Finally, the auction for legendary materials began.
"Next is a [Dragon Wing Bone]. Our appraiser has verified that this bone retains its dragon aura and is rich in extraordinary characteristics. It is classified as a legendary material. The starting bid is 100 million, with increments of no less than 50 million..."
"200 million!"
"300 million!"
"..."
As soon as the announcement was made, the large auction hall burst into excitement.
Ji Xun had no need for such materials and was not qualified to participate. Dragon bones were legendary materials, extremely rare and invaluable to those who needed them. It was unsurprising how much they could fetch at auction.
Ji Xun was already satisfied with acquiring the [Spade 4] at the low price of 6 million. If someone knew it was an original template, it could have fetched ten times that amount.
Now, he was just here to watch the show. He was curious to see how high the legendary material would go.
600 million, 700 million, 800 million...
The bids kept climbing.
Just when everyone thought the bidding would reach astronomical heights, an unexpected situation occurred. Amid the intense bidding, a young woman hurriedly approached the owner, Song Can, with a black VIP card, whispering something to him.
Song Can's expression changed, clearly incredulous. After verifying the card, he hesitated for a moment before stepping onto the stage to interrupt the auction.
Everyone looked puzzled.
Song Can, sweating profusely, spoke with difficulty, "I apologize, everyone. Due to special circumstances, this auction item will be withdrawn and will no longer be available for bidding. As compensation, our shop will provide each attendee with a million in cash..."
The hall fell silent.
No one expected the host to say something like this.
Not selling it? Was there some under-the-table deal?
Ji Xun was also surprised. With hundreds of attendees, this compensation would exceed 100 million. What could have happened to make a savvy businessman take such an action?
For merchants, breaking trust was worse than losing money. Clearly, this was a situation that couldn't be resolved simply by compensation.
...
Those bidding billions weren't in it for a million in compensation; they wanted the material. The hall remained silent for a moment before erupting in outrage.
The "Boxing King" Atai, looking for trouble, seized the opportunity, shouting, "Hey, fatso, what do you mean by this? We're here to buy, and you say you're not selling? Do you take us for fools?"
Not just Atai, but other powerful figures who had remained silent also expressed their anger.
"That's right. Your shop should uphold basic integrity. We're here because of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce's reputation. Now, this is disappointing..."
"Young man, this is not right. I, Han, want to know who has such influence that you'd withdraw an item already up for auction to sell to them!"
...
The material was invaluable to top-tier curse card masters; no one wanted to give it up. And since it was put up for sale, buying it was a matter of principle. Withdrawing it halfway was unreasonable.
In Sinless City, angering these powerful figures could ruin a business.
Song Can hadn't anticipated this situation. He knew his actions were a business taboo, and his face looked grim. If this failed, their shop might have to close the next day. But he had to proceed because the holder of that black card was a supreme VIP of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce, with only a few such cards in the entire federation. This wasn't about money but about the extremely special status of the cardholder.
Not knowing who had arrived but recognizing the card, he had to follow protocol. These were the chamber's secrets and couldn't be revealed.
"Distinguished guests, please listen to me..."
Song Can tried to calm the situation, but the auction hall was getting more chaotic.
Amid the uproar, an elderly voice suddenly spoke, "Don't give Song Can a hard time. I need this material."
The voice was soft yet seemed to have a magical power, silencing the hall.
An old man stepped out, lifting his cloak.
...
Ji Xun was curious and looked over. It was an old man with a white beard and hair, looking very aged but full of energy. He seemed to have just arrived at the auction.
The hall fell silent upon his arrival.
Suddenly, someone recognized him.
One person, visibly shocked, spoke with a trembling voice, stepping out of his private box to bow respectfully, "Junior, Gambi of the Hunter's Guild, greets Master Merlin."
The crowd was astonished.
Ji Xun was surprised too. Could this be Gambi, the vice president of the Hunter's Guild? He was one of the top figures in Sinless City. Yet he addressed himself as "junior" and seemed so deferential?
Who was this "Master Merlin"?
Some older attendees also recognized him, and the hall fell silent.
The old man seemed to remember something and casually asked, "What is Redbeard Gambi to you?"
Gambi replied respectfully and proudly, "He is my father. Twenty years ago, when you visited the guild, I accompanied my father."
The old man seemed to recall something but lost interest quickly and said lightly, "Oh."
