Chapter 672

Walking down the mountain all the way, he successfully arrived in the city. Autumn was deepening, the temperature was gradually falling, and today's Midhillburg was still as prosperous as in previous autumns, but whether the city could survive this autumn was actually hard to say now.

Because Miss Miss Jia Lin Na had already made an appointment for Xia De, Xia De went directly to the Cassandra Auction House. In the reception room on the top floor of the auction house, Grandma Cassandra took the long sword handed over by Xia De, carefully removed the cloth strip wrapped around the sword to take a look, and immediately recognized what it was.

Her identification speed was a bit too fast.

"Oh, I didn't expect that I have lived to this age and still have the chance to see this kind of relic. Let's talk about the danger level first, Angel-level (Level 1)."

The old woman carefully placed the long sword back on the table.

This level was the same as Xia De expected, after all, the doctor also said that this sword could not be lower than Sage-level.

"The name I remember is... Pale Justice? No, no, not this one... Ashes? No, no, that sword is in Daifulin's hands... Yes, my memory is really bad when I'm old."

The old witch shook her head self-deprecatingly:

"【My Heart is Clear, the Sword Slays Demons】, this sword is the Angel-level relic 【Night Watcher】. Those demon hunters of the Third Era sometimes also called themselves 'Night Watchers', because in the Third Era, the time of night accounted for two-thirds of the day. In short, Angel-level relic, the containment condition is not to be touched by those who harbor evil. As for the characteristics of this sword, it is unstained by dust, can attack spirits, is sharp, has special damage to demons, offsets the undead resistance of undead creatures, and automatically reminds when demons appear. You can just magnify the characteristics of the sword itself to look at it. As for the features worth mentioning..."

Grandma Cassandra thought for a while:

"This sword will automatically memorize and retain the sword skills of its former users. When you hold this sword, sometimes you will find that this sword is controlling your arm. Don't worry, just learn with your heart. Although the era of cold weapons has long passed, for Ringed Shushi, cold weapon combat is still a good choice."

"This sounds very good, and I just happen to lack cold weapon combat experience. However, this is an Angel-level long sword, are there only these characteristics?"

Xia De asked curiously.

"No, no, of course not. If you summarize its unique characteristics, then it can be said that there are three points. The first point is the skills of the ancient heroes inherited by this sword, and the second point is the effect on demons. Simply put, you can also regard 【Night Watcher】 as a demon nemesis. If Xiwei had this two months ago, she would not have let Ivan Darkness go at all."

Xia De had also seen the special attack of this sword against demons on the doctor last night.

"Then what is the last point? If it only inherited cold weapon combat experience and the power against demons, it seems it is not worthy of being called a Sage-level relic."

"Don't be anxious, the last point is that this sword can also be regarded as an extremely excellent spellcasting medium. Note, it is a spellcasting medium, not a spellcasting material..."

Seeing Xia De looking at her curiously, the old woman said helplessly:

"Okay, it's the magic wand in fairy tales and folklore. Although it is a cold weapon, if you can find a way to let this sword participate in your spellcasting process, it can effectively enhance the power of rituals, spells, and miracles. For the Ringed Shushi of the Sixth Era, this is the most valuable point of this sword."

Xia De reached out and took the sword in his hand:

"Time Perception!"

The current time was the eighth day of the Month of Withered Leaves, Tuesday, 10:17:56 AM, in the year 1853 of the Sixth Era.

【Time Perception】 did not increase because Xia De held this sword, and he did not know if the enhancement effect was not enough for Xia De to see the truth, or if just holding the sword did not count as participating in the spellcasting process of the miracle.

"Just holding it doesn't count as letting the sword participate in the spellcasting process. However, everyone's miracles are different, you can try to use this sword yourself."

The old woman suggested, and Xia De nodded, holding the sword handle with his right hand and extending his index finger to press on the blade:

"Silver Moon."

He whispered.

In an instant, brilliant silver light radiated from the blade. This time, the "Light Spell" was actually realized by the long sword emitting light, and in the gradually extinguishing moonlight, Grandma Cassandra nodded with satisfaction:

"Yes, that's it, this is letting the sword become a spellcasting medium for miracles. It seems you have already understood what I meant."

"Grandma, for this kind of relic, about how much money can it be sold for?"

He asked curiously again.

"This is hard to estimate. I have lived for so long, and I have rarely heard of anyone selling an Angel-level relic for money. Most people barter, which can fully exert the value of this sword."

The old woman gave the answer, but then said:

"Young man, I remember Miss Jia Lin Na mentioned that you are Knight Hamilton of Lei Jiede? Since you are a knight, then naturally you must have your own sword. Keep this sword yourself, there will always be a chance to use it in the future."

Xia De certainly did not want to sell this hard-won silver sword:

"But it's a pity, this Angel-level long sword may become the key to sealing the Boundary. I probably cannot possess it forever."

"At least you are its owner now. Young man, although looking at the long term is correct, sometimes you also have to cherish the present."

The old witch said, and then reminded:

"However, except for specific occasions, you had better not walk around everywhere with it."

