After the auction ended, the three quickly reached a consensus. Fa turned and headed to the counter to collect the auction proceeds, totaling 170.7 million gold coins (including payments for items like the Starfall Iron Crystal, Shadow Robe, and Storm Bow, after deducting a 10% handling fee). Meanwhile, Rex and Salsa donned their illusion masks and quietly blended into the crowd, moving toward the direction where the merchants were leaving. They secretly tailed the silver-haired middle-aged man and his six bodyguards, protecting the Deep Sea Beast Core and Tears of the Winged People in their possession. At the same time, Tisk, Arya, and Kayla, who had stayed behind at the Sea Breeze Inn, rushed from the inn to the auction venue, ready to receive the precious Starfall Iron Crystal and rendezvous with their teammates.
The Battle Erupts
After leaving the auction venue, the merchant team proceeded along a secluded street. The group was escorted by six fully armed bodyguards, with the middle-aged man wearing a conch pendant in the center. He tightly gripped an exquisite magical box, clearly used to store the Deep Sea Beast Core and Tears of the Winged People. However, before they had walked a hundred meters, a group of black-clothed figures burst out from the alleys, blocking their path.
These men in black exuded a chilling aura, their movements mechanical and swift, their eyes empty and lifeless—It is the cyborg of the Doomsday Rebirth organization. They attacked without warning, their weapons gleaming with an eerie green light, clearly coated with deadly poison. The merchant's bodyguards swiftly engaged, but the cyborgs' strength far surpassed that of ordinary humans; one bodyguard had his chest ripped open by claws, blood splattering across the ground.
"Protect the goods, retreat!" the merchant shouted in terror, attempting to fall back toward the auction venue, but the rear path was already blocked by another group of modified humans.
Salsa, who had been stealthily following, saw the situation and her soul form drifted out from the mechanical cat shell. She chanted a spell in a low voice, her fingertips glowing with dark purple light. The ground cracked open, and several skeleton soldiers and shadow wolves roared as they charged at the enemies. A shadow wolf pounced on one modified human, its fangs tearing at the throat, but the modified human showed no pain and countered with a strike that sent the wolf flying.
Rex emerged from the shadows of the alley, his mechanical arm transforming into an ion cannon, blue light gathering. He said coldly, "Target locked, full firepower." Dozens of nano-drones rose from behind him, firing ion beams that precisely hit the modified humans' joints, attempting to slow their assault.
The battle instantly escalated to a fever pitch. At that moment, Fa arrived at the scene from the auction backstage. Her short blade in hand, infused with earth magic, emitted a faint yellow glow. She saw through one modified human's movements, flashing to its back in an instant, stabbing the blade into its chest. The earth magic erupted, shattering its internal organs.
At the same time, Tisk, Arya, and Kayla arrived on the scene. Arya stood at a distance, drawing her bow, the string humming as several light-attribute arrows shot out, piercing through the ankles of several modified humans.
Tisk swung his warhammer "Burning Vine," roaring as he charged into the battlefield. The hammerhead released ice-blue cold flames, freezing one modified human's legs, followed by a fiery explosion that blasted it to pieces. He grinned and said, "This is the power of a dwarf warrior! Once I fuse the Starfall Iron Crystal, I'll let you bastards taste an even stronger weapon!"
Kayla entered her three-stage transformation state, her cheetah form emerging. She roared, her thunder claws slashing through the air, intertwining lightning and frost, striking down one modified human in an instant. Her movements were swift and deadly, coordinating seamlessly with her teammates.
Under the combined efforts of everyone, the battle ended quickly, with the twenty modified humans finally bound and captured. The enforcement team from Abyssal Crystal City arrived upon hearing the news, but a shocking scene unfolded: the captives suddenly spat black blood, their bodies dissipating like smoke, leaving only piles of white bones. The enforcement captain exclaimed in shock, "What kind of poison is this? They'd rather die than be captured!"
The Merchant's Gratitude and Clues
After the battle, the merchant, still shaken, looked at Fa and her group with a face full of gratitude. He climbed up from the ground, dusted himself off, and said respectfully, "Thank you for saving me. My name is Haris." He touched the flute-shaped pendant around his neck, engraved with the mark of the Vortex Sanctuary.
