“In this Blackcreek Town, they're the only ones who could force someone to hide their face like this.”
He cast another glance at Bai Xuan, his gaze lingering for a moment on the layer of grime obscuring his identity.
“You went to all this trouble to sneak in, surely it wasn't just to meet with me?”
“Of course not,” Bai Xuan said, shaking his head and speaking frankly.
“I gathered quite a few materials outside and came to trade them for some gold coins. While I'm here, I also want to buy some Medium Mana Potions.”
“We had a deal—you'd sell them to me at a tenth of the cost price.”
“Selling materials makes sense, but those ten Medium Mana Potions...” Lorrain raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his voice.
“How did you use them up so quickly? What on earth have you been busy with lately?”
“I haven't used that many, I just want to stock up on more.”
Bai Xuan glanced out the window. The sky was already beginning to darken, and his tone grew slightly more urgent.
“I have to leave tonight, and I don't know when I'll be back next. There's no harm in carrying more.”
“Besides, the potions here are effective and cheap. The ones outside are not only expensive, but their effects are far worse.”
Hearing this, Lorrain nodded slightly, agreeing to the request.
“Alright, what do you want to sell?”
Bai Xuan didn't hide anything. He raised his hand to activate his Space Ring, pulling out all the materials he had recently gathered.
Some were harvested during the monster tide at the Wazhuang Post House, while others were collected sporadically along the way.
He made no effort to hide the existence of his Space Ring, continuously pulling out materials right in front of Lorrain.
Lorrain's gaze landed on the ring, his voice carrying a touch of genuine surprise.
“You're quite wealthy, kid, to even lay your hands on something like a Space Ring.”
“Just good luck. I picked it up on the road,” Bai Xuan said nonchalantly.
Lorrain glanced at him with a look on his face that clearly said, “Do you think I'm that gullible?”
But he didn't press further, lowering his head to examine the materials.
He placed the Magic Cores on the counter one by one, carefully sorting them by size and quality.
At first, his expression was quite calm, but when he came across the pair of ogre tusks and the matching Magic Core, his fingers suddenly froze.
He carefully cradled the Magic Core in his palm, holding it close to his eyes to examine it. His brow gradually furrowed.
Next, he picked up the pair of tusks to inspect them repeatedly. Then, he closed his eyes, carefully sensing the residual aura on them.
“This thing... is from an ogre?”
He suddenly snapped his head up, his gaze instantly changing.
“And its strength was almost touching the boundary of the Transcendent Rank.”
As he spoke, he flipped the Magic Core over, staring intently at the lingering aura on it, his tone turning solemn.
“The trace on this is related to the Demon Race. What exactly have you been up to lately, kid? Where did you get something like this?”
“I ran into a monster tide at the Wazhuang Post House. This ogre was the leader, so I took care of it. It took quite a bit of effort back then.”
Bai Xuan answered honestly.
Lorrain placed the Magic Core back on the table, his fingers still resting on its edge without letting go, his tone growing increasingly grave.
“The aura on that ogre definitely has something to do with the Demon Race.”
Bai Xuan nodded slowly and added, “It's not just related to the Demon Race, but it's also entangled with Zane from the Cross family.”
“I suspect there is collusion between them.”
There was not a trace of surprise on Lorrain's face, as if he had known this all along.
He fell silent for a moment, folding his hands on the counter, his voice dropping slightly. “Your info is quite comprehensive. But let me give you a piece of advice: don't get too deeply involved.”
“The matters of the Demon Race are far more complicated than you think. You simply can't afford to touch them.”
“Zane isn't someone you can deal with either. The power behind him runs much deeper than you anticipate.”
Bai Xuan did not reply. Instead, he pulled out that piece of cloth from his shirt and placed it gently on the counter.
Lorrain swept his gaze over it, then nudged it with his fingertip. The cloth slowly unfolded, revealing the hidden dark pattern at the corner.
It wasn't until Bai Xuan spoke the secret code phrase that Lorrain's fingers suddenly froze.
He picked up the cloth again, flipping it over to inspect it carefully.
He stared at it against the light for a long time. When he looked up again, the expression in his eyes had completely changed.
“You really are becoming more and more of a mystery to me, kid.”
He stared intently at Bai Xuan, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.
“Are you from the White family?”
“No, just a cooperative relationship.”
Bai Xuan responded frankly, then asked in return, “I assume you are also cooperating with the White family?”
