Transmigrated with a Demon-Refining Pot: Hehehe, Refine in an instant

This should be the best batch of raw liquid that Ron has ever refined.

It was about the same as the dozen or so high-level orcs he had stored up on the orc battlefield last time, but this time the quantity was much larger, enough to fill a small bottle.

With the accumulation of these past few months, Ron's body is now ready to advance to the next level, reaching the mid-stage of the first tier.

Formal knights still need to cultivate their fighting spirit and strengthen their fighting spirit vortex.

Once the limit is reached, there are two main methods to break through to level two.

The first method is to find a monster with the same attributes and train it as a mount.

Riders can temper their battle aura by riding magical beasts. Magical beasts are born with attribute talents, and after connecting with the battle aura of their mounts, riders can access purer attribute powers.

The degree of refinement indicates how far he has progressed in the Great Knight stage.

The advantage is that it's relatively stable, with a promotion path that has been proven by predecessors.

The downside is that suitable monster mounts are hard to find; it's best to raise them from a young age.

The second method is to find a magical beast with excellent attribute potential, extract its bloodline and integrate it into oneself, and walk the path of a bloodline knight.

As long as you can withstand the backlash from your bloodline, you can successfully break through to level two.

The advantage is that you can progress significantly in level 2, and you only need to improve your matchmaking and skill proficiency.

The downside is that subsequent advancement will be troublesome. One will need to find a similar magical beast to fuse their bloodline with again.

Different categories won't work. And each time they're combined, the backlash gets stronger.

After reaching the second-tier limit, the goal is to break through to become a third-tier knight.

You must master the higher-level methods of using attributes.

Finding a mythical beast is the most convenient option; both choices are viable.

Besides, there is another shortcut: directly engage in a mental battle with a dragon and become a dragon knight. This will allow you to progress freely from the second tier onwards.

The main focus is on cultivating the laws of the dragon attribute, but other attributes can also be cultivated incidentally.

These are still quite far from Ron's current level; he is currently just a first-tier, early-stage knight.

At best, relying on physical strength, one can reach the mid-stage of the first tier.

The next two days passed peacefully.

Until they encountered another group of uninvited guests.

Abaddon stood at the bow of the ship and shouted:

"Sir! Something else has emerged from the sea!"

The people on the ship immediately tensed up, and Hart even picked up his sword, ready to fight.

Ron looked in the direction Abaddon was pointing.

On the distant sea, several thin white lines left long trails on the water. The white lines moved quickly, heading towards the ship.

Marco's expression relaxed: "Naga! My lord, this is Naga, no need to be nervous."

Ron looked at him with suspicion, but it made his men lower their guard.

Marco explained, "The Naga are a common marine intelligent race in the Whirlpool Sea, and they live in tribal groups."

"They fought for territory with other sea creatures, and different tribes would also wage war against each other."

The route we're taking should be passing through the territory of this Naga tribe.

They would charge passing ships gold coins.

Ron found it amusing: "Isn't this just setting up a roadblock?"

"What will happen if you don't hand it in?"

Marco looked terrified: "If we don't pay, they'll hide under the ship and drill a big hole in it. And they live in groups; if you hit one, a whole swarm will come. That's why everyone who sails pays a toll."

The voice just fell.

The water surface cracked open, and several figures emerged.

It has a human upper body and a snake lower body, with its skin covered in fine scales. The leader's scales are dark green, and it has octopus-like tentacles under its mouth.

He held a trident in his hand, its tip engraved with twisted runes. Behind him followed five or six others, all carrying short spears.

"Stop!"

The male Naga leader had a high-pitched, thin voice, like metal scraping against stone.

The boat slowed down.

Ron walked to the ship's side and looked down at the Naga.

"Toll fee," Nana said curtly.

"How much?" Ron asked.

"Twenty Golden Dragons".

Cohen nodded behind him, indicating that it was a normal price.

Ron took out his money pouch from his pocket, counted out twenty gold dragons, and threw them down.