Fa stepped forward, her star-like eyes fixed on Haris, and asked calmly, "Captain Haris, your flute-shaped pendant bears the mark of the Vortex Sanctuary. Do you have connections with the Sea Clan? We're seeking clues to head to the Shadow Sea Domain. Can you take us to find the Sea Clan?"
Haris pondered for a moment and nodded, "Yes, I have trade dealings with the Sea Clan." He touched the flute-shaped pendant around his neck, "This is indeed the mark of the Vortex Sanctuary, a token of trust from the Sea Clan, allowing me to trade directly with them."
"To thank you for saving my life, I can take you to the Shadow Sea Domain together. In five days, my fleet will head to the Shadow Sea Domain, but the Sea Clan is extremely wary of outsiders. I can't guarantee they'll be willing to meet you."
Fa's heart stirred upon hearing this. She nodded, "Thank you, Captain Haris."
Haris smiled and added, "Before departure, you can participate in various small and medium-sized auctions in Abyssal Crystal City. There are hundreds of trades every day here; perhaps you can find more useful intelligence and equipment."
Fa smiled in response, "Thank you, Haris. We'll prepare well." She turned to her teammates, "Let's head back together."
Tisk excitedly hugged the Starfall Iron Crystal, "I need to hurry back and forge a new warhammer!" Arya chuckled lightly, "I also want to test the power of the Storm Bow." Kayla gripped her thunder claws tightly and said in a low voice, "The truth about my father is getting closer."
Haris nodded and left with his remaining three bodyguards.
Preparation Period: Five Days in Abyssal Crystal City
Fa and her group returned to the Sea Breeze Inn with a massive sum of 173.27 million gold coins, along with the newly acquired Starfall Iron Crystal, Storm Bow, and Shadow Robe. After discussion, they decided to make full use of this time by participating in the various auctions in Abyssal Crystal City, purchasing essential supplies, upgrading their equipment, and actively gathering intelligence—that sea domain holds a "Star Shard," and our mission is to obtain it.
On the first morning, as the thin mist dissipated and golden sunlight sprinkled over the bustling streets of Abyssal Crystal City, the team gathered in the inn's hall. Fa gently stroked the silver amulet over her right eye and said, "Time is tight; we'll split up and each take responsibility." Her voice was steady and firm, exuding a leader's aura.
Fa and Arya: Tacit Understanding in the Magic Market
"Arya, let's head to the magic market first." Arya nodded lightly, her long ear tips trembling as she slung the Storm Bow over her back and stepped into the bustling streets with Fa.
Inside the magic market, various colored smokes swirled, and the air was filled with a rich elemental aura. Fa's right eye suddenly felt a surge of heat; through the illusion filter, she saw a faint golden light in an old crate. "Wait." She stopped, bent down, and pulled out a roll of yellowed parchment—it was five advanced "Rock Shield Spell" magic scrolls. "This might come in handy in the Shadow Sea Domain," she said in a low voice, then purchased them for 300,000 gold coins.
Arya paused at an arrow stall nearby. The stall owner, a sturdy elf, took out a crystal-clear arrow with intricate wind patterns on the shaft: "This is the 'Wind Blade Chain Arrow'; one shot splits into three wind blades." Arya took the arrow, her fingertips touching the tip, and wind elements instantly swirled in her palm. She looked up at Fa, excitement flashing in her eyes: "Buy a hundred; combined with my Storm Bow, the power should double." In the end, she bought the batch for 5 million gold coins and received three "Burning Arrows" as a bonus—the tips coated with the elves' special incendiary agent.
Before leaving, Fa discovered a string of "Earth Spirit Amulets" at a hidden small stall, crafted from pure rock element crystals. She recalled her earth magic; if combined with this amulet, it might enhance her short blade's attack power. So, she spent another 200,000 gold coins to buy it and hung it at her waist.
