In the corner of the library, the team of five sat around a circular table.
It was quiet here, with the occasional sound of pages turning drifting from afar.
“The terrain of Echo Valley is divided into three layers.” Veralis’s finger moved across the map, focused and calm.
“The outer layer is forest, the middle layer is valleys, and the inner layer is caves. The seven assessment nodes are scattered across these three areas, but the academy hasn’t announced their specific locations. We need to find them ourselves.”
Elsa leaned in. “Does that mean we have to search the entire Echo Valley?”
“No, the nodes periodically emit energy fluctuations.” Veralis looked up at Xuan Xi.
“Xuan Xi’s water-element perception can detect them. The concentration of spiritual qi and water elements in Echo Valley is very high, so your perception range should be three to five times larger than usual.”
Xuan Xi was taken aback. “How do you know?”
“It’s written in the notes.” Veralis’s tone was flat.
“Also, Eastern Dragon water-element practitioners experience a significant boost in perception in environments rich in water spiritual energy. The abnormal energy fluctuations in Echo Valley are very likely spiritual qi originating from the East.”
The four of them all looked at Xuan Xi at the same time.
Xuan Xi looked down at her hands. Her perception had indeed improved a lot since she enrolled, but she had never tested it in a “spiritual qi-rich” environment.
‘I’m not sure I can do it.’
“I’m not sure I can do it.”
“You can do it.” Sigrdrífa’s voice came from beside her.
Elsa rolled her eyes. “How do you know she can do it?”
“Because I believe in her.” Sigrdrífa didn’t elaborate.
“Alright, then I’ll be responsible for scouting the path.” Xuan Xi said.
Veralis nodded, her finger moving to several red dots marked on the map. “These are the known danger zones. The academy hasn’t released detailed information, but according to the experiences of upperclassmen, there are three types of threats in Echo Valley. First, energy turbulence zones. Elemental and spiritual qi conflict there, and your attacks might go out of control.”
Elsa’s expression changed. “Out of control how?”
“Fireballs become fire walls, ice spikes become hailstorms. Normal attacks get amplified considerably.” Reggie answered for Veralis.
“Second,” Veralis continued, “Echo Illusions. The name Echo Valley isn’t just for show. There’s a special energy field inside the valley that records sounds and replays them under certain conditions. Accidents involving upperclassmen are said to be related to the Echo Illusions—they heard sounds they shouldn’t have, or saw sights they shouldn’t have.”
Xuan Xi’s pen stopped on the paper.
She remembered what her foster father had said. “Echo Valley wasn’t always called that. It was called Mist Valley. Later, people discovered that if you shouted in the valley, the echo would last a long time, and it would get clearer and clearer, like someone was repeating your words.”
“An energy field that records sound.” Sigrdrífa’s voice was soft.
“And replays it.” Veralis finished her sentence.
The two of them looked at each other, then looked away at the same time.
“What about the third?” Elsa broke the silence.
Veralis moved her finger to the deepest part of the map.
“Traces left by the Eastern Dragon. It’s not part of the assessment, but the academy says ‘if encountered, record it.’ That means the academy itself isn’t sure what’s there.” She looked at Xuan Xi.
“This part of the task can only be done by you.”
Xuan Xi nodded.
“What about me, then?” Elsa pointed at herself. “What do I do?”
“You’re in charge of firepower coverage.” Reggie said.
“You’re in charge of tanking damage.” Veralis said.
“You’re responsible for not getting lost.” Sigrdrífa said.
Elsa opened her mouth, then closed it again.
She realized her position in this team was very clear—she was the one in charge of ‘going all out.’ She sighed.
“Alright, fine. I’ll be in charge of turning the enemy into fireworks.”
Reggie patted her on the shoulder but said nothing.
The roles were decided: Xuan Xi for guidance, scouting, and inscription interpretation; Sigrdrífa for main attack and lightning-fire output; Reggie for front-line defense and crowd control; Elsa for firepower coverage and flank suppression; Veralis for ice-element control, support, and tactical backup.
“Let’s confirm one more time.” Veralis took out her notebook.
“After entering Echo Valley, Xuan Xi walks in front, using perception to scout the path. Sige is on her right, guarding her flank. Reggie brings up the rear to prevent ambushes. Elsa takes the left side. Veralis stays in the middle, ready to support at any time.”
Her pen stopped. Xuan Xi didn’t say anything, but she noticed Sigrdrífa’s finger lightly tap the table before pushing her own water glass over to Xuan Xi—replacing Xuan Xi’s empty cup with a full one.
The action was light, as if she had done it casually.
Veralis saw it, but said nothing, and just continued talking about the final exam’s distribution of rewards, paying it no mind.
After the meeting, the five of them packed up to leave the library.
Elsa stretched her arms wide, Reggie pushed his chair back into place, and Veralis folded the map and put it into her notebook.
