Chapter 329: Sensational Event in the Divine City

Divine medicines are currently nowhere to be found. Even the Sacred Lands cannot obtain them, and ancient dynasties with inheritances spanning over a hundred thousand years have been unable to locate them.

When their lifespans neared their end, the old Sacred Lords of the Eastern Wasteland and the old Emperors of the Central Plains ventured into the Great Wilderness, hoping for that one-in-ten-thousand chance. Yet, no one has ever been known to have gathered a divine medicine there.

Perhaps they can only be found in the great Life Restricted Zones, but those are places beyond human reach, leaving even the Sacred Lands helpless.

"One hundred and ten thousand catties of source energy!" the Prince of Great Xia announced another high bid.

"One hundred and twenty thousand catties of source energy!" Two elders jointly called out this price, deciding to purchase it together.

"It's not that I don't want to sell, everyone," Ye Fan said, looking righteous. "Didn't I just say that such a divine medicine should be revived? Otherwise, it would be a loss for the entire Eastern Wasteland."

Those present silently cursed him, believing he was trying to be a cunning merchant and inflate the price.

One of the elders shook his head. "Once a source stone is cut open, ordinary herbs turn to dust and cannot survive long. Even divine medicines must be handled with extreme care, let alone revived."

Another elder added, "Countless years have passed. Even if this divine medicine has intact roots, it's simply impossible for it to revive."

Ye Fan smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure. Aren't there legends of ancient creatures sealed within source stones that can revive after being cut open? This is a divine medicine, so it must be extraordinary. I believe it can survive."

Li Heishui chimed in, "Exactly! Then it could produce perfect divine medicines. With this immortal root, you could harvest from it every year."

The Grand Elder of the Palace of Illusionary Demise, Li Yishui, was displeased. He said in a deep voice, "Even if divine medicines could regenerate, which they can't, they would need thousands of years to mature. Can you really wait that long?"

Outside the venue, everyone was stunned. A divine medicine, even if incomplete, was still incredibly precious—indeed, rarer than even divine source energy.

"What incredible, enviable luck! If I had cut out such a treasure, I'd pray every day."

"It's been so many years since a divine medicine appeared. To cut one out of a stone today is truly shocking."

Many people outside the stone garden murmured amongst themselves, wishing they could swap places with Ye Fan. This was a divine medicine that made one tremble, something incredibly rare and sought after.

"One hundred and thirty thousand catties of source energy!" the Prince of Great Xia called out a high price again. He offered no persuasion, speaking only with his bids.

The little nun in white, her large eyes darting about, stood beside the Prince of Great Xia, seemingly eager to acquire the human-shaped divine medicine.

"What can I say? I genuinely believe this divine medicine can be revived," Ye Fan sighed.

"You just want more source energy!" many cursed in their minds.

"One hundred and fifty thousand catties of source energy!" the old Daoist nun from Dao One Holy Land stated, her voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"This..." Ye Fan's heart stirred. Although it was an unparalleled immortal root, even if it could be replanted, it would take thousands of years to mature, and he couldn't afford to wait.

At this, not only were the people outside the stone garden stunned, but even the elders inside were taken aback. If Dao One Holy Land decided to bid, they couldn't possibly compete.

"Can this divine medicine truly be replanted?" Li Heishui asked, trying to buy time and push the price higher.

The old Daoist nun's voice remained calm. "The price I offered is already the highest. It's only worth this amount."

The Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Palace, Yao Yuekong, had approached. His aura was exceptionally striking; though a man, he possessed an enchanting beauty without any effeminacy. His eyes were deep, like those of a demon god.

"This kind of immortal root is rare in the world, truly priceless. However, reviving it would be difficult unless it's watered with divine springs to restore its vitality."

"That's highly unrealistic. To obtain divine springs, one would have to enter the great Life Restricted Zones of the Eastern Wasteland," Li Yishui, the Grand Elder of the Palace of Illusionary Demise, sneered.

"Not necessarily," Li Heishui countered. "Perhaps the great spiritual springs of the Eastern Wasteland could restore its vitality."

Ye Fan also laughed. "The Sacred Lands have immortal inheritances spanning over a hundred thousand years. If this immortal root is revived, a few thousand years is nothing to them, and it will bring infinite benefits in the future."

Everyone present was speechless. These two were clearly working in tandem, determined to act as cunning merchants to the very end.

Yao Yuekong, in purple, smiled. He was pleased with the situation. "I think you two brothers are in a difficult position, finding it hard to decide who to sell to without offending anyone. I believe the best option would be to send this divine medicine to the Heavenly Demon Treasure Pavilion for auction."

"That makes sense!" Li Heishui nodded, feigning agreement.

