"Let's choose that one. It's called the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure-a lucky name. There should be a precious medicinal herb inside, just right for Great-Grandfather's birthday."
Luo Yue's clear, childish voice rang out as she raised her little finger and pointed straight at a conspicuous boulder near the edge of the stone garden.
The stone was about the size of a millstone, grayish brown all over, with a thick, rough rind covered in natural patterns resembling a tortoise shell.
Its shape was peculiar, too. The rounded, solid base resembled a giant tortoise crouching on the ground, while a square stone platform rose from its top. From a distance, it truly looked like a black tortoise carrying an enormous cauldron on its back, hence its name, the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure.
It seemed condensed from the essence of the earth, giving an impression of being as steadfast as Mount Tai and utterly indestructible.
What drew Luo Yue's attention even more was a barely perceptible trace of green entwined within the core of that heavy, earthen-yellow radiance, brimming with life and shining with dazzling vitality!
"The Black Tortoise Offering Treasure?"
Old Monster Ghost Eye immediately swept his eerie green eye toward it. Contempt appeared on his withered face, along with a barely noticeable trace of wild delight.
It came from the renowned Solid Rock Ancient Mine in the Northern Region, famous for stones with exceptionally thick rinds that were difficult to see through. Their yield of treasures was extremely low; often, even enormous expenditures produced nothing.
Among the Great Evolution Stone Workshop's offerings, although it ranked in the heaven class, it sat near the very bottom, priced at only fifteen thousand catties of source.
None of that mattered, however. What mattered was that Ghost Eye had cut this stone open before!
There had indeed been a ten-thousand-year-old precious medicinal herb inside!
Ghost Eye knew that better than anyone! He had long since refined that herb into a batch of precious pills, and those pills had already ended up in his own belly.
What little demoness? She almost bluffed me! Her earlier successes really were just a blind cat stumbling onto a dead mouse. I knew no one could see through my counterfeit filled stones so easily.
Heaven truly favors me!
The wild delight surging through Old Monster Ghost Eye's heart was almost impossible to contain. He was already doing everything he could to suppress the upward twitch of his lips.
"Fine! We'll go with your choice!"
A barely perceptible excitement colored Old Monster Ghost Eye's hoarse voice as he hastily agreed, as though afraid Luo Yue and the others might change their minds.
He turned to the steward and rasped:
"Bring the Heart-Burial Stone and the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure to the stone-cutting platform at once!"
Watching Old Monster Ghost Eye's reaction, Yanlong felt somewhat reassured.
Although he did not know the exact reason, the old fiend's certainty suggested he had considerable confidence. Yanlong waved a hand, signaling for the steward to comply.
Several strongmen carefully carried the heavy stones to the central stone-cutting platform.
One was the hideously twisted Heart-Burial Stone, emanating an ominous dark-red aura; the other was the thick, solid Black Tortoise Offering Treasure, covered in tortoise-shell patterns.
Standing side by side, the two stones formed a stark contrast and instantly drew everyone's attention.
Deep within Luo Yue's ice-blue eyes, the Yellow River Chart and Lo Shu operated silently. Tortoise-shell patterns intertwined with star-dotted diagrams in deduction, having already traced and clearly reconstructed the entire history of the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure before her.
Beneath its rough, tortoise-shell-like rind, a strand of vibrant green curled within the core of its deep, restrained earthen-yellow radiance.
But that green did not originate from the stone itself. It came from an exquisitely crafted secret-art imprint, almost perfectly blended into the patterns of the rind.
The imprint emanated the same cold, baleful aura as Old Monster Ghost Eye. It was an exceptionally sophisticated application of the Source Arts, used to imitate a medicinal herb's vitality and conceal the fact that the interior had already been hollowed out.
This old swindler is rather impatient.
Luo Yue shook her head.
Naturally, she knew the stone had been tampered with. The deductions of the Yellow River Chart and Lo Shu had shown it clearly.
This stone had been cut open years ago. The genuine precious medicinal herb inside had long since been removed and ended up in the old fiend's stomach.
Not only had the old bastard restored the rind, he had also used this secret-art imprint to create the illusion of a precious medicinal herb within. Even ordinary Source Arts experts would struggle to distinguish it from the real thing.
