"As long as the item is confirmed by our appraiser and valued at over a hundred thousand Magic Stones, it can be put up for auction! Would you like our appraisal service, sir?"
The maidservant recited the lines almost mechanically, clearly not the first time she had delivered this speech. Most of her recent clients had been of the same type.
"Take me there!" Leilin's reply was curt.
He followed the maid to a row of private rooms. As they passed through the corridor, he even sensed magical arrays buried in the floor and concealment runes carved into the walls.
The security here was far stricter than outside, and a third-rank Wizard was stationed on-site to oversee things.
After the maid opened a door, the room inside was a small reception chamber. She respectfully invited Leilin to take a seat first.
"Please wait a moment, sir. I will go fetch an appraiser to serve you at once."
"Good." Leilin nodded and watched the young woman leave.
Moments later, the door opened again, and an elderly man with a full head of silver hair and a face weathered by age walked in.
"Respected guest, I am Nota, a second-rank appraiser!" The old man gave a slight bow.
"Hello." Leilin replied with a faint smile, gesturing toward the seat across from him and inviting the appraiser to sit.
On the Central Continent, appraisers were ranked as well. This second-rank appraiser already carried the fluctuations of a second-rank Wizard, yet he remained this respectful in his demeanor — that was quite rare. Moreover, his hands bore all manner of marks, suggesting extensive experience.
Once Nota was seated, his gaze toward Leilin carried a hint of surprise. The Blue Mountain Auction was about to begin, and all sorts of guests were to be expected, but based on the man's aura and appearance alone, he could tell this Wizard was remarkably young. Yet the man was shrouded in a fog that even he couldn't penetrate — that was truly remarkable.
Perhaps this visit would yield some rare treasures.
The appraiser touched a ring on his finger, a flicker of anticipation passing through his mind.
"I am an Apothecary. I would like to sell some potions here."
Leilin stated his purpose directly.
He had many items far more valuable than potions on his person, but those were reserved for later trades and bartering. Only these potions, refined during his spare time, were suitable to sell here.
Over a hundred years — nearly half his current lifespan — with his mastery as an Apothecary, the finished products he had accumulated numbered a truly terrifying amount.
"I didn't expect our guest to be an Apothecary as well!" Nota's eyes lit up. No matter the place, masters proficient in potionology and alchemy always received preferential treatment.
"However, allow me to explain the auction house rules first. We only accept advanced-grade potions and above. For mid-grade potions, unless they belong to a few exceptionally rare types, you must provide a certain quantity..."
After a moment's thought, Nota laid out the relevant stipulations.
"Rest assured, I'm well aware of the rules." Leilin smiled and swept his hand across the table.
Silver light flickered, and once the spatial ripples subsided, the red table was already heaped with test tubes of every color.
"This... this many!"
Nota's eyes widened instantly. After identifying a few of them, he lost even the last trace of his composure: "And they're all advanced-grade potions!"
"Heh heh..." Seeing the old man lose his cool, Leilin smiled kindly. In truth, these were only a small fraction of his output over the past century — but it was more than enough to stun the other party.
"These are the fruits of several hundred years of my work..." On the surface, Leilin spoke with a proud smile, tinged with a hint of wistful sighing.
"A Potionology Grandmaster!"
Now there was a tremor in Nota's voice.
A Potionology Grandmaster would receive preferential treatment in any major faction. Their rarity on the Central Continent was staggering. To say nothing else, one only needed to look at the Ouroboros Ring — possessing three Morning Star Wizards and standing as one of the Central Continent's top-tier powers — and yet the number of Potionology Grandmasters they had did not exceed five. That alone made it clear.
"This... these..."
Cold sweat kept beading on the appraiser's forehead, and an embarrassed flush crept across his face.
"My apologies! Respected guest! This transaction is beyond my capacity to handle. Please wait a moment..."
He was merely an ordinary appraiser at the Blue Mountain Auction House. A task involving a Potionology Grandmaster would never normally fall to him.
"I trust you'll be quick about it." Leilin said evenly, his expression revealing nothing — impossible to read whether he was pleased or displeased.
"At once, sir!" Facing a Potionology Grandmaster of unknown origins, the appraiser dared not delay. He withdrew immediately.