NOVPUBThe old man smiled broadly, feeling relieved to see how easily Lein could be spoken to. Without rushing, he slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a black stone about the size of a clenched fist. With a respectful gesture, he presented it to Lein.
"Please channel your energy into this stone, Young Master," the old man said casually, as if this procedure was routine—though his eyes remained sharp, watching Lein's every move closely. "If the stone turns white, you will be deemed eligible."
Lein lowered his gaze, observing the black stone carefully. A ripple of surprise flickered through his mind. This was no ordinary object—it was a high-grade artifact.
[Soulmirror Stone]
A mystical stone infused with Soullight Essence, capable of glimpsing fortune, fate threads, and hidden flows within an individual. Formed from rare Luminarite Crystal and engraved with the Sigil of Truth, this artifact could reveal whether a person carried dark ties or ill fate toward the owner.
Type: Spirit Artifact
Grade: 4-Star
Essence: 1.7 Million
Abilities: (Fortune Gaze), (Fate Thread Insight), (Purity Check)
"Damn, it has over 1.7 million essence," Lein muttered inwardly, half in awe, half in disbelief. He could only imagine the amount of resources required to maintain such a stone.
But as always, his mind moved quickly. He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away. Without hesitation, Lein activated his ability and duplicated the Soulmirror Stone. It would be extremely useful in the future, especially for verifying whether someone harbored ill intentions toward him. Purity Check was a priceless guarantee of trust.
[Duplicating (Soulmirror Stone - Spirit Artifact) up to 1.5 million times, are you sure? y/n]
"Yes," Lein answered inwardly, firm.
In an instant, he could feel hundreds of thousands of small black stones materializing neatly inside his spatial ring, like a stack of black pebbles emitting a faint but solid aura.
"The perks of being rich," Lein thought, a small smile tugging at his lips—a fleeting expression, yet sharp enough to make the old man in front of him furrow his brows slightly.
The old man caught the slight change. A flicker of suspicion appeared in his eyes, but he restrained himself from making any reckless moves. In the end, a merchant must know when to speak and when to stay silent before a customer.
In silence, the two of them watched the black stone between them. Slowly, the stone began to emit a pure white light, its glow spreading softly throughout the room, signaling the successful completion of the verification.
Lein lifted his gaze and stared at the old man, a faint smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Does this prove that I'm qualified?" he asked in a calm but firm voice.
The old man almost jolted. He immediately nodded repeatedly, as if trying to leave no room for doubt. With swift yet respectful movements, he placed the black stone back into his pocket. "Of course, Young Master. You are more than qualified!" he exclaimed, the wide smile on his face barely masking the tension that had briefly gripped his heart.
"I'll fetch the two items you requested. Please wait just a moment," the old man added before turning around and hurrying toward the back door of the shop, his steps urgent as if afraid of disappointing such an important customer.
As soon as the old man disappeared from sight, a beautiful woman who had been standing silently in the corner began to move. She approached Lein with graceful steps and a professional demeanor.
"Honored guest, please feel free to browse while the Store Manager retrieves your items," she said softly, her tone friendly without being pushy.
Lein simply gave a small nod, responding casually. Of course, he wouldn't miss the chance to inspect the rare treasures this store had to offer. Slowly, he made his way toward one of the tables filled with all sorts of strange and gleaming artifacts. Efan, who had remained silent until now, followed closely behind, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"These are all spirit artifacts," Lein muttered as he picked up a necklace with a bright red pendant, examining it under the light.
"Indeed, Sir. Our shop offers a wide variety of spirit artifacts from across the realms and cosmos. Whatever you seek, we have it," the attendant said proudly, as if speaking of an endless trove of treasures.
Lein couldn't help but roll his eyes lightly. The claim was far too grand to believe, especially for someone like him who had ventured through many worlds. He lowered his gaze back to the pendant in his hand. It looked simple enough, but the strong aura it emitted couldn't be hidden.
