Old Cooper nodded and took the iron ring aside to study it. Through the lens in his hand, he carefully examined the iron ring, then searched the bookshelf for reference materials.

Seeing Old Cooper so busy, Ryan Bennett was a bit curious. Isn’t it just an iron ring? Is it really worth being so cautious? Could it be that this iron ring is actually something extraordinary?

Since that female apprentice couldn’t identify it, it proved that this item must at least be a piece of purple-grade equipment or higher!

Could it really be so? Ryan Bennett couldn’t help but feel excited, all his previous frustration swept away. If it really was a purple-grade or higher piece of equipment, he’d have struck it rich!

A high-level purple item would cost at least several thousand gold coins! Even the worst purple item could sell for several hundred gold coins.

Ryan Bennett couldn’t help but look forward to seeing what attributes this ring would have.

Old Cooper found an ancient-looking book on the bookshelf, quickly flipped to the end, and finally found an illustration of a ring in the book. The illustration was exactly the same as the iron ring!

Could it be that this iron ring even has a name?

Equipment with a name is at least legendary or epic grade!

Ryan Bennett’s heart was pounding, eagerly awaiting Old Cooper’s answer.

Volume One: The Legendary Debut

Chapter Eight: The Hilaire Demon Ring

Old Cooper took a reagent bottle from the bookshelf, which contained a pale blue liquid. He then took a cloth, dipped it in the liquid, and carefully wiped the iron ring. The rust on the ring slowly dissolved, finally revealing its original luster. The deep black ring emitted a strange, bewitching glow. Even though it hadn’t been fully appraised yet, just by its appearance, it was clear this ring was anything but ordinary.

Without even looking up, Old Cooper said, “Appraisal fee: six hundred seventy-five gold coins.”

Ryan Bennett almost spat blood. Good heavens, is there no justice? Six hundred seventy-five gold coins could buy a low-attribute purple item! Ordinary blue or green items can be appraised for just a few or a few dozen silver coins, and even a purple item only costs a few gold coins. If it’s a few dozen gold coins, the attributes are already quite good. But appraising this ring costs six hundred seventy-five gold coins!

Ryan Bennett hesitated for a moment. Should he really spend this money? What if the appraisal reveals poor attributes? But if the attributes are good, and using the usual value-to-appraisal price ratio of 100:1, this ring would be worth over sixty thousand gold coins? At such a price, even if it were put on the market, few could afford it!

After pondering for a long time, Ryan Bennett finally decided to go through with the appraisal. If he couldn’t use it himself, he could always sell it at a low price. Selling this ring would give him enough money to buy a mechanical imp and start leveling up. Ryan Bennett couldn’t help but feel excited.

After paying the six hundred seventy-five gold coins, Old Cooper finally began the appraisal process.

Old Cooper was completely focused, continuously wiping the iron ring with various reagents. The ring gradually emitted a dim, black light, like the eyes of a demon, drawing people in.

Ryan Bennett was secretly shocked. This ring exuded a terrifying demonic aura. As a warlock, he wasn’t afraid of demonic energy—after all, warlocks served demons.

The iron ring burned with black flames, the entire ring shrouded in a searing blaze, dazzling and eye-catching.

After carefully finishing the cleaning, Old Cooper let out a sigh of relief and tossed the iron ring to Ryan Bennett.

System: You have obtained the Hilaire Demon Ring.

Hilaire Demon Ring: Epic grade. Forms a contract with a demon, granting the talents of Demon Warlock, Destruction Warlock, and Pain Warlock.

System: Do you wish to bind it?

For a moment, Ryan Bennett felt a bit dazed. This ring had no attributes at all—what did that even mean? Ryan Bennett vaguely remembered that Hilaire was one of the first warlocks to form a contract with a demon, the founding ancestor of warlocks. Back then, to resist the crusade of the human nation Erathia, Hilaire and his followers made pacts with demons, gaining immense power. In the end, they won the Battle of Eddings, signed a truce with Erathia, and Bracada submitted to Erathia, paying annual tribute in exchange for peace. Warlocks were then accepted by the human nations.

“Young man, you’re lucky. This is an epic-grade item. Once you bind it, you can dual-class as a three-path demon contract warlock and a mechanical alchemist. You’ll be able to learn all the skills of these professions, and all talent attribute bonuses will be based on the highest value,” said Old Grant, closing the ancient book on the table and putting it back on the shelf. “This is the best warlock equipment I’ve seen, second only to the artifact Natalio’s Ring.”

It took Ryan Bennett a while to process it. Wearing this ring was equivalent to gaining three demon-class professions. Ryan Bennett was utterly astonished—how could such an overpowered item exist in the world? Demon Warlocks and Destruction Warlocks have five times the spell damage bonus of Alchemists. Alchemists gain a 0.2% spell damage increase per level, while Demon and Destruction Warlocks gain 1% per level. If you take the highest value, Ryan Bennett would get a 1% spell damage increase per level, allowing him to fight like an ordinary three-path warlock.

In addition, Ryan Bennett could also learn all the skills of Demon Warlock, Destruction Warlock, and Pain Warlock.