Auction

Midas was still trying to process what Licht just said when the carriage from the town mayor came.

"Alright, let's go," Licht said as he walked to the carriage.

They both got into the carriage and it didn't take long before they got to the auction house.

The merchant guild was the biggest building in this town so far. It was 4 stories tall and was the classic red color of most of the buildings in Flamehaven.

"Why is the merchant guild bigger than even the town's mayor's residence and town hall?" Licht asked the coach driver

"The merchant guild here is just a branch establishment. The merchant guild is one of the superpowers in the Empire of Light. There are several superpowers on the continent. They are the church of Xoxoqui, the merchant guild, the adventurer guild, the potioneer's guild, the Forge, and others." The coach driver replied.

"The church of Xoxoqui?" There was a look of surprise in the eyes of Licht as he muttered.

"Yes, the church of Xoxoqui is the accepted religious teaching in the entire continent so I have heard, that other gods are being worshipped but Xoxoqui is the most recognized." The coach driver explained respectfully.

As Licht was about to reply, James came out and welcomed Licht" Sir Licht, you are here. The auction is about to start. Let's go to my booth." He then said" I know nothing would be of interest to you, but if anything catches your fancy, I would be pleased to buy it as friends" The mayor smiled humbly.

"Ok, if you say so" Licht answered as he started walking towards the auction house with James and Midas following behind him.

They got to the room that was decorated with gold and red blinds, with royal-looking furniture, with a see-through window in the front of the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the monthly auction of the merchant guild. I'm going to be your auctioneer this evening. We have several beautiful items planned out for you and also some new additions that I'm sure you've never seen. With that, let's begin."

"The first item is a weapon called the Cliff daggers. This is a pair of mid-brown rank twin daggers. They are strong enough to pierce the hide of a 7th brown rank Iron bull"

Weapons were also classified with the same color level as people and animals, the only difference was the mini cultivation ranged from basic, mid to peak.

"A weapon of the mid-brown rank in the beginning? This auction sure is different from the others"

"I must get this dagger so I'd be able to kill the frost python and get its core. The scales are hard but not as strong as the Iron bull's hide"

"Quickly what is the starting bid's price?"

People were impatient and some were even salivating with greed.

"The starting price for this dagger is 200 copper coins." The auctioneer smiled and replied

"I bid 210" Someone from the audience yelled out

"220"

"250"

"275 copper coins"

"310"

The audience was rowdy all of a sudden, people bidding trying to win this weapon, no one wanted to back off.

"500 copper coins" A thin man that had a scar from the top of his left eye to the bottom of his jaw called out.

"Oh my! Why is Callisto here? I thought he was out of town for another assassination quest?"

"He just got back this evening. It seems another unlucky soul has died by his hands"

"Looking at him is chilling. Imagine that's the last face you see before you die?"

"You wouldn't even see him coming that is the scary part. Remember his ether element is like it's built for stealth and assassinations"

"Shush, don't let him hear you. He hates when people comment about his appearance"

They were all talking about the thin scar-faced man, Callisto. He was an assassin for hire with a hundred percent success rate due to his unique ether abilities. He was a 6th-brown rank dual enforcer with the attribute of Mist and Shadow, a perfect attribute in the art of assassination. It is said that James is scared of Callisto despite James being one level above him.

Everyone gave up after seeing that Callisto was interested in the daggers.

"Bid going once for 500 copper coins...twice...sold to Callisto for 500 copper coins. Please go to the back to pay and collect your item"

"The next item was found in the mountains 40 miles from this town. That mountain range is known to house beasts of the yellow rank so you know how incredibly dangerous it was for this item to have been found. This item is a herb called the poison lily, this herb does not kill people like the name might imply, it instead gives the chance to awaken the poison ether attribute. It does not have a hundred percent guarantee on people that already awakened ether abilities, but if it does not give you the poison ether attribute, it would give your element a little bit of poison affinity"

"Awakening a second element? That is absurd"

"Even if it doesn't awaken the poison element, it gives poison affinity?"

"Wow, affinity to poison means gaining resistance and my earth element would become dangerous"

"This poison lily bid starts at 1 silver coin. The bid increment is 1 silver coin"

There were gasps everywhere because one silver coin was worth 100 copper coins and 1 gold coin was worth 100 silver coins or 10000 copper coins. With an increment of 1 silver coin, it would escalate either quickly or slowly.

"5 silver coins" Callisto called out

Some people were discouraged after seeing Callisto calling out for the item while others were motivated by the possibility

of awakening a second element.

"6 silver coins"One person yelled

"7 silver coins"Another followed

"10 silver coins" Callisto called out again, but this time with a deadly look in his eyes

Now there was no longer any competition and Callisto changed back to his normal scar-faced but unbothered look till he heard another bid.

"15 silver coins"Everyone was surprised that someone would still bid against Callisto. They looked towards the voice and saw it was Mayor James with his signature amicable smile that everyone found warming.

Callisto snarled" James, do you want to compete with me against this item? Do you no longer fear death?"

"Hahaha, you have always been funny, Callisto. You already have two elements, why so greedy?" Laughed James but his eyes showed that he wasn't backing down

Callisto glared at James, then smiled. The scar on his face made him look extremely terrifying.

"The poison lily going once...twice... sold to Mayor James for 15 silver coins," The auctioneer said

The auction went on, Licht looked uninterested in most of the items, after all, they were just too weak in his eyes. Midas on the other hand was excited about seeing so many treasures. He had never seen so many valuable things in one place at the same time.

The auction finally ended with Licht only getting a huge block of Ether stone for Midas to cultivate with, courtesy of Mayor James. In the carriage back to the inn, James asked to join them. Licht saw no reason to say no so he accepted.

Licht then said to Midas" When we get back to the inn, we'd check your ether capabilities and how we should cultivate it"

Midas was so excited at the prospect of cultivation, then he asked "Master, what ether element do you harness?"

Mayor James was also curious and listened attentively.

"I do not cultivate any element and I also cultivate all at the same time. You could say I cultivate one of the two most powerful elements unknown to man" Licht said after thinking about it for a few seconds

Mayor James and Midas looked at Licht with confusion but asked" Which is?"

Licht smiled then said

"Order"