But under the deductions of the Yellow River Chart and Lo Shu, this petty trick had nowhere to hide!
Luo Yue's Qi Gazing Art pierced through the false green imprint and penetrated deeper into the stone's core.
At the deepest point of the hollowed-out space, pressed against the stone's heart, lay a mass of brilliant emerald light wrapped in thick stone marrow, completely sealed off from the world.
That light contained an unimaginably vast vitality. Its purity and richness far surpassed the precious medicinal herb previously taken away, like a divine medicinal herb slumbering within!
Threads of rosy radiance flowed through the stone marrow, faintly outlining a small, exquisite plant with leaves as translucent as jade.
A king of medicines?!
Luo Yue's heartbeat quickened slightly.
If that was truly what it was, then Old Master Luo really could be saved.
Fortunately, when the old bastard Ghost Eye had extracted the precious medicinal herb back then, his technique had been skillful but far too hurried and rough. He had failed to discover this king of medicines hidden beneath its roots, wrapped in dense earth-element source essence and stone marrow that perfectly concealed every trace of its aura!
Without divine objects like the Yellow River Chart and Lo Shu, capable of deducing the essence of all things, combined with her Divine King Body's keen sensitivity to life essence, she could never have discovered what lay hidden right beneath his nose.
This king of medicines has such powerful vitality. It should be enough to prolong the old master's life, Luo Yue mused.
Old Monster Ghost Eye's wild delight and certainty looked especially ridiculous to her now.
The old fiend is working awfully hard to keep those lips down.
Watching the corners of Ghost Eye's mouth threaten to rise, and that strange expression of wanting to pop champagne but not daring to celebrate too openly-
Luo Yue suddenly felt a mischievous impulse.
Possessed by the spirit of a consummate actress, she furrowed her little face and "carefully" examined the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure with her ice-blue eyes. Seemingly hesitant, with a touch of childish pickiness, she turned to Luo Qingluan and drew out her clear voice:
"Auntie, I think... this big tortoise doesn't seem so good anymore."
"Look, that big stone looks like a huge, stupid ghost tortoise. It isn't pretty at all. I think the Fire Cloud Jade beside it looks nicer. It's all red and festive."
As she spoke, she pointed her little finger at a nearby stone priced at twenty thousand catties of source, which radiated a blazing red glow.
In Luo Yue's true vision, that stone did indeed contain a good-quality piece of fire-attribute variant source worth roughly twenty thousand catties of source-a typical choice that would neither lose nor earn money.
"Huh?"
Luo Qingluan froze.
She did not understand why her little niece had suddenly changed her mind.
Across from them, however, Old Monster Ghost Eye's expression abruptly stiffened the instant Luo Yue finished speaking. His wild delight froze, and a flicker of panic and urgency darted through his eye so quickly that even he failed to notice it.
His bony fingers curled involuntarily, and an extremely faint "urk," like a choking sound, escaped his throat, though he immediately forced it
back down, trying to maintain his appearance as a cold, sinister master. That brief loss of composure, however, did not escape several attentive onlookers.
With their sharp eyes, Luo Qingying and Jiang Wei immediately caught the old fiend's fleeting panic.
They exchanged a knowing glance.
Luo Qingluan instantly grasped her little niece's intention as well and said with a teasing smile:
"Oh, little Yue, stone gambling is about treasures, not just whether the stones look pretty."
"I think this Black Tortoise Offering Treasure is quite good. It has an auspicious name, and perhaps it really does contain a divine treasure. Let's stick with it. Once we cut out a precious medicinal herb, we'll send it to the old master. Third Brother, wouldn't you agree?"
Luo Qingying shook his head expressionlessly, his voice cold and firm. "Not necessarily. I also think that fiery-red jade looks quite festive."
"Little Yue, would you like to consider something else?"
As he spoke, his lightning-sharp gaze swept over Old Monster Ghost Eye and Yanlong.
Yanlong's face turned ashen. He glared at Old Monster Ghost Eye in exasperation. The old bastard had barely been able to suppress his grin a moment ago, yet one remark from the little girl had almost exposed him!
He could only say gravely:
"Since Little Princess Luo has already chosen, she naturally cannot change her selection. Senior Ghost Eye, please begin!"
