by Zhuang Bifan
However, that alone did not make Cheyenne any less worried or fearful, since the threat imposed by the Dark Blade still existed. Hence, Elder Randy offered to provide him with some military support, just like how the Malfa Family was given the support of the elves in Roland City.
In fact, no matter what kind of army the elves sent, they would definitely be of aid to the Malfa Family because the Dark Blade wouldn't dare to attack the Malfa Family easily as long as there were some elves present in Aminya City. After all, even in the past, the Dark Blade had never dared to turn against the elves. Not to mention, the Dark Blade was no longer as powerful as they used to be now.
After successfully negotiating with Cheyenne, Elder Randy approached Lin Li, and anxiously said, "Mage Felic, we have already discussed with Mage Cheyenne, who's willing to give up his part of the ownership of the crystal ball. Mage Felic, what's your stand?"
Of course Elder Randy had to be anxious. Back then, Lin Li gave the poisoned elves some antidote and Elder Randy promised him plenty of conditions in exchange for his help. He even gave away the treasured Star Scar Robe of the Queldana Family to Lin Li. God knew how much advantage the human mag Lin Li had taken. Even Princess Elune and the two other elves were feeling equally nervous, and were all prepared to hear Lin Li demand for a hefty compensation sum.
Lin Li gently stroked the surface of the crystal ball with his fingers, and smilingly said, "Elder Randy, you're being too polite. Although this crystal ball is also very important for the Tower of Dusk, all of us experienced so many difficulties together. It won't be wrong to say that we're now friends. If I don't ask for anything in return, you'll definitely feel bad about it. Haven't we talked about buying herbs before? Why don't you reduce the price that we have agreed on previously by another 10%?"
"W-what?" Elder Randy couldn't believe his ears at all. Was this the request made by that greedy and insatiable human being?
Although Elder Randy was convinced with Lin Li's power and abilities, he had never carried much hope for Lin Li's character. Besides, it was also precisely because of Lin Li's extraordinary strength that Elder Randy was ready to burn a hole in his pocket.
However, Elder Randy did not expect Lin Li to merely ask for a 10% reduction in the price of herbs sold to him, for it was nothing too major to the elves. It seemed that Lin Li had merely asked for the robe because he wanted to punish them for being arrogant. Elder Randy suddenly felt that Lin Li was actually a nice person.
Chapter 661 - Extremely Grateful
Elder Randy was incredibly touched because everyone could see how important the crystal ball was to the elves, and no one would give up an opportunity to extort and take advantage of the elves. However, Lin Li actually gave the chance up without hesitation, and simply asked or a price reduction in the herbs.
After hearing Lin Li's answer, Princess Elune and the other elves began to feel guilty and remorseful for the thoughts they had about Lin Li in the past. They did not expect there to be such generous human being, and felt that they had wronged him previously. Even they themselves might never be so magnanimous.
Cheyenne could not help but look at Lin Li strangely. Although he did not understand how powerful Lin Li truly was, he had contacted him way before this after all, and he was still very clear about Lin Li's character. He didn't believe what Lin Li had just said about seeing the elves as his friends, because he knew that Lin Li would never hesitate to take advantage of someone. He knew that Lin Li did not let go of such a opportunity simply because he and the elves had gone through difficulties together.
However, the purpose of Elder Randy had been achieved anyway, and although they still felt that they had done Lin Li a little wrong, Elder Randy had no choice but to temporarily mistreat Lin Li who was a rare kind amongst humans.
Looking at the ashamed elves, Lin Li moved towards the side calmly, giving Elder Randy the space to collect the crystal ball.
When exploring treasure vaults, most people would bring their magical equipment along. Elder Randy first smiled at Lin Li and expressed his gratitude. He then turned to face the huge crystal ball, opened his hand slowly, and pressed it against the surface of the ball.
