Chapter 269 Chapter267-The Familiar Dragon Statue
In Blue Sea City, the capital of the Azure Empire on Easten Shore, considerable funds had been spent on its construction, making it a vibrant metropolis.
As Ethan and his group strolled along the streets, they were intrigued by the plethora of goods displayed in the shops on either side.
"The changes are quite profound," Ethan remarked. He had spent most of his recent time within the Dungeon Zone.
Hearing his words, Mia, snuggling closer with her arm entwined in Ethan's, responded with a chuckle, "Of course, the transformation is immense. Before the Azure Empire arrived, the various kingdoms were at odds, with little to no trade among them, leading to a dearth of goods. However, after the Azure Empire's emergence, these kingdoms were vanquished, and the vast territories were consolidated, boosting trade significantly."
"Yet, the most pivotal catalyst was the caravan trade that Lord Ethan introduced."
"By now, our chamber of commerce has established its presence in almost every region. That fellow Khosro is perpetually swamped with work."
Ethan nodded, the tranquil scenes before him certainly brought about a sense of serenity.
At that moment, Mia nestled her cheek even closer to Ethan's arm, savoring the warmth emanating from it, her face adorned with a blissful smile.
Eluna, however, was more reserved.
The idea of openly embracing Ethan in the middle of the street made her slightly uneasy.
Hence, she quietly walked beside Ethan, her gaze somewhat distant, lost in her own thoughts.
"What's that?" Ethan suddenly pointed to a shop not far away.
The store bore no name, but there was a constant stream of patrons entering and exiting, making it quite lively.
What struck Ethan as particularly odd was the noticeably tense demeanor of most of the visitors.
"Lord Ethan, that's the entrance to the black market," Victor explained.
"The entrance to the black market?" Ethan questioned, puzzled. "I thought the black market was illicit. How can it operate so brazenly within the city walls?"
"Lord Ethan, you misunderstand," Victor replied, shaking his head.
"Though the black market might be unsanctioned, the profits it yields are simply too substantial to ignore. If some condemn it, others inevitably embrace it. According to our investigations, the black market in Blue Sea City operates with the tacit approval of the Azure Empire's higher-ups. However, they have to surrender seventy percent of their earnings. Still, even after such hefty deductions, the market continues to amass considerable wealth. The backing of the Azure Empire encourages many to venture into Blue Sea City's black market, peddling prohibited items."
"Lord Ethan, would you like to take a look inside?"
Ethan, eyeing the entrance with a mix of curiosity and caution, nodded, "Let's have a look."
With that, the group made their way inside.
Upon entering the black market, there seemed to be no set protocol.
While the entrance appeared to be of a mere ordinary shop size, the interior was vast.
Ethan sensed the aura of space magic, deducing that this expansive area had been solidified using space magic.
"The owner of the black market must be someone exceptional to achieve this," Ethan mused internally.
With his current proficiency in space magic, he couldn't compress an entire zone into the size of a shop while ensuring its stability.
Most crucially, making it inhabitable for living beings entailed more than just space magic; it required the equally rare Life Magic.
Life Magic was predominantly found among High Elves.
Yet, the Elves Ethan had encountered so far, including Rose and Oberlis, were not adept at Life Magic.
This was indeed an enigma.
Ethan didn't ponder further, being tugged by Mia to the front of a black market stall.
She pointed to a Dragon sculpture, asking, "Ethan, do you think this sculpture is beautiful? Doesn't it slightly resemble you when you transform?" Naturally, she referred to his Dragon form.
However, upon seeing the sculpture, Ethan became silent, a profound astonishment stirring within, causing his very soul to tremble.
The Dragon sculpture was merely palm-sized.
Yet every single scale on the Dragon was intricately carved, especially its eyes, which radiated pride, sanctity, and power.
It was undoubtedly the work of a master craftsman.
However, what caught Ethan's attention wasn't merely its artistry.
On the Dragon's chest, he observed six symmetrical fiery-red patterns.
The pedestal of the sculpture bore ancient characters, symbols of long-lost kingdoms, no longer in use.
Through his studies in Alchemy, Ethan recognized these inscriptions:
Golden Flame Guardian Dragon.
The sculpture, with its unique prefix, was one Ethan was intimately familiar with.
