25: The remaining value of the ring

The two had changed into dry clothes, with a few undried water droplets still clinging to the tips of their hair, and were sitting opposite each other in the Japanese-style living room of Longevity Manor.

With soft cushions and the curling scent of tea, it should have been an atmosphere for casual conversation.

When Mr. Long pushed a long, narrow box that felt warm and smooth to the touch—neither quite wood nor anything else—toward him, Lin Luo still felt a hint of anticipation.

However, the moment his fingertips touched the lid, a feeling that was extremely familiar, yet carried a trace of a fluctuation that made his heart palpitate, surged into his mind.

He looked up abruptly at Mr. Long, his eyes filled with astonishment and a hint of realization:

"Wait! This feeling... could it be that the old man asked you to give me the cicada song collection that I handed in before?!"

At the thought of that "book of resentment" which had forced him to fight bitterly for an entire night and ultimately required him to use his pendant to barely Seal its power, Lin Luo couldn't help but feel a toothache.

In his hands, that book could only be heavily restricted and hidden deep at the very bottom of his pendant space; he dared not use it at all.

What was the point of the old man returning this "trouble" to him?

Just as his grumbling voice faded, the "neighbors," who had been doing their own things in the living room, seemed to catch a scent of something interesting and instantly gathered around.

Kuga Akine's eyes sparkled, the writer Isshiki stroked his chin with a look of amusement on his face, and even the landlord's bean-sized eyes seemed to turn toward them.

Mr. Long calmly took a sip of tea, as if he hadn't seen Lin Luo's momentary struggle, and spoke unhurriedly:

"The book is indeed the one you handed in. However," he changed the subject, tapping his fingertip lightly on the wooden box, "it has been 'remade' by Old Man Lin together with several other Seniors. The violent power inside has been channeled, regulated, and reconstructed using a rune system. Now, it can be called a—grimoire."

"A grimoire?!" Akine exclaimed, her eyes full of envy as she looked at Lin Luo. "Oh, oh! Mr. Lin Luo is about to be promoted to a BOOK MASTER!"

Her laughter, crisp as silver bells, echoed in the living room.

The writer Isshiki laughed like a cunning fox and interjected:

"Tsk tsk, it's rare for our apartment to have a second grimoire holder. What a pity, the Old Bookseller went on a long journey the day before yesterday, otherwise he, as a 'Senior,' would surely have been happy to 'guide' you a little."

Mr. Long nodded slightly and continued to explain to Lin Luo:

"Of course, limited by the Foundation of the original text, this cicada song collection, after being reshaped, is certainly not as good as those legendary powerful grimoires. But its characteristics have been transformed into controllable techniques, which is a flexible and versatile means for dealing with and trapping enemies."

Upon hearing this, Lin Luo was stunned at first, then his eyes suddenly lit up! So that was it!

He had underestimated the old man! The old man wasn't throwing trouble back at him; he was helping him transform a dangerous item that was impossible to control into a powerful weapon that could actually be used!

Thinking of that eerie power that had left him almost helpless when he faced this book last time, even if it had been reshaped and its power level might be limited, as long as he could handle it safely, the power this book could unleash would likely far exceed most of the means he currently possessed!

He had previously thought this thing was useless, but now it seemed like a timely gift! The old man was actually... somewhat useful after all.

His gaze toward the wooden box instantly changed from disdain to burning curiosity and anticipation.

The others urged Lin Luo to use the newly acquired cicada song collection to cast a few spells to broaden their horizons, but were interrupted by Mr. Long raising his hand.

"Alright, calm down, everyone." Mr. Long's tone was calm but carried an unquestionable weight. "Although this book has been reshaped and its power weakened, its essential Foundation has not changed, and it still hides unpredictable risks."

Hearing Mr. Long's stern tone, even Kuga Akine, who was the most eager, shrank her neck.

The group then reluctantly gave up, though their gazes still glanced toward the simple wooden box from time to time.

Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Lin Luo pondered for a moment and then took out another item from his storage pendant—the ring that had once been used to control Kirisu Mafuyu.

The ring itself was of an ancient style, but the oval ruby embedded in it was now covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

He placed the ring gently on the coffee table.

Almost the moment the ring touched the table, everyone's gaze was involuntarily drawn to it.

Even the landlord, who had always had little presence, seemed to have his bean-sized eyes fixed on the ring.

"What an eerie fluctuation..." Kuga Akine frowned, her Spiritual Perception being the sharpest, and she subconsciously took half a step back.

"It seems to be emitting a kind of... power that seduces the heart. If one were to wear this, and their mind wasn't firm, they might be controlled by it in turn, right?"

At this moment, the Antique Merchant leaned in, his only exposed eye shining with intense interest.

After obtaining the tacit consent of Lin Luo and Mr. Long, he carefully used a piece of velvet cloth to pad his fingers and picked up the ring, examining it closely before his eyes.

"Hmm... a very exquisite construction, evil, but filled with a decadent beauty." The Antique Merchant's fingertips gently caressed the ring band through the cloth, his tone carrying the admiration of a connoisseur.

