Douluo: Yu Hao is reborn, this Tang San is different

Chapter 130 Auction House

Yu Xiaogang stared intently at her, a stubborn flame burning in his eyes: "That's my grudge, and I'll settle it myself. I don't need you to pretend to stand up for me!"

He recalled the rainy night when he was betrayed by his clan, and the desperate struggle when he was buried alive. The hatred and resentment in his heart almost consumed him. But even so, he did not want to see Bibi Dong start a bloody storm for his sake.

"Hypocritical?" Bibi Dong released her grip, stood up, and walked to the French windows, gazing at the brightly lit night view of Wuhun City. "You think I'm helping you? I'm just taking back what rightfully belongs to me. The Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan destroyed everything I had back then, and it's time to settle that score." Her voice calmed down, yet it was even more chilling than when she was angry.

Yu Xiaogang felt a wave of weakness wash over him. He leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and said, "Bibi Dong, stop. Hatred only plunges us into endless suffering. We've already lost too much."

“Lost?” Bibi Dong turned around abruptly, her eyes flashing with a crazed light. “From the moment they took me away from you, I had nothing left. Now, I will make them pay for their crimes in blood!” Her soul power swept through the entire hall like a black tide. “Remember, this is not for you, but for myself.”

The hall fell into a deathly silence, with only Yu Xiaogang's heavy breathing echoing in the air.

The air inside the Papal Palace suddenly froze. Yu Xiaogang struggled to sit up, his bloodied fingers digging deep into the cracks in the floor tiles. Bibi Dong stood with her back to him before the enormous angel mural. The cold light reflected from her gilded papal crown made the shadows around her appear even more chilling.

"If you dare to touch the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan, I will risk my life to destroy your Spirit Hall!" His voice was hoarse but firm, carrying a resolute determination to fight to the death.

Bibi Dong slowly turned around, a dangerous ripple appearing in her dark green eyes, like the deep sea churning before a storm. "You?"

Her voice carried an air of authority, and the sound of her slowly approaching footsteps echoed in the empty hall, "What makes a piece of trash like you, who can't even protect yourself, threaten me?"

As the words fell, an invisible soul force slashed across like a sharp blade, and the stone pillar beside Yu Xiaogang exploded with a bang, sending fragments flying across his scarred face.

Yu Xiaogang, however, did not back down. He leaned against the toppled stone pillar, his long, silver-gray hair disheveled and obscuring his eyes. "Bibi Dong, don't forget, you once said that even if you were to fight the whole world, you would protect the justice in your heart. Now, you are nothing but a madman blinded by hatred!" These words completely ignited Bibi Dong's rage. Her dark purple soul power surged wildly, extinguishing all the candles in the hall instantly, leaving only eerie green ghost flames flickering in the darkness.

"Justice?" Bibi Dong's laughter was full of sarcasm. "Where was justice when your family trampled me into the mud, when Qian Xunji destroyed everything I had with the dirtiest means?" She suddenly raised her hand, and Yu Xiaogang's body was uncontrollably suspended in the air, his throat gripped by an invisible force. "Do you know how I've survived all these years? I crawled in the darkness to survive, and finally managed to stand where I am today. And now you're talking to me about justice?"

Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red, but he still stubbornly met her gaze: "So you're going to make innocent people die with you? There are so many members of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family who have nothing to do with me! They are your people. As the Pope, you should disregard human life for personal revenge?"

His words struck like a hammer blow, causing Bibi Dong's hand, which was gripping him, to tremble slightly. Memories flooded back like a tidal wave; the image of the gentle, smiling girl under the cherry blossom tree and the ruthless pope before her kept overlapping and tearing apart in her mind.

"My people?" Bibi Dong suddenly released her grip, and Yu Xiaogang fell heavily to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood. She turned and walked towards the papal throne, each step filled with heavy hatred. "They were never my people, but merely pawns to achieve my goals. As long as the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family remains, the hatred in my heart will never be quelled!"

She sat on the throne, looking down at Yu Xiaogang. "You think you can stop me? Don't forget, with the Spirit Hall now, I can make the entire Douluo Continent tremble with a flick of my finger."

Yu Xiaogang struggled to sit up and pulled out a tattered manuscript of "Martial Soul Theory" from his soul tool—a labor of love they had written together in their youth.

The edges of the paper were charred black, and the ink was stained with blood, but the writing was still clearly legible.

"Look, every word on these is a dream we once had." His voice suddenly became calm, yet it was more heartbreaking than anger. "We said we would change the prejudice in the Soul Master world, that we would let even the weakest Martial Souls shine. But now, how are you any different from those who oppressed us?"

Bibi Dong's pupils suddenly contracted, her gaze fixed on the manuscript.

