Chapter Nine: The Deal (New Book—Please Add to Your Collection)

No matter how simple a game begins, after forty thousand years of development, it inevitably becomes extraordinarily complex. As far as players currently know, there are already over ten thousand official professions, not to mention the hidden or nearly lost ones. For most players, it’s impossible for every city to host gathering places for every profession. Thus, most cities are divided into districts based on professional categories.

Yang City was no exception. In the southwest underground quarter of the city, there was an area specifically open to players with shadow attributes. This region mirrored a real-world neighborhood, and even players in a weakened, post-resurrection state could wander here at will.

Having secured what he wanted, Liu Zong immediately headed for this place, entering a shop with the ease of someone who knew it well. The shop itself was styled unmistakably for necromancers; two vermilion coffins stood right at the entrance. Inside, all manner of materials for the undead were piled high—skulls of all sizes stacked into a grisly mound, hand and leg bones tossed carelessly into corners, and only the more unusual bones hung on the walls.

Upon entering this shop, known as Black Bone Goods, Liu Zong called out, “Xiao Hei, are you there? Come out for a moment.”

From the back emerged a figure so utterly black that even the whites of his eyes were invisible. At the sight of Liu Zong, the man started to retreat, muttering as he moved, “Kid, why are you here again? I’ve told you, that thing isn’t something you can afford.”

“That may not be true. Today, I’ve brought something of equal value to trade,” Liu Zong replied calmly.

Xiao Hei paused, then said, “Very well, but you’ll have to show me your item first so I can verify it’s genuine.”

Instead of producing the item, Liu Zong glanced around. “Right here?”

Xiao Hei sighed, mumbling, “Fine, fine, I knew it would be like this. If you don’t have something worthwhile, you’ll be sorry.”

With that, Xiao Hei opened a door at the back of the shop and led Liu Zong inside.

Behind the shop lay a much larger room, even more gruesome than the front. Countless bones soaked in a bloody pool; heaps of skin and rotting flesh were sorted into piles, and various organs were stored in jars or floating in mercury.

Liu Zong paid no heed to these grisly sights. His attention was fixed on a large bronze urn—one and a half times a man's height, requiring three people to encircle it. The urn was a vivid red, as if soaked in blood, and etched with simple patterns. Others might not know what use it had, but in Liu Zong’s memory, a certain image would always flash before his eyes, as if describing its function.

Seeing Liu Zong’s interest, Xiao Hei snorted and held out his hand. “This is a Lv3 (Pale Gold) treasure. Unless you can produce something of equal value—”

Before he could finish, Liu Zong took out the Valanei Soul-Thousand Box.

Xiao Hei stared, momentarily stunned, then tried to protest, “The Soul-Thousand Box? Untreated like this, there’s no telling its final level—”

“I know you know how to unlock it. In someone else’s hands, it fluctuates between Lv2 and Lv4, but you can definitely bring it to Lv4 (Pale Gold). So trading it for the urn is more than fair,” Liu Zong interrupted.

Xiao Hei could only sigh. What Liu Zong said was true, but as a sly merchant, he never missed a chance to haggle.

Before Liu Zong could respond, Xiao Hei spoke rapidly, “If you’re interested in this urn, you must know its origin. It stood before the Temple of the Underworld King—lock even a god inside, and it will drain them dry. I went to great effort to seize it from a forty-man dungeon. See the bloodstains? They belong to a goddess, still fresh. This is a buy-one-get-one-free bargain; you can’t expect to swap for it outright.”

Liu Zong cast him a sidelong glance. “If that were true, this urn wouldn’t have sat unsold here for years. It can absorb divine blood, yes, but since you can’t circulate the blood, it’s useless. And what would your customers do with it, use it as a sacrificial object? Don’t be ridiculous. Anyone trying that would instantly attract the Underworld King’s attention. He’d not only take the urn, but might kill you for your trouble. As for using it as part of an undead’s body or as a coffin, do you realize what level of undead would be needed to justify a Lv3 (Pale Gold) coffin? That’s why, after all these years, you’ve managed to sell all your other pale gold goods—except for this one.”

Xiao Hei bristled. “So what if I haven’t sold it? Can’t I keep it for myself?”

“Of course you can,” Liu Zong replied coolly. “But you’re on the dark path—what good is something from the Underworld King’s line to you? Better to trade it for something that’s easier to resell. I, on the other hand, can convert it to a shadow attribute, making it useful to me. Isn’t that better for both of us?”

“You have a way to convert it?” Xiao Hei asked, eyes fixed on Liu Zong.

Liu Zong nodded confidently. “I do—but do you really think I’d tell you how?”

At this, Xiao Hei hesitated, but finally nodded. “Fine. I’ll trade. But—”

“No buts. In fact, you’re getting the better end of the deal. If we’re counting value, you should be paying me extra,” Liu Zong cut him off.

Xiao Hei considered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. With a wave of his hand, the urn vanished, replaced by a pale gold card on the spot.

The card looked just like the Valanei Soul-Thousand Box card in Liu Zong’s hand, except its image was of the urn, and its back detailed all the urn’s attributes.

Placing the Soul-Thousand Box down, Liu Zong picked up the card, a faint smile on his lips.

[Great Urn]
[Quality: Lv3 (Pale Gold)]
[Use: Architecture, Sacrificial Summoning]
[Description: This urn once stood before the Temple of the Underworld King, used as an altar for sacrifice. Lock a god within, and it will automatically draw their blood as an offering. No one but the Underworld King can retrieve the blood, nor can anyone break the urn to free the imprisoned god.]