When the day of the auction finally arrived, the beasts were dragged out of the basement. Bound in sinister iron chains, they were pulled toward the surface. In the magnificent auction hall above, they were placed in a far corner, where an unseen, mystical art prevented them from making a single sound or motion. The white wolf struggled violently against his bonds, but the more he fought, the tighter the chains became, inflicting greater pain. Realizing the futility, he gave up his resistance and took in his new surroundings.
The hall was filled with an overwhelming number of humans. All the floor seats were fully occupied, and even more wealthy patrons were seated in private, elevated rooms, watching the stage from above. The white wolf felt entirely like prey as the assessing human gazes swept callously over his body. A white wolf, particularly a low-level one, was a true rarity on the Northern Desolate Continent. The legendary White Wolves of myth were said to be incredibly powerful beings living deep within the Endless Forest, rumored to be so formidable that they easily dwarfed even Xiantian cultivators. Ancient records described them as supreme creatures that freely roamed the world, but today's humans had little to no contact with them.
The humans in the hall studied the white wolf intently for a while before concluding that he held no relation to those powerful mythical beings. His obvious connection to the two massive grey wolves beside him suggested he was simply a strange, harmless mutation.
The hall buzzed with loud conversation as small groups of humans spoke eagerly about what they hoped to acquire. Then, a woman in a long purple dress walked gracefully onto the main stage, and the entire crowd fell into a profound silence. She wore elegant purple earrings, a necklace with a brilliant red gem, and a purple hairpin that held her dark black hair perfectly in place. Her dress failed to hide her mesmerizing figure, which was both exceptionally curvy and perfect. Standing at five-foot-five, her deep brown eyes shone with a powerful light that seemed to outshine the sun and stars. She exuded the majestic aura of a goddess—a being no ordinary mortal dared to blaspheme.
The white wolf's sensitive nose could immediately smell the sudden spike in sexual desire emanating from the crowd, from both the males and females alike. He looked at the woman and, to his utter surprise, found her incredibly beautiful. His pulse thundered, his golden gaze expanded in shock, and a primal shiver bristled his pristine fur. Overcome with deep shame, he quickly looked away. These humans were his mortal captors, yet his mind was suddenly filled with such senseless thoughts.
"My name is Huang Shengyi," the woman said, bowing elegantly to the crowd. "I will be your auctioneer today. I hope to serve you all well."
Her gesture of respect and appreciation instantly won over the audience, who erupted into loud praise. Some of the men, who had glimpsed her cleavage as she bowed, felt an even stronger attraction. However, those who recognized her prominent name quickly realized she was from the Huang family, one of the five powerful clans that ruled the Tinding Kingdom and could even suppress the royal family itself. Lustful thoughts quickly disappeared from the minds of those who had previously plotted to get her into their bed chambers. They understood all too well that when it came to this particular beauty, all they were allowed to do was look.
"Let the auction begin," she announced, her voice echoing clearly through the room. "I promise that today, you will all leave the Blue Merchant Auction Hall satisfied, as long as you have brought enough gold coins."