Chapter 41: A Visit To Skywater Pavilion

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: A Visit To Skywater Pavilion

The taxi stopped in front of a magnificent building that stood out even among the many commercial establishments in Valemont.

Skywater Pavilion Auction House. The organization had branches throughout the country and was widely regarded as one of the most established auction houses in the nation.

Its reputation had been built over decades. Because of that, the staff were trained to treat every customer with the same level of courtesy.

Whether someone arrived dressed in expensive clothes or looked like an ordinary passerby, no employee dared judge them by their appearance.

The moment Xavier stepped through the entrance, a young hostess approached with a welcoming smile.

"Welcome to Skywater Pavilion. Is this your first visit, sir? If there’s anything you need, I’d be happy to assist you," she said.

"I have a few things I’d like to sell," Xavier replied. "How does the process work?" he asked.

The hostess’s smile immediately became brighter.

"Then you’ve definitely come to the right place," she said.

She gestured toward the interior.

"Skywater Pavilion operates in major cities across the country. We have strict appraisal standards, transparent transactions, and a reputation for protecting both buyers and sellers," she explained.

She paused politely.

"May I have your name, sir?" she asked.

Xavier had already prepared for that question.

"Mr. X," he said.

It was a name he had invented on the spot.

"Mr. X, it’s a pleasure," the hostess said, bowing slightly.

"What exactly would you like to sell?" she asked.

Then, remembering her responsibilities, she added a gentle warning.

"There’s just one thing I should mention. Skywater Pavilion specializes in high-value goods and auction-grade treasures. We don’t normally accept ordinary items of little value," she said.

Xavier understood immediately. In other words, if what he had brought wasn’t worth enough, they wouldn’t waste time processing it.

Instead of answering, he reached into his spatial ring. A pill appeared between his fingers.

The hostess’s expression changed the moment she recognized its aura.

"Is that... a third-grade pill?" she asked, her tone becoming noticeably more respectful.

"Yes," Xavier said.

"Then there’s absolutely no problem," she said, quickly stepping aside.

"Please come with me. A senior appraiser will personally evaluate it," she said.

Xavier followed her upstairs. The hostess led him into a quiet private room decorated in an elegant antique style.

A moment later, an elderly man wearing a pair of thin rimmed glasses entered. Although he looked to be in his fifties or sixties, his movements were surprisingly energetic. He sat down opposite Xavier and introduced himself.

"My surname is Gaius. You can call me Mr Gauis," he said.

His eyes settled on the items Xavier had brought.

"What would you like me to appraise?" he asked.

Xavier didn’t answer immediately. He had already thought carefully about how much he wanted to sell before coming here.

The pills obtained through the system were valuable, but he had no intention of converting everything into money at once.

He had recently entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, and with his perfect martial talent, he could use some of those pills for his own cultivation.

Besides, although selling the pills would provide him with money for future investments in Mira, there was no reason to pour every single resource he possessed into her immediately.

For this visit, four pills were enough. Xavier opened his spatial ring and placed them on the table.

"One third-grade Vitality Pill," he said.

"Two Blood-Rage Pills," he continued.

"And one Limit-Breaking Pill," he finished.

Gaius initially looked rather indifferent. A third-grade pill wasn’t particularly rare to someone working at Skywater Pavilion.

He had appraised hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of pills of this level throughout his career.

But that casual expression lasted only a few seconds. His eyes gradually widened. He picked up one of the Blood-Rage Pills and carefully examined it.

Then he brought it closer and took a cautious breath. His expression changed instantly. The medicinal fragrance alone caused the energy within his body to stir.

"Wait..." he said, his fingers tightening slightly around the pill.

He examined it again. Then again. His expression became increasingly serious.

"These aren’t ordinary third-grade pills," he said.

Xavier remained silent.

"They’re all top-grade," Gauis said, his voice carrying obvious disbelief.

He carefully inspected the surface of the pills.

"There isn’t even a trace of impurity," he said.

His breathing became heavier.

"Who refined these?" he asked.

He suddenly looked up at Xavier.

"What kind of master alchemist produced them?" he pressed.

Then, realizing that he had crossed a line, he quickly waved his hand.

"No, forget I asked. You don’t have to answer," he said.

A third-grade pill wasn’t enough to impress someone of Gauis’s position. But four virtually flawless third-grade pills were another matter entirely.