"I can feel the composite Law of 'Domination' and 'Charm' contained within it. Although damaged, the core runes seem to be slowly self-repairing... a very nice little trinket."

He looked up, his single eye fixed on Lin Luo, and the corners of his mouth curled into a smile typical of a merchant.

"I know some nobles with special hobbies, or certain collectors who pursue power, who are very interested in this kind of item with a strong 'personality.' If Mr. Lin Luo is willing to entrust it to me, I can find a way to sell it for a price that will absolutely satisfy you."

As he spoke, he made a gesture indicating a considerable amount.

Upon hearing this, Lin Luo raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

In his final showdown with Kirisu Mafuyu, this ring had withstood a power impact far exceeding its limits, and he had thought it was already half-ruined.

He didn't expect it to still have significant value in the eyes of the Antique Merchant.

"Oh? Even though I've beaten this thing into such a state, it can still be sold for money?" His tone held a hint of amusement, but his eyes revealed a touch of caution.

"However, Mr. Antique Merchant, you also know this isn't a good thing. The 'Domination' and 'Charm' powers contained within, even if damaged, can easily lead people to corruption. If the next buyer uses it to do evil, I don't want to be stained by that Karma."

He did indeed need resources, but he was even more aware of the potential consequences of such obviously evil cursed items being circulated.

The Antique Merchant seemed to have anticipated this concern of his, and a knowing smile flashed in his single eye.

He gently shook the ring on the velvet cloth in his hand and said unhurriedly:

"Mr. Lin Luo, please rest assured. Most of my business partners are not in this world. Once this thing is taken away by me, it will leave your world and go to other planes with vastly different rules.

There, it might just be a rare collectible, or used for some... well, 'special purposes' that comply with local rules. In any case, it will no longer cause any trouble for your world here."

He paused, his tone carrying a merchant's shrewdness and candor:

"In a sense, handing this ring containing unstable power over to me for disposal is equivalent to removing a potential source of danger for your world, which can be considered a good deed, isn't it?"

As he spoke, he looked toward Mr. Long, who was sitting quietly and sipping tea.

Mr. Long nodded slightly, put down his teacup, and said to Lin Luo:

"The Antique Merchant's channels are indeed special. Leaving it to him to handle is a safe choice. This ring's core is damaged, and it no longer has such powerful controlling force."

Hearing Mr. Long say this as well, most of Lin Luo's concerns were dispelled.

He looked again at the ruby ring covered in cracks, tapped his fingertips lightly on his knee, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded:

"Since Mr. Long says so, then fine. I will entrust you to handle this thing."

He changed the subject and looked at the Antique Merchant with a probing smile, not choosing conventional wealth:

"As for the price... money or ordinary resources are secondary. I am also very interested in some... strange and unique trinkets with special functions. Since Mr. Antique Merchant has many channels, surely you have some interesting collections on hand?"

As soon as he said this, Kuga Akine next to him immediately pricked up her ears, and even the writer Isshiki showed an expression of great interest.

Clearly, the word "strange" was always particularly attractive in Longevity Manor.

Upon hearing this, a gleam of expectation flashed in the Antique Merchant's single eye, as if he had been waiting for this sentence.

The commercial smile on his face became a bit more genuine, carrying the pleasure of meeting someone who "knew the ropes."

"Haha, Mr. Lin Luo is indeed a fascinating person!" He chuckled, and his other empty hand elegantly reached inside his coat.

As if by magic, a flat box, only palm-sized and made of material that was neither gold nor wood, appeared in his palm.

The surface of the box was smooth, without any ornamentation, yet it naturally emitted a faint fluctuation that blocked investigation.

"Money is certainly good, but the fun of bartering is indeed superior." The Antique Merchant placed the box gently on the coffee table, pressed his finger lightly on the center of the lid, and the lid slid open silently.

The inside of the box was lined with dark blue velvet, and three items lay quietly on it, each emitting a unique aura.

On the left was a piece of horn fragment, warm as jade and emitting a soft glow; a rich aura of vitality and light hovered over it like a substance, making one's mind feel serene.

"This is a unicorn's horn, which I obtained by chance on the edge of an ancient elf forest. The power of light and life contained within is extremely pure, making it an excellent Material for crafting top-tier amulets or purifying Magical Artifacts," the Antique Merchant introduced.

In the middle was an empty cup that looked as if it had been carved from jade, with walls as thin as a cicada's wing and a swirling green aura flowing inside.

"This 'cup of vitality,' when filled with ordinary clear spring water, can transform it into a liquid with weak life force. Unfortunately..." he pointed with a touch of regret to a barely visible, tiny crack at the bottom of the cup, "its own core is somewhat damaged, so its efficacy is greatly reduced. The liquid it produces can probably only treat colds; strengthening the body is already a stretch."

And when everyone's gaze shifted to the third item on the right, they couldn't help but be slightly stunned, and even felt a trace of horror.

It was actually an eyeball!