Trading

Mysterious Yellow Pavilion, inner hall.

Completely unlike the magnificent splendor and roaring bustle outside, this place was more like a pure land hidden away from the world.

Sandalwood smoke curled through the air, serene and elegant. The four walls were all made of antique wood, hung with several ink-wash landscape paintings of profound artistic conception.

Spiritual Energy gathered into mist and drifted slowly across the floor. Each breath left one refreshed and clear-minded, with the faint sense that one's cultivation was improving.

Lu Guan, the mysterious Pavilion Master of the Mysterious Yellow Pavilion, was skillfully brewing a pot of spiritual tea. His movements flowed like clouds and running water, carrying a distinctive Dao rhythm. Raising a hand, he gestured. "Please, have a seat, you three."

Xuanyuan Che was the first to sit on a cushion opposite Lu Guan, his posture languid and casual. Yun Mengyao and Thunder Roar Ravine sat slightly behind him to either side, maintaining a measure of vigilance.

"Fine tea." Xuanyuan Che sniffed appreciatively, but his gaze fell upon Lu Guan's jade-like slender hands, as though he could see through those movements to the path of Spiritual Power circulating within them.

Lu Guan smiled faintly and pushed three cups of clear, emerald-green spiritual tea, fragrant enough to fill the air, before them. "Calm Heart Dao Comprehension Tea. Just a little trifle, barely enough to clear the mind and brighten the eyes, while benefiting the Divine Soul. Please, have a taste."

Thunder Roar Ravine lifted his cup and drained it in one huge gulp. Smacking his lips, he said, "Mm! Tasty! Just a little too—" Before he could finish, a surge of pure, gentle soul power spread from his abdomen and rushed straight into his sea of consciousness. He instantly felt invigorated, and the turbulent emotions stirred by the sky-high transaction he had just witnessed calmed considerably. His eyes widened as he realized this tea was anything but ordinary.

Yun Mengyao merely took a small sip, sensing the tranquil Dao rhythm contained in the tea. A trace of surprise flashed through her cool eyes. This tea had remarkable effects on cultivation, particularly in calming the mind and focusing the spirit when breaking through bottlenecks. Its value was likely no lower than that of most Earth Tier pills.

Xuanyuan Che raised his cup, lightly touched its wall with a fingertip, then set it back down. A barely perceptible smile lingered at his lips. "It is good tea, but the heat was overdone by half a measure. The vitality of the Azure Profound Spirit Leaves was damaged slightly. Otherwise, the Dao rhythm could have condensed another ten percent."

Lu Guan's hand holding the pot paused almost imperceptibly. A glint appeared in his eyes, and for the first time, the gentle smile on his face became somewhat solemn. "Young master has such profound knowledge of the tea Dao? Lu has learned much."

This tea was his own exclusive secret blend. It was already rare for ordinary people to taste its benefits; Xuanyuan Che was the first to identify the ingredients and even point out the flaw in the brewing heat at a glance. This was no longer merely tasting tea—it was insight approaching the Dao itself.

Xuanyuan Che waved a hand as though it were only natural. "I only know a little. Pavilion Master, you did not invite us here merely to serve us tea, did you?"

Lu Guan drew a deep breath and suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He knew that the young man before him was far from as simple as he appeared. With a wave of his hand, he set down a soundproof barrier, and his expression grew much more formal. "The three of you possess extraordinary bearing, especially this young master. Your eye is sharp enough to surpass even Lu's. Lu rashly invited you here because there is something I wish to trade with you for, young master."

"Oh? A trade?" Xuanyuan Che raised a brow, somewhat intrigued. "Let's hear it."

Lu Guan's gaze swept over the grayish-white stone Xuanyuan Che had casually placed to the side. "Does young master know what this piece of 'waste' you purchased is?"

"Something from the Abyss of Annihilation. There is a thread of Innate Power of Silence Origin hidden inside. It is pitifully weak, but the quality is decent." Xuanyuan Che spoke blandly, as if discussing something utterly insignificant.

The moment those words left his mouth, it was as if thunder had exploded within Lu Guan's mind. He shot to his feet, his face filled with incredulous shock!

Innate Power of Silence Origin!

He had known it was extraordinary, perhaps connected to the Power of Silence, but he had never known it was this extraordinary!