In the current steam age, walking around the street with a conspicuous long sword, even the patrolling police would take an extra look at Xia De.

"I know this point, but in an adventure where you already know there will be danger, isn't this a very interesting thing?"

For example, adventures like fighting the Silver-Eyed One and breaking into the Dark Domain could be done with the sword.

Grandma Cassandra said with a smile:

"I will prepare a decorative scabbard for you, you can hang this sword in your own home. When something unclean appears in your home, it will give you a hint."

This was quite good, so he didn't have to worry about the situation where a mirror ghost invaded his home like the week before last.

"Then thank you very much, Grandma."

"Don't be so polite with me, I like helping young people."

The old witch with silver-white hair said again. Although her face was covered with wrinkles and her eyes showed signs of old age, anyone could see the style of this face and this person when she was young:

"Speaking of which, Xiwei will arrive in the afternoon, taking a steam train from Karsenrik."

The image of Miss Xiwei Aurora with beautiful long brown wavy hair jumped into Xia De's mind:

"That's good, I'll go to the Midhillburg train station..."

"She said we don't need to go pick her up. She brought a caravan over, and the excuse for coming to this city is to purchase some spare timber for the new shipyard in Coldwater Port."

Because it backed onto the Sikar Mountains and the Rommel mountain range, Midhillburg was also a very famous timber distribution center in the Old Continent.

"Then when can I see her?"

"Do you know about the Fire Worship Festival charity banquet tonight?"

Grandma Cassandra asked, and Xia De nodded. Priest Augustus had mentioned this matter.

"Xiwei and I will both attend that banquet. If you want to see her, then come to the banquet."

Saying this, she handed Xia De an invitation, obviously prepared in advance.

This time Xia De did not refuse again like he refused Priest Augustus. Miss Aurora had helped him so much, and since the other party had also arrived in this city, it was impossible for him not to meet her.

"Also, Little Miss Jia Lin Na, who is thousands of miles away in Tobesk, was able to suddenly mention the secret cave on the mountainside of the Sikar Mountains. That was also discovered by you, right?"

The old witch mentioned this matter again.

"Yes, this sword was discovered there."

Xia De answered with a smile, handing the parchment that could open the cave entrance to the old woman. This parchment was already useless to him:

"I suggest that you and Miss Aurora can go to the cave in the real world first to take a look, confirm the internal environment, and then find a way to enter the corresponding position in the Boundary to determine if it is a seal."

"Miss Jia Lin Na praised you for being very capable, it seems it is indeed correct."

The old woman praised, and Xia De took the opportunity to mention the relic 【Sin Mansion】 he encountered in the mountains today, hoping that the old woman could provide some information.

Grandma Cassandra certainly would not refuse this request. The scabbard she helped prepare and the information about 【Sin Mansion】 would have to be given to Xia De in the evening.

After all, although this old witch was knowledgeable, it was impossible for her to know what Xia De needed in advance.

Bidding farewell to Grandma Cassandra and agreeing to meet again at the Midhillburg Mechanical Academy tonight, Xia De took a carriage to the Blind Home to meet Sister Daifulin, who had purchased the "damaged Balrog Heart."

In fact, he was very curious why the sister did not meet him at the auction house with Grandma Cassandra. But when he got off at Ruff Lane, he thought that the 【Ringed Shushi】 was not a subordinate organization of the 【Witch Council】 after all, and that sister with silver-gray hair could not possibly expose all her secrets to Grandma Cassandra.

The Blind Home at No. 15 Ruff Lane was ostensibly a semi-profit organization serving people with visual disabilities in the city, and even accepted funding from the City Hall. On Tuesday morning, there were quite a few people in the Blind Home. When Xia De was led by a servant to the third floor, he saw many people sitting in wheelchairs or being supported, chatting with each other or asking about some things in low voices.

Most of them looked very embarrassed in their current situation, which was understandable. If a family of nobles or wealthy merchants had family members with visual disabilities, they would not need to seek help from welfare organizations like the Blind Home.

"Sister Daifulin, in fact, I have always been very curious, where does the income of the Ringed Shushi mainly come from?"

After sitting down opposite the sister who was wearing a silver eye mask and seemed to be sitting in the darkness of long sleep even in the sunlight, Xia De asked curiously.

Even Ringed Shushi organizations had their own sources of income and had to pay taxes. For example, the Diviner Association made a fortune from Luo De cards, Mercury Blood relied on the sponsorship of a small number of nobles, the Zhengshen Sect relied on the donations of believers, and the three major Sorcerer Academies relied on the operation of their own academy cities and related industries.

And for the 【Ringed Shushi】, Xia De had never seen where these sisters and monks who looked like ascetics were making money.

"This is very simple. We have our own hospitals in the east of the Old Continent, mainly responsible for the delivery of women, gynecological diseases, and the treatment of eye diseases."

The sister did not avoid this question:

"These hospitals all have different names, and on the surface, you can't see the connection with us. But if you see a private hospital elsewhere in the future that is not famous but has a good reputation, then it is highly likely to be related to us."

