Chapter 113: Chapter 97: Doubts from the Nine Tribulations Immortal, True Disciple Hao Yun
Following the sale of some rare and precious treasures, the auction ended.
Inside the VIP room, a maid brought in two brocade boxes.
One of the boxes contained shards of the Taichu Divine Tree the size of a pinky finger, resembling fossil amber, crystalline, with a wooden hue.
It felt quite heavy in hand, and Yang Ji\'s eyes briefly betrayed an imperceptible fervor. Without looking further, he immediately tucked it away.
The Mountain Sea Pearl was the size of a fist, resembling a crystal sphere, semi-transparent.
Looking at it from the outside, one could see the naturally formed mountains, rivers, grasslands, and hills within—only the nurturing power of nature could yield such a treasure that contained a world of its own.
With a world in his hand, Yang Ji felt an extraordinary sensation, as if he were a divine being, lofty and detached from all.
The Mountain Sea Pearl still needed to be refined before it became his magical treasure. Of course, this was not the place for refining. After inspecting it briefly, he also tucked it away.
"Fellow Daoist, I truly owe you my thanks this time," Yang Ji sincerely said to Bai Bi as he clasped his fists in salute.
"There\'s no need for thanks, Fellow Daoist. When you need my help in the future, I hope you will make every effort to assist," Bai Bi said with a smile.
"Within my abilities, I will certainly do my utmost," Yang Ji replied. His gaze flickered as he mentioned to Bai Bi his intention to purchase Wood Attribute Spiritual Material.
He mentioned he was practicing a Great Divine Power related to the Wood Attribute and needed to absorb the Essence of Myriad Woods for his cultivation.
These were all common Divine Skills and techniques.
Just like earlier at the auction, a Mahayana cultivator mentioned needing Titanium Essence Gold to practice the "Taixuan Vajra Slash."
To master this Divine Skill, one must absorb the essence of metal. Once achieved, a slash could cut through mountains, cleave seas, and split the sky.
Bai Bi did not think too much about it and promptly brought a large amount of Wood Attribute Spiritual Material, such as Myriad Vajra Wood, Serpent Vine, and Blood Amber Resin and so on.
Yang Ji\'s heart surged with excitement, and he accepted everything.
These treasures were also on loan, added to his previous tab.
After thanking her, Yang Ji left the Myriad Realms Commerce Alliance.
The Buddha Child crowed, transmitting, "Lord, this Miss Bai Bi doesn\'t seem like a simple character. She readily handed over so many treasures to you without blinking an eye. Could she be the daughter of some big shot in the Myriad Realms Commerce Alliance?"
"This lady also looks pretty good and seems quite fond of you. Why not take the opportunity to seize her? Later, the branch of the Myriad Realms Commerce Alliance in Wuji City might as well be yours."
"She also wants our lord to exert effort for her? Hahaha, I\'ll make her compensate with treasures and herself."
"You think too simplistically," Yang Ji glanced back at the Myriad Realms Commerce Alliance, his eyes flashing as he said, "This Bai Bi\'s identity is indeed not low; such a person is not someone you can manipulate at will."
While conversing with Bai Bi, words like[Curiosity]and[Scrutinizing]constantly appeared above her head.
Yang Ji didn\'t know what she was curious about or scrutinizing.
It seemed that besides the Golden Finger, the Humanoid Weapon was a bit more mysterious on him, but now it had also been exposed, no longer a secret.
It appeared that there were no more secrets about him, yet the woman\'s gaze was filled with a probing intent, greatly baffling Yang Ji.
This woman was by no means simple; with an unfathomable mind and still thoughts, Yang Ji couldn\'t glean any more information.
However, he didn\'t feel any conspiracy or deceit, which is why he dared to trade with her in such a way.
Just as Yang Ji left the Myriad Realms Commerce Alliance, the space behind Bai Bi suddenly undulated. An elderly man with profound eyes and wearing an immortal\'s crown stepped through the boundless space and walked out slowly.
"Grandfather," Bai Bi softly exclaimed upon seeing this person.
At this moment, she was somewhat perplexed and said, "Grandfather, although he possesses some fortune, he\'s just a successor to the Demon Emperor. Why did you ask me to personally interact with him?"
"This man is a bit strange!" The elder\'s gaze flickered as he said, "I have observed countless people and have never been mistaken. Ordinarily, such a Quasi True Successor should have a fortune blossom above his head, but this man has only a few wisps of fortune on his. It\'s really odd."
"My Fate Observation Immortal Technique is already perfected. Even the fortune of a Nine Tribulations Immortal, I can discern a little, but him... even though I can see it, something feels off."
"If we say he lacks fortune, then how did he obtain the legacy of the Demon Emperor and attract the attention of the high echelons of Wuji Dao Sect? The immensely fortunate Wang Tianli even exchanged techniques with him, all these are signs of great luck."
