Eight thousand crystals??
All wizards on the scene grew silent and frowned at the price. Every single participant here was experienced enough to stay calm at all times. Despite the heated competition, they could still size up the situation carefully.
Sure, the music box was pretty unique and fun to see. But was it really worth spending eight thousand magic crystals on it? Maybe yes, for people with certain tastes.
However, they did not believe they could find such people here, which meant the price was now unreasonable.
Those who had money to spare might accept the item at the cost of three thousand or so. To formal wizards, the music box was only a trinket used in personal collections or something to start a fun topic during social conversations. That was about it.
Did it really contain something valuable like Flora said?
None of the wizards would lose their mind and join the competition just for something “possible”.
The price already went out of bounds.
Angor was glad he was not the one selling the music box, and that no one knew he was the creator of it, or he would draw a lot of unwanted attention.
Prome did not have to worry about drawing attention, but he was quite shocked at the current bid as well.
“Who is Number 19? And why did he suddenly add fuel?” Compared to the insane price, people were more curious about whoever could offer such a price for a music box.
Even Lydia could not stay put now. “Who’s that? Come, my friend. Let’s talk.”
No response.
Lydia grimaced. “So, are you doing this just to give me trouble?”
Again, nothing.
Twilight tilted her head and sent a transmission to a worker waiting behind the stage. “Who is Number 19?”
Chamber 19 was vacant at the beginning of the auction. Twilight took a guess that someone came midway.
She received an answer soon and her eyes widened in horror. She intended to assist Lydia. But now… after learning who was currently inside Room 19, she dared not intrude the competition.
She understood why Number 19 offered such a price, considering that man’s identity.
She quickly decided to change side. When Lydia demanded a response from Number 19, she pushed the auction with her loud voice.
“Eight thousand by Number 19, going once.”
“Eight thousand, going twice.”
Twilight no longer cared about Lydia’s opinion. She only wished to get her gavel down as soon as possible.
As she said “going thrice”, Lydia’s voice came again, in a colder tone this time.
“Eight thousand and a hundred. You coming, Flora?” She looked at Chamber 35.
Flora giggled in her eerie manner. “It’s yours, sister, since you want it so badly.”
Lydia looked toward Chamber 19 next. “You. How about you? I wouldn’t mind giving it up if you pay more.”
The price was getting out of hand even for formal wizards.
Once again, Number 19 did not say anything, and the bid on Twilight’s screen remained still. After confirming it three times, Twilight announced, “The 100th lot, Land on the Sky, goes to Lady Lotus.”
Twilight “congratulated” Lydia. The music box both stopped Lydia from discriminating Twilight Auction, as well as getting them a higher share than expected. Twilight smiled and failed to maintain her neutral expression for a moment.
Before she could bring the 101st item though, Lydia suddenly stopped her.
“Hold on.”
“What’s the matter, Lady Lotus?”
“I want to know who originally owned the music box. I really enjoyed the music, so I want to ask something regarding its composer,” Lydia explained.
“I can’t do that due to our policy, Lady Lotus,” said Twilight as her smile disappeared.
Twilight was not the only one who was troubled by the question. Actually, Lydia shocked everyone in the auction hall.
Even Flora raised an eyebrow at Lydia’s bold attempt. She already knew that ‘Flaming Lotus’ Lydia was known for her arrogance and indifference regarding social rules. But she still was not expecting Lydia to ask such a question out loud during a public auction. Lydia might find an answer from the auction house in private if she asked later. However, there was no way Twilight would answer her right here in front of everyone.
Also, there was someone who was in a completely different mindset. Daichese, who had been sitting at the backseat, suddenly had her face drained of color.
“Policy?” Lydia sneered. “Okay then, let me ask something else. Who was the alchemist who created ‘Land on the Sky’? At least you can tell us that much, no?”
Twilight was relieved a bit since Lydia asked an easier question. However, she still could not answer this one. “Lady Lotus, please do not put me in a bad position.”