“By the way,” Veralis looked up, “have you heard about something?”
“What?” Xuan Xi asked.
“The Universal Commerce Auction is coming to the academy next week to hold a sale.”
Elsa’s eyes lit up.
“Which Universal Commerce? The one that spans the Western Continent, the Central Continent, and the Human Kingdom?”
“A trading company spanning three continents, and you have to ask which one?” Veralis looked at Elsa, a hint of helplessness in her ice-blue eyes.
“I know! I was just confirming!” Elsa turned to Reggie.
“The Universal Commerce Auction! They have everything! Eastern spiritual medicine, Western dragon crystals, human machinery, beast tribe battle armor—they say at the last auction, they even had an elf tribe bow!”
Reggie nodded. “That’s right, but entry tickets to the auction are very expensive.”
“And you can’t get in with just money.” Veralis hugged her notebook to her chest.
“The auction is divided into a regular area and a VIP area. The VIP area usually only invites families with status within the academy.”
Elsa’s shoulders slumped. “Then I definitely can’t get in.”
“You can.” Sigrdrífa’s voice came from beside her.
The four of them all looked at her.
“The Edelstein Family is a long-term client of Universal Commerce.” Sigrdrífa’s tone was very light.
“They receive invitations to the VIP area every year.”
Elsa’s eyes lit up again. “So you can bring people in?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“No limit.”
Elsa grabbed Sigrdrífa’s hand. “Sige! You are my god!”
Reggie pulled her back. “Calm down.”
“I can’t calm down! This is the Universal Commerce Auction! And VIP seats! I’ve dreamed of going since I was a kid!”
Veralis watched Elsa’s excitement and the corner of her mouth curled up slightly. “What about Xuan Xi?”
“She will naturally come with me.” Sigrdrífa answered.
Veralis’s gaze paused between the two for a moment. “Mm.”
“Then we’ll—” Elsa started, but Veralis interrupted her.
“The Frostmark Family also has an invitation.”
“The Steel Mane Family has one too.” Reggie said.
“The Ashes Family…” Elsa’s voice trailed off.
Veralis glanced at her. “You can come with the Frostmark Family.”
Elsa was stunned. Veralis had already turned and walked away, her light golden fishtail braid swaying on her back as she went.
“Tomorrow at 2 PM, meet at the academy gate.”
Elsa stared at her back for several seconds before finding her voice.
“Did she… was that an invitation to me?”
Reggie patted her on the shoulder. “Let’s go.”
On the way back to the dormitory, Xuan Xi and Sigrdrífa walked at the very back.
“What kind of trading company is Universal Commerce, really?” Xuan Xi asked.
Sigrdrífa thought for a moment. “It’s more than just a trading company.”
“What do you mean?”
“On the surface, they do auctions and trade—buying spiritual medicine from the East and selling it to the West, buying dragon crystals from the West and selling them to the Human Kingdom.” She paused.
“But privately, Universal Commerce is also the largest intelligence agency on the entire continent.”
Xuan Xi’s steps slowed. “An intelligence agency?”
“Yes. Their caravans travel across three continents. Every road, every city, every family’s movements, they’re all within their intelligence network.” Sigrdrífa lowered her voice.
“Some say the secrets held by the master of Universal Commerce surpass the intelligence departments of any royal family.”
“Then aren’t they…”
“Very dangerous.” Sigrdrífa looked at her.
“But they also follow the rules strictly. Universal Commerce only does business; they don’t take sides. That’s their rule, and it’s precisely because of this rule that the major forces on the three continents tolerate their existence.”
Xuan Xi was silent for a while. “Then when we go to the auction, will we be…”
“No.” Sigrdrífa cut her off, her tone firm.
“Universal Commerce protects the information of VIP guests more securely than anyone. Leaking client information is equivalent to destroying their own reputation.”
Xuan Xi nodded, but she still filed this information away in her mind.
On the afternoon of the auction, a line of black carriages was parked at the academy gate.
They weren’t the Edelstein Family’s carriages with silver crests.
These were sent by the Universal Commerce Auction—their bodies were entirely black, with no crests, only the gilded characters “Universal Commerce” on the doors. The wheels were silver-white metal, not iron, but some material Xuan Xi couldn’t name, gleaming coolly in the sunlight.
An old man in a dark blue uniform stood before the carriages. His silver-white hair was immaculate, and a golden badge—the mark of the Universal Commerce Auction—was pinned to his chest.
“Lady Sigrdrífa.” The old man gave a slight bow.
“The VIP area has been prepared.”
Sigrdrífa nodded, opened the carriage door, and stepped aside to let Xuan Xi enter first.
The interior of the carriage was even more spacious than Xuan Xi had imagined. A bouquet of white flowers sat in the corner, their petals still beaded with dew.