pdf-ebookys Chapter 55 Again? A Bet of Skills
Chapter 55 Again? A Bet of Skills
The tenth industrial park.
It is completely different from the previous nine districts.
There were no crowded stone slabs, no noisy voices.
A blue stone path winds forward, with ancient trees towering on both sides, their canopies blocking out most of the sunlight, leaving only dappled spots of light on the ground.
The spiritual energy was so rich it was almost tangible, flowing into my lungs with every breath, and a warm feeling permeated even my bones.
Li Xian slowed his pace.
'The concentration of spiritual energy here is almost comparable to the secluded cultivation chambers of the Qingxia Sect.'
No wonder the Holy Land of Dao has locked down the latter few areas so tightly—
Just standing here breathing is faster than an ordinary cultivator sitting in meditation.
"What do you think, young friend?" The old woman with a cane followed beside him, smiling kindly. "The stones here were all personally transported back from the depths of the ancient Taichu Mine by the old workshop owner. Each piece is over a thousand years old."
She pointed to the few semi-open stone niches at the end of the path.
"However, with your abilities, young friend, I'm afraid you wouldn't be interested in the goods from the tenth district. The rare stones from the fifteenth district and beyond are truly worth your attention, especially the top-tier stones in the nineteenth district..."
The old woman's voice grew softer and softer.
Li Xian didn't respond.
He crouched down, palms on the ground, and silently activated the Yuan Tian Remnant Technique.
The geological features, mineral layer structure, and subtle internal blockages of the stone in this area are all revealed.
There's something good here.
More than just one or two pieces.
He withdrew his hand and stood up.
"Let's take a look at District 10 first."
The old woman's expression froze.
The elderly men nearby exchanged glances, a hint of urgency flashing in their eyes.
They couldn't wait for Li Xian to head straight to the core area of the Heavenly Rank so he could help them extract the life-extending treasures.
But Li Xian neither declined nor offered an explanation.
They were not blinded by the enthusiasm of the powerful old monsters.
"Hey."
A lazy voice came from behind.
Yao Yuekong had followed them in at some point, toying with a jet-black token in his hand, and casually walked to Li Xian's side.
"Seniors, please allow me to speak a few words through this gentleman."
Several elderly men frowned.
But the sign for the Heavenly Demon Palace was lit up.
Even though they were unwilling, they had no choice but to step back a few steps.
Yao Yuekong lowered her voice.
Are you interested in the Dragon Transformation Pool?
Li Xian did not stop walking, his gaze sweeping over a dark red meteorite in the stone niche beside him.
"explain."
"In the northwest corner of the holy city, there is an ancient dragon transformation pool."
The demon moon's azure vertical pupils flashed:
"That thing was originally a legacy left by an ancestor of the Ji family, but later the right to use it was divided up among the major powers in the Holy City."
"The pool water contains trace amounts of residual dragon energy. Soaking in it greatly helps cultivators break through the four extremes—especially mortal cultivators. Without physical enhancement, breaking through the four extremes is extremely dangerous, and the Dragon Transformation Pool can make up for this weakness."
He paused.
"The Heavenly Demon Palace has three spots available; I can give you one."
Li Xian stopped and turned to look at him.
"condition."
Yao Yue Kong laughed out loud:
"It's so refreshing to talk to smart people."
He put away the token in his hand, his heterochromatic eyes narrowed slightly, and his tone changed from lazy to serious.
"The time you extracted the divine source from the Tianxuan Ruins was witnessed by the divine eye within my palace. Later, I had someone investigate your background—a rogue cultivator, without sect or faction, at the second level of the Dao Palace. None of this is surprising."
"What's strange is that your daily energy consumption during cultivation is ten to a hundred times that of cultivators at the same level. You're risking your life to save time."
Yao Yuekong stared at Li Xian.
"I don't care what you're rushing for, but the Heavenly Demon Palace is short of a reliable Source Technique expert. One spot in exchange for you helping the Heavenly Demon Treasure Palace appraise three batches of Source Stones. It's a fair trade."
Li Xian remained silent for two breaths.
Dragon Transformation Pool.
In the original story, Ye Fan also soaked in that stuff, and it did indeed help him break through the four extremes.
He studied two imperial scriptures together.
The danger of venturing into the Four Extremes Secret Realm is not low.
'Yao Yuekong is shrewd, but not greedy. Exchanging three batches of source stone appraisals for a spot in the Dragon Transformation Pool is advantageous to me.'
"make a deal."
Yao Yuekong patted his shoulder and took two steps back.
Just then—
A steady series of footsteps came from the park entrance.
The crowd parted again.
The old man in the gray robe strode into the tenth area.
He was short in stature, with a slightly hunched back, and his right hand had five fingers that were as red as iron, with thick knuckles and a metallic sheen on his skin.
The old man in the gray robe walked straight up to Li Xian and cupped his hands in greeting.
"Old Tuoba Zhao."
"The thirty-seventh family leader is a member of King Yuan's lineage."
His voice was hoarse, and his gaze lingered on Li Xian for two seconds.
"That bet just now was my fault. That little brat didn't know the rules and acted recklessly using the name of the Source King's lineage. I apologize to you."
As he spoke, he took out a cloth bag from his sleeve, which jingled as it was filled with at least a thousand catties of pure source.
"This is a make-up apology."
