Chapter 280: True Yang Qilin Stone Spiritual Root

Inside the Eight Directions Food Pavilion.

Except for Zhang Chenlin, who immediately left on a cloud, the rest followed Miss Mei back to this place.

In fact, the number of people did not change much; after all, most did not enter the cave dwelling, and only a few dozen died in total.

But the atmosphere was worlds apart.

Far less lively than before.

Shen Yi, as usual, found a corner to sit in, but Chen Zhong and A Qing had appeared beside him.

He merely held a teacup, yet attracted countless glances from the darkness.

Previously, with True Person Qingfeng present, that youth was naturally the focus of everyone's attention, but now that the other had gone upstairs, among the remaining people, the figure who had emerged with the Slain Hunyuan experts inevitably aroused much curiosity.

The other had arrived on a cloud; the aura revealed was Slain Hunyuan, but it only lingered at the initial realm.

What exactly happened inside the cave dwelling that nearly all surviving Grand Masters treated him with such respect, even calling him a senior?

They said he protected everyone's lives from three Demon Kings; could it be that he slew them all?

That is far too terrifying.

The place where Shen Yi sat was clearly a corner, but under such posturing by the cultivators, it was forcibly turned into something like the "first seat."

Hearing the murmurs beside him, the man with the black mole rolled his eyes, suddenly poured a cup of fine wine, then held the cup and walked toward the corner.

"Um, Senior... I am..."

He respectfully offered the cup, but before he could finish, Chen Zhong stood up to block him, whispering a reminder: "Do not get too close."

Senior Shen bears grave injuries; one must still be wary.

"Oh, oh! I know the rules!"

The man with the black mole gave a sheepish laugh, quickly stepped back two paces, held the cup up in a toast, then drank it in one gulp.

"Your junior is Ma Guangshan; I am not good at fighting others and only enjoy collecting rare treasures. If Senior ever needs to find something, just give the order."

As his words fell, a voice suddenly came from beside them.

"Senior, this person only likes collecting, but his eye is extremely poor, and he was just cheated; he is everywhere trying to unload his worthless treasures. Do not be deceived by his flowery words."

As the saying goes, cutting off someone's wealth is like killing their parents.

Such a breach of etiquette rarely happens inside the Eight Directions Food Pavilion.

The man with the black mole turned and glared back, only to see that the speaker was also a Slain Hunyuan Grand Master, with cultivation far higher than his own, and he glared back without the slightest fear.

That person snorted, then respectfully smiled at Shen Yi; since both had had their lives saved by the youth, how could they stand by and watch him be cheated?

"Thank you for the reminder."

Shen Yi nodded in response, then raised his gaze to look at Ma Guangshan beside him.

In fact, he had an impression of this person.

Earlier, Lady Qinghua had even gone over to see the scene where the other was mocked.

"Sit."

Shen Yi spoke to signal; he now carried a vast fortune in several storage bags, so if there were truly good items, he would not mind taking a look.

As for being cheated... each profession has its own expertise; he glanced sideways at A Qing.

"Alright."

A Qing hurriedly sat upright and straightened her posture, rubbing her eyes in the process.

Seeing this posturing, Ma Guangshan's heart instantly panicked; bringing a treasure appraiser when out on the road—what kind of background must a young master have to do such a thing?

But the words had already been spoken; if he left now, would it not confirm the reputation of a swindler?

He smiled bitterly, took out a storage bag, then shook it toward the table: "Senior, please forgive me; there were indeed many good items before, and I have even handled magical treasures. Now I am truly in dire straits; I dare not deceive you. Only this one thing remains. If you find it acceptable, just name any price."

A jade box fell out of the bag.

Ma Guangshan carefully lifted the lid, revealing an unremarkable purple stone, about the size of a thumb.

He opened his mouth, preparing to explain.

But he saw A Qing wave her hand, studied it seriously for a moment, then turned back and whispered: "High-grade spiritual root, True Yang Qilin Stone. Unfortunately, it has been polluted by evil qi; there are traces of attempted purification, but it failed. The seal upon it comes from the Huang family of Shuangxi Mountain."

With every sentence she finished, Ma Guangshan's mouth opened a little wider.

Even Chen Zhong froze in place.

"Is it valuable?" Shen Yi only cared about this.

"Not valuable." A Qing shook her head decisively.

Hearing this, Ma Guangshan was so anxious he almost stamped his foot: "Even if you are well-traveled and knowledgeable, you cannot depress the price like this."

"Alright, it is worth a little." A Qing kept her expression unchanged.

"Just speak the truth." Shen Yi looked sideways and said calmly.

He needed far too many things; there was no need to leave a bad reputation over such a small item. Who knew whether someone beside him might have the treasure he wanted hidden in their storage bag?

Do not suffer a loss, but do not take advantage either.

Only by leaving such an impression would others be willing to come and lay their cards on the table.

"Oh." A Qing nodded as if understanding, then said: "Actually, the value of such a treasure is hard to evaluate; after all, it is not a supreme-grade spiritual root that has born consciousness; it was merely polluted by turbid matter, and there is still a possibility of purification."

"He probably just wanted to gamble whether the Huang family could remove the evil qi upon it."

"And he lost the gamble."

Hearing these words, Ma Guangshan felt as if his heart had been struck; he sighed heavily: "I indeed do not know any more powerful factions. If anyone is willing to exchange with me, a medium-grade spiritual root, no matter what kind, will do."

The difference in value between a high-grade and a medium-grade spiritual root is dozens of times over; it seems he was truly driven to desperation.

"Add the magical robe on his body, plus the pendant around his neck, and it is roughly this price... However, if Senior Shen does not have corresponding connections, I do not recommend you exchange with him."

A Qing carefully examined the man with the black mole, then turned her head to look at Shen Yi: "This time, it is the truth."

Ma Guangshan's face changed again and again; he gritted his teeth, immediately began to strip off his clothes, until he was left with only a white undershirt, then decisively tore off the pendant and slapped it onto the table.

A master of the Slain Hunyuan Sect had, right before so many eyes, reduced himself to such a wretched state.

Onlookers all held back their laughter: "..."

Shen Yi glanced at the jade box, reached into his storage treasure, and handed over the Long Yanyu Zhi.

"I thank you, senior, for saving my life!"

Ma Guangshan received it with trembling hands in his palm, then, scalded until his skin split and flesh tore, he gritted his teeth and stuffed it into his storage treasure.

He was just about to leave when he heard a faint voice from behind.

"Take the clothes; consider them a loan from me. We'll settle the account next time."

Hearing this, Ma Guangshan froze, then turned, snatched the clothes into his hand, and nodded forcefully. Though his voice was slightly weaker, it carried more genuine feeling: "Thank you, senior."

Seeing this scene,

the others were slightly stunned for a moment.

A top-grade spiritual root tainted by evil qi, while indeed worth this price, was something no one wanted at all; it was a useless item that hurt to sell cheap yet impossible to offload.

Not only did the youth in the black robe buy it, he didn't even bother to haggle down the price, and he even arranged a meeting for next time?

Although there was an appraiser with exceptional insight beside the other party.

But in this place with no order at all, a fair transaction was already an extremely rare occurrence.

In an instant, many people began to stir with restless desire.

(End of this chapter)