Chris let out a soft chuckle and said, “Sunnyvale may not be a nation, but it has four major factions, each as powerful as Great Lyria. If Great Lyria ever attacks Sunnyvale, those factions will undoubtedly unite, and by then, Great Lyria may not stand a chance against them.”
Everything Chris knew about Sunnyvale came from a book called Aethelgard Overview.
The other states and nations coveted Sunnyvale’s abundant resources, yet none dared to invade. This alone proved that Sunnyvale was not to be trifled with.
As night fell, Chris and Lindsay Windson arrived at a small border town-Darkrock.
Darkrock wasn’t much different from other towns in Aethelgard, except for one key distinction: the prevalence of Aetherbinding practitioners.
Sunnyvale, being the largest region in Aethelgard, was home to a significant number of Aetherbinding cultivators. The streets were filled with Pinnacle Aetherbinding practitioners, and even a few Solstice-level ones could be spotted.
Walking through the streets, Chris noticed a grand building.
“The Task Hall!”
Chris approached it, intrigued. It turned out to be exactly what he thought-a Task Hall.
He hadn’t expected Sunnyvale to have one, though by now he realized these halls were scattered throughout Aethelgard, much like fast-food chains back on Earth. No matter which city you visited, there was always one nearby.
Seeing the hall reminded Chris of Jane Clarkson, the person in charge of the Flameforge Task Hall. She had once gifted him a storage ring, though it was a rather ordinary one.
Since arriving in Aethelgard, Chris had killed numerous Aetherbinding practitioners, including several at the Solstice level. Many of them carried storage rings filled with treasures like Essence Stones.
Every time Chris defeated one of these practitioners, he would claim their storage rings.
Inside the Task Hall, the first floor was bustling with people.
No matter the city, the Task Hall was always the liveliest place.
For Lindsay Windson, it was her first time visiting a Task Hall, and her curiosity was evident.
A staff member approached them with a smile and asked, “How may I assist you both?”
Chris replied, “Hello, do you buy treasures here?”
The staff member nodded. “We buy all sorts of treasures.”
The Task Hall didn’t just host tasks; it also allowed visitors to trade, buy, and sell treasures. In some ways, it was similar to a large department store back on Earth.
“Do you take this?” Chris asked, retrieving a blue gemstone from his storage ring.
This gemstone, known as a “Blue Tear,” was something Chris had found in the lair of a Skyclaw Tiger. Back then, he had taken all the treasures from the tiger’s lair, enraging the beast and prompting it to chase him for miles.
To escape, Chris had discarded some of the treasures, but he had kept most of them.
The staff member’s eyes lit up when they saw the gemstone. “This is a Blue Tear gem, found deep underground. It’s highly sought after for crafting decorative items, especially by female practitioners.”
Whether on Earth or in Aethelgard, the saying held true: everyone loves beauty. Women in Aethelgard also enjoyed adorning themselves, and there were specialized accessories and artifacts made for this purpose.
“And how much is this Blue Tear worth?” Chris asked.
“One Blue Tear is worth 100 Essence Stones,” the staff member replied.
Chris’s face lit up with joy.
He had found quite a few Blue Tears in the Skyclaw Tiger’s lair. At 100 Essence Stones per gem, this was going to be a sizable profit.
Without hesitation, Chris sold all the Blue Tears he had, earning over 10, 000 Essence Stones in total.
For a regular Aetherbinding practitioner, that amount was considered quite a fortune.
After completing the sale, Chris remembered that he needed materials to refine his body. Enhancing his strength was his top priority.
“Do you have the materials I need?” Chris asked, handing over a list to the staff member.
The staff member glanced at the list and looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, but some of the items you’re looking for are quite rare. We don’t have them at the moment. However, in a few weeks, the Task Hall will host an auction in Sandsworth. It’s an event that attracts Aetherbinding practitioners from all over Sunnyvale. You might find what you need there.”
Chris’s eyes lit up at the news.
The annual auction was a grand event, and with the Task Hall’s vast influence across Aethelgard, it was bound to be bustling with activity.
It seemed like Chris would have to attend the auction to find the materials he needed.
Before leaving, Chris purchased a map of Sunnyvale.
He studied it carefully and found Sandsworth. It was a coastal city, not too far from Darkrock.
After leaving the Task Hall, Chris and Lindsay Windson returned to their inn to rest.
However, Chris didn’t sleep right away. Instead, he pored over the map, planning the route to Sandsworth.
To get there, they would need to cross a stretch of water by boat.
On the roads of Aethelgard, bandits were a common threat, but on the seas, it was pirates.
These pirates roamed the waterways, preying on passing ships. Compared to bandits, they were far more ruthless.
In most cases, if pirates attacked, they left no survivors. Entire crews were slaughtered, their bodies tossed into the sea.
Sunnyvale was notorious for its pirates, many of whom were highly organized and powerful.
The geography of Sunnyvale, surrounded by vast oceans, made sea travel unavoidable. Traveling from one city to another often required a boat.
After carefully studying the map, Chris finally went to bed.
Meanwhile, a carriage stopped outside the Task Hall.
A veiled woman stepped out.
If Chris had been there, he would have recognized her immediately-it was Jane Clarkson, the head of the Flameforge Task Hall.
Jane had come to Sunnyvale to oversee the annual Task Hall auction.
These auctions were a major source of income for the Task Hall, and this year’s Sunnyvale auction was no different. Jane Clarkson herself would be hosting it.