Chapter 188: The Opening of the Event
Translator: StackThatCoin Editor: Hitesh
As soon as they met, Wu Qi immediately threw out the request for learning the Unity of Sword Energies Script. It made both Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong speechless because of the astonishment.
Spending some time in sizing up Wu Qi, at last, Nie Yaonu smiled and said, "Wu Qi, the Unity of Sword Energies Script is a paramount sword technique that one can only cultivate after having his Gold Core formed. It will transform the sword energies produced by the Five Elements Sword Technique into one thread of the purest sword energy, that does not contain any element. It is capable of destroying anything that gets in its way. With your current cultivation base, it is still too early to learn that."
What Nie Baihong said next was even more straight to the point, "Apart from my mother and me, there are no other people in Heaven Breaking Sword Sect who have learned the Unity of Sword Energies Script. Wu Qi, oh Wu Qi, what is the thing contained in this jade tablet of yours. Is it really worth the value for us to teach you the Unity of Sword Energies Script?"
Wu Qi looked at Nie Yaonu, smiled and said, "Grand Elder, do you really think that Wu Qi would never form my Gold Core for the rest of my life? And Master, if you wish to expand and grow Heaven Breaking Sword Sect to a higher level, this jade tablet is all you need. Inside of it are the detailed maps of a dozen energy stones veins that I found in Meng Mountains, together with the locations of over twenty rare mineral veins. Every single one of them is of the best materials in crafting magical treasures."
Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong had their faces fall instantly. They stared straight into Wu Qi's eyes and asked in a deep voice, "Do you really mean it?"
Without hesitation, Wu Qi raised his right palm up in the air and said with utmost seriousness, "I can swear with my life that what I said is real."
The mother and son exchanged a glance, then Nie Yaonu continued saying in a deep voice, "When those minerals are extracted, I'll give you half of the profits." After that, she fished out a translucent jade slip from her sleeve, focused her mind and branded all the contents of Unity of Sword Energies Script into it. Then, she casually tossed it over to Wu Qi. With that being done, she rolled up the jade tablet on Wu Qi's hand with her long sleeve, sent her divine sense into it and began reading the maps. Very soon, an extremely pleased smile bloomed on her face.
It was a very detailed map, to the degree that she could even read the distribution of every single tree near each mineral vein. If the map were forged by Wu Qi, with such degree of detailedness, it would cost too much of effort to make. She believed that Wu Qi had really gone into the depth of Meng Mountains personally and found those mineral veins, then made a copy of the surrounding terrains with a mystic technique that was used by cultivators to create maps. Only then could he have produced such a detailed map. Nie Yaonu nodded her head in satisfaction, turned to Wu Qi and said, "Memorize the Unite of Sword Energies Script now. When you're done, destroy the jade slip, and swear that apart from you, no one else is allowed to learn this technique from you."
She paused for a brief moment, then continued saying, "In the future, if you do take some disciples of yours, and once he or she is evaluated and receives the permission from me, he or she can also learn this mystic technique. That is not limited by the vow."
With pleasure, Wu Qi fused all the contents of the jade slip into the depth of his soul, then crushed it with his fingers. After that, he immediately swore an extremely vicious and cruel vow. This time, he did not play any tricks in his vow, as he really did not want anybody else to learn this technique. The Unity of Sword Energies Script was an extraordinary sword technique, just nice for him to use in front of the public, so that he could put a disguise on all other mystical techniques he learned from the Scroll of Stealing.
The profound and delicate cultivation technique that contained over several tens of thousands of words flowed and branded deeply in his mind. There were even seventy-two images of how the energies would flow in the body that flashed and flickered in his mind. In just a blink of an eye, Wu Qi had completely memorized all the contents of Unity of Sword Energies Script, as his insane-level intelligence began analyzing this cultivation technique, while the energies flowing in the primary meridians of his body also began flowing according to the images. The immense amount of innate energies, which were many times denser than mercury were rolling and rocking in his dantian, producing loud splashing noises. Slowly but steadily, they formed into an embryonic form of a Gold Core.
As long as he kept cultivating with the technique for another half a month, Wu Qi was confident that he could use this Unity of Sword Energies Script as the core technique and form a 'Stealing-Heavens False Core' in his dantian. The so-called 'Stealing-Heavens False Core' was, in fact, a real Gold Core. It was named 'False Core' because this Gold Core could be given up at any time, and could even be thrown out from his body and made to explode, as none of that would cause any harm to Wu Qi.
