Aksai’s excitement grew as he saw the graphical representation of the crystals and their unique properties on the yellowed pages.
‘Hmm. I think there’s some manufacturing difference. But if I go by the visual and text-based descriptions, it all makes sense. It’s like the Spirit cultivators of Anfang didn’t know what they wanted when they started to synthesize their version of Aether crystals.
However, they knew what they didn’t want and what would work for them in terms of making soul-related artifacts. And that’s how they ended up with impure variants of Aether crystals– using the process of elimination.
The Spirit farmer concluded as his neural link fabric started drawing comparisons between the Aether crystals of Acarnis and the impure crystal creation proposed by the old book.
Aksai had to say that the Spirit cultivators of Dadangar were no less than the scientists of his previous world. They knew how to use the tools at hand to manifest illusions into realities.
Even though the Spirit cultivators were still unaware that the Aether energy could be used to walk the path of Aether cultivation, they had come up with their own variants of Aether crystals on their own.
It was just like the accidental discovery of microwaves, penicillin, gunpowder, anesthesia, etc from Aksai’s previous world. And just like the unintentional discoveries– these impure Aether crystals one got by sacrificing the human souls were experimental in nature. They were impure and nowhere near as perfect as the Aether crystals Aksai found on Acarnis.
Of course, the field of crafting soul-related items was niche. And the creation and use of the impure Aether crystals were also limited. The impure Aether crystals were considered useless by the Spirit cultivators of Dadangar outside the field of soul-related artifact creation.
Furthermore, it was mostly only the demonic cultivators who dabbled in such mysterious arts because they required human sacrifices. They weren’t even aware of the potential of the Aether crystals that the aboriginals of Acarnis had unearthed.
As such, only one in a million Spirit cultivators would be in the know of something called Aether crystals. Except, they were just called Soul Stones in Dadangar. Plus, they were only used among top demonic cultivators as just another convenient currency.
As for how the ancient cultivator from the 3rd-order cultivation cave knew about Aether Crystals and their uses? And was there more to the ancient Formation Lord’s cultivation cave than he had initially thought? Aksai didn’t think too deeply about these questions.
***
Suppressing his curiosity, Aksai approached the shopkeeper with the book in hand.
“It seems you found something interesting, right?” she asked, her voice smooth and slightly amused.
Aksai nodded, keeping his tone casual. “This book caught my eye. Looks old, but I’m not sure how useful it is. How much for it?”
The shopkeeper’s eyes sparkled with interest. “That’s a rare find. I’ve had it for years, and no one has been able to decipher it. I can let it go for… 800 spirit stones.”
Aksai raised an eyebrow. “800? For an old book that no one can read? You are surely joking, madam shopkeeper. Hahaha.”
The shopkeeper shrugged, her smile never wavering. “You seem like a discerning customer. Surely you see its potential value. How about 700, then?”
Aksai pretended to ponder, then shook his head. “Still too high. I’ll give you 600 spirit stones. Take it or leave it.”
The shopkeeper laughed softly, clearly enjoying the haggling. The bare minimum she had planned in her head had finally been met. Still, she wanted to push her luck a bit.
“You drive a hard bargain. 650, and that’s my final offer.”
Aksai sighed, as if reluctantly agreeing. “630, and you have a deal.”
The shopkeeper’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded. “Alright. 630 it is.”
Aksai handed over the spirit stones and took the book, feeling a surge of triumph. He had managed to secure a potentially invaluable manual at a fraction of its worth.
As he left the shop, he glanced back at the cunning shopkeeper, who was watching him with a knowing smile. He wondered briefly if she knew more about the book than she let on, but he dismissed the thought. He had what he needed.
Stepping out into the bustling market, Aksai tucked the book safely away and began to make his way toward another corner of the city.
***
An hour after Aksai left the antique shop.
A mysterious masked girl entered with purpose in her step.
Her aura was one of authority and danger, though she kept it carefully suppressed as she approached the counter. The shopkeeper, Shameen, looked up, her eyes widening in recognition and slight nervousness.
