Wesley was utterly astonished. He had never expected to see these two children here, especially at this particular moment. These two kids had left a profound impression on him; even the manager of the “Dark Guild” had to treat them with deference—they were certainly not ordinary people!
Furthermore, he vaguely felt that his own favor with the “Dark Guild” was directly linked to these two children. Otherwise, out of all the students on campus, why would they entrust him with the task of distributing the new product?
Beside him, Feng Haotian’s shock was no less than Wesley’s. He never imagined his two esteemed elder sisters would suddenly appear here; wouldn't that attract far too much attention?
Of course, there was another aspect that surprised him: he spotted Luo Jie’er, who was helping out in the library just like him.
He simply could not comprehend why this classmate, Luo Jie’er, would be walking alongside his two sisters! In his memory, Luo Jie’er was someone who struggled with communication and had few friends, but clearly, that wasn't the whole story!
He had countless questions for his two sisters, including whether they had been mistreated by Zhong Shenxiu, but out in the open, he couldn't reveal his connection to Wu Feiyan and Yue Nongying, so he had to forcibly swallow the words churning in his heart for the time being!
“Oh, they’re all sold out!” Amreda’s voice drifted over, tinged with a hint of disappointment.
“Well then,” Wesley said cautiously, his eyes flicking constantly toward Zhong Shenxiu and Robin, “if you aren't in a hurry, you can come back this afternoon!”
“Sister, I don’t even have a decent magic staff yet. Could you give me one?” Amreda took the opportunity to act spoiled toward Angelia.
Although Angelia had previously given her a huge allowance, Amreda, accustomed to being frugal, was very careful with her money. A slightly better magic staff from the “Dark Guild” products cost over a hundred thousand Diamond Coins; a better one could easily run into the millions. Amreda was loath to spend her own money!
She knew her sister was wealthy, beyond ordinary wealth, so with such a sister around, why should she dip into her own purse? A little good behavior and some coaxing would suffice! (Amreda had completely shed her former attitude; she was now entirely obedient to Angelia’s words!)
Angelia rolled her eyes. She had never mentioned the “Dark Guild” to her sister, so Amreda still didn't know that standing among the people present was the true owner of the “Dark Guild”!
“Sister, please give me one! I promise I’ll be good from now on!” Amreda tugged at Angelia’s arm, shaking it insistently, wearing an expression that clearly communicated, If you don’t give me one, I’ll cling to you like this forever!
But Angelia was no pushover. Having spent so much time with Zhong Shenxiu, she had picked up a few ways to handle such situations. She replied in a detached tone, “I need to see your final exam results. If you don’t fail a single subject, I’ll give you one!”
This was precisely the tactic Zhong Shenxiu often used on them: achieving a certain level would earn them a specific benefit, one so alluring it forced them to work their tails off!
“How about I promise to pass the make-up exams too? Is that okay?” Amreda tried to bargain. “No!” Angelia’s refusal was firm. While she might indulge her sister in daily matters, she could not allow Amreda to develop negative thinking when it came to academics. In this world where the strong preyed on the weak, only possessing sufficient strength was the true rule!
Amreda was truly afraid of Angelia when she was serious. Pouting, she fell silent.
Angelia’s personality was very much like a tomboy—direct and lacking in tact, whether dealing with others or educating her sister!
“Amreda,” Kaini said with a gentle smile, “if your final exam scores land in the medium or slightly above range, I’ll also give you a gift!”
Saying this, Kaini gave a very mysterious look.
Amreda’s interest immediately piqued, and she quickly asked, “Kaini Sister, what kind of gift is it?”
Amreda held Kaini in high regard, not just because Kaini was kind and beautiful, but more importantly, because even her own sister respected Kaini. Furthermore, she knew Kaini was the only one among them who could truly convince Zhong Shenxiu!
“Look at this, how about it?” Kaini said, holding up a crystal ball roughly the size of an apple.
Don’t belittle it just because of its size; this was a condensed masterpiece, an item classified as non-saleable within the “Dark Guild,” not something just anyone could obtain!
“Th-this is?”
Wesley, who had been listening quietly from the side, immediately widened his eyes. As someone familiar with the non-saleable markings of the “Dark Guild,” he recognized it instantly. Beneath the Guild’s insignia was a pattern resembling a magic array—that was it!
