The Broken Halo

The moment Simon crossed the entrance of the Abyss Shell Pavilion, the subtle change in his Sea of Consciousness became clearer.

The black star containing UnholyRegeneration trembled.

It was not violent, and the star did not release any information into his mind. However, the tree-like rune inside it glowed faintly before returning to normal.

A second later, it happened again.

Simon stopped walking.

His consciousness entered his Sea of Consciousness for a brief moment, and his gaze settled on the black star. UnholyRegeneration was not healing anything. His body and mind had already recovered, while his soul was still being repaired slowly.

There was also no intense killing intent, fear, pain, or hatred directed toward him inside the pavilion.

So why was the star reacting?

Simon looked deeper into the building, but he could not see what had caused it. The reaction was faint, yet it felt like an attraction. Something inside the pavilion was drawing the attention of UnholyRegeneration.

’Could it be related to a Fleshwood?’

That was the first possibility that came to his mind.

UnholyRegeneration came from a Fleshwood’s heart resin. If there was another part of the or a Fleshwood inside one of the abyss shells, then the skill reacting to it would make some sense.

However, Simon did not believe it was the only possibility.

The skill could heal his soul by devouring purified soul fragments, and it also reacted strongly to regions filled with death or souls that had failed to pass on. An object carrying a large amount of death energy could also be responsible.

’Interesting.’

Simon became lost in thought for a few seconds while trying to determine the direction of the reaction.

"Move, idiot."

A hand struck his back and pushed him to the side.

Simon took half a step forward and turned his head.

A large demon wearing an expensive dark robe walked past him with an irritated expression. Two servants followed behind the demon, and one of them glanced at Simon with disdain.

"Don’t stand at the entrance like a lost animal," the large demon added without stopping.

Simon looked at his back for a second, then he looked away.

The demon was not worth his time and energy.

Now that Simon was no longer blocking the entrance, he finally observed the interior of the pavilion properly.

The first floor was wide and filled with rows of abyss shells. Some were placed inside transparent cases, while others rested on black wooden stands with small plates showing their prices and supposed places of origin.

Demons moved between the rows, inspecting the shells and speaking with workers. At one side of the floor were several appraisal tables, while another section contained private rooms where purchased shells could be opened.

The place was busy, but it was far more controlled than the stalls outside.

"Is this your first time here?"

A female voice came from Simon’s right.

He looked toward the speaker.

The demoness had smooth reddish-purple skin and dark hair tied into a long braid. She wore a fitted black uniform with a high collar, long sleeves, and silver lines around the waist and shoulders.

The clothes did not expose her body, but they followed her figure closely enough to make her curves difficult to ignore.

A small silver badge carrying the symbol of the Abyss Shell Pavilion was attached to her chest.

She smiled professionally.

"You looked a little lost, so I thought you might need some guidance."

Simon glanced at the black star in his Sea of Consciousness again before looking at her.

"It’s my first time."

The demoness’s smile became slightly warmer.

"Then welcome to the Abyss Shell Pavilion. My name is Yara, and I can guide you through the pavilion if you need it."

She gestured toward the rows of shells.

"The first floor contains our regular and lower-priced collections. The shells here are cheaper, and customers are allowed to inspect them without much restriction. We also rent appraisal artifacts if you don’t have one."

Her hand moved toward a wide staircase at the rear of the floor.

"The second floor contains shells recovered from more dangerous locations. Ancient battlefields, abandoned mines, inheritance grounds, and regions close to active hell holes. Their prices are higher, but the chances of finding something valuable are also believed to be better."

"Believed?" Simon asked.

Yara smiled without embarrassment.

"This is still rock gambling. Anybody who guarantees what is inside an unopened abyss shell is either lying or has done something to the abyss shell."

Simon raised a brow slightly, though he didn’t completely believe her cause the Abyss Shell Pavilion could have done some things behind the scenes just to make sure that they always profited at the end of the day.

Yara continued with the smooth tone of somebody who had repeated the same explanation many times.

"Our pavilion guarantees that every shell we sell formed naturally. We do not sell shells created by merchants or shells that have been opened and resealed. Most of our stock comes from exploration groups contracted directly by the pavilion, and every shell is inspected for tampering before it is displayed."

That explained why the pavilion looked more expensive than the other shops Simon had passed.

"What are the rules?" Simon asked.

"You may lift, weigh, smell, tap, or inspect a shell with an approved appraisal artifact. You cannot scratch it, inject your demonic energy into it, damage its surface, or use an ability that could affect what is inside."

Her smile remained, but her eyes became slightly more serious.

"Once you pay, the shell belongs to you. You can leave with it or have one of our cutters open it in a protected room. There are no refunds, even if the shell is empty or contains trash."

Simon nodded slightly in response to her words.

"We also hold small auctions whenever a rare batch arrives. Customers who spend enough in the pavilion can receive early notice and access to private sales."

Yara paused and looked at Simon’s clothes.

She did not openly judge him, but Simon could tell that she was trying to estimate how much he could afford.

And well, his clothes were not particularly expensive and does not make him to look wealthy... despite being actually wealthy.

"What sort of shell are you interested in? I can show you a section based on your budget, preferred origin, or the type of item you hope to find."

Simon did not answer immediately.

The black star reacted again.

This time, Simon clearly felt the direction.

It was not toward any of the shells on the first floor.

The attraction came from deeper inside the pavilion and slightly above them.

His gaze moved past Yara and settled on the staircase at the rear, but not on the path leading to the second floor. Beside the main staircase was a narrower stairway guarded by two Prime Greater Demons.

A dark silver chain along with a formation blocked its entrance.

Yara followed his gaze, and her expression changed slightly.

Simon pointed toward the guarded stairway.

"What’s in that direction?"

"That leads to the third floor," Yara replied. "It contains our top collections. Most of the shells there were recovered from burial grounds of powerful and infamous demons, dead inheritance sites, and battlefields that had once shaken the demon realm."

As Simon stared at the entrance to the third floor, the black star trembled again.

And it was stronger this time around.

Simon’s sky-blue eyes flickered.

"Take me there."