The Naga caught it, examined it, and nodded in satisfaction. Then she led her men into the water, and Ron watched them swim near the ship.

He asked, puzzled, "What are you doing?"

Marco whispered, "Sir, once they've received the money, they'll protect the merchant ships as they leave their territory, and try their best to prevent any accidents from happening on their land."

"In the past, some tribes didn't follow the rules. They would not only charge money, but also rob merchant ships if they carried a lot of goods. After this happened many times, merchant ships stopped passing through those areas. So, this rule has been established now."

Ron nodded. Having rules makes things easier.

After leaving the Naga's seas, nothing new or exciting happened again.

The number of merchant ships encountered on the sea gradually increased.

We've arrived at Violet Sea City.

By the time the boat docked, it was almost dark.

The docks of Violet Sea City were much larger than Ron had imagined.

The breakwater stretches far out, enclosing a bay and turning it into a natural harbor. The docks are lined with masts, and ships of all sizes are crowded together, like a bald forest.

The crane creaked and groaned as it lifted the cargo containers off the ship. The porters carried the containers and ran on the gangplank, the smells of sweat and fish mingling and being carried away by the sea breeze.

Abaddon stood on the ship's railing, watching it all unfold. He had never seen so many ships, nor so many people.

The dock was bustling with people: merchants in robes, shirtless sailors, and customs officers in uniforms, checking each cargo container with their notebooks.

"Sir, this city is huge."

Abaddon lay on the gunwale, his eyes wide open. He was no longer seasick, full of energy, and everything seemed new and exciting to him.

Hart walked over and whispered:

"Sir, I'll go and process the port entry formalities. Captain Marco said that the auction invitation can be exempted from inspection."

Ron nodded and handed him the invitation. Hart disembarked and returned shortly after, followed by a uniformed customs officer with a beaming smile.

"Baron Ron, welcome, welcome." The man bowed.

"Your boat is docked here; there's no berthing fee. Would you like me to help you find accommodation?"

Ron glanced at him: "Are there any hotels around here?"

Yes, yes.

The man pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, on which were listed the names and addresses of several hotels.

"These are all good options, and they're close to the auction venue. However, if you'd like some peace and quiet, there are manors available for rent outside the city, though they're a bit far."

Ron thought for a moment: "Let's rent a yard, it'll be quieter."

The man nodded and circled a few addresses on the paper:

"These are good ones, each with a large courtyard that can accommodate more than a dozen people. They're also not far from the auction venue, only a fifteen-minute walk away. Five gold dragons a day."

Ron handed over the money, and the man called over a helper who led them to choose a place to stay.

After disembarking, Ron led his men into the city.

The dock connects to a wide stone-paved road lined with warehouses and shops on both sides. Further in, the street narrows but becomes more bustling.

Taverns, inns, blacksmith shops, and nightingale houses stood side by side.

The signs hung above the doors, some depicting wine glasses, some hammers, and some were so bright white they made people dizzy.

There were many people on the road. There were well-dressed merchants, porters carrying crates, and several mercenaries in armor, who swaggered down the middle of the road, and everyone avoided them.

Several street performers were squatting by the roadside; one was playing the flute, and another was twirling snakes, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.

The commercial atmosphere was a bustling vibe that Ron couldn't experience in the frontier.

In the Bronze Duchy, only the capital city of Adrian can rival its prosperity.

Aiba walked slowly, looking around, and almost bumped into people several times.

"Sir, what's that?" He pointed to a sign in front of a shop that showed a roasted chicken.

"Roast chicken shop."

"Is it edible?"

"You can eat anything if you have money."

Abaddon patted his pockets and remained silent.

They tossed him a few silver coins, and suddenly they had a roasted chicken in their hands.

"It's my first time in town, it's all new and exciting," Ron said.

They continued walking along the stone-paved road. The further they went, the wider the street became, and the more magnificent the houses grew.

