Chapter 101: The Enchanting Fairy

“Mm, this one is a bit better than the last. Starting price, one hundred and fifty.”

No sooner had the old man spoken than Ye Chen grinned and, clink-clatter, tossed two more onto the table. The hall fell quiet at once. All ten appraisers stared at Ye Chen in shock. Four bronze rings was a completely different matter from one. Jewelry was already a notoriously rare drop, and for a single player to produce four at once was enough to be startling.

“Kid, if you’ve got any more good stuff, bring it all out and let this old man have a look. And you there, bring the guest a cup of Snow Mountain Brew.”

With a genial laugh, the elder spoke to Ye Chen while also instructing someone to serve him a drink.

After taking a sip of the icy, refreshing Snow Mountain Brew, Ye Chen very readily threw out a complete set of Light Hymn. Five bronze-tier pieces, each shimmering with a holy glow, instantly washed the entire tabletop in a layer of pale green light. The appraisers all drew in sharp breaths and could not help but crowd around the elder’s table.

The elder, even more eagerly, reached out trembling hands to inspect the items’ attributes. One glance was enough to make his eyes widen; his breathing quickened, and he carefully stroked each piece as though handling a priceless treasure.

“Master Wang, i-is it a set?” The bearded appraiser hurried to the elder’s side, eyes burning as he stared at the equipment on the table. His voice was thick with anticipation, and the others pricked up their ears as well.

“Yes, yes, yes—it’s a bronze set, and not just any bronze set, but the most sought-after Holy Priest set at that. Look at these attributes: holy-light magic power increased by ten percent. Good heavens, at last I’ve got another centerpiece item.”

The elder’s face was flushed with excitement, his eyes sparkling incessantly. Though he had seemed unconcerned with bronze equipment earlier, he understood very well that bronze gear in a new server was already top-shelf. A bronze set was worth several times more than loose pieces; a full bronze set was in no way inferior to a silver-grade weapon, and a Holy Priest bronze set was even more desirable than most.

The other appraisers all cried out in astonishment as well, surging forward to admire the bronze set. When they looked back at Ye Chen, there was no longer mere respect in their gaze, but even a trace of awe. A player who could produce so much bronze gear all by himself must be a master among masters. After all, their partner, Dragon Soar, had turned over every stone in its treasury and still brought out only a dozen or so bronze fragments. Of course, if Dragon Soar were willing to strip the equipment off its own members, it could still gather a few sets—but no family would ever do such a thing.

While the appraisers were still arguing heatedly over how to price the Light Hymn set, Ye Chen reached into his pack and casually tossed a staff gleaming with silver light onto the table before them.

Though it was only one piece of equipment this time, the silver radiance alone was enough to set every appraiser’s eyes blazing red. Looking at it, they seemed half ready to bite into the silver staff itself.

“Well now, old man, was that surprise enough?” Ye Chen teased the elder, who had already pulled the silver staff tightly into his arms.

At that, the old man immediately gave Ye Chen a thumbs-up and nodded. “A surprise? A very big surprise. Since I’ve been in charge of District Four, this is the first time I’ve received so many high-grade items at once. Especially this Light Hymn set and this Radiant Staff—they’re both good enough to serve as centerpiece treasures.” As he spoke, he took a finely crafted golden token from his own pack and handed it to Ye Chen. “This is Nightglow Gold’s VIP badge. With this token, you can enter and leave Nightglow Gold’s auction house whenever you please, and your transaction fees are reduced by ten percent. Even if you go to another city in the future, it remains valid at all Nightglow Gold branches.”

Ye Chen shook his head and did not take it. Instead, he said, “I’ve heard that the real VIPs at Nightglow Gold carry diamond tokens, the kind that can transmit messages and get a twenty percent discount on transaction fees.”

The old man stared. “You know quite a lot. But I don’t have the authority to issue diamond tokens, and that isn’t something you can get just by selling a few pieces of equipment. Even if you sold a golden item, you still wouldn’t qualify.”

As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at the exquisitely crafted Abyss Staff in Ye Chen’s hand.

The old fellow had sharp eyes indeed; he had clearly already discerned the quality of the Abyss Staff. Ye Chen did not mind. Nightglow Gold’s reputation did not need to be doubted—it would never leak a client’s information. So he said nothing more, simply reached into his pocket, took out a perfectly round White Tiger Pill, and tossed it to the elder with a half-smile.

“Then have a look at this. Is it worth a diamond token?”

The old man caught the White Tiger Pill and froze slightly. He instinctively checked its attributes, and then nearly jumped to his feet in excitement. Trembling all over, he pointed at Ye Chen, unable to say a word. He knew all too well what this thing was worth.

Many experts might already have surpassed level twenty-five, but to the old man, that did nothing to diminish the value of the White Tiger Pill. In Blazing Mountain City, there were one hundred thousand players, and plenty of rich people among them—but being rich did not necessarily mean being high-level. On the contrary, many wealthy players had little time to play and were therefore stuck at lower levels. Something like this was practically tailor-made for those who had money but little free time. For those magnates, it was absolutely the sort of thing they would gladly pay handsomely for.

“How many... how many of these do you have?” The elder’s eyes were red now, already imagining the sensation that would be caused by making the White Tiger Pill the centerpiece item.

“Can you make that call?” Ye Chen asked with a smile.

At that, clarity returned to the old man’s eyes. He nodded repeatedly. “I really can’t make that decision myself. I’ll go fetch Miss Spirit Pupil at once. You there, take this guest, who is soon to become a diamond VIP, to the private room next door and treat him well.”

Ye Chen followed a lovely little dwarf girl into the side chamber, while the old man hurried off in search of the chief auctioneer, Spirit Pupil.

The little girl served him a pot of Snow Mountain Brew and several dishes of fresh, delicious appetizers. Ye Chen did not stand on ceremony; he sat in the private room, eating as he waited.

After about ten minutes, the door to the private room was gently pushed open, and a beautiful woman in a long sea-blue dress stepped inside. Her pearl-like eyes were unforgettable at first glance, and the faint curve of her smile could steal a person’s soul. The red downy fur behind her rounded ears marked her race—the fox clan, one of the most enchanting peoples in Divine Descent.

“Brother Ye Chen, why did you come without notifying me first? It was only after seeing the White Tiger Pill that I realized you were already here.”

Spirit Pupil crossed the room to Ye Chen in a few light steps, carrying with her a delicate fragrance. The soft, seductive lilt of her voice brushed his ear, making Ye Chen feel faintly warm in the face.

Subconsciously, Ye Chen studied the woman carefully. As one of the ten great goddesses of District Two, she truly did live up to her reputation. Like the race she had chosen, she was a temptress in human form—the graceful rise and fall of her figure, the snow-white swanlike curve of her neck, and those eyes that seemed ready to drip with allure, all made her resemble a ripe peach, exhaling temptation at every moment.