Chapter 20: The Perfect Trading Partner

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Perfect Trading Partner

Three possibilities immediately came to mind: use it himself, give it to Mira, or exchange it for another Tier 5 elixir that would be more useful to her.

Xavier quickly eliminated the first option. His magical aptitude was simply too poor. Even if the Awakening Elixir improved his natural talent several times over, there was a limit to how much difference it could make. It would be like trying to turn a tiny stream into an ocean by pouring in another bucket of water. It wasn’t worth wasting such a precious resource on himself.

Mira was another possibility. But after thinking about it carefully, Xavier rejected that option too. Her immediate problems were already clear. Her damaged foundation needed to be repaired. Her strength was behaving strangely whenever she practiced. And, most importantly, the unusual magical constitution hidden within her body still needed to awaken. The Awakening Elixir could improve her comprehension, but there was no guarantee it would solve any of those problems.

Xavier’s gaze sharpened. That left only one option.

Exchange it.

There had to be another Tier 5 elixir that could directly help Mira. And he already knew exactly what he wanted.

The Astral Awakening Elixir. It was said to possess the ability to awaken a person’s dormant magical constitution. Someone without a special constitution could consume it, but much of its potential would be wasted.

Mira was different. The system had already identified the extraordinary constitution hidden within her. All she lacked was the right trigger. If the Astral Awakening Elixir could awaken it, then everything could change.

Xavier didn’t know exactly what abilities Mira’s constitution would grant her. But anything classified as a rare, innate magical constitution was bound to be extraordinary. He needs to find a way to awaken that dormant bloodline.

His decision was made. The only problem now was obtaining the elixir.

Xavier leaned back and thought carefully. Arcadia Academy might possess an Astral Awakening Elixir. But that didn’t mean he could simply walk into the academy and exchange for one. The system’s exchange mechanism had its own limitations, and he couldn’t rely on luck to eventually receive the exact reward he needed.

There was also another problem. The Sinclair family. The fewer people who knew about Mira’s condition and his resources, the better.

Xavier eventually thought of someone else.

Evelyn.

She came from a wealthy and influential family, and she had already proven that she was willing to conduct private exchanges with him. More importantly, she wouldn’t need to know what he intended to do with the elixir.

Xavier picked up his phone. After thinking for a moment, he opened their conversation and typed a message.

Xavier: Miss Evelyn, would you be interested in a Tier 5 elixir? Specifically, an Awakening Elixir?

Evelyn Whitmore saw Xavier’s message a little after seven that evening.

The moment she read it, her expression changed.

A Fifth Tier elixir? More specifically, a Mind Awakening Elixir?

Evelyn stared at the message for several seconds. That was an extremely valuable item, even to someone from the Whitmore family. Compared with a treasure of this level, the breakthrough elixirs she usually fought to obtain were almost insignificant.

But her excitement was quickly replaced by suspicion.

Where did Xavier get something like this?

He had only joined Arcadia Academy that day. He had also married Mira only yesterday. Yet somehow, he already possessed a Fifth Tier elixir that even the Whitmore family couldn’t easily obtain.

Evelyn had already looked into him. After meeting him at the academy, her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She had quietly asked someone to investigate his background, and the information had reached her soon afterward.

The lower tier elixirs Xavier had previously traded could still be explained. Perhaps they had been left behind by his parents. Perhaps his family had possessed some valuable resources before falling into decline.

But a Fifth Tier elixir was another matter entirely. Even the most accomplished alchemists in the region couldn’t produce such treasures casually.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes.

Could someone powerful be backing him?

Then she suddenly remembered Xavier’s new position. He had been assigned to the academy’s alchemy wing. One particular name immediately surfaced in her mind.

Gideon Lowell.

Could Xavier have some connection to him? It would explain why Gideon had accepted him as an apprentice despite rarely taking on new students.

But there was still a problem. Gideon was only a Fourth Tier alchemist. No matter how skilled he was, he shouldn’t have been capable of producing a Fifth Tier elixir yet.

So where had Xavier obtained this one?

Evelyn’s brows slowly furrowed. The more she investigated this man, the more questions appeared.

She suddenly remembered another strange detail. The owner of the Treasure Pavilion had told her that Xavier had sold several Second Tier elixirs the previous night. What made the situation strange was that Xavier had later purchased some of the same types of elixirs he had sold.

Why would anyone do that?

She couldn’t figure it out. But there was no denying that the elixirs were genuine. She had personally used one of the resources she obtained from him, so she knew their effects were real.

Evelyn eventually stopped trying to solve the mystery and looked back at her phone. She typed a reply.

"I’m interested. Are you selling it, or do you want something in exchange?" she wrote.

The response arrived soon after. Xavier didn’t want money. He wanted an exchange. A Fifth Tier Phoenix Awakening Elixir, along with three different Third Tier elixirs.

Evelyn’s eyes flickered.

So that was what he needed.

She quickly understood why Xavier had been collecting so many restorative resources. She knew about Mira’s condition, although the two women weren’t particularly close. It wasn’t difficult to guess who Xavier intended to use them on.

Evelyn couldn’t help but smile.

He really does care about his wife.

Regardless, the proposed exchange was too valuable to ignore. She immediately typed her response.

"I’ll make the trade, but I don’t have a Phoenix Awakening Elixir available right now. Give me until tomorrow afternoon," she wrote.

Evelyn had once used one herself, so she knew exactly how difficult it was to obtain. Fortunately, its effect could only be used once on the same person. She had no reason to keep another one for herself. For her, Xavier’s Mind Awakening Elixir was far more useful.

"Tomorrow afternoon works," came the reply.

Once the deal was confirmed, Evelyn immediately stood up. She had made her decision. She would find a way to obtain the Phoenix Awakening Elixir.

There was another reason she was taking this transaction seriously.

Whether Xavier had inherited his resources, obtained them through Gideon, or had some completely different source, one thing was becoming increasingly clear. He had access to treasures that ordinary people could never obtain.

If today’s transaction went smoothly, there might be many more opportunities to trade with him later.

Evelyn also understood why Xavier had approached her. He didn’t want news of his resources spreading throughout the academy. That was perfectly reasonable. Someone capable of producing or obtaining rare high tier elixirs would inevitably attract attention from powerful families and organizations. Xavier needed someone who could keep their transactions private.

Evelyn intended to show him that she could be trusted.

With that thought, she left her room to speak with her father. She needed to find that Phoenix Awakening Elixir.

Meanwhile, Xavier put his phone away and leaned against the headboard. The trade had been settled. But instead of feeling completely relieved, he found himself thinking about something else.