The Dawn of the New World Chapter 1603

They briefly stared at each other in awkward silence before Hao Xuan cleared his throat to explain.

*Ahem*

"I do need something...just don't know what it is yet...haha..."

Hao Xuan couldn't see his face, but somehow, he got the feeling that the curator was smiling at him.

"There is a tool for every problem," he responded calmly.

Hao Xuan chuckled, "I would be curious to see what kind of a tool solves an unknown problem."

The curator waved his 'hand' and an object flew over from one of the tables in the back and landed on the counter.

"Thisss will help..."

Hao Xuan picked it up out of curiosity but upon closer examination his brow shot up in astonishment.

"This can't be what I think it is...that's not possible..."

It was an extremely old broken compass with most of the letters and numbers smeared away. The metallic needle moved freely with a single pin holding it down.

The Curator sounded quite satisfied with Hao Xuan's reaction.

"You know of it," he raspily commented.

"Yes but...I didn't think it was real!" Hao Xuan exclaimed, "On earth- the world I was born in, they made movies about this!"

He looked at the curator with a burning gaze, "Does it really do what I think it does?"

The Curator nodded in response, "It will lead you towards your innermost desires."

'!!!'

Hao Xuan was beyond ecstatic holding such a legendary item but his joy quickly faded when he realized that it would cost more than just an arm and a leg to acquire.

He placed it back on the counter and pushed it away, "I don't think I can afford this."

"Hehehe, you cannot," the Curator openly admitted it, "And I am not selling it to you."

Hao Xuan's brow furrowed.

'??'

"I don't understand- if you don't want to sell it to me then why bring it out?"

The Curator motioned towards his shop like an old man showing off his garden.

"I am simply the custodian of these wonderful mysteries. They have minds and personalities of their own and sometimes- sometimes they long for the outside world, to once again experience its mortal ways. The compass wishes to find a new master and...you will help."

He passed the compass back to Hao Xuan, "In return for your service you may call upon it thrice. Once the price has been paid it will find its way to its new owner."

Hao Xuan's eyes glittered like diamonds, "So it will give me three wishes and then...disappear?"

"Yes-" the Curator confirmed but added another MUCH needed detail, "-but since you are not its true owner the compass can choose to deny your request."

"Huh? So it will only work when it WANTS to work??"

"That is so..."

"Ohh...well, I guess we'll see what happens then," Hao Xuan stored the compass away for the time being and took out the piece of substrate he had gotten earlier. (Ch 1574)

"I want to unseal this and sell whatever is inside if you have the facilities for it."

Vlitgar returned to the counter just in time to peer at the substrate alongside the Curator.

"Hoh, I didn't take you for a gambler brother Jin. That is not a good habit," he shook his head while throwing a small yellow horn on the table, "This is for the armor."

Hao Xuan could smell an intense demonic Qi coming from the horn.

'Going by the intensity of its energy, it probably still has a demon sealed inside,' he thought inwardly.

The curator threw the horn over his shoulder as if it were a commonplace object and redirected his attention to the substrate.

"Luck is on your side," he mumbled with a hint of fascination.

The counter began to extend lengthwise while magical runes lit up all along the edges. A bright pink bubble popped up in the middle and the substrate began to peel away like bark.

The process was much faster lasting only 15 seconds or so but the end result was anything but ordinary.

The unsealed object appeared to be a small part of some machinery. It was a silver metal prong with a series of indecipherable runes carved on the inside. It held the rough shape of an elongated sphere on the bottom with some torn wires and gears visible.

"That's a first," Vlitgar muttered incredulously, "I have no knowledge of this...thing."

But that wasn't the case for the Curator who was eager to get his hands on it.

"The missing piece! I will buy, name your price!"

"....."

Hao Xuan drew a blank. As curious as he was about its origin he needed some spending gold right now.

"I'm not sure what it's worth. Can you make an offer?"

The Curator reached under the counter and pulled out a jewelry box filled to the top.

"Take your pick!" he said with open arms.