Ch. 323 - Red Dragon

In ancient times, when the Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique appeared, the whole world trembled. Wherever it went, heroes retreated, not daring to face it head-on.

Unfortunately, that glory had faded long ago. Now, even the disciples of minor sects would mock such a physique as a “waste body.”

Time flowed on, prosperity and decline, rise and fall. The Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique had become a legend, its splendor lost to the ages, unable to shine again.

Ye Fan wanted to break this curse, to change his current predicament. The secrets of Grand Emperor Beginningless had stirred his heart; he longed to grow stronger.

The Celestial City was unimaginably vast. Even after all these days, Ye Fan had only explored a small corner, far from its depths.

Of course, that was partly because he wanted to gamble on source stones. He couldn’t just rush around. Each time he chose a stone workshop, he would stay for a long while.

Today, Blackwater took Ye Fan a bit farther out. The ancient street they walked was broad, yet quiet, with few people about.

Ancient trees lined both sides of the road, towering skyward. Their bark was dry and cracked, each trunk so thick that ten people together couldn’t encircle one. Their vast canopies blocked out the sun, casting the area into a dim, eerie light.

After walking some distance, Ye Fan noticed something odd. There was a massive stone workshop nearby, covering an enormous area, but it was utterly desolate.

Wild grass and weeds had overgrown everything, ancient trees had gone unchecked, nearly swallowing up the buildings. It was clear no one had tended the place for years, it was practically wilderness now.

“Damn!”

Ye Fan was stunned, he actually saw a rabbit. Yes, a wild rabbit, hopping out of the grass and darting into the overgrown courtyard.

This was the Celestial City! Every inch of land was priceless, how could such a huge estate be abandoned like this?

And yet, there it was: wild vines crawling everywhere, twisted old trees crowding the grounds, and even wild animals roaming about. It was absurd.

Soon after, Ye Fan saw two pheasants flapping into the bushes. He was speechless. This was too bizarre.

“What kind of place is this? Who in the Celestial City would willingly abandon such a treasure?”

“This place… used to belong to the Heavenly Jade Sacred Ground,” Blackwater said.

Ahead, half-hidden by the overgrown trees, stood a grand, city-like gatehouse. A weathered bronze plaque hung above it, engraved with two ancient characters, Heavenly Jade.

“That Sacred Ground?” Ye Fan asked, stepping closer. “No wonder.”

He recalled the old madman. Back in its prime, Heavenly Jade had been mighty beyond compare, but it had led a full-force attack on a Forbidden Burial Ground, and nearly perished for it.

Long ago, there had been more Sacred Grounds than today, but many had since vanished. Their treasures were taken by surviving powers, which was why the remaining Sacred Grounds had become so powerful.

“In that battle, only three or four people from Heavenly Jade survived. How could they possibly defend against the covetous Sacred Grounds afterward? Most of their treasures were seized, including the vast source mines outside the Primordial Mine.”

“Then why wasn’t this place taken too?” Ye Fan asked, puzzled.

“There’s a reason…” Blackwater explained.

The other Sacred Grounds had indeed planned to divide Heavenly Jade’s remains among themselves. But soon after, every full moon, the ruins of the Heavenly Jade Sacred Ground began to echo with the sound of crying. Several Sacred Lords investigated in person but found nothing.

Later, during a full moon, this very stone workshop in the Celestial City also began to wail with mournful cries. Again, the Sacred Lords sent experts, but none found anything. None dared to touch the place afterward.

Since then, once every thousand years, the sorrowful cries would return at night. It frightened even the boldest.

To this day, no one dared disturb this place.

“The gate’s open,” Ye Fan said in surprise.

“After so many years, only one old gatekeeper remains,” Blackwater said softly. “He’s a descendant of the loyal servant who stayed behind long ago. But his line is nearly ended, he has no heirs.”

“Can we go in?”

“We can,” Blackwater nodded. “But all the valuable stones were taken away by the Sacred Grounds long ago. There’s not much left.”

“You mean we can still gamble on stone here?” Ye Fan asked, surprised.

“The old caretaker needs to survive,” Blackwater said. “He only guards this old estate. If someone wants to buy source stones, he sells them.”

Back then, the Sacred Grounds had already hauled off all the precious stones. The cries came later. Even though they hadn’t taken over this place, there was no way they’d return the sources.

The stone steps were broken, the palaces collapsed, all buried under vegetation. An old man sat upon a slab of bluestone, bent, frail, his eyes dim. His life was nearly at its end.

He stared at the overgrown ruins, eyes filled with sorrow and remembrance.

Ye Fan sighed softly. This was a faithful family, generation after generation, guarding a courtyard with no future or hope.

