Above the mage

Chapter 732 [The Heart of Ashes]

In this first round of elimination matches, Fritz chose to have Gao De play as the main player in order to preserve the team's strength as much as possible.

This arrangement, on the surface, is a recognition and affirmation of Gaode's strength.

However, looking at it from a deeper perspective, this high regard actually hides a subtle underestimation.

This means that Fritz doesn't care that God has revealed too many magical abilities and fighting styles in this round.

In other words, he did not intend to let Gao De play in the truly crucial matches that followed.

Compared to Goddard, whose combat power far surpasses that of other mages of the same rank but whose mage level is still only third ring, Fritz prefers to rely on fourth ring members such as Flowing Light and Cedric to secure a crucial victory.

Gao De, with his keen insight, was naturally able to understand Fritz's deeper intentions.

However, he felt no dissatisfaction or disappointment.

The difference in ring level between mages is usually an insurmountable gap.

Fritz had no reason to abandon a more stable fourth-ring official and instead risk relying on a third-ring mage who had not yet broken through to the fourth ring.

Therefore, he simply nodded slightly, calmly accepting the arrangement without raising any objections.

After finalizing the lineup for the first round of elimination matches and clarifying the roles of each team member, Fritz told everyone to disperse and go back to adjust their mindset and prepare for the next round.

As always, Liu Ying stuck close to him and walked side by side with Gao De toward the outside of the Silverwing Nest.

As soon as the two stepped out of Silverwing Nest, they saw Marcus waiting outside.

Ever since Liu Ying secretly "ran away" from Wang Mian's inner court, causing the disaster in the Netherworld, she has been strictly forbidden from going out.

Even if he had to leave the inner palace of the royal crown, Marcus would accompany and protect him throughout the entire process.

Upon seeing Marcus, God immediately stopped and greeted him.

Marcus returned the greeting slightly.

This time, instead of immediately following Marcus as usual, Liu Ying looked at Marcus with a questioning gaze.

Marcus shook his head helplessly at the sight.

He then flipped his hand, and an exquisitely crafted letter appeared in his palm.

The letter was made of the finest star-patterned paper, with intricate golden magic runes engraved on the cover and delicate silver lines adorning the edges. It faintly emanated magical energy, making it clear that it was no ordinary item. Marcus handed the letter to God: "Master God, please accept this."

Gao De reached out with some doubt and took the exquisite letter.

The moment my fingertips touched the letter, I could feel the faint magic surrounding it.

He looked up at Marcus and Liuying, his tone tinged with confusion: "What's this?"

"This is an invitation to the Mithril Auction."

"The Mithril Auction is hosted by the Wang Mian family. In terms of reputation and scale, this auction ranks among the top three in the entire Golden Flower Dynasty. It is held only once a year, and tonight is this year's grand auction," Marcus explained slowly.

"This auction has extremely high entry requirements; only those who have received an invitation can enter. The items up for auction are all extraordinary items that are rarely seen on the market."

"His Highness specifically asked me to bring this to you," Marcus explained.

Gao De's heart stirred, and he looked at Liu Ying.

"There will be a low-level fire elemental seed at this auction." Facing Gao De's questioning gaze, Liu Ying nodded slightly and answered charmingly, her eyes full of smiles.

"A low-level fire elemental?!" Gao De's heart skipped a beat, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes, and he instantly understood Liu Ying's intention.

Although his cultivation method is based on wood and ice elements, his [Fireball+] spell is already renowned, its power far exceeding that of other mages of the same rank.

Low-tier elemental types may seem to be the lowest grade among elemental types, lacking any additional special effects, but they can still directly enhance the power of corresponding attribute spells at the third ring level and below, with the increase ranging from one to three times.

His Fireball spell was already incredibly powerful.

If one could obtain this low-level fire element seed, even if it only achieved a minimum one-fold increase in power, let alone a three-fold increase, its power would become extremely exaggerated, providing another boost to combat strength before the elimination rounds begin.

"Fire element has always been one of the most popular elements, if not the most popular, and it is extremely popular."

"The price of a typical low-level elemental species is over 100,000 Gold Finch Coins, while the price of a fire elemental species can be increased by another 50%."

"Master Gaode, you'd better be prepared."

Seeing that God's expression was moved, Marcus knew that he was already interested, and gave a casual reminder with a hint of goodwill in his tone.

After a pause, Marcus added, "If you don't have enough Golden Bird Coins, Madam specifically instructed that if Master Gaode needs them, she can provide you with some."

"If you don't want to accept this kindness for nothing, you can consider it a loan and repay it later."

