Jacky had never anticipated such a dramatic reaction from Jonas. He nodded, acknowledging Jonas's request.
"Yes, it was indeed 100 gold .The city square's storekeeper claimed it was crafted by an apprentice..."
"An apprentice? Unbelievable!"
Jonas's astonishment was palpable. He found it highly unlikely that an apprentice inscriptionist could create such a symbol.
There must have been some mistake on the storekeeper's part.
Who would be so careless and wasteful with something crafted by a renowned inscription master, worth several thousand gold , treating it like a common cabbage?
"Take me to this place," Jonas demanded.
"Yes, sir," Jacky promptly responded.
With that, Mister Jonas led Hen Portia, and following Jacky's directions, they embarked on a horse-drawn carriage journey straight to the city square.
The Hen estate's horse-drawn carriage might not be known to everyone in Starlight Haven City, but the sight of its four snow-white horses was unmistakable.
As they passed through the streets, pedestrians halted to watch, respectfully making way for the carriage. This gesture was a show of respect for the Warlord Hen.
The bright summer afternoon bathed the city square's trading center in a lazy, languid atmosphere.
The kind of weather that made one feel lethargic, disinclined to move.
At the entrance of the trading center, the portly storekeeper, who had previously assisted Sam, was seated in a rocking chair, using a leafy fan to shield his face as he dozed off.
Business had been slow today, and the thought of closing shop a bit early had crossed the fat man's mind.
However, at that moment, the rhythmic sound of approaching hoofbeats disrupted his slumber.
He groggily opened his eyes, preparing to reprimand the approaching party.
Didn't they know that horses weren't allowed in the city square? But as he turned toward the source of the noise, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He saw four snow-white horses, the finest thoroughbreds, and the unmistakable golden shield symbol. He nearly tumbled out of his chair.
"It's the Warlords Havens' horse-drawn carriage!"
The fat storekeeper sprang to his feet. Why on earth would Warlord Haven be here in the city square?
As he pondered this, the carriage came to a smooth stop right in front of his store. His thoughts raced. What could this mean? The master of the carriage was entering his humble establishment?
When the carriage's curtain was drawn back, the fat storekeeper saw an elderly man and a beautiful young girl alight from it.
His plump body quivered with trepidation. Mister Jonas! Miss Portia!
How had these two esteemed figures of Starlight Haven City, these living legends, chosen to grace his humble abode with their presence?
"Is this the place?" Hen Portia inquired of Jacky.
She, too, had been filled with excitement when she heard about the inscription symbol being on sale.
Inscription had captivated Hen Portia since childhood, and witnessing Jacky and Grayson's battles had intensified her desire to learn the art.
"Yes, this is it," Jacky affirmed, leading them toward the entrance. Together with Hen Portia and Jonas, they ventured inside the store.
The fat storekeeper, looking like a human meatball, stood as upright as his round frame would allow, almost as if he had been pinned to the wall.
He dared not even breathe the same air as these two distinguished guests.
"Storekeeper, do you recall the inscription symbol I purchased here yesterday?" Jacky inquired.
Jacky, at the fifth level of body transformation, resembled a walking steel golem, bearing scars that spoke of distant and perilous battlefields.
Naturally, he had left a deep impression on the storekeeper, who nodded anxiously. "I remember. It was an apprentice's inscription symbol, 100 gold ..."
The fat storekeeper's fear grew.
Has there been a problem with the apprentice's inscription symbol? If it were flawed and these formidable individuals had come to hold him accountable, there would be no recourse but to lie down and accept his fate.
Damn! Why had he agreed to rent a stall to that boy in the first place?
However, it was merely an apprentice-level inscription symbol, a second-tier item. Why would the Warlord Havens be involved in such a matter?
"I heard you have another one. Where is it?" Jonas inquired impatiently.
The fat storekeeper pointed to a corner shelf, where a rough yellow piece of paper was displayed behind a glass pane.
Jonas took swift strides, reaching the shelf in an instant. He lifted the glass and gingerly held the symbol paper in his hands, as though cradling a precious infant. He sensed the soul force fluctuations emanating from the paper and drew in a sharp breath. His eyes filled with astonishment.
"How is it, Master?" Hen Portia approached and inquired.
"This inscription symbol..." Jonas took a moment to regain his composure and calm his racing heart.
Even he found it hard to believe his own words. "The soul force within this inscription cannot surpass the third stage of body transformation. It may even be lower!"
Hen Portia's heart skipped a beat. She took the symbol paper and examined it with her own soul force. It was exactly as Jonas had described.
When Jacky had mentioned that the inscription symbol was created by an apprentice, Hen Portia had dismissed it as an impossibility and assumed Jacky had been deceived.
But now, she has been proven wrong—unbelievable!
"Could it be that an inscription master intentionally suppressed their true strength to the third stage of body transformation to create this symbol?" Hen Portia pondered aloud.
Jonas shook his head. "The soul force characteristics of someone in the pulse condensation stage are vastly different from those in the lower levels of body transformation.Not only is suppressing it to this extent immensely difficult, but it could also be harmful. There is no need or advantage in doing so, and it would diminish the quality of the inscription symbol. I cannot fathom the intentions of the elder who crafted this."
The fat storekeeper listened to their conversation, his emotions in turmoil. He had initially believed that the inscription symbol might have a defect, prompting their visit. But now it seemed that the symbol held significant value, and they were here to investigate it.
This was Mister Jonas! One of the top three inscription masters in the entire Starlight Haven Kingdom! Even he was astounded by the strength of this inscription symbol.
The fat storekeeper was filled with regret. If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have sold it at such a low price.
But those symbol papers had been brought in by a shabbily dressed youth. How had he obtained such a powerful inscription symbol?
"Storekeeper, do you remember who brought this inscription symbol in?" Jonas inquired.
"Yes, yes, of course I remember," the fat storekeeper replied with a nervous nod. "It was a young boy, around fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed plainly. I also have his address."
As he spoke, the fat man hurriedly flipped through his record book. The trading center always maintained contact information for sales commissions.
A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth... Hen Portia's mind raced. Her first thought was of Sam, the young boy who had left a profound impression on her at the Zither Department. Could it be him?
Body transformation at the third level or lower, an inscription apprentice... Could it possibly be him?
As she considered these possibilities, Hen Portia's heart trembled.
If it were true, then the term 'genius' would be insufficient to describe him; he would be nothing less than a once-in-a-lifetime prodigious talent!
The fat storekeeper, trembling with excitement, quickly located the address. He checked the shelf serial number and stammered,
"Great Clarity Pavilion. That boy resides at the Great Clarity Pavilion. That's the address he provided."
"Great Clarity Pavilion? Let's go," Jonas instructed.
As they boarded the carriage, Hen Portia expressed her concern.
"This address was recorded eight days ago. I don't know if he's still staying at the Great Clarity Pavilion; people usually don't stay there for long."
Hen Portia assumed that Sam was a guest at the Great Clarity Pavilion. It was one of Starlight Haven City's most luxurious establishments, with a banquet hall and guest rooms, but typically, it was only for temporary stays.