In the trial of the Hot Spring Ruins in the Northern Snow Plains, Ethan had once ventured into Maya City, where he repelled its monsters.
In gratitude, the city's residents crafted a statue in honor of his Dragon form, naming it as such.
Now, a rendition hundreds of times smaller stood before Ethan.
"Ethan, what's wrong?" Mia noticed Ethan's distant gaze and inquired with concern.
Ethan shook his head, then turned to the shopkeeper, asking, "How much for this Dragon sculpture?"
"New here?" The shopkeeper lazily lifted his gaze, sizing up Ethan and his companions.
"We don't really trade with currency in the black market. Bartering is the name of the game. I went through considerable hardship to obtain this Dragon sculpture from a relic site. Show me what you've brought, and if it piques my interest, we can strike a deal."
Having said that, he reclined again, seemingly uninterested in further conversation with Ethan and his group.
"How can you be like this? Ignoring potential business!" Mia exclaimed in indignation, attempting to pull Ethan away, though he remained rooted.
"Mia, wait. This item means a lot to me," Ethan whispered.
He then retrieved a fiery-red fruit, the size of a fist, from his Space Ring.
"That's-- the Flamefruit!" The shopkeeper sprung to his feet, his previously indifferent face now awash with enthusiasm.
He eagerly invited Ethan and his group to take a seat.
Personally taking the Dragon sculpture from the shelf, he handed it to Ethan, proposing, "My friend, one Flamefruit for this sculpture. What do you say?"
"Not a good deal." Ethan flatly declined.
Internally, the shopkeeper berated himself, "Damn, I shouldn't have shown my excitement so clearly. But one way or another, I need to find a way to acquire that Flamefruit. If I miss this chance, it'll be exceedingly difficult to obtain later."
"How would you like to proceed with the trade, then?" The shopkeeper asked with a touch of humility.
Ethan casually tossed the Flamefruit in his hand, taking note of the shopkeeper's eager gaze.
He then remarked, "I'm open to a trade. However, I need to know everything about how you came across this sculpture, leaving out no detail."
"I'll do my best..." The shopkeeper replied with a hint of resignation.
He had stumbled upon the Dragon sculpture by mere chance, primarily valuing it for its exquisite craftsmanship.
As a result, he hadn't paid it much heed, leaving his memory somewhat foggy.
Yet, lured by the allure of the Flamefruit, he endeavored to recall.
"...I found it in what appeared to be an abandoned relic. Well... it's not quite accurate to call it a relic. It was more like a tiny village, consisting of a mere ten or so households. The village had long been deserted, but judging from the decaying walls, it might have been a settlement from hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. Perhaps even longer... That's something I can't be certain about." He shared with a hint of anxiety, fearful of Ethan's potential dissatisfaction.
"And what else? Was there anything unusual about that village?" Ethan pressed on.
"Unusual? Something out of the ordinary... Ah! I remember now!"
"Yes, there was!"
"This Dragon sculpture seemed to have been venerated by someone. And on the wall behind the sculpture, there were several distinct symbols." The shopkeeper exclaimed with excitement.
"What symbols?" Ethan's anticipation began to show.
"Just give me a moment," With that, the shopkeeper quickly retrieved a piece of paper and began to sketch.
On the crisp white paper, three unique symbols emerged: the emblem of a sword crossed with a shield, an eye, and an alchemical flask.
"What does this mean?" Mia leaned in to get a closer look.
Staring intently at the symbols, Ethan's mind began to connect the dots. "The sword and shield symbolize battle; that must refer to Eileen. The eye often represents foresight, usually symbolic of a seer, which could be Lady Rhine. And the flask, the alchemist, that's Old John."
"But why would these appear?"
"I recall when I left, Old John mentioned he would be departing too. Could something have transpired after I left?"
"And the 'Chronicles of the Lost City' that I had seen earlier..."
"Is there another hidden mystery within?"
At this moment, a tumultuous whirl of thoughts overwhelmed Ethan, resembling a tangled skein of thread where the end couldn't be discerned.
"Sir?" The shopkeeper's voice was filled with deference.
Taking the sculpture from the shopkeeper and tossing him the Flamefruit, Ethan promptly stood up and made his way out of the shop.
Mia and the others hurried to catch up.
Before they could inquire about his abrupt exit, they were met with Ethan's grave expression.
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