Chapter 963: Unexpected Harvest

A Mortal's Journey to Immortality - Volume 6: Heavenly Spirit Treasure

This was a Dazzling Crystal. The cultivator in the white mist did not open the jade box; instead, he directly handed the entire box to Han Li.

Han Li accepted it without ceremony and immediately opened the lid.

Inside was a milky-yellow crystal. It emitted faint purple halos that swirled around its surface; a closer look instantly caused dizziness.

Seeing this, Han Li felt a surge of joy. A blue light flashed in his pupils, and the sensation of dizziness immediately vanished. He then used two fingers to pick out the yellow crystal and held it before his eyes, carefully examining it.

The figure in the white mist beside him was secretly astonished. Han Li had merely swayed slightly while observing the Dazzling Crystal, then acted as if nothing had happened.

With this Dazzling Crystal, one glance was usually enough; no one dared to take a second look for a long time afterward. Yet, this unknown cultivator before him could stare at it for so long without any ill effects. It truly surprised him greatly!

"Indeed. This is a top-grade Dazzling Crystal," Han Li said, revealing a satisfied expression. "Fellow Daoist can take this Demonic Marrow Drill now." He placed the crystal back into the jade box and casually put it into his storage pouch.

"Heh. Then I won't waste any more time," said the cultivator in the white mist, carefully putting away his drill. "No one has claimed the remaining drill yet. It seems no one else here has the materials Fellow Daoist desires. Would Fellow Daoist be willing to sell the remaining one to me at a high price, or exchange it for other rare materials? Whichever method, I guarantee Fellow Daoist will be satisfied." His gaze shifted, somewhat greedily fixing on the other Demonic Marrow Drill.

"Who said there are no materials? Here's a piece of Five-Element Jade!"

"Hold on!" another voice interjected. "No one is permitted to contend with me for this item! I claim this item!"

No sooner had the cultivator in the white mist uttered his probing words than two voices, one male and one female, simultaneously rang out from among the surrounding cultivators who had long been unable to restrain themselves.

The male voice boomed like thunder from a clear sky, while the female voice was melodious and pleasing. Immediately after, a ball of dark black mist and a dazzling silver mist shot out from seats on opposite sides, landing one after another in front of Han Li.

This scene caused a flurry of whispers among the other cultivators.

Unlike the Dazzling Crystal, which few people knew about, the Five-Element Jade was extremely famous in the cultivation world. Everyone knew it was a top-tier material for refining jade-based magic treasures. However, this jade was incredibly rare, its last appearance in the cultivation world seemingly hundreds of years ago.

Now that someone had produced it again, it naturally astonished and even incited jealousy in many. It seemed the cultivators present were not without true rare treasures, but most simply held onto them, unwilling to easily reveal them.

Upon hearing the male voice, the figure in the white mist, whose face was shrouded by the glow, immediately underwent a drastic change in expression, which became unpredictable, constantly shifting between cloudy and clear.

"What's wrong, Ye Lao Er? Do you dare to break the exchange rules and try to monopolize the Demonic Marrow Drill?" the cultivator in the black mist demanded, completely ignoring the slender figure in silver mist who arrived a step later. He impolitely stared at the white mist as he spoke.

Although his face was obscured by the black mist, his figure was vaguely tall and imposing, and his voice was unusually cold.

"'Brother Kun, you are truly overthinking things. How could I do such a thing?' the figure hosting the exchange said with a bitter smile, saluting with clasped fists. He clearly recognized the demonic cultivator in the black mist. 'I was merely offering a suggestion to this Fellow Daoist. Whether he agrees or not, it's naturally up to him. Now that two fellow Daoists have appeared, I naturally will not interfere further in this matter.' Then, his figure swayed, and he retreated to the side, showing his concession."

"Smart move!" the demonic cultivator scoffed coldly, clasping his hands behind his back and speaking arrogantly.

