"What would the honored guest like to ask?" Seren asked with a warm smile.
An Apothecary Grandmaster was an exceedingly rare find — even the Blue Mountain Auction House had to do everything in its power to win one over.
And as long as the other party wanted something, things would be easy enough! On the Central Continent, there were very few things that even a Morning Star Wizard could not accomplish.
"I came to the Blue Mountain Auction because I wish to acquire a rare material. I received intelligence beforehand that a certain item would be sold here…" Leilin said slowly.
"The guest wishes to learn the seller's identity and arrange a private transaction beforehand?" Seren's expression showed some difficulty. "May I ask what the item is? If it happens to be one of the especially rare pieces, even our Blue Mountain Auction House cannot make the call on our own!"
Leilin smiled slightly and transmitted a few words directly into Seren's ear.
"So it's actually…" Seren's pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly let out a bitter laugh.
"That sort of thing is far too rare. Even my grandfather wouldn't make a move on it. To be frank with you, sir, several parties have already come asking about it, but our auction house has not leaked any information — because the higher-ups have already set their eyes on that particular lot…"
"Is that so…" Leilin felt somewhat disappointed. It seemed the Starstone really was extraordinarily rare — the mere fact of its appearance here had drawn immediate attention.
And the people Seren had to address as "higher-ups" — apart from Morning Star Wizards, there could be no other possibility.
At the same time, Seren's gaze toward Leilin now carried a note of astonishment.
Research and experimentation on the Astral Gate was something only Morning Star Wizards could lead. Even preliminary studies demanded extremely stringent conditions — an advanced Wizard Tower and liquefied spiritual power were the bare minimum!
Judging by this, the guest's strength must be truly formidable.
"Let's put that matter aside for now. There's another thing — regarding the private exchange meeting after the auction, what conditions are required for entry?"
The first question had only been asked in passing, and getting no answer was entirely reasonable. Leilin quickly composed himself and posed a new inquiry.
"Oh, so it's that question!"
Seren let out a soft breath of relief.
This one was still within her authority — otherwise, failing to satisfy both requests from such an honored guest would truly offend someone important.
"The private exchange meeting will take place within three days after the auction concludes. The specific location will be notified to you. As for the entry requirements, sir — you are already a distinguished guest of our Blue Mountain Auction House, so you fully qualify. I'll send someone to notify you when the time comes…"
"Excellent!" Leilin left behind several contact methods, then rose and departed the auction house, ignoring the other party's eager invitations and subtly suggestive offers.
Even after being turned down, Seren did not show any displeasure. She maintained her smile all the way until Leilin had left before returning to the auction house.
"Well? Did you confirm his identity?"
Inside her office, a middle-aged man with golden hair and a gentleman's cane asked in an indifferent tone, as though he had been aware of Leilin's every move.
"No. He was very cautious!" Seren replied with a bitter smile.
"I went through the records of nearby Apothecary Grandmasters, and none of them match. Could he be one from out of the region?"
Although the Blue Mountain Auction enjoyed great fame, that was only among those below the Morning Star tier. Its reach extended only to the Wizards in this particular area.
"Perhaps a wandering Grandmaster — which would make him even more worth winning over. After all, for the matter we're currently planning, we could invite him to participate. Wouldn't he be exactly suited to Grandfather's requirements?"
The middle-aged man's tone was flat, but after hearing his words, Seren's eyes lit up immediately. "You mean…"
…
Amid high expectations — or one might say amid the web of countless schemes — time trickled by, moment by moment.
At last, the day of the auction's commencement arrived.
It was a festival for all of Blue Mountain City. Not only did the residents hang lanterns and decorations everywhere, but a strangely euphoric air of prosperity also permeated the streets.
Private swaps and exchanges among Wizards had long since been underway.
And the Ouchter Family had dispatched even its most elite Wizard squad to maintain order — only just barely keeping the peace.
"Come to think of it, this is basically the grandest gathering below the Morning Star tier in our whole region!"
Leilin blended into the crowd heading toward the auction house, glancing around from time to time.
The Chip continuously popped up alert boxes, issuing warnings.
The stream of people heading to the auction house with Leilin was naturally composed of numerous Wizards — First and Second-rank were common, Third-rank were plentiful as well, and there were even a few whose depths Leilin himself could not quite read.
Many of these Wizards, like Leilin, had disguised themselves, shrouding their forms beneath heavy cloaks, hooded veils, or similar coverings — every one of them looking exceedingly cautious.
"Whether they belong to major factions or are wanted criminals, all Wizards set aside their past grudges here — that's the rule established during the first few auctions!"