Chapter 24 - You're Forcing My Hand with the Innate Yin-Yang Qi

Chapter 24 : You’re Forcing My Hand with the Innate Yin-Yang Qi

“Would the Primordial Holy Son like our master craftsman to open the stone?” Huangshan Hai asked with a smile. “Our master craftsmen at the Divine Stone Pavilion have been professionally opening stones for hundreds of years without a single mistake.”

Typically, those who purchase divine stones at the Pavilion would have them opened by these master craftsmen, known for their exquisite skills and familiarity with various divine stones. They usually manage to perfectly extract the treasures within without any mishaps.

“No need,” Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively. He was here not only to experience the thrill of stone gambling but also to open the stones himself. He thought that it was where the real fun lay.

Unlike Earth, where a lack of skill in stone gambling could drastically reduce the value of jade inside, the divine stones of the Nine Heavens Realm contained all sorts of treasures, including divine weapons, rare materials, and supreme secret techniques.

What one could extract depended on personal luck. The process of opening divine stones wasn’t overly difficult, and Jiang Chen preferred to do it himself.

Holding up a human-sized divine stone, Jiang Chen sliced directly towards the middle with a swift motion. The boldness of this action made many onlookers’ hearts skip a beat. The clang of metal hitting something hard echoed as Jiang Chen hit an obstacle within the stone.

“There it is!” Jiang Chen smiled slightly, then clenched his hand, causing the divine stone to explode into fragments with a loud bang. Amidst a cloud of dust, streaks of divine light shot out, illuminating the surroundings.

As the dust settled, a palm-sized seal hovered in mid-air, covered in divine light and radiating a terrifying aura akin to a saint standing in their midst, causing a palpable sense of awe among the crowd.

A pristine divine weapon!

The crowd gaped in envy. “The Primordial Holy Son is truly blessed by the heavens, obtaining a divine weapon on his first try!”

The Third Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty couldn’t hide his envy. He had handled countless divine stones at the Divine Stone Pavilion, but the total value of his gains didn’t even come close to a tenth of this single divine weapon.

“How many years has it been since the Divine Stone Pavilion last saw something of equal value to a divine weapon?” an old man asked, turning to Huangshan Hai.

“Almost thirty years,” Huangshan Hai replied cheerfully. Far from bitter, he was delighted. Jiang Chen’s discovery of the divine weapon was a boon for the Pavilion.

The news would surely attract countless buyers, especially with the name of the Primordial Holy Son attached to the find. The ensuing value would far exceed the losses incurred by Jiang Chen’s discounted purchases.

“Damn it, it’s always the others who luck out,” lamented the Third Prince, his heart itching to make a bid. “One million divine sources!”

He was eager to secure this divine stone for himself. But then another voice rang out, decisively raising the stakes, “One and a half million!”

“150 million divine sources!”

“Third Prince, don’t blame me for competing,” said an elder with a light laugh.

“Old sir, then don’t blame me either, I feel the same way!”

“300 million divine sources!” The Third Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty was not willing to give up, especially when it came to divine sources, their immortal dynasty never feared competition.

As the bidding war continued, Huang Shanhai was delighted. “Ah, this is the effect of having a celebrity like Jiang Chen here!” Jiang Chen’s participation spurred others to bid higher. The bids far exceeded Huang Shanhai’s expectations. Any single divine stone could now make up for the cost of the three stones Jiang Chen purchased.

“Jiuyou Soul Suppressing Seal!”

“This divine weapon seems to be for suppressing the soul, similar to the Supreme Soul Seal, but not quite as powerful,” Jiang Chen observed.

The Jiuyou Soul Suppressing Seal was a divine weapon for protecting the soul, easily countering soul-attacking secret techniques. However, it wasn’t as potent as Jiang Chen’s Supreme Soul Seal, which was crafted from materials suitable for an emperor’s weapon. The Jiuyou Seal’s overall potential was less than that of the Supreme Soul Seal. Jiang Chen, not overly excited, put it away.

After opening the remaining two stones, he found they contained only some ordinary materials and weapons. Although valuable, they weren’t significant. Having sorted these out, Jiang Chen left the Divine Stone Pavilion.

“Why are you following me?” Jiang Chen asked Yan Ruyu, puzzled by her persistent presence.

“Do you dislike me following you, Primordial Holy Son?” Yan Ruyu asked, batting her eyes.

“Indeed, I do,” Jiang Chen nodded, finding her too conspicuous for his preference for a discreet journey.

‘You’re a hypocrite, calling people ‘darling’ and ‘little demon’ in your heart, but outwardly disliking them!’ Yan Ruyu complained bitterly, realizing the duplicity of Jiang Chen’s thoughts.

“If you dislike it, there’s nothing I can do. I like sticking to the Primordial Holy Son. Are you going to drive me away? Besides, you stood up for me and killed the Soaring Snake God Son. What am I to do if you leave?” she said, feigning helplessness.

“Alright then,” Jiang Chen resigned himself to her company.

Thus, Yan Ruyu accompanied Jiang Chen around Spirit Snake City, eventually settling in an inn. Originally, Jiang Chen wanted to leave, but Yan Ruyu insisted on resting.

Inside a room at the inn, Yan Ruyu looked at Jiang Chen somewhat nervously, “Primordial Holy Son, I have a favor to ask!”

“What is it?” Jiang Chen was curious about her intentions.

“I want you to help me cultivate,” she said, revealing the Innate Yin-Yang Qi, which she then released.

‘Innate Yin-Yang Qi! Wait, how did this end up with Yan Ruyu? Shouldn’t it have been refined by Du Guyun and Ye Qingcheng?’ Jiang Chen was puzzled, as the plot was supposed to involve Du Guyun and Ye Qingcheng refining it.

“How does he know I snatched it from Ye Qingcheng? And who is Du Guyun?” Yan Ruyu wondered, baffled as she had not seen anyone else when she acquired the Qi.

Disregarding these thoughts, she said, “Primordial Holy Son, you must know the purpose of the Innate Yin-Yang Qi, and you must understand my intentions.”

“You’re trying to force me into this, huh?” Jiang Chen sighed. Ever since he deviated from the plot, things had become increasingly strange. However, he didn’t refuse Yan Ruyu. Her devotion was compelling, and she was an enchanting demoness—capable in both the hall and the kitchen. Such a partner was hard to refuse.

“Don’t you like it too, Primordial Holy Son?” Yan Ruyu’s soft voice echoed as she lay on top of Jiang Chen. Suddenly, the Innate Yin-Yang Qi erupted powerfully, enveloping the entire room in a vast cocoon of black and white divine light.