Anyone capable of refining pills to this degree was unlikely to possess only third-grade recipes. There was almost certainly a powerful alchemist standing behind them.

Gauis’s gaze toward Xavier subtly changed.

"How much are you looking to get for these?" he asked.

Xavier didn’t react to his probing. Instead, he asked, "What’s the usual process?"

Old Wei smiled.

"Skywater Pavilion generally handles transactions in two ways," he said.

"The first is a direct purchase. We evaluate the item and offer the seller a fixed amount," he explained.

"The second is consignment. We put the item into one of our scheduled auctions, and whoever offers the highest bid gets it," he continued.

"There is a small commission for auctioned goods, usually somewhere between one and five percent," he added.

Xavier nodded.

Gauis continued.

"To protect both sides, we don’t require buyers and sellers to reveal their identities to one another," he said.

"Transactions are also not settled with ordinary cash," he added.

"Instead, we use Skywater Points," he said.

He placed a small card on the table.

"One Skywater Point is equivalent to ten thousand crowns, and the points can be exchanged for cash at any Skywater Pavilion branch in the country," he explained.

Xavier’s eyes narrowed slightly. That system was convenient. It also provided exactly the kind of anonymity he wanted.

Gauis then examined the four pills again.

"If you want to sell them directly to us, I can offer you two hundred and thirty points per pill," he said.

Xavier mentally calculated the amount. Four pills. Two hundred and thirty points each. That was a substantial sum. More importantly, the transaction would be quick and relatively discreet.

He nodded.

"This arrangement works for me," he said.

There was only one problem. An auction held once a week was too slow. Xavier couldn’t afford to wait several days every time the system gave him something valuable.

If he had to accumulate his rewards and sell everything in batches, it would interfere with his investment plans.

He looked at Gaius.

"If Skywater Pavilion purchases some items directly, does it also sell things directly?" he asked.

Gauis immediately shook his head.

"Unfortunately, no," he said.

"Anything we acquire is generally sent through our auction system. That’s how we ensure the highest possible return," he explained.

Xavier frowned slightly.

Gauis noticed his expression and quickly added, "However, since you’re already here, there’s something you might be interested in."

"The next auction is in three days. It begins at seven in the evening," he said.

"This particular auction has three major featured items," he continued.

He raised one finger.

"First, a fifth-grade Creation Pill," he said.

A second finger followed.

"Second, a small bottle of Physique Essence," he added.

He paused before raising the third.

"And the final item... I’m afraid I can’t reveal its identity yet," he said.

Gauis smiled mysteriously.

"But I can tell you this much. It’s extremely rare," he said.

"You definitely won’t want to miss it," he added.

The moment Xavier heard fifth-grade Creation Pill, his attention sharpened. He knew exactly what that pill was.

The Creation Pill was one of the most well known fifth-grade medicinal formulas taught in martial academies.

Its greatest advantage was straightforward. It could directly improve a martial artist’s cultivation and realm without leaving behind the usual side effects associated with forced breakthroughs.

There were restrictions, of course. It could only be used by someone below the Spirit Platform Realm, and the same person could only consume one within a year. Using it again before then could actually produce harmful effects. Even so, the value of such a pill was enormous.

Xavier’s interest was immediately piqued. But the second auction item caught his attention just as much.

Physique Essence. That was precisely the sort of treasure he could potentially use in a future investment involving Mira.

He had already decided. He would attend this auction.

"Then I’ll make sure I’m there," he said.

Gaius smiled.

Xavier didn’t waste any more time. He took out the remaining item he wanted to sell.

"There is one more thing," he said.

A fourth-grade weapon appeared in his hand.

"The Thunderclap Blade," he said.

Gauis eyes immediately lit up.

"A fourth-grade weapon?" he said.

He carefully inspected the blade from several angles. After a brief examination, he nodded.

"Excellent condition," he said.

He thought for a moment.

"I can offer you 11,000 Skywater Points," he said.

"Deal," Xavier said.

The transaction was completed quickly. Xavier received his Skywater Pavilion points card and left the private room.

By then, the night had grown considerably darker. Since he had accomplished what he came for, there was no reason to remain outside.

He hailed another taxi and returned toward Arcadia Academy.

*********

When Xavier finally reached the villa, the building was quiet. He had barely stepped through the door when a faint voice drifted from Mira’s room.

Xavier stopped. His expression changed.

Someone was talking to his wife. And that voice...

His eyes narrowed. He recognized it immediately.