Holy City Specialties You Can't Miss

Holy City Specialties You Can't Miss

The Northern Territory was a world of Source. Many businesses revolved around Source, and the most popular of them all was cutting Source Stones in stone workshops.

The major holy lands and aristocratic families would bring Source Stones that could not be seen through by conventional means to their own stone workshops to sell. Cultivators spent Source to buy them and cut them open.

Some Source Stones might contain peerless treasures. Even Immortal Metal and divine medicines could be cut out, allowing cultivators to become rich overnight.

Some Source Stones... contained absolutely nothing, and the Source spent on them went straight down the drain.

One cut led to heaven, another to hell.

Since ancient times, those who had cut out immortal treasures and divine artifacts had been few and far between. The vast majority gained nothing and could only afford a house on the rooftop.

Yet countless people still enjoyed stone workshops tirelessly.

What if it was my turn to get rich overnight?

And cutting stones was not entirely about luck. Some people had mastered special methods that allowed them to observe and identify stones, increasing the odds of finding something to a certain extent.

That method was Origin Technique.

The four great Source Arts Families and the Source King Lineage were the leading authorities in this field and were highly sought after.

The Four Symbols Stone Workshop was enormous, with pavilions, towers, artificial hills, and lakes. It was elegant and otherworldly.

The stone workshop was divided into layer upon layer of courtyards, with Source Stones of various sizes and shapes placed everywhere.

Qin Sheng strolled through the first courtyard, carefully examining the Source Stones and judging them with the Origin Technique he had learned.

"Spiritual energy spills from the surface. It looks like it contains some great fortune, but it is all appearance. There is most likely nothing inside."

"This Source Stone is naturally refined and quite extraordinary. Hmm? The earthly energy is not harmonious. In this case... damn it, the Four Symbols Holy Land is truly shameless. They reassembled Source Stones that had already been cut open and put them back out for sale, complete with special effects."

Qin Sheng silently reached conclusions about the Source Stones. Some he could see through, while others he could not.

After looking for a while, he sighed inwardly.

"What a black-hearted business. Ninety-nine out of a hundred Source Stones are empty. The remaining one may contain something, but even if you cut it open, you probably will not recover the cost."

Qin Sheng beckoned a servant over and asked, "How are the Source Stones here priced?"

"A Source Stone weighing a thousand jin is priced at one jin of Source," the servant replied.

"Source Stones of this grade are priced this way in nearly every stone workshop in the Holy City. Please rest assured, guest, the Four Symbols Stone Workshop is absolutely trustworthy."

Qin Sheng nodded and sent the servant away, then continued studying the Source Stones.

About a quarter of an hour later, Qin Sheng made his move. He spent five jin of Source to buy five Source Stones and asked one of the workshop masters to cut them open.

This drew some people over to watch.

"Empty. There's nothing inside."

"This one is empty too."

"Still nothing. Young people are just too impulsive. He's suffered a huge loss this time."

Qin Sheng's expression remained calm.

"The fourth one produced nothing either. It seems the Holy City will gain another disappointed man today."

Only when the final stone was cut open did flowing light spill from within, revealing a large chunk of Source and causing an uproar.

"He hit it!"

"Gasp, that chunk of Source must weigh around fifteen jin. Not only did he not lose money, he made a huge profit!"

He had spent five jin of Source and recovered fifteen jin in a short time. He had indeed made a profit.

Qin Sheng smiled and nodded lightly.

Of the five Source Stones, Qin Sheng had been absolutely certain about two. One was empty, while the other was the one containing Source.

As for the other three, it was his first time observing such stones. His experience was insufficient, so he did not dare draw conclusions lightly.

He simply bought them all to see whether his judgments were correct. In any case, he would not lose money.

"Simply comprehending scriptures and actually putting them into practice really are quite different." Qin Sheng had gained quite a bit.

"Little brother, your luck is really good. Do you want to keep cutting stones?" someone asked.

One success out of five was clearly due to luck in their eyes.

"I'll take another look."

After that, Qin Sheng made several more purchases, using up all ten jin of Source he had earned, only to cut out nothing at all.

This made many people sigh in regret, but this was actually the norm for stone workshops.

Qin Sheng remained composed. His earlier selections had been more about verifying theory than earning Source, so he had deliberately chosen some particularly ambiguous Source Stones.

It was only a few jin of Source. He could afford the practice, and he had not even lost his initial capital.

At this time, Zhou Siyang and the others also returned from the Ji Family Stone Workshop.

"Junior Brother, you've already bought Source Stones?"

Qin Sheng glanced at him. "I just bought a few casually."

Some passersby explained Qin Sheng's results to them, making Zhou Siyang and the others laugh.

They had thought he was some kind of expert. Turns out he was just a nobody.

"Source Stones aren't something just anyone can handle," Bai Heming, the Candidate Saint Son of the Purple Mansion Holy Land, said with a light laugh.

"Indeed." Qin Sheng nodded in deep agreement.

"Fellow Daoist, you definitely wouldn't understand them."

Bai Heming's smile froze, but he soon recovered his composure and said,

"Brother Nangong is an unprecedented genius of a Source Arts Family."

"The problem is, you still don't understand."

"We gained quite a bit at the Ji Family Stone Workshop just now!"

"You still don't understand."

Bai Heming was beginning to lose it. He asked, "Do you know Origin Technique?"