“I'm just a bit curious, what exactly are you staying in Blackcreek Town for?”
Lorrain didn't answer immediately. He simply leaned against the counter, falling into deep thought.
The potion bottles on the counter cast long, thin shadows under the lamplight, plunging the entire shop into a brief silence.
After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, each word seemingly carefully weighed.
“I do indeed have a cooperative relationship with the White family, but I am not their mole.”
“I came here for my own business.”
He looked at Bai Xuan, his gaze darkening.
“My curse is related to the Demon Race. You know this—you were the one who broke it for me.”
“I'm staying here because I want to go to the Demon Continent to find someone.”
He paused, then continued, “Going to the Demon Continent requires a key. I've searched for a long time, and the clues eventually pointed here.”
“The Cross family holds the power of the Demon Race. The places associated with them are the most likely spots to find that key.”
“I stayed here to bide my time, and while doing so, I managed to establish contact with that old fox Edmund.”
Bai Xuan was in no hurry to speak, quietly glancing at his status panel.
Lorrain's status panel clearly displayed the word “Sincere,” indicating he was not lying.
It was just that the Demon Continent key Lorrain spoke of was something Bai Xuan had not only seen, but seen more than once.
The first time was when he followed the Hammerfall team down into the mine, discovering it on that Heavy Armored Skeleton. At the time, Owen said he needed it and took it.
Now that the Hammerfall team had disbanded, Owen had vanished along with the key, his whereabouts unknown.
The second time was at the Wazhuang Post House, found on that ogre.
That seed was currently resting safely inside his Space Ring.
The very thing Lorrain was desperately searching for was right here.
Bai Xuan let out a soft sigh, shaking his head helplessly.
This item was of no use to him anyway, so he might as well do him a favor and give it to him.
Seeing his expression, Lorrain assumed he was also worrying about the Demon Race, and was about to offer some comforting words.
However, Bai Xuan suddenly looked up at him, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
“You really got a bargain,” Bai Xuan spoke, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
“You'd better thank me properly.”
Before Lorrain could react, Bai Xuan had already fished out the seed from his Space Ring and placed it gently on the counter.
The dark seed shimmered with a faint luster under the light. Its surface was covered in dense, intricate patterns, and it actually trembled slightly as if it were alive.
Lorrain froze, looking down at the seed, and reached out to pick it up.
He turned it over and over, examining it closely, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.
He held the seed close to his eyes, then raised it high under the lamp, squinting as he stared intently at the patterns.
Only after a long while did he slowly raise his head, the look in his eyes having completely shifted.
“This is...” His voice was tight, carrying an excitement he couldn't hide.
“This is the very thing I've been looking for all this time!”
He stared at Bai Xuan with burning eyes, as if he were seeing him in a completely new light.
“How did you get it? Who on earth are you?”
Bai Xuan waved his hand with an indifferent look.
“You saw that ogre just now, didn't you? This thing was found on its body.”
“It was precisely because of this that I realized there's a far-from-simple connection between the Cross family and the Demon Race.”
Lorrain clenched the seed tightly, but then slowly loosened his grip, fearing he might crush it.
“I really am finding you harder and harder to read. You haven't even reached the Transcendent Rank, yet you managed to obtain such an important item from an ogre like that.”
Bai Xuan didn't reply, only gesturing to him with his eyes.
Lorrain instantly understood his meaning and carefully tucked the seed into his shirt.
He then turned and walked toward the back room, not forgetting to look back and say before leaving:
“Wait for me.”
Soon, the sound of rummaging came from the room.
After a good while, Lorrain walked out of the room with two items in his hands.
As he walked, he said to Bai Xuan, “These two items will serve as the exchange, along with some alchemical potions of your choice.”
He quickly walked to the counter and placed the items gently on the table.
One was a pendant with a slender, glossy silver chain and a dark stone that had been polished smooth and round.
The other was a scroll. Its surface was already yellowed, and its edges were slightly curled, giving it an antique look.
Lorrain pointed to the pendant and explained slowly, “This is a magic item that can automatically sense surrounding danger. Once triggered, it will release a defensive barrier that can block a single fatal attack.”
“When worn daily, it can also absorb and store the excess mana overflowing from your body. It can be used repeatedly, making it far more valuable than those single-use magic items.”
Pointing to the scroll, he continued, “This is a Directional Teleportation Scroll. You can choose the direction and distance of the teleportation yourself, with a maximum range of up to a thousand kilometers.”
