Chapter 332: Dragon Vein Mage

"Black market trading fair?" Lei En felt a bit of interest.

"Sir, our Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng trading fairs are top‑tier across the Empire, especially the black‑market ones; you'll get to see many things the Empire keeps in the dark," Kangbas said with a mysterious expression. "These fairs occur only two or three times a year and feature many rare auction items. If you're interested, I can obtain an invitation for you."

Lei En understood at once; this was a black‑market gathering, surely illegal.

"Is it safe?" he asked.

"Absolutely safe." Kangbas patted his chest, then lowered his voice: "Not to hide from you, the organizer is likely a Masked Lord who has the City Lord's tacit approval."

The rulers of Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng are naturally the Blackstaf City Lord couple, both nineteenth‑level Wizards.

However, they also have ten Masked Lords serving as assistants.

In name, each Masked Lord wields power comparable to the City Lord and acts as the City Lord's spokesperson.

Their identities are highly secret, drawn from all walks of life. In public they wear masks that block magical or Divine Technique detection and black robes that alter their shape, upholding city order, adjudicating right and wrong, or conducting fair trials as Masked Lords.

Guessing the Masked Lords' identities is a pastime for Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng residents.

Since it's a Masked Lord's fair, there's no problem.

Lei En decided to attend.

First, to broaden his horizons and maybe buy something valuable; second, for his teacher—if there are any Elements that could fix his teacher's deteriorating health, he'd spend a fortune to obtain them.

"Then I'll trouble you to deliver the invitation to Shi Weifute's manor," Lei En said.

"No problem."

As Kangbas replied, he glanced at Shi Weifute beside him, feeling a twinge of envy.

The legendary Iron Guard enjoys considerable fame in Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng and high prestige among the Soul Hunters; many city factions have tried to recruit him, but he refused, saying he would not bow beneath others.

The Iron Guard's status is indeed somewhat low; even as a legend, he ranks far below legendary casters.

Those factions merely wanted to use Shi Weifute as a bodyguard or elite enforcer.

Consequently, Shi Weifute offended a group of aristocrats, preventing him from truly joining the elite, leaving him to continue scraping by in the Soul Hunter trade.

Unexpectedly, he now got on the radar of the Earl of Glamorgan.

This young lord is currently the Empire's hottest noble: a duly‑enfeoffed Earl, a Holy Soul Wizard's student, Weizelan Speaker, Empire Senator—each title alone is highly prestigious, all stacked on one person, as if he wore a holy halo so dazzling it blinds the eyes.

Kangbas personally escorted Lei En outside and saw him off.

"Shi Weifute, you know Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng well; take me to an alchemy shop in the commercial district. I want to buy some materials," Lei En said. He intended to purchase Source Crystals, probing the local market.

"Alright."

Shi Weifute naturally would not refuse.

Soon, he led Lei En into a high‑end alchemy shop, reputed to be one of Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng's largest and best, famed for its comprehensive supplies and billed as Shengang's number one.

Lei En wandered the shop for a while and indeed saw many rarely‑seen alchemical ingredients.

He then asked, "Do you have Heavy Silver?"

The attendant beside him was an alchemy apprentice; he stared blankly for a few seconds, apparently recalling what Heavy Silver was, then nodded: "We do, honored guest. How much do you need?"

The reply surprised Lei En; it sounded like a decent amount.

"How much Heavy Silver do you have in stock?"

"Please wait a moment," the apprentice said, uncertain, hurried to consult the shop manager, and soon returned: "We have no refined Heavy Silver ore; the warehouse holds close to a hundred pounds, at fifty Gold Shields per pound."

That quantity far exceeded Lei En's expectations.

Based on average Source Crystal ore grade, a hundred pounds of ore yields about five pounds of Source Crystal; for an alchemy shop to have that much Heavy Silver ore is extremely rare.

Yet fifty Gold Shields per pound makes it considerably pricier than in Mo Du.

"Bring it over; let me see. If the grade's good, you'll be rich today," Lei En said with a grin. Unlike ordinary attendants, alchemy apprentices are prospective alchemists and take a commission on trades.

The apprentice instantly became more enthusiastic, ushering Lei En to the VIP room and fetching all the Heavy Silver ore from the warehouse.

At first glance Lei En sensed something different; a metallic touch made his eyes flash.

This batch of Source Crystal ore had an astonishing ten‑percent content.

Roughly ten pounds of ore yields one pound of Source Crystal!

Even at fifty Gold Shields per pound, it's far cheaper than Mo Du's Source Crystal ore; the cost per pound of Source Crystal is under five hundred Gold Shields.

At the Titan Elder's place, ten pounds of Source Crystal can be exchanged for one Thunder God Talisman.

A Thunder God Talisman is a top‑grade enchanted item; displayed at Empire auction houses or fairs, it's worth at least ten thousand gold, yielding a price gap of about five thousand Gold Shields per transaction.

With the Titan Elder's skill, forging a Thunder God Talisman isn't hard, and the required materials are relatively easy to gather on the Storm Plane.

If enough Source Crystal is available, swapping for a dozen‑plus Thunder God Talismans at once can net tens of thousands of Gold Shields.

