Douluo Continent, Huo Yuhao, the villain from a parallel world

Although his soul was shattered, his vision remained at the level of a god-king.

Even if these soul tools and soul bones of this caliber were given to him for free, he wouldn't bother to use or refine them.

Time passed by, second by second.

The items on the auction stage changed round after round, with varying prices and bidders experiencing both joy and anger.

Huo Yuhao remained quietly seated in his position, motionless, as if he were asleep.

He only slowly opened his eyes when the lights on the auction stage suddenly brightened.

A female auctioneer walked gracefully from the side of the stage onto the auction platform.

She wore a purple, fitted long dress that accentuated her slender figure.

Her long, jet-black hair was styled into an elegant bun at the back of her head, with a few wisps of hair falling beside her ears, adding a touch of softness.

Her face was delicate and dignified, with a perfectly placed smile on her lips and slightly upturned eyes, exuding a unique charm of a mature woman.

"Distinguished guests," her voice was warm and magnetic, her tone unhurried, "I am Linya, the auctioneer for the second half of tonight's auction. I will be hosting the following auctions."

Chapter 17 The Carving Knife Appears (Please continue reading!)

She walked slowly to the front of the auction stage, leaned slightly forward, and placed her hands on the stage.

This movement accentuated her slender figure and lowered her voice, adding a layer of mystery.

"Distinguished guests, tonight's special surprise is about to begin." A faint blush rose on Lin Ya's fair cheeks, her tone filled with barely concealed anticipation.

"This is also the last item up for auction tonight. Given its status, it shouldn't be relegated to our auction room number seven."

"But to thank everyone for their continued support of Starlight, the chief auctioneer has made an exception and moved it to the final spot tonight."

She paused briefly, her gaze slowly sweeping over the masks of all the guests, the curve of her lips deepening slightly.

"Its value is indeed much higher than all the other items up for auction tonight, but I can assure you that those who know their stuff will only think it's worth more than its price."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped back half a step and made a gesture toward the side of the stage.

"Please welcome the hostess to bring this special gift to the stage."

A bright light shone on the side of the auction stage. Two hostesses in red dresses pushed a cart slowly onto the stage.

This trolley is a full size larger than any of the previous auction items, and what's even more eye-catching is that the cloth covering the trolley is a bright, true red.

At the Starlight Auction House, color is the indicator of rank.

Gold is reserved for the most prestigious auctions, while red follows closely behind, ranking alongside 100,000-year soul rings.

An item that warrants the use of a red cover at an auction house is certainly no ordinary piece, even when considered within the broader context of the Starlight Auction House's catalog.

Huo Yuhao's gaze was fixed on the cart.

The moment the red veil was pushed onto the auction stage, his eyes narrowed slightly.

A cold, sharp aura silently seeped out from under the red cloth, traversing several meters and precisely piercing his mental perception.

That aura was extremely faint; if his spiritual power hadn't far surpassed that of other Soul Masters of the same level, he wouldn't have been able to detect it at all.

Cold, sharp, and bloodthirsty.

No doubt about it. This is the only thing he's waiting for tonight.

Linya walked to the cart, put one hand on the edge of the red cloth, but did not rush to lift it.

Her gaze swept across the room again, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"I'm sure you're all curious about what this mysterious gift is. It's getting late, so I won't keep you in suspense any longer."

She tapped her fingertips lightly twice on the red cloth.

"This item is both the most common tool and the most indispensable partner for Soul Masters. No Soul Master can do without it on their desk."

Linya's fingers slowly tightened, gripping the edge of the red cloth.

"Before I lift the cloth, I'll just say one more thing: based on its value and rarity, it's more than qualified to be included in a top-tier gold auction."

With a flick of her wrist, the red cloth fell to the ground.

All eyes in the room were focused on it, but there was no dazzling brilliance or dazzling radiance.

There was only one ordinary-looking item on the display stand, which, as Lin Ya said, every Soul Master was extremely familiar with.

The reason the red cloth was raised so high was not because the item was large, but because it was placed on an exquisite wooden display stand.

Now that the veil has been removed, everyone can finally see its true appearance.

It is about half a foot long and as thick as a finger. It gradually narrows from bottom to top, with a sharp point at the top and a blade about half an inch wide at the base.

It is entirely black, with a deep, ancient color, and there are faint patterns engraved on the blade surface.

The chilling aura emanating from beneath the red cloth intensified, becoming even more somber and oppressive.

A carving knife.

The eyes of the several Soul Masters in the arena lit up almost simultaneously.

