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The more fundamental secrets—about the possible contract, the powerful anomalous legacy, and the truth about the Silvershine family bloodline—are clearly beyond the reach of someone like "Grey Sparrow".
If you want to know more, there's only one way: go to Silvershine Manor, the epicenter of the storm, and see for yourself.
For the rest of the time, Zhang Su did not speak to the masked man again until the exchange meeting ended.
The man in black robes reappeared and announced in his hoarse voice, "This gathering is now over. The next one will be in three days from now, at the same time."
The cacophony within the stone chamber subsided slowly, like the receding tide. Whispers, the lingering sounds of bargaining, and the screeching of chairs scraping the floor were gradually replaced by an unspoken silence.
One by one, people got up, wrapped themselves up tightly in their disguises, and silently left along the corridor they had come from, fragmented by the dim yellow light.
Their figures disappeared into the darkness deep within the tunnel, their footsteps swallowed by the thick stone walls and the bottomless darkness, as if they had never existed.
Zhang Su and "Grey Sparrow" did not follow the crowd, but patiently stayed behind at the very end.
When the last participant's clothes disappeared around the corner, and only the crackling of the grease lamp wick and the sound of dripping water in the distance remained in the air, Zhang Su turned to "Grey Sparrow," who was also standing still, and the two exchanged a brief glance.
The man in black robes, his gaze hidden beneath his hood, swept over the two of them, nodded, and said without asking any further questions, "Come with me."
Instead of returning the way he came, he turned halfway and took another road. At the end of the road, he pushed open an inconspicuous, low iron gate covered with thick moss.
Behind the door was a narrower, more stagnant passage, with sticky water droplets seeping from the walls, illuminated only by a few moss emitting a faint blue glow.
After walking about ten meters, a heavy door appeared ahead, reinforced with dark wood and metal strips.
Behind the door was a narrower, more stagnant passage, with sticky water droplets seeping from the walls, illuminated only by a few moss emitting a faint blue glow.
The man in black knocked rhythmically on the door a few times, then pushed it open.
The scene inside the door was completely different from the crude and filthy sewers outside.
This is a circular stone chamber that is not large but has a high ceiling.
The air was dry, filled with a strange mixture of smells—the dust of aged parchment, the faint scent of some rare spice, and a faint, almost imperceptible whiff of ozone, like that after a thunderstorm.
The walls were painted a deep, dark green, covered with countless intricate and mysterious constellation diagrams, geometric symbols, and arrays of runes that were difficult to decipher, all painted with silver paint.
Several multi-armed candlesticks made of black iron hung from the ceiling, each arm supporting a stable glass ball that emitted a white light, rather than an open flame. The cold light illuminated the room with a cool and serene atmosphere.
The room was filled with bookshelves that reached the ceiling, crammed with heavy books, scrolls, and stacks of yellowed manuscripts with leather covers.
Scattered in the corners are brass astronomical instruments, polished crystal balls, and some oddly shaped plant roots or mineral specimens encased in glass jars.
A large ebony workbench occupied one side, with quill pens, ink bottles, grinding bowls, and several half-finished talisman sketches scattered on it.
The entire space was filled with the chaotic yet focused atmosphere characteristic of researchers of mysticism.
In the very center of the room, against the wall, was a complex magic circle about two meters in diameter.
It is outlined by silver wires embedded in the floor, with precise and smooth lines. At key points, there are several pieces of pure crystal, crushed gemstone powder, and several bird feathers of different colors.
Behind the magic circle, an elderly man dressed in a dark blue mage's robe embroidered with silver star and moon patterns was kneeling on a soft cushion with his eyes closed.
He wore a topped, wide-brimmed mage's hat, the shadow cast by the brim obscuring most of his face, revealing only his wrinkled chin and a neatly combed, long, silver-white beard.
His hands rested naturally on his knees, and his breathing was long and deep, as if he were in deep meditation.
The man in black robes bowed respectfully and called out in a low voice, "Lord Quartz."
The old man, known as "Quartz," slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes were an extremely clear pale gray, like a crystal polished by time, deep and serene.
His gaze calmly swept over the man in black robes, landing on Zhang Su and "Grey Sparrow" behind him.
"What is it?" he asked in a deep voice.
"Grey Sparrow" quickly stepped forward and said respectfully, "Lord Quartz, I'm sorry to disturb your meditation. I came to see you about the 'Vigorous One' trait. This gentleman is interested in buying it, and we would like you to notarize it again to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
As he spoke, he turned to the side and pointed to Zhang Su behind him.
Zhang Su nodded slightly, his voice coming through the plain white mask: "Yes, thank you for your trouble."