After the crystal ball was stowed away by Elder Randy, the hall suddenly became rather empty. Although there were many advanced magic objects, they could not attract anyone's interest or attention at all. After communicating with each other, they decided to continue onto the second floor of the tower. However, after seeing the crystal ball, everyone really could not imagine anything more valuable than the crystal ball that could be present on the second floor.
On the side of the hall, everyone found the stairs leading to the second floor. The High Elves' wasteful behavior could no longer surprise them, because they were already used to it. The second floor felt the same, but the staircase was extremely luxurious and extravagant. They slowly made their way up.
When they finally saw everything on the second floor, they still could not help but be startled by the sight despite having become accustomed to the extravagance of the High Elves. However, this time, what scared them was not the luxurious decor, because there was almost nothing inside.
There was no need to pass through any corridors, because they could already see a large and spacious hall, though it was dimly lit and was completely opposite to the first floor. It didn't seem to be part of the magic tower at all, and looked more like an old grocery warehouse, especially since there were plenty of boxes.
Everyone glanced at each other in puzzlement. Could it be that the High Elves had placed all the superior items on the first floor and ignored the higher ones?
Walking into the hall that practically looked like, or rather was, a warehouse, everyone could not help but frown. They could never imagine that there would be such a shabby place in the High Elves' territory.
The stacked wooden boxes had all decomposed over time. The once beautiful designs on the top were now mottled, and thick dust had acc.u.mulated on the boxes. Since there was no one to keep the place tidy for more than 1300 years, it was a miracle that the place was not completely covered in dust.
They finally realized how ruthless time was; this was the most powerful magic in the world. Even the splendid civilization created by the High Elves couldn't avoid the test and torment of time. The dusty warehouse and old wooden boxes were the proof of the High Elves' fall.
However, although everything here seemed shabby and moldy, everyone could not help but gasp in shock after detecting the amazing magical waves from the wooden boxes.
The wooden boxes that seemed unassuming all exuded strong magical waves that seemed to be summoning them eagerly and tempting them into opening the wooden boxes quickly so that they could be exposed to light again. Feeling the violent aggression in the magical waves, they were all sure that the boxes contained powerful magic equipment used by the High Elves during their reign.
The crowd approached the wooden boxes.
Cheyenne used a little magic to clean up the dust on the wooden boxes before lifting the lid slowly. However, when he saw the contents, he was so astonished that he almost put the lid back on. The others were just as shocked, and they could not hide their fear at all. Staring at the boxes, none of them could take their eyes off them at all, not even Elder Randy.
Just as everyone expected, there were dozens of staffs neatly placed in the box, but no one could imagine how perfectly exquisite the craftsmanship of the staffs was. Every mageweath and array were perfect, and the only flaw was that the magic crystal at the top seemed to be a little lackl.u.s.ter.
However, it was the dull magical crystal that made everyone exclaim in shock. It was the Dark Moon Staff!
When faced with the Dark Moon Staff, no one in Anril could remain calm.
Legend had it that there were two moons in the night sky when the High Elves ruled Anril; one was called the Golden Moon, while the other was the Dark Moon. The Golden Moon was regarded as a symbol of peace, harvest, and kindness. The Dark Moon, on
the other hand, symbolized war, disaster, and evil.
During the Dark Age, apart from the invincible Sky Castles, another force that became an eternal nightmare for the dominated races was undoubtedly the powerful Magic Legion. They were the elites among the High Elves, possessing the best genes and equipped with the best magical equipment. They were invincible in Anril, and any enemies that incurred their wrath would face destruction.
They annihilated and restrained all the forces that rebelled against the High Elven Queen, be it those who had been dominated or the royals who were also High Elves. They swept the Endless Abyss and even the powerful Demon Lords had to submit to them. As long as the queen wielded her scepter, they would show no mercy and kill their enemies, even if the latter was a deity.
It could be said that the Magic Legion had left a deep impression on the people in Anril, just like the Sky Castles. One type of magical equipment used by members of the Magic Legion was the Dark Moon Staff that was sitting quietly in the box at this moment.
