Chapter 406: Putting Off Fireworks

Outside the Flame Stone Field, numerous figures converged, surrounding the area several layers deep and creating a fervent atmosphere. All eyes were fixed on Zhou Yuan and Su Duan as they entered the field, and hushed whispers quietly began to rise.

"That disciple from Cangxuan Sect is truly foolish, daring to gamble on flame stones with Su Duan without even bothering to find out what the Flame Cauldron Sect's largest industry is!"

"That's right, Su Duan has been dealing with various flame stones almost since childhood; his experience is incredibly rich, no less than that of some masters specializing in this art."

"Heh, does this Cangxuan Sect disciple truly believe everyone will give him an advantage just because of his affiliation?"

"After all, he's young and impetuous."

The whispers spread continuously, also reaching Su Duan's ears as he entered the field. A calm smile played on his face, and as his gaze flickered towards Zhou Yuan, a hint of disdain surfaced deep within his eyes. A mere bumpkin at the fourth level of the Prime Beginning Stage, did he really think he was qualified to gamble on stones with the Young Sect Master of the Flame Cauldron Sect, if not for his Cangxuan Sect background?

"This time, I’ll make you lose face and realize that even if a bumpkin clings to the high branch of the Cangxuan Sect, he’s still just a bumpkin!"

Su Duan sneered, then his gaze began to survey the many flame stones laid out before him. His palm brushed against them, feeling their intense heat and the complex textures on their surfaces. His expression grew serious. Others were right; he had immersed himself in the art of flame stones for so many years, and in terms of experience, he was certainly no less than the sect's masters. These stone textures, which appeared extremely complex and irregular to outsiders, actually offered him a certain probability of detecting the age of the flame marrow within. Of course, there would inevitably be some errors, as the internal flame marrow could be damaged for other reasons. However, Su Duan was confident that his experience would allow him to minimize these mistakes.

Thus, under the gaze of countless eyes, Su Duan meticulously and reverently examined each flame stone before him, often taking several minutes before moving on. Observing his serious demeanor, no one doubted Su Duan's skill in this area, and their confidence in his victory greatly increased.

On the other hand, Zhou Yuan, upon entering the Flame Stone Field, looked like a bumpkin in the city. He gazed at the flame stones with curiosity, even reaching out to touch them. His movements were clumsy; he even tapped the stones with his finger. Upon seeing this, some onlookers who were skilled in flame stone gambling pursed their lips, as Zhou Yuan’s actions showed no sign of someone proficient in the art.

Zhou Yuan, however, clearly ignored these gazes. His palm swept through the numerous piles of flame stones; finally, he casually picked one up, lightly tossed it, and dropped it into a nearby basket.

"He's already picked one?" Someone couldn't help but laugh aloud. Su Duan was still meticulously examining textures, yet Zhou Yuan had already made his selection with an attitude as casual as if he were buying vegetables at a street market.

"This kid is definitely going to lose." At this point, nearly everyone shook their heads, convinced that this young disciple from Cangxuan Sect was intent on bringing shame upon himself today. Even Zuoqiu Qingyu, watching this scene, felt her rosy lips twitch slightly, and her small hands clenched.

"This guy isn't really messing around, is he? I certainly don't want to eat with that jerk!"

Although it was noisy outside the Flame Stone Field, Su Duan had completely blocked it out. He was now fully immersed in the world of complex textures, and as time passed, he slowly and steadily selected flame stones one by one, placing them into the basket beside him. When Su Duan emerged from his focused state, he blinked his somewhat dry eyes. By then, his basket held five carefully selected flame stones. A confident arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He then looked up and saw Zhou Yuan yawning boredly ahead, with ten flame stones neatly arranged on the stone platform beside him.

"I've been waiting for you for ages," Zhou Yuan said, truly a bit bored. He found nothing entertaining about this kind of stone gambling, especially since Su Duan had approached it with such a devout expression.

"You don't understand the art of stone gambling," Su Duan said, glancing at Zhou Yuan with disdain. "A bumpkin from such a remote continent probably hasn't even touched flame stone gambling. Then again, a rare origin material like flame marrow might not even exist on such a remote continent."