Tisk and Rex: Sparks in the Forging District
"Come on, Rex, let's go to the forging district and get to work!" Tisk slapped Rex on the shoulder, his rough laughter echoing through the streets. The dwarf craftsman held the Starfall Iron Crystal tightly in his arms, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
In the forging district, hot iron slag splashed everywhere, and hammering sounds rose and fell. Tisk found an old forgemaster named "Muller" and carefully placed the Starfall Iron Crystal on the workbench: "I want to fuse this into my warhammer 'Burning Vine.' What do you think?" The old forgemaster leaned in to examine it, admiration in his eyes: "This iron crystal contains dual ice and fire powers. If fused successfully, the warhammer's power will be immeasurable. But the process is extremely dangerous; a slight mistake could cause an explosion."
Tisk stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said firmly, "Let's do it; I believe we can succeed." Nearby, Rex paused at a mechanical stall, his palm lightly pressing on a pile of faintly glowing parts—these seemingly ordinary metal pieces were actually ancient "Wind Drive Devices." "Perhaps I can use them to strengthen my nano-flyers," he muttered to himself, then bought twenty pieces for 2 million gold coins.
In the following time, Tisk and the old forgemaster worked tirelessly, constantly adjusting the heat to gradually fuse the iron crystal into the warhammer. Rex watched quietly from the side, occasionally offering improvement suggestions. Though from different fields, the two unexpectedly worked in perfect harmony.
Salsa and Kayla: Secrets of Intelligence and Supplies
"Finally free from that pile of scrap metal!" Salsa's mechanical cat shell flicked its tail, her soul form finally able to move freely at night. She and Kayla arrived at the "Shadow Pavilion" in the east of the city—rumored to specialize in selling illicit magical items.
Inside the Shadow Pavilion, the walls were covered with embalmed animal heads, and in the center stood a crystal coffin containing the corpse of a necromancer clutching a book. "What do you want?" The gloomy shopkeeper emerged from the shadows, green will-o'-the-wisps swirling around his fingertips.
"Something to enhance summoning spells." Salsa's soul form floated to the coffin, her gaze locking on the velvet book in the undead mage's hands—the cover embroidered with skulls and roses, titled "Oath of the Dead: Essentials of Shadow Summoning."
The store owner sneered, "You know your stuff. This is the notebook of an ancient necromancer, recording the 'Triple Summoning Contract'—depending on one's ability, it can increase the number of summons." He extended his palm, a gold coin pattern appearing: "The price... 20 million gold coins, no haggling."
Kayla frowned: "Robbery?" Salsa waved her hand, her soul form circling the book: "The corpse's fingers show crystallization signs, clearly from forced fusion with summons leading to backlash. This book is genuine." She turned to Kayla, "Help me haggle; I want that one." She pointed to the dark red crystal in a glass jar in the corner.
"That's the 'Eye of the Dead,'" the store owner explained, "Each use temporarily boosts summoned creatures' attack power, but..." He paused deliberately, "It consumes the caster's life force."
In the end, Salsa bought the magic book for 15 million gold coins and the Eye of the Dead for 3 million—naturally, as they left, she secretly sprinkled "Memory Blur Powder" in the store owner's tea; after all, the fewer who knew about such things, the better.
Afterward, Kayla and Salsa went to the potion market. Her beast ears perked up, carefully discerning the scents of various potions. "Give me 50 bottles of 'Extreme Healing Potions' and 50 bottles of 'Mana Recovery Agents.'" She slammed a bag of gold coins on the counter, her beast ears standing tall, "Don't try to fool me; I can smell inferior goods." The potion seller nodded hurriedly, sweat beading on his forehead—in Abyssal Crystal City, a beastkin who could crush gold coins barehanded was not to be messed with. Then, she went to the food stalls and bought a large amount of dried rations and fresh water, filling ten large wooden barrels. "This should hold us for a while," she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead in satisfaction.
The Mysterious Key
On the second night, the team arrived at a hidden medium-sized underground auction. Under dim lights, various rare treasures were displayed on the stands, the atmosphere tense and exciting.
When the auction reached the seventh item, the host lifted a velvet tray holding a silver key about ten centimeters long. The key body was etched with erosion-like patterns, neither round-headed nor square-toothed, with a round milky-white stone embedded at the end, like a shell fragment polished by seawater over years. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the 'Drifting Mithril Key' that drifted from the Shadow Sea Domain to the eastern shore. Its origins are a mystery; it's said someone once used it to open a great underwater cave door." The host's tone was exaggerated but deliberately omitted specific details.
