disgusting!"
What was most critical was that, despite the other guests around her witnessing this scene, they continued to chat and laugh, as if trafficking humans was nothing out of the ordinary in the auction house...
Xu Sanshi sighed, "I was just afraid that all this would affect your moods..."
His gaze fell upon the Beast-transformed Female Soul Master in the cage, staring at her beast ears, "Moreover, this is the best outcome for these Female Soul Masters who have undergone Beast Transformation. Otherwise, they would face starvation, abuse to death, and worse..."
For this Beast-transformed Female Soul Master to be brought to the Starlight Auction House for sale, she was already fortunate...
Others who were less fortunate and had undergone a worse transformation were privately imprisoned and tortured, a truly living hell...
Hearing Xu Sanshi say this, Tang Wutong and Jiang Nannan both fell into silence…
Upon careful consideration, they really believed it was so…
The two men responsible for transporting the cage covered it again with black cloth and continued to carry the birdcage further inside…
Qian Yu glanced at Tang Wutong and Jiang Nannan, who were still in a daze, and whispered, "Let's go. As long as we take care of ourselves, that's enough. Everyone has their own fate; it's not like we can save everyone, right?"
Things like this would never stop unless all of humanity were to perish…
Regaining her composure, Tang Wutong nodded, her beautiful eyes once again shining with resolve…
Xu Sanshi, on the other hand, gently took Jiang Nannan's hand and comforted her softly, "Nannan, don't be saddened for that female soul master. Maybe she'll meet a good buyer and lead a life no worse than the average person."
Those words were spoken just for the sake of saying them. If they were good buyers, would they buy her?
Unexpectedly, Jiang Nannan responded with a simple "Mhm!"
Seeing that Jiang Nannan wasn't taking him seriously, Xu Sanshi heaved a sigh of relief and said smugly, "Then let's go! With my status, we should be able to sit in the front row at this auction!"
...
After Qian Yu and the others found their assigned seats and sat down…
Tang Wutong teased Xu Sanshi without giving any face, "Senior Brother Xu, didn't you say that with your status, you could sit in the front row?"
Xu Sanshi replied with a thick-skinned laugh, "Hehe... aren't we sitting in the front row right now?"
Jiang Nannan spoke in an exasperated tone, "Xu Sanshi, give it a rest. They let us sit in the front row because they saw Qian Yu is a ninth-rank soul-guidance master!"
After Xu Sanshi revealed his identity, he could only secure a much farther back position!
It was different for Qian Yu. Once he showed his identity as a ninth-rank soul-guidance master, those people couldn't wait to brown-nose behind him!
If it hadn't been for his expressing that he didn't want to be disturbed, those people wouldn't miss the chance to curry favor!
Upon hearing her words, Xu Sanshi said with a tone full of grievance, "Nannan, after all, you're my woman. Is it really okay to expose me like that?"
Tang Wutong's gaze turned to the other guests, noticing that they too were watching them with surprise in their eyes...
She wondered, "It seems the other guests are all watching us! Is it because we look young yet are able to sit in the front row?"
Basking in the envious glances of others, Xu Sanshi proudly boasted, "Of course, those who can sit here are at least of royal noble or high official rank!"
Jiang Nannan sighed and said, "Let's talk about it when you reach that level."
The guests around them began to whisper, "Look at those four young people. They can actually sit in the front row of the auction house; they must have a deep background!"
"Exactly! They must be very influential!"
"I want to sit in the front row too; it must feel absolutely glorious!"
"Everyone, quiet down, the auction is about to begin!"
The auctioneer on the stage elegantly placed a hand over his right chest and bowed, saying, "First of all, I would like to welcome you all on behalf of Starlight Auction House. I believe everyone here will be able to bid on items to their heart's content."
Then, standing tall, he continued with an impassioned voice to stir up the atmosphere, "Now, without further ado, let's begin our auction!"
"The first auction item..."