Yun Mengyao and Thunder Roar Ravine were equally shaken. An innate origin? That was the manifestation of the most fundamental and purest laws of power in heaven and earth. Even a single thread was enough to drive a Supreme mad! And it had been hidden inside such an unremarkable stone?

Only after several deep breaths did Lu Guan barely suppress the churning in his heart. He gave a bitter smile. "Young master truly is a divine man! Lu is impressed! Since that is the case, Lu shall speak frankly. The cultivation art Lu practices is unusual. I need powers related to silence and extinction to temper my Divine Soul and break through my bottleneck. This thread of Power of Silence Origin is of vital importance to Lu. Might young master be willing to part with it? Whatever young master desires, so long as Lu can accomplish it, I shall never refuse!"

His attitude was sincere, even carrying a trace of pleading.

Xuanyuan Che did not answer immediately. His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop as his gaze swept over Lu Guan, as though weighing something.

For a time, the inner hall fell silent, with only the tea fragrance curling through the air.

Thunder Roar Ravine looked at his junior brother and only felt that his figure was incomparably lofty at that moment, even more mysterious than their own master.

"This thing," Xuanyuan Che finally said, breaking the silence, "is quite a novel toy to me."

Lu Guan's mouth twitched, but the anticipation in his eyes only grew stronger.

"However," Xuanyuan Che changed tack, "it is not impossible to give it to you. But I have no interest in spirit stones or magical treasures."

"Please state your terms, young master!" Lu Guan immediately said.

"Two conditions." Xuanyuan Che held up two fingers. "First, I need someone to run errands and gather information. I see that your Mysterious Yellow Pavilion is spread throughout the Central Continent and well-informed, so it is just right."

Lu Guan did not hesitate. "Agreed! From today onward, young master shall be the most honored guest elder of my Mysterious Yellow Pavilion, with authority equal to that of an elder of the pavilion. You may mobilize the Mysterious Yellow Pavilion's intelligence resources!" He directly took out a violet-gold token. The front bore the words "Mysterious Yellow," while the reverse bore an image of a pavilion wreathed in clouds and mist. He handed it to Xuanyuan Che.

Xuanyuan Che casually accepted it, weighed it in his hand, and tucked it into his robes.

"Second." Xuanyuan Che pointed at the enormous Dragon Scale Stone. "Open this thing for me right now."

If you cannot find a book by searching its title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

Lu Guan froze, not expecting the second condition to be so simple. He immediately agreed. "What difficulty is that?" With a sweep of his sleeve, the enormous Dragon Scale Stone appeared in the open space of the inner hall.

"Does young master wish to cut the stone open here?"

"Here is fine. It is quiet." Xuanyuan Che nodded.

Lu Guan's expression sharpened as he walked before the Dragon Scale Stone. He used no tools. Instead, he held two fingers together like a blade, intensely condensed spiritual radiance flickering from his fingertips as he carefully began cutting from the edge of the stone's outer layer.

The control granted by his Saint King cultivation was displayed to the fullest at that moment. Stone chips flew everywhere, yet he did not damage in the slightest any spiritual object that might be hidden within.

Yun Mengyao and Thunder Roar Ravine both held their breaths as they watched. After all, this was a king of stones purchased for ten million High-grade Spirit Stones. They were both extremely curious about what it contained.

Only Xuanyuan Che remained as steady as an old dog, leisurely sipping tea as though he had long known the result.

Crack...

As the stone's outer layer was continuously peeled away, radiance gradually shone out from within the Dragon Scale Stone.

It was first fiery red, then shifted into deep azure, before transforming into a warm jade-green... The light changed constantly, while an incomparably rich life essence mixed with an ancient Bloodline Pressure spread through the air!

"This is... such powerful life energy! And Bloodline Pressure!" Thunder Roar Ravine cried out.

Lu Guan's eyes grew increasingly astonished, and his movements quickened.

At last, the final layer of stone was shaved away.

Dazzling seven-colored divine light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire inner hall in a dreamlike haze!

A strange crystal the size of an infant's fist floated in midair, perfectly round, its surface naturally patterned with dragon-scale-like markings. Within the crystal, it was as though a miniature seven-colored river of stars had been sealed away, flowing slowly in breathtaking splendor. The vast life essence and ancient pressure were emanating from it!

