Chapter 26: Auctioning a Martial Saint

When a boy of about seven or eight was brought onto the stage, and the giant screen behind him displayed a string of data regarding his talent test, Kaios couldn't help but frown.

Although he had already known about this auction category when he read the catalog, seeing a living person—especially a child—standing on the stage being auctioned off was still psychologically difficult to accept as a Transmigrator.

These potential Contracted Servants up for bid were basically potential Cultivators taken from the territories of various Lords. Generally, by the age of eleven or twelve, a person's potential would become relatively clear. At seven or eight, only their potential Level could be tested. Auctioning them now was merely to satisfy the amusement of those who enjoyed the thrill of "buying mystery boxes."

Seemingly aware of Kaios's disgust, Xiao Zhuo'an whispered, "It must be those traffickers specializing in the Contracted Servant trade who found agents to bring them into the auction. Those traffickers are completely bottomless scum; they'd even have children with highly talented servants themselves just to sell them."

Kaios froze for a moment before understanding what he meant. Right, when the Holy Protection Alliance was first established, the nobles were all powerhouses with stronger Magic and Spiritual Energy Cultivation, possessing greater talent and inherently more powerful bloodlines. The probability of them birthing children with stronger talent should naturally be higher.

Kaios turned his gaze back to the stage. The boy, who was rated with a "Level 2 Talent," ultimately sold for a final price of 400 Yuan.

After four consecutive children were auctioned off, it was time for the Contracted Servants who had already revealed their talents. The first was a thirteen-year-old girl who was already a Level 6 Spiritual Energy Warrior. Her talent rating was sub-top tier, falling somewhere between Level 1 and Level 2—which was essentially just a polite way of saying she wasn't quite Level 1, but they were pushing it.

The starting price this time was much higher, leaping straight to 3,000 Yuan. There were also many bidders, and in no time at all, the price soared to 6,500 Yuan.

"Is this talent considered that good?" Kaios asked.

"I bet you that anyone still bidding past 4,000 doesn't actually care about her talent. These people are thinking about something else entirely," Xiao Zhuo'an said casually.

Kaios instantly understood what "something else entirely" meant, and his frown deepened. He then thought of how the original owner of his body had begun grooming Sharvella ten years ago. He recalled the outfit the original owner had personally designed—but never lived to see Sharvella wear—on the night he fell into a coma. He understood that in this world, this was simply the norm.

Following the auction of three Contracted Servants who had already manifested their talents and were no older than fifteen, came the sale of several adult Contracted Servants. Their Tiers started at Level 10, with the highest even being a Level 12 Top Tier Mage.

A Level 12 Top Tier Mage specializing in Fire Magic, possessing pinnacle combat power, was actually placed on the auction block. This world was truly somewhat bizarre—if one didn't count their Contracted Servants, all the nobles sitting below likely wouldn't survive a single fireball casually tossed by this Top Tier Mage.

Yet, the elderly, amiable-looking Mage on the stage wore an expression of complete ease. He even sported a slightly fawning smile as he faced the nobles, seemingly feeling no humiliation or awkwardness at his situation. Ultimately, this Top Tier Mage sold for 37,000 Yuan.

This price was undeniably high compared to the other items auctioned tonight. But when associated with a Top Tier Mage, it seemed absurdly low. Kaios got the feeling that in this world, everything had a price tag, and everything could be bought and sold.

Next, the auction of Contracted Servants concluded, giving way to a special segment: the Western Realm spoils of war auction.

As the name suggested, the items auctioned in this segment were all spoils captured by the nobles of the Holy Protection Alliance during their battles in the Western Realm. However, the specific items up for bid had not been listed in the auction catalog beforehand, deliberately building suspense and a sense of novelty.

When the first item was revealed, it wasn't just Kaios—who was attending an auction of this caliber for the first time—but the nobles in the other private boxes who let out gasps of shock. This was because the item brought onto the stage was a person locked inside a cage, wheeled out by over a dozen burly men.

Xiao Zhuo'an, sitting beside Kaios, instantly sat up straight and even leaned forward slightly. "A Forbidden Spirit Realm?!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Is it really necessary to go to such exaggerated lengths?"

"Can that cage seal Spiritual Qi?" Kaios asked, puzzled.

"That cage can isolate external Spiritual Qi. If the person inside depletes their own reserves, they can't replenish their Spiritual Qi through normal means," Xiao Zhuo'an explained. "But this thing constantly consumes Magic Power. Is this truly necessary..."

However, when the giant virtual screen behind the stage displayed the information of the person in the cage, Xiao Zhuo'an gasped in astonishment. "No older than thirty, and at least Top Tier? What do they mean 'at least'? Could she be Super Tier? Are they serious?!"

Kaios also stared at the data. This was a "Western Barbarian Noble" powerhouse, a Spiritual Energy Warrior captured alive during the sweeps of the Western Realm. Her strength was estimated to be "at least Top Tier."

The powerhouse classification system of the Holy Protection Alliance, whether for Mages or Spiritual Energy Warriors, capped at Level 12. Reaching Level 12 was considered Top Tier. Mages were called Magic Masters, and Spiritual Energy Warriors were known as Holy Spirit Guards, or more colloquially, "Martial Saints." But there were always those Super Powerhouses who couldn't be constrained by levels, possessing strength far exceeding that of a standard Top Tier. These individuals were called "Super Tier Powerhouses." As for whether there were further subdivisions of strength among Super Tier Powerhouses, there was no standardized metric.

Kaios shifted his gaze back to the person in the cage, realizing she was a strikingly gallant woman. His first impression was that she resembled Lin Qingxia's portrayal of Dongfang Bubai. Especially her eyes and brows—they possessed both a valiant aura and a soul-captivating allure. However, the gray cloth garments she wore looked battered and torn, covered in bloodstains and even bearing some scorched marks. Despite this, she sat cross-legged in the cage, eyes half-closed. She didn't give off the slightest feeling of a captive trapped in a cage waiting to be auctioned off; rather, she looked like an emperor surrounded by enemies within her own palace.

"The next item up for bid is a 'Martial Saint' class captive from the Western Realm! It is said that she is the daughter of a top-tier Great Lord with a territory of over a hundred thousand Subjects! Everyone, please do not underestimate the number 'one hundred thousand.' In the barbaric lands of the Western Realm beyond the Alliance, that is already one of the largest territories in existence! With both the status of a princess and the strength of a Martial Saint, just imagine how wonderful and prestigious it would be to have her as your Personal Guard!"

Hearing the auctioneer's introduction on stage, Xiao Zhuo'an suddenly sneered and whispered to Kaios, "I get it now. This captive is a hot potato."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, to bring her on stage for display, they actually had to use a Forbidden Spirit Realm. That proves she hasn't signed a Soul Subordination Contract with anyone yet. Furthermore, her captors couldn't even get close to her to implant Sealing Spirit Nails into her body, nor could they even manage to change her into nicer clothes.

"Look at the information panel over there. It lists her physical condition as severely injured. For her to be sealed in this cage, there's a high probability she has been injured to the point of Demotion or even being crippled. Without any way to absorb Spiritual Qi, she can't heal herself. Even if she is cured later, it will be impossible for her to return to her peak strength. Never mind Super Tier or Top Tier, she'll be lucky to maintain Level 10.

"Moreover, based on this woman's current state, she hardly looks like a servant willing to sign a Soul Subordination Contract. Heh, they aren't expecting anyone to buy her as a Personal Guard. This is entirely for someone to buy for a single night of pleasure. That nonsense about a Western Barbarian Great Lord or a Super Tier Martial Saint is just a gimmick to heighten the thrill!"