Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San
Chapter 982: Securing the Betrothal Gift

Chapter 982: Securing the Betrothal Gift

In an instant, the bid had skyrocketed. And even when it reached the tens of thousands, the bidding continued. A simple calculation made it clear: What the Blue Gold Tree clan was spending now was no longer the profits from selling the Blue Gold Fruit the other day, but their true foundation.

Many of the powerful clans had been saving their strength specifically for the final few highlight items. Everyone knew that the real treasures were always held for last, and these final items might even influence the rankings in the Battle for the Throne. Sure enough, this fifth-to-last item was already a top-tier treasure. Then what about the ones that followed? Surely they would be even more extraordinary.

Twenty thousand amethystine coins... This was truly an astronomical number.

Inside VIP Room Eleven, Mei Gongzi heard this bid and, though Luo Qingzhu signaled that she could keep going—Kali City certainly had that much wealth—Mei Gongzi still chose to withdraw. She was not just Mei Gongzi. She was the lord of a city, the leader of the Peacock Demon clan. She couldn't spend her entire clan's fortune on a personal whim. The Aetherhorn Merchant Association under Kali City was wealthy, but she couldn't be selfish.

Tang San, on the other hand, felt no such psychological burden. Not only was his wallet stuffed to the brim, but it wasn't even his own money that he was spending.

"Twenty thousand amethystine coins, from VIP Room Eight. Any higher bids?" the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor said with a smile on the stage. He had expected the final items to fetch outrageous prices, but for the Lifebond Necklace to instantly reach this level was still surprising. And the bidding wasn't even over yet.

He himself wanted this necklace, intending to leave it for future generations. But the value had to be weighed against other things, and indeed, twenty thousand amethystine coins could buy many other things. The Lifebond Necklace's greatest advantages were teleportation and shared life force, but it wasn't the kind of artifact that guaranteed one's ascension to Emperorhood. Its reasonable value had a limit, and twenty thousand was already past that.

"Twenty-one thousand, VIP Room Six." The Behemoth clan was starting to look truly determined.

"Twenty-five thousand, VIP Room Eight."

The hall burst into commotion again. Since when had amethystine coins become so worthless? Did that guy think the prices were in demonshards?

At this moment, everyone gained a new understanding of the Blue Gold Tree clan's wealth. No, this clearly wasn't a bluff; no one raised the price by such a margin unless they were ready to pay. No one dared cause trouble at such a prestigious auction, not after an example had just been made of the very prestigious Scorching Sunflower clan. That meant the Blue Gold Tree clan truly could afford it.

"Twenty-five thousand amethystine coins—any higher offers?" the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor asked again, glancing instinctively toward VIP Room Eight.

Inside, Tang San remained calm. No matter the cost, he was determined to obtain this necklace. Little Mei, this time, no matter what, I won't let you leave me again.

None of the Blue Gold Tree clan elders voiced objections. In fact, they were visibly excited. To them, this divine item was something their clan truly needed. Unlike the other city lords, Tang San was still young and had just taken over as clan leader. The Blue Gold Tree clan was known for their longevity. If Tang San could form a life bond with a powerful individual, it would significantly increase his chances of living that full lifespan, paving the way for even greater future growth for the clan.

Was twenty-five thousand expensive? Yes. Could the Blue Gold Tree clan easily afford it? Also yes.

"Twenty-five thousand amethystine coins, going once," announced the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor.

Inside VIP Room Six, Lan Moqian of the Behemoth clan clenched her fists in frustration. Just before the item went up for auction, the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor had privately told them to bid if they could secure it under twenty-five thousand. Obviously, the item would be perfect for her and Ning Chen'en.

Though Jin Anguo was both the clan leader of the Behemoth clan and city lord of Sky-Splitting City, he couldn't defy the Emperor's command. He had to bid. But now that the price had reached twenty-five thousand, he would not go any further. No matter how close Lan Moqian was to him—she was his cousin, after all—this level of expense wasn't something he could justify for someone else. He too had his eyes on the throne in the Emperor's Contest. Who didn't?

"Twenty-five thousand amethystine coins, going twice."

"Twenty-five thousand amethystine coins, going three times. Sold! The Lifebond Necklace goes to VIP Room Eight."

The hammer fell. The bid was complete, and with this, Tang San had successfully acquired a divine artifact of great personal significance.

As he surreptitiously withdrew his divine consciousness, a faint smile bloomed on his lips. To avoid detection by the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, he had even drawn upon the power of his divine seat to examine the Lifebond Necklace in secret.

He had to confirm just how far this necklace's contract could go. And after detecting a trace of universal law within the contract, he fully committed to acquiring it. If this level of law was behind the contract, then even God Kings could be bound by it. That was more than sufficient.

He wasn't planning to use it with Mei Gongzi just yet; it wasn't the right time. Giving it to her now would expose their relationship, making it impossible to maintain his Jin Miaolin alter ego. That would come later.

The price of twenty-five thousand amethystine coins pushed the auction to a new climax and heightened the anticipation for the remaining items.

Only four treasures remained. And until now, most of the powerful clans had been holding back, saving their strength for the final showdown.

There was no doubt that these last five items could directly influence the outcome of the Battle for the Throne. The closer to the end, the greater the impact.

"Next, let us welcome our second highlight item," the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor announced onstage.

A gentle white glow slowly rose from beneath the stage, but unlike any of the previous items, it did not settle directly on it. Instead, it floated upward, and it only stopped once it was about ten meters high.

Spectators were taken aback.

Is that a... live human child? No... that can't be right.

She did indeed have the stature of a two-year-old human infant, but her proportions were very much unlike one. In fact, she looked more like a delicate porcelain doll modeled after a teenage girl. She was dressed in ornate clothes, and surrounded by a faint golden aura. In her hand she held a green scepter made of a jade-like material, and six transparent wings fluttered gently behind her.

As soon as she appeared, she beat her wings hard, clearly trying to fly higher, but she was held back by some unseen force.

She wore a clearly upset expression and waved her green scepter angrily, producing waves of milky-white light that made the entire auction hall glow brighter. The atmosphere around her seemed to become fresher due to her very presence.

Very pretty, but... what is she?

The entire venue burst into chatter. Almost none of the bidders recognized what they were seeing. She clearly wasn't human; humans didn't have wings, and a two-year-old infant had no business looking like a teenager. But neither did she seem to be from any known demon or nymph race, so... what was she?