The atmosphere in the hall shifted as the participants leaned forward in their seats, eager to begin.
The first to speak was a cultivator wearing a mask shaped like a demon’s face. He offered a set of rare spirit herbs, and the bidding began.
The pattern was set—one cultivator would present an item, and the others would bid, either with spirit stones or with items of equivalent value.
Aksai observed the proceedings with keen interest, his gaze flickering from one masked figure to another. The room buzzed with energy as rare pills, cultivation techniques, and magical artifacts changed hands.
Each transaction was conducted with a mix of caution and excitement, the participants weighing the value of the offers against their own needs and resources.
Aksai started to understand why the nature of this meeting was so confidential in nature. It was basically an exchange meeting between the righteous and demonic cultivators.
The Spirit cultivators belonging to these two factions would be at each other’s throats if they were to meet openly. However, they preferred to cooperate behind closed doors and hidden identities. After all, the cultivators from both sides were aware of the most fundamental truth among them– might maketh right. Everything else was mere illusion.
After a few rounds, a hooded man stepped forward. His appearance was shrouded in mystery, his deep, old voice carrying a weight of authority. The hood of his cloak cast a shadow over his face, but the lines of age and experience were visible on the lower half of his face. His hands, visible as he presented his item, were gnarled and weathered, evidence of a lifetime spent in cultivation.
“I have here a 2nd-order healing-type talisman,” the hooded man announced, holding up a delicate piece of parchment inscribed with complex runes that glowed faintly with a soothing, green light. “This talisman has been crafted with care and precision, capable of healing severe wounds and restoring vitality with remarkable speed.”
The room went silent as the cultivators assessed the talisman. Aksai’s interest was piqued. Healing talismans of this caliber were rare and invaluable in dire situations. He leaned forward slightly, considering his options.
The hooded man continued, “I am willing to exchange this talisman for either 4000 spirit stones or a comparable 2nd-order artifact. Let the bidding begin.”
Aksai watched as the bids came in, mentally calculating his own resources. The prospect of acquiring such a powerful healing talisman was tempting, and he knew it could prove invaluable in his upcoming trip.
The price of 4000 spirit stones was not a small amount. However, it was still manageable for someone like Aksai who had an island’s income at his disposal.
Aksai observed the hooded man carefully. ‘There’s something wrong about this man. His life force is almost exhausted. He can die any minute now. What is he doing here? What would he gain by selling his talismans here? And this man is selling healing-type talismans? There’s definitely something fishy here.’
As the bidding progressed, the druid decided to make his move.
“6000 spirit stones,” Aksai announced, his voice calm yet firm, echoing through the spacious hall. This was a bid increase of almost 1000 Spirit stones in one go. “But I want to see the talisman in advance before I pay for it. I want to check its authenticity.”
The room went quiet for a moment, the other participants turning their masked faces toward him in surprise.
The hooded old man chuckled, the sound carrying a hint of sarcasm. “Jejejejeje. A youthful ignorant brat, are you?” he said, his deep voice laced with disdain. “Very well. 6000 spirit stones it is. You think I’m fooling you, don’t you? Do you think that it is not a healing-type talisman?”
Aksai nodded, maintaining his composure. “Yes. I think you are trying to fool me. But you can always prove me wrong by showing me the talisman. And I would apologize to you and add 500 spirit stones more in the original bid as a form of compensation. Provided that talisman turns out to be the real deal.”
The old man laughed again, this time with a touch of amusement.
“Jejejejeje. You won’t be able to understand its true potential. This talisman is made using a technique I created myself. But, I’ll indulge you.” He flicked his wrist, and the talisman flew across the room toward Aksai.
Aksai caught it effortlessly between his fingers, his movements smooth and precise. He held the talisman in his hand, feeling the faint hum of its energy. Silently, he activated his neural link fabric, instructing it to scan the talisman’s runic pattern for any discrepancies or hidden traps.
As he conducted his analysis, the other participants began to chatter among themselves, their patience wearing thin. Some suggested moving the meeting forward, but the host, Lian Wei, raised her hand to silence them.
“We will continue after the transaction between seat number 16,” she gestured towards Aksai, “and seat number 32,” she indicated the hooded old man, “is completed.”
Aksai focused on the talisman, his neural link fabric processing the complex runes at lightning speed. Within moments, the results appeared in his mind.
[Unknown healing-type talisman]
[Effects: Triggers rapid cell destruction and construction in order to heal wounds. Uses Spirit essence as fuel to support the rapid growth of cellular regeneration.]**
[Discrepancies found: 44]
[Side effects: This talisman affects the target at the cellular level. After healing the wounds, the healing effects don’t stop and only continue to increase. The cellular division and regrowth are accelerated even after the target’s body is perfectly healthy, causing cancerous growth and tumors.]
“Holy hell. How vicious,” Aksai exclaimed as he read the information that appeared on his spectral screen.
As a 2nd-order talisman maker himself, Aksai’s database saved on his neural link fabric was comprehensive. The neural link fabric effectively decoded the mysteries hidden in the healing-type talisman, allowing Aksai to know its true purpose before he bought it in a hurry.
Technically speaking, this was still a healing-type talisman. However, this talisman would cause its target to experience cancerous growth in their body.
This was a healing-type talisman that had been made to harm the people it was used on, a strange way to apply the concept of healing to injure someone.