Gambi seized the opportunity to connect with the grandmaster, quickly adding, "I was bidding on the dragon bone earlier, not knowing it was you. Please forgive me. As a token of my apology, I will cover the entire cost of the dragon bone. Master Merlin, please..."
However, the old man had a peculiar temper and showed no leniency. "No need. I haven't lived to the point of taking advantage of youngsters. I just arrived late and didn't know the situation..." He explained, a bit impatient, "Anyway, I want this material. Bid as you wish, I will pay the highest price."
"Not at all," Gambi's face almost touched the ground, too afraid to compete.
He knew very well that this grandmaster was notoriously bad-tempered, which was why he had been exiled to Sinless City. Even if his father were present, he would have to endure a stern lecture like a dutiful student.
The old man, seemingly in a hurry to leave, did not intend to linger. He turned to the large Ivan's boss on stage, "Song family boy, my intrusion was abrupt. Handle this matter, and I will come to you later. Think about what you need."
Hearing this, those who knew or had heard of this master revealed expressions of envy. Even the prominent figures in the audience struggled to maintain their composure.
This legendary grandmaster had not been seen for many years...
Unexpectedly, he was still alive.
If not for the dragon bone, he might not have appeared.
Song Can, who initially did not recognize the old man, was overjoyed when he heard "Master Merlin." He quickly responded, "Yes."
Then he added, "Grandpa Merlin, before I came, my great-grandmother asked me to send her regards."
This "grandpa" was perfectly timed, causing a jolt in everyone's hearts.
The cloaked man's tone softened, "Hmm. Help me convey my greetings to your great-grandmother, saying we can meet anytime. After all, there aren't many chances left in this life."
Song Can nodded repeatedly, "Of course."
With that, the old man turned and left.
...
The sudden incident ended as abruptly as it began.
The old man departed without delay.
Once he left, the invisible pressure dissipated, and the audience collectively exhaled.
However, as they recovered, their expressions turned very complex. Just moments ago, they looked ready to tear the fat boss apart, but now that was entirely gone.
Though they knew the Song family of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce was a financial powerhouse, many in Sinless City didn't need to show respect. Now they saw that this family had ties with Master Merlin?
Such connections couldn't be bought with money.
The crowd felt a mix of jealousy and hatred but remained silent.
"If Master Merlin wants the material, I have no objections."
"Indeed. Neither do we."
"..."
Everyone voiced their agreement.
A business connected to Master Merlin had limitless potential.
Who could guarantee they wouldn't need a top-tier card in the future?
A grandmaster like Merlin was impossible to hire. Knowing Ivan's shop had such connections was excellent news!
Everyone realized that this shop was bound to prosper.
Ji Xun also guessed the identity of the old man, likely the legendary card-making master mentioned by the intelligence dealer.
The [Cursed Spade 4] was crafted by this master.
Rumor had it that even the top figures in Sinless City needed cards from this master.
Only three individuals in the federation in recent decades could be called "legendary" card makers, and Master Merlin was one of them.
Though exiled, his skill remained legendary!
...
With the dragon bone and giant material taken by the old man, the auction was near its end. Whether people wanted to follow Master Merlin for an opportunity or lost interest in the remaining items, guests began to leave.
Most people left quickly, making further proceedings pointless.
Ivan's boss, Song Can, announced the early conclusion of the internal auction.
He fulfilled his earlier promise, compensating each attendee with a million as an apology.
This approach, initially seen as inappropriate, now seemed different.
With Master Merlin taking responsibility, no one would have complained without compensation. Yet Song Can kept his word.
The guests, impressed by the fat boss's integrity, expressed goodwill.
The incident ended on a relatively positive note.
Ji Xun, hoping to see the last auctioned calamity item, missed the chance but gained a million for free and saw the legendary card master.
The visit proved very rewarding.
However, Ji Xun knew better than to seek further opportunities. He was self-aware enough to recognize he wasn't qualified to approach someone far beyond his level.
At least he now knew there was such a master in Sinless City.
He also learned that the boss and master of the Big Ivan shop could be contacted.
That was enough.
...
The next day.
Early in the morning, Ji Xun arrived at the Hunter's Guild at 1 Gero Street in the South District.
He had obtained the [Cursed Four of Spades] and wanted to refine it into a finished card, but he still needed some materials.
After searching through various guilds, he couldn't find suitable materials.
So, he came to the Hunter's Guild to try his luck.
He hoped to find a ruin or a different dimension where he could get the necessary materials and make a personal trip.