Memories from twenty years ago flooded back, when she and Yu Xiaogang stood under the willow trees at Notting College, dreaming of a bright future.

But the harsh reality crushed everything into dust.

"Shut up!" She suddenly unleashed a burst of soul power, instantly turning the manuscript into ashes. "The past should have died long ago!"

Yu Xiaogang gazed at the scattered ashes and smiled bitterly: "So you were already dead, dead on that night consumed by power and hatred. Since that's the case, then let's go!" He mustered his last bit of soul power, and the Luo Sanpao Martial Soul glowed faintly in his chest. "I was given this life by chance. Even if my soul is scattered today, I'll let you know that some bottom lines cannot be crossed!"

The atmosphere in the hall was tense and fraught with tension. Bibi Dong gripped the armrest of the throne so tightly that her nails almost dug into the gold. She looked at the scarred yet still stubborn man before her, her heart churning with complex emotions that were hard to describe.

Hatred and love clashed fiercely in her heart, finally transforming into a roar filled with resentment: "Yu Xiaogang, you will regret this! I'll see what you'll use to protect your family!"

With that, she turned and left, leaving Yu Xiaogang lying alone on the cold ground.

Outside the window, dark clouds gathered, and an even greater storm was quietly brewing in the darkness.

The Heaven Dou City was shrouded in a thin mist in late autumn, and the bronze gates of Blue Tyrant Academy showed mottled rust in the twilight. Tang San helped Yu Xiaogang cross the threshold, while Liu Erlong warily scanned the surroundings, nine blue lightning dragon shadows appearing and disappearing behind her.

Since their parting in the Starry Forest, Yu Xiaogang's injuries have improved, but he still walks with a slight limp, and his right hand often trembles unconsciously.

"Finally back." Yu Xiaogang stroked the vines on the corridor pillars, and withered leaves fell softly from his fingertips. Although the buildings of Blue Tyrant Academy were somewhat old, they still carried a familiar atmosphere.

Tang San gazed at the training ground where he had once practiced, while Xiao Wu skipped along beside him, her rabbit ears swaying gently under her cloak.

"Xiao San, are you really going to auction off the hidden weapons?" Liu Erlong suddenly spoke, her dragon eyes full of worry. "Those hidden weapons are extremely powerful. If they fall into the hands of someone with ill intentions..." Tang San gripped the Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moon Night Soul Guidance Device at his waist, inside which lay the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, Flying Claw, and other meticulously crafted hidden weapons.

"Teacher, Aunt Liu Erlong, Tang Clan's hidden weapons need to reappear on the continent, which is what I want to see. Moreover, we need funds to strengthen Shrek Academy." His eyes were firm as he recalled the important task Tang Chen had entrusted to him by the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

As night deepened, Tang San and Xiao Wu changed into inconspicuous black robes and sneaked into Suzaku Avenue, the most bustling street in Tiandou City. The golden signboard of the Tiangong Pavilion Auction House gleamed under the lanterns, and the armor of the guards at the entrance shone with a cold light.

Tang San took a deep breath and led Xiao Wu straight to the VIP passage.

The vermilion door, adorned with gilded beast-head rings, slowly opened, releasing a chill from the Heavenly Crafts Pavilion, carrying the scent of dragon's brain. A welcoming girl in a light gauze dress trembled slightly as she gazed at the two slender figures before her—the boy with silver hair like frost, the girl in a flowing pink dress, their youthful faces revealing a composure beyond their years.

She curtsied, the silver bell on her wrist jingling softly: "Distinguished guests, do you have any jade bidding tokens from the Heavenly Craft Pavilion?"

Xiao Wu's fluffy rabbit ears twitched under her cloak, and her almond-shaped eyes widened: "Jade token? What's that?"

The young woman maintained her professional smile, her wide sleeves fluttering as she pointed to the glass lamps on the dome: "These are the credentials for entering the auction house. The lowest grade, the White Crystal Jade Token, requires proof of assets of 10,000 Gold Soul Coins. After all, every item in the Heavenly Craft Pavilion is priceless, and this is a necessary regulation to prevent malicious bidding." Before she finished speaking, the boy's dark, jade-like pupils contracted slightly.

"Brother, do we have that much money?"

Xiao Wu tiptoed closer to Tang San's ear, her breath carrying the sweet fragrance of osmanthus cake. Tang San smiled wryly and shook his head. The Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moon Soul Guidance Device at his waist was slightly warm—it contained the gold soul coins he had won in the Soul Arena, but at this moment it seemed so meager.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to leave with her ears drooping, Tang San suddenly stepped forward, his dark blue robe sweeping across the cold marble: "If you have any rare items to bid on, may I come in?"

The young woman's eyes sparkled as she took out a gilded invitation from her sleeve: "Of course. However, the items submitted for auction must be appraised by the Treasure Appraisal Bureau, and only those valued at over a thousand gold soul coins can be auctioned. After a successful bid, the Heavenly Craft Pavilion will charge a 10% commission."