"Good, I agree!" someone outside the stone garden spoke up.

Everyone turned to see many elders arriving, all with white hair, youthful faces, and robust spirits—clearly not ordinary people.

The Myriad Pleasures Monastery, Guanghan Pavilion, various Sacred Land stone workshops, and many great sects had all received the news, and elderly figures were rushing to the scene.

The appearance of a divine medicine was absolutely sensational. Even incomplete, it still stirred hearts, especially those of the older generation with limited lifespans, who were even more eager.

Upon hearing the news, many influential figures rushed over immediately. Looking out, one could see a sea of white-haired heads, their gazes incredibly fervent.

Although all were nearing the end of their lives, there was a vast age gap among them; in smaller sects, a person three or four hundred years old was already considered ancient.

However, in the Sacred Lands, individuals seven or eight hundred years old might still be in their prime, indicating significant power differences among these people.

Li Yishui of the Palace of Illusionary Demise snorted coldly, glanced at Ye Fan and Li Heishui, and then flicked his sleeve, departing. He knew there was no opportunity left for him.

"That old man won't hold a grudge and come after us, will he?" Ye Fan transmitted quietly.

Li Heishui sneered, "Don't worry. This black iron token in my hand is enough to suppress him. If he dares to cause trouble, I'll make sure he turns green with fear."

Ye Fan wasn't too concerned. Daoist Red Dragon owed him a favor and had already told him to seek him out if any issues arose.

These things were unavoidable. Engaging in such astonishing high-stakes gambling in the Divine City inevitably brought forth various commotions, and this was only the beginning.

"If you two brothers agree, the Heavenly Demon Treasure Pavilion can handle this divine medicine for you right now. I'll arrange for people to escort it away," Yao Yuekong said, having considered everything carefully.

"Alright, I'll entrust it to the Heavenly Demon Treasure Pavilion, but it won't be auctioned right now. I want to wait a while," Ye Fan stated.

He wanted more people to know, to let the commotion grow even larger. Ideally, he wanted to wait until the various Sacred Lords, having suffered setbacks attacking Purple Mountain, returned before the auction.

He also had a Human Essence Fruit that had been bitten by a dog. If these rare treasures appeared one after another, they would surely attract immense attention, perhaps drawing in even more people.

"Very well, everything is up to you, young brother." Immediately, Yao Yuekong found someone to receive and store the item on the spot.

If it were lost or damaged, the Heavenly Demon Palace would compensate him with two hundred thousand catties of source energy, which made Ye Fan very satisfied and at ease.

However, there was no need to worry much. The Heavenly Demon Palace would never tarnish its reputation by embezzling it. They handled numerous rare treasures, and nothing was more valuable than their credibility.

"Damn it, is there any justice in this world? That dark-skinned kid, with only fifty catties of source energy, managed to gamble for such a spectacular outcome! It makes me want to spit blood!" Wu Ziming said with a frustrated expression.

Li Chongtian was also indignant, looking at Ye Fan inside the stone garden. "He only knew how to smash watermelon-shaped stones, and yet he ended up with a divine medicine! It's infuriating!"

Their group, numbering over a dozen, all cursed the two for having such incredible luck.

"This is called skill, you bumpkins! Learn from this!" Li Heishui declared, holding his head high, then turned his back to them, showing only the back of his head.

"Damn it, that dark-skinned kid just looked down on us!"

"Blast it, that bumpkin is actually mocking us?!"

"Prince, please cut open your stone," Ye Fan said with a smile.

Even without cutting the stone, the Prince of Great Xia knew he had certainly lost. Ancient divine medicines were incredibly rare and sought after, making it almost impossible to win against one.

He didn't want to waste time, so he directly cut the stone open with a single stroke, revealing an abnormal source stone the size of a small human head, worth about one square of source energy. As expected, it couldn't compare to Ye Fan's stone.

The Prince of Great Xia readily pushed three squares of source energy to Ye Fan. "My two brothers, I invite you to Drunken Immortal Pavilion for drinks this afternoon."

Ye Fan was surprised. That was one of the Divine City's eight great Immortal Pavilions, notoriously expensive, with its most luxurious banquets reserved for Sacred Lords and powerful cultivators.

"How can we impose..."

"Just making friends," the Prince of Great Xia laughed.

The Great Xia Imperial Clan of the Central Plains paid extraordinary attention to source energy. Legend had it that even their "Taihuang Sutra" was cut from a source stone. Imperial family members were stationed in the Divine City year-round, acquiring rare stones.

Ye Fan understood that the Prince of Great Xia was no ordinary person. Although he had only seen Ye Fan gamble on a stone once, he had likely already discerned some clues, hence his desire to befriend him.

