Chapter 265

Chapter 265: Appraisal

At the Venus Auction House, everything beyond the free coffee and ambiance of the first-floor hall came with a price tag. Both the magic-sealed room and a certified senior alchemist were costly choices. Victoria’s demand for an “immediate arrangement” instead of a “prior appointment” multiplied the fees several times over.

Santos agreed without hesitation. As a shrewd businessman, he knew better than to show doubt once he’d decided to trust a client. For a professional like him, this was basic etiquette.

Just as Midi had predicted, profit-driven merchants would offer flawless service and unwavering loyalty as long as the profits flowed.

However, a minor hiccup occurred when Midi and Victoria followed Santos to the heavily guarded magic-sealed room minutes later.

“You’re the ones with the double-layered sealed box topped by an Ice Binding Barrier, demanding an urgent appraisal?” The barrage of questions came without a shred of courtesy.

The speaker was an elderly man in a robe, his white hair and beard contrasting with his sharp gaze. His scrutinizing look at Midi dripped with disdain.

“Master Dean Lind!” Santos’s eye twitched.

Having a master alchemist handle the appraisal should’ve been ideal—except when that master was Dean Lind. While auction value hinged on an item’s worth, “value” was subjective. Marketing, audience targeting, and appraisal phrasing could sway prices dramatically.

Dean Lind, however, was inflexible. He dismissed commercial tactics and graded items harshly—what others called “perfect” became “flawed” under his scrutiny, tanking prices. Yet only he could tackle complex appraisals, uncovering treasures others missed, boosting the auction house’s prestige.

An indispensable curmudgeon, the Venus Auction House staff tiptoed around him. Santos, unluckily, had no choice but to involve him this time.

Once inside the magic-sealed room, Dean Lind’s authority reigned supreme.

“I hope your item deserves my time,” he snapped after verifying their identities. “This is the Venus Auction House—the finest in the Sea of Clouds. We deal in genuine rarities, not gimmicks.”

“Proceed,” Midi said flatly.

As a reincarnator, he knew the Ice Soul Pearl’s worth. Even a decade later, it would justify deploying a heavy armored cruiser. Impressing a master alchemist was the least of his concerns.

Midi’s calmness deepened Dean Lind’s scowl. The master had interrupted an experiment not for Santos but to uphold the auction house’s standards—a point of pride. Yet the faint magic waves from the box disgusted him.

*This* warranted skipping protocols?

Dean Lind vowed to humble these youngsters post-appraisal.

Dismissing further interaction, he placed the sealed box on the workbench. With practiced gestures, he activated the room’s magic array, freezing all ambient magic.

Preparations complete, he laid a palm on the Ice Binding Barrier. Over decades, he’d unsealed countless barriers with flawless precision—a mastery even Santos acknowledged.

This time, though, his hands faltered.

“What?” Dean Lind stared, incredulous.

He glared at the box, then tried again, slower and deliberate.

But it was still useless!

At that moment, Midi’s voice suddenly rang out, "My apologies. The Ice Binding Barrier wasn’t durable enough, so I added an extra seal. Let me undo it now."

Though speaking truthfully about his forgetfulness, Master Dean Lind saw this barrier tampering as deliberate mockery. The proud alchemist shot Midi an angry glare, barely restraining himself from shouting about the younger man’s carelessness.

All anger vanished instantly as a hair-thin golden-red glow emerged from the barrier’s runes. Like threads unraveling from a cocoon, the shimmering strands floated downward until settling in Midi’s palm – his unique magic blending Dragon’s Blood, White Crystal, Ultimate Intent, and the mysterious power of the Demon God.

Dean Lind’s heart raced. This wasn’t the Sea of Clouds’ pure magic, nor the shadows of the Demon Realm, nor the radiance of the People of the Heavens. Before he could consider swallowing his pride to ask, biting cold snapped him back to reality.

Freed from restraint, the Ice Soul Pearl erupted. The barrier shattered instantly while the double-layered sealed box crumpled like paper. Living frost oozed through cracks, coating the magic-sealed room in ice. Snowflakes materialized midair as windowpanes frosted over, doorframes sealing shut with sudden subzero cold.

"Power the magic array with crystals! Open that box now before everything freezes solid!" Midi ordered calmly, motioning for Victoria to stand behind him. His experience reselling these pearls in another life showed in his assured commands.

Normally stubborn Dean Lind abandoned all pride. Surging with his full 58-level magic scholar power, he unleashed crushing magic pressure. The frost expansion halted midair as if pinned by invisible hands.

Tools materialized in the alchemist’s grasp. His hands blurred through disassembly motions until the sealed box lay in components, revealing its treasure – the Ice Soul Pearl glowing with paradoxical vitality. Centuries of frost energy swirled inside the crystal-clear sphere that somehow pulsed with spring’s awakening force.

"What starting bid would you suggest?" Midi asked casually.

After long consideration, Dean Lind answered with uncharacteristic respect, "I can’t name its price, but after selling this, you could buy anything in this world."

Midi and Victoria shared knowing smiles, remembering their cloud beast hunt. Their silent reminiscence broke when a chattering voice interrupted.

"Could… someone… unfreeze the door?" Santos stammered before collapsing like an ice statue. The unawakened high-ranking manager had finally succumbed to the cold.