Ch. 326 - The Immortal Flying Out of Stone

The “Watermelon Stone” has patterns on its surface that resemble watermelon stripes. Although it can sometimes produce Source Armor or Stone Crossbows, such cases are rare, most of the time, it only contains small granules, like watermelon seeds. That’s how it got its name.

Of course, nothing is absolute. Long ago, someone once cut out dozens of divine “watermelon seeds”, Godsource crystals, from such a stone, causing a sensation in the Celestial City.

Now, forty-nine pieces of purple crystal “watermelon seeds” had been cut out. Though they couldn’t compare to Godsource, they were shocking enough.

At this moment, Blackwater was laughing wildly while Wu Ziming and the others’ faces darkened. Over forty thousand kilo of source, the number made their heads spin. The amount was simply staggering.

“Dear noble gentlemen, don’t just stand there! Bring out the source, forty-two thousand kilo. Your generosity truly moves us.”

Ye Fan and Blackwater stepped forward, hands outstretched, ready to collect the source.

Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian felt utterly miserable, their hearts full of suffocating frustration. It was as if they had been soaring high in the heavens, only to be dragged down headfirst into a pit latrine.

They had planned to mock the two country bumpkins, but in the end, they themselves became the butt of the joke, each inexplicably forced to hand over three thousand kilo of source.

It was infuriating. Their heads felt like they were about to erupt in smoke. Such humiliation burned in their chests, all that just for teasing two supposed fools. The very air they exhaled seemed to carry fire.

“Damn it, is there no justice in this world? A watermelon stone, and it actually broke open to reveal purple crystal source! I want to hit someone!” muttered a disciple from one of the great sects, face full of bad luck.

“Three thousand kilo of source... damn it, half my fortune’s gone! All because of that damned purple crystal!” cursed another rough-looking disciple.

Wu Ziming’s face turned ashen. If he and Li Chongtian hadn’t insisted on pestering those two bumpkins, things wouldn’t have turned out like this, they wouldn’t have become such fools.

“Brother Wu, are you ill? Why is your face even purpler than the purple crystal source?”

Blackwater asked with feigned concern, his big head shaking as he leaned forward, pretending to care.

“You black brat, don’t act smug after getting lucky!” Wu Ziming’s nostrils flared with fury. He felt his nose might start bleeding from anger. He flung his sleeve and threw three thousand kilo of source to the ground.

Veins bulged on their foreheads as they tossed the source to the ground, unwilling but helpless. With so many watching, they couldn’t back out. It would be too humiliating.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Ye Fan said politely, taking the three thousand kilo of source directly from the Crown Prince of Grand Xia.

Then he turned to the little nun in white and said with a grin, “Little sister, do you have any source?”

The little nun pouted, her pure eyes full of innocence. She had somehow gotten dragged into this mess, she hadn’t mocked anyone or made any bets, yet she was expected to pay up.

The Crown Prince of Grand Xia frowned, displeased with how Ye Fan smiled at his sister. He stepped in front of her protectively and threw out a large amount of source himself.

Clink, clink, the pile of source sparkled brilliantly, light and energy flowing, dazzling the eye.

“Hahaha!” Blackwater burst out laughing.

The dozen nobles all went dark-faced again, full of suppressed rage. It was simply too unfair.

Ye Fan ignored them, sweeping his sleeve and storing all the source away, more than forty thousand kilo in total. He was one step closer to breaking through his realm.

“This time,” Wu Ziming said in a deep voice, “I’ll really gamble stones with you. Do you dare?”

“Why wouldn’t I dare? But do you still have any source left?” Ye Fan asked lazily.

Wu Ziming opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Earlier, many of them had to borrow source just to make up the forty-two thousand kilo. None of them carried much more.

“How can we gamble if you’ve got no source?” Blackwater mocked openly, his dark face full of scorn.

“Don’t get cocky, black brat!”

“What do you mean black? This is called manly charm! You got any of that? Huh?” Blackwater retorted loudly, not the least bit embarrassed.

The crowd was speechless. Someone muttered, “He’s that dark and still claims he’s not? Please.”

“I’ve got source,” said the Crown Prince of Grand Chu as he stepped forward. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem bothered by his earlier loss.

“How much?” Blackwater asked bluntly.

“Three fangs.”

The crowd gasped. The Grand Chu prince really had deep pockets, one of the heirs of the Four Immortal Dynasties of Middle Continent, carrying over ten thousand kilo of source on his person.

“Fine, no problem. I’ll bet with you,” Ye Fan said, smiling.

