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The attendees of the auction couldn't help but show curiosity on their faces.
Among them, a few had solemn expressions, their posture stiffened; they probably knew something about the book. Perhaps they came here specifically to acquire this Advanced Magic Item.
Control Earth and Rock!
Under the influence of witchcraft, earth rose from the center of the high platform, bringing a book before the presenter.
It was a yellowed parchment volume.
The cover seemed to be made from a single piece of meticulously tanned and polished sheepskin, its delicate texture as if imbued with the passage of time.
Ancient golden lines outlined complex patterns. Despite the passage of time, these patterns still shimmered with a mysterious and captivating light.
After just a few glances, Carl hurriedly averted his eyes.
He sensed a strange force surrounding the book, arousing a sense of alarm within him.
"Wizard Duke was a Wandering Wizard several centuries ago. He deeply loved his wife, Athena, but was betrayed and abandoned by her," the presenter said. "In the decade or so before his demise, Wizard Duke wrote this love story with his own soul. And this book also gained a mysterious power."
He waved his Magic Wand, and an invisible force opened the book's cover to reveal the pages inside.
The pages were thin yet resilient, slightly yellowed, and exuded a faint scent of ink and the distinctive aroma of sheepskin.
Ink scent? Carl's heart chilled. A book several centuries old, how could it still smell of ink? It was clear his sense of smell was distorted by the mysterious power.
The pages were densely filled with ancient writing. The letters, as if alive, seemed to dance across the paper, narrating the legends and stories of two Official Wizards from hundreds of years ago.
Carl subconsciously tried to see the words clearly but immediately snapped back to his senses, closing his eyes and refusing to look further.
With another wave of the presenter's Magic Wand, the book closed itself.
Although only a few breaths had passed, many in the crowd were already pale-faced, their eyes filled with terror.
The writing in this book seemed to harbor a bizarre power, luring their attention and irresistibly drawing them into its contents.
"Be careful!" the presenter warned again. "Don't let your curiosity lead you to read the contents of this book, or even look at it too intently. A Wizard has appraised that this 'Duke's Tale of Love' creates an illusory world within its pages. Those with insufficient willpower will gradually be drawn into the story, their souls eventually claimed by the book to add a bit of flavor to its tale," he said gravely. "Over centuries, this book has devoured the souls of dozens of people, though most were ordinary humans. Of course! If you can fully master this book, you can use it to plunder other people's souls."
Plundering souls offers many benefits. For instance, extracting secrets, crafting certain special Demonized Items, or directly devouring and refining souls using dark magic.
A complete soul can even fetch a high price.
If one were to obtain the soul of a Wizard Apprentice, it might be possible to extract the secrets of a wizarding lineage from them.
And this Advanced Magic Item is capable of plundering the souls of even Advanced Wizard Apprentices, which is truly terrifying.
"The starting bid is two hundred and thirty Magic Stones!"
No sooner had the presenter finished speaking than someone raised their hand to signal.
"Two hundred and forty Magic Stones!"
"Two hundred and sixty Magic Stones!"
The price quickly rose to three hundred Magic Stones, yet there was still no sign of the bidding slowing.
The most aggressive bidders were the few individuals who had earlier shown expressions different from the rest; they were clearly prepared.
"Please wait here for me a moment." Alesya glanced nearby, then whispered to the two of them, "I have something to take care of. I'll be back soon."
"Hmm," Amy nodded. "Go ahead. We'll wait for you."
She was visibly excited, still immersed in the thrill of the Advanced Magic Items and the auction.
Not long after Alesya left, a handsome man approached them. "You two," he said in a low voice, "are you interested in attending a small, private gathering afterward?"
"A private gathering?" Amy blinked. "What kind of private gathering?"
"My beautiful lady, you should know that auctioned items require giving the Black Wizards a twenty percent cut of the profit," the man said with a smile. "But at a privately held gathering, you can save on those Magic Stones. Usually, after the auction, a small private gathering is held. The items there are not only high quality but also priced lower. My name is Kroening. I'm responsible for introducing guests, and I make a little pin money from it." His voice was gentle and his smile sunny, easily creating a good impression, and Amy couldn't help but be interested.
However, she hadn't forgotten Alesya's warning. "Where is it?" she asked.
"Not far." Kroening pointed nearby. "It's just over there. After the auction ends, many people will go. You two can join them."
"No, thanks!" Before Amy could speak, Carl had already shaken his head. "We're not interested. Please keep your distance."
"Hm?" Kroening was taken aback. "My friend, I mean no harm..."
"Leave!" Carl frowned, his voice turning stern. "Don't make me report your private solicitation to the organizers. I doubt the Black Wizards would be pleased."
Kroening's smile froze. He gave an awkward grin and shrugged helplessly. "Alright then!"
Watching Kroening leave, Amy blinked. "Mr. Karl, are you not interested?"
"Alesya warned us before we came not to entertain solicitations from strangers," Carl shook his head.