Everyone took a deep breath and looked around. Since the Dark Moon Staff was stored in the wooden box, the other wooden boxes should undoubtedly contain the other equipment of the Magic Legion. It was not just a random guess, because the equipment of the Magic Legion was extremely difficult to build and required precious materials. Even with the huge material supply of the elves, it would still be impossible to build the equipment without stopping. Otherwise, a stronger Magic Legion would have been established. Therefore, each of those pieces of equipment was build while adhering to a strict plan and protocol. It was impossible for there to be a Dark Moon staff without other equipment.
Since a Dark Moon staff was there, they reckoned that the other boxes contained the Faro's Robe and Blade of Heartbreak. Those three pieces of magical equipment were the three standard ones necessary for the Magic Legion. Although they were the standard equipment, each piece was extremely elaborate and exquisite.
For instance, although the Dark Moon Staff was less powerful than Lin Li's Helios' Scepter, the various skills used, be it the mageweaths or the arrays, were not inferior to that of Helios' Scepter. The reason that the Dark Moon Staff was not as powerful as Helios' Scepter was the difference in the materials used. After all, the material that Helios' Scepter was made of couldn't meet the production rate of standard equipment. Hence, it was impossible to create a second piece.
The Faro's Robe and Blade of Heartbreak were the same as the Dark Moon Staff, and the materials used were the best, while the various techniques involved in their creation were definitely the most superior.
During the Dark Age, the three pieces of magical equipment were only eligible for use by the Magic Legion which was absolutely loyal to the High Elven Queen. Even the prestigious royals could not use them.
Staring at the wooden boxes around them, they reckoned that there should be at least hundreds of mages who could be equipped with such a set, thus forming a weaker Magic Legion. Although it was nothing compared to the High Elves' Magic Legion, it was definitely a powerful force that no one in Anril would dare to despise or belittle.
No one could refuse such a temptation. Cheyenne's hand began trembling slightly when he was holding onto the lid of the wooden box. Although he didn't say anything, he was staring at Lin Li. The elves were completely out of his consideration, for he did not even look at them.
The greatest function of the crystal ball on the first floor was unbreakable defense. Although it could protect the Malfa Family from invasion, it would play a relatively small role in the development of the Malfa Family. If they could obtain this batch of powerful magic equipment, the Malfa Family would then have a powerful Magic Legion which would be an opportunity for the Malfa Family to rise.
Hence, after seeing the Dark Moon Magic Staff, Cheyenne immediately forgot about the crystal ball that he was still reluctant to give up moments ago. However, whether or not he could get that equipment depended on Lin Li's intentions.
Knowing that the three standard types of equipment of the Magic Legion were stored here, Elder Randy began to feel overwhelmed with regret despite still remaining calm on the surface. Had he known earlier, he wouldn't have vied for that crystal ball. How could a defensive object compare to such powerful magical equipment?
After all, the crystal ball could only at most buy some time for the elves, but the magical equipment would give the elves a greater power. Not only would it be an effective deterrent to other forces, it would bring about better results when used flexibly.
However, now that the crystal ball had been taken away by Elder Randy, he could no longer ask for the magical equipment, and had no choice but to give it to the others.
Cheyenne stared at Lin Li for a long time, but he seemed indifferent and unfazed. No one could tell what he thought about the magical equipment, because he didn't have much of a reaction.
After thinking about it for a moment, Cheyenne finally couldn't take it anymore. He calmed himself down, and said to Lin Li, "Mage Felic, I'm sure you know the value of this magical equipment. If we split it equally amongst the three of us, it would nothing more than let us gain an insignificant amount of power, so I think it's better to let one force keep all the equipment in order to maximize its effectivity.
"The Malfa Family does need such a power, so if you have anything you want in exchange for it, you may bring it up. As long as it doesn't affect our foundation, I'll agree to it. In the future, the Malfa Family will definitely render help to the Tower of Dusk whenever required too."