The female cultivator to the side, standing gracefully within the silver mist, seemed a little stunned.

Gasps of surprise immediately spread throughout the surroundings.

"Surname Kun?" someone whispered. "Could it be Kun Wuji, the Elder of the Blood Lamentation Sect? Looking at his build and hearing his voice, it really does seem like him."

"Besides a late-Nascent Soul cultivator, who else would dare to be so arrogant?"

Han Li's expression shifted slightly upon hearing these words. This demonic cultivator was actually a late-Nascent Soul cultivator, and the Blood Lamentation Sect was also a well-known sect among the ten great demonic sects.

The female cultivator remained silent for a moment, then spoke with a light sigh: "So it's the great Elder of the Blood Lamentation Sect. This humble one is truly disrespectful. I wonder if Fellow Daoist also possesses the materials this Fellow Daoist requires? If so, this humble one will immediately turn and leave, yielding this item to Fellow Daoist."

It seemed this woman did not intend to give up the Demonic Marrow Drill simply because of the other party's astonishing cultivation and status.

"Heh heh! Although I, Kun, don't have Five-Element Jade or Dazzling Crystal, I have plenty of materials of similar value," Kun Wuji said grimly, his face darkening. "If you're smart, you'll go back quietly." The threat in his words was exceedingly clear.

"This is somewhat difficult," the female cultivator said softly. "This Demonic Marrow Drill is also something this humble one earnestly desires. How about this? If this Fellow Daoist truly prefers your materials over my Five-Element Jade, then this junior will not pester him and will yield this item to Brother Kun."

"Good. I am not an unreasonable person. It's a deal then," Kun Wuji said, agreeing without hesitation, much to everyone's surprise. The demonic cultivator seemed utterly confident in his items.

Han Li watched as the two figures before him completely disregarded him, the owner, and independently discussed the ownership of the Demonic Marrow Drill. He was naturally annoyed by this. However, seeing the Five-Element Jade appear meant that the last type of material he needed would soon be gathered, and he simultaneously let out a great sigh of relief in his heart.

Maintaining a calm demeanor, he silently watched the female cultivator with a cold gaze.

At this moment, the female cultivator raised a hand, and a jade-green wooden box shot out from the silver mist, landing steadily on the table. A faint silver talisman was affixed to its surface.

"Fellow Daoist can first examine the authenticity of this humble one's Five-Element Jade," the woman said, smiling sweetly at Han Li.

"You can also clearly see what I, Kun, have brought out," Kun Wuji sneered. "Some of these materials are even more valuable than your Five-Element Jade." He flicked his sleeve, and seven jade boxes of varying sizes and colors flew out one after another, also landing on the table.

Han Li remained silent. He made a grasping motion towards the wooden box in the air, and with a 'whoosh,' it was directly drawn into his hand.

With a single sweep of his hand, a flash of green spiritual light passed, the talisman on the wooden box drifted down on its own, and the lid was easily opened.

Inside lay a five-colored, flat, oval-shaped warm jade, lying quietly in the wooden box. Though it emitted no strange, dazzling light, a powerful spiritual aura emanated from it, assaulting his senses.

Han Li took it into his hand. After examining it for only a moment, he forcefully suppressed the trace of excitement in his heart and slowly nodded at the female cultivator:

"Indeed, it is Five-Element Jade, no doubt."

Having said this, he placed it back into the wooden box. His gaze shifted, landing on the jade boxes nearby.

In his heart, he would naturally have exchanged directly for the Five-Element Jade. But there was no need to rush, and he also did not wish to easily offend a late-Nascent Soul cultivator. Moreover, given Kun Wuji's grand boast, he was somewhat curious about the contents of these jade boxes.

Kun Wuji extended a finger and emotionlessly pointed at the jade boxes in the air a few times. All the box lids flew off on their own, landing to the side, revealing their various contents.

"Falling Phoenix Wood, Myriad-Cycle Flower..."

