An Insult ?

The auction house operated under stringent standards, particularly when it came to scrutinizing the merchandise they offered. Any lapse in their assessment could allow counterfeits and imitations to slip through, jeopardizing the prestigious reputation the auction house had meticulously built over the years. To the auction house, reputation was the bedrock of its existence.

As Sam entered the establishment, a middle-aged man intercepted him, effectively blocking his path. He inquired politely, "Good sir, is there anything I may assist you with today?"

Sam, dressed in a well-kept robe, appeared no different from any affluent citizen. However, his height betrayed his true age; he stood several inches shorter than an adult male. Furthermore, his voice had yet to mature fully, leaving no doubt that he was a young boy of a mere 15 or 16 years.

Sam, without attempting to disguise his youth, replied with candor, "I have come for an appraisal of inscription runes."

The middle-aged man arched an eyebrow, his expression tinged with skepticism.

"May I examine the inscription?" His courtesy was noteworthy, given that a teenager seeking to appraise inscriptions was an uncommon occurrence.

Inscriptions often commanded prices exceeding a thousand gold, so the notion of a young boy requesting such an appraisal raised understandable doubts.

When Sam produced the symbol paper, the middle-aged man's brow furrowed.

He couldn't help but notice the inferior quality of the paper—a basic, inexpensive variety worth a mere one or two gold per dozen. 

While the paper's cost did not directly correlate with the quality of the inscription, it did reflect the status of the inscription's creator. Established inscription masters typically employed high-quality paper costing several gold each to showcase their skill.

Yet, there was a subtle energy emanating from the symbol paper, indicating that it was a genuine, completed product and not a jest. 

The middle-aged man looked at Sam and inquired, "Do you possess a certificate identifying the inscription master responsible for this?"

Sam shook his head.

"Very well, please follow me."

Leading Sam through the hallways, the middle-aged man guided him to an appraisal chamber at the rear of the auction house. 

Inside, a man clad in a plain black robe, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, exuded an aura of stern authority. Sam couldn't help but notice the sign in front of the man, which read "Advanced Appraiser."

Taking the symbol paper in hand, the black-robed man noted the inferior paper it was inscribed on. Remarkably, he maintained an air of calm professionalism, carefully slipping on a pair of white gloves before conducting a thorough and meticulous assessment—a clear demonstration of his expertise.

However, as he began the appraisal, the appraiser's expression grew more serious, and he turned his gaze towards Sam. "If I'm not mistaken, the creator of this inscription symbol should not have exceeded the third level of the body transformation stage."

Inscriptions retained a faint trace of the creator's soul force, allowing an appraiser to gauge their martial arts cultivation level. 

Although Sam's soul force signature was naturally weaker due to his youth, his practice of the formidable 'True Primal Chaos Formula' had endowed him with denser soul force than the average martial artist. 

If the appraiser was to learn that the inscription was crafted by a mere novice at the first level of the body transformation stage, it would be a jaw-dropping revelation.

Understanding that denial was futile, Sam nodded in confirmation.

The appraiser inhaled sharply and sighed, "To discover such talent among the younger generation is astonishing. A mere third-level body transformation cultivator creating an inscription symbol—truly remarkable!"

Typically, inscription masters were older practitioners, many having advanced beyond the bone-forging stage, some even breaking through to the pulse-condensing or pre-celestial boundaries.

Perhaps this third-level body transformation cultivator was an apprentice of an inscription master who had chanced upon success. However, Sam had brought four identical inscriptions—an impressive feat.

Sam heard the praise but was unprepared for what followed. 

"While this inscription is genuine, it was crafted by an apprentice. Hence, we cannot ascertain its enhancement capabilities or the integrity of the inscription. You must understand that an apprentice's soul force is usually limited in both quantity and quality, making it exceedingly challenging to execute complex inscription designs. Even if this symbol enhances strength by ten percent, it won't matter if it can't be applied to superior equipment. Auctioning such a product could tarnish our reputation, as it's improbable that anyone would invest in an inscription of uncertain origin."

Inscriptions were reserved for superior equipment capable of channeling a martial artist's soul force and energy effectively. Consequently, inscriptions were affixed only to high-quality items, each valued at several thousand gold.

Sam expected this response and proposed, "I only need to auction three; you can use the fourth for experiments."

After creating the inscription, testing its effectiveness became exceedingly challenging. Even the creator could only make educated guesses.

When martial artists purchased inscriptions, they gambled on their efficacy, relying on the reputation of high-level inscription masters. Few ventured into the market for inscriptions by unknown or apprentice-level practitioners; it was tantamount to gambling with their hard-earned money.

The appraiser agreed, "Very well, but you must provide your own equipment for the experiment."

Sam fell silent. Where could he find equipment worth several thousand gold, the minimum requirement for an inscription, especially since he only possessed 800 gold at the moment? The auction house wouldn't casually offer such costly equipment for experimentation.

Faced with this reality, Sam refrained from further argument. He could have claimed that their equipment wouldn't incur any loss, but there was no reason for them to take his word, given the weak soul force present in the inscription.

Thus, Sam retrieved his four symbol papers and left the Starlight Haven official auction house.

"Apologies, but we require certification from the Inscription Association or a notarized statement from an inscription master..."

At the Starlight Haven City trade fair, Sam faced rejection based solely on his age. The merchant's refusal was delivered with politeness.

Sam visited several private shops, but the attitudes there were even more inhospitable.

His attempt at the Inscription Transaction Trading Pavilion, overseen by the Trade Association, was no different. 

The opulent, multi-story establishment exudes luxury, housing high-end vendors and exuding an air of exclusivity. 

Here, everything came at a premium, ranging from hundreds to several thousand gold. Even the shopkeepers, needlessly arrogant, only extended courtesy and hospitality to affluent customers. For struggling salesmen like Sam, there was only impatience and dismissal.

Some didn't bother with words and simply waved him away. Others ridiculed him openly.

"Kid, you're in the wrong place. You're blocking the way for serious customers."

"Hey, this isn't the playground for little boys... Oh, hello, sir, what can we assist you with today? Come, take a look..."

"Haha, young one, don't try to play tricks here. This is nothing more than toilet paper with some doodles on it. Did you really think it's an inscription? Haha..."