Beside them, Yao Yuekong also laughed heartily. "I wanted to invite these two brothers as well. Let's all drink to our hearts' content this afternoon, until we're completely drunk!"

"In that case, it would be rude to refuse," Ye Fan and Li Heishui laughed too.

Only the little nun in white wrinkled her delicate nose, pouted her lips, muttered something, and gave Ye Fan and Li Heishui a big eye-roll.

"Are you still selecting stones, sirs?" the old Daoist nun nearby asked at this point.

This was the Heaven-grade Stone Garden, where only precious stones were displayed, and prolonged lingering was not permitted.

Ye Fan said, "I'd like to continue selecting stones, but unfortunately, my wallet is thin. The stones here are too expensive."

Those outside the stone garden were speechless, especially Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian. They were indignant, thinking it was outrageous that he would complain about being poor after winning so much source energy.

"Presumably, this young gentleman has taken a liking to some sky-high priced exotic stones," the old Daoist nun said. "If you can't gather enough source energy immediately, that's fine. You can still select stones, but the divine medicine will have to serve as collateral."

"But I've already entrusted it to the Heavenly Demon Treasure Pavilion," Ye Fan replied.

"The source energy for today can be deducted from the auction proceeds later," the old Daoist nun explained.

"Alright!" Ye Fan nodded.

"You're not stopping today? Don't gamble away everything at once and let Dao One Holy Land get that divine medicine for free," Li Heishui secretly warned him via spiritual transmission.

Ye Fan shook his head and transmitted, "I came here to gamble big in the Divine City. Opportunities like today are rare, how can I stop now?"

Yao Yuekong, in purple, followed nearby. "You two brothers are still choosing stones? Truly courageous."

The Prince of Great Xia also laughed heartily. "Excellent! I'll observe closely and learn a few tricks."

"Young man, are you still gambling on stones?" The group of elders outside were all surprised. Then, a crowd of influential figures entered, their eyes incredibly fervent.

"When luck arrives, there's no stopping it—that's the experience of many stone gamblers. If you cut out more good stuff, be sure to consider selling it to us old geezers first."

"That's right, young man, I wish you abundant luck!"

A large group of elders, their gazes incredibly fervent, followed them in. Even the old Daoist nun found it difficult to stop them, as many were regular customers here.

"Divine medicine! Who cut out a divine medicine? Let this old man see!" Shouts came from outside the stone garden, as more very old people rushed over.

"Where is it? I'll offer one hundred and eighty thousand catties of source energy to buy it!" Another group rushed forward, led by an old man whose hair was sparse, almost completely gone.

Everyone present was astonished. The continuously arriving elders were all highly influential, terrifyingly old, immortal-level figures.

An ancient divine medicine, unobtainable in the current era, was truly astonishing. It drew many renowned figures, including Grand Elders from some Sacred Lands, and numerous other important individuals.

It could be said that after Ye Fan cut out the human-shaped divine medicine at Dao One Stone Workshop, he shocked the entire Divine City, causing a sensation.

Many people, upon hearing the news, rushed to spectate, eager to see what the divine medicine looked like. The scene was comparable to when divine source energy was cut out.

"Come, make way for this old man."

Inside the Heaven-grade Stone Garden, there was a vast expanse of white-haired heads. Some people even started selecting stones themselves.

This was originally a quiet place, but today it was exceptionally lively.

Inside the stone garden, an ancient vine, ten meters in diameter, lay sprawled like a colossal dragon. Ye Fan wandered around and came to this spot, patted an exotic stone beside a well opening, and then put it down.

"You really must choose carefully, or our divine medicine will be gone! Didn't you hear? Someone just bid one hundred and eighty thousand catties of source energy for it," Li Heishui reminded him.

"No need to be anxious about gains and losses. At worst, we'll start over," Ye Fan said calmly. He had studied the 'Source Heaven Book' and knew that when selecting stones, the most important thing was to maintain a calm mind.

"What an excellent mindset!" Yao Yuekong praised.

The Prince of Great Xia was also about to nod, but at that moment, Ye Fan smiled and asked the little nun to help him select some stones, which immediately annoyed the Prince.

"Young man, your cultivation of composure is quite advanced. We all have high hopes for you. Stone gambling is seventy percent luck; we hope you can cut out more rare treasures."

A group of elders followed behind, one of them speaking with a smile. What he said was indeed true; some individuals experienced great fortune for a period, making accurate bets every time—these were documented occurrences.

Ye Fan walked and stopped, continuously selecting stones. Following the pebble-strewn path, he arrived at a secluded bamboo grove.

