The Elven Cultivator

Bishui Port, Tide Street.

Anton pushed open the oak doors of the Tulip Commerce Association headquarters and strode into the spacious main hall.

The staff within, already quite familiar with this distinguished guest, immediately greeted him respectfully and guided him to a reception room on the second floor.

Anton had just taken a sip of his tea when the door was pushed gently open, and Harold walked in, smiling broadly.

"It's been a while, sir."

Anton's eyes flickered. He set down his teacup and asked with a smile, "Judging by your expression, Manager, I take it you have good news for me."

"You've guessed correctly, sir."

Harold didn't keep him in suspense, motioning for the apprentice behind him to carry in a wooden crate about half a meter high and place it gently on the floor.

"This is what you asked for."

Anton's eyes lit up. He immediately stood and lifted the crate's lid.

The inside of the crate was lined with soft, black velvet, and resting in the center was a heart the size of a pumpkin.

It was a deep, dark brown, its surface covered in vascular patterns as gnarled as old tree roots. A faint, earthy-yellow halo could be seen winding through the flesh.

Even though it had been separated from its body for who knows how long, the heart was still pulsating faintly. Each contraction sent out a subtle elemental fluctuation, causing visible ripples in the surrounding air.

"The heart of a Burrowing Dragon," Harold explained with a smile, a hint of pride in his voice. "This wasn't easy to find. Our association used numerous channels to acquire it from a veteran Mercenary Corps in the Green Highlands. We had to call in quite a few favors to secure it."

Anton reached out to touch the heart's surface. Feeling the surging energy against his palm, a flicker of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

Burrowing Dragons are a sub-dragon species, typically possessing combat strength at the Lower Gold or even Middle Gold level. Cunning and ferocious by nature, they excel at ambushing prey in their underground lairs, making them extremely difficult to kill.

A perfectly preserved Burrowing Dragon heart could not necessarily be bought for even five or six hundred Gold Coins.

It was more than sufficient to serve as the primary material for the Earth Attribute.

"My thanks to your association," Anton said, closing the lid and giving Harold a slight nod.

Harold waved his hand, his smile sincere. "You're too kind, sir. Thanks to the Scale Rock Lizard hides you've sold us over the years, we've managed to secure a large share of the leather armor market. The entire association is deeply grateful to you."

Anton remained noncommittal. "I'll take the Burrowing Dragon heart," he said. "Name your price."

"You are an esteemed guest of our association. We'll just charge you the cost price," Harold said, holding up five fingers. "Five hundred Gold Coins."

"In that case, my thanks."

Anton didn't stand on ceremony. He immediately paid with Gold Coins, then stored the Burrowing Dragon heart in his storage talisman.

With the item secured, he didn't linger, leaving the Tulip Commerce Association after a respectful send-off from Harold.

Walking down the bustling street, Anton was in high spirits.

He had now gathered four of the five primary materials for the Five Elements; only the Gold Marrow for the Metal Attribute remained.

But it wouldn't be long now. Once the cooperation agreement between the Clan and Gray Rock Castle was finalized and they began developing the Frost Pattern Silver mine, he would be able to obtain it.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

'My money is running out, though.'

Over the years, Anton had spent a great deal of his savings purchasing materials, and this latest acquisition of the Burrowing Dragon heart had all but cleaned him out.

He considered that once the Clan and Gray Rock Castle pushed into the Thousand Rock Hills to develop the mine, they would surely kill a large number of Scale Rock Lizards. That meant he wouldn't have a shortage of Scale Rock Lizard meat, even if he didn't go hunting himself.

However, that also meant he would lose his income stream from selling Scale Rock Lizard hides.

That being said, Anton wasn't too worried.

'There were plenty of ways to make money.'

For one thing, he could simply improve a potion formula and have the Tulip Commerce Association sell it on his behalf to rake in a fortune in Gold Coins.

'With his skills in both potion-making and as an Alchemist, making money couldn't be simpler.'

As he mulled this over, Anton turned at a fork in the road and stepped into a quiet alley.

This was a shortcut to the Misty Tavern in the port district, and he planned to stop by to see if a certain wanted poster was still there.

However, just as he reached the middle of the alley, a figure suddenly rounded the corner ahead, blocking his path.

Anton stopped and narrowed his eyes, sizing up the figure.

The man was a burly, bald giant with broad shoulders, clad in heavy, iron-studded leather armor. A double-bladed War Axe hung from his hip.

He stood in the middle of the alley like an iron wall, completely sealing off the already narrow passage.

At the same time, he heard the faint sound of footsteps behind him.

Anton glanced slightly to the side, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a lean, middle-aged man blocking the alley's entrance behind him.

The man's left hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist, and his sinister gaze brazenly raked over Anton.

"Well now, sir," the bald giant said, his lips pulling back in a humorless grin. "Our Chairman would like to invite you to his estate as a guest."

"Chairman?" Anton raised an eyebrow. "Which association?"

"The Flame Trade Association. I'm sure you've heard of us."

The lean man chimed in, his voice low. "The Chairman heard that you have access to quite a supply of goods and wishes to do business with you. He specifically instructed us to extend this invitation."

Upon hearing this, Anton immediately understood.

The Tulip Commerce Association and the Flame Trade Association were two of the top merchant guilds in Bishui Port, and their open conflicts and secret schemes had never ceased over the years.

And since he was the one selling vast quantities of Scale Rock Lizard hides to the Tulip Commerce Association, effectively monopolizing the raw material market for leather armor, it was impossible for the Flame Trade Association not to have noticed.

This "invitation," then, was most likely about the source of his Scale Rock Lizard hides.

Though his mind raced, Anton's expression remained calm as he said flatly, "Go back and tell your Chairman I'm not interested."

The smile instantly vanished from the bald giant's face, and a vicious glint flashed in his wide eyes.

The lean man, however, was still smiling, though a chilling quality had entered it. "Sir, an invitation from our Chairman is not one you can conveniently refuse."

"Is that so?"

Anton's expression didn't change. He hadn't moved an inch.

"I'd be very interested to know just how inconvenient it would be."

"You don't know what's good for you!"

At these words, the bald giant could no longer contain the vicious light in his eyes. He let out a cold sneer, unhooked his double-bladed War Axe, and charged toward Anton.

"Since you're asking for a lesson, I'll be happy to give you one!"

The instant the words left his mouth, he exploded into motion, his double-bladed War Axe cleaving through the air as it came crashing down on Anton.

Anton's expression remained unchanged. He slapped his hip, and with a clear, ringing sound, a flash of sword light shot out like a meteor to meet the descending War Axe.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

A rapid series of sharp, metallic clashes erupted as the axe and sword met a dozen times in the blink of an eye.

On their final clash, Anton's Long Sword suddenly erupted in a blinding crimson light. Three incandescent rings of light materialized from the blade, exploding outward with a roiling wave of flame.

Caught completely off guard, the bald giant was sent flying by the heatwave. He slammed heavily into the alley wall, shattering the brickwork and sending dust and debris flying.

"All that big talk, and I thought you were supposed to be impressive."

Anton's expression was nonchalant, the tip of his sword angled toward the ground.

"So you're just a Middle Silver."

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