The old man slowly turned his head. His wrinkled face and cloudy eyes reflected the years.

“Young men, are you here to buy stones?” he asked weakly.

“What a pitiful old man,” Ye Fan thought. “What keeps him here? What belief sustains him?”

“Yes, I want to buy many stones,” Ye Fan said, setting a heap of source before the old man.

“No need for that much,” the old man said hoarsely, pushing the pile back with his rough hands. “The stones here aren’t worth much, and you haven’t chosen yet.”

“I’ll pick some now,” Ye Fan replied.

“Take your time,” the old man said. “Once in a while, someone does find something valuable here. Sometimes, even a legendary figure comes to seek treasures. One such man entered earlier, he went deep inside. Perhaps he’s one of those Supreme Giants.”

Blackwater chuckled. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and meet one of those legendary powerhouses ourselves.”

Suddenly, Ye Fan froze. His heart skipped a beat, he had seen such a being.

In the depths of the weeds squatted an old Daoist, dressed in ancient, worn robes, his body dry and withered, examining a pile of stones. It was none other than Red Dragon Daoist.

Ye Fan nearly gasped, but years of training kept his composure steady.

This was the sworn brother of the Peacock Monarch, a terrifying existence feared even by the Sacred Lords. Ye Fan never expected to meet him here.

He glanced at Blackwater and the old man, unsure whether to curse their bad luck or call it prophetic timing.

The Red Dragon Daoist looked over briefly, then turned away, saying nothing.

A few months earlier, he had selected a batch of stones in a mountain village, but Ye Fan had secretly taken them all, even uprooting the villagers’ houses, leaving nothing behind.

Ye Fan could imagine the Red Dragon Daoist’s face when he discovered everything gone. He dared not show a hint of recognition now.

Pretending to be casual, Ye Fan and Blackwater searched the stones under the ancient trees.

After a while, the Daoist selected a dozen rough stones, seemingly ordinary, and placed them before the old man to pay.

But then, sensing something, the Red Dragon Daoist suddenly exuded a terrifying aura and vanished, darting into the distance as if chasing something.

“Why did he leave?” the old man murmured, confused. He turned to Ye Fan and Blackwater. “Why not take the stones he picked? They’re already chosen.”

Ye Fan hesitated. Should I do it again, scoop up everything he picked?

“If that old Daoist doesn’t return, it’s my luck,” Ye Fan thought. “If he does, I’ll just say I was keeping them safe for him.”

He decided and stepped forward.

“Let’s cut them open right here,” Blackwater said carelessly, unaware of who the Daoist really was.

“Wait a bit,” Ye Fan cautioned, fearing Red Dragon’s return.

But a quarter of an hour passed, no sign of him. Ye Fan finally took it as fate and began cutting.

One by one, they split thirteen stones, nothing inside, all empty.

When Ye Fan sliced open the fifteenth, barely the size of a fist, a fragrant aroma wafted out, sweet as orchid and musk, intoxicating to the soul.

Ye Fan stiffened. He knew this scent, it was the same as the one from the stone artifact left by the Celestial Source Master, the one that had poisoned the greedy Black Dog nearly to death.

“How could the Red Dragon Daoist have such a sharp eye? Does he also understand the most profound source arts?” Ye Fan wondered, both shocked and uneasy.

But now he had a bigger problem. He had just uncovered that thing again, what if it went to waste like before?

“You found something amazing!” Blackwater shouted excitedly. “With that kind of fragrance, it must be priceless!” Even the old man’s cloudy eyes brightened in astonishment.

Ye Fan peeled away the stone’s outer layer, revealing a pink fruit about half the size of a fist, exactly like the one before, just smaller.

Suddenly, a flash of light, Red Dragon Daoist appeared soundlessly, his face dark with fury. “Why are you touching my stones?!” he demanded.

Ye Fan didn’t answer immediately, he wanted to calm him down and avoid blame.

“You were gone so long,” the old man said mildly, “so I sold them to these young men.”

The Daoist was taken aback, glancing at the old man.

“They’re ours now,” Blackwater said. “If you want them, you’ll have to pay the price.” He knew the man was powerful, but not that powerful.

“Forget that, hurry and seal it with jade!” the Daoist barked urgently. “Otherwise, you’ll ruin something worth at least ten thousand kilos of source!” Sweat beaded his forehead as he searched his robe for jade containers, but found none.

“Ten thousand kilos of source?!” Blackwater almost bit his tongue.

At that moment, Ye Fan nearly cursed aloud, his mouth twitching. That damned greedy dog! It had once bitten into a fruit worth twenty thousand kilos of source, and got itself poisoned half to death, foaming at the mouth and convulsing for half a month.

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