Chapter Twenty-Nine: Mithril

As the bidding climbed higher and higher, Phillips found his mood growing increasingly calm. With the alchemist shop owner's skill and background, they were simply not in the same league; he would no longer need to worry about future competition. Now, the only thing that mattered was how to secure the bracelet.

Phillips, cloaked in black and wearing the hooded robes of a wizard, let his emerald eyes scan the crowd. As the price soared past five thousand, the frequency of bids dwindled sharply; only three main contenders remained—a silver-haired yet upright elder, a youth in luxurious attire, and a woman clad in green, untouched by powder or paint, her demeanor as tranquil as a gentle breeze.

He couldn’t rule out the possibility of other competitors still observing, but only those holding membership cards could bid, and the event had occurred so suddenly that it was difficult for anyone to prepare in advance. Thus, Phillips felt little concern.

He recognized all three. The elder was a long-standing client, frequently commissioning custom potions; fortunately, Phillips wore his hood, for openly competing against him might offend a benefactor. The youth's father was a core disciple of the Iron Fist Hall, reputedly under the direct tutelage of Master Lockris, famed for the “Shadowless Fist”—another potential source of trouble. As for the woman, her name was Lonikia, renowned for holding around the thirtieth rank among those under forty in the Duel Tower—a rising star among the new generation of wizards from the Arcane Vault.

Though her wealth almost certainly paled in comparison to his own, Phillips found her the most difficult to deal with. Competing with the other two was merely a matter of resources, but Lonikia possessed true promise as a wizard; he would have to show her respect. Should she one day ascend to greatness and recall their rivalry, he would be no more than an ant beneath her heel.

He lowered his head further, tugged his hood tight, and, in a gravelly voice, called out, “Seven thousand mana crystals.”

His gaze flickered; he decided to bid high and decisively. If he won, it wouldn’t be seen as antagonistic, for he hadn’t pushed Lonikia into a protracted bidding war.

Yet fate was unkind. Lonikia’s serene voice followed immediately: “Seven thousand two hundred.”

Phillips fell silent. For a finely crafted alchemical artifact, this was hardly a high price—especially for something capable of saving one’s life.

At a formal auction, it would easily fetch over twelve thousand mana crystals, but this sudden, restricted event was bound to bring its value down. Phillips had mentally set a ceiling of ten thousand, yet he was loath to offend Lonikia, leaving him caught in a dilemma.

Fortunately, the stalemate was broken. The youth in the ornate robes raised his voice: “Eight thousand mana crystals!”

Phillips now hoped Lonikia would lose to the youth, so he could continue bidding without risking her displeasure.

The price volleyed back and forth, quickly reaching nine thousand. Lonikia bit her lip, her expression strained—clearly, the price was beyond her means.

Yet the artifact was crucial to her. She had accepted a well-paid but dangerous task, intending to use her savings to purchase protective equipment, and now this bracelet had appeared as an unexpected blessing.

Her mind raced. Seeing Lonikia hesitate, both the elder and Phillips rejoined the fray, driving the price up to ten thousand five hundred.

As Qixiao began the countdown and prepared to drop the hammer, Lonikia sighed, retrieved a large block of silvery metal from her storage item, and asked, “May I pledge an artifact to cover part of the payment? If so, I’m willing to bid eleven thousand mana crystals.”

Qixiao eyed the metal in surprise. “Is that... mithril?!”

Having brought it forth, Lonikia no longer felt the sting of parting with it and replied calmly, “Yes, it is mithril. As an alchemist, you know its properties and rarity. I needn’t elaborate. I’m short on mana crystals and hope to use the mithril as partial payment.”

Qixiao’s gaze shone with interest. “Of course. May I weigh the mithril?”

Lonikia handed it over. “Please.”

Phillips had thought he would finally secure the bracelet, but once Lonikia produced the mithril, he knew his chances were slim.

He was acutely aware of the allure such precious metal held for alchemists. At equal prices, the seller would naturally favor the bidder offering mithril—unless Phillips outbid by a wide margin, which would be both wasteful and risk offending Lonikia. So he remained silent.

Mithril was a remarkable and rare metal, as malleable as bronze and polishable like glass, harder than most steels and alloys, yet light as a feather. Its surface gleamed with a silvery radiance, like moonlight, more beautiful than silver itself, and its luster never faded with time.

After weighing it, Qixiao said, “One point nine kilograms. The market price is four point eight mana crystals per gram, but it’s often out of stock and rare to find so much at once. I won’t cheat you; I’ll value it at five mana crystals per gram. Is that acceptable?”

Lonikia nodded, well aware of the weight and price of her mithril. She had originally planned to commission a suitable weapon from an alchemist, but now she had to spend it here.

After all, defensive alchemical artifacts were vital to her current situation. If she perished in the secret realm, all would be lost.

“Does anyone wish to bid further? Eleven thousand mana crystals, once; eleven thousand, twice; eleven thousand, thrice... Congratulations to the lady!”

Qixiao smiled at Lonikia. “Congratulations, Miss. This block of mithril covers nine thousand five hundred mana crystals; you owe a total of fifteen hundred.”

Lonikia placed a pouch on the table. Qixiao didn’t touch it, but scanned it with his mental powers to confirm its contents, then smiled and placed the bracelet in a jade box, handing it to her. He then asked, “May I inquire your name, Miss?”

It was the first time Lonikia had heard such phrasing, somewhat awkward, but understanding Qixiao’s intent, she answered softly, “Lonikia Livando.”

As the crowd dispersed, Qixiao smiled. “Thank you, Miss Lonikia. If you have any questions about the bracelet or wish to improve it, feel free to seek me out. Should you come across other rare metals, I’d be happy to purchase them from you—my prices will surely satisfy.”

Lonikia gave a gentle smile in return. “Certainly.”