Fa's right eye surged with heat; under the illusion filter, the key's patterns faintly flowed with pale golden light—that was the residual ripple of some ancient magic. "Arya, do you think this is..." she whispered, but was interrupted by the elf shaking her head.
"I can't tell the material; the patterns aren't from any known rune system." Arya stroked the arm of her Storm Bow, her ear tips trembling slightly, "But the texture of this stone... it's exactly like the 'Star Tear Stone' from elven legends, said to be formed from condensed tears."
"Starting bid: 1 million gold coins. Bidding begins now!" The host struck the wooden gavel.
"1.5 million!" A hoarse voice came from the left, from an old merchant wearing a feathered hat, "It'd make a nice ornament."
Fa frowned and raised her sign: "3 million." She recalled Haris mentioning countless unexplored islands and caves in the Shadow Sea Domain; this key might be crucial.
"5 million!" A burly sailor stood up from the back, a shark tooth necklace around his neck, "I'm gonna use it to trade for a legend!" The venue erupted in a few laughs.
Tisk leaned to Fa's ear and said roughly, "Fa, this scrap might be a scam. Our money should be spent wisely, like buying more enhancement magic crystals for us."
"But its magical reaction is real." Rex interjected calmly, his mechanical eye scanning the key body, "Scan shows complex crystalline structures inside the stone, possibly containing magical remnants."
Fa gritted her teeth: "8 million." Her voice cut through the venue's clamor.
The old merchant shook his head and gave up; the sailor spat, "Crazy, whoever wants it can have it!" The scene fell into brief silence. "8 million gold coins once... three times! Sold!" The host struck the gavel; Tisk grumbled as he got up to handle the handover, casually tossing the key into his tool bag.
Acquiring the Sea Soul Cloaks
The next items were six Sea Soul Cloaks. The host introduced, "These cloaks are woven from the scales of deep-sea magic fish, not only resisting storms and giant waves but also weakening magical attacks."
Tisk leaned close to Fa and whispered, "This stuff will definitely be useful in the Shadow Sea Domain; buy them." Fa nodded, exchanging a glance with Arya, and then bid 1 million gold coins each to win them. When the cloaks were handed over, Fa gently stroked the scales, feeling a coolness transmitted, as if sea waves flowed at her fingertips.
After the auction, the group returned to the inn along backlit alleys. Fa stroked the Earth Spirit Amulet at her waist and looked toward the misty harbor in the distance: "Tisk, can you help forge a storage box for the key? Use mithril for an isolation layer. As for this key..." She paused, her voice steady, "We all need to protect it until we confirm its use."
Tisk scratched his beard: "Fa, do you really think this broken key can open some treasure vault? What if it's just something a fisherman casually made..."
"I don't know." Fa turned to him, a silver light flashing from the amulet over her right eye, "But some choices require a gamble."
Equipment Upgrades and Training
Tisk and Rex: Ice-Fire Warhammer and New Mechanical Swarm
After two days of hard work, Tisk finally completed the upgrade of his warhammer "Burning Vine." He gripped the warhammer with both hands, shouted loudly, and swung at a nearby stone. Where the warhammer passed, ice-blue cold flames and crimson fire erupted simultaneously, instantly pulverizing the stone, with thick frost forming on the remnants.
"Awesome!" Rex couldn't help but praise, "Now your warhammer not only deals physical damage but also adds dual ice and fire attributes; enemies won't be able to resist."
Tisk wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned, "Next, let's see your newly made mechanical swarm."
Rex nodded, taking out several newly developed compact mechanical bugs from his backpack. He installed the wind drive devices on their backs and lightly pressed a button; the mechanical bugs immediately took off, buzzing in the air. "These drive devices make them fly faster and attack more flexibly," he explained, "And I've installed small explosive devices on them; they can self-destruct to harm enemies if necessary."
Tisk watched the mechanical bugs dancing in the air, approval in his eyes: "Not bad; this strengthens our ranged attack capabilities even more."
