"Oh... Even internal bidding within the cult uses such methods?"
A faint glimmer stirred in Fran's amber eyes as she gained a deeper understanding of the Six-Eyed Crows' habitual method of recirculating funds from their followers.
"Of course, the cult doesn't care whose money they make."
"The Secrets-Hunter and White Cup cults might assign dangerous work, but they do pay salaries and offer seasonal subsidies for heat and cold. If you accidentally die, there's a substantial death benefit. Our cult's work is relatively safer by comparison, and there aren't many hard targets..."
"It's just that there are basically no benefits, and you're likely to end up in jail."
Detreka explained meticulously, her eyes involuntarily stealing a glance at the Crow's Eye Stone displayed in the quartz exhibition case.
Although Mr. Bartley's saw cleaver contained the lost-item characteristic of the Secrets-Hunters and could aid her own promotion... she still found it hard to suppress her longing for this shiny, black, eye-shaped gemstone.
Fran observed this quite easily.
However, she gave no indication, her expression composed and calm, as usual.
Just then, another disciple from the Third Perch joined the bidding.
"470 Golar Silver."
"Zarick, everyone knows you're a miser who just wants to enjoy his retirement in peace. If we really let you have this thing, you'd be in over your head in no time. Can't be helped, I guess I'll have to be the good guy here."
His voice sounded young and unrestrained; judging by the tone, he was probably around twenty years old.
This young disciple's bid held for a moment but was soon overtaken by a new bidder. The price of the Crow's Eye Stone gradually rose from the base price of 300 Golar Silver to around 700.
By Fran's assessment criteria, the stone's true value was roughly in this range. After all, the anima it contained was only useful for cult disciples below the Fourth Step, and it couldn't be used for promotions toward the High Priest.
If it were otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easily categorized as a regular auction item. Materials that could assist in stepping into the Fourth Step were generally tightly controlled and held firmly by the cult.
Although there might be a premium, anything within thirty percent was normal.
This made Fran consider whether to buy this Crow's Eye Stone. Not only did Detreka have a need for this little trinket, but perhaps it could also help Vivian.
However, she wasn't in a hurry to bid just yet. Rather than hastily joining the auction, observing the specific situation first was more in line with her habits. After all, besides purchasing with money, there were more convenient and lower-cost methods in this world...
"950 Golar Silver! Everyone should just wait for next year's Plum Moon. This time, I've made ample preparations."
A tall, thin Crow disciple offered the current highest bid in the room. As his words trailed off, a silent stillness fell over the courtyard for a moment.
Seeing this price, Detreka also gave up on the idea of bidding with some disappointment.
With one of Meredith's wolf-head gold coins, the 300 Norlington Silver promissory note previously gifted by Ms. Vivian, and the small savings she had accumulated over the years... she actually had strong competitive potential.
But faced with such a high premium, the habitually frugal thief lady restrained her desire.
At the same time, Detreka didn't pin her hopes on Fran. After all, she had already provided such generous remuneration; hoping for her help in this matter as well would be somewhat greedy...
"No one else is bidding anymore."
Fran glanced around and found that no one spoke up after this offer was made.
Detreka sighed with some resignation and explained the situation of this bidder to Fran.
"Although he's wearing a mask, I recognize that voice. It's Clement, a senior Second-Step Outrider Hunter. I heard this guy made a big profit a few years ago investing in the White Cup's shipping company. He could afford an even higher price."
"I see."
Upon hearing this, Fran gently touched her cheek, understanding why the other buyers had backed down.
It really wasn't worth fighting to the end with a nouveau riche who didn't care about price; better to save funds to see if they could find something else.
"Speaking of which, the Six-Eyed Crows' sales aren't as formal as an auction house with all sorts of official procedures. And since it's internal bidding, I imagine they consider many other factors."
"Perhaps I should try an older method to see if I can obtain this little thing..."
As she spoke, she slowly beckoned to Ash Scar, who was waiting for bids.
"Mr. Ash Scar. I have a volume from your esteemed cult. I wonder if its value is equivalent to this auction item?"
Fran's voice, though soft, was particularly clear in the silent courtyard of the Third Perch.
"Oh?"
Ash Scar, who had already decided to announce Clement as the winner, was slightly taken aback. His gaze then focused, showing interest in this unexpected situation.
The Hermit Lady used the measure word "volume," meaning that relic should be some type of tome or text.