Qin Sheng nodded. "I wouldn't dare say I'm proficient. I understand a little."

"Heh, you bought fifteen Source Stones and got something from one of them. That counts as understanding a little? Aren't you afraid the wind will make your tongue trip?" Bai Heming said.

"How about a contest? We each choose a few Source Stones and see whose cut yields something of greater value?"

"Why should I compete with you for no reason?" Qin Sheng asked in return.

Zhou Siyang smiled and tried to smooth things over. "It's just for fun."

"Since Senior Brother Zhou has spoken, it's not impossible. I'll give Senior Brother that face," Qin Sheng said.

"I heard the Purple Mansion Holy Land produces Innate Purple Qi. A complete strand of Innate Purple Qi can aid one's enlightenment. And Senior Brother Zhou surely has Azure Sun Treasure Pills on him. How about we use those two items as the stakes?"

The Azure Sun Treasure Pill was the Azure Sun Peak Master's exclusive secret medicine. Refining it required a large amount of vitality from that Immortal Platform expert.

This pill was enough to help a cultivator at the First Heaven of the Four Extremes accumulate most of the foundation needed to break through, aside from insights into enlightenment.

Even within the Shaking Light Holy Land, it was a rare treasure. After all, no one would demand that a peak master expend a great deal of vitality to refine pills that merely assisted Four Extremes disciples in cultivation. It was not worth it.

But Zhou Siyang definitely had some, because the Azure Sun Peak Master was his grandfather.

Upon hearing the stakes Qin Sheng demanded, Bai Heming became reluctant and transmitted his voice to Zhou Siyang.

"Brother Zhou, we agreed to help you take the edge off this brat's arrogance, but Innate Purple Qi is too precious. I only receive a little each year, and it took me five years to save up a complete strand."

"Does this Qin fellow even know Origin Technique? You'd better be sure."

Zhou Siyang replied, "He's only cultivated for a few years. Even if he knows some Origin Technique, could he possibly be better than Nangong Fang?"

"The results are right there. What are you still doubting? Relax, the advantage is ours. Bet against him!"

"Fine, I trust you!"

Bai Heming spoke up. "I accept."

Zhou Siyang put on a helpless expression. "Since Junior Brother Qin has put it that way, I'll join as well."

He sneered inwardly. I'm not competing with you in strength this time. But could you possibly surpass a genius from a Source Arts Family in Origin Technique?

Qin, if you really have that ability, I'll eat every Source Stone in the Four Symbols Stone Workshop!

I'll first collect a little interest today for the humiliation the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master inflicted upon Grandfather back then.

Grandfather, just watch!

"Who's gambling on stones?"

"So it's the youngsters from holy lands and aristocratic families. Good, good, good. Young people truly are high-spirited. This has some punch!"

"Interesting, interesting. Seeing them reminds me of those days. Back then, my brothers and I were just as passionate!"

This wager disturbed the people in the deeper courtyards. They all came out to join the excitement.

"Come, come, come! Place your bets! Who do you think will win?"

"Definitely the boy from the Nangong Family. Although people from Source Arts Families all hold their noses in the air, making you want to stick two scallions in them, they really do have skill."

"I'm betting on Nangong Fang."

"Me too!"

"..."

These bystanders were almost unanimously optimistic about Nangong Fang.

In an era without Source Heavenly Masters, Source Arts Families stood at the pinnacle of the field of Origin Technique. They were the authority.

Qin Sheng of Shaking Light?

They had heard of him. He was an exceptionally gifted genius whom even the Four Extremes Heavenly Tribulation could not do anything to.

But this was about Source Stones. Little Qin was still too green. He needed more practice!

Watching the bystanders around him grow even more excited than he, one of the parties involved, Qin Sheng felt somewhat speechless.

These people were not simple. There were supreme elders from holy lands, clan elders from ancient aristocratic families, and no shortage of experts in the Transformation into Dragon Secret Realm or even half-step great powers.

This was what Holy City stone workshops were like. Old fellows loved gathering here to watch the fun.

"Since all you seniors are so interested, why not come down and try your hands as well?" Qin Sheng called out loudly.

"Young man from Shaking Light, we only watch this sort of thing. We don't touch it."

An old man whose beard dragged across the ground waved his hand, his face full of melancholy.

"The Holy City is a gold-devouring den. Cutting stones ruins lives."

Many people came to stone workshops without actually buying Source Stones. They simply enjoyed watching others cut them open to satisfy their curiosity. The older they were, the more so. Unless they were truly certain, they would never participate.

It was not because they had strong self-control. It was because they had suffered crushing losses when they were young.

Zhou Siyang's group discussed things for a while, then he said,

"Junior Brother, you and Brother Bai will each choose three Source Stones. Whoever cuts out items with the greater total value wins. How about it?"

"Fine."

Nangong Fang spoke. "Let's go to the courtyards farther back. The Source Stones in the first courtyard are not worth much."

Qin Sheng nodded. At most, the Source Stones here contained a few dozen jin of Source.

The group went deeper into the Four Symbols Stone Workshop and finally stopped at the fourth courtyard. Here, one jin of Source Stone sold for several jin of Source, making them extremely valuable.

Both sides began selecting Source Stones. Qin Sheng examined the stones, his eyes shining.

I knew it. When I left home today, magpies were calling. So it turns out I'm about to make a fortune.

It seems the Origin Emperor is still watching over me!

(End of Chapter)