As soon as GaoMarcus finished speaking, before Gao De could respond, Liu Ying jumped back to Gao De's side.

And unusually, he took the initiative to reach out and gently grasp Gaode's hand.

Then came that familiar burning and stinging sensation.

Even though Gaode Maps has improved its light adaptation significantly, I still couldn't help but frown slightly.

No matter how much pain he was in, he showed no intention of breaking free.

Liu Ying looked up at Marcus, her tone protective: "Marcus, you don't need to say anything more. Gao De definitely won't ask his mother for money."

After saying that, she quickly turned her head to look at Gao De, winked at him, and said with certainty in her golden eyes, "Am I right, Gao De?"

Gao De nodded subconsciously, his tone gentle: "I can handle this myself."

That's the absolute truth.

He had refused the "kindness" offered by Lady Wang Mian several times before, and naturally he wouldn't change his mind so easily now.

"That's good." Liu Ying smiled when she saw this.

She gently released Gao De's hand, waved to him, and said in a light tone, "I'm going back now. You absolutely must come to the auction tonight; I specially asked you for this invitation."

"Okay, I understand, I will go."

Satisfied with Gao De's promise, Liu Ying turned around and left with Marcus.

Her long, golden hair fluttered in the wind behind her as her figure gradually disappeared into the distance.

Gao De stood there, watching the two figures disappear from sight, before slowly lowering his head and opening the hand that Liu Ying had just held.

In the palm of my hand, a small and exquisite crystal card lay quietly.

The card was clear and transparent, shimmering with tiny sparkles.

That was a gold card exclusive to the Royal Gold Shop of the Plantagenet Dynasty.

The card is made of crystal, with intricate bas-relief of plantago flowers engraved along the edges. The front features the royal coat of arms of the Plantago dynasty, with the five large gold-stamped characters "Plantago Gold Shop" below the coat of arms.

The back features a string of runes, which serve as both a marker of identity and magical runes to protect the wealth within the card.

It feels cool to the touch, understated yet luxurious.

This is what Liu Ying secretly slipped into his hand when they were holding hands: "This is my savings. Every year on my birthday, my father, mother, relatives, and other nobles give me many gifts."

This includes many industries, such as mines, workshops, and shops in various regions.

"I entrusted all those businesses to my mother's management, and she deposits the annual profits into this gold card."

"I don't know the exact amount stored, I haven't checked, but it should be quite a lot, enough for you to buy that low-level fire elemental seed."

"Just return the card to me after you've finished buying it."

"Don't be shy about using it!"

Looking at the gold card in his hand, Gao De was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

In his previous life, this would probably be called... being a gigolo, right?

Gao De looked up at the magnificent building in front of him.

The overall style is the same as the architecture of Mithril City, with white as the main color.

The difference is that many places are covered with a layer of gilding, which shines brightly in the sunlight.

Above the main entrance hangs a huge gilded plaque with the five characters "Jin Que Hua Jin Xing" (金雀花金行), and on each side of the plaque stands a statue of a golden sparrow and eagle.

He took a deep breath and stepped inside with light steps.

This is the branch of the Golden Flower Gold Shop in Mithril City.

Gao De resolutely refused Lady Wang Mian's "kind offer".

But Gaode had no such concerns or burdens regarding Liu Ying's good intentions.

If I had to point out a concern, it would be the "suspicion" of being a kept man.

Although he wasn't particularly chauvinistic, he still hesitated for a moment.

But it was only for a moment.

After all, he had already eaten enough of what women had given him along the way, and was used to it, so one more bowl wouldn't make a difference.

In the North, they live off Sunefa; in the Blue Flame Isles, they live off Sarah.

So what's wrong with living off Liu Ying's money in the Golden Flower Dynasty?

If we don't eat it, wouldn't that be disrespectful to Liu Ying?

Gao De was convinced by himself and immediately took the gold card from Liu Ying to the Golden Bird Gold Shop.

Liu Ying never needs money and has no concept of the amount in her card, only knowing that it must be a lot.

Although Gao De was well aware that Liu Ying's wealth was extraordinary, since he was going to participate in the auction, he still needed to check the exact amount in the card to be sure.

The interior of the gold shop is spacious and bright, with smooth marble floors that reflect the magical crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, creating a soft and luxurious light.

Neatly arranged counters lined both sides, with staff in uniform sitting behind each counter.

There weren't many people in the hall. Most of them were well-dressed, had a calm demeanor, and spoke in hushed tones, maintaining a good order.

Gaode deliberately found the least crowded corner counter and waited in line.

In about ten minutes, it was his turn.

Gaode handed over the gold card, indicating to the staff that he wanted to check the number of gold coins stored on the card.

