We went down the mountain and arrived in the city smoothly. As autumn deepened, the temperature gradually dropped. Today, Fort Midhill was still as prosperous as in previous autumns, but it was hard to say whether the city could survive this autumn.
Because Miss Carina had already made an appointment for Shade to visit, Shade went directly to Cassandra Auction House. In the reception room on the top floor of the auction house, Granny Cassandra took the long sword from Shade, carefully removed the cloth wrapped around the sword, took a look, and immediately recognized what it was.
She made the assessment a little too quickly.
"Oh, I didn't expect that I would have the chance to see such a relic even at this age. Let me first tell you the danger level, Angel Level (Level 1)."
The old man carefully put the sword back on the table.
This level is the same as what Shade expected. After all, the doctor also said that this sword could not be lower than the sage level.
"I remember the name was... Pale Justice? No, not this one... Ashes? No, no, that sword is in Devlin's hand... Yes, my memory is really bad as I get older..."
The old witch shook her head in self-mockery:
"My heart is clear, and my sword slays demons. This sword is an angel-level relic called the Night Watch. Demon hunters in the Third Age sometimes call themselves "Night Watchers" because the night time accounted for two-thirds of the day in the Third Age. In short, it is an angel-level relic, and the containment condition is that it should not be touched by those with evil intentions. As for the characteristics of this sword, it is dust-free, can attack spirits, is sharp, has special damage to demons, offsets the undead resistance of undead creatures, and automatically warns when demons appear. You can magnify the characteristics of the sword itself. As for the features worth mentioning..."
Granny Cassandra thought for a moment:
"This sword will automatically memorize and retain the sword-wielding skills of its former users. When you hold this sword, you may sometimes find that the sword is controlling your arm. Don't worry, just learn it carefully. Although the era of cold weapons has long passed, for ring sorcerers, cold weapon combat is still a good choice."
"That sounds great. I happen to lack experience in cold weapon combat. However, this is an angel-level longsword. Are these the only characteristics it has?"
Shade asked curiously.
"No, no, of course not. If we summarize its unique characteristics, then we can say there are three points. The first is the skills of ancient heroes inherited by this sword, and the second is its effect on demons. In simple terms, the Night's Watch can be regarded as the nemesis of demons. If Xiwei had this two months ago, she would never have let Ivan Darkness go."
This sword's special offensiveness against demons was something Shade had also seen on the doctor last night.
"So what's the last point? If it only inherits the experience of cold weapon combat and the power against demons, it doesn't seem worthy of being called a sage-level relic."
"Don't worry, the last point is that this sword can also be regarded as an extremely excellent medium for casting spells. Note that it is a medium for casting spells, not a material for casting spells..."
Seeing Xia De looking at her curiously, the old man said helplessly:
"Well, it's just like the staff in fairy tales and folklore. Although it's 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 magic. For the ring wizards of the Sixth Age, this is the most valuable point of this sword."
Xia De reached out and took the sword in his hand:
"Time perception!"
The time now is 10:17:56 AM on Tuesday, the eighth day of the month of Dead Leaves, the Autumn of the year 1853 of the Universal Calendar of the Sixth Era.
The perception of time was not enhanced by Shad holding the sword. It was not known whether the enhanced effect was not enough for Shad to see the truth, or whether he was just holding the sword and was not involved in the casting process of the magic.
"Just holding it doesn't count as letting the sword participate in the spellcasting process. However, everyone's magic is different, you can try to use this sword yourself."
The old man suggested, and Xia De nodded. He held the hilt of the sword with his right hand and extended his index finger to press on the blade:
"Silver Moon."
He called softly.
Instantly, brilliant silver light radiated from the sword. This time, the "light magic" was actually achieved by the sword emitting light, and in the gradually fading moonlight, Granny Cassandra nodded with satisfaction:
"Yes, that's it. This is how the sword becomes a medium for magic. It seems you understand what I mean."
"Grandma, how much can a relic like this sell for?"
He inquired again out of curiosity.
"It's hard to estimate the value of this sword. In my entire life, I've rarely heard of anyone selling an angel-level relic for money. Most people barter for it, which is how the sword's value can be fully realized."
The old man gave an answer, but then he added:
"Young man, I remember Carina mentioned that you are the Hamilton Knight of Rejade? Since you are a knight, you naturally have your own sword. Keep this sword for yourself. You will have the opportunity to use it in the future."
Of course, Xia De didn't want to sell this hard-earned silver sword:
"But unfortunately, this angel-level sword may become the key to sealing the narrow space. I probably won't be able to keep it forever."
"At least you own it now. Young man, although it is right to look at the long term, sometimes you have to cherish the present."
The old witch said, and then reminded:
"However, except for specific occasions, you'd better not carry it around everywhere."
