Men with drooling gazes ogled at Hu Niangzi. That water-blue figure was wonderful and graceful. Even the most clear-hearted and refined cultivators could not help but let their imaginations run wild. However, the girl"s icy golden pupils were too piercing and cold, making all cultivators that had these thoughts stare from afar.
Bright Star Ten Feet of Blue accompanied Tang Lianxin as she browsed the Heaven East District. Solitary Star Tang Lianxin"s personality was reclusive, not fond of speaking. The atmosphere between them was evidently somewhat silent, so much so that the somewhat reticent Hu Niangzi did not feel uncomfortable at all.
"Does Elder Sister have anything she wants Lianxin to forge?" Tang Lianxin selected a few spirit jades and stones, suddenly turning her head back to ask.
Hu Niangzi was currently monitoring every movement in her surroundings. When she heard the question, she did not respond immediately but blinked.
"No need." Hu Niangzi shook her head, " I already have the These Feelings La.s.so. There is no need for anything else." The Bright Star knew that Tang Lianxin was forging defensive Astral Treasures for the Sisters, and this task was not easy.
Tang Lianxin did not answer.
In the Heavenly East District, after having seen hundreds of shops, a "Gambling Stone Pavilion" field drew Tang Lianxin"s interest. The so-called Gambling Stone was also known as the Jade in the Stone. This kind of jade appeared ordinary on the outside, but its inside had condensed outstanding Essence Qi. The spiritual power of the extracted jade was abundant, and using it to forge magic weapons and the like was much better than using ordinary stones.
Tang Lianxin was always very curious about the Gambling Stone. Seeing that the Gambling Stone Pavilion had flocks of people coming and going, pleasantly surprised shouts occasionally rang out from within. Pondering for a moment, she then entered the Gambling Stone Pavilion with Hu Niangzi.
Entering the narrow pathway, the interior suddenly opened up to an area with standing room only. Countless cultivators all stared intently at the Gambling Stone on the table.
This Gambling Stone Pavilion allowed free trade. Some cultivators that wished to strike fortune would put in all their might here. A young woman was currently sitting on a chair on the platform, her expression arrogant. Upon seeing her, Tang Lianxin"s pupils shrunk.
That girl was none other than Jade Armed Craftsman Jin Dajian.
A hundred cultivators were using careful observation on that Gambling Stone. Among them was no lack of Supercl.u.s.ter level ancestors.
Tang Lianxin stood in a corner, coldly watching. Although she did not have an Innate Skill the level of Jin Dajian"s Jade Carving, her tool refinement ability could allow her to more or less understand spirit stones and the like. The Gambling Stone was an ashen gray suffused with pure white. It was approximately thirty kilograms, the sh.e.l.l full of white snowflakes; under the light, the stone"s whole body was like snow, translucent. Tang Lianxin"s eyes watched the stone revolve, and her heart gradually grew interested; the Gambling Stone was dead silent. Each and every cultivator was deeply pondering. Jin Qiongyu indifferently drank tea and said: "Whoever still wants to gamble, start bidding."
The hall shifted. Immediately, someone tested the waters: "Four hundred million!"
As if Jin Qiongyu"s air of arrogance could cade. She hinted at them to continue bidding. "Jade in the stone" was in of itself an object worthy of collecting. The spiritual jade inside was priceless, even if only finger-sized. However, n.o.body could discern just whether or not a stone actually had spirit jade within. Some "jades in the stone" appeared remarkable, but extracting the interior revealed emptiness or even a bit of spirit qi jade, which was an enormous loss.
The people below began whispering to one another. This item was quite good. To say nothing of its ample power, just that body full of snow was worth more than four hundred million. This was too far from Jin Qiongyu"s price. The Gambling Stone Pavilion was full of every sort of person, including Scattered Cultivators from the Three Territories. Other than those somewhat snooping about the Jade in the Stone, the "Gambling Stone" itself was extremely provocative.
The price steadily grew higher. In moments, it was already close to five billion, somewhat surprising even Hu Niangzi.