“Not even its creator?” Lydia chuckled. “So your policy is all about serving your sellers, but not us buyers?”
Twilight tried to contain her rage. “We can try asking the seller about such information later. However, we’ll ultimately respect our customer’s decision on whether the information could be told.”
“Please do then,” Lydia chuckled again. However, people were unsure of what would happen when someone who never knew how to follow rules acted like that.
With that settled, Twilight resumed the auction.
Dave gave Angor a concerned look when Lydia mentioned finding out the source of the music box. However, Angor was completely fine with it—he was not the one selling the item, so nothing would come to him.
Angor successfully bought another item later called the core of a Black Dense Stone.
He needed three extra materials to craft a space storage, one of which was “core of a White Dense Stone”, which was a very common object scattered around Vacuum Plane. Yet he never found one at the wizard stores.
Angor was planning to ask Prome to take him to the secret alchemy shops. To his surprise though, he found something even better at the auction.
The cores of White Dense Stone were easy to find because they were everywhere in Vacuum Plane. It was one of the most common materials used in making storage items, so people never bothered to find an alternative to it.
The core of Black Dense Stone was not an alternative. A Black Dense Stone which was originally white went through a reforming process for thousands of years. Apart from possessing all the attributes offered by a White Dense Stone, a black one could also maximize the construction of a space storage by its catalytic effect.
For example, if an alchemist prepared enough material to craft a space of 5,000 liters, the volume meant the max possible outcome of the final product, but not the average volume. Under normal circumstances, the alchemist would create storage of 3,000 liters or so.
The core of Black Dense Stone, however, could help the product achieved the upper limit.
Of course, Angor was happy at gaining such important material.
It cost him 1,300 crystals, but he still found it worthy.
In contrast to him, Prome’s mood became worse and worse as more items were brought up. The 158th item was being sold now, and he still had not found an anti-undead weapon.
Angor was going to comfort Prome and claim that he was going to attempt drawing Prelude to Elimination. Before he could do so, the next auction lot drew his attention.
“This is the horn of an Abyss Nightmare,” Twilight introduced the item in her good old neutral tone, “it came from the third level of Abyss Plane, and I believe you all know what it can do. We’ll start at six thousand magic crystals. Only raises of one thousand or more will be accepted.”
The initial price and increment limit already proved to them that the item was only intended for formal wizards.
Once again, the hall remained silent.
This was totally expected though. Abyss Nightmare’s Horn was a rare alchemy material, and only master alchemists knew how to use it.
Real master alchemists all received their names because they could create high-tiered items. They were unlike Prome, who was only addressed as “master” out of courtesy when he was merely an intermediate apprentice alchemist.
If the item was sold at Floating Mech City where great alchemists gathered, it might go as high as ten thousand magic crystals. The problem was, people could not find alchemists as easily in Midnight Sovereign. An extremely rare material might attract enough buyers to achieve a good price, but the horn was not something THAT important. It held an awkward value which could prove to be superfluous in a place like this.
Twilight shook her head when a full minute had elapsed in complete silence.
Naturally, everyone understood the situation. Why would someone other than a master alchemist buy the horn? To place it in their homes as decoration trophy?
Twilight was going to ask the workers to bring out the next item when she saw a bid appearing on the screen.
She did not show it, but she was really curious to find out which master alchemist came to her humble auction. Even Floating Mech City had a limited number of alchemists who were considered “masters”.
Nevertheless, she had to consider these questions later. For now…
“Six thousand called by Number 187. Can we get another?”
Number 187? People all began to check the auction record. Gases, Rosegold Gargoyle’s Tongue Blood, Chaos Beater Hide Paper, and now this, Abyss Nightmare’s Horn. Number 187 only went for alchemy-related items.
People were now certain that Number 187 was an alchemist or at least someone who knew an alchemist and came to buy items in his place.
Buying the horn meant either Number 187 himself or the alchemist he knew could be a master alchemist.
Here, no one had to be reminded of the great value possessed by someone like that. No one showed what they were thinking about. But in the dark, people all made their own plans and plots.