Beside him, Old Monster Ghost Eye felt so stifled he almost coughed up blood. Luo Yue's feint had left him unsettled. Forcing down his surging blood and unease, he squeezed a smile onto his withered face that looked uglier than crying.
"Hmph! A fickle little demoness will never amount to anything. Very well, this old man shall cut open the Heart-Burial Stone first and show you what it truly means for treasure to hide within peril!"
He urgently needed the rare treasure within the Heart-Burial Stone to awe the crowd, restore his dignity, and completely cut off Luo Yue's escape.
Once the Heart-Burial Stone yielded its treasure, his opponents could never turn things around with that tortoise stone he had long since hollowed out!
No matter how you look at it, I have the advantage!
The old fiend drew a deep breath. Green light blazed from his Netherworld Eye, flickering like ghost fire as he carefully studied every pattern on the Heart-Burial Stone's surface, searching for the best place to make his incision.
Shhk-
The bone knife sliced into the rind with a dull scraping sound, actually throwing up a trail of dim sparks!
Stone chips scattered, not grayish white but a thick black-red like congealed foul blood. A nauseatingly dense, bloody, baleful aura spread outward. Nearby cultivators frowned and retreated, discomfort showing on their faces.
Old Monster Ghost Eye's technique was practiced, his blade winding like dragons and serpents as he carefully peeled away the outer rind.
As the rind fell away, the baleful aura grew increasingly dense. Faint, chilling sobs emerged from within the stone, as though countless wronged souls were sealed inside.
At the stone's heart, the dark-red light grew ever brighter, almost taking solid form.
"What powerful baleful energy! There really might be something terribly sinister sealed inside this stone," someone exclaimed.
"Old Monster Ghost Eye must have something to rely on if he dared choose it."
Luo Yue remained completely unruffled, watching his stone-cutting technique with interest.
At last, Old Monster Ghost Eye brought his knife down and sliced through the final thin layer of rind!
Bzzzt!
A dazzling beam of dark-red bloodlight shot skyward, accompanied by an unbearably piercing shriek that seemed to come from the Nine Nether Hell.
Terrifying baleful energy erupted like a tsunami, instantly sweeping through the entire Heaven-Class Stone Garden. Those with weaker cultivation felt stabbing pain in their divine souls, their heads spinning until they nearly collapsed.
Within the bloodlight, a strange stone roughly the size of a human head appeared, dark red all over like congealed blood. Its irregular surface was covered in twisted holes, each seemingly spewing venomous resentment.
Vague ancient runes filled with savage malice were naturally imprinted on the stone. A single glance was enough to unsettle the mind.
"What kind of evil thing is that? It's so strange!"
"Could it be the Blood-Weeping Demon Heart Stone, the legendary evil object stained with the heart's blood of an ancient fiend?" A knowledgeable old cultivator sucked in a cold breath and cried out involuntarily.
"Though it is a terribly sinister object, it is indeed a world-shaking treasure. It can be used to forge evil weapons or lay deadly formations. Its value is incalculable!" An elder from another great sect also confirmed its worth, his eyes gleaming.
Looking at the Blood-Weeping Demon Heart Stone and its terrifying aura, Old Monster Ghost Eye finally revealed a smug smile on his withered face. His lone eye fixed on Luo Yue, and his hoarse voice brimmed with satisfaction:
"Little demoness! Do you see it? This is the Blood-Weeping Demon Heart Stone! An ancient sinister treasure worth a fortune!"
"What else have you to say? Hurry up and destroy your own eyes, then kneel and admit your wrongdoing!"
Yanlong's tense expression finally eased as well. Unlike Old Monster Ghost Eye, however, he did not pop champagne halfway through the match. He merely watched the Luo Family's party coldly.
"I have no idea what you old beggar are so pleased about. That rotten stone reeks of evil. One look tells you it's no decent thing, and our little Yue hasn't even opened her stone yet," Luo Qingluan said.
"Exactly. How much can a lousy sinister stone be worth? Besides, what decent person would buy that thing?" Luo Qingsun chimed in.
"A dead duck's beak stays hard!"