Xia De understood now.

After that, it was about business. Sister Daifulin intended to buy the "damaged Balrog Heart" Xia De obtained with cash, and she was very generous. After first proposing a price of 2000 pounds, Xia De hesitated and indicated that he wanted to increase the price, so the sister gave a price of 3000 pounds.

This speed of price increase was something Xia De did not expect. And three thousand pounds was very much in line with his psychological expectations, so he readily agreed. In this way, counting the part left over from the 2000 pounds Xia De got from the Gray-Headed Eagle passing messages during the Great City Player period, the 200 crowns Xia De got from trading the "Difference Engine" documents to the foreign princess, and the 1000 pounds not yet collected at the Tobesk contact point, the total assets he could mobilize had reached a staggering 7000-plus pounds.

This was probably the most affluent moment he had ever had.

Of course, Xia De was also very curious about what Sister Daifulin wanted to do with this Balrog Heart. He kindly reminded this very easy-going sister, telling her again that there was not much power left in that stone with residual warmth, but the sister shook her head, she did not mind this point:

"I don't want to use it as an alchemical material, I just want the fire seed of the Balrog."

She also brought the heart she got from the Witch Council to her side. In front of Xia De, the sister used her fair hand to break open the heart that had already been pierced by a sword. As the black ash fell, the sister drew out the sparks inside the heart.

Even though Doctor Schneider had absorbed most of the power, this was after all the fire of a Balrog. But looking at Sister Daifulin, she did not feel any pain from being burned.

Letting those sparks attach to her palm, then, the sister sitting on the sofa let her two hands present a posture of holding water. With a light sound of "puff~", a slender flame appeared from the sister's palm. The core of the flame looked like a standard circle, and the tail of the flame was slender and extended upwards.

【Outsider, you have touched a "whisper."】

This was the relic-level flame that Sister Daifulin had displayed when helping Xia De open the door to the Boundary. And with the appearance of this flame, the sparks left by the Balrog were also completely fused into it.

The flame in the sister's palm did not show any changes, at least that was what Xia De thought. She slightly closed her two palms, the flame burned her skin, and cracks flashing with sparks appeared on the back of her hand. But the sister did not care, she finally closed her palms completely, letting the strange flame disappear again.

"This is... the flame of the Phoenix?"

Because in the God's Wine Party, it was confirmed that the blood of the volcanic rock community given by the sister contained the components of Phoenix blood, combined with the 【Phoenix Lamp】 Xia De saw in the Dark Domain and the local fire worship tradition, Xia De guessed that the one who sealed the mountain top passage was the Phoenix, and the 【Ringed Shushi】 was related to this ancient one.

Sister Daifulin first shook her head, then nodded:

"This flame can absorb any other flame. Its essence is not the fire of the Phoenix, but most of what it absorbs now is the fire of the Phoenix, so it is no problem to temporarily regard it as the fire of the Phoenix."

"So speaking, there really is a Phoenix locally... Do you know that ancient one?"

"Yes."

The sister did not deny:

"It is the ancient one that sealed the mountain top passage, but it has already gone crazy."

"Crazy?"

Xia De had never thought that a legendary creature like the Phoenix could also go crazy.

"Long years will not bring a burden to long-lived species, but the oppression of the place extremely close to death makes it impossible for ancient ones to maintain normalcy all the time. That flame of the Phoenix was absorbed from it five years ago when I encountered the spiritual body of that ancient one on the lake at the top of the Sikar Mountains. I can feel the manic and chaotic nature of this flame, its state is not good, and it refuses anyone's help.

When you encountered me in the mountains at night a few days ago, I was leading the sisters of the order to go to the top of the mountain to soothe its restless emotions with rituals. Since five years ago, we have been doing this, but I think as the Boundary has big problems, this will also end."

"Is that so."

Xia De did not expect to be able to hear such news. He originally thought that the 【Ringed Shushi】 was backed by the Phoenix:

"But now that the Boundary is no longer stable, have you tried to communicate with the other party?"

The sister shook her head slightly:

"Although there are still moments of sobriety, that ancient one has almost gone completely crazy. Although it is inappropriate to say so, regarding it as an evil demon sealed by the Boundary of Life and Death also fits the current situation. In the information I passed to the church, I mentioned its matter, hoping that the church has a way to solve it."

But the problem should not be big. Now the Zhengshen Sect has gathered three thirteen-ring Ringed Shushi in the Midhillburg diocese, plus the ritual prepared one year in advance, it should be enough to suppress the restlessness of the Boundary... at least Xia De hoped so.

"Speaking of which, aren't you curious about my flame?"

The sister suddenly said again. Xia De looked at her and found that under the silver crown-style eye mask, the corner of Sister Daifulin's mouth actually revealed a smile.

"Inquiring about other people's privacy at will is a very impolite behavior."

He said.

"It doesn't matter, the secret of this flame can be told to you. This is, Angel-level relic..."

Xia De had been in this world for so long, and this was the first time he could encounter Angel-level relics twice in one day.

"... 【Primordial Fire】."