In this steam age, even the patrolling police would take a second look at Shade if he walked around the street with a conspicuous sword.
"I know that, but isn't this something fun to watch on an adventure where you know there will be danger?"
For example, when going on adventures like fighting against the Silver-Eyed One or entering the dark realm, you can bring a sword with you.
Granny Cassandra smiled and said:
"I will prepare a decorative scabbard for you. You can hang this sword in your home. When something unclean appears in your home, it will give you a hint."
This is good, as we don't have to worry about a situation like last week where the mirror ghost invaded our home.
"Thank you so much, mother-in-law."
"Don't be so polite with me. I like to help young people."
The old witch with silver-white hair spoke again. Although her face was covered with wrinkles and her eyes showed her age, anyone could tell that this face and this person had once been very charming when they were young:
"Speaking of which, Xiwei will probably arrive this afternoon, coming from Carsenrick by steam train."
The image of Miss Sylvie Aurora, with her beautiful long brown wavy hair, immediately popped into Shade's mind:
"Okay, I'll go to Middlesbrough Railway Station..."
"She said we didn't need to pick her up. She brought a caravan with her. Her excuse for coming to the city was to buy some spare wood for the new shipyard in Coldwater Harbor."
Because it is backed by the Sikar Mountains and the Rommel Mountains, the city of Midhill Castle is also a very famous timber distribution center in the Old World.
"So when can I see her?"
"Do you know about the Fire Worship Charity Dinner tonight?"
Mother-in-law Cassandra asked, and Shad nodded, saying that Priest Augustus had mentioned this matter.
"Xiwei and I will both attend the party. If you want to see her, then come to the party."
As she spoke, she handed Xia De an invitation letter, which was obviously prepared in advance.
This time, Shad did not refuse again like he did with Priest Augustus. Miss Aurora had helped him so much, and now that she had come to this city, there was no way he could not meet her.
"Also, little Karina, who was thousands of miles away in Tobesk, was able to suddenly mention the secret cave on the hillside of Mount Sikar. Was it you who discovered it?"
The old witch mentioned this matter again.
"Yes, that's where the sword was found."
Shade replied with a smile, and handed the parchment that could open the cave entrance to the old man. This parchment was no longer useful to him:
"I suggest that you and Miss Aurora go to the cave in the real world first to check out the internal environment, and then find a way to enter the corresponding position of the narrow space to determine whether it is a seal."
"It seems that Karina was right when she praised you for your ability."
The old man exclaimed in admiration, and Xia De took the opportunity to mention the relic Crime Mansion he encountered in the mountains today, hoping that the old man could provide some information.
Of course, Grandma Cassandra would not refuse this request. She helped to prepare the scabbard and information about the Sin Mansion, which would only be given to Shade in the evening.
After all, although the old witch was knowledgeable, it was impossible for her to know what Shade needed in advance.
After bidding farewell to Grandma Cassandra and agreeing to meet again at the Mechanic College of Midhill Castle tonight, Shad took a carriage to the Blind House to meet Sister Devilyn who had purchased the "Broken Heart of the Fire Demon".
In fact, he was very curious why the nun didn't meet him at the auction house with Granny Cassandra. But when he got off the bus at Luffy Lane, he thought that the Spiritual Order was not a subordinate organization of the Witch Council after all, and the silver-gray-haired nun would not reveal all her secrets to Granny Cassandra.
The Blind Home, located at No. 15 Luffy Lane, is a semi-profit organization in the city that serves the visually impaired and even receives funding from the City Hall. On Tuesday morning, there were quite a few people in the Blind Home. When Shade went to the third floor under the guidance of the servant, he saw many people sitting in wheelchairs or being supported, chatting with each other or asking questions in a low voice.
Most of them seemed to be in dire straits, which was understandable. If a family member of an aristocrat or a wealthy businessman had a visual disability, there was no need to seek help from welfare organizations such as the Blind Home.
"Sister Defulin, I've always been curious about where the spiritual order's income mainly comes from?"
After sitting down opposite the nun who wore a silver eye mask and looked like she was sleeping in darkness even in the sun, Shade asked curiously.
Even the Ringwitch Organization has its own source of income, and it has to pay taxes. For example, the Prophet Association made a fortune from the Rhodes cards, the Mercury Blood relied on the sponsorship of a small number of nobles, the Five Gods Church relied on donations from believers, and the three major thaumaturgy academies relied on the management of their own academy cities and related industries.
As for the spiritual orders, Shade had never figured out where these ascetic-like nuns and monks made their money.
"It's very simple. We have our own hospital in the eastern part of the Old World. We are mainly responsible for delivering babies, treating gynecological diseases and eye diseases."
The nun did not shy away from the question:
"These hospitals all have different names, and on the surface they don't look related to us. But if you see a private hospital in another place that is not well-known but has a good reputation, then it is likely to be related to us."