The old man's gaze lingered on Zhang Su for a moment, his pale gray eyes seemed to flicker slightly, but quickly returned to calm.
He slowly spoke: "Alright. The rules remain the same, notary fee: 3 gold pounds per instance. Who will pay?" This price would be enough to make even the lowest-ranking superhumans wince, but for authenticating the authenticity and origin of a complete Sequence 9 attribute, it was considered fair, even low, on the black market, demonstrating Quartz's reputation and a certain degree of authority in this area.
"I'll go! I'll go!" "Grey Sparrow" immediately answered, and smiled ingratiatingly at Zhang Su.
His shrewd calculations were spot-on: this mysterious buyer was impeccably dressed and possessed an extraordinary demeanor, his target being the Sequence 9 characteristic—definitely a big fish; the mere 3 gold pound notary fee, if it could secure the favor of a stable financier, would greatly expand his future distribution channels, making it an absolutely worthwhile investment.
Zhang Su instantly understood his intention and responded calmly, "Then thank you very much, Mr. 'Grey Sparrow'."
The old man with quartz made no comment, but simply raised his chin slightly: "Place the special characteristics at the center of the formation."
"Grey Sparrow" carefully took the heavy lead box from his bosom and opened the clasp.
The box was lined with dark velvet, and a peculiar object was firmly embedded in the center.
It is about the size of an adult man's thumb joint, and its shape is indeed very similar to a flower bud about to bloom. Its surface has a warm and jade-like grayish-white color with a subtle biological texture. If you look closely, the texture of its "petals" is delicate and lifelike, as if it will bloom at any moment.
It exudes an extremely faint but pure life force, creating a subtle contrast with the surrounding mystical environment.
He held his breath and carefully took out the "Vigorous One" trait with his fingertips, gently placing it inside the silver circle at the very center of the magic circle.
The old man with quartz lowered his gaze, staring at the characteristics of the formation. His lips began to move silently, and then a deep and rhythmic chanting echoed in the stone chamber.
The language was ancient and obscure, its intonations possessing an elegance and natural power.
"Yuan Shu, analyze the language he used and its meaning," Zhang Su immediately ordered in his mind to prevent the other party from setting a trap to deceive him.
[Command confirmed. Language recognition: Mountain language.]
[Language Affiliation: Believed to have been created by the legendary elves who inhabited the cloud-topped high mountains. This race is considered one of the originators of many systems of natural magic.]
[Language Characteristics: Its syllables and grammatical structure resonate with the primordial energy flow (psychic energy/ether) between heaven and earth, and are often used by those who cultivate extraordinary paths related to nature, elements, prophecy, and contracts to enhance the effectiveness of spellcasting and the precision of rituals.]
[Live Translation: '...Spirit of nature, dwelling atop the mountain, who understands the flow of energy, hear my question...Is this object, placed within the silver ring, truly, as the offerer claims, a pure crystallization of the tenth 'Vigorous One' of the life pathway sequence? Is its origin pure, untouched by the sins of profanity and theft? Reveal the truth within with your honesty...']
As he chanted, the magic circle on the ground, outlined by silver threads, suddenly lit up! Soft and pure milky white light flowed rapidly along the intricate patterns, illuminating the crystals and gemstone powder placed on the nodes one by one, emitting a hazy glow of various colors.
All the light, as if drawn by an attraction, converged towards the bud-shaped feature at the center of the array, enveloping it in a warm, non-glaring sphere of light.
The "Vibrant One" attribute trembled slightly in the light, and beneath its jade-like surface, a richer, more vibrant emerald green radiance seemed to flow slowly, as if it were truly about to come alive and bloom at any moment.
The old man with quartz was completely focused, his pale gray eyes fixed on the changes within the sphere of light, carefully discerning every bit of information fed back by the magic.
Zhang Su stood aside, his eyes behind the mask calm and unwavering, silently observing the "authoritative certification" process of this other world, waiting for a final result.
Volume 2: Chapter 10: Like-minded People, Robbers
The light of the magic circle flickered several times like breathing before suddenly converging inward. Countless tiny light particles rapidly swirled and condensed above the "Vigorous One" characteristic at the center of the array, eventually transforming into a palm-sized sprite with transparent wings on its back and a body composed of soft light.
It floated in the air, speaking clearly in an ethereal and ancient tone, uttering a string of beautifully rhythmic words: "It is without falsehood, it is indeed true."
The old man listened intently, and after a moment, the light spirit quietly dissipated as if it had completed its mission, turning into specks of starlight that merged into the magic array.
He turned to Zhang Su and said in a deep voice in Common, “The notarization results are in. Sir, the elf’s declaration is consistent with what the seller said. This characteristic is indeed undoubtedly from the tenth sequence of life pathways, ‘Vigorous One,’ and its origin is pure and spotless, untouched by the sin of taking away life. Congratulations, this is a true and safe treasure.”