The necklace was an artifact that enhanced mana and magical power, particularly for those attuned to the ice element. In the hands of a talented mage, this crystal could turn the tide of battle. For an experienced fighter like Lein, however, it would only be useful in very specific scenarios.
Meanwhile, Efan seemed completely captivated by another artifact. He picked up a mask adorned with colorful bird feathers, admiring it with wide-eyed wonder before eagerly bringing it over to Lein.
"Brother Lein, this mask is amazing!" he said excitedly, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Lein gave the artifact a quick glance, then brought up its status panel.
[Feathered Mirage Mask]
A mystical mask adorned with vibrant bird feathers, infused with Curtain Essence, capable of altering the wearer's appearance with perfect naturalness. Crafted from Phantomhide Leather and reinforced with Protection Runes, this artifact provides complete concealment against perceptions below a Level-7 King.
Type: Spirit Artifact
Grade: 2-Star
Essence: 34,000
Abilities: (Mirage Form), (Personality Veil), (Power Calibration)
Lein frowned slightly, a bit puzzled. He turned to Efan with a flat expression.
"What for?" Lein asked, narrowing his eyes. He truly didn't understand why Efan was so interested. After all, he himself could already conceal his skills and power far more perfectly than most handcrafted artifacts could.
Efan beamed brightly, his face brimming with excitement. "This one's even better, Brother Lein! We can even adjust our personalities, and everything will look completely natural—no flaws at all," he explained, his voice trembling with enthusiasm.
Lein squinted at him, evaluating Efan. From the way his friend spoke, it was clear he had a specific plan in mind for the mask. Casually, Lein shrugged. "Take it. And while you're at it, gather any other interesting items you see," he said lazily, as if announcing his intent to raid the entire store.
"Understood, Brother Lein!" Efan replied cheerfully, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Meanwhile, the female attendant standing nearby stared at the scene with wide eyes. Her face twisted in confusion, unsure if she had just misheard. She had never seen a customer act like this, especially not in a store packed with valuable artifacts.
When she glanced at Efan, she almost choked in shock. The man already had four artifacts stacked in his arms and was still moving around, his eyes shining as he examined the shelves like he had stumbled upon a treasure trove.
"H-Hey, you!" Lein suddenly called out, making the woman nearly jump.
She quickly straightened up and bowed slightly. "Yes, Young Master. How may I assist you?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice steady even though her heart was pounding.
Lein casually pointed around the store, his expression relaxed. "How much are the artifacts here?" he asked lazily, noting that there wasn't a single price tag in sight.
The woman took a moment to compose herself, calming her shaken emotions. Quickly, she opened her mouth and began explaining, "The price of each artifact varies, Young Master. It depends on several factors: the artifact's grade, its specific function, its source, the elements it's tied to, and the amount of essence it contains."
Lein nodded slightly, listening attentively. Her explanation wasn't roundabout, yet it was detailed enough for someone familiar with the world of artifacts.
The woman continued smoothly, "Artifacts originating from great kings, for example, are far more expensive. This is because, for Faithwardens and other essence users, such artifacts carry traces of the previous owner's experience and insight. Using them could unlock understanding or even accelerate one's growth in power."
She paused briefly, then added in a more serious tone, "Additionally, the amount of essence an artifact contains is crucial. An artifact without essence is merely a dead object—its power would be severely limited compared to a living artifact brimming with energy."
Lein remained silent, his eagle-sharp eyes watching her reactions, weighing her words. The explanation made sense. He himself knew that essence was the lifeblood of any artifact.
Finally, the woman concluded, "As for payment methods, our store accepts a wide range, Young Master. From cosmos coins, divine essence, artifact exchanges of equivalent value, to payment through services."
Lein nodded, clear satisfaction showing on his face. This shop truly suited his style. With such flexible payment options, he could rely on more than just money to acquire everything he desired.
In his mind, every artifact filling this room—sooner or later—would be his.