Li Xian looked at him but didn't take it.
Tuoba Zhao.
One of the elders of the Yuan King lineage, a master of Yuan techniques who has reached the threshold of a dragon-seeking geomancer.
Previously, when he followed that playboy, he used casual and perfunctory methods—the Crimson Source, the Amethyst Source, and the Snowflake Source—which were all conventional and did not reveal his true abilities.
He didn't come back to apologize.
really.
Tuoba Zhao put down the cloth bag and straightened his back.
At that moment, my back felt as if it were being straightened by an invisible force.
"I was only going along with that纨绔 (wán kù, a spoiled brat) to repay a favor to the bandits; I wasn't serious at all... But a loss is a loss, and for the sake of the Yuan King's lineage!"
He looked at Li Xian.
His eyes held the stubbornness characteristic of the older generation of source masters.
"I want to make a bet with you. A proper bet, the gambling techniques of the Source King lineage against yours—regardless of which Source technique you've learned."
The powerful elders around exchanged glances but remained silent, enjoying the spectacle.
Yao Yuekong curled the corner of her mouth and leaned back against the tree trunk.
Li Xian stared at Tuoba Zhao's right hand.
Those five bright red fingers—
It is the Crimson Gold Divine Hand.
You can tell if there are treasures inside the source stone just by touching it. It's a clan-protecting divine technique of the Source King lineage, and the methods are very powerful.
'He wants to prove himself. His casual help led to a loss, and the Yuan King's lineage has lost face.'
'But I want more than just Originium.'
"Okay," Li Xian said, "but I don't want Originium as a wager."
Tuoba Zhao was taken aback: "Then what do you want?"
"Source Technique."
The entire room fell silent.
Li Xian retrieved a yellowed leather scroll from the Sea of Bitterness.
The leather cover is cracked and curled, with severely worn edges and corners, exuding an antique feel from years of wear.
The paper was covered with tiny, scribbled characters, written in a frantic and haphazard manner, as if the writer had left it when he was in a state of extreme excitement or extreme fear.
"This is a manuscript from the fifth-generation successor of Master Yuan," Li Xian said calmly. "It was obtained from his descendants."
His gaze swept over everyone present.
"The notes contain no core source techniques, only cultivation insights and annotations. But for anyone who practices source techniques—"
He didn't finish speaking.
No need to finish speaking.
"Master Yuan!"
Tuoba Zhao was startled.
He stared intently at the scroll, his pupils contracting sharply.
The lineage of the Source King inherits the supreme ancient source techniques, forming its own distinct lineage, separate from the lineage of the Source Emperor.
The two veins are traveling together.
Those in the same industry are rivals.
The elderly woman with a cane next to him gasped: "The Source Book—"
"It's not the Source Book," Li Xian interrupted her, his tone unusually swift. "It's just a notebook. A collection of insights. It doesn't contain the eight core Source Techniques of the Source Master."
Those present were moved.
They thought a hen that could lay golden eggs had appeared.
After hearing Li Xian's explanation, he immediately became disappointed again.
However, he was ultimately interested in Master Yuan's notes.
Because of the three characters "Yuan Tianshi".
In the realm of Origin Arts, they are the supreme beings.
His reputation was earned through hard work; which sacred stone archway hasn't been emptied by Master Yuan?
Therefore, even a scrap of paper casually written by a descendant of the Celestial Master Yuan would be worth a fortune in the Holy City.
Tuoba Zhao's breathing became rapid.
His bright red right hand unconsciously clenched and unclenched, unclenched and clenched again.
He is a descendant of the Yuan King lineage.
The lineage of the Source King and the lineage of the Source Celestial Master have been considered the two pinnacles of Source Arts since ancient times.
However, the lineage of the Yuan Celestial Master was lost a thousand years ago, and any fragments left behind are the reference that the Yuan King lineage longs for.
"What do you want me to give in exchange?" Tuoba Zhao's voice was hoarse.
"Source King Dragon Vein Technique".
Tuoba Zhao's expression changed drastically.
That is the core inheritance of the Origin King lineage.
Finding the dragon's lair, locking the dragon vein, and drawing in the dragon's energy to attack—
It is no less powerful than the Earth Vein Dragon Transformation Technique of the Source Master, and is the core source technique among the six core source techniques of the Source King.
"You're insane." Tuoba Zhao shook his head. "That's the lifeblood of my Tuoba family. The Origin King Dragon Vein Technique is never passed on to outsiders, not even—"
"Then forget it."
Li Xian returned the leather scroll to the Sea of Bitterness.
Clean and efficient.
There was not a single pulling or tugging.
He turned and walked toward the stone niche.
Tuoba Zhao stood still.
He stared intently at Li Xian's back.
His crimson right hand trembled inside his sleeve.
The handwritten notes of a descendant of Master Yuan.
This may be the only chance you'll ever have in your life.
"……etc."
Tuoba Zhao closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, the old master's stubbornness had transformed into something deeper.
"bet."
He took out a palm-sized golden jade slip from his bosom.
The jade slip was covered with dense dragon patterns, exuding an ancient and profound aura—it was the carrier of the core source technique passed down through generations of the Tuoba family.
"The Origin King's Dragon Vein Technique, Complete Version"
Tuoba Zhao held the jade slip in his palm and looked at it for a long time.
Li Xian nodded:
"How do we gamble?"