Now Xia De understood.
After that, they got down to business. Sister Devlin planned to use cash to buy the "Broken Heart of the Fire Demon" that Shade had obtained, and she was very generous. She first proposed a price of 2,000 pounds. Shade hesitated and said he wanted to raise the price, so the nun offered 3,000 pounds.
This speed of price increase was beyond Shade's expectation. And 3,000 pounds was also in line with his psychological expectations, so he readily agreed. In this way, including the remaining 2,000 pounds that Grey Eagle got from passing on information during his time in the big city, the 200 crowns that Shade got from trading the information of the "Difference Machine" to the foreign princess, and the 1,000 pounds that he had not yet received at the Tobesk meeting point, the total assets he could mobilize were already an astonishing 7,000 pounds.
This was probably the richest moment he had ever experienced.
Of course, Shade was also curious about what Sister Develyn was going to do with the Fire Demon Heart. He kindly reminded the well-spoken nun and told her again that there was not much power left in the stone with residual heat. The nun shook her head, she didn't mind this:
"I don't want to use it as an alchemical material. I just want the fire of the Balrog."
She also brought the heart she had taken from the Witch Council with her. In front of Shade, the nun used her fair hands to pry open the heart that had been pierced by the sword. As the black ash fell, the nun drew out the sparks from inside the heart.
Even though most of the power was absorbed by Dr. Schneider, it was still the flame of the Balrog after all. But looking at Sister Devilin's appearance, she didn't feel any pain from the burns at all.
Let the sparks attach to her palms, then the nun sitting on the sofa held her hands in a water-holding posture. With a puff, a thin flame appeared from the nun's palms. The flame core was a standard circle, and the flame tail was thin and extended upwards.
Outsider, you have come into contact with "Whisper".
This was the relic-level flame that Sister Develyn had displayed when she helped Shade open the door to the narrow space. With the appearance of this flame, the sparks left by the fire demon were also completely integrated into it.
The flames in the nun's palms did not change at all, at least that's what Shade thought. She closed her palms slightly, and the flames burned her skin, leaving cracks on the back of her hands that flickered with sparks. But the nun didn't care, and she finally closed her palms completely, causing the strange flames to disappear again.
"Is this... the flame of the phoenix?"
Because at the God's cocktail party, it was confirmed that the blood of the volcanic magma community given by the nun contained the blood of the phoenix. Combined with the phoenix lamp that Shad saw in the dark realm and the local fire worship tradition, Shad guessed that it was the phoenix that sealed the passage on the top of the mountain, and that the spiritual sect was related to this ancient man.
Sister Defulin shook her head first, then nodded:
"This flame can absorb any other flames. Its essence is not the Phoenix Fire, but most of what it has absorbed now is the Phoenix Fire, so it is okay to temporarily regard it as the Phoenix Fire."
"So, there really is an immortal bird in this area... Do you know that ancient one?"
"Yes."
The nun did not deny:
"It is the ancient that sealed the passage to the top of the mountain, but it has gone mad."
"Crazy?"
Shade never thought that a legendary creature like the Phoenix could go crazy.
"The long years will not bring burden to the immortal species, but the oppression of the land of death, which is close to the limit, makes it impossible for the ancients to maintain normality. The flame of the phoenix is what I absorbed from the spirit of the ancient when I met it by chance at the lake on the top of Xikar Mountain five years ago. I can feel the frenzy and chaos of this flame. It is not in a good state and refuses help from anyone.
When you met 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 calm its restless emotions with a ritual. We have been doing this since five years ago, but I think it will come to an end as the narrow space has big problems. "
“I see.”
Xia De didn't expect to hear such news. He originally thought that the Phoenix was behind the spiritual group:
"But now that the space is no longer stable, have you tried to communicate with the other party?"
The nun shook her head slightly:
"Although there are still moments of lucidity, the ancient one has almost gone completely crazy. Although it is a bit inappropriate to say this, it is also in line with the current situation to regard it as an evil demon sealed in the narrow space between life and death. I mentioned its matter in the information I passed on to the church. I hope the church can find a way to solve it."
But the problem should not be too big. Now the Church of the Five Gods has gathered three thirteenth-ring warlocks in the Midhill Castle Parish. Coupled with the rituals prepared a year in advance, it should be enough to suppress the unrest in the narrow space... At least that's what Shad hopes.
"Speaking of which, aren't you curious about my flame?"
The nun suddenly spoke again, and Shad looked at her and found that under the silver crown-shaped eye mask, Sister Defulin actually had a smile on her lips.
"It is very impolite to pry into other people's privacy at will."
He said.
"It's okay. I can tell you the secret of this flame. This is an angel-level relic..."
This was the first time that Xia De had encountered two angel-level relics in one day since he came to this world.
"... the primordial fire."