Han Li had not yet recognized the items in the boxes, but the sharp-eyed cultivators in the surrounding seats had already, to their surprise, recited the names of these items one by one. Most people couldn't help but gasp.

After the female cultivator to the side took only two glances at these items, her heart was similarly appalled.

These items were exactly as Kun Wuji had described. In terms of rarity, almost none were inferior to the Five-Element Jade. Especially the Myriad-Cycle Flower, which, for some, seemed to be no less valuable than the Demonic Marrow Drill itself. With such rare items, no wonder Kun Wuji was so confident.

Feeling uneasy, the female cultivator involuntarily turned to glance at the blurred figure of Han Li in the green mist and was momentarily startled by what she saw.

Han Li's gaze was not fixed on the Myriad-Cycle Flower, which was clearly the most valuable item. Instead, he was staring at a large piece of pale golden ore in one of the jade boxes, appearing to be deep in thought.

The woman's heart sank.

As expected, Han Li raised a hand, and the golden ore was immediately drawn into his grasp. He lowered his head and examined it closely.

Kun Wuji was also stunned for a moment upon seeing this, but then he burst into laughter and said arrogantly:

"Oh? Has Fellow Daoist taken a fancy to my Geng Essence? Fellow Daoist truly has good discernment. If Fellow Daoist is a sword cultivator, this piece of essence is enough to immediately greatly enhance your divine abilities. And a piece this large, I reckon only I, Kun, could produce it in the entire cultivation world of Greater Jin."

"I'll take this Geng Essence for the trade," Han Li said faintly.

"Hold on! Fellow Daoist, the Five-Element Jade, you're not..."

"Silence! Do you really want to provoke me?" Kun Wuji exclaimed, his face changing drastically after his initial joy. An astonishing aura suddenly burst forth from his body, soaring to the heavens, and an invisible spiritual pressure directly bore down on the female cultivator. Han Li remained unharmed on the side, but the female cultivator stumbled backward several steps before regaining her footing.

Meanwhile, Kun Wuji had already snatched the Demonic Marrow Drill from in front of Han Li and began to examine it ecstatically.

"Indeed, it is a Demonic Marrow Drill! This trip was truly worthwhile for me," the old demon exclaimed. "If Jia Mo and the others knew such a thing appeared at this exchange, I wonder how regretful they would be!" He put away the crystal drill, then threw his head back and burst into maniacal laughter. He then waved his sleeve, collecting the remaining jade boxes from the table. His figure swayed, and without lingering for even a moment, he shot directly towards the hall's exit.

"Brother Kun!" the figure in the white mist hosting the exchange suddenly called out, trying to keep him. "There's one last great treasure appearing! Does Fellow Daoist not wish to stay and take a look?"

"What great treasure? I'm not interested," Kun Wuji scoffed. "Now that I have the Demonic Marrow Drill in hand, I'm eager to return and refine the essence demonic qi within it. How could I be in the mood to look at any great treasure?"

After a strange laugh, Kun Wuji's figure flashed with spiritual light at the entrance. After triggering the restriction, he immediately vanished without a trace.

"Refining demonic qi?" Han Li was a little surprised to hear this, but then he thought about it and understood. This Demonic Marrow Drill was naturally condensed beneath the Myriad Demon Abyss, thus the refined demonic qi it contained was naturally extraordinary. If a demonic cultivator could refine it, the benefits would naturally be immense. No wonder, having obtained this treasure, Kun Wuji didn't even care what the final great treasure was, having lost all interest in even glancing at it.

At this moment, the female cultivator in the silver mist saw Kun Wuji leave with the Demonic Marrow Drill. Feeling exceptionally displeased, she gestured towards the wooden box containing the Five-Element Jade, about to draw it over.

However, at this moment, a faint voice was heard:

"Hold on! I want this item as well," Han Li said. Casually, his palm suddenly appeared on the wooden box, preventing the female cultivator from retrieving it.