"If we say he has fortune, however, the threads of fortune above his head are sparse like the few hairs on an old man\'s head. It\'s truly puzzling."
The elder was greatly perplexed, frowning as he said, "This person\'s fortune is one of the few that has struck me as strange. Normally, everyone else is either a Nine Tribulations Immortal or a Red Dust Immortal."
"Yet, this child is neither. He has actually evoked a feeling of curiosity in me which is very interesting."
"To better observe his fortune, that\'s why I asked you to interact with him and to agree to all his requests."
"But... even after fulfilling all his requests, his fortune remains unchanged—not increased by a hair\'s breadth, nor decreased."
The elder paced back and forth, brows slightly furrowed.
"Is that so?" Bai Bi was surprised. "I agreed to his terms, his fortune should have increased. Why hasn\'t it changed?"
"That\'s exactly what puzzles me," said the elder, his eyes flickering as he fell into deep thought.
"Could it be that he, like Grandfather, has cultivated a fortune-related Immortal Technique to perfection, avoiding Grandfather\'s detection?" Bai Bi murmured in speculation.
"Impossible! How many years has he cultivated? Even the most top-notch genius among myriad realms couldn\'t possibly perfect an Immortal Technique within a mere hundred years," the elder shook his head, dismissing such a conjecture.
"Then..." Bai Bi\'s delicate brows knit together slightly.
"No need to rack your brain; when something is strange, regard it as a supernatural oddity. Simply build a good relationship with this person, and do not make an enemy of him," the elder suddenly declared.
"Understood, Grandfather." Bai Bi smiled lightly, the silhouette of that man surfacing in her mind, her curiosity growing even stronger.
...
Yang Ji left the Myriad Realms Commerce Alliance but did not hurry back to his sect, choosing instead to stroll around Wuji City.
He visited all the major shops, searching for spiritual objects to improve his Spiritual Root but found nothing.
Just as he ascended into the sky, intending to fly out of the city,
two figures suddenly appeared amidst the white clouds ahead.
The young man leading was as graceful as jade—serene and elegant, with eyes smiling and brimming with intelligence, transcending the mundane.
The middle-aged man beside him wore a dignified expression, exuding a sense of authority.
At a single glance, Yang Ji was taken aback, exclaiming that it was unjust; the young man before him wore a crown, rings, and robe—all Dao Devices.
It was truly extravagant.
As his gaze lingered and settled on the young man\'s face, Yang Ji recognized him in an instant.
He had seen this face in the Myriad Treasures Mirror—none other than the True Disciple "Hao Yun."
Stories of Hao Yun, a True Disciple who could find treasures just by stepping outside, prompted Yang Ji to exclaim inwardly that no wonder he was such a person.
With a thought, Yang Ji, unaware of the reason he was being stopped, still maintained the due respect and cupped his hands in a greeting, "I have seen you before, Senior Brother Hao."
"Junior Brother, don\'t be nervous. I stopped you because I want to ask you about something. What is that amber-colored piece of wood you bought?" Hao Yun took a step forward and asked with a slight smile.
Upon hearing his voice, Yang Ji knew that the young man he had competed with at the auction was none other than the True Disciple, Hao Yun.
But how could he reveal the matter of the Taichu Divine Tree?
He promptly replied,
"Senior Brother, I don\'t know what it is, perhaps it\'s a fragment of a superior Dao Artifact. I bought it intending to refine it and use it to forge my Lifebound Magic Treasure."
"Oh? To create a Lifebound Magic Treasure? With just that little, it might only be enough to make treasures like flying needles," Hao Yun said, his eyes sparkling.
"I am a sword cultivator, planning to refine it into a small Flying Sword," Yang Ji responded.
"Ah, so it is," Hao Yun nodded slightly.
"Junior Brother, are you truly unaware of what that amber-colored piece of wood is?" Hao Yun stared at him again, probing.
"With my limited insight, I really do not know. I only know it\'s quite hard, comparable to top-grade materials, so I was moved to act. Why do you ask, Senior Brother?" Yang Ji suddenly countered.
"Oh, it\'s nothing," Hao Yun laughed lightly and said, "Junior Brother, sorry to bother you."
He turned to the middle-aged man beside him, "Let\'s go."
The two streaks of light quickly vanished into the distant sky.
"Lord, if you feel that object is extraordinary, why not simply trade a top-grade material with that Disciple?" the middle-aged man suggested.
"At the auction, when I first saw that treasure, a sense in my fortune told me it was extraordinary. But, after this little Junior Brother made his bid, I suddenly had a feeling that the item wasn\'t as valuable as it seemed," Hao Yun furrowed his brows, "Could it be that he has interfered with my fortune?"
"Lord, you are the reincarnation of the Lord of Fortune from the Immortal Realm; how could a mere junior disciple have the power or the virtue to interfere with your fortune?" the middle-aged man said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Indeed! Only an Immortal King could interfere with my fortune," Hao Yun suddenly laughed, dismissing the thought from his mind.