Douluo Continent: The Twin Sons of the Styx River, Shaking the World and Destroying the Heavens

Chapter 267 Slave
The female auctioneer above clapped her hands lightly, the crisp sound instantly silencing the noise in the room. With a polite smile on her face, she naturally drew everyone's attention back to herself as she looked around.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to finish my introduction. This person has committed murder, the specific crimes of which cannot be detailed. In short, this woman's crimes are unforgivable. With the personal approval and signature of Silver Moon Douluo, it has been decided to impose the most severe and humiliating punishment on her in accordance with the law—using the latest soul tool technology of our country, she has been branded with the steel mark of ideological enslavement, and has been put into the status of slave, to be a slave for life."

The female auctioneer's voice was calm and even, as if she were describing an ordinary item: "Starting price, ten million gold soul coins."

Suddenly, a man in the arena jumped to his feet, his chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound. His face was flushed, and his eyes gleamed with undisguised greed and eagerness. He shouted in a gruff voice, "A beautiful female Soul Douluo is absolutely worth this price! I bid fifty-one million!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he puffed out his chest and swept his gaze over the female soul master, as if he already considered her his for the taking.

No one knew that the stunningly beautiful female Soul Master being auctioned off was none other than Tang Wutong. Miss Shangguan had already used special methods to disguise her, and that exquisitely beautiful yet unfamiliar face completely concealed her original appearance. Even if familiar people were present at this moment, it would be extremely difficult for them to recognize her true identity.

Moreover, the drug Miss Shangguan used to change her appearance was extremely special. This drug had remarkable effects, fundamentally altering facial contours and features, making it a top-tier tool for disguise.

What's more troublesome is that there is no antidote. Once used, the new face will be permanently fixed, and there is no possibility of returning to its original state.

The auction hall erupted in a cacophony of enthusiastic bidding: "Sixty-five million!" "Seventy million!" "Eighty million!"... The shouts rose higher and higher. The powerful men from the great families and sects stared intently at Tang Wutong, their faces filled with an eager determination to win her over. They displayed undisguised enthusiasm for this special "item," as if they wouldn't give up until they had secured it.

Inside the hall, as a series of bids rang out, it was as if an invisible shackle had been broken. The Soul Masters who were quite influential in the Sun Moon Empire instantly became excited and raised their bidding paddles in high spirits.

Fifty million gold soul coins may seem like a huge sum, but for the well-established Sun Moon Empire, it's just a drop in the ocean. Their eyes gleamed with determination, and the bidding rose like a tidal wave, showing no sign of stopping.

Tang Wutong's value has long exceeded these ever-increasing figures.

Her stunning beauty alone was enough to drive countless men mad—even if she were merely kept as an ornament, the daily sight of her splendor would be an immense satisfaction for these powerful men. Not to mention she was once a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse; even now, with her martial soul stripped and her strength sealed, the innate Soul Master talent within her remains. If bought and patiently nurtured, or carefully cultivated with secret techniques, her potential might be rekindled: tamed as a fighter, she could add a hidden fighting force to the family; used as a vessel to cultivate offspring, her superior Soul Master bloodline could potentially produce exceptionally gifted offspring, ensuring the family's continued prominence for decades to come.

The bidding in the arena grew increasingly urgent. Among the bids, some revealed an undisguised possessiveness, some concealed a calculating and utilitarian mindset, and others carried an almost pathological desire for conquest. They stared at the silent figure on the stage, their eyes scrutinizing him as if he were examining a perfect object, calculating how to dismantle and utilize it to extract the last bit of value.

Without the constraints of law or the shackles of morality, faced with the allure of profit, the greed deep within human nature is exposed like a wild beast breaking free of its cage, laid bare in the torchlight. The so-called demeanor of the strong and the dignity of the family become mere embellishments in the bidding process; only the word "obtain" remains their sole criterion.

Tang Wutong lowered her head, her long hair covering most of her face, but it couldn't block the burning gazes from below the stage. They brazenly swept over her hair, neck, and waist, even tracing her contours through her silk outfit. Every inch of their gaze felt like being branded with a hot iron, causing a burning stinging pain on her skin and a chill seeping into her very bones.

That wasn't appreciation, much less respect; it was the scrutiny of a hunter sizing up its prey, the pickiness of a buyer assessing goods, the contempt of the powerful for their captive. These gazes wove together an impenetrable net, trapping her completely, leaving her nowhere to hide. The humiliation in her heart surged like magma in her chest; each bid was like adding fuel to a volcano, burning anger and shame pounding in her throat, yet locked tightly within her by shackles and seals, preventing even a scream. "Nine hundred and thirty million!" "Nine hundred and fifty million!"

"One billion!"

When the bid of "one billion gold soul coins" pierced the clamor, a brief pause occurred in the arena. This number struck Tang Wutong's heart like a boulder, making her tremble—her dignity, her past, everything about her was being openly priced and placed on this filthy auction floor, measured in one billion gold soul coins.

She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms. The cold shackles ached on her wrists, but nothing compared to the suffocating feeling in her heart. The volcano called "humiliation" was still gathering strength, its scalding lava repeatedly washing over her sanity, but she could only force herself to stay awake—she couldn't go mad, she couldn't collapse. As long as she had a breath left, she couldn't let these people succeed completely.

The gazes from below grew increasingly intense. Some were already rubbing their hands excitedly, while others whispered to their attendants about the arrangements after the bid. The whispers pierced the ears like needles: "A billion for a beauty with the Contra background, worth it!" "Once we bring her back to the manor, we'll first wear down her arrogance..."

Tang Wutong closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her pink and blue heterochromatic eyes were filled with an icy stillness. Only deep within her eyes, a faint light stubbornly flickered—that was her pride, which, even after being humiliated to this extent, had not been completely extinguished.

Inside the private room, Xu Tianzhen suddenly looked at the female official beside her, her eyes filled with disbelief and shock, her voice trembling slightly: "She's Tang Wutong? Grandpa Kong... that's what he ordered?"

The lady-in-waiting lowered her head, her tone respectful and affirmative: "Yes, Your Majesty."

In the end, the fierce bidding concluded with a hammer price of one billion gold soul coins, and the winner was a prince of the Sun Moon Empire.

This prince was not only Xu Tianzhen's uncle, but also a member of the Spirit Pagoda. He slowly lowered his bidding paddle, a confident smile on his face, his gaze falling on Tang Wutong with a hint of scrutiny and amusement. "One billion gold soul coins, sold!" The female auctioneer's voice was crisp and clear, then she smiled at the prince, "Congratulations to this distinguished guest! The auction is now over. All the guests who won the bids, please be patient and follow me to collect your items."

Xu Rongyue secretly calculated: This woman is indeed outstanding in appearance. Anyway, it's just a matter of transferring money from one hand to the other. I'll buy her first and make her Xiaoyu's maid. Even if I can't make her a confidante in the future, I can still give her away to win over others. It's still a worthwhile deal.

The Sun and Moon Auction House was extremely efficient. Before long, Xu Rongyue led Tang Wutong, who had been branded with the ideology, away from the venue.

No one knows exactly how this mental imprint is applied, but once you try it, you'll know its effectiveness—no matter what Xu Rongyue says, this nominal "servant" must do as she says, his movements swift and without the slightest hesitation, even if his eyes hide a thousand unwillingnesses, his body will never disobey in the slightest.

Tang Wutong remained silent throughout. Although her handcuffs and shackles had been removed, she still felt as if she were bound by invisible chains, following closely behind her new "master."

Her pink and blue heterochromatic eyes were lowered, concealing all emotions; only her tightly clenched fingertips betrayed her undying resentment.