NOVEL FROG Chapter 124: Target Acquired
As the auctioneer announced the starting bid, his face full of anticipation as he glanced at the crowd, the sprawling auction hall fell into an awkward silence with no one making an offer.
The lack of bids was not due to the "Dreamlike Treasure Pouch" being undesirable, but rather because most attendees felt the base price for it was excessively high.
Indeed, a soul tool offering ten cubic meters of space was a rare gem.
However, according to the pricing standards of soul tools on the Douluo Continent, a one-cubic-meter storage soul tool ranged from five thousand to eight thousand gold soul coins. Generally, ten cubic meters would fetch between fifty thousand to eighty thousand gold soul coins at auction.
Even considering the added feature of storing living creatures, this might only justify an additional ten to eighteen thousand gold soul coins at most, given the purchasing power of the currency.
Yet today, the Shabark Grand Auction Hall was being overly greedy, setting the starting price at a steep hundred thousand gold soul coins, as though they were eyeing a windfall!
Certainly, storage soul tools are rare, usually existing between supply and demand. Nonetheless, this scarcity doesn’t justify a boundless price surge.
Ordinary people without soul power, those at the bottom wealth tier, were already excluded. Given that only soul masters with soul power can utilize these tools, and most soul masters are of modest means with limited financial acumen, they would rather drool with envy and carry a hefty backpack than invest in a "superfluous" storage soul tool.
"With this money, wouldn't buying some soul beast meat to eat be more satisfying?"
The auctioneer on stage wiped the sweat off his forehead as he glanced nervously at a figure in the audience, a trace of helplessness evident in his eyes.
Before the auction began, the auction house had already appraised the "Dreamlike Treasure Pouch." At the time, they had set its price at 55,000 gold soul coins, expecting it to sell for between 85,000 to 90,000 gold soul coins.
However, the owner of the "Dreamlike Treasure Pouch" insisted on a starting bid of 100,000 gold soul coins, refusing to budge in the slightest.
If the owner were an ordinary person, or even a soul master or soul sect member, the auction house could have easily refused, risking not accepting the item at worst.
After all, the auction house had become well-known in the major city of Sabac Fortress in Bichi Province, backed by powerful soul monarchs and soul emperors.
Unfortunately...
The auctioneer took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and thought about the formidable power and terrifying presence of the owner. He decided to try harder, raising his voice once more to shout, “Do we have any bids from our esteemed guests?”
Just as the auctioneer was preparing for the item to go unsold, contemplating how to explain this to the consignor, a voice as harmonious as a heavenly melody reached his ears:
“Ten thousand gold soul coins.”
The clear and melodious voice made everyone feel as if they were hearing a mountain stream gently flowing, prompting them to instinctively turn their heads towards the sound.
At first glance, upon seeing the young man holding up the auction paddle, everyone's eyes lit up, silently praising: ‘What a strikingly handsome young man!’
His features were as sharply defined as if carved from a beautiful jade, with thick black hair casually tied at the back with a blue band. Beneath a pair of sword-like eyebrows were unforgettable eyes, as tranquil and natural as a spring. A prominent nose and moderately thick lips carried a welcoming smile.
In the realm of Douluo Continent, where beauty is abundant, Ling Yi's looks were among the most distinguished.
For an auction house, having an item go unsold is a failure on their part regardless of the reason, affecting their reputation and, consequently, their future business operations.
Yet, Ling Yi’s bid was not about recklessly playing the fool or being a proverbial fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
Indeed, within the current trading system of soul devices on Douluo Continent, the "Wishful Bauble Bag," which holds ten cubic meters, even at a big city auction like today's, only sells for eight or nine hundred thousand gold soul coins, falling a thousand gold soul coins short of the ten thousand starting price.
A thousand gold soul coins' purchasing power, decades later from this point in the timeline, was also around the price Tang San paid at the auction in Sea City for the "Dragon Abyss Boat."
Ling Yi simply knew that the "Wishful Bauble Bag," if placed at an imperial capital auction house like that in Heaven Dou City or Star Luo City, would definitely fetch over ten thousand gold soul coins.
The reason is plain; there are just too many wealthy individuals in those places!
And the information flow in many areas of Douluo Continent is relatively closed, especially in matters unrelated to martial spirits and soul masters.
As for the intrinsic value and market price of storage soul devices, they are restricted firstly by limited production channels, available only in ancient ruins, and by a chaotic, unregulated soul device market with no true universal pricing standards.
Unless one day, a new power arises on Douluo Continent, mastering the production technology of storage soul devices, and selling them as commoditized products at set, orderly prices.
Like mobile phones from a previous life, where basic models could be bought for seven or eight hundred, fulfilling all necessary functions, while high-end models from big brands cost ten times more, and customized luxury models could cost tens of thousands.
This way, there won't be any instances where a soul master with limited funds can't afford a small space storage soul device, or a wealthy person wants to buy a large storage device but can't find one available.
Furthermore, currently, Ling Yi genuinely needs a storage soul device. The "Wishful Bauble Bag," which can store living things, is an unexpected delight for him.
A while ago, through the Blacksmith Association's Shui Mu Principality branch, Ling Yi received news that there would be storage soul devices in this auction at 'Sabak City.' He never expected...
Without paying attention to what Ling Yi was thinking, the auctioneer, upon hearing the bid, brightened up immediately when he saw Ling Yi with the raised paddle, exclaiming with joy, "Great! This gentleman, number 198, bids 100,000 golden soul coins! Does anyone want to raise the bid? 100,000 golden soul coins first call~ 100,000 golden soul coins second call~ 100,000 golden soul coins third call, sold—!!!"
The auctioneer, you could say, made the three quickest calls of his career, fearing that Ling Yi might suddenly withdraw his bid.
When the small hammer fell, you could clearly feel the auctioneer visibly relax, even his tone carrying a hint of joy.
Ling Yi also sensed, with keen perception, the figure about ten meters to his left. Their aura, once tense, had noticeably lightened up.
(End of Chapter)
