Chapter 83 A Treasure More Precious Than a 100,000-Year-Old Soul Bone
VIP room.
Dai Huabin chose a seat by the window, while Hyotei sat down opposite him.
The little girl's bright green eyes shone brightly in the dim indoor light. Her small hands rested on her knees, and her whole body was tense.
Dai Huabin could sense the surging emotions within Hyotei through the blood pact: anxiety, anticipation, and a touch of fear.
I'm afraid the Snow Emperor isn't here.
"Relax," Dai Huabin said in a low voice.
Hyotei ignored him, picked up a pastry from the coffee table, looked at it, and put it back.
Dai Huabin didn't say anything more. Some things are beyond persuasion; only the results will bring peace of mind.
About five or six minutes later, footsteps were heard outside the door.
The door was pushed open, and a faint fragrance wafted in first.
The woman who came was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Her purple dress was tailored to fit her perfectly, with a waist that was just right. She was plump but not bulky.
She had a dignified and beautiful face, a professional smile on her lips, and her skirt swayed gently as she walked, making her posture very graceful.
It was the auctioneer, Qingya, who was very elegant.
A year ago, Dai Huabin came to the Starlight Auction House to buy the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife, and it was through this purple-level auctioneer.
The moment Qingya entered, she saw Dai Huabin first. She paused slightly, then quickly walked over.
"Young Master Dai, what brings you here?"
Dai Huabin stood up from his chair and smiled, "Sister Qingya, I'm bothering you again. Just call me Huabin."
Qingya paused for a moment.
She had worked at Starlight Auction House for six years and had seen all sorts of distinguished guests.
She has received royalty and nobility of the Star Luo Empire, direct descendants of various families, and even diplomatic missions from neighboring countries.
But Dai Huabin was indeed different from other noblemen.
When she first received Dai Huabin a year ago, she was actually quite nervous.
The eldest son of the White Tiger Duke's family, he entered Shrek Academy at the age of eleven and is rumored to be arrogant and domineering.
When the person arrived, Qingya discovered that the rumors were completely different from the reality.
This young man did have a certain arrogance, but it was something ingrained in his bones; on the surface, he was quite easygoing.
When buying the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife, he didn't haggle or dawdle; he agreed on a price and paid it. After paying, he even politely thanked them.
What surprised Qingya the most was that Dai Huabin called her "Sister Qingya".
The young master of the White Tiger Duke's mansion calls her, a purple-level auctioneer, "sister."
She almost thought she had misheard.
Throughout the year, Qingya would occasionally think of this young man. After all, among all the guests she had received, very few had left a lasting impression on her.
When they met again, Qingya noticed that Dai Huabin had changed a lot.
He's grown taller, almost half a head taller than a year ago, and his features have become more defined.
Her long golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the sinister glint in his deep blue eyes flickered faintly in the candlelight. Standing there, he exuded both nobility and sharpness.
It's only been a year, but he seems like a completely different person.
Qingya snapped out of her daze, smiled, and nodded: "Okay, then I'll take the liberty of calling you Huabin."
She turned and went to the coffee table to get the teapot, pouring tea into the cup in front of Dai Huabin.
When she poured the second cup, she noticed that there was a little girl sitting opposite her.
She had bright green twin ponytails, a light green dress, and white ankle boots. She was short and had a face so delicate it seemed unreal.
The little girl was staring intently at the teapot in her hand, as if she were examining an item up for auction.
Qingya smiled and placed the teacup in front of Hyotei.
Who is this?
"My friend, Bing'er," Dai Huabin said, speaking for Bing Di.
Hyotei hummed in response, which was taken as a greeting.
Qingya didn't mind. She sat down in the chair next to Dai Huabin, leaning forward slightly as if to listen.
"Hua Bin, what brings you here to buy?"
Dai Huabin picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"I have something," he put down his teacup, "that I intend to trade at the auction house. Not through auction, but through barter."
Her gentle smile faded, and she became serious: "Bartering? Hua Bin, what is this treasure of yours...?"
She's quick-witted.
The items that would make Dai Huabin make a special trip to the Starlight Auction House and go through such a high-level trading channel as bartering are definitely not ordinary goods.
"Soul bone?" Qingya asked tentatively.
In her understanding, the hard currency that can be used for bartering, and ranked at the top of the pyramid, is the soul bone.
Dai Huabin shook his head.
"It is more precious than a soul bone. Even a 100,000-year-old soul bone is not as valuable as this treasure of mine."
There was a two-second silence in the VIP room.
Her delicate fingers clenched the hem of her skirt.
The most valuable item she handled at the Starlight Auction House was a 30,000-year-old soul bone, which sold for nine million gold soul coins. That was the pinnacle of her career.
But Dai Huabin is now telling her that what he has is even more precious than a 100,000-year-old soul bone.
This is completely beyond the authority granted to her as a Purple-level Auctioneer.
Qingya took a deep breath, stood up, and her tone became very formal:
"Hua Bin, this is a huge matter, I can't make the decision on my own. Please wait a moment, I need to consult with my superiors."
Dai Huabin nodded: "Qingya, go ahead and get busy."
Qingya walked quickly to the soul communication device in the corner of the VIP room.
This is a dedicated communication channel within the Starlight Auction House, connecting to the offices on the highest floor of the auction house.
She pressed the call button, waited a few seconds, and the other end answered.
"Your Highness, I am Qingya."
A cool, clear female voice came from the communicator: "What is it?"
"Young Master Dai Huabin of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion has arrived. He says he has a treasure he wants to exchange for something else, and..."
Qingya paused, then said seriously,
"He said this treasure is even more precious than a 100,000-year-old soul bone."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communicator.
Qingya could imagine the expression on the person opposite her.
Xu Jiujiu, the princess of the Star Luo Empire, is the actual controller of the Starlight Auction House and also Qingya's direct superior.
Inside the auction house, Xu Jiujiu was even a "gold-level auctioneer".
"Dai Huabin from the White Tiger Duke's Mansion..." The voice in the communicator repeated the name.
Xu Jiujiu certainly knew this person.
The White Tiger Duke's Mansion is a top-tier noble family in the Star Luo Empire with a history spanning hundreds of years, and its military status is extremely important.
Dai Huabin is the eldest son of this generation. He was exceptionally talented from a young age and joined Shrek Academy to study.
More importantly, Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion controls nearly half of the Star Luo Empire's military force.
Her elder brother had mentioned Dai Huabin's father, Dai Hao, to her many times, emphasizing the importance of winning over the Duke of Baihu. If she could win over Dai Huabin, it would also be tantamount to winning over the Duke of Baihu.
(I actually really want to complain about this. The White Tiger Dai family was the royal family of the former Star Luo Empire, yet they still manage to control almost half of the Star Luo Empire's military force. That's too abnormal.)
Now that Dai Huabin has come to visit, bringing with him something "more precious than a 100,000-year-old soul bone," Xu Jiujiu is very curious about what treasure Dai Huabin can bring out!
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