The shops on both sides were no longer general stores and taverns, but silk shops, jewelry stores, and weapon shops, and the items displayed in the windows looked expensive.

The pedestrians on the street have changed. They are no longer shirtless sailors and dirty porters, but well-dressed gentlemen and ladies, walking slowly with their dogs and waving fans.

Ron glanced down at his clothes. They weren't bad, but compared to these people, they looked shabby. He didn't care and continued walking.

The man led them into an alley and pushed open a wooden door.

Inside is a courtyard of three or four hundred square meters, facing a two-story building, with a dozen or so side rooms on the side.

There is an old tree in the courtyard, and stone tables and benches are placed under the tree. Although they are old, they are kept clean.

There's also a crabapple tree nearby, in full bloom!

"Sir, this is it." The waiter handed over the key.

"The kitchen has rice, oil, and salt; you can buy groceries at the street corner. If you need anything, just let me know."

Ron walked around the yard and was fairly satisfied.

There are three bedrooms upstairs, and the hall downstairs is large enough to seat more than a dozen people. The side rooms are perfect for the subordinates.

Hart and his men began packing and moving things from the ship.

After settling in, it was already getting dark.

Ron called Hart over:

"Go to the auction venue and see if you can find out the list of items to be auctioned."

Hart responded, changed into some inconspicuous clothes, and went out.

Ron sat at the stone table in the yard, watching the shadows of the trees overhead. The sunset was fading, and the stars were beginning to twinkle.

I didn't bring any servants this time, as I'm not familiar with the situation yet.

He could only keep Abad company while he ate roast chicken.

The two of them finished their dinner just like that.

When Hart returned, it was already completely dark.

"Sir, we've found out everything." He lowered his voice.

"The auction will be held in three days at the Violet Trading Company in the city center. It will last for two days. The first day will feature ordinary treasures, and the grand finale will be on the second day."

"I've found out about most of the items up for auction; here's the list."

He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, covered in dense writing. Ron took it and glanced at it:

Magic metal armor, alchemical shield, battle aura condensation potion...

There are also high-quality slaves being auctioned.

These are all good items, but these can only be considered ordinary goods at the auction. There are also about ten mysterious items.

These are the treasures that attract so many nobles every year.

Ron placed the list on the stone table and leaned back in his chair. "So, we'll be fine for the next three days?"

Hart thought for a moment: "I heard there's a trading market here, and a lot of people set up stalls there before and after the auction."

"There are many rumors that some people have found some treasures by chance."

Ron became interested: "Let's go check it out tomorrow."

The next morning, Ron took Hart and the others out.

The city of Violet Sea is more bustling during the day than at night, and as the auction approaches, more and more nobles are arriving.

This is a rare annual celebration for businesses.

Sure enough, there was a trading market next to the auction venue, with a row of tents set up and people coming and going. Some people were hawking their goods, while others were haggling over prices.

Ron strolled around slowly, finding it quite interesting.

Merchant A: I acquired this item from a fallen noble family. I'll sell it to you cheaply for 998 gold dragons.

Buyer: Really? I'm so lucky.

Another stall.

Buyer B: Boss, I think your stuff is alright, I'll take it all. And give me these few pieces of junk as a bonus.

Boss: Uh-oh, well! Okay!

After completing the transaction, the two exchanged knowing smiles.

......

As Ron watched the various performances in the market, he felt as if he had been transported back to the moment when he sold a Shang and Zhou bronze artifact for 388,000.

Ron no longer had any expectations for this market; he was just treating it as a joke.

I walked around for most of the hour. Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly felt a lightness around my waist.

Ron didn't turn around, but stretched his hand behind him and grabbed one of his wrists.

Her wrist was very thin, and it stiffened abruptly after he grabbed it.

Ron turned around.

Before me stood a young woman, dressed in a long robe and wearing a hood.

Ron blurted out after seeing it clearly:

"Huh, a little pink-haired girl!!!"