Chapter 179: The Silver Tower

The shelves were packed with an overwhelming variety of casting tools, so many that it was impossible to take them all in at a glance. Merlin approached the shelves calmly, without appearing too interested, focusing instead on the warm sensation radiating from the Bell Pendant at his chest. He knew that if the warmth intensified, it meant he was likely close to an item somehow connected to the pendant.

Following this method, Merlin gradually moved toward a shelf against the wall, where the Bell Pendant grew increasingly hot.

The charming assistant began introducing the items on display. "These casting tools come in various types," she said. "Some of them even baffle our seventh-level mages, which suggests they may be relics from ancient times. With the right luck, you might uncover something extraordinarily powerful."

Her words were crafted skillfully to spark interest. Realistically, the chance of finding a powerful artifact among these neglected items was incredibly slim. But framing it as a rare opportunity to "strike gold" could easily sway a few mages into making purchases.

Merlin saw right through her approach—he had encountered countless sales techniques like this in his previous life. Still, the fact that this pendant caused such a reaction in the Bell Pendant meant it was indeed worth investigating, regardless of whether it was a hidden gem. If the price was reasonable, he might consider purchasing it.

Seeing that Merlin wasn't swayed, the assistant fell silent. She recognized that he was not the type to be easily influenced and decided it was best to let him browse quietly.

Among the many dusty items on the shelf, Merlin selected an old pendant, coated in dust and visibly aged, which resembled his Bell Pendant.

"How much for this pendant?" he asked directly.

The assistant gave a sly smile. "This pendant was retrieved from an ancient ruin by one of our esteemed seventh-level mages in the Silver Tower. While its exact function remains unknown, it's undoubtedly valuable. For you, five hundred elemental stones."

"Five hundred elemental stones?"

Merlin's face showed a trace of amusement. The Silver Tower might have seventh-level mages, but one who unearthed such a valuable item from ancient ruins would certainly not allow it to sit on a shelf gathering dust. Most likely, the pendant had been acquired cheaply from a wanderer, and now the Silver Tower sought to mark up the price for a substantial profit.

He set the pendant back on the shelf. "Come, Mage Brunton, let's leave."

Brunton chuckled knowingly and turned to the assistant. "The Silver Tower misjudged this time. Mage Merlin is no mere wanderer—he's a member of a mage organization! His discerning eye isn't easily fooled, so how about offering a fair price?"

Brunton had already gathered from Hill that Merlin was affiliated with the Dark Spirit Domain. It was partly due to this status that Brunton was treating him with such respect.

"Oh, so you're from a mage organization!" The assistant's eyes glimmered with surprise. She quickly adjusted her tone, smiling. "In that case, how about a fair price of fifty elemental stones?"

With the price now lowered by a factor of ten, Merlin considered it reasonable and agreed. "Alright, fifty elemental stones."

He retrieved the stones from his storage ring, handed them to the assistant, and took the pendant in hand. The Bell Pendant at his chest instantly grew warm again, though he refrained from examining it closely until he returned to his quarters.

The assistant, pleased with the transaction and Merlin's organizational ties, pressed on, "Mage Merlin, would you like to see more? We have casting tools, potion recipes, alchemical ingredients, and even some rare materials."

After a moment's thought, Merlin nodded. "Take me to see your potion ingredients."

The assistant led them to a quiet hall lined with countless jars and bundles of various ingredients. Merlin quickly spotted some blueberries, one of the ingredients he was seeking.

However, the price made him hesitate. A single batch of ingredients for a blueberry potion required five hundred elemental stones, which was exorbitant. He could only afford enough for one batch at that price.

Still, as he scanned the shelves, he found, to his surprise, some of the rare ingredients needed for the Phantom Potion. They were even more expensive, but knowing the ingredients were available left him impressed.

Merlin and Brunton left the Silver Tower soon afterward. On their way out, Merlin asked, "Mage Brunton, the Silver Tower seems more than just a simple trading hub. With so many valuable casting tools and ingredients, many beyond even what I've seen in the Dark Spirit Domain, is it not comparable to a full-fledged mage organization?"

"Comparable to an organization? Heh," Brunton shook his head, a mysterious smile on his face. "Mage Merlin, if you knew who founded the Silver Tower, you wouldn't ask that."

Merlin's curiosity piqued. "Who founded it?"

"Archmage Silver."

At the mention of "Archmage," Brunton's expression grew serious.

"Archmage Silver?" Merlin was stunned. Unlike ordinary wanderers, he was now well-acquainted with mage lore. The title "Archmage" wasn't simply an honorific; it indicated someone who had reached the pinnacle of magical power, beyond even a ninth-level mage.

Archmages were almost mythical, their powers unimaginably vast. The Dark Spirit Domain itself had been established by the legendary Archmage Fidel, a figure of immense strength who had vanished long ago. Knowing the Silver Tower was founded by an active archmage explained its rapid growth and formidable influence—enough to rival mid-sized mage organizations and far surpass smaller ones like the Dark Spirit Domain.

"The Silver Tower has plenty of remarkable items," Brunton said, "but the prices are just as formidable. As a wanderer, I rarely consider coming here myself."

Merlin nodded in agreement. Following their brief exploration, they returned to the residence.

Once back in his room, Merlin retrieved both the Bell Pendant and the newly acquired pendant. As soon as he placed them together, the Bell Pendant started radiating an intense warmth.

The two pendants looked almost identical, though the Bell Pendant had a storage space for spells, while the new one appeared to lack any magical properties or storage function. Since Merlin had used up the spell stored in the Bell Pendant, it had become mostly useless—yet now, something seemed to be changing.

Merlin examined them closely and noticed something intriguing. The two pendants appeared to be parts of a single whole, separated at some point in time.

Following this intuition, he carefully aligned them. The Bell Pendant emitted a dazzling light that enveloped both pendants, binding them together. Enclosed in a brilliant white glow, the two pendants began to undergo a transformation, and Merlin watched intently, his anticipation growing as he waited to see what new power might emerge from the combined artifact.