Merchant of The Universe

Ethan stood behind the counter, rolling the vial of Starlit Essence between his fingers. It pulsed faintly, a reminder of the value it held.

Three Astral Coins for the Inkstone… but if I play this right, I might not have to spend anything at all.

He pulled up the system's Trade Inquiry function, filtering for potential buyers who might be interested in high-tier enchanting materials.

Trade Inquiry – Starlit Essence

Potential Buyers:

Guild of Arcane Scribes – Seeking high-quality essence for large-scale enchantments.

•Potential Offer: Arcane Tomes, Mana-Infused Ink, Gold Coins.

Celestial Alchemist Varian – Master of rare potion crafting.

•Potential Offer: High-tier alchemical concoctions, purified mana stones.

Sorren Vail, Independent Scholar – Researching ancient celestial materials.

•Potential Offer: Unknown, but willing to negotiate.

Ethan tapped his fingers on the counter. The Guild of Arcane Scribes might be the safest choice, offering straightforward trades. The Celestial Alchemist could provide valuable potions, but Ethan had no way of verifying their worth.

Sorren Vail, though… an independent buyer might offer something unexpected.

Before he could decide, the shop bell rang.

A hooded figure stepped inside, his dark cloak dusted with the remnants of some arcane experiment. His piercing blue eyes gleamed under the lantern light as he swept his gaze over the shop.

Ethan didn't need the system to tell him.

Sorren Vail had arrived.

The scholar approached the counter, his movements precise, controlled. He reached into his robes and retrieved a small, polished obsidian pendant, setting it down between them.

"I hear you have something of interest," Sorren said, his voice calm but laced with curiosity.

Ethan studied him for a moment, then nodded. The system never failed to impress.

"Depends on what you're offering," Ethan replied smoothly.

Sorren smiled faintly, tapping the pendant. "This is a Celestial Binding Stone. It reacts to sealed objects, helping to determine their nature. If you're trying to unlock something… this could be useful."

Ethan's mind raced.

This could help with the Sealed Relic Box.

But was it worth giving up the Starlit Essence for?

He leaned forward. "That's a good start. But I'm going to need more than that."

Sorren's eyes gleamed. "Then let's negotiate."