"The Six-Eyed Crows cult is not bound by currency type; we support any form of transaction. Of course, I need to appraise the relic you provide... Please allow me a brief look."
If Fran provided a relic from another cult, Ash Scar would have to consider whether interrupting the sales process for it was worthwhile.
But since she had already mentioned the relic was from the Six-Eyed Crows cult... then there was no need to worry about the appraisal wasting too much time. As a Raven-Feather High Priest, he could discern the preciousness of documents and texts at a glance.
Soon, Fran took out a black-covered document from within her gray gauze robes and passed it to Ash Scar via an attendant.
Ash Scar took this ancient book fragment and quickly scanned the title on the cover.
The Deep Forest Where Crows Perch.
The book itself didn't possess anima traits; it should be purely a document. But holding it in his hands, he inexplicably felt a stirring, as if his spiritual awareness was being summoned, urging him to open it.
To affect my emotions... could the Hermit have done something to the book?
This was the first thought that crossed Ash Scar's mind.
The reason why the Veiled Assembly, symbolizing the Lamp-Moth, wasn't very welcome most of the time was actually related to this aspect.
The Lamp's faint glow brings obsession and temptation; the Moth's downy feathers transmit longing and madness. Most of what they offer carries dangers at the spiritual level.
Judging by Inchworm's attitude toward the Hermit Lady, she likely belonged to a faction within the Unified Sect leaning toward the Moth teaching. So, could this be some kind of scam or trap?
His thoughts were chaotic, but most were just unfounded speculation. Ash Scar didn't waste too much time on it and soon began flipping through to examine the book's specific content.
Ancient deity epics, obscure grotesque fables, and some unverified secrets...
At first glance, Ash Scar couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed with this text.
The Six-Eyed Crows cult also had many similar documents internally. Their records of the past were chaotic and vague, filled with exaggerated, self-contradictory content.
Past history was untraceable; researching such things only wasted one's life without yielding any value.
Even so, he maintained a professional appraisal spirit, intending to skim through to the latter part before making a judgment. After all, this was just a fragment, with limited content.
It was precisely when this thought arose that Ash Scar saw a column of annotated secret arts and rituals.
As he carefully examined those few arts and rites, his black pupils beneath the mask instantly constricted to needle-points.
"The formulaic model and operational principles of the lost secret art [Shadow Manipulation]? Although some parts are missing, the valid information exceeds fifty percent. With study, it could be perfected within ten years..."
"No, with such profound yet concise textual descriptions, perhaps just seven or eight years would be enough to reconstruct it."
"And the third-category ritual [Oak Shadow Nest Darkness], which was already incomplete by the Order of Dust era. If supplemented, perhaps the increasingly fading Oak-Shadow Nest could be stabilized anew..."
Ash Scar muttered in an extremely low voice, his gaze becoming deep and focused, as if he had completely forgotten the outside world.
Theoretically self-consistent, structurally sound, and supplemented with extensive references. It absolutely couldn't be a fabrication by a deceiver. Even if it were fake, one could only say the forger was a genius... because he forged the correct answer.
His breathing had unknowingly become heavy, his heartbeat approaching disorder.
"Uh, Mr. Ash Scar..."
An attendant nearby, seeing his High Priest holding the book in prolonged silence, nervously reminded him.
"Ah... my apologies, I lost my composure."
Interrupted from his focused state, Ash Scar exhaled deeply. Though somewhat displeased, he quickly suppressed it.
He reluctantly tore his gaze away from the pages of this fragment and resumed presiding over the gathering.
"I have completed the appraisal of the relic provided by the Hermit Lady. Clearly... this text possesses sufficient value. The bidding process for the Crow's Eye Stone is omitted. She is now the owner of this gemstone."
Without even going through the Third Perch's sales procedure, Ash Scar directly announced the item's ownership.
After understanding the true value of The Deep Forest Where Crows Perch, he had to conclude the transaction quickly and without future complications, eliminating any possibility of the other party changing their mind mid-way. After all, only internal members participated in the Crow's Eye Stone sale, so there was no worry about wider impact.
Without complicated procedures like commission, the attendant soon handed the case containing the Crow's Eye Stone to Fran.
"Madam, it is yours."
"Mmm."
Fran took the black, eye-shaped gemstone, placed it on the table beside her, and didn't look at it again, as if it were insignificant.
Having witnessed the previous scene, Detreka's expression became somewhat uneasy.