Old Monster Ghost Eye sneered, pointing at the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure with a mocking smile. "Then this old man will see what 'treasure' can come out of that worthless stone you chose!"
Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Luo Yue and the Black Tortoise Offering Treasure she had selected.
Luo Qingying and Jiang Wei also looked at Luo Yue.
Under countless watching eyes, Luo Yue walked unhurriedly toward the stone-cutting platform with little steps.
She did not even take out a special stone-cutting knife. She merely extended her fair little hand, a wisp of ice-blue divine power from her Divine King Body curling around her fingertip. Carrying a chill that could freeze all things, she lightly touched the rind covered in tortoise-shell patterns.
"Crack... crack..."
The grating sound of freezing and fracturing rang out.
Where Luo Yue's fingertip touched, the thick grayish-brown rind instantly filled with spiderweb cracks, like fragile glass assaulted by extreme cold.
She gently swept her little hand, divine power pulsing outward.
Crash!
Great sheets of rind, frozen brittle, flaked away like shattered ice, revealing a finer stone core with the warm, smooth texture of jade.
Her technique was exquisitely precise, making a heavy task look effortless. Utterly unlike Old Monster Ghost Eye's baleful display, it immediately drew a chorus of admiration.
"Such pure ice divine power! Such exquisite control!"
"Is... is this really something a seven-year-old child can do?" The onlookers were astonished.
Luo Yue did not stop. Her little hand moved like the most dexterous carving knife, the ice-blue divine power at her fingertip precisely following the natural grain within the stone core, slicing through it.
Her movements flowed like drifting clouds and running water, carrying a strange rhythm, as though she were not cutting stone but completing an exquisite work of
art.
As the outer stone shell continued to peel away, a rich, refreshing medicinal fragrance quietly spread through the air,
The fragrance contained vigorous vitality, invigorating everyone who breathed it in.
"Is this... the aura of a precious medicinal herb?"
"No, that's not right! This aura is purer than a precious medicinal herb's. Could it be a king of medicines?!"
"Holy shit, a king of medicines!"
At that moment,
Many people's eyes nearly popped out of their heads!
What was a king of medicines?
An herb could be called a spiritual medicinal herb after a thousand years, and a precious medicinal herb after ten thousand.
But only an ancient medicinal herb that had reached eighty-nine thousand years of age, continually nourished by the pure essence of spiritual energy throughout that time, could be called a king of medicines!
Although it was not as miraculous as the legendary Immortal Divine Medicine, in the eyes of the many cultivators present, it absolutely qualified as an immortal treasure.
Even eating it raw could extend one's life by three hundred years!
According to legends from ancient times, in the hands of certain peerless master alchemists, it could allow the Saints of old to borrow another five hundred years from heaven!
By now, Luo Yue had completely peeled away the stone covering it at the center of the gathering.
The king of medicines emerged!
Its rich fragrance swept through the entire Heaven-Class Stone Garden like tangible divine nectar, washing away every last trace of the bloody, baleful aura left by the Blood-Weeping Demon Heart Stone.
The ancient medicinal herb rested quietly within emerald-green variant source. Its petals were translucent as jade, seven-colored radiance flowing across them, while its agate-like fruit emitted a soft, precious glow. Life essence so rich that it soothed the soul spread outward, as though a single breath could prolong one's life.
"A king of medicines! It really is a king of medicines! The Seven-Colored Exquisite Flower Jade Fruit!"
"Heavens! An eighty-nine-thousand-year-old king of medicines! An immortal treasure that can extend life by five hundred years!"
"To think that in my lifetime... I would truly see such a divine object with my own eyes!"
"Its value is immeasurable! An absolutely priceless treasure! A hundred, a thousand times better than that evil thing!"
After a brief, deathly silence, the entire stone garden erupted!
Many people breathed rapidly, unable to restrain themselves.
That was five hundred years of life walking before their eyes!
Having one in hand was like having an extra life. No matter how serious your injuries, it could bring you back-more effective than any divine physician!
At that moment, almost everyone present stared fixedly at the seven-colored divine medicinal herb, their eyes filled with overwhelming shock, greed, and fervor.
Even Jiang Wei, knowledgeable and experienced as a member of a Desolate Ancient Family, could not conceal the flicker of shock in his eyes.