Legacy of the Spirit Stone

Chapter 68 – Joyfully Obtaining Strange Stone

Yang Lingrui had never been to a place like this before. Finding it novel and interesting, he decided to step inside and take a look.

"Immortal Master, would you like to try your luck? It's only ten spirit crystals per game."

"Yes, Immortal Master, just give it a try."

As soon as he entered, several well-dressed maidservants approached him.

Initially, Yang Lingrui was tempted to give it a try, but upon hearing that it cost ten spirit crystals per game, he immediately sobered up and dismissed the idea.

Ten spirit crystals were what his clan's ancestor earned after risking his life for a month at the Eastern Frontier.

Although he currently had an abundance of spirit crystals, it was only because of Su Lingyun's generosity. If it weren't for the misunderstanding of his immortal techniques being attributed to another power, he wouldn't have come by this unexpected wealth.

His family would need spirit crystals for many things in the future, and he couldn't afford to squander them on such frivolous entertainment.

Resolute in his decision, Yang Lingrui shook his head firmly.

"No, I'll just look around."

Hearing this, the maidservants quickly dispersed and went to attend to others.

Yang Lingrui strolled through the area, examining each stall one by one.

He saw cultivators who won, their faces flushed with excitement, and those who lost, pounding their chests in frustration. Some even became so desperate that they tried to make trouble, only to be subdued and taken away by the Immortal Patrol cultivators.

After observing, Yang Lingrui concluded that this path was indeed harmful and resolved to warn his younger family members against going astray in the future.

After making a round, he planned to leave.

Just then, a shout came from the stall where they gambled on stones. Someone exclaimed, "A find! A find!"

The stone gambling game was simple: choose a raw stone from the store, then cut and polish it on-site to see if it contained valuable spirit materials.

Yang Lingrui approached and saw a red-nosed Taoist who had bought a raw stone for fifty spirit crystals, only to reveal a coal-like black stone.

"Quick, let me see. This must be tungsten iron essence!"

Upon hearing the words "tungsten iron essence," the surrounding cultivators buzzed with excitement.

This material was used to craft Perfected Qi Condensation spiritual treasures and could be worth hundreds or even thousands of spirit crystals.

The red-nosed Taoist was thrilled, rubbing his hands in anticipation of the appraisal result.

After a careful examination by several artifact refiners, they all shook their heads.

Unfortunately, the black stone was not tungsten iron essence but a strange stone.

Upon learning this, the Taoist collapsed to the ground, and the onlookers dispersed.

The reason was simple: strange stones were too unpredictable, akin to blind boxes, with a very low chance of yielding anything valuable.

These stones were naturally rare and required significant time and effort to study their uses.

Moreover, the forging process would strip the strange stone of its spiritual nature, and it couldn't be used as artifact refining material, making its value negligible.

"How could this happen? How could this happen!"

The Taoist scratched his head, staring at the black stone on the ground, unable to believe his last gamble had resulted in total loss.

Just then, a voice called out.

"Fellow Daoist, would you be willing to sell this item?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing the question, the red-nosed Taoist turned excitedly to see a handsome young man standing beside him.

"Sell! Of course, I'll sell! Five... no! One hundred spirit crystals!"

The red-nosed Taoist shouted his price, drawing jeers from the surrounding cultivators.

To ask such a high price for a worthless item was shameless.

The Taoist, thick-skinned, ignored the jeers and focused intently on Yang Lingrui's expression.

He prided himself on his keen eye for people, yet he couldn't discern anything from this young cultivator's face, which surprised him.

Yang Lingrui remained calm and slowly spoke, "To be honest, my clan's ancestor has a fondness for collecting such strange stones. Seeing this unique stone today, I thought of taking it back for him to see. It holds no value in your hands, so how about I buy it for fifty spirit crystals, allowing you to recoup some of your costs?"

The red-nosed Taoist was tempted, knowing the strange stone wouldn't fetch that price, but greed urged him to ask for more.

However, before he could decide, Yang Lingrui waited only a moment before turning to leave.

"Wait! Fellow Daoist! Don't rush!"

The red-nosed Taoist hurried after him, "Alright, alright! Fifty spirit crystals, I'll sell!"

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "p𝑎wread.com".

Yang Lingrui shook his head slightly, "Fellow Daoist, your words are mistaken. Fifty spirit crystals was the price earlier; now it's only worth thirty."

"You! You brat! How dare you toy with me?"

"When I offered, you didn't agree. Don't unjustly accuse me."

Yang Lingrui walked leisurely, "It's thirty spirit crystals now, and once I step out the door, it'll be only ten."

Hearing this, the red-nosed Taoist panicked and quickly blocked Yang Lingrui's path.

"Fellow Daoist, you drive a hard bargain. I concede. Thirty it is! Thirty!"

With the transaction complete, Yang Lingrui pocketed the strange stone and left the gaming house.

The red-nosed Taoist, having received the spirit crystals, looked around indecisively before diving back into the pile of stones.

"What a pleasant surprise. The Immortal Lord will surely be pleased with this item, perhaps even regaining some abilities!"

Yang Lingrui thought happily.

While strange stones were of little use to others, they held great significance for the Yang Clan.

These stones could nourish the Immortal Lord, aiding in the recovery of his powers and abilities.

Elder Yu had instructed everyone to acquire such items whenever possible.

Securing one for just thirty spirit crystals was indeed a cause for joy.

After leaving the gaming house and walking a bit further, he arrived at the Moon Red Pavilion.

This place was a matchmaking venue established by several highly respected elder cultivators. The young male and female cultivators attending the gathering were all outstanding talents, and the elders facilitated connections, hoping to create happy unions.

Yang Lingrui paused at the entrance, glancing inside. His striking appearance immediately drew attention, and the two elderly women at the door looked at him as if he were a rare treasure, ready to pounce.

Sensing danger, Yang Lingrui quickly slipped into the crowd, making a swift escape.

"That was close, almost got caught up in trouble."

After running a good distance, Yang Lingrui finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Having avoided the Moon Red Pavilion, he crossed two suspended jade steps, and several high platforms came into view.

Above them floated three large characters: "Dao Discussion Platform."

Here, discussing the Dao wasn't about sitting and talking. It was clear that a group of lower-tier Qi Condensation cultivators couldn't articulate profound insights even if they gathered.

Thus, they could only demonstrate their understanding through sparring.

Yang Lingrui initially intended to observe and see if he could gain any inspiration.

However, after witnessing the Core Formation techniques, watching these Qi Condensation cultivators duel seemed less interesting, and he soon lost interest.

As it was getting late, Yang Lingrui decided to leave the gathering early.

Back at his residence, he sat cross-legged on a mat, contemplating.

"All the talismans have been sold, and I've secured a five-year contract. The family's spiritual treasures have been acquired, and now I've also gained a strange stone. Perhaps..."

Yang Lingrui calculated in his mind.

Having achieved his main objectives for this trip, there was little reason to stay at the gathering.

Moreover, his experience with the Su family made him eager to return home sooner.

"Sister Qing often told me that seeking perfection is a major taboo in all matters; it's best to know when to stop."

With this thought, he felt even more certain of his decision.

(Bad news: Unfortunately, I've been informed that I'll be on a business trip from tomorrow until next Friday.

Good news: I can write on the train, so updates shouldn't fall behind.

Thank you to all the readers for your support! I'll keep working hard!)