"Let's begin cutting the stones." He then walked to the stone platform on the other side, placing his five dark flame stones under the gaze of countless eyes.

Su Duan took a specialized tool from the platform—a sharp small knife. Its blade gently traced the flame stone's texture, emitting a subtle sound. With a turn of the knife, the flame stone slowly split open. All eyes watched unblinkingly; even those on the second floor were slightly intrigued, clearly curious about the final outcome.

From within the flame stone, a crimson light emanated. Everyone saw a crimson flame rise, with a red liquid flowing within it. An intense heat radiated from it, filled with pure fire-attributed Genesis Qi.

"This color indicates fifty-year flame marrow," someone knowledgeable in the field exclaimed in surprise. While fifty-year flame marrow wasn't exceptionally high-grade, its value far exceeded that of the flame stone itself. For an ordinary person to unearth it would count as a small profit. Su Duan's expression remained calm and unruffled, for this was merely an appetizer. His gaze shifted to the second flame stone, and the sharp small knife began to glide.

Over the next few minutes, Su Duan proceeded to open all four remaining flame stones. The results he obtained were met with waves of cheers rising across the field.

The second flame stone yielded hundred-year flame marrow. The third flame stone yielded two-hundred-year flame marrow. The fourth flame stone was a dud. However, no one mocked him, as everyone knew that even the most experienced masters could make mistakes; after all, stone textures sometimes don't perfectly reflect the interior. But none of this shook the confidence on Su Duan's face, because when he opened his last flame stone, gasps of astonishment echoed like thunder across the field.

A crimson flame suddenly rose from the flame stone, reaching approximately half a zhang! It was five-hundred-year flame marrow! If this flame marrow were sold, it would be worth at least a million Genesis Source Crystals, whereas a single flame stone only cost ten thousand Genesis Source Crystals... Faced with such a significant gain from a small investment, many people present had a reddish gleam in their eyes.

"As expected of the Young Sect Master of Flame Cauldron Sect, such insight and experience are truly admirable," more people exclaimed, their gazes towards Su Duan filled with admiration. He had selected five flame stones, with only one being a dud. The other four yielded considerable gains, especially the five-hundred-year flame marrow, which was a rare sight. From this, it was clear that Su Duan's mastery in this area was quite profound.

Faced with the cheers from the entire field, Su Duan smiled modestly, wiped his hands, then flashed a dashing smile at Zuoqiu Qingyu: "I hope I haven't embarrassed myself." Zuoqiu Qingyu had to admit that, at least when it came to flame stones, this guy truly possessed a skill that commanded respect. Thus, her gaze towards Zhou Yuan couldn't help but fill with worry.

At this moment, Su Duan's gaze was cast playfully and mockingly towards Zhou Yuan, who seemed stunned by his performance. He smiled slightly, as if jesting: "Brother Zhou, are you perhaps planning to concede?" It seemed like a joke, but it was actually forcing Zhou Yuan to continue.

Zhou Yuan ignored Su Duan's words, which clearly carried an ulterior motive. He merely glanced at the flame marrows before him, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"So... five-hundred-year flame marrow, the flame is only this small..." he muttered to himself, then, facing the countless gazes, he clenched his fist without using any tools. Then, directly under their dumbfounded stares, he began. He slammed down with his fists, one after another.

*Thud, thud, thud!*

His fists rapidly descended, and all ten flame stones were brutally smashed open by Zhou Yuan.

"This is truly... barbaric!" Many people were exasperated, watching his actions. Su Duan also shook his head, the disdain at the corner of his mouth growing even stronger. Just by looking, it was clear Zhou Yuan had never gambled on stones before; a bumpkin was a bumpkin!

However, the boos filling the field only lasted for a few breaths. Because in the very next moment, crimson flames, like pillars of fire, suddenly erupted one after another from the shattered flame stones, instantly making the entire trading field scorching hot. The crimson pillars of fire reflected in countless pupils. The boos abruptly ceased. Each face, at this moment, gradually froze, appearing exceptionally comical under the glow of the flames. And a near-whisper echoed in many people's hearts.

"Heh... what in the world... is this a fireworks display?"