The Crown Prince of Grand Xia strode ahead like a dragon, his body surrounded by dragon might, his presence powerful and majestic.

The little nun in white followed, still pouting. She was upset, she had been forced to pay source for no reason. She clenched her tiny fist, waved it at Ye Fan in mock anger, then turned lightly to follow her brother.

Ye Fan and Blackwater followed without concern, and the crowd surged after them, everyone knew something exciting was about to happen.

The demon youth, Yao Yuekong, also joined in. Dressed in purple, with deep, starlike eyes and a faint divine aura, he was as much a focus of attention as the Crown Prince.

Morning sunlight poured down, gilding the temple rooftops in holy gold. Walking there, one could feel peace, as if body and soul were being cleansed.

The crowd followed the pebble path through groves and courtyards until, finally, at the eighteenth Stone Workshop, the Crown Prince stopped.

Here, the stone materials were already extremely valuable, one kilo of stone equaled ten kilo of source. The stones were more precious than the source itself, far beyond what ordinary people could afford.

Beyond the eighteenth garden, gambling was no longer for pure source, but for far rarer treasures.

That suited Ye Fan perfectly. If it were only source, it would take him forever to gather enough. But if these rare stones contained treasures, he could accumulate wealth much faster.

“Here then?” the Crown Prince asked.

“Well, since we’re already here,” Ye Fan said with a smile, “why not go to the Heavenly-Rank Stone Workshop?”

“Hiss!”

The crowd gasped. The Heavenly-Rank Workshop! Stones there were unimaginably expensive. Few young cultivators ever dared to go, only the most powerful elders of Sacred Grounds frequented it.

“In that place, a single stone can cost a thousand kilo of source. Many try their luck and leave pale-faced.”

“Some stones weigh only a few kilo but cost over ten thousand kilo of source. Even the elders of Sacred Grounds feel the pain.”

People whispered in awe and disbelief.

“Why would anyone buy such stones?” someone asked.

“You don’t understand,” said a seasoned gambler. “Those stones are special. If one reveals a treasure, it’s guaranteed to be extraordinary, its value could reach hundreds of thousands of kilo of source.”

“Then why don’t the Sacred Grounds cut them themselves?” another asked.

“Because even they can’t tell what’s inside. To maximize profit, they sell them at high prices and let others take the risk. That’s why these stone markets exist.”

After a brief pause, the Crown Prince said boldly, “Very well. Let’s go to the Heavenly-Rank Stone Workshop.”

The entire crowd erupted, this was going to be a grand spectacle.

“You’re really going there?” Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian were stunned.

Now it was Blackwater’s turn to act smug. “You’ve never gambled there, have you? Time to learn.”

“Those two bumpkins are looking down on us now!”

Wu Ziming and his group were fuming.

“Black brat... I’ll get even next time,” one muttered.

“I’m not black! Stop saying that word. Next time, bring enough source, I’ll gamble until your faces turn green!”

“You’re too arrogant, black brat!”

“You’re the one who’s black! Your whole family’s black!” Blackwater shot back, rolling his eyes.

Inside the Heavenly-Rank Stone Workshop grew an ancient vine, thick as a dragon, ten meters in diameter, stretching across the courtyard. It wasn’t a tree, just a vine, yet massive beyond belief.

Beside it stood an ancient well, built from source stones, its rope grooves worn deep over countless ages.

“This vine is tens of thousands of years old,” Blackwater whispered to Ye Fan. “They say it nearly transformed into a dragon once, but a godlike being suppressed it, turning it into a mortal plant. Its spirit energy now flows through the well, nourishing this entire stone market.”

Others said that in the Celestial City, no plant could ever turn into a spirit, all gathered energy must feed the city itself.

The demon youth Yao Yuekong stepped forward, his bearing divine and his eyes like twin stars. “If you cut out a treasure, brothers, would you consider selling it to my Godfiend Palace?”

“No problem,” Ye Fan said. “If a treasure appears, we’ll gladly trade with you.”

The Heavenly-Rank Stone Workshop was normally quiet, but today it was packed. Word spread quickly, everyone came to watch.

An old nun sat cross-legged inside, utterly still, like an ancient tree. A few elderly stone cultivators were selecting stones nearby.

When the Crown Prince, the white-robed nun, Ye Fan, and Blackwater entered, the old nun did not move, nor did the others make a sound. The crowd outside fell silent as well. There were no walls, only plants, so everyone could see clearly.

As soon as Ye Fan stepped inside, he sensed a primordial aura, ancient and vast. It was the same energy he had once felt in the forbidden zone of Taichu.

