Evan Lin's words drew mocking looks from many around him. That was exactly what he wanted—only this way would no one suspect him.
The sloppy old man said, "Though this is just a battered divine-beast horn, it carries a powerful seal. That alone proves it's no ordinary item. If you truly want it, it'll be one hundred upper-grade Violet Cloud Crystals—not a crystal less."
"One hundred Violet Cloud Crystals? Is this old guy crazy? Why not just rob people? Asking that much for a piece of junk—he must be dreaming! I thought there'd be something good here, what a waste of my time." someone in the crowd suddenly said.
The voice was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up waves. Soon, many people were discussing how unreasonable the sloppy old man was, and even less interested in the broken horn.
Only Evan Lin remained unfazed. He was determined to get that dragon horn—he felt some kind of connection to it, though he couldn't explain what. All he knew was the strange, restless agitation that had suddenly welled up in his heart.
"One hundred Violet Cloud Crystals? I'll buy it!" Evan Lin said plainly.
Lena Zhong was baffled by Evan Lin's actions. Was he crazy? How could a broken horn be worth so many Violet Cloud Crystals? She'd never heard of such a thing. Still, she took out one hundred upper-grade Violet Cloud Crystals from her storage ring and handed them to Evan.
"Elder, here are one hundred Violet Cloud Crystals. Please check them carefully—I'm buying this divine-beast horn." Evan Lin said as he handed the crystals to the old man.
Evan Lin picked up the dragon horn and stored it in his ring. Just then, the old man secretly transmitted a message to him: "Young man, this is a dragon horn, but it bears a powerful seal. If you can break the seal, you'll gain unimaginable rewards."
Evan Lin was momentarily stunned. This only proved the dragon horn was no ordinary item—maybe he really was the one destined to break its seal, and perhaps he'd uncover some strange new secret.
Many people thought Evan Lin was a fool, willing to spend a hundred Violet Cloud Crystals on something worthless. The crowd quickly scattered to other stalls.
Evan Lin didn't leave; instead, he was interested in the half-broken jade pendant. As for the rusty, broken sword, he wasn't interested at all—even divine weapons weren't rare to him. After all, how many weapons in the world could compare to his Frostbane Divine Sword?
"Young man, do you want to buy this jade pendant too?" the sloppy old man asked Evan Lin, looking puzzled.
"I don't know what kind of jade pendant this is, or why it's only half. But I believe everything you sell is extraordinary, so this pendant must be special too. How much for it?" Evan Lin asked bluntly.
"This jade pendant really is special. But this isn't the place to talk. If you trust me, let's find somewhere quiet and I'll tell you its whole story." The sloppy old man didn't answer Evan Lin directly, instead making the suggestion.
Evan Lin and Lena Zhong exchanged glances without speaking. Lena said, "If I'm not mistaken, senior's strength is at least at the God-Emperor Realm, but you can suppress your aura down to God-Lord level. Clearly, you're no ordinary person. Since you've invited us, of course we're willing to go."
Evan Lin was quietly startled by Lena Zhong's words—he trusted her judgment. As a God-King, Lena could easily sense the elder's aura. Evan was also curious about the old man's true identity.
"Senior, I'll go reserve a few rooms at a restaurant. You can join us there!" Lena Zhong said, then slipped into the crowd and headed for a restaurant in Azure Moon City.
Evan Lin didn't speak; instead, he watched the old man pack up his things. "Please, senior," he said.
Evan Lin and Lena Zhong walked in silence. Soon, they arrived at a large, bustling restaurant. Lena Zhong came out to meet them: "I've reserved three rooms. Should we eat something downstairs first?"
"No need. I'd like to go back to my room and take a good bath. If you're willing to wait, you can order the wine and dishes first—remember, my favorite is Azure Gold Brew from Azure Moon City." the old man said.
Lena Zhong had the waiter lead the old man to the room she'd reserved, while Evan Lin found a table and sat down, ordering several signature dishes and a few pots of Azure Gold Brew.
Evan Lin and Lena Zhong waited for a while, but the old man didn't show up. Instead, a middle-aged man appeared before them. "You've ordered quite a feast, and plenty of Azure Gold Brew—you're certainly generous, young man!"
"Are you the senior from before?" Evan Lin and Lena Zhong both stared in astonishment at the middle-aged man. Now, dressed in white, he had an air of elegance completely unlike the sloppy old man they'd met earlier.
"Surprised? There's a long story behind it, but let's drink first. Azure Gold Brew is excellent—ordinary gods can even boost their strength by drinking it. It won't do much for this young lady, but you, young man, at God-Lord level, might see some effect." the middle-aged man said.
"Senior, you're truly a hidden expert. I know you have your reasons for doing this—and for drinking with us. It can't just be because I bought a dragon horn, right?" Evan Lin said as he filled his glass.
"You're right, young man, but let's talk about that later. There are too many people and too many ears in this restaurant. For now, let's just drink!" the middle-aged man laughed.
After three rounds of drinks, Lena Zhong paid the bill—over seventy upper-grade Violet Cloud Crystals and three mid-grade God Stones. If not for Evan Lin, she wouldn't have spent so lavishly.
The three of them returned to Evan Lin's room. He closed the door and set up an invisible barrier at the entrance to prevent eavesdropping or spying.
Evan Lin set up the barrier with practiced ease, impressing the other two. "Senior, can you tell us why you've been following us? Is there something you need our help with? If we can do it, we won't refuse!"
"You're overthinking it, young man. I just wanted to get to know you. Maybe that's surprising, but it's true. Buying my dragon horn shows you have a unique eye—this isn't just about wanting a divine beast. That's a story for ordinary folks, not for me."
"You're also curious about the jade pendant, which means you have a connection to it. To be honest, its origin is significant—it's tied to an ancient secret." the middle-aged man said.
"An ancient secret? That sounds fascinating! Please, senior, tell me the story—I'd love to learn more." Evan Lin said eagerly.