Acting as a middleman for the spread is downright easy!

"I'll take them all."

Lei En didn't hesitate and paid gladly.

This made the alchemy apprentice so excited his hands trembled; from the five‑thousand‑Gold Shield deal he could earn a few dozen Gold Shields in commission.

Leaving that alchemy shop, Lei En headed to the next one.

This shop was smaller, but after asking, Lei En still bought over thirty pounds of Source Crystal ore, also ten‑percent grade, similar to the previous batch.

Lei En bought it without a flicker of expression and turned to another shop.

All afternoon, he visited every alchemy shop in Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng's commercial district—including enchantment material stores and mineral markets—nearly a hundred in total, covering each once.

Astonishingly, each shop sold Heavy Silver; the smallest had only a few pounds, the largest over two hundred pounds.

Lei En swept up goods, nearly emptying all the Gold Shields he carried.

In return he acquired over two thousand pounds of Source Crystal ore and a dozen pounds of already‑refined high‑purity Source Crystal, averaging about fifty Gold Shields each with minimal fluctuation.

Judging by ore grade, the vast majority of Source Crystal ore came from the same source!

Lei En asked several shop owners about the ore's origin; each answered identically: it came from a gray‑coal mine called Lizi Mountain, over two hundred li north of Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng.

That gray‑coal mine's quality is average and its reserves not top‑tier; being an open‑pit mine with low extraction cost and close to Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng, it holds a sizable share of the city's gray‑coal market, and its by‑product Heavy Silver ore is abundant, sold not only to Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng alchemy shops but also exported overseas.

Lei En bought this batch of source crystal ore, roughly the three‑year output of the Liz Mountain Ash Coal Mine.

After all, heavy silver has few uses, many shops have been stockpiling it for years, so a big client like Lei En buying it all at once is rare.

Carrying over two thousand pounds of source crystal ore, Lei En returned fully loaded to Shiweifute's manor.

But he kept murmuring in his mind:

"Liz Mountain Ash Coal Mine…"

Lei En seemed to see countless sources and Gold Shield flashing before his eyes.

If possible, he would buy the ash coal mine no matter the price, since it could bring in hundreds of pounds of source crystal ore each year, or even more!

Failing that, he would at least secure all the source crystal ore it produces.

He looked at Shiweifute beside him and asked, "Are you familiar with Baron Diken Selus?"

Diken Selus is the owner of the Liz Mountain Ash Coal Mine.

All the nobles of Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng hold nominal titles, and Baron Diken Selus is no different; although he bears the baronial title, he owns no actual land of his own.

"I've been in Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng for many years and have only seen Baron Selus a few times, so I don't know him well," Shiweifute replied. "The baron's demeanor is very low‑key, his movements are secretive; he rarely appears in public, and when he does, it's only in the Castle District."

Lei En nodded; the Castle District is the area where Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng's rulers reside.

The district isn't large; aside from Lord and Lady Hestaff, its residents are essentially nobles and members of the Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng Extraordinary Academy.

Shiweifute seemed to recall something and said, "Sir, Baron Selus graduated from the Thus: Thus: Thus: Shengangcheng Extraordinary Academy. I also came from that academy, but about a decade later than Baron Selus. Back then, it was rumored that Baron Selus's extraordinary profession was a Dragon Vein Sorcerer, though he never acknowledged it himself."

Dragon Vein Sorcerer!

Lei En's spirits lifted; the profession is rare, so he asked, "Can you be sure?"

"It should be correct," Shiweifute recalled earnestly. "Baron Selus was very powerful; when he was at the academy, almost no peer could match him, and he entered the Legendary rank many years before I did."

Lei En's face showed a thoughtful expression.

If Diken Selus truly is a Dragon Vein Sorcerer, then it would be easier. The thing Dragon Vein Sorcerers most covet is exactly what Lei En has in hand—a Dragon Soul!

The Dragon Soul of the green dragon Monagias has not yet been used.

This Dragon Soul is of Legendary rank and carries three Superlative Elements: the "True Dragon Body" and "Dragon Roar," which all great dragons possess, the True Dragon Body being only three‑tiered, and the green dragon's innate ability "Mind Enchant."

Mind Enchant is equivalent to the Seventh Ring's "Enchantment Art," allowing long‑term control and enslavement of others, but it has a limit on numbers; at the early Legendary stage, enslaving more than three subjects risks backlash.

Moreover, the strength of the enslaved target cannot exceed one's own.

Overall, Lei En isn't particularly keen on the green dragon's Dragon Soul; he treats it as a backup, to be considered after he advances to Legendary.

If he could trade this Dragon Soul for the Liz Mountain Ash Coal Mine, it would be a highly profitable deal.

Of course, some tactics are needed during the transaction.

Going to Diken Selus with the Dragon Soul would forfeit the initiative in negotiations; he would surely be cut down mercilessly.

He must use the Dragon Soul as bait to lure the other party.

After thinking it through, Lei En said, "Shiweifute, please go find Kangbas. Tell him I have a green Dragon Soul to offer at the trade fair; ask him to spread the word, but without revealing my identity."

(End of chapter)