Chapter 240: The Law of the Jungle in the World of Douluo Continent
The core marketplace of Heaven Dou City was bustling year-round, packed with traffic and deafening crowds.
The gilded entrance of the Heaven Dou Auction House stood right at the most prosperous section of the marketplace.
Two jade lions, as tall as a person, stood majestically at the entrance, every strand of their carved manes exquisitely detailed.
The guards stationed at the gate were all Soul Kings, with standardized long blades hanging from their waists. Their eyes were sharp as hawks as they swept over passing pedestrians.
Ordinary people did not even have the qualifications to approach within three meters of the entrance.
A carriage that appeared understated yet refined in every detail steadily stopped at the auction house entrance.
The curtain lifted, and the first to jump down was Xiao Wu. Her pink dress rippled softly beneath the lights.
After landing, she spun in place, her gaze sweeping over the grand entrance, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Following closely behind was Zhu Zhuqing, dressed in a black combat outfit, her figure upright as a pine tree, her footsteps light and silent.
A trace of scrutiny toward the unfamiliar environment lingered within her cold eyes.
Ning Rongrong gracefully stepped down while lifting her skirt slightly, the aura of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's young lady naturally radiating from her.
Her chin was slightly raised, long since accustomed to the gazes cast toward her.
The last to descend was Lin Qingmo.
He wore a moon-white robe, his hair neatly bound with a jade crown; his features were handsome, and his presence was as steady as a mountain.
Despite only being a teenager, he gave others an unfathomably heavy sense of depth.
"Ah Qing, hurry up!"
Xiao Wu tugged on Lin Qingmo's sleeve and rushed forward, almost wanting to fly with every step.
"Rongrong said there are tons of fun things inside. It's my first time at an auction house!"
"Slow down; don't bump into anyone."
Lin Qingmo smiled helplessly, allowing her to drag him forward.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong quickly followed, one on each side like two guardians.
The gate guards caught sight of the group from the corner of their eyes. Not only did they not stop them, but they instead bowed respectfully in unison with impeccable respect.
Anyone capable of arriving at the auction house in this level of carriage was either wealthy or noble. Even with ten times the courage, they would not dare offend them.
The four arrived before the gilded entrance.
The heavy doors were pushed open from within by two staff members, and a warm gust carrying sandalwood fragrance and luxury rushed toward them.
A staff member dressed in a formal suit hurried forward and respectfully presented four finely crafted silver masks.
His tone was respectful yet carried unquestionable certainty.
"Honored guests, according to Heaven Dou Auction House rules, all participants must wear masks upon entry."
Xiao Wu reached out to take the mask. Her fingers pinched the cold metallic edges, fingertips brushing against the engraved patterns.
Her brows instantly drooped, her lips pouting enough to hang an oil bottle.
She leaned toward the others and muttered in a lowered voice,
"This thing suffocates your face. It's hard to even breathe properly."
"It's just an auction house. Why bother with all this pointless fuss?"
Zhu Zhuqing accepted the mask, fingertips brushing over the straps at the edge.
A layer of confusion surfaced in her cold eyes, though she did not ask any questions.
She simply stood quietly in place, waiting for the others.
Ning Rongrong, however, was already familiar with the process.
She took the mask and swiftly fastened it onto her face with practiced movements, adjusting the straps comfortably.
She even checked the positioning against the smooth metallic surface nearby.
Only then did she move over to explain things to the others.
"You guys just don't get it. These are Heaven Dou Auction House rules. Anyone who enters has to wear one."
Lin Qingmo accepted the mask, fingers rubbing against the cold metal surface as he calmly put it on, revealing only a pair of clear, sharp eyes.
His gaze swept toward a group near the side entrance.
The leading figure wore robes embroidered with the prince insignia of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family—Prince Xuexing.
He, too, wore a silver mask of the same style while staff members guided him toward the VIP passage.
Soon, Lin Qingmo withdrew his gaze and turned toward Xiao Wu, who was still complaining about the stuffiness of the mask. In a low voice, he continued explaining, breaking down the rules clearly without sounding stiff or textbook-like.
"What Rongrong said is only the surface-level rule. If you dig deeper, there are three more layers to it."
Xiao Wu immediately leaned closer, blinking curiously and forgetting her complaints altogether.
"What reasons? Ah Qing, hurry and explain!"
"First, any random item here can easily cost tens of thousands of gold soul coins. Showing your face is the same as putting your wealth on display."
"Afterward, if desperate criminals target you, at best you lose money; at worst, you lose your life."
"Even Prince Xuexing follows the rules and wears a mask. That alone shows how seriously the auction house values guest safety."
"After all, if guests bought things here only to encounter trouble afterward, who would still dare come in the future?"
Lin Qingmo's voice drifted through the mask, carrying a faint laugh as it clearly reached the ears of the three girls.
"Second, anonymous bidding means nobody knows your background, so nobody will act out of fear."
"People won't avoid raising bids because of your status, nor will others deliberately raise prices to target you. Everything depends purely on the item's own value, making things relatively fair."
"After all, if everyone knew you were a member of the Imperial Family, who would dare compete with you? How would the auction house earn commission fees then?"
"Third, this is the ironclad rule of Heaven Dou City's largest auction house. Aside from a very small number of untouchable existences, everyone else must obey."
"Only by establishing rules here can they maintain order and allow small clan soul masters and nobles to participate confidently."
Xiao Wu nodded repeatedly while listening, suddenly enlightened.
"So that's how it is. I thought they were just trying to act mysterious."
"Not everyone follows the rules!"
Ning Rongrong immediately cut in with a proud snort, chin raised high in a "my family is the strongest" posture.
"My dad, Grandpa Sword, and Grandpa Gu never wear these things whenever they come. The auction house staff don't even dare say a word!"
Hearing this, Lin Qingmo chuckled softly, understanding flashing across his lips as he casually revealed the essence of the rules in a single sentence.
"That's only natural."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is one of the Upper Three Sects and wealthy enough to rival nations. They're among the auction house's biggest patrons."
"They wouldn't dare offend Sect Master Ning over something as minor as this."
"Besides, whenever Sect Master Ning travels, Sword Douluo, a Super Douluo-level powerhouse, always accompanies him. Even if his identity is exposed, who would dare target him?"
"Rules have always been made for ordinary people. With sufficient strength, you gain exemption from the rules."
The moment those words came out, Ning Rongrong's eyes instantly lit up, her gaze toward Lin Qingmo filled with admiration.
"Brother Qingmo, you're absolutely right! My dad says exactly the same thing!"
"What rules or not? Strength is the true hard truth!"
Xiao Wu nodded as well, looking thoroughly educated.
"So that's how it is. No wonder even Prince Xuexing has to wear a mask. Turns out his strength just isn't hard enough."
Zhu Zhuqing also lifted her eyes toward Lin Qingmo, a trace of agreement flashing through her cold gaze.
Born into the imperial family of the Star Luo Empire, she understood the reasoning behind these rules better than anyone.
Without enough strength, you obediently followed the rules.
With enough strength, the rules existed for others.
This was the most fundamental rule of the survival of the fittest in the society of the Douluo Continent.
End of Chapter
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