Chapter 276 The Auria Auction ended...
The auction ended close to midnight, and Sang Zhitao was so sleepy that she fell asleep in her private room for a while.
Before she fell asleep, she specifically instructed Maria: "Take pictures of the few things I like."
When she woke up from her nap, the auction was nearing its end.
The second auction house sold talismans for a slightly higher price than the first.
After all, they had informed all the major families well in advance after learning about the success of the first family.
Although it was only three or four hours earlier, it was enough for all the major powers to prepare, naturally resulting in higher prices and greater profits compared to the first auction held in a rush.
Sang Zhitao handed the magic bank card from the auction house to Maria: "Return it to your emperor."
Maria took the bank card hesitantly, and after much deliberation, finally said, "Don't worry, those previous expenses..."
Sang Zhitao interrupted her with a smile: "I know, but I don't like owing people anything."
“You owe no one anything. If you can truly resolve the memory plague, you will be the benefactor of all living beings on the Sky Continent, worthy of our patronage.” Maria bowed to her solemnly.
Hearing her say that, Sang Zhitao raised an eyebrow and took the bank card back from her outstretched hands: "Okay."
Seeing her like this, Maria breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and turned to prepare a late-night snack for her.
After a good night's sleep, the group continued their journey to the Guardian Tower the next day.
“Emerald City is a commercial city with a huge volume of goods coming and going every day, so its teleportation array is the largest in the Sky Continent.” Maria explained to Sang Zhitao from the carriage. “That’s why the teleportation array is located outside the city.”
As she said, the teleportation array here is indeed the largest, about half the size of a football field.
This place is bustling and noisy, just like a 19th-century dock, except that the ships sailing on the sea have been replaced by a complex array of magic circles on land.
Each flash of light signifies the appearance of a convoy.
The continuous stream of caravans ensured that the light in this area never dimmed for even a second. Even during the Hollowmen's hunting season, caravans were never short of appearing here. However, they would not stray too far from the area, as they were also afraid of Hollowmen attacks.
"Huh?" Just as Aure quickened his pace to move forward, intending to cut in line by virtue of his royal status, Maria looked at the convoy that had come out from the side and asked in a soft voice.
"What's wrong?" Sang Zhitao followed her gaze and saw a white convoy consisting of white unicorns.
"Who are they?" Sang Zhitao recalled the records in her original book, but couldn't remember what kind of force would use such an all-white design.
After all, given her aesthetic sense, even if it's all white, she'd add some gold or silver to make it look glamorous and beautiful.
“It’s the people guarding the tower.” Maria frowned. “His Majesty said he would escort you there directly, not that the people guarding the tower would come to pick you up.”
As Sang Zhitao listened to her words, she looked out the car window and saw that after a moment of hesitation, Aure turned to the Guardian Tower convoy and greeted them.
The people guarding the tower glanced this way. Because of the distance, Sang Zhitao couldn't see the emotions in their eyes clearly, but she could vaguely sense that their actions were somewhat urgent.
However, they didn't know what their leader said. After the group suppressed their eagerness, they bowed to Sang Zhitao before driving their vehicles onto the road leading into Emerald City.
After watching the group leave in silence, Aure went to arrange for Sang Zhitao to cut in line.
Soon their convoy entered another city under a white light.
“This is Oria,” Maria said, pointing to a mage statue not far away.
She was an extremely beautiful woman, holding a magic book in her hands, quietly and gently looking at the city below.
"She is Oria, a holy mage who sacrificed herself five hundred years ago to protect this city. To commemorate her, the residents of Oria erected her statue here and renamed the city after her."
Sang Zhitao found that this place was not as lively as Emerald City, and the people here lacked the enthusiasm of the people in Emerald City, but had a more genuine feel to them.
"Welcome to Oria, the city of love that you will love most." The teleportation array in Oria even had a welcome message set up, which surprised Sang Zhitao.
Maria was used to answering Sang Zhitao's questions. She smiled and said, "Aurea is also the city here that has the closest cooperation with the Magic Continent, so many things here are very similar to the Magic Continent."
Sang Zhitao leaned out of the carriage and found that it was indeed as Maria had thought.
Although the stone houses here still retain the ancient style of the 11th century, the modern signs and neon lights, along with the modern interior decoration visible through the glass windows, allow young girls wearing short-sleeved T-shirts and sleeveless dresses to stroll through these shops.
Every now and then, you'll pass by shops with signs that say "bar," from which you can hear upbeat music playing.
All of this made her feel like she had returned to Earth, living in the Eastern Kingdom before her transmigration, and walking in a Western fantasy-themed amusement park.
"Want to take a good look around?" Maria asked Sang Zhitao.
Sang Zhitao shook her head.
This surprised Maria, since she thought Oria was even more fun than Emerald City, but Sang Zhi Tao didn't seem very interested.
Sang Zhitao, however, was not very interested. After all, what was most attractive about Oria to the people of this world was its combination of ancient European architecture and modern technology.
She had already seen this on Earth, and as for those magical tools, she had seen them in Emerald City as well; they weren't much more magical than modern high technology.