Then, after receiving the precise numbers from the staff, Gaode and the staff member Xiu Ran held their breath together.

Nine hundred and eighty-eight thousand nine hundred and twenty-one golden bird's nest coins.

This one card alone is worth more than all the assets and wealth he has accumulated over the years.

And Liu Ying, so casually and secretly, slipped this priceless gold card into his hand, without even knowing how much money was inside.

Is this the power of a top-tier aristocratic heiress?

That evening, Gao De arrived at the Mithril auction on time, according to the address and time on the invitation.

The auction had a dark theme, with dim lighting inside.

Only a huge magic crystal lamp hung above the auction stage, emitting a soft glow that illuminated the stage.

Each seat is shrouded in its own shadow, separated by a magical barrier, ensuring that they do not disturb each other.

Everyone sat quietly in their seats, some with their eyes closed, waiting for the show to begin.

Alternatively, one could use the [Communication Technique] to whisper to those around them, creating a completely silent atmosphere that perfectly reflected the high-end and solemn atmosphere of the auction.

To Gao De's slight surprise, the auction hall was not large; in fact, it could be described as rather small.

The entire auction hall has no more than a hundred seats, each equipped with its own cushions and a magical soundproof barrier.

But on second thought, it also seems reasonable.

After all, Marcus had already said that the threshold for this auction was extremely high, and it was not something that could be participated in simply by having money.

One also needs a sufficiently high social status or strong capabilities to be eligible to receive an invitation and participate in the auction.

Some wealthy merchants without status or power, even with substantial fortunes, cannot purchase the extraordinary items here.

The reason is simple: the items auctioned at the Mithril Auction are all extremely precious and rare extraordinary items.

Since the threshold is so high, there won't be many participants, so there's no need to arrange too many seats.

Guided by staff, Gaode walked through the shadows to his assigned seat.

He leaned back on the cushions, his gaze sweeping across the room as he observed the people around him.

Everyone was hidden in the shadows, their aura restrained, their faces obscured.

He withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes to rest, and quietly waited for the auction to begin.

After about fifteen minutes, a clear bell rang in the auction hall.

The bell wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

Immediately afterwards, an elderly man with white hair slowly walked onto the auction stage in the middle of the hall.

He wore a long black robe, his face was old but he was vigorous and his eyes were sharp.

He was the auctioneer for this event.

The white-haired old man's radiant smile swept over the many guests hidden in the shadows, without any tedious formalities in the opening introduction or any unnecessary small talk.

He simply raised his hand slightly, and his voice, transmitted through the magical amplification array, resounded steadily and clearly throughout the entire venue: "Welcome everyone to this year's Mithril Auction. Without further ado, the auction is now officially open."

Marcus was right; the scale of the Mithril City auction far exceeded Gaode's expectations.

Items like low-level fire elementals, due to their scarcity and practicality, are definitely the highlight of any auction, appearing last to ignite the atmosphere.

However, at the Mithril City auction, this low-level fire elemental was brought up when the auction was only one-third complete.

The waiter held a crystal tray covered with red velvet, and the low-level fire elemental seed lay quietly in the center of the velvet.

Its appearance is extremely similar to an irregular, deep red crystal, and it is larger than a regular magic crystal.

Completely transparent, its interior seemed to contain violently churning dark red magma, with tiny sparks faintly visible dancing within.

Even from a distance, one could feel the restless fire element energy.

The surface of the crystal is covered with fine red veins, like the veins of a flame.

The intersection of the patterns gleams with a golden light, a symbol of the fire element condensed to its extreme.

The white-haired old man stepped forward, gently tapped the crystal tray with his fingertip, and said in a solemn tone, "The next item to be auctioned is this low-grade fire elemental seed."

"Its name is 'Heart of the Burning Flames,' taken from the depths of the Burning Flames Volcano. It is a core of fire element that was naturally condensed and took thousands of years to form."

"Its effect is clear: it can increase the power of all fire elemental spells at level three and below by 1 to 2 times, and the amplification effect focuses on instantaneous burst and energy impact spells."

After the introductions, the white-haired elder looked up at the entire audience, his voice suddenly rising as he announced, "The low-tier fire elemental [Heart of Ember], starting bid: 100,000 Gold Sparrow Coins! Each bid must be at least 1,000 Gold Sparrow Coins!"

It truly lives up to its reputation as the best-selling fire-attribute elemental.

The starting bid alone was close to the final transaction price of other low-level elemental types, which is enough to show its popularity.

Moreover, as soon as the old man finished speaking, decisive bidding rang out in the auction hall.

>