Chapter 39: Seeking a Purchase, Refusal

"Little friend, are you selling this piece of God-Trace Purple Gold? I am willing to offer three hundred thousand catties of Source." At this moment, a powerful figure emerged from the inner courtyard, calling out a price.

This was a Supreme Elder from the Five Elements Palace. Emerging from the inner courtyard, he could not help but speak up the moment he caught sight of the God-Trace Purple Gold.

However, no sooner had he spoken than another man stepped forward—the Supreme Elder of the Purple Mansion Holy Land.

"Are you joking? For a piece of God-Trace Purple Gold the size of a thumb, you only offer three hundred thousand? Are you trying to brush off a beggar?"

"Don't listen to him, little brother. He lacks sincerity, but I do not. My Purple Mansion Holy Land is willing to offer four hundred thousand catties of Source to purchase the God-Trace Purple Gold you have unearthed."

"I offer five hundred thousand catties." At this, the Supreme Elder of the Ji Family could no longer restrain himself and stepped out to bid.

"Six hundred thousand..."

...

These people spoke with ease of hundreds of thousands of catties of Source. The surrounding cultivators were filled with envy and jealousy; many had eyes turned green, staring at the scene like starving wolves.

"Alright, everyone, you have all lost your minds. You tell me, who sells a piece of Immortal Gold?" At this point, Yun Shang spoke, effectively shutting everyone up.

An ordinary person would not have been so forceful in their refusal for fear of offending these powers, but Yun Shang did not care. Operating in the Eastern Wilderness, his Fluctuating Light Holy Land feared no one. He rejected everyone bluntly, leaving no room for negotiation.

Li Yao felt a sense of security. With Yun Shang standing at the forefront, he immediately realized the benefits of having a backer. Even if he obtained a great treasure, he no longer feared those who might covet it.

Li Yao looked at the God Source hovering in the air, brilliant as the sun. The murderous aura that had made his skin crawl was gone—or rather, it had not vanished, but had merely receded inward. If anyone were to touch the God Source now, that peerless killing intent would erupt, and the one who touched it would inevitably be reduced to a bloody mist.

"The God Source was not only there to prevent the divinity of the Immortal Gold from fading, but also to house a killing formation," Yun Shang concluded after observing it for a while.

"This must be a piece of Immortal Gold sealed by a powerful expert from the pre-ancient era," the Supreme Elder of the Ji Family remarked.

God-Trace Purple Gold is precious, but it has a fatal flaw: it is far too small. The expert who obtained this Immortal Gold likely did not use it, choosing instead to seal it away, planning to take it out to forge a weapon once they had gathered enough. Or perhaps it was prepared for someone close to them, only for it to remain unused and preserved to this day for unknown reasons.

Of course, the first possibility was more likely. Materials like Immortal Gold were never enough for anyone, let alone being saved for others.

"First, seal this space, then trigger the power of the killing formation." Just then, Li Yao heard a familiar voice. He turned to find that Zhang Chong had arrived.

"Supreme Elder Zhang," Li Yao said, pleasantly surprised.

Zhang Chong looked at Li Yao with amazement. This young man truly kept refreshing his perception of him. He could not fathom how heaven-defying Li Yao's comprehension must be to have reached this level in just half a year.

"Let us strike together," Yun Shang said, looking at Zhang Chong. He then unleashed a divine ability; a blinding, sacred radiance flew from his palms and fingers, instantly sealing off the space. The surroundings fell silent, and a crushing pressure of the Great Dao descended upon them.

Zhang Chong joined him. Blazing divine light ignited, and dense Dao patterns, resembling iron chains, crisscrossed the void, locking it down completely. Furthermore, a defensive formation from the fourth courtyard of the stone gambling house rose up, enveloping the area where the Source stone lay.

With layers of defense set in place, it was completely airtight. The onlookers gasped; with two Supreme Elders and the stone gambling house's array, even a Great Power would likely be unable to break through in a short time.

After ensuring everything was foolproof, Zhang Chong flicked his finger. A ray of divine light shot out like a dragon, striking the God Source.

"Chi!"

The God Source shuddered, emitting a blinding light. A peerless killing intent surged forth like a torrential flood, weaving into terrifying sword shadows that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth.

Liu Shi was alarmed, saying, "How terrifying! Even cutting stones carries such danger. If one were to be pierced by this, any peerless treasure would become a phantom."

"Boom!"

The stone garden shook. The overwhelming killing intent slammed into the light barrier cast by Yun Shang and Zhang Chong. After a brief stalemate, it tore through the barrier and collided with the stone garden's own formation.

"What? It actually pierced through the combined effort of two half-step Great Powers! This killing power is truly terrifying!"

"And that is not all. Countless years have passed; even with the preservation of the Source stone, this killing power has been eroded by time. It is not even at its peak, yet it still possesses such immense power. It is unimaginable how terrifying it must have been in its prime!"

The Supreme Elders of the Ji Family, the Five Elements Palace, and the Purple Mansion Holy Land all had sharp eyes and could discern the horror of this killing power, leading them to cry out in shock.

"Boom!" "Boom!"

Yun Shang and Zhang Chong continued their efforts, unleashing the Saint Light Art—renowned throughout the Eastern Wilderness—to shroud the God Source and contend with the peerless killing force.

The stone garden shook incessantly. Powerful forces collided, tearing the void asunder, and an unimaginable pressure weighed upon everyone's hearts, making them feel as if they could not breathe.

After a while, the killing power dissipated. It had been a potent force, but without a source to sustain it, it could not last.

The radiance of the God Source dimmed, and it fell to the ground. Most of its essence had been drained, and the killing intent had vanished.

Li Yao felt a pang of regret. If such a powerful killing force could be preserved and unleashed at a critical moment, it could absolutely kill a half-step Great Power. Unfortunately, he lacked the protection of an All-Things Mother Qi Cauldron and dared not carry such a dangerous object with him. If he were to store it in his Sea of Bitterness and it erupted, his end would be to explode into a bloody mist, leaving not even a corpse behind.

Zhang Chong and Yun Shang retracted their divine power, and the stone garden's formation faded. Li Yao quickly stepped forward, his right hand sweeping over to collect the dimmed God Source.

The God Source was smaller than an egg, and now that its light had faded, the essence it contained was nearly exhausted, barely better than a piece of pure Source.

Li Yao felt a twinge of pain; a God Source of this size had been ruined, a loss equivalent to tens of thousands of catties of pure Source. However, when he caught a glimpse of the crystal-clear Immortal Gold inside, which emitted a faint purple glow, his regret vanished instantly.

People crowded around, wanting a closer look at this legendary sacred object dedicated to the Great Emperors.

Li Yao immediately grew wary, storing the God Source into his Sea of Bitterness, and glared vigilantly at the approaching crowd.

"Everyone, it is not for sale." With that, Li Yao moved to stand beside Zhang Chong.

Although he knew it was unlikely they would dare to act here, the way they stared at him like starving wolves still left him feeling deeply insecure.