Fa and Arya: Harmonizing Magic and Archery
Fa went to the inn's backyard and took out the newly bought Earth Spirit Amulet. She closed her eyes, focused her mind, and infused earth magic into the amulet. Immediately, the amulet emitted bursts of yellow light, merging into her short blade. She swung casually, and the ground cracked open, countless rock spikes surging from the fissure.
"Such strong power." Arya appeared behind her at some point, her eyes full of amazement, "Watch this." She took out the Storm Bow, nocked a Wind Blade Chain Arrow, and aimed at a distant tree stump. The arrow split into three wind blades in mid-air, whistling through and thoroughly shattering the stump.
Fa applauded in praise: "Your archery is getting more refined." Arya smiled and walked over, gently holding Fa's hand: "Let's train together; that way, we can coordinate better in future battles."
In the following time, the two repeatedly practiced coordinating magic and archery. Fa used Rock Shield Spell to block enemy attacks, while Arya seized the opportunity to shoot Wind Blade Arrows. Their tacit understanding grew, gradually forming a unique battle rhythm.
Strengthening Intelligence and Final Supplies
Salsa's soul form infiltrated various taverns again to gather intelligence; she heard about nearby pirates, "Confirmed target; they plan to attack the fleet when the 'Sea God's Sigh' sets sail." Salsa hurried back to the inn and informed everyone of this news.
"Looks like we need to prepare defenses in advance." Fa furrowed her brows, "Rex, you're in charge of reinforcing the ship's defense systems; Tisk, ensure our weapons are ready at any time; Kayla, handle vigilance to prevent sneak attacks. Salsa, continue monitoring the pirates' movements."
Afterward, the team went to the market again for one last major purchase. They bought a large number of magic lanterns—these could emit strong light in the fog, illuminating the path ahead; "Water-Repelling Beads" to keep the ship stable in giant waves; and various flavors of compressed rations to ensure they wouldn't go hungry during the long voyage.
That night, Fa sat alone on the inn's balcony, gazing at the distant sea. She touched the amulet over her right eye, silently praying in her heart: "I hope we can smoothly overcome this crisis and find the Star Shard." Arya quietly approached and draped a coat over her: "Don't worry; we'll face it together." Fa turned to look at her, a warm current surging in her heart, and nodded silently.
Boarding and Setting Sail
On the fifth morning, as the sun rose, the team arrived at Abyssal Crystal Port. In the distance, a plain-looking three-masted ship was docked at the pier, its hull covered in weathered dark brown paint, appearing no different from an ordinary merchant ship at first glance. If not for the three iron-plated masts on the deck, it would be hard to tell it was capable of traversing dangerous waters.
"This is the 'Sea God's Sigh'?" Arya raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over the faded sails—only a few blurred wave patterns drawn on them, with no special markings.
Haris approached with a smile: "Elf lady, in the Shadow Sea Domain, low-key is the best talisman." He patted the ship's keel wood, "The hull is woven from deep-sea sunken wood and dragon bone vines, able to evade the Sea Clan's sonar detection. As for the sails..." He winked, "The real mark is never shown openly."
Fa noticed a shell-shaped wind lamp hanging on the stern railing, with fine blue fluorescence settled inside the shade, completely different from ordinary cargo ships' iron lamps. Haris noticed her gaze and explained in a low voice: "This is the 'Tide Breath Lamp' gifted by the Sea Clan, made from whale blubber mixed with seaweed fluorescent powder, able to dispel mind-confusing creatures in the mist."
As everyone boarded, Tisk discovered shell fragments embedded in the deck seams, each engraved with intricate wave incantations. "Don't underestimate these decorations," Haris kicked the deck, "They're ground from the Sea Clan's 'Calm Wave Shells,' reducing the ship's noise by seventy percent."
As the ship sailed away from the port, Fa looked at the gradually shrinking Abyssal Crystal City and suddenly noticed a faded patch on the back of the main sail, vaguely revealing half a fish-tail-like pattern. Haris followed her line of sight and said faintly: "That's a remnant of the old sail, reminding me not to forget the sea's rules."