Especially now, with her help and everyone's efforts, the Eastern Kingdom has already entered the interstellar era, a level that the magical world can't even come close to.
So she was just curious to see it, but after seeing the Emerald City, she lost much interest in Oria.
She didn't intend to explain too much about these things to Maria.
Maria thought she was probably tired, so after taking her to the hotel to rest, she went shopping by herself.
Unlike the Emerald City, where the Hollowmen hunt takes place every morning, in Oria, the Hollowmen hunt takes place every afternoon until late evening.
So even though Sang Zhitao and the others came via a teleportation array, they had to stay in Oria for a day because it was almost noon.
The next morning, the group set off in their carriage to the teleportation array that would allow them to leave Oria.
"Your Excellency Mikhail, good day." Maria saw that the Guardian Tower's convoy had also stopped in front of the teleportation array, so she quickly got off the carriage and bowed.
Aure and his knights also gave each other a knightly salute.
The man addressed as Lord Mikhail was in his thirties. He wore a single-lensed glasses, had a scholarly air about him, and nodded to Maria with great refinement: "It's Lady Maria. Long time no see."
A man in his forties next to Mihar glanced at Sang Zhitao and then whispered something in his ear.
Mihar glanced excitedly at Sang Zhitao, then, after being reminded by someone next to him, he suppressed his excitement and said to Maria, "May I see Your Excellency?"
Maria was taken aback, then hesitated for a moment: "This..."
"Aren't you leaving yet?!" A look of understanding flashed in Mikhail's eyes. Just as he was about to apologize, he heard a voice from not far away.
Sang Zhitao was idly reading a legendary story written by a wandering poet when she heard Mihar's question. She opened the car window and was about to tell Mihar that it was okay when she saw a familiar young man walking towards her from the side.
The young man, with black hair and black eyes, looked at Mihar with a cold expression, showing no regard for Sang Zhitao and the others.
Mihar's excited expression faltered when he saw the boy. Guilt and pity flashed in his eyes. He sighed silently and said to the boy, "Xiao, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
"It's you?!" Sang Zhitao looked at the young man, who was the same one she had seen outside Emerald City. She hadn't expected him to be with the people guarding the tower.
The boy blankly looked up at Sang Zhitao.
Sang Zhitao's smile froze; she couldn't describe the look in the boy's eyes.
It was a hollow, lifeless expression, carrying the gloom that permeated the boy's entire being, making his already fair skin appear even paler—a deathly white that came from extreme illness.
"You... hello." Sang Zhitao was a little surprised, but still managed a smile and greeted the other person.
The boy looked at him silently for a while before walking up to Mikhail.
His approach brought him closer to Sang Zhitao.
Sang Zhitao couldn't help but sniff, she smelled a familiar scent on the other person.
This scent is like a breath of fresh air suddenly appearing in a room filled with the smell of decay, instantly invigorating the senses.
This world is filled with the aura of truth, and to Sang Zhitao, it is no different from a sealed space filled with the stench of decay.
The aura of the previous world wasn't that strong, and with the world fragments scattered in the air suppressing it, if Sang Zhitao hadn't specifically sought it out, she probably wouldn't have discovered it until the world was destroyed.
But it's different here, because there's no suppression whatsoever, and this aura is released without restraint.
Previously, in the Elf Forest, because of the elves, the atmosphere there was very faint, and she didn't feel much.
In Emerald City, the diverse population and the prevalence of perfume in the Western fantasy world further obscured the truth.
By the time it reached Oria, the scent could no longer be concealed. She had felt uncomfortable since arriving yesterday, and for some reason, the smell had only grown stronger.
The boy looked at the girl who jumped down from the carriage. Seeing her gorgeous dress and the carriage with royal insignia, he thought she was a princess.
But when she saw the girl actually lean in and sniff her, she couldn't help but take two steps back.
"Don't move!" Sang Zhitao clicked her tongue and grabbed him.
The boy's expression grew increasingly cold and hard, but being kind by nature, he didn't dare to suddenly pry the girl's hand open, after all, what if he accidentally hurt the seemingly fragile girl in front of him?
Mihal and Maria seemed startled by her actions.
Aure and his men drew their swords, and the others guarding the tower rushed over to explain, "It's alright, it's alright, don't be nervous."
"What is it, Your Excellency?" Mikhail bowed slightly and asked Sang Zhitao seriously.
Sang Zhitao looked at the boy, frowned, and asked, "What's your name?"
The boy's expression stiffened. He looked away from her hand gripping his sleeve before saying coldly, "Lin Xiao."
"Lin Xiao!!" Sang Zhitao released her grip in disbelief, looking at the icy-cold boy in front of her.
"You're Lin Xiao from the magical world?!?"
Although the boy didn't understand why the girl in front of him was so excited, he still nodded calmly.
"That unlucky Lin Xiao who can sense the appearance of spatial rifts?!" Sang Zhitao gasped.
The boy nodded.
Sang Zhitao stared at the boy in disbelief, her inner roar almost shattering her soul: "Give me back my adorable little sunshine!!!"
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