Shrouded Sky

Chapter 198 - Ancient Treasures

The ninth courtyard gave Ye Fan an eerie feeling, the stones unsettling him.

“Is this the aura of the Primordial Mine?” he wondered.

The Celestial Source Tome was a miraculous text, including methods for sensing heaven and humanity. Ye Fan had only scratched the surface of this supreme source technique, grasping a sliver of its essence. He sensed the Primordial Mine’s aura, condensed, restrained, and peculiar, likely emanating from that demonic land.

In the Northern Region, the most terrifying place was that ancient divine mine, its origins lost to time.

“That’s the one!” Liu Cheng’en had chosen, patting his stone.

The stone, head-sized and weighing over ten kilo, resembled a crouching ox, exuding a heavy presence.

“This stone will definitely yield source; it’s just a matter of how much,” the source master nodded.

“Picked yours yet?” Liu Cheng’en glanced at Ye Fan.

“Give me a moment.” Ye Fan hesitated. The stones’ demonic aura disrupted his judgment, making it hazy and elusive.

“What’s in that strange place to taint even the stones?” he mused, eliminating twenty tampered stones, choosing from the remaining thirty-eight.

“This courtyard has too few stones,” Er Lengzi grumbled softly.

“These are from the Primordial Mine’s edge. Getting dozens here is already good. Most go to the Celestial City. Who in Flatrock dares gamble on these?” someone replied.

“The Celestial City’s different. Eastern Wilderness powers, Middle Continent royalty, and Northern Region tycoons haunt there, betting even on ancient materials from the Primordial Mine.”

“They’re too expensive. No one can afford them,” another sighed.

The source master shook his head. “These are cheap compared to Celestial City’s stones, most pricier than pure source.”

“No way. Who’d be that foolish?”

“You don’t understand. At that level, they’re not betting on pure source but on far more valuable things within.”

Another nodded. “Source stones hold countless secrets. Source isn’t the most precious. These unassuming stones might cradle peerless treasures.”

Ye Fan selected a cyan stone with faint yellow veins, weighing about ten kilo. The crowd was speechless, deeming his choice absurd.

“Kid, you sure love the odd path. That’s a Watermelon Stone,” someone said.

“Exactly, ‘Watermelon Stone.’ At best, it yields melon-seed-sized source grains, never big pieces. Your stone’s ten-plus kilo, costing over a kilo of pure source. Not worth it.”

The stone’s clear veins mimicked watermelon stripes, fitting its name. “Even if you get dozens of ‘seeds,’ it won’t exceed a tael. Guaranteed loss.”

Some elders kindly advised, but most mocked. “I’d pick better blindfolded. Little miner, back to the mines. This isn’t for you.”

“No basic stone knowledge, yet here gambling. Blind cats don’t always catch dead mice.”

Liu Cheng’en fanned himself, smirking, circling the Watermelon Stone. “Fine material!”

His companions jeered, tapping the stone, taunting. “Great stone, not for ordinary folks.”

“Yeah, us normal folks wouldn’t dare pick it.”

“If it yields treasure, I’ll eat the skins, learn something.”

“You said that?” Er Lengzi latched on, pointing. “I saw you clear. If we cut good source, you’ll eat the skins?”

“I said it,” a youth by Liu sneered. “Watermelon Stone yielding treasure? Dream on.”

“Everyone heard! Witnesses!” Wang Shu announced to the crowd.

“Cut stone!”

The source master, after praying to the Source God, sliced Liu Cheng’en’s stone. Skins fell, and soon, light shone.

“Such pure source!”

Just a few kilo peeled, a flawless, crystalline source appeared. Fully extracted, it weighed four kilo, a significant haul for this level.

“Worthy of Primordial Mine’s edge material!” Costing one or two kilo, it yielded so much.

“Cut the Watermelon Stone. Let’s count the seeds, see if it hits a tael,” Liu’s group snickered.

Crack.

The source master cut the Watermelon Stone, skins dropping rapidly, half the stone gone. “Top quality, not even seeds. Haha… total bust,” the skin-eating youth gloated.

Reduced to pigeon-egg size, it was clearly empty. Even Ye Fan sighed, finding Primordial Mine edge stones too unpredictable.

The source master tossed the thumb-sized remnant aside, not fully cutting it. “Watermelon Stones usually yield some seeds. Yours is exceptional, nothing. I can’t eat skins now. Shame, I wanted a taste.”

“Damn you!” Er Lengzi, frustrated, kicked the small stone.

Bang.

It hit a larger stone, shattering, and blinding light erupted, dense spiritforce flooding out.

“Treasure!” someone shouted.

Ye Fan reached it first, cradling the glowing orb. “What source is this?”

In his palm lay a rice-grain-sized source, tiny but radiant, extraordinarily divine.

“Ancient Insect Source!”

“It’s Ancient Insect Source, a Primordial Era spirit insect sealed in source.”

“Indeed, a Primordial Insect, but too small.”

“Don’t scoff. This rice-grain insect is worth dozens of kilo of source.”

The source master regretted not cutting deeper, cursing his oversight. They’d tampered with stones, missing the most precious.

In Ye Fan’s palm, a rice-grain-sized, crystalline insect gleamed, formed of source. “Yes, that insect ate source in Primordial times, its body condensed source essence, a rare spirit insect.”