"Would you like me to translate the elf's specific declaration for you?"
Beneath the plain white mask, Zhang Su's eyes flickered slightly. Yuan Shu had already translated that passage of Gaoshan language in real time and projected it into his consciousness.
He gently shook his head and replied in a deliberately calm tone, "No need, thank you. I know a little about the mountain language... I understand its meaning."
The old man, Quartz, paused slightly in stroking his beard. A flicker of undisguised surprise flashed across his pale gray eyes as he re-examined the mysterious man in black before him. 'He can actually understand the mountain language? And it sounds like he doesn't just have a superficial understanding… Could it be that he, like me, is a superhuman specializing in magic? Only those who require deep communication with the elements and in-depth study of ancient knowledge would go to such lengths to master such a difficult language.'
A doubt arose in his heart, and unable to suppress his curiosity, he spoke in the mountain language. The ancient and elegant syllables echoed in the stone chamber once again: "So fluent? Could it be that the path you follow is also based on the mysteries of magic?"
Zhang Su's heart skipped a beat, inwardly cursing, "I've overdone it!" But outwardly, he remained calm, immediately calling out in his mind, "Yuan Shu, translate quickly! Teach me another reply, to maintain my composure!"
Yuan Shu responded: [“It is suggested to reply with ‘This is a secret, sir. No comment.’ The mountain language pronunciation has been injected into the host's language center.”]
Almost simultaneously, Zhang Su repeated the sentence provided by Yuan Shu in a slightly distant yet polite tone, his pronunciation carrying a strange, almost standard, ancient charm.
Upon hearing this fluent and authentic response, the last trace of doubt in the old man's eyes vanished, replaced by a joy akin to meeting a kindred spirit in a foreign land.
The seriousness on his face softened, revealing a genuine smile. He switched back to Common Tongue, his tone becoming much warmer: "Haha, I was being presumptuous, please don't take offense. I just really didn't expect to meet a fellow enthusiast who understands the 'Language of the Clouds' in this lower-level gathering in Migai City! It's a pleasure to meet you, truly a pleasure!"
"Yes, that's certainly rare. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Quartz." Zhang Su replied with a smile, secretly relieved.
The "Grey Sparrow" was stunned to see the two of them suddenly exchange a few words in a beautiful, almost chanting language that he couldn't understand at all. The atmosphere instantly changed from businesslike to harmonious and even a little sympathetic.
Although he was just a wild superhuman struggling at the bottom, he had heard some common sense about mysticism—that certain ancient languages, due to their unique syllable structure and historical accumulation, could resonate more strongly with psychic energy in specific fields and were used as spellcasting mediums or research tools by some powerful supernatural pathways.
Mastering such a language is far more difficult and symbolic than learning a few everyday foreign phrases.
"Even those official superhuman gentlemen in their respectable uniforms, few of them can truly master a mystical language, right? At most, they can only recite a few fixed incantations... This gentleman is indeed unfathomable! And Lord Quartz's attitude... This High Mountain Language must be extraordinary!"
His mind was in turmoil. He suddenly felt like a lackey who had stumbled into a big shot's tea party. He didn't dare to breathe loudly or interrupt. He could only stand obediently to the side, trying to minimize his presence and hoping that the two big shots would finish their conversation and get down to business.
The old man, Shi Ying, was in a good mood and made a decision. He smiled at Zhang Su and said, "Since you are proficient in the language of the mountains, you are destined to be with us who seek ancient wisdom. Let's waive the mere notarization fee of 3 gold pounds today. Consider it a small token of my appreciation for fellow enthusiasts, and I hope to establish a good relationship with you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Su was pleasantly surprised. He glanced at the nervous "Grey Sparrow" beside him, smiled, and said to Shi Ying, "Although I'm not the one paying, I still appreciate Mr. Shi Ying's kindness. This has truly saved my 'friend' a considerable expense."
"Friends?!" Upon hearing this word, Gray Sparrow's heart skipped a beat, almost leaping out of his throat.
He looked at Zhang Su in disbelief, his face beneath the mask probably already flushed red.
"So... we're friends now? This unfathomable and incredibly wealthy gentleman just calls me a friend so easily?" He had thought that the friendship of such an important person would require him to carefully flatter and prove his worth multiple times before he could possibly gain it.
This sudden recognition left him flattered and somewhat dizzy, as if a huge pie had hit him on the head. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond and could only stand there helplessly, feeling both ecstatic and apprehensive.
Looking at the "Grey Sparrow's" flattered appearance, Zhang Su found it somewhat amusing.
