Abel was well aware the ruby would be flawless. After all, the Horadric Cube was an artifact—how could anything it forged have imperfections? Among items of the same tier, its creations were guaranteed to be perfect. Still, he hadn't expected it to be worth 300 gold coins. The 100-fold increase from 3 gold coins to 300 made Abel acutely aware of just how precious the Horadric Cube was. If word of this treasure got out, it would spell disaster for him.
Edmond Auction House was already the safest shop in Libao Town, and the price offered had more than satisfied him. He pulled the last ruby from his cloth bag and handed it to Yvette, shaking the bag to show it was empty. "I have one more ruby just like this," he said. "Your price is fine with me."
Yvette took the second ruby, examined it, and let out a 赞叹 in the melodious tone unique to nobles: "Gems as fiery and passionate as flame—both equally perfect."
"I need some potions for knight training," Abel said. "Do you have any recommendations?"
Abel's older brother Zach used potions every month—magical elixirs crafted by alchemists. When taken before training, they boosted qi production. The potion was called "Qi Condensing Elixir," but Abel knew nothing more about it; his rank was still too low to be told further details.
"Edmond Auction House can provide you with Basic Qi Condensing Elixirs, at 10 gold coins per vial," Yvette replied. She paused, took a sip of coffee from the table with a smile on her lovely face, and continued, "To be honest, Basic Qi Condensing Elixirs contain a lot of residue. Regular use can harm the body. Typically, after using them for a month, one must rest for another month to let the body recover on its own."
"What about their effectiveness?" This was what Abel cared about most, so he cut to the chase.
"The optimal way to use them is to take 5 vials per month for training. Those 5 vials will make one month of training equivalent to two months. After that, you need a one-month break before taking another 5 vials," Yvette explained. She knew the auction house's goods inside out, and it was clear to her the boy before her knew nothing about this.
"If there are Basic Qi Condensing Elixirs, are there higher-tier ones?"
"Of course. For Intermediate Qi Condensing Elixirs, you take 5 vials per month, with a two-week break in between, and their effect makes 5 vials equivalent to four months of training. For Advanced Qi Condensing Elixirs, you take 3 vials per month with no need for breaks—each month of training with them is equivalent to five months."
Yvette couldn't help but chuckle at the way the boy's eyes widened. "Right now, our auction house only has Intermediate Qi Condensing Elixirs, priced at 50 gold coins per vial. Advanced ones are only available at our main branch."
Abel knew the purchasing power here was limited—he didn't even need to ask about the price of Advanced Qi Condensing Elixirs; they must be outrageously expensive. Libao Town had few wealthy people, and even fewer who could afford Intermediate Elixirs.
Yvette hesitated for a moment. She'd taken a liking to this boy, so she leaned forward slightly, drawing closer to Abel, and whispered softly, "According to the master alchemists at our auction house headquarters, the more Qi Condensing Elixirs an Apprentice Knight takes during training, the harder it becomes for them to advance to a full Knight. Whether it's Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced, all these elixirs leave residue in the body. The more you take, the more residue accumulates. When you try to breakthrough to become a full Knight, this residue will lower your chance of success."
Abel could feel Yvette's kindness. For someone he'd just met to share such crucial information with him, he was truly grateful. He unconsciously added a respectful tone to his voice: "Beautiful Ms. Yvette, thank you for the warning. This means a lot to me. Is there any elixir that doesn't have this risk?"
"Of course—there's the Masterwork Qi Condensing Elixir, created only when a master alchemist has a stroke of inspiration. Their production is unpredictable; it's said a single master can make only about 10 vials a year. What's more, these elixirs never enter the open market—they're either given by the master to family and friends, or bought up by high nobles and royal families. Our Edmond Auction House's own master alchemist sets aside 5 vials each year for auction, and each vial sells for over 1,000 gold coins. Just one vial of Masterwork Qi Condensing Elixir can save an Apprentice Knight an entire year of training." Yvette's voice was a mix of admiration and pride as she answered.
Without the Horadric Cube, Abel wouldn't have bought any Qi Condensing Elixirs, even if his training was slower. His previous progress had already proven he had excellent knightly talent—compared to his father and brother, he was undoubtedly a genius. He was only 12 years old now; though his body, which resembled that of a European youth on Earth, already looked like an adolescent, he was still young and had plenty of time to train. Advancing to a full Knight would merely be a matter of time.
But after hearing Yvette describe the Masterwork Qi Condensing Elixir, Abel's heart was stirred. Each vial could save a year of training with no side effects—it was perfect. It's just gold coins, he thought. And gold coins aren't hard to come by now. Why not try? Having made up his mind, Abel looked up and said, "I'll take 54 vials of Basic Qi Condensing Elixir. After paying for those, will I have enough left to buy a hand crossbow?"
The danger he'd faced on the way to town had opened Abel's eyes to how perilous this world was. Even traveling on main roads meant risking attacks by ferocious beasts. He'd killed the Shadow Panther thanks to his calmness, but also a great deal of luck. He couldn't rely on luck every time—gear mattered too.
With the money he'd spend on elixirs, he wouldn't be able to afford a greatsword or armor. Even if he could, he wouldn't dare buy them; he wasn't strong enough yet to protect his secret. A hand crossbow, however, was an excellent choice. Like the dagger Zach had given him, it was easy to hide—he could use the dagger for close combat and the crossbow for long-range attacks.
"What do you think of this hand crossbow, crafted by dwarves?" Yvette left for a moment and returned with the Basic Qi Condensing Elixirs and a fully gray hand crossbow, which she placed on the table in front of Abel.
Abel picked up the crossbow with one hand—it wasn't heavy, weighing only 2 pounds. Its limbs, handle, and even the string were all gray, making it look rather unremarkable. There were also several unsightly dents on the handle. Abel looked up at Yvette, confused.
"This crossbow is secondhand," Yvette explained, hiding a smile behind her lips. "The gemstones that were once in it were pried out, and the crossbow itself was sold to us. A brand-new dwarven hand crossbow costs at least 500 gold coins. This one is actually a fine dwarven craft—if it weren't for the missing gemstones and this unpopular color, it wouldn't still be here."
"I'll take it," Abel said firmly. He could tell Yvette was being very kind to him. Though he didn't know why, his experience from two lifetimes told him this woman wouldn't lie to him.
"Be careful with these elixirs—you're still young," Yvette reminded him softly as she neatly arranged the 54 vials of Basic Qi Condensing Elixir into a box and handed it to Abel. She also slipped a few crossbow bolts—specialized for the hand crossbow—into his hand.
"Thank you, Ms. Yvette. I'll be careful," Abel replied earnestly. Yvette could tell he'd taken her warning to heart.
When Abel left the auction house, his pockets now held 54 vials of Basic Qi Condensing Elixir, a hand crossbow, and five crossbow bolts.
Upstairs, at a window on the second floor of the auction house, Yvette stood watching Abel's retreating figure. She couldn't help but think of her own younger brother—she'd been away from home for two years now, and he must be about this boy's age.