A thumb-sized Fire Red Source was worth ten kilo; this rice-grain Ancient Insect Source, dozens, even a hundred kilo in the Celestial City, showing its immense value.

“Ancient Insect Source is medicinal. Sacred lands need it for ancient recipes. In the Celestial City, it’s worth a hundred kilo,” someone said.

A rice-grain insect worth so much stunned Ye Fan. “Not an ordinary bug, extinct for eons. In Primordial times, it ate source, excreting source essence, extremely rare.”

Super Lucky’s staff regretted their tampering, wishing they’d chosen this stone. Cutting such a rare source would spread through Flatrock, valued at dozens to a hundred kilo, a fortune here.

Liu Cheng’en’s face turned green. Ancient Insect Source, worth a hundred kilo, was beyond his means.

“Cutting such a variant source? Unfair!” his group muttered.

Er Lengzi gleefully took Liu’s source pouch and his four-kilo source. “You owe us ninety-plus kilo. What now?” he said boldly.

Liu Cheng’en wanted to drown himself, his face grim. In the wild, he’d have killed to silence them. “Young Master Liu, a Sunset Clouds prodigy, won’t default. You’ll be repaid!” his ally barked.

“Who’re you yelling at, motherfucker?! He owes us!” Wang Shu stepped up, staring. “You said you’d eat skins if treasure came out.”

“Yeah, you. I remember clear. Eat the skins,” Er Lengzi grabbed the man’s collar, unrelenting.

Laughter erupted. Gambling houses forbade fights due to their powerful backers, leaving the man humiliated. “Let go!”

“Own your bet. You said you’d eat skins. Be a man, do it,” Er Lengzi pressed.

The man, mortified, wanted to vanish. Gritting his teeth, he shoved half a kilo of source into Er Lengzi’s hand and fled, sparking more laughter.

Liu Cheng’en, equally shamed, borrowed paper from Super Lucky, wrote an IOU, and left without looking back.

Ye Fan toured Super Lucky, noting too much tampering, and left with Wang Shu and Er Lengzi. Near noon, others dispersed, planning lunch and an afternoon visit to Jade Pool’s Immortal Stone Workshop.

“Today was thrilling!” Er Lengzi cheered.

Wang Shu, youthful and excited, said, “Ancient Insect Source, worth a hundred kilo, dreamlike!”

Ye Fan’s trial confirmed the Celestial Source Tome’s divine unpredictability, a true world-class scripture. He felt ready to enter the Dao Palace Realm. The source-rich Northern Region was now his haven for ascension.

The trio chose a restaurant, drinking in a private room for an hour before leaving.

Jade Pool Sacred Ground’s Immortal Stone Workshop, in Flatrock’s east district, was serene, surrounded by ancient trees casting shade. By afternoon, its gates were open, fallen leaves on the steps evoking nature.

Soon after entering, Ye Fan noticed several distinguished elders outside the crowd, whispering. “Celestial City’s stone prices are steep, but they yield treasures. Someone recently cut a demonic eye.”

“I heard it wasn’t just an eye but living demonic bones, priceless.”

Er Lengzi, nearby, overheard, muttering, “Sounds far-fetched. Next, they’ll say stones birth immortals or the world’s top beauty.”

Wang Shu teased softly, “Old folks love dreaming. To them, source stones hold everything, even a heavenly scripture.”

“You mud monkeys know nothing!” The elders, sharp-eared, glared back.

“Source is the world’s rarest spiritual substance, birthing anything,” one said gravely. “What you mocked has actually been found.”

“Old man, your beard’s white, yet you talk nonsense. A bit senile?” Er Lengzi’s bluntness was deadly.

“Little bastard, what’d you say?” The elder’s beard quivered with rage.

Wang Shu, stifling laughter, tugged Er Lengzi’s sleeve, apologizing. “Sir, don’t take it to heart. My friend speaks without thinking. No need to argue with him.”

“Northern Region records from a hundred thousand years ago, the Desolate Era, note a peerless beauty emerging from Godsource,” another elder said. “Sadly, sacred grounds chased her, but she escaped.”

“Really?” Er Lengzi craned his neck, leaning in. “How big was the source? Was she a demon or a goddess?”

Ye Fan’s heart stirred, listening intently.

“Get lost, I’m done with you!” an elder snapped, annoyed by Er Lengzi.

“Source holds heavenly secrets. Why do Middle Continent’s royals, with peerless experts, buy source stones at any cost? There’s a reason,” another said.

“I heard their ancestor found a heavenly scripture in source, sparking their unstoppable rise,” a third added.

Ye Fan was shocked, the revelation staggering. Er Lengzi and Wang Shu exchanged looks, feeling like they’d heard a myth.

“Old man, is that legit? A scripture in source?” Er Lengzi scratched his head.

“Kid, your mouth’s foul. Scram!” The elders, faces dark, walked off, ignoring him.

Ye Fan’s mind reeled. Source stones held more mysteries than he’d imagined, complex and enigmatic. He rejoiced at obtaining the Celestial Source Tome. With this miraculous scripture, he could one day roam freely, unveiling all secrets.

Clearly, the stones buried in this vast reddish-brown land held not just source but countless rare wonders, waiting to be explored in the boundless expanse below!