"Seven-Colored Divine Marrow! And Dragon Scale Divine Marrow containing a thread of Ancient Heavenly Dragon Bloodline!" Lu Guan blurted out, his face filled with shock. "This thing... this thing is enough to move even Supremes. It can rebuild one's foundation and extend one's lifespan by ten thousand years! It can even purify dragon bloodlines. Its value is beyond measure!"

The way he looked at Xuanyuan Che had completely changed. This young man had not only seen through the Power of Silence Origin at a glance, but had even known everything about the core of this Dragon Scale Stone, which had been isolated by a special stone layer and was beyond even Lu Guan's ability to inspect. What heaven-defying eyesight was this?!

Yun Mengyao and Thunder Roar Ravine were dumbfounded as well. Ten million High-grade Spirit Stones for this divine marrow? It was not merely a bargain—it was a blood-soaked windfall! Countless great powers could bankrupt themselves and still fail to obtain such a divine object!

"Passable, I suppose. It can just about be used to feed a dog." Xuanyuan Che muttered.

"Feed... feed a dog?" Lu Guan staggered, nearly thinking he had misheard. Feeding a dog Seven-Colored Dragon Scale Marrow that could arouse the interest of a Supreme?! Were those even human words?!

Yun Mengyao pressed a hand to her forehead. She had already become somewhat immune to her junior brother's habit of never speaking without shocking the world.

Thunder Roar Ravine, meanwhile, was thinking frantically. Since when did his junior brother keep a dog? What sort of dog could eat that?!

Xuanyuan Che ignored their shock, put away the divine marrow, then picked up the grayish-white stone. Chaos Qi curled around his fingertips as he gave it a light tap.

The stone's outer layer instantly turned to powder, revealing a crystal no larger than a fingernail, entirely black, as though it could devour all light. The instant it appeared, the entire inner hall dimmed. A terrifying Dao rhythm of all things ending and returning to desolation spread forth, making Lu Guan, Yun Mengyao, and Thunder Roar Ravine feel a stabbing pain in their Divine Souls, as though they were about to be annihilated.

A faint Chaos light glowed from Xuanyuan Che's fingertips, firmly sealing the aura of that thread of Innate Power of Silence Origin within a tiny space. He then tossed it to Lu Guan. "Here. What you wanted."

Lu Guan caught it, feeling the Power of Silence that made his Divine Soul tremble. He bowed deeply to Xuanyuan Che. "Thank you, young master, for granting my wish! Lu shall remember this favor in his heart."

With this item, the bottleneck that had trapped him for many years finally had hope of being broken through!

"It is only a trade." Xuanyuan Che smiled faintly. "If there is nothing else, we will be leaving first."

"Please wait, young master!" Lu Guan hurriedly called after him and took out another Jade Slip. "In three days, the Xuanhuang Academy Grand Competition will officially begin. This competition differs from previous years. It is said to involve an enormous opportunity, perhaps even something related to the Ancient Sacred Institute. Lu has collected information on the foremost heavenly prides of the major academies. It may be of some help to young master."

"Ancient Sacred Institute?" Xuanyuan Che accepted the Jade Slip and swept it with his spiritual sense. The contents were indeed far more detailed than what the academy had provided, especially the notes on several opponents who required special attention.

"Yes. It is a legendary place, said to contain an opportunity to become an emperor, and it only opens once every vast stretch of time. This grand competition may be one of the selections for entry into the Sacred Institute." Lu Guan explained, "If young master is interested, you must seize first place in this competition."

Lu Guan had now concluded that Xuanyuan Che was the disciple of some peerless great power. He could not discern Xuanyuan Che's cultivation, and even the burly attendant beside him and his senior sister gave him an inexplicable sense of danger.

"Interesting." Xuanyuan Che rubbed his chin, a trace of interest flashing through his eyes. Becoming a saint or emperor was as easy as eating and drinking to him, but an opportunity that could make the Lower Realm take it so seriously surely would not be boring.

"Oh, right, young master." As though recalling something, Lu Guan added, "You must beware of one person—the Xiao Family of the Central Continent's Ancient Noble Families, this generation's 'Sword Child,' Xiao Wuji. He has trained abroad for years and only recently returned to his clan. His strength is unfathomable. It was rumored that he had already reached the half-step Saint Realm several years ago, and he possesses the Indestructible Sword Body. On the Earth Ranking of the Heavenly Pride Ranking, he is ranked... eleventh!"

At the request of many readers, an ad-free VIP membership function has now been introduced.

Click to view