He stopped before a sky-high priced exotic stone, valued at one hundred thousand catties of source energy. This stone had a unique Dao rhythm flowing through it and was quite special; he had discussed it with Li Heishui before.

"Finally, someone is going to touch this stone. No one has dared to lay a hand on it for so many years," the elders behind him remarked, surprised.

Ye Fan squatted down, gently patting, continuously rubbing, and carefully observing the stone. But in the end, he stood up, feeling that the stone seemed both like an empty shell and as if it contained something. He simply couldn't be sure.

He looked up and saw the young Daoist nun from Dao One Holy Land standing quietly in the distance, like a blossoming immortal flower, blending with the scenery—ethereal and natural.

Her true face remained unseen. There was no mist or divine light obstructing it, yet a certain Dao rhythm seemed to blur her features.

Ye Fan walked to another area, continuing to select stones. Li Heishui accompanied him, and Yao Yuekong, the Prince of Great Xia, and the little nun also followed nearby.

Before long, they emerged from the bamboo grove into a sun-drenched area. Ye Fan's gaze fixed on the Nine-Orifice Stone Man, illuminated by the sunlight on a stone platform.

"Why have you placed it on a stone platform?" Ye Fan asked.

The source master replied, "This is a human-shaped exotic stone naturally formed by heaven and earth. Legend has it that if such a stone absorbs enough essence from the sun and moon over time, it will eventually transform into a Holy Spirit."

This stone held great appeal for Ye Fan. It was naturally human-shaped, possessed nine orifices, and was extremely unique. As he wandered around the garden, his mind had actually been drawn to this spot the entire time.

Ancient legends spoke of immortal stones with nine natural orifices that could transform into Holy Spirits, beings close to immortals. However, this particular stone was too small, only one foot long.

Ye Fan pondered, but ultimately he decided to act, picking up the Nine-Orifice Stone Man and examining it closely.

"Many people with profound knowledge of source techniques have examined this Nine-Orifice Stone Man, but for so many years, no one has dared to touch it."

"Young man, do you really intend to try this stone?"

A group of elders were all surprised. They had all pondered over this stone before, but none had ever dared to make a move.

This stone, though only a foot long, was valued at ninety thousand catties of source energy, an absurdly high price. Many who had examined it were unsure of its contents.

"Is someone going to try the Nine-Orifice Stone Man? This old man came at the right time; I must have a good look!" More elders arrived upon hearing the news.

"Last time, several masters from source technique families studied it for half a day, but ultimately shook their heads and gave up. Is someone truly going to cut this stone today?"

Today, Ye Fan cutting out an ancient divine medicine had a greater impact than he imagined. People continuously rushed over, eager to witness it, truly causing a sensation throughout the Divine City.

Ye Fan held up the exotic stone, aimed it at the sun, carefully analyzed it, meticulously observed it, and silently pondered.

He always felt that this stone was profound and elusive, hard to grasp. At times, it gave him the sensation of an empty illusion, and at other times, the heavy feeling of containing an unparalleled rare treasure.

Nearby, the elders were discussing.

"The divine medicine has been sent away and won't be seen today. It will be auctioned soon at the Heavenly Palace Treasure Pavilion. However, today wasn't a wasted trip. If we can understand what exactly is inside the Nine-Orifice Stone Man, it would fulfill a long-held wish."

"Indeed. I've always wanted to know what it contains, but unfortunately, even the most accomplished source technique masters eventually gave up on it, never able to discern its secrets."

A group of elders, eagerly gathered around, all anticipated Ye Fan cutting open the Nine-Orifice Stone Man, hoping to satisfy their long-standing curiosity.

"Are you confident?" Li Heishui transmitted quietly.

"No, but it's worth a try!" Ye Fan said, holding the exotic stone and aligning each of its nine orifices with the sun, observing them one by one.

When he inadvertently turned his head, he was somewhat surprised to see the area outside the stone garden completely packed with onlookers. Many cultivators were watching silently, with no one making a loud noise.

Among them was Jiang Yifei, a remarkable talent from the Jiang family, whose handsome features were like jade. Dressed in white attire purer than snow, he stood out remarkably.

In another direction stood another person in white—a woman. With bright, captivating eyes, flawless skin, and a crystalline body, it was actually An Miaoyi, who had also come to this place.

It was only then that Ye Fan realized cutting out the divine medicine had caused such a sensation in the Divine City that numerous prominent figures had all gathered here.

At this moment, only the group of elders openly discussed and surrounded him, while everyone else watched in silence.

Ye Fan shook his head, not expecting such intense attention. He quickly composed himself and resumed his examination, aligning each of the stone man's nine orifices with the sunlight one by one, while continuously measuring its form with his fingers.