Chapter 107: Liu Zong Who Bought Nothing at All

The Reader—a profession similar to that of a librarian—is a variant of the magic-based careers. Upon joining, one has the opportunity to advance to the legendary role of Scroll Guardian.

For ordinary people, this profession is appealing mainly because the legendary class that follows draws attention; it is clearly a path accessible after reaching level 4. But for Reina, this was the key to her growth. Securing this ring effectively sealed her appointment.

Those nearby understood this well. They exchanged glances, realizing the merchant had suffered a loss to Reina this time, and they wondered how he would deal with Captain Liu Zong.

The merchant, aware of his misfortune, abruptly turned his head and fixed a sharp gaze on Liu Zong, seemingly calculating how to make a good profit from him.

Yet Liu Zong showed no reaction, tilting his head to look at the merchant and then at the lunch Yuan Ying had prepared. His attitude clearly said, “Can you hurry up? If you have nothing to sell, we’ll start eating.”

Such disdain from Liu Zong ignited the merchant’s anger. His expression hardened as he pulled out a box from the bottom of his pack.

The box was about the size of an ordinary shoebox, entirely purple and wrapped in layers upon layers of intricate talismans.

Setting the box firmly before Liu Zong, the merchant boasted, “This is my finest item. I’m certain you’ll want it.”

Liu Zong remained silent, studying the talismans on the box. Though unfamiliar with most of them, he found them strangely familiar.

As he examined the talismans, his mind sifted through memories until a flash of insight struck. Deep within his soul, a fragment transmitted a message.

“Dongyue Sealing Tome?”

“You actually recognize it?” The merchant’s eyes narrowed as he reassessed Liu Zong. “No wonder you weren’t tempted by what I first showed you. You’re not following the Death Knight’s path; you’re aligned with the East’s Yin attribute.”

Liu Zong smiled faintly but said nothing. His fingers traced lightly over the talismans. He was not rushing to break the seals but trying to understand them.

Gradually, memories buried deep in his soul stirred, awakening knowledge of the Dongyue Sealing Tome. Images and information flooded his mind, enabling him to make a clearer judgment about the box and its contents.

He set the box down and looked up to ask the merchant, “Are you really expecting me to open this box?”

The merchant hesitated. Realizing he had misjudged Liu Zong’s path, his confidence faltered. He was unsure which direction Liu Zong was taking or what he truly needed.

Although the box contained valuable items, they did not fit Liu Zong’s route, and the merchant could tell Liu Zong was a man who understood his own path and possessed a resolute will.

After a moment’s thought, the merchant sighed. “You may open the box to see for yourself. At least then you’ll know it’s not that I lack good goods—just that what I have isn’t suited for you.”

Liu Zong did not hurry to open it. Instead, he ran his hand over the surface of the Dongyue Sealing Tome’s talismans. Each time his finger passed, faint purple light shimmered.

In the end, he chose not to open the box. Calmly, he said, “The contents inside would satisfy any necromancer or death knight. But for me, they are mere trinkets.

“Perhaps after I take office, I might consider recruiting a servant like that. But I don't have the energy to focus on it now.

“To avoid regretting this decision later, I won’t open it. If you have such items, could you show me their quality?”

As he spoke, Liu Zong listed his requirements: fortress cannons powered by Yin energy, ancient summoning towers or soul-sealing towers, nests of various undead creatures, and so forth.

These were items a smuggler of forbidden relics would encounter frequently. If Liu Zong’s quality standards were moderate, the merchant might have some.

Perhaps stung by Reina’s situation and Liu Zong’s recognition of the Dongyue Sealing Tome, the merchant assumed Liu Zong sought high-quality goods. So he refrained from showing his wares and instead taunted him.

“So you intend to walk the Death Lord’s path. Have you chosen your dojo yet? These items do exist, but their quality is poor—at best level 1. The only higher quality ones are broken junk. However, I do have a map, level 3, and if you find a team to take you there, you might find something better.”

Hearing this, Liu Zong’s expression shifted to one of ‘just as I thought.’ This irritated the merchant, but he could say nothing since, as Liu Zong suspected, he had nothing that Liu Zong wanted.

Liu Zong shook his head. “Level 3 is still too difficult for me. Even if I could assemble a level 3 team, I wouldn’t have control over it, and I might not get what I need. Forget the map.”

The merchant sighed and gave up trying to persuade Liu Zong to buy anything. He packed up his stall and began explaining the method to enter the forbidden area, leaving Liu Zong dumbfounded.

Liu Zong’s earlier comments were meant to avoid playing into the merchant’s hands, not to refuse buying altogether. Though the merchant perceived Liu Zong’s skill as exceptional, he did not realize Liu Zong’s funds were limited compared to others.

Liu Zong’s initial plan was never to buy expensive items but rather some ordinary or damaged high-grade materials to use in refining his Azure Dragon.

The merchant’s decisiveness surprised him. Once he decided he had nothing suitable to sell, he simply packed up, ignoring Liu Zong’s expression and chatting with Yuan Ying about the quality of lunch.

It had to be said, this merchant had his own unique insights into cooking. Only Yuan Ying could keep up with his conversation about food. Many of the items he tried to sell her were things he once used but no longer needed.

This dialogue sparked a new thought in Liu Zong’s mind. Setting everything else aside, he must seriously study cooking skills, as this was a practical way to enhance his strength at this stage.

Just then, the merchant suddenly turned and blinked at Liu Zong. “I have several recipes. Interested?”