The only function of this Gold Core was that he could use it to exercise some stolen cultivation techniques, using them to confuse other people. The foundation that tied Wu Qi's life together was still in the ten Gold Cores that were residing in the Seven Stealing Heaven Meridians in both his arms. Although this Gold Core in his dantian was supported by an immense amount of energies, what drove it was actually the sword energy cultivated by the technique from Heavenly Spirit Sect. It had nothing to do with Scroll of Stealing. Also, it was fused only with a tiny thread of Wu Qi's divine sense, and most of his souls and power were merged together with the ten Innate Gold Cores.
Sensing the transformation in his body, Wu Qi could not help but wear a pleased smile on his face, bowing and thanking Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong.
Both mother and son heard the splashing noises that came from Wu Qi's meridians, as if a great river was flowing ragingly inside of his body. That had struck both of them dumb with amazement. They looked at each other, and decided to put more attention on Wu Qi. Without even sending out their divine sense to probe the condition in Wu Qi's body, just by listening to the sound of his energy flowing, they knew that his meridians were extremely wide and tough. They could see that his meridians had been fully filled with energies, and the quality of the energies was excellent as well. Or else, it was impossible for those energies to have produced such loud noises.
Perhaps, after Nie Baihong, Heaven Breaking Sword Sect was going to own another powerful force. Nie Yaonu nodded her head satisfyingly, and began brewing some other plans in her mind.
It was at this time they heard a few jade bell sounds coming from the outside, and saw the people who organized the Rare Treasures Conference flying onto the jade platform in the center of the lake. Today was the last day of the event, and right at the moment when the sun leaped out from the eastern horizon, the event was officially started.
Wu Qi and Princess Zhang Le did not return to their own abode, but chose to stay together with Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong, standing on the balcony in Heaven Breaking Sword Sect's abode, where they could overlook the jade platform. They then saw a few old men, clad in white robes and crowned with tall hats, standing on the jade platform with solemn expressions. The foot of the platform was crowded with nearly one hundred cultivators, whose weakest cultivation base was middle-stage Gold Core realm, while some strongest one was beyond Wu Qi’s detection capabilities.
Nie Yaonu shook her head disapprovingly and said, "Heh, those few old fools from Myriad Dao Alliance are here too. Look at those few people clad in pale-green long robes, they are the Elders from Myriad Dao Alliance. That Lord Heavenly Spirit is the founding Patriarch of Heavenly Spirit Sect, and Sangha White Rays is the founding Patriarch of White Rays Temple. The status of the other three is not as significant as them, but they too are powerful persons from Myriad Dao Alliance."
She gave Wu Qi a glance over her shoulder, smiled and said, "Wu Qi, I suppose you don't know the origin of this Myriad Dao Alliance? Let me explain to you..."
Wu Qi stared at Lord Heavenly Spirit, then interrupted Nie Yaonu with a gloomy expression, "I know what this Myriad Dao Alliance is all about. Lord Heavenly Spirit, so he is the founding Patriarch of Heavenly Spirit Sect? I heard that out of thirteen Gold Core Elders from Heavenly Spirit Sect who His Majesty ordered to kill, two of them were his lineage great-grandsons?"
Nie Yaonu laughed. She gazed at Xiong Jin and Xiong Jin thoughtfully, who stood very close to Wu Qi at the back, then it seemed she was suddenly enlightened. "That's correct," said Nie Yaonu with a nod.
Wu Qi laughed too. He pointed his finger at Lord Heavenly Spirit and told Princess Zhang Le, "That old fool had ordered his disciples and followers to hunt Wu Qi down in Meng Mountains. But in the end, they were all squashed into meat paste by Wanying Dragon King's subordinates. There is a deep grudge between Wu Qi and this old fellow. Princess, you have to be careful when dealing with him in the future."
Hearing what he said, Princess Zhang Le had her expression turned extremely unsightly. She nodded her head slowly and said, "Is that so? Now I understood. Heavenly Spirit Sect, hmph! They colluded with Wei Merchant and engaged in illegal activities, trying to conspire against the empire. Could they think what they did is right? Tsk, we, the Great Yan Dynasty, do not need these few Nascent Soul Patriarchs from Heavenly Spirit Sect!" There was an immense aggressive in Princess Zhang Le's words, and they made even Nie Yaonu feel shocked. Meanwhile, Nie Baihong was seen narrowing his eyes and kept smiling. He would love to see and hear if Princess Zhang Le really decided to do something to Heavenly Spirit Sect.