At such a high price, Jin Qiongyu still was aloof with that intent to not sell. She sneered: "This Jade in the Stone is practically a treasure. Everyone knows the worth of jade with such strong spiritual power. Give it to a cultivator to refine, and it will be enough to allow a Supercl.u.s.ter Cultivator to jump to Supervoid, but these bids are too unreasonable." Saying this, Jin Qiongyu brought out her Dragon Carving Hammer. She gently struck on a flower of snow-white, filling the area with blue and green light.
Jin Qiongyu clapped her hands and said: "Is there any use in probing further? This price will not last."
Skilful Star Jade Armed Craftsman.
All the cultivators recognized the Star Weapon Dragon Carving Hammer. The whole area exploded as each cultivator looked at one another. If this stone fully unraveled its power, it would be worth at least a hundred billion. As far as a cultivator at the current stage was concerned, it was even more priceless. Immediately, someone yelled: "Ten billion!"
Jin Qiongyu’s serious expression paid no heed. The atmosphere was fervent as another shouted a higher price, “Twenty billion!”
"Thirty billion!"
"Fifty billion!"
The Jade in the Stone flew up as if it had grown wings. Constantly shouting "sixty billion" it was Supercl.u.s.ter Cultivator with significant fortune and backing that dared call out.
"Is this stone worth so much money?" Hu Niangzi was in disbelief.
"She is very smart!" Tang Lianxing spat out these four words, as if she was too stingy to say another word.
Hu Niangzi was bright and immediately understood what Tang Lianxin meant by smart.
Skilful Star Jin Qiongyu first revealed her Star Weapon to display her ident.i.ty. The Jade Armed Craftsman was known by all in Liangshan. Although she was not a martial general, that jade refinement Innate Skill far outcla.s.sed any and all cultivators. An expert naturally acted without being gentle.
By doing so, this Jade in the Stone"s worth inflated significantly.
Everyone wanted to gamble.
"Jade Armed Craftsman, this fifty billion is already very high, just how much more do you want?" A Supercl.u.s.ter Ancestor looked at her and slowly said, growing impatient.
Jin Qiongyu had a cold expression, "If you want the Gambling Stone, then you must be daring. Otherwise, you will let a good item slip away. Even good luck will be to no avail. Actually, this stone is practically a perfect treasure. What does fifty billion count for to a cultivator if you reach Supervoid Cultivation."
The whole place became deathly silent. Even the Supercl.u.s.ter Ancestor was in bitter contemplation.
"Shall we do something for Dear Husband?" Hu Niangzi furrowed her brow. Jin Qiongyu was clearly exploiting this Jade in the Stone to earn a profit for Star Weapon upgrade a.s.sets. Leader Star Qingci"s Uprising had several including Jin Qiongyu. THeir numbers were not few, and to maintain the upgrades to so many Star Weapons was a very difficult task. There was no choice but to say that this was actually a good idea.
But the Leader Star was a future enemy. Hu Niangzi did not want to simply watch Jin Qiongyu prevail.
"Lianxin should do something for Elder Brother, too." Tang Lianxin thought.
At this moment, the Jade in the Stone"s price had already reached seventy billion. However, Jin Qiongyu did not like any of the magic weapons her counterparts used to barter, always showing now expression. The Lü Fang beside her already was impatient and surrept.i.tiously hinted to Jin Qiongyu to finish the transaction and be done with this place. Just at this moment, an ice-cold sentence came into the world.
"This Jade in the Stone is worthless!!"
The entire place fell silent.
This sentence could be said to be grating against this astronomical number. Everyone followed the voice to see Tang Lianxin.
Jin Qiongyu also spotted the Solitary Star. With a chill contained in her eyes, she pursed her lips and scoffed. "You naturally feel it is worthless since you are unable to pay." The Jade Armed Craftsman"s Words made everyone in the hall laugh.
Tang Lianxin was unfazed: "Jade Armed Craftsman, you have had your moment. I feel that selling this for one hundred million is a big enough profit. If you do not believe me, then open the stone."
Only worth a hundred million?
Even those snowflakes covering the stone would be worth more than this price! Forget the skepticism of those cultivators, even Jin Qiongyu herself jeered.