His idea was actually very simple: in this unfamiliar and dangerous city of Miga, he urgently needed a local "street sleuth" who was familiar with all sorts of people, well-informed, and had his own way of surviving, to act as his eyes and ears and guide.
This gray sparrow clearly fits the requirements—it's clever and worldly-wise, knows a lot of gossip and gray-area channels, and can even acquire complete supernatural characteristics, despite the questionable origins.
Moreover, Zhang Su had a lot of questions he wanted to ask someone about the Silver Glow family and many other things in the city.
Right now, there is no more suitable candidate than "Grey Sparrow," who has just received a favor from him and seems easily swayed by "friendship" and money.
Inside the stone chamber, the pale blue light of the moss illuminated the old man Shijing and Zhang Su.
“Since you are also a fellow enthusiast of the High Mountain Language, you are essentially my friend.” Shi Ying stroked his silver beard, his pale gray eyes filled with sincere appreciation. “If you need help or have any difficult items appraised in the city of Migai in the future, you may come here to find me again. Although this ‘Rusty Canal’ is filthy, my little abode is quite quiet.”
Zhang Su bowed slightly, his plain white mask concealing his true expression, but his tone carried just the right amount of pleasure at meeting a like-minded person: "It is truly fortunate to have met Lord Shi Ying today. If I have any questions, I will certainly come to bother you again. As for cooperation, I believe there will be opportunities in the future." He left some room for maneuver in his words, expressing goodwill without making any specific promises.
The old man with quartz nodded with a smile: "I await good news."
Having exchanged pleasantries, Zhang Su said no more. With a flick of his wrist, an envelope appeared in his hand, the movement fluid and natural.
Without even looking at it, he tossed it directly to the anxiously waiting "Grey Sparrow" and said, "The money you wanted."
"Grey Sparrow" took the money bag. Although it was very light, it felt heavy to him, making his heart pound and his fingertips tremble slightly.
He nodded and bowed hastily, "Of course! Of course! Thank you for your trust, sir!" He quickly stuffed the money bag into his pocket, as if afraid it would grow wings and fly away.
Zhang Su stepped forward and bent down to pick up the "Vigorous One" trait from the center of the magic array.
The moment your fingertips touch it, you can feel the pure and vibrant life force it contains.
He didn't look closely, casually putting it into his coat pocket as if he were putting down an ordinary pebble.
“Well then, farewell, Mr. Quartz.” Zhang Su turned around, the hem of his clothes making a neat arc.
"Looking forward to seeing you again, my friend who is fluent in the language of the clouds." Old Man Shi Ying nodded slightly.
"Grey Sparrow" quickly bowed as well: "Goodbye, Lord Quartz!"
Shi Ying merely nodded slightly to him before turning his gaze back to Zhang Su's retreating figure, clearly valuing the mysterious buyer more.
The two walked out of the stone chamber one after the other, through the short corridor illuminated by the dark blue moss, and returned to the slightly more spacious front hall, then back to the main entrance they had come from.
Zhang Su removed the plain white mask from his face and handed it back to the black-robed man at the door, who stood like a statue.
The man in black silently accepted it. "Grey Sparrow" then pointed to the bird-beak mask on his face, indicating that it was his own and did not need to be returned.
Pushing open the low, heavy iron door, the musty smell characteristic of the sewers outside once again filled my nostrils.
After walking a few steps away from the door, Zhang Su didn't stop and said without turning his head, "Come with me a little further, I have some questions to ask you."
At this moment, "Grey Sparrow" was immersed in the ecstasy of receiving a huge sum of money and in awe of Zhang Su. Hearing this, how could it dare to refuse? It quickly trotted to catch up and said in a fawning tone, "Please ask me anything, Your Excellency! I will tell you everything I know!"
Zhang Su seemed to ponder for a moment before asking, "What are your current pathways and sequences, and what are their specific abilities? Suppose you needed to simultaneously deal with three attackers from the Remnant Path sequence wielding both guns and daggers, how confident would you be?"
Upon hearing this, "Grey Sparrow" paused for a moment, his expression beneath the bird-beak mask becoming somewhat troubled and wary: "Uh... this... Your Excellency, as you know, the pathways and sequence abilities of every extraordinary individual are closely guarded secrets, not easily revealed. If... if someone with ulterior motives finds out, it could easily become a target..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Su suddenly chuckled, interrupting him: "Indeed, one should always be wary of others. But..."
His voice suddenly turned cold, "Now is probably not the time for you to say 'no'."
He stopped, his sharp gaze sweeping over the shadows at the corner of the pipe ahead. He raised his voice and said sternly, "Because someone is already watching you. Come out, stop hiding. I know where you are."