A Primordial Fiend Always Comes with a Rare Treasure

"Pfft—"

When the surrounding cultivators saw the stone Ye Xingchen had chosen, several of them failed to hold it in and burst out laughing.

That stone was simply too "exceptional."

Not only did it look atrocious, its surface was covered in weathered cracks. One corner of the stone skin was even missing, exposing the dull gray rock beneath.

In the Source Arts Realm, stones like this were called "Blank-Slate Baleful Intent," the quintessential trash among trash. One glance was enough to sentence them to death.

"Is this kid here to make a joke of himself?"

"Using this piece of junk to provoke Master Ghost Hand? Is he tired of living?"

"I think he's doing it on purpose, trying to draw attention!"

"..."

The discussions rose and fell without end.

Shen Wanshan laughed even more sinisterly and pointed at Zuo Tianhe. "Zuo Tianhe, this is the master you invited? Looks more like you invited a joke!"

Zuo Tianhe's face turned livid, his knuckles clenched white, yet he had no way to refute him.

Zhang Sanqian did not laugh.

He stared at Ye Xingchen's faintly smiling face, and an inexplicable fury rose in his heart instead. It felt like an unrivaled master had prepared every ultimate move he possessed, only for his opponent to toss a lump of mud at him.

"Ignorant brat."

With a sweep of his long sleeve, Zhang Sanqian strode toward the cracked stone.

"Since you're so eager to stick your face out, this old man will grant your wish! Today, I'll show you what the methods of a Source Arts grandmaster truly are!"

He could not even be bothered to use a magical artifact. His withered palm rose, black mist curling around it.

Ghost Hand Seal!

With this strike, let alone a stone, even a steel plate would be reduced to powder.

"Hold it."

A languid voice, lazy to the bone, cut in.

Her red gown trailed across the ground, and a fragrant breeze followed in her wake. Nangong Yan walked over with graceful steps, her full chest half exposed and her alluring eyes like silk. Wherever she passed, many men swallowed hard, their gazes turning vacant.

The mistress of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, a Golden Core enchantress.

"Master Zhang, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion has its rules. Before a purchase is finalized, no cutting is allowed."

Nangong Yan's voice was soft and sweet, yet it carried an unquestionable pressure.

Zhang Sanqian paused, a flicker of apprehension passing through his eyes as he withdrew his hand. "This old man was too hasty. But this lousy stone..."

"Ten thousand Spirit Stones."

Ye Xingchen casually tossed out a bag of Spirit Stones. It landed on the table with a crisp clatter.

He looked at Nangong Yan and said calmly, "Money and goods exchanged, Pavilion Mistress Nangong. Is that acceptable?"

"Holy shit, he's really buying it? Ten thousand Spirit Stones for a brick?"

"Has this kid been charmed senseless by Pavilion Mistress Nangong? A textbook brain disease!"

"Money to burn. Diagnosis complete."

Nangong Yan narrowed her beautiful eyes.

This was the first time a man's gaze had remained so clear beneath her Charm Arts.

Yet inwardly, Ye Xingchen was in complete chaos, clicking his tongue in amazement. Now this was a peerless beauty in the mortal world!

Curves where there should be curves, slender where she should be slender, not an ounce of excess flesh. Skin tender enough to break with a breath, cherry lips plump and dewy.

This... this was fucking enough to topple nations!

"Fine. Since no one else has bid, this stone is yours!" Nangong Yan nodded slightly. "You may dispose of it as you wish!"

"Thank you!"

Ye Xingchen struck a pose he believed was suave.

Then he turned to Zhang Sanqian and made a gesture of invitation, a teasing smile on his lips. "Master Zhang, please. Just don't let your hand shake."

"Good! Very good!"

Zhang Sanqian laughed in extreme fury. His shriveled palm rose again. This time, the black mist was even denser, carrying a shrill howl of wind as it slammed down!

"Break for me!"

Everyone widened their eyes, waiting for the stone dust to fly.

However.

Thump!

A dull, strange sound suddenly erupted.

It was not the sound of stone breaking.

The noise was low and heavy, like some colossal creature at the bottom of an abyss slowly beating a war drum.