"An amateur is an amateur." Jin Qiongyu was always hostile towards Su Xing. She was still brooding over that matter from back then in Evil Smiting Hall, and she did not have a favorable impression of the Solitary Star at all. Sneering, if she could not redeem face, then even a Gambling Stone worth ten billion would immediately become as worthless as Tang Lianxin said. Thus, Jin Qiongyu evilly said: "Playing expert in front of me, you are too inexperienced. If opening it is not worth this price, what will you give in exchange to everyone here today?"
"Do not be impulsive – " Tang Lianxin was still very apathetic. "I did not ask you to open it at all. To leave the price at fifty billion is not profitable, why not sell at a hundred million."
These words were even more malicious, forcing Jin Qiongyu into a dead end. Jin Qiongyu stared as if her throat had been lodged with a fishbone. She heaved for a while and then inwardly cursed, "Birds of a feather really do flock together. Little Sister has accompanied an arrogant man and is herself unaware of the immensity of Heaven and Earth. Have you any answer."
Everyone could then see from their relation that the two were Star Generals, already hostile to one another.
Tang Lianxin said: "If you truly want to gamble, Lianxin will naturally oblige you." Saying this, her fingers snapped, and several items appeared on the table. Everyone looked and drew in a breath. Magic weapons, rare books, spirit stones, spirit medicines, and more, which were equivalent to ten billion, more or less.
"Ten billion, do you dare bet?"
Jin Qiongyu gazed at Tang Lianxin and sneered, "You are so certain about this…" She blinked her crafty eyes and hesitated for a bit, coldly saying: "I shall give you a chance. So long as you apologize to everyone here, there is still time for regret. Would your man agree to ten billion."
Tang Lianxin shook her head: "Jin Qiongyu, do you actually not know? The white scales that rock produces, and the spirit jade obtained are not the same. Could it be you are unable to see that this is "White Bone Flower?""1
Everyone was startled. "White Bone Flower" – that is, the snow-white layer of scales on the Jade in the Stone"s surface. It had the mien of an alluring woman; calling you to love it dearly. It endeared you to treat it as the real thing, yet it would sinisterly become a double-edge sword, and with a "ka-cha," you would die a ghastly death in pieces.2
Jin Qiongyu was indefinitely gloomy, utterly silent.
All of the cultivators were startled to hear her words and nervously eyed the pair.
Having reached this juncture, Jin Qiongyu could not possibly shrink back. If she did not cut it open, she would lose even more wretchedly. The stone could not be sold anymore anyway, and she was even accused of swindling.
The girl"s expression was considerably brilliant.
Jin Qiongyu seemed to have been forced onto the gallows by Tang Lianxin. She grit her teeth as she took up the stone and struck it with her Dragon Carving Hammer, Phoenix Engraving Nail.
With a crisp "bang," suddenly, as if she had hammered into a person"s head, white paste splattered. The Jade in the Stone cracked. Hammer after hammer, as if pounding a cultivator"s chest, the Supercl.u.s.ter Ancestor did not even dare breathe.
Finally, they heard a "guang-lang,"3 and the Jade in the Stone"s outside shattered. The inside was a clump of dust.
Suddenly, the hall was absolutely silent. A hollow Jade in the Stone.
Instantly, fifty billion was compensated.
Jin Qiongyu"s expression was unsightly, as if she had already known this result, but she glared at Tang Lianxin with hatred, an expression that desired to make mincemeat of her.
"Hmph, consider yourself lucky."
Jin Qiongyu tossed the stone, leaving. As for the bet she agreed to, she had no thoughts of fulfilling it from the start. As if she would, to give her future enemy an advantage, what a joke. She was not so stupid.
Just at this moment, a gentle womanly voice came from the doorway.
"Jade Armed Craftsman, could it be you are reaping the consequences of your own words?"
A beautiful woman daintily walked out.
Tang Lianxin was stunned. "Master."
She was precisely Ju Yueke.
- 白骨花 ↩
- Figurative language for how basically this was a dud. ↩
- SFX ↩