The Wind Spirit Crystal fell into Kael's hands, causing him to exhale slightly in relief.
A maidservant holding a tray approached to deliver the crystal to Kael's VIP room. Kael took out a crystal card and handed it to her. The maidservant accepted it respectfully, then bowed gracefully with a coy smile.
Her attire was revealing—her upper body clad only in a tight-fitting garment that exposed her alluring figure and large swathes of skin. As she bent forward, the deep, creamy expanse of her cleavage became even more pronounced, drawing the gaze irresistibly downward.
Yet Kael remained utterly unmoved, paying it no mind.
Soon, the maidservant returned the crystal card. Kael's account had been deducted by 1.5 million gold coins, and the Wind Spirit Crystal was now his.
Holding the crystal in his hands, Kael sensed the dense concentration of wind elemental energy within it and smiled in satisfaction. He was currently at the final step of fusing with the wind element, standing right before the threshold. With just a slight push, he could very well achieve complete fusion.
And this Wind Spirit Crystal was precisely the catalyst he needed.
Despite obtaining the crystal, Kael didn't leave immediately. He found that the Myriad Treasures Auction House had indeed prepared an impressive selection for this event, with many rare items on offer—some of which even piqued his interest. Thus, he decided to stay a while longer.
The next item up for auction was a robe, a relatively high-quality piece, but Kael's enthusiasm for it was lukewarm.
"Boss, seems like someone's watching us from outside the door!" Thunderclap's eyes flickered as he rumbled in a low voice, sensing something unusual. After following Kael, Thunderclap had taken to addressing him simply as "Boss."
Kael chuckled. In truth, he had already noticed but hadn't pointed it out. Still, Thunderclap's perceptiveness was commendable—likely an innate ability of his Titan bloodline.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Kael realized they were being targeted.
"Thunderclap, go deal with them."
"Got it!"
With a sudden motion, Thunderclap yanked the door open and stepped out, his towering frame filling the doorway. At that exact moment, a black-robed old man was skulking outside, attempting to probe the room's interior with his spiritual senses.
The abrupt appearance of Thunderclap—massive and imposing—startled the old man. Damn, this guy was huge!
"Who are you?" Thunderclap rumbled, his voice booming as he stepped forward slowly.
At first, the black-robed old man was startled by Thunderclap's appearance, but upon closer inspection, he realized that despite the man's extraordinary bulk, there wasn't the slightest trace of a strong aura or battle energy emanating from him. Just an ordinary man, albeit an unusually large one.
"Kid, don't go looking for trouble. Can't I just walk around here?" The old man sneered.
Thunderclap, however, was straightforward. Kael had ordered him to drive the old man away, and he wasn't one for unnecessary words. Without hesitation, he suddenly reached out.
Before the black-robed elder could react, Thunderclap grabbed him by the collar and hurled him away with a single motion.
BOOM!
The old man's body was flung over ten meters back before crashing heavily onto the ground. His face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
What terrifying strength! The old man's heart pounded in shock. If not for my protective magic, that single throw might have crippled me!
Not daring to provoke Thunderclap further, he shot him a venomous glare before scrambling away in disgrace.
Thunderclap didn't pursue him. In truth, he hadn't even used his full strength—Kael's command had only been to drive off the intruder, and he had done just that.
"Boss, I got rid of him," Thunderclap said with a simple, honest grin.
Kael observed everything with cold detachment. His spiritual senses were far too keen—he had not only detected the old man's retreat but also traced him back to VIP Room No. 3.
So, it's the Crown Prince's man.
A faint chill flickered in Kael's eyes. The Crown Prince of the Maide Kingdom really has no sense of restraint.
The auction continued. The soundproofing in the VIP rooms was excellent, so Thunderclap's earlier actions had caused little disturbance.
On the stage, the beautiful hostess swept her gaze across the audience, her eyes soft as rippling water, and smiled. "Next, we present one of the most valuable items in today's auction—bring it out!"
A maidservant stepped forward, carefully carrying an object.
Kael's eyes suddenly lit up with an unusual brilliance, and he couldn't help but exclaim: "A mutated flame!"
A mutated flame!
Indeed, what the maidservant presented was a variant fire. The flame burned in a deep, almost pure violet hue—its color profound, its form flawless. The rich purple blaze immediately captivated everyone present.
"What a beautiful flame!"
"It's truly stunning! I've never seen anything like it before," someone murmured in awe.
The crowd buzzed with excitement, their curiosity piqued by the mysterious fire.
Kael narrowed his eyes. Even he could only confirm that this was a mutated flame, but its exact nature eluded him. Mutated flames were rare and immensely precious, though their power varied greatly.
For example, Kael's Frostflame—a fusion with a Millennium Ice Essence—was several times more potent than ordinary fire and served as one of his trump cards.
He had also witnessed the Ghostflame of the Netherghost from the Tower of Wraiths, a sickly green fire whose power was merely above average—though that might have been due to the Netherghost's own lack of strength.
But this purple flame before him…
Though just a small wisp, it radiated a destructive energy, its deep violet hue exuding an unfathomable mystery. One thing was certain: this flame's power was at least on par with Kael's Frostflame, if not superior.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the hostess announced with a smile, "this violet flame is none other than the renowned 'Stellar Violetflame'—one of the Three Continents' most legendary fires!"
"The Stellar Violetflame?! So this is it?"
The mention of its name sent a wave of murmurs through the crowd. The Stellar Violetflame was a fabled celestial fire, said to embody the mysteries of the stars themselves. Its destructive potential was unmatched among variant flames.
Seeing the audience's excitement, the hostess continued: "Indeed, this is the Stellar Violetflame. Though it may appear as but a small ember, it is a priceless treasure—especially for fire mages! If one can fuse its essence into their magic, their flames may undergo a mutation, elevating their power to new heights. Some might even become invincible among their peers!"
Her words sent a ripple of excitement through the fire mages in the audience, their hearts pounding with desire.
Yet Kael shook his head. The hostess was exaggerating. While the Stellar Violetflame was indeed precious, comprehending and fusing with its essence was far more difficult than she made it seem. Kael himself had only stumbled upon the fusion with the Millennium Ice Essence by sheer chance. Moreover, even if one succeeded in mutating their flames, claiming invincibility among peers was pure arrogance!
Still, the Stellar Violetflame was undeniably a treasure—its destructive power surpassed even Kael's Frostflame.
He decided to bid. An opportunity like this was rare.
"The Stellar Violetflame—starting bid, one million gold coins!"
The staggering price instantly silenced many would-be bidders, but there were still those with deep pockets.
"1.05 million!"
"1.1 million!"
The bids climbed rapidly, but Kael remained silent, observing. Only when the momentum stalled around 2.4 million did he finally speak:
"2.6 million."
Many had already taken note of Kael during the Wind Spirit Crystal auction, recognizing him as a man of formidable wealth. Now, hesitation spread through the crowd. After all, spending millions for a slim chance at flame mutation was beyond most people's means.
"Hmph. So this guy really does have money to burn…" The Crown Prince sneered, his gaze fixed on Kael's movements. The moment Kael acted, he noticed.
"2.7 million!" Someone still countered.
Without hesitation, Kael raised a hand. "3 million."
A deafening silence fell over the auction hall.
Kael smirked inwardly. The feeling of overwhelming wealth was intoxicating—money truly could bulldoze all obstacles.
Three million gold coins. At that price, even the boldest contenders fell silent.