Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Mysterious Object

As Elvis announced the start of the second half of the auction, Qi Xiao’s idle musings were quickly interrupted. He straightened his posture, anticipation flickering in his eyes for the alchemical artifacts and rare materials to come. To others, these items might seem dull unless they were extremely rare or crafted by renowned hands. But for Qi Xiao, each piece was an opportunity to broaden his knowledge, perhaps even to draw inspiration.

Perhaps it was because the proceedings had been so uneventful for so long that the second half began with a heavyweight item right off the bat.

“Abyssal dragon egg... It appears to be of the water-thunder lineage. Its vitality is at normal levels. I need not say more about its value; once it matures, it will at least reach the level of a formal sorcerer. No matter the intended use, it is a treasure beyond measure. The starting bid is half a million magic crystals.”

There was no need to elaborate on the value of an abyssal dragon egg. It was no less precious than the Dreamweaver of Time auctioned earlier. Yet beneath the stage, the crowd fell into a rare silence, punctuated only by a few hushed whispers.

Elvis was well aware of what troubled the gathering. Stroking his lush beard, he said gravely, “I can assure you, as long as you don’t bring it to the Abyssal Plane, there will be almost no trouble. The egg has been thoroughly examined; there are no hidden traps or marks. You may rest easy.”

Of course, such a guarantee was hardly ironclad, but everyone there knew that something like this could never be entirely safe. Its value far outweighed its risks— the earlier silence was only a pause for reassurance.

Everyone was keenly aware of the abyssal dragon egg’s worth, and the price quickly soared to five million magic crystals.

“Seven million.”

A calm, mechanical voice sounded. It was Osmond’s first bid of the evening, his offer entered on the keypad before him.

With the fall of the third gavel, the abyssal dragon egg was successfully claimed by Osmond for seven million magic crystals— a price somewhat above its value. Yet as this abyssal dragon possessed elemental attributes that greatly appealed to Osmond, he had deliberately overbid to eliminate any competition, making clear his determination to win it.

Most sorcerers, unless their own path depended on it, would show respect and abstain from competing in such cases. After all, the circle of formal sorcerers was a small one— there was no need to offend a peer by driving up prices for something that could otherwise be avoided.

After the third strike, Osmond smiled, producing a bottle of fiery liquor from his storage ring and drinking straight from the bottle. Melanie offered a few words of congratulations, while Midiel continued to gaze at the screen, unmoved.

Other than a particularly hefty tome detailing the method for cultivating a spell, there was little else worth contending over. Yet anticipation simmered in the hearts of those present, for soon— the grand finale of the auction would be unveiled.

There was no need for elaborate theatrics. Elvis’s expression grew solemn as he produced a black casket, his bearing reverent. “This is a treasure coveted by countless sorcerers. Experience it for yourselves.”

As Elvis opened the casket, a smooth, pearl-like pink sphere was revealed, but its appearance was of little importance compared to its aura—

“A Mystery Artifact!”

As the casket opened, a wave of energy swept through the hall, filling every sorcerer with a sense of attraction and repulsion— two opposing emotions that clashed within them. Even Qi Xiao, cocooned in his private box, was instantly enveloped by the sensation.

He heard the gasps of the bidders around him, and his heart quaked. Instinctively, he glanced toward his teacher.

There was no other reason— the aura was simply too familiar, both alluring and disorienting... Though slightly different from the one that clung to Deimos, its core feeling was unmistakably the same.

Midiel now leaned forward, his eyes narrowed at the pink pearl lying in the box, as if this was the sole purpose of his presence tonight.

Elvis snapped the casket shut and said in his aged voice, “An oddity from the Shadow Plane. According to current research, it can create radiance, and at times, it may allow the bearer to sense the consequences of a choice at the moment it is made.”

Elvis hesitated, then added, “But the second effect is not guaranteed— the original owner only experienced it once and never again.”

He wasted no more words. With a firm strike of the gavel, he announced, “Bidding begins at five million magic crystals.”

Qi Xiao was pondering the uses of creating radiance when Midiel swiftly made his bid.

“Twenty million.”

A hush fell over the hall. Qi Xiao was as stunned by his teacher’s extravagance as anyone— he knew his teacher was wealthy, but not to such an extent. Could such a potentially useless mystery artifact really be worth twenty million? Even alchemical constructs capable of shifting the tide of a great war fetched similar sums.

However, if it were not so impractical, the original owner would hardly have chosen to part with it. Still, this price far exceeded Qi Xiao’s expectations.

“Twenty-one million.”

“Thirty million.”

The moment another box made its bid, Midiel immediately raised the price to thirty million, silencing the opposition.

Soft whispers rippled through the hall as people quietly inquired about the identity of the illustrious figure in that box.

The three apprentices were even more flabbergasted than Qi Xiao, having never seen so many magic crystals in their lives— it was beyond the limits of their imagination.

Elvis did his best to stretch out the time, but no one else made another offer. Clearly, despite the artifact’s uniqueness, its enigmatic effects paired with such a price easily deterred further competition.

Qi Xiao suspected that his teacher’s main reason for acquiring the mystery artifact lay with Deimos— he must have some way to make better use of it. Otherwise, his teacher, not one for impulsive decisions, would never have spent such a fortune on it.

The three sorcerers seemed unsurprised, as if well accustomed to Midiel’s wealth and aware of his true purpose here. Only Anna gave a soft, sarcastic snort.

After securing the item, Midiel’s expression relaxed. He absently tapped the shaft of his cane, and seeing him in this state, Qi Xiao had the odd impression that he was... in pain over the expenditure.

He quickly lowered his head, not daring to dwell on it further. He knew that some formal sorcerers were sensitive enough to detect another’s emotional fluctuations.

Soon, the door opened, and a man entered— unexpectedly, though it made perfect sense— it was Elvis.

He first handed the abyssal dragon egg to Osmond, then informed Elton that his meteorite was waiting for him outside the hall, ready to be claimed at any time. Only then did he approach Midiel, carefully presenting the black casket as if it were the most precious of treasures.