While the group was sizing up the people standing on the platform, a small commotion suddenly broke out outside Heaven Breaking Sword Sect's abode. A moment ago, when Wu Qi and Princess Zhang Le entered the abode and were paying a visit to Nie Yaonu and Nie Baihong, those youths from the influential clans of Great Yan Dynasty who followed them here were barred from entering by Nie Yaonu's loyal disciples. Now, when they realized that the event was about to start, yet Princess Zhang Le was still not leaving this place, they began to show some colors to the gatekeepers.
Wu Qi gave Nie Yaonu a glance, and saw that her face had fallen, seemingly covered in a shadow. Then, he turned to Princess Zhang Le.
Princess Zhang Le frowned, twitched her tiny lips and snorted coldly, "Why are these annoying guys still here? Chase them away! Those who refuse to leave will have their legs broken and thrown out from the mountain. Don't be scared of killing some of them. We, the Great Yan Dynasty, do not have many things, but rascals like them are abundant. It will be better to kill a few of them so we can have some peaceful time!"
The burly Xiong Yin walked swaggering down the stairs and came to the entrance of the abode. Then, everybody heard a few loud slapping sounds ring out, followed immediately by a dead silence, as all the commotion simply faded away. After that, Xiong Yin once again walked swaggering up to the top floor, holding his arms and casting his bear vision out, standing mightily behind Wu Qi's back.
Princess Zhang Le smiled as she looked at the bear. She then said with a frown, "These guys have been so annoying in the past few days. Zi Xuan had just fully healed from the injury half a month ago, then that Yu Qianqian immediately brought these guys and threw a party at Garden of Zhang Le. Since then, they had been following me everywhere. Especially that Yue Xiao, who you had wounded with a kick, he had just brought an army and wiped out a vassal kingdom who tried to revolt. He claimed himself a great merit and was praised by grandfather, and even conferred the title of Baron. Relying on that, he kept following Zi Xuan everywhere, really annoying!"
Wu Qi nodded thoughtfully and quickly said a few words to comfort Princess Zhang Le. After that, he took out many items that he obtained from catfish-flood-dragon and gave them to her as gifts. Princess Zhang Le was beguiled by his words and gifts. Her face melted into a smile and she immediately forgot Yue Xiao and those annoying youths. Meanwhile, Wu Qi was pondering in his mind what Yu Qianqian's intention to play such tricks on the princess was. He did not have a good impression of Yu Qianqian, as she was not a frank and righteous girl that everybody would like.
On the jade platform, the few old men clad in white robes and crowned with tall hats were heard saying a few words in a loud voice. They were vigorous, and their voices echoed throughout the land ten miles around them. Even when standing in the abode on top of the little mountain, every single word of them could be heard loud and clear.
After some opening speeches, a few beautiful girls came up to the platform with their hands carrying a large case made from cold jade.
Today was the thirtieth day of the Rare Treasures Conference, and the last day of the event. Thus, there was not a necessity to repeat the rules of the auction. The few serving ladies opened up the case, revealing three strange flowers, about three feet in diameter each, and consisting of several thousand pure white, sparkling and translucent petals. They showed the flowers to the surrounding abodes on the mountains, then quickly closed back the case.
An old man on the platform then shouted, "The Snow Flowers of Thousand Petals, at least three thousand years old… They can be used to concoct all kinds of spirit medicines that are able to freshen one's mind, expel devils and remedy heat poison. The floor price is two hundred thousand gold coins or two hundred pieces of lower-grade energy stones. Each bid cannot be lower than ten thousand gold coins or ten pieces of lower-grade energy stones."
As people in all the abodes had a profound cultivation base, all of them had a keen vision.
From an adobe surrounded by green pines and verdant cypresses located slightly lower than Heaven Breaking Sword Sect's came an old voice slowly, "Snow Flowers of Thousand Petals, that is a good item! Since everyone here is an expert who knows what is good and what is not, then let me be the modest spur to induce someone to come forward with their valuable contributions. I'll be the first one to bid. Two hundred and ten thousand gold coins!"
Nie Yaonu smacked her lips and gave a rather mocking laugh. "These people from Valley of Medicine are always so stingy! They think they can bring back these three rare flowers with so little money? I will not allow them to bring it away so easily, even if I will just plant them in the lake and look at them every day!"
She took a deep breath and yelled out loudly, "One million gold coins! I've taken a fancy to these three flowers!"