After all, the recent demise of the Silver Moon Church was directly related to his report, and with a few key figures still at large, it would be good to leave the city to lay low.
Since Cao Sihai's murder not long ago, Sinless City had been flooded with outsiders.
Not only were there opportunistic merchants, but also many treasure-hunting hunters and mercenaries.
When Ji Xun arrived at the task hall early in the morning, it was already packed with thousands of people.
On several large magical screens, recruitment information continuously refreshed, making it dizzying to look at.
Since the opening of the Old Continent was put on the agenda, more and more ruins and different dimensions were discovered, and recruitment information surged.
Ji Xun didn't intend to waste time.
He found an intelligence merchant who dealt in information.
For a small fee, he got a task related to [Beastwalker] materials.
"Recruiting teammates for 'Winter Forest,' materials related to Earth Brown Bear, Lightning Tiger King, Two-headed Giant; looking for a doctor, Black Knight..."
"Challenge B-level difficulty 'Shadowmoon Eagle's Nest,' materials include Silver 'Magic Eagle Flesh,' recruiting remote spell card masters, cardists above the sixth level..."
"Farming mysterious materials in 'Ghost Castle,' Hellhound, Three-headed Dog, Little Demon; looking for a holy healing profession..."
These were different dimensions where beast materials could be found.
Ji Xun filtered some based on conditions.
He could directly ignore dimensions above the second tier.
He didn't have that strength, nor was it necessary.
For the profession of cardists, first-tier materials were enough.
Moreover, Ji Xun had quality requirements for materials; they had to be at least silver-grade.
So, only first-tier B-level or above dimensions were possible.
This eliminated many low-ceiling dungeons.
After filtering the conditions, he quickly selected two.
"'Blood Moss Wasteland' disaster level: first-tier A, materials include common, black iron, silver Thunder Bear; recruiting cardists above level nine..."
"Black Wolf Hunter Group recruiting: 'Greedy Mine' exploration, Demon Hunter storyline, materials include high-quality mythic Werewolf, ancient potion recipes... explored disaster levels: first-tier A/B/C/D, various difficulty levels, maximum yield of silver-gold materials; paid space, spell power above level six required, 50-person group in safe mode, departure when full..."
Both dungeons produced non-ordinary beasts.
One was the "Thunder Bear," a powerful beast capable of controlling lightning, with both physical and magical output.
Theoretically, if the material quality was good enough, it could even be slightly stronger than Baron's Diamond Black Ape.
The second dimension involved "Werewolves."
Ji Xun's gaze lingered when he saw this among dozens of recruitment information.
Werewolves were neither humans nor wolves.
They were special beings from ancient myth, undead from the abyss, as old as the gods.
The original template determined the lower limit of a professional card, but the main material determined its upper limit.
The hidden attribute of Ji Xun's [Four of Spades] was: the higher the main material's bloodline, the stronger the ancestral gain.
Based on the Hunter's Guild recruitment information, nothing was more ancient than the mythological werewolves.
Additionally, the [Greedy Mine] also offered skill cards, which greatly tempted Ji Xun.
After reviewing the detailed information, he decided to check it out.
...
Before long, Ji Xun arrived at the Windmill Tavern in the South District with the recruitment notice.
The notice stated that they should gather here first, then depart for the Old Continent with the Black Wolf Hunter Group the next morning to the location of the [Greedy Mine].
Large, well-established hunter groups with years of registration usually had good reputations, so there was no fear of being scammed.
Ji Xun walked to the front desk of the inn, where the innkeeper was a somewhat stern-looking middle-aged woman.
Three others were checking in.
He glanced at their attire; all wore gas masks—a Black Knight, a rogue likely specializing in machinery, and a mage-type hunter.
Ji Xun didn't pay much attention, placing the notice on the counter, and asked, "Is this the Black Wolf Hunter Group's gathering point?"
The innkeeper replied, "Yes. Lodging is 100, we depart at six in the morning."
The price was steep for the inn's conditions, but it was a monopoly.
Ji Xun didn't haggle, pulling out a note, "Alright, one room."
As he paid, someone called out tentatively, "Ji... Ji Xun?"
Ji Xun was surprised. Someone recognized him?
Very few knew his real name.
Hearing the voice, Ji Xun instantly knew who it was.
No wonder the alluring figure in the hunter's outfit seemed familiar.
Wasn't this the psychic lady from the Great Cemetery Maze, Chu Jiu's companion?
He turned to the person calling, "Nan Jing?"