Xiao Wu and Tang San exchanged a glance. The latter lightly tapped his soul tool, taking out a palm-sized ebony box. The surface of the box was covered with honeycomb-like pores, and the bronze ring gleamed with a faint light. An intricate mechanism was also embedded in the opening and closing mechanism. "Take a picture of this." Tang San held the box in his palm, the candlelight flickering on the surface, making the pores look like countless peeping eyes.

"This is..." The girl was about to reach out when Xiao Wu suddenly stepped in front of her, her small fists slightly clenched: "Let's see what the appraiser has to say!"

Passing through three hanging flower gates, Tang San saw rare treasures he had never seen before displayed in the glass windows on both sides of the long corridor: bronze goose-fish lamps that opened and closed automatically, crystal balls that could reflect people's images, and black iron swords whose surfaces shimmered with soul power. Every ten steps, the girl would use her wide sleeves as a guide, her golden armor lightly tapping the corridor pillars, producing a clear and melodious sound.

Inside the appraisal office, the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood. Eight appraisers in black robes were busy around a jade screen. The young girl presented an ebony box to an elderly man with graying temples on his left side.
"Master No. 1, these are the items consigned by these two distinguished guests."

The old man's wrinkled fingers had barely touched the wooden box when his cloudy eyes suddenly widened. As he turned the box over, his fingertips traced the intricate holes, and he murmured incredulously, "The workmanship is so precise, the mortise and tenon joints fit together perfectly—it's a mechanical contraption?"

"Junior Tang San, this is a self-created hidden weapon—the Sand-Spitting Shadow." Tang San took half a step forward, and as his sleeve slipped down, he revealed the Tang Clan's sleeve arrow on his wrist. "Using a mechanism, it can instantly launch thirty-six poisoned steel needles, which can kill on sight within a hundred meters."

"Hidden weapons?" The old man jumped to his feet, the sandalwood chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound. He eagerly pushed the box towards Tang San: "Could you demonstrate?"
Before the words were even finished, the other appraisers in the appraisal department had already gathered around. Some took out magnifying glasses, while others took out soul power detectors, their eyes filled with fervor.

Meanwhile, dazzling crystal chandeliers hung from the dome of the Tiangong Pavilion auction house, illuminating the gilded display stands below in exquisite detail. Huo Yuhao, dressed in a simple, close-fitting outfit, stood in the shadows of the VIP section, his fingers unconsciously caressing the small jade bottle in his arms.

Inside the bottle, three pills the size of longan were emitting a soft glow. These were the "Rejuvenation and Life-Sustaining Pills" that he had spent three days and three nights refining, combining the Spirit Eye Martial Soul and the Mysterious Heaven Technique.

"Next bidder, please enter!" The auction house manager's voice resounded throughout the hall through the soul power amplifier. Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and slowly walked onto the stage.

Below the stage, dozens of fervent gazes instantly focused on him—after all, such a young bidder was extremely rare in the Tiangong Pavilion in the past hundred years.

"I am Huo Yuhao. Today I bring three self-made pills called the Rejuvenating and Life-Sustaining Pills." His voice was clear and steady. The moment he uncorked the jade bottle, a refreshing medicinal fragrance filled the entire room. Several elders in the front row stood up simultaneously, their nostrils flaring: "This fragrance... is so pure?"

Huo Yuhao placed the pill in a specially made glass dish, his fingertips flashing with blue light: "This pill is made primarily with thousand-year-old ginseng and ice jade marrow, supplemented with more than thirty kinds of rare medicinal herbs. After taking it, it can not only instantly restore 70% of soul power, but also heal internal injuries and repair meridians. Even those on the verge of death will have a glimmer of hope."

"Hmph, exaggeration!" A sneer came from the corner. A middle-aged Soul Master in a brocade robe stood up, the Soul Saint badge at his waist gleaming coldly. "Little brat, the Heavenly Craft Pavilion is not a place for you to spout nonsense! Without concrete evidence, believe me, I'll let you come in upright and leave horizontal!"

Huo Yuhao remained expressionless and took out a snow-white rabbit from his sleeve—the very soul beast puppet he controlled with his mental power.

He flicked his finger, and a pill fell into the rabbit's mouth. In an instant, the previously listless white rabbit's fur stood on end, its wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and it even hopped around the arena twice.

The entire room erupted in uproar. Several herbal medicine merchants exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock: "This effect... even top-tier alchemists would find it difficult to achieve!"

"I am willing to offer three thousand gold soul coins to buy these three pills!" An old man in the front row, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, spoke first.

"Three thousand five!"

"four thousand!"

(End of this chapter)