Cheyenne directly revealed his bottom line, which was a taboo during negotiation. However, he was no longer negotiating with Lin Li. In other words, Cheyenne knew very well that he was actually not qualified to negotiate and bargain with Lin Li. Hence, there was no need to beat around the bush.
However, Lin Li was impartial, so he did not intend to rip the Malfa Family off, just like how he did not extort the elves. He smiled at Cheyenne, and said, "You're making it sound too serious, Master Cheyenne. The Malfa Family and the Tower of Dusk have been cooperating for a long time, and this time I was invited by you. I can't put you in a spot, anyway. Well, if I don't ask for anything, I'm afraid you'll feel bad. So, I shall ask for one thing randomly. The pharmaceutical market in Aminya City has always been chaotic. Why don't you give it to the Tower of Dusk?"
Upon hearing the condition proposed by Lin Li, Cheyenne was filled with gratitude and felt that Lin Li was a true friend. Cheyenne was shocked and overjoyed, and he quickly nodded while agreeing to the condition. He felt that the pharmaceutical market was not that big of a deal, and the Tower of Dusk's potions had always been popular anyway.
Watching Cheyenne rejoice and collect the magical equipment, Lin Li stood still without a tinge of reluctance. Lin Li was certainly not the kind to sacrifice himself for others. The only reason he had repeatedly made concessions was because he had his own plans in mind. They were in the Central Tower of the Sky Castle, and not the Immortal King's territory. How could the Immortal King's collection be inferior? What was the point of competing with the others now?
Chapter 662 - Seed of Eternity
Moreover, a crystal sphere that was meant for defense wasn't too important to the Tower of Dusk. As for the equipment of the Magic Legion, Lin Li felt that it wasn't suitable for the mages from the Tower of Dusk, though it could be considered top-tier magical equipment.
Although the Tower of Dusk had been established not long ago, it had gradually formed its own system of mage cultivation. The equipment here was designed based on the characteristics of the High Elves' Magic Legion. Although others could use it, they would still face all kinds of problems. It was like wearing shoes—even a size bigger or smaller wouldn't be suitable even though the wearer could still fit into it.
Lin Li had the ability to construct his own magical equipment. Instead of using the equipment used by others before, it was better to construct his own equipment for his men. Moreover, although the equipment from the Magic Legion was of high le
vel, Lin Li was confident that he could construct similar one with a bit more effort.
After Cheyenne had taken all the magical equipment, his eyes were filled with gratitude for Lin Li, though he didn't say it directly. Where else could he find such an ally who would give up such precious magical equipment without hesitation? Even with Cheyenne's status, he couldn't help but feel genuinely grateful to Lin Li.
Cheyenne even kindly hoped that the third level contained some magical equipment that had equal value as this batch. After all, he couldn't let his good ally there suffer.
"Mage Felic, Mage Cheyenne, we have already collected all the items here. Is it time for us to explore the third floor?" Chief Elder Randy didn't want to stay here any longer. Seeing that Cheyenne had taken box after box of magical equipment, Chief Elder Randy's heart was bleeding.
However, although he was very regretful and strongly d.e.s.i.r.ed that magical equipment, Chief Elder Randy didn't dare to have other thoughts, and only cast all his hopes on the later exploration.
After leaving the warehouse where Cheyenne had cleared everything, the team proceeded upstairs. With different individual sentiments, the team walked towards the third floor of the Central Tower.
After climbing up the long spiral staircase, everyone was stunned by what they saw on the third floor of the tower. They weren't stunned because of some rare and precious items there, but rather the exact opposite. The third floor hall was so empty that it didn't seem to contain anything. If it weren't for the mud on the ground, the team would have thought that they were teleported back to the second floor because of some illusion magic.
At that instant, Lin Li couldn't help but doubt his earlier speculation. Could it be that the Immortal King's treasure only consisted of those items on the earlier two floors? Although the items discovered there were definitely considered treasures, how could the Immortal King's treasure be so simple?