He realized, these were all rare stones, likely mined near that very forbidden zone.

“I’ve walked by this garden before,” Blackwater transmitted, “but this is my first time entering.”

Ye Fan smiled. “Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty more chances. The Sacred Grounds are all waiting for us.”

The Crown Prince and his sister moved with familiarity, clearly, they had been here before. Ye Fan suspected that the princess was undergoing a Buddhist form of worldly tempering.

The Heavenly-Rank Workshop was lush with green bamboo, serene and quiet. The stones were few, but each carefully placed, beneath bamboo, beside springs, or entwined in vines. The setting was elegant, natural, and harmonious.

A master stone-cutter followed them, explaining details as they went.

Even prepared as he was, Ye Fan was stunned. Many stones, though small, cost thousands of kilo of source.

“Old master, isn’t this insane? Who can afford this?” Ye Fan asked.

The old man chuckled. “Few young ones come here. It’s for the true ancients. To them, if there’s even a glimmer of hope to find something extraordinary, no price is too high.”

“What treasures have been cut here?” Blackwater asked.

“Once, Godsource was found. Other times, mysterious treasures, indescribable wonders.”

“This one costs a hundred thousand kilo of source?!” Blackwater exclaimed.

The stone was about a hundred kilo in weight, resting quietly beneath the bamboo, faint traces of Dao Resonance flowed over its surface.

“This is madness! You’re selling Godsource, not stone!” Blackwater muttered.

“It’s worth every bit,” the master said calmly.

Blackwater sent a private message to Ye Fan. “This one’s strange. I can feel Dao Resonance, my senses are tingling.”

Ye Fan shook his head. “It’s hard to say. The resonance might come from a parent stone. If so, it could be hollow or empty. If it’s been sitting here this long untouched, there’s a reason. The old foxes who come here aren’t fools.”

“True,” Blackwater nodded. “If it really contained something, someone would’ve bought it already.”

After inspecting several stones, Ye Fan grew more cautious. This place was too extraordinary.

“This one…” Blackwater gasped.

They saw a one-foot-long stone shaped like a tiny human, complete with nine natural openings.

“Is that natural or carved?” he asked.

“Completely natural. That’s why it’s worth ninety thousand kilo of source,” the old man said.

“Can you see anything?” Blackwater asked Ye Fan secretly.

“I can’t see through it. Leave it for now,” Ye Fan replied.

Not far away, the Crown Prince had already chosen his stone, small, seven or eight kilo in weight, but priced at two fangs of source.

“Your Highness,” Blackwater called, “you only had a little over ten thousand kilo, and now you’ve spent two-thirds of it. How will you bet with us?”

“I still have more,” the white-robed nun said softly, her big eyes glancing playfully at them.

“Don’t cry when you lose,” Ye Fan teased.

The little nun wrinkled her nose and gave him a fierce look, while the Crown Prince snorted coldly.

“We’ve made our choice too,” Ye Fan said. “This one.”

He pointed to a massive stone, taller than a man. It cost only three thousand kilo, cheap compared to the others, almost a bargain.

Still, the crowd gasped. Such a large stone, and so cheap, surely nothing good inside.

“Do you really think size equals value?” Wu Ziming sneered. “How laughable.”

Li Chongtian joined in. “In the Heavenly Workshop, that kind of pick is a joke.”

Blackwater smirked. “You’ve already lost all your source. What are you even talking about?”

“Let’s see what you can cut out,” Wu Ziming said coldly.

“Watch closely, then,” Blackwater laughed.

Ye Fan looked to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, let’s wager ten thousand kilo of source. Whoever cuts the higher-value treasure wins.”

“Agreed. Begin cutting,” the prince said.

“Alright.” Ye Fan picked up the blade himself, cautious and focused.

“You sure about this?” Blackwater asked quietly.

“This stone feels special,” Ye Fan whispered back. “There’s something inside, but we’ll only know once it’s out.”

Crack.

The first layer peeled away. Ye Fan cut carefully, nothing like his earlier carefree slice of the watermelon stone. Every move was precise, fearful of ruining the treasure.

Crack.

Another thin layer split, and suddenly, light burst forth, dazzling and intense. A beam shot into the sky, forming a glowing silhouette.

“My god, what’s that?!” someone shouted.

“It looks like… a human figure!”

“Yes! A person flew out of the stone!”

The crowd outside erupted in chaos.

“An Immortal emerging from stone!”

“It really looks like a human shadow!”

Ye Fan himself was stunned.

At that very moment, the old nun who had been sitting motionless suddenly opened her eyes.

Comments