At this moment, Amreda’s eyes also widened. While she might not recognize the “non-saleable” mark, she could certainly discern the quality of a magic crystal! Even without personally trying it, she could tell this magic crystal was of the absolute highest grade. The massive magical power emanating from it made everyone present momentarily stiffen.
Magic crystals were different from magic staffs. The primary function of a staff was to amplify the magic cast by a mage, thereby increasing its destructive power; the primary function of a magic crystal, however, was to supply the mage with a continuous flow of magical energy, thereby increasing the number of spells they could cast. This was why mages often used staffs and crystals in combination!
In theory, as long as the magic crystal’s energy wasn't depleted, a mage could cast spells indefinitely.
Ordinary magic crystals stored little energy and often could only be used once; but high-grade magic crystals stored vast amounts of energy and, crucially, could regenerate their own mana, allowing for repeated use!
It was clear that the magic crystal in Kaini’s hand was a top-tier, high-grade crystal. Not only was it storing immense power, but its rate of mana recovery was astonishing—it was an absolute treasure for any mage. (Naturally, could anything Kaini presented be ordinary goods!)
“So, Sister, is the gift in my hand acceptable?” Kaini asked with a smile.
More than acceptable—it was spectacularly beyond measure! Any mage would find it impossible to resist its allure. Look at Luo Jie’er beside them; even she was staring blankly at the magic crystal!
“Ah, Kaini Sister, you are truly too generous!” Amreda was so excited she was practically drooling.
If she knew the true value of this magic crystal, she would probably faint! “With this magic crystal, you can cast spells non-stop. Your mastery of magic will increase at an incredible speed!” Kaini continued to tempt her.
“Kaini Sister, could you perhaps first—” Amreda’s words were cut short by Kaini!
“That won’t do,” Kaini retorted. “You must first achieve the grades I mentioned. Otherwise, letting you use this crystal would be too wasteful!” With that, Kaini tucked the crystal away again.
Her tactic was far more potent than Angelia’s. This offered tangible proof, and its motivating power far exceeded Angelia’s vague promise!
Thus, spurred on by Kaini’s temptation, Amreda secretly made a resolution in her heart: Damn it, I’m going all out!
The further Zhong Shenxiu and his group proceeded, the more people they saw. Many mages were gathered in small groups, animatedly discussing something. Judging by their excited expressions, they must have been deeply engaged in lively conversation!
Walking a little further, they could see numerous mages actively searching for trading partners. These people either had their items laid out before them or held them in hand, looking for targets—a bustling, vibrant scene.
“Hey, old man, how much for this thing?” Zhong Shenxiu stopped in front of an elder who had many miscellaneous items spread out before him. In his hand, the elder held an object resembling a stone.
This thing was grayish-brown all over, bizarrely shaped, and stood just under half a meter tall. It looked quite conspicuous in Zhong Shenxiu’s grasp, yet it weighed next to nothing!
To others, it might just be a strange rock, but Zhong Shenxiu knew it was not stone, but a solidified form of a plant, named Rudra.
This plant grew mostly in underground rock strata. Despite its plain appearance, it possessed a miraculous function and was one of the necessary materials for “Body Reconstitution”!
Zhong Shenxiu now possessed the “Medium Pouch,” so he wouldn't pass up any treasure he found. Although Body Reconstitution wasn't something he needed right now, collecting the materials was never wrong!
More importantly, the “Cultivation Base” within Zhong Shenxiu’s Medium Pouch had begun implementation, and it desperately needed rare plants like this to take root.
The old man glanced at Zhong Shenxiu, paying him no real attention, a hint of displeasure even crossing his face.
Not all mages possessed good tempers, and this elder was clearly not one for easy conversation!
To think a little brat would come here causing trouble—he was being generous not to shoo him away on the spot!
Zhong Shenxiu frowned slightly, then repeated his question: “How much?”
“Not for sale!” the elder said in a low voice, snatching the Rudra from Zhong Shenxiu’s hand and placing it back on the ground.
Zhong Shenxiu stared at the elder, momentarily stunned, but he didn't get angry; instead, he smiled. Was this a good sign or a bad one?
“If you aren’t selling it, why put it out here?” Zhong Shenxiu inquired.
The elder initially didn't want to bother with a little brat like Zhong Shenxiu, but when he saw Kaini and the others approaching, he impatiently said, “Items here are for trade only, not for sale!”
Unexpectedly, he was quite an individual with strong principles!
However, after the elder finished speaking, the smile on Zhong Shenxiu’s face grew even more pronounced.