"You can't put it that way. Our Ziwei Sect does business with integrity. If there is anything inaccurate in what we said, point it out, and I, Zhao Fa, will compensate you with ten thousand jin of Pure Source on the spot."
A refined, delicate-looking man walked in. His complexion was fair, and a gentle smile rested on his face.
He slowly waved a folding fan in his hand as he approached.
He did not look like a cultivator at all. He seemed rather approachable, like an ordinary scholar.
The crowd that had been watching the spectacle immediately fell silent. Zhao Fa before them was an outstanding figure of the Ziwei Sect.
The Ziwei Sect was located near Purple Heaven Capital. It would not be an exaggeration to call Purple Heaven Capital the Violet Tenuity Sect's stronghold.
This great sect had a mysterious heritage. Though it was not a Holy Land, no one knew the extent of its strength.
Still, it was one of the strongest supreme sects beneath the Holy Lands, ruling over lands spanning hundreds of millions of kilometers.
Moreover, the Ziwei Sect had a hand in every line of business. Some claimed that its wealth rivaled that of the world.
And what they said was indeed true. The items on the shelves were all scraps left behind from Source Stones that had once yielded Divine Source, and some of them had witnessed it with their own eyes.
But with the Divine Source already cut out, what could possibly remain inside?
"Brother Zhao Fa is right. Our Purple Mansion Holy Land has always trusted the Violet Tenuity Sect's reputation."
A male disciple in purple robes spoke softly from the side. Several purple-clad women of varying charms stood beside him.
They were all disciples of the Purple Mansion Holy Land, vouching for the Ziwei Sect's reputation.
The crowd grumbled inwardly: Of course they would not dare deceive you Holy Land disciples. But they were not afraid of deceiving small sects like us.
Seeing that no one dared dispute him, Zhao Fa was quite pleased.
He had merely happened to be here today, accompanying several fellow cultivators from the Purple Mansion Holy Land as they selected Source Stones.
He had not expected to come across such a chance to show off before others.
"Fellow Daoist, do not let them interfere with your judgment."
Zhao Fa turned and spoke gently to Jiang Yun, looking every bit the graceful young master.
Jiang Yun knew a little about the Ziwei Sect. It seemed to have all sorts of mysterious ties to the Ancient Ziwei Star.
There was an opportunity within the Violet Tenuity Sect's stone workshop in Purple Heaven Capital, and with Zhao Fa appearing before him, there could be no mistake.
That opportunity appeared to be on this very shelf.
"Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Zhao. I was thinking the same thing." Jiang Yun handed the clerk one hundred jin of Source and began selecting.
Seeing how tactful Jiang Yun was, Zhao Fa took his leave and departed with the Holy Land disciples.
As soon as they left, the cultivators in the area scattered, all wearing expressions of ill fortune.
Zhao Fa was no good person. He was honey-tongued but dagger-hearted, and he loved striking from the shadows at crucial moments.
He might not be capable of accomplishing much, but he was adept at ruining things. His reputation was terrible.
Most cultivators who frequented Purple Heaven Capital knew this.
"Consider it spending money to avert disaster," a cultivator quietly reminded Jiang Yun from the side.
It was clear that this cultivator was deeply dissatisfied with Zhao Fa, but simply did not dare resist him.
Jiang Yun thanked him, then hurriedly chose a piece of stone and left without cutting it open there.
The people at the stone workshop merely assumed Jiang Yun was in a bad mood and did not think much of it. They did not care that he took it away.
The scrap Jiang Yun selected was a pitch-black stone, no more than the size of a face.
It had been displayed in the Ziwei Stone Workshop for many years. A fist-sized piece of Divine Source had been cut from the main stone, and this was merely one piece of its outer skin.
Yet the Taihuang Scripture cultivated by Xia Weier sensed something strange within that stone.
One could not treat the powers selling these stones as kind merchants simply doing business. If some peerless treasure truly emerged after being cut open here, it would inevitably draw the attention of certain people.
Jiang Yun certainly would not cut it open in the stone workshop.
On the way out, Xia Weier looked somewhat downcast.
"Husband, I'm sorry. If I hadn't wanted to buy Source Stones, we wouldn't have run into this."
Jiang Yun gently kissed Xia Weier and said in a low voice:
"You are my lucky star. This stone should contain a supreme treasure—there is more to it than meets the eye."
"Ah, is that so? I seem to have a strange intuition about this stone too."
Xia Weier was rather puzzled.
"Wait until I open it, and I'll broaden your horizons." Jiang Yun spoke to Xia Weier mysteriously.
The two found an inn and rented a small courtyard. At a price of two taels of Source per day, it was expensive, but worth it.
The courtyard contained Dao Text seals that could prevent outsiders from spying on them.
Jiang Yun examined the formation patterns laid out in the courtyard and found no issues. He casually reinforced them once more.
Pulling Xia Weier close, he used his fingers like divine weapons to cut into the stone.
Xia Weier held her breath and watched Jiang Yun's hands fly over the black stone.
The old stone skin continuously fell away. Jiang Yun could not see inside the stone and feared damaging the treasure, so he did not dare cut too forcefully.
As the stone gradually shrank, divine radiance began to emerge, slowly filling the entire room.
Xia Weier was astonished. Like a clay statue, she slightly parted her small lips.
When all the stone skin had fallen away, dazzling light burst forth. It was as though a golden Sun had appeared inside the room, making it impossible to look at directly.
Divine Source—Divine Source as large as half a human head floated in the air, never falling. It was brilliant and resplendent. This was their first time seeing Divine Source.
The magnificent sight left Jiang Yun utterly shocked. The dense life essence within the Divine Source seemed inexhaustible, and its value was simply immense.
All Holy Lands longed intensely for Divine Source. It possessed endless wondrous uses and touched upon legends of immortality, so countless great sects spared no effort in collecting it.
Moreover, upon reaching the Immortal Platform Secret Realm, ordinary Source no longer meant much. Only Divine Source could aid Saint Lords and Great Abilities.
Xia Weier's strange sensation grew increasingly intense. She asked in confusion, "Husband, it feels like there is something inside."
A fragment resembling a broken Dragon Horn, only two inches long, gleamed with flowing golden light and flickering multicolored radiance, emitting terrifying fluctuations.
At the same time, an incomparably holy and mysterious aura overflowed from it.
That object resembling a Dragon Horn was wrapped in Divine Source and nourished within it.
"This is a rare treasure, a sacred relic shed from a member of the Primordial Royal Family. It can be said to be priceless."
Jiang Yun looked at the Divine Source before him and explained it to Xia Weier.
Gradually, a pressure emanated through the Divine Source. As time passed, that terrifying pressure grew stronger and stronger.
The blood within Xia Weier's body began to glow, resisting the pressure.
As the object resembling a Dragon Horn gradually revealed its divine properties, Jiang Yun hastily stored the Divine Source inside the Source Pearl.
He did not dare toss everything into his Sea of Bitterness.
Only after Jiang Yun put away the Divine Source did Xia Weier finally let out a breath of relief.
"Husband, you are truly amazing. You actually found such a peerless treasure in a scrap."
"Of course. This rare treasure can not only be used to refine weapons; it also has endless uses for tempering the flesh. It should be able to assist your cultivation of Imperial Dragon Qi as well."
Jiang Yun explained while enjoying Xia Weier's worshipful expression.
But for now, they likely could not use it. Its pressure was too intense, and they probably could not withstand it.
Before you continue