“However, it requires a certain amount of channeling time, so it can only be used in a safe environment.”
“If you encounter an emergency, it can also be triggered instantly, though the destination will become random. This scroll can be used twice in total.”
Bai Xuan immediately released his mental strength to sweep over the two items. The information displayed on the status panel matched Lorrain's words exactly.
【Guardian Pendant: A magic defense item. Automatically senses surrounding danger, releasing a defensive barrier upon trigger to block a single fatal attack. When worn daily, it automatically absorbs excess mana overflowing from the wearer's body to store energy. Can be used repeatedly. Its value is far higher than single-use magic items.】
【Speed-Shift Scroll: A spatial teleportation scroll. Directional teleportation, allowing the user to choose the direction and distance. The maximum teleportation distance does not exceed one thousand kilometers. Regular use requires a certain channeling time, suitable only for operation in a safe environment; in an emergency, it can be triggered instantly, but the teleportation location will be random. Limited to two uses.】
Seeing this, a smile immediately spread across Bai Xuan's face, his tone feigning politeness. “Oh, how embarrassing. How could I possibly be that greedy?”
“Master Lorrain and I are friends, after all. I just happened to have what you needed. Even if there were no exchange of benefits, I would have gifted it to you.”
Looking at his duplicitous display, Lorrain wore an expression of utter speechlessness.
Bai Xuan didn't feel awkward at all. Shifting the topic, he continued.
“Since you are being so sincere, Master, it would be rude of me to refuse. I'll accept these items.”
He paused, counting on his fingers with a solemn face.
“As for the alchemical potions, just a casual eighty to a hundred bottles of High Mana Potions, Recovery Potions, Antidotes, and Purification Potions will do.”
Lorrain was so shocked by these words that he almost tripped over the chair behind him. Hurriedly bracing himself against the counter to stand firm, he glared at Bai Xuan helplessly.
“Do you think these high-grade potions are fruit juice? Asking for so many—how could I possibly have that much stock!”
Bai Xuan couldn't help but chuckle and waved his hand.
“Just kidding. Give me whatever you see fit, Master. What I lack most right now is mana potions.”
Lorrain fell silent for a moment, seemingly calculating in his mind, before slowly speaking.
“I don't have much stock here either. High-grade potions are rarely bought on regular days, and I only use them occasionally myself, so I didn't make many.”
“How about this: fifty Medium Mana Potions, twenty Medium Recovery Potions, plus twenty Purification Potions and twenty Antidotes. This should be enough to last you a while.”
Bai Xuan's eyes instantly lit up. He had originally thought getting ten or twenty bottles would be good enough, but he hadn't expected Lorrain to be so generous.
These potions would be enough to last him for a long time.
“Deal! It's a promise!”
Lorrain nodded and was about to turn to fetch the potions when Bai Xuan suddenly called out to him.
“Oh, right, Master. There are still those Magic Core materials. You haven't settled the payment with me yet.”
Lorrain turned around helplessly, glancing at the pile of Magic Cores to the side and making a rough estimate of the price.
“Twenty gold coins. The most valuable thing here is that ogre's materials.”
“It was close to breaking through to the Transcendent Rank and was tainted with the aura of the Demon Race, giving it high research value. It's much more precious than ordinary Magic Cores.”
Bai Xuan nodded in satisfaction, and Lorrain immediately counted out twenty gold coins onto the counter.
Bai Xuan casually swept the gold coins into his Space Ring.
Seeing that Bai Xuan had no other requests, Lorrain turned and walked into the back room once again.
From inside the room came the clinking sound of bottles bumping together, lasting for quite a while.
When he came out, he was holding a pile of potions. The counter couldn't hold them all, so he set some down first.
“Here are fifty Medium Mana Potions.”
With a wave of Bai Xuan's hand, the potions on the counter vanished one by one, all collected into his Space Ring.
Seeing this, Lorrain turned back into the small room and brought out another batch of potions.
“Here are twenty Recovery Potions, twenty Purification Potions, and twenty Antidotes.”
Bai Xuan accepted them all as well, leaving not a single bottle behind.
With everything properly stowed and his supplies fully stocked, Bai Xuan said to Lorrain,
“Alright, I should get going.”
Lorrain nodded, having no intention of getting up to see him off.
Bai Xuan pushed the door open and walked out. By now, the sky outside was already in the late stages of dusk, and there were far fewer pedestrians on the street.
Rate on N.U.