Ms. Vivian had actually bought this anima-containing material, and the process was so quick and efficient... It seemed that if she wanted something, she would definitely obtain it, brooking no argument.
The thief lady truly wanted this Crow's Eye Stone, but she also understood the remuneration she had already received from this employer was more than generous; she had no right to ask for more.
What if she wanted to buy it? Hmm... But Ms. Vivian didn't seem like someone who cared about money at all...
Although it was spared from being taken by others, Detreka seemed unable to obtain it easily either. This troubled her somewhat.
Seeing the promotion material he had considered a sure thing suddenly change hands without warning, Clement felt indignant. But constrained by Ash Scar's authority, he couldn't make a scene. He could only mutter quietly.
"Hey, I was the one who bid first... Why is that item just decided to be hers? And why interrupt the entire bidding process? It's not like I couldn't raise the price..."
Feeling stifled, he narrowed his eyes and looked with ill intent toward the lady who had taken the auction item, wanting to see who was so blatantly rigging the process.
Through the gauze-like screen, it was hard to see clearly. Only a corner of her gray gauze skirt was visible.
Just as Clement was about to complain a bit more, an attendant whispered a couple of sentences in his ear.
After that, the Outrider Hunter's face quickly paled. The trace of irritation that had risen was instantly swallowed by fear and trepidation. He spoke no more.
...
After this sufficiently shocking interlude, Ash Scar felt inexplicably distracted, as if treading on soft clouds, his mind filled with a strong sense of unreality. He even became somewhat absent-minded while introducing the goods.
That wonderful taste of inspired insight made him want to end everything immediately, retreat to a dark, deserted corner, and finish reading the newly acquired text.
Even so, Ash Scar restrained his agitation and quite professionally continued to preside over the bidding process.
After all, it was the Plum Moon festival today, and there was a very important auction item that needed to be disposed of.
Clouds drifted like flowing water, the moon passed midnight.
As the goods on the display stand decreased one by one, finally, the item reserved for the finale revealed itself.
"Everyone, what I am presenting now is the final auction item. It is also today's most precious treasure."
With a solemn expression, Ash Scar took out a sealed case and opened it, displaying the last item to the attendees.
It was... a section of tree sapling, its color lustrous.
"It is a secret medicine from the Children of the Whiskered Tree cult. A formal scientific name hasn't been determined yet. We tentatively call it 'The Evergreen Twig.'"
"No ritual is needed. Through the most direct ingestion, the anima it contains can grant you an additional five years of time. The aging, the injured, the seriously ill... all can extend their lives with it!"
---
Ash Scar's introduction plunged the Third Perch courtyard into a stunned silence. Faint sounds of whispered exchanges and rough breathing could be heard.
Before formally sublimating their body and skin, the lifespan of cult disciples was actually not much different from ordinary people.
They might live five, ten years longer due to the anima permeating their bodies... but this hardly made a substantive difference. And they might even die earlier due to the erosion of aberrant anima.
Although certain secret arts and rituals could forcibly delay death and aging, fragile mortal frames could not continuously serve as vessels for such techniques. Eventually, they would fall into irreversible disintegration over time.
Furthermore, such secret rites were inherently unstable, each use accompanied by high risk.
Therefore, if this relic called "The Evergreen Twig" truly possessed the effects described by Ash Scar, then it indeed held immense potential value. That was a full five years of time. Those in high positions entering their twilight years would be willing to pay an unimaginable price for it...
"Mr. Ash Scar, this material... what are its side effects or limitations?"
Clement asked eagerly.
While being a Six-Eyed Crows disciple, he was also a rather astute investment merchant who could easily sniff out the potential business opportunity this item held.
Ash Scar hadn't quoted a base price first precisely to wait for someone to ask this question, so he could provide a detailed answer.
"'The Evergreen Twig' accumulates a special type of anima within the human body. A single ingestion won't show obvious side effects. But upon the second use, the previously accumulated anima will activate."
"It will produce a series of severe side effects. For example, memory decline, reduced reaction speed, loss of judgment, severe movement impairment... and 'Arborization.'"
This series of side effects didn't make Clement shrink back; instead, it ignited a certain enthusiasm in him.
For something that could extend a mortal's lifespan, side effects of this degree were far too normal. No, it could even be said to be overly merciful, only manifesting upon the second use.
Should he bid now? No, can't be impatient, ask for more details...
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[email protected]/PeakTL