The carving knife is something that Soul Masters are very familiar with; from novice apprentices to masters, no one can do without it.

But Linya's next words made everyone realize that this carving knife was not as simple as it looked.

"Some of the Soul Master friends present should have already recognized him."

Lin Ya's gaze lingered on the faces of the guests whose eyes were shining, and she smiled lightly, "That's right, it's a carving knife, but there's a reason why it's placed as the grand finale."

She turned to the side so that the light would fall better on the display stand.

"There is an unwritten ranking in the world of Soul Masters, which only accepts the top one hundred carving knives in the entire continent, each one a rare gem selected from thousands."

"Unfortunately, two-thirds of the spots on this list are in the hands of the Sun Moon Empire, which is also an important reason why the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Master industry is thriving and produces a constant stream of talents."

She paused, her gaze sweeping around the room.

"And the one you see tonight is a plaque engraving knife."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

The words "Listing and Carving Knife" jolted the drowsy guests awake, drawing their attention back to the unassuming, dark knife on the display stand.

After the discussion subsided, Lin Ya continued speaking.

"This carving knife has a name, called Soul Devourer. Its history is over three thousand years old, and it first appeared in the Sun and Moon Empire."

"It was forged by a Soul Master with exceptional talent. It is said that he eventually reached level nine, making him a top figure across the entire continent."

"But he is not only a Soul Master, but also a Soul Master, and an extremely terrifying evil Soul Master."

The moment the words "evil spirit master" were uttered, the atmosphere in the room immediately became subtle.

Many people frowned, and their previously eager gazes immediately became less intense.

Linya seemed to have anticipated this reaction, her tone remained calm, but with an added air of seriousness.

"Three thousand years ago, this evil soul master once stirred up a bloody storm on the continent. This Soul Devouring Carving Blade was forged during the last years of his life."

"Legend has it that not long after he forged this sword, he encountered his destined enemy. After a great battle, this man, who was both a genius and a ruthless one, perished."

"After his death, the carving knife was not buried with him, but was lost to the common people."

Her fingers lightly traced the blade, but she didn't actually touch it.

"According to the history we have traced, the Soul-Devouring Carving Blade has had thirty-seven owners since its inception."

"None of these thirty-seven people met a good end. Nine of them even underwent a drastic personality change after obtaining the carving knife, and eventually also embarked on the path of evil soul masters."

The audience was silent.

"According to the records, the reason why this knife is so dangerous is that it contains a wisp of the remnant soul that the evil soul master injected before his death."

"This remnant soul will unknowingly erode the user's mind, leading them to evil and destruction."

"Only those with great willpower should not touch it. Even if you believe you have strong willpower, you should not use it frequently. Otherwise, over time, you will inevitably suffer the consequences of being devoured."

Linya sighed softly.

"That's why this once-glorious engraving knife has seen its ranking drop again and again, falling from the top twenty in its early years to its current position."

"It has already fallen as low as it can go, but because of its rich history and past fame, it has never been completely removed from the list."

Chapter 18 Devouring Remnant Souls (Please continue reading!)

"However," she changed the subject, "for a long time, many collectors have been fond of it, and we hope that a suitable owner will take it away."

"If the holder is of the Light attribute, the risk of backlash will be much smaller."

"Of course, our understanding of it may not be comprehensive. If you are interested, please think carefully before making a decision."

She smiled slightly and made a final addition.

"One thing we can guarantee is that as long as we don't inject soul power, it won't actively backfire."

"Therefore, even if it is only used as a collectible, it is extremely valuable. After all, there are very few engraving knives listed on the mainland."

As soon as Lin Ya finished speaking, the reaction in the room was far from enthusiastic.

Those Soul Masters who had shown great interest in the carving knife earlier were now mostly silent.

None of the thirty-seven masters met a good end, and nine of them fell into evil spirit mastery. With such a terrible reputation, no one dared to easily take it upon themselves.

Even the most precious treasures must be enjoyed in good health.

Seeing this, Lin Ya remained calm, straightened up, and announced loudly, "The last item to be auctioned tonight is the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife. The starting price is 100,000 gold coins, with no limit on the increment. Bidding will now begin."

silence.

The audience fell silent.

The masked guests looked at each other, but no one held up a sign.

Even the guests who were clearly Soul Masters hesitated for a moment before lowering their eyes.

Anyone can do the math: spending 100,000 gold coins on a deadly blade that will turn on its master.

The silence lasted for a full ten breaths.