“Welcome back,” Shameen greeted, trying to mask her unease with a smile. “Have you come for the book?”
The masked girl nodded, producing a pouch heavy with Spirit stones. “Here are the 500 Spirit stones, and an extra 200 for reserving it for me.”
‘200 extra! I only got 130 Spirit stones from that miser,’ Shameen thought to herself, silently regretting the fact that she had sold the book to Aksai.
The shopkeeper’s smile turned mirthless, her eyes glinting with greed. “Hehehe. I’m afraid the book has already been sold. You… you were a bit late in your payments and I couldn’t contact you. I– I thought that you had dropped–”
The girl’s demeanor changed instantly. Her aura flared for just a fraction of a second, enough to send a wave of fear crashing over Shameen.
The shopkeeper’s street smartness crumbled, and she fell to her knees, grabbing the girl’s leg in desperation.
“Expert! Madam Expert! Please, forgive me! I didn’t know—”
The masked girl’s voice was cold and controlled. “I would have killed you for your devious business tactics if it weren’t for my own restrictions. Now tell me, who did you sell it to?”
Shameen stammered, struggling to form a coherent response.
“You know what? No need to say anything. I’ll find out for myself.”
But before she could speak, the masked girl snapped her fingers, and a thick fog enveloped the shop. Shameen’s eyes widened in terror as the girl placed a hand on her head, her touch icy and invasive.
From her storage ring, the masked girl produced a Brain Bonsai Plant, an eerie object with miniaturized human brains hanging like grotesque fruits from its branches. This plant was a bit different from the variant used in Aksai’s Brain Bonsai Formation. It couldn’t be used to trigger enlightenment.
However, this demonic plant had its own uses. The mysterious girl closed her eyes and began chanting the Mantras of a demonic art, her voice a low, haunting melody that filled the fog-shrouded room.
Shameen felt a wave of dizziness wash over her as if she were heavily drunk. Her consciousness began to slip away, surrendering completely to the masked girl’s will.
The girl used the Brain Bonsai Plant as a conduit, scanning and digesting Shameen’s recent memories. She saw flashes of Aksai’s changed appearance, his interaction with the shopkeeper, and the bargaining that had taken place.
It took only a few moments for the masked girl to learn everything Shameen knew about Aksai.
“Damn it. This vixen really sold that book.”
Her anger simmered beneath her calm exterior as she looked at the now unconscious shopkeeper. In her anger, she raised a hand, ready to deliver a fatal blow, when an old man entered the shop, his aura even more profound than hers.
“Enough,” he commanded, his voice resonant and authoritative. The masked girl froze, her hand still poised above Shameen.
“Elder,” she acknowledged, stepping back and lowering her hand. The old man approached with a measured pace, his eyes taking in the scene with a calm, knowing gaze.
“This… this is enemy territory,” he reminded her, his tone firm but not unkind. “Even in pursuit of our goals, we must maintain our vigilance.”
The masked girl nodded, her anger cooling under the old man’s scrutiny. “She sold the book to someone else, and I have learned his appearance. We must find him.”
The old man nodded. “We will. But from now on, we will do things my way.”
With a final, disdainful glance at the unconscious Shameen, the masked girl followed her senior out of the shop, the fog dissipating behind them.
The hunt for Aksai had just become more complicated, but they were determined to track him down and reclaim what was rightfully theirs.
As for who the girl was? If Aksai were to see the face behind the mask, he would identify this girl immediately.
She was none other than Liana Lakir—Lian Lakir’s younger sister, whom Aksai had met briefly during his days on the Lakir estate as a teen rental farmer.
***
Aksai was unaware that there were not one but two groups who were actively trying to track him down.
Unbeknownst of the dangers, he strolled through the bustling streets of the city, his keen eyes taking in the myriad of shops and stalls that lined the market district.
As he turned a corner, a large, ornate building caught his attention.
It was distinct from the other structures, its architecture grand and imposing, with intricate carvings adorning the facade.
Above the entrance, a gilded sign read: “Elysium Auction House.”
===
AN: Liana Lakir was first mentioned in chapter 33.