Or perhaps... a gigantic heart awakening at that very moment.

Zhang Sanqian's palm froze half an inch from the stone skin.

Nangong Yan's beautiful eyes flew wide open, every hair on her body standing on end.

The sharp light in Master Gu He's eyes instantly froze.

Even the Netherworld evil cultivator hired by the Shen Clan abruptly turned his head. His hollow eye sockets stared fixedly at the scrap stone, as though he had seen some great terror.

Zhang Sanqian felt it most deeply.

An indescribable chill burrowed in through his fingertips and instantly froze his meridians. It was not merely cold. It was an ancient, decayed, deathly stillness brimming with malice.

Thump!

The second sound rang out.

This time, it exploded directly in everyone's minds.

Zuo Xiaoqing, whose divine sense cultivation was somewhat weaker, instantly turned pale. Clutching her chest, she staggered back. She felt as though an invisible giant hand had ruthlessly clenched her heart.

The previously noisy crowd fell deathly silent in an instant. They looked at one another, uncertainty and alarm written across their faces.

"Did you hear that? Was that... a heartbeat?"

"It sounded like it came from that scrap stone!"

"Bullshit. How could a stone have a heartbeat? Did the damn thing become sentient?"

Ye Xingchen stood with his hands behind his back, purple light overflowing from his eyes.

In his vision, that dull gray stone had long since vanished, replaced by a blood-red fiendish radiance so dense it could not be dispersed.

Things that came from the Primordial Ancient Mine were always accompanied by great terror.

"Master Zhang."

The corner of Ye Xingchen's mouth curved into a mocking smile. "Why aren't you striking? Is your hand numb?"

How could Zhang Sanqian spare any thought to answer now?

Fear.

Boundless fear drowned him.

His palm seemed stuck to a magnet. The spiritual energy within his body was draining away madly, greedily devoured by that stone!

"Get off! Get the hell off!"

Zhang Sanqian screamed in terror, biting through the tip of his tongue and spraying a mouthful of essence blood onto his hand, attempting to break free with the power of Blood Escape.

Yet that mouthful of essence blood became his death warrant.

Sizzle—

The instant the blood touched the stone skin, it was like hot oil dripping into raging flames.

The cracks across the stone's surface suddenly burst open. A thick, foul-smelling red mist surged forth and instantly coiled around Zhang Sanqian's arm.

"Aah—!!"

A shriek of agony pierced the heavens.

Before everyone's eyes, Zhang Sanqian's prized "Ghost Hand" shriveled and rotted within the red mist at a visible speed. Flesh and skin turned into pus and dripped away, exposing ghastly white bones. Then even the bones began to blacken and crumble.

"Save me! Brother Gu He! Save me!!"

Zhang Sanqian's features twisted in agony as he frantically retreated, but that hand seemed to have grown onto the stone.

The change had happened too fast, so fast that everyone's minds went blank.

"Fiend!"

Gu He and Sky-Eye Daoist roared at the same time. A golden and a green stream of spiritual energy crashed into the red mist.

Boom!

The blast waves churned, and the red mist was shaken apart slightly.

Zhang Sanqian was a ruthless man as well. A vicious glint flashed through his eyes. His left hand turned into a blade and slashed viciously at his own right shoulder!

Splat!

Blood sprayed everywhere.

His severed arm hit the ground and was instantly swallowed by the red mist, leaving not even a scrap behind.

Zhang Sanqian was sent flying dozens of yards before crashing heavily to the ground. His right shoulder was a mangled mass of flesh, the wound blackened and giving off a nauseating stench of decay.

The entire scene fell silent.

Only the cracked stone remained quietly where it lay, red mist pulsing from its fissures like the eye of an evil ghost waiting to devour someone.

Those who had mocked Ye Xingchen moments ago were now pale as sheets, their teeth chattering.

This was scrap material?

This was clearly a murderous fiendish object!

Ye Xingchen lightly flicked dust that did not exist from his sleeve. His gaze swept over Zhang Sanqian, sprawled limply on the ground, and his voice remained calm as still water.

"Master Zhang, it seems those eyes of yours truly ought to be dug out."

"A primordial fiend always comes with a rare treasure."