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Translator: Myuu
Translation Checker: Silavin
In the depths of the street lay the Cursed Rock, emitting wispy, hazy light that intertwined with the black mist. The dark light that claimed the Sect Master’s life still lingered in the air, causing the crowd to tread with utmost caution.
“What do you think would be a fair compensation for the Cursed Rock?” Master Elder Qinglong inquired, his eyes shining like the flames of a divine lamp.
“This Cursed Rock was brought to Dark Kun City by Brother Chu Wei who fled from the Great West Holy Land after the disaster. He had passed away 80 million years ago, and all his descendants are in the Westwin Domain. Brother Chu Wei made it clear that if anyone wishes to obtain the Cursed Rock, they must not only take care of his descendants, but also pay their respects to his seniors at the ruins of the Great West Holy Land… and he promised that all other treasures acquired through the exchange would be ours to keep.”
Several True Daoists exchanged glances with each other before they began talking about Chu Wei, who brought Cursed Rock to this very place. Despite the passage of time, many still recalled him as the Prime Ancestor of the Great West Holy Land. Tragically, after the disaster that befell his homeland, he succumbed to madness and ultimately passed away on one of the mountains there.
The white-bearded old man gazed intently into the demonic cloud and said in a deep voice, “If the Mistress of Devil Mountain wishes to obtain this Cursed Rock, then we ask that she demonstrates her sincerity.”
He suspected the demoness in red was concealed within, though she had yet to reveal herself.
Elder Master Qinglong chuckled and said, “Sincerity? All the conditions you raised are of no issue for us. With just a single word from my Mistress, I am certain that no one in the Upper Realm would dare to cause any trouble for the descendants of Chu Wei. Feel free to mention any other conditions that you may have.”
Upon hearing these words, the tense crowd visibly relaxed, realizing that the demoness was perhaps not as vicious as the rumors had made her out to be. The white-bearded old man consulted with his companions through Inner Voice Transmission before saying, “In that case, the Cursed Rock is yours to take if you are able to produce a hundred Immortal Crystals.”
Gu Changge had paid a hundred Immortal Crystals to cut the Immortal Foetus just now. The group of Ancient Beings pondered the value of the Cursed Rock, then concluded that it was as enigmatic as the Immortal Foetus and therefore deserved the same price. The other Sect Masters and Family Heads present couldn’t help but react to the staggering figure.
“Just because Young Master Changge can take out, doesn’t mean the Devil Mountain can…”
Many young prodigies exchanged glances with each other, detecting the tension froze for a moment from Devil Mountain after the ancient beings stated the price. This caused a sense of unease among many, as it was clear that this group of demons was not to be taken lightly. Even the Mistress of the Devil Mountain, the demoness in red, had a reputation for taking lives after she had just appeared, and many supreme experts had fallen at her hands.
“A hundred Immortal Crystals?” The smile on Elder Master Qinglong’s face immediately faded as doubt replaced it. Had it not been for the serious expressions and tone of those present, he would have thought they were joking.
[A hundred Immortal Crystals? The audacity of them to demand such an exorbitant sum!]
The faces of other great demons standing behind him also darkened as a menacing aura swiftly spread, causing the surroundings to wilt like the bleakness of autumn and winter.
Elder Master Qinglong gave the white-bearded old man a displeased and frosty glare before speaking in an even icier tone, “Do you truly believe that Devil Mountain is a pushover, or that I am ignorant of the true worth of a hundred Immortal Crystals? I challenge you to find anyone in this expansive Upper Realm who can produce a hundred Immortal Crystals without batting an eye. I wager you couldn’t even locate someone capable of producing ten Immortal Crystals, let alone a hundred.”
He simply refused to believe that anyone could procure a hundred Immortal Crystals at times like this, particularly for the purpose of cutting open a rock. Such a notion was preposterous and he even harbored suspicions that the True Daoists from Dark Kun City were attempting to dupe them.
Upon hearing this, the white-bearded old man’s tone lacked any hint of politeness as he retorted, “If you think the price is unjust, then you are free to decline the offer. We are not forcing your Devil Mountain into cutting open the Cursed Rock.”
The others in the crowd wore a strange look on their faces. They previously shared the same mindset as Elder Master Qinglong, believing that no one could produce a hundred Immortal Crystals. In the end, Gu Changge showed them what it meant to be truly wealthy. Even Yu Feiya, the Phoenix Lady and others couldn’t help but gaze at the composed and collected Gu Changge in awe. It was possible that even Elder Master Qinglong had not anticipated Gu Changge’s ability to fulfill the hefty payment.
“My apologies, but I cannot agree with your statement. Young Master Changge had spent a hundred Immortal Crystals to cut the Immortal Foetus. One of the Seven Divine Rocks. The people of Dark Kun City were witnesses to this remarkable feat with their own eyes. How can it possibly be false?” the white-bearded old man continued speaking, his gaze tinged with a hint of mockery.
“What… Gu Changge?” Elder Master Qinglong was taken aback by this revelation and looked at Gu Changge in shock and disbelief. He recognized the young man, but he had never expected that Gu Changge had already spent a hundred Immortal Crystals to cut open the Immortal Foetus before their arrival. The expressions of those present only served to confirm that this was no mere fabrication.
“Gu Changge, did you really spent a hundred Immortal Crystals to cut open the Immortal Foetus?” Elder Master Qinglong was so shocked that his breath almost caught in his throat.
“Gathering a hundred Immortal Crystals is a challenge, but I can still afford it,” Gu Changge cast a glance at him and replied nonchalantly. As he spoke, he felt Chan Hongyi’s unwavering gaze piercing through the demonic cloud. Despite this, he remained calm and collected, avoiding eye contact with her.
“Hoho, anyway, you will need to offer up a hundred Immortal Crystals if you wish to cut the Cursed Rock.” The white-bearded old man and his companions snickered. At this point, they were already certain that there were not many supreme experts from Devil Mountain.
With experts from many Forces currently gathered in Dark Kun City and the availability of several Dao Artifacts, they had no reason to fear those who came from Devil Mountain. Amidst them all stood Gu Changge as well. He had a formidable force, whose strength was beyond measure.
“A hundred Immortal Crystals…” The expressions on the faces of Elder Master Qinglong and his companions became ugly, as their prior arrogance and haughtiness dissipated. They exchanged looks, eyes brimming with a fierce resolve.
In the past, they were known to cause trouble and would simply take what they wanted. Now that they couldn’t afford to part with so many Immortal Crystals, perhaps they could resort to robbery.
The sudden emergence of a bone-chilling killing intent swept through the air like a frigid winter wind, causing everyone to tense up and heighten their defenses.
“It would seem like Devil Mountain cannot offer a hundred Immortal Crystals.” The white-bearded old man and his companions exchanged knowing glances as divine runes emerged on the palms under their sleeves. Their Nirvana Realm Principles now condensed as their auras radiated with an intense power.
With solemn expressions, everyone drew their weapons in preparation for what seemed like an inevitable battle. Qi and blood surged visibly, as they shone like stars, indicating a manifestation of immense power.
“The Devil Mountain indeed cannot offer a hundred Immortal Crystals.” As the atmosphere grew tense, a cold and composed voice rang out from the depths of the demonic cloud. The voice was exquisitely beautiful, akin to heavenly music. Though it sounded like it belonged to the most beautiful woman in the world, it carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it. Even the True Daoists were left trembling in its wake.
“The demoness in red… She’s really here.” The white-bearded old man and many other True Daoists all wore a grave expression, not daring to lower their guard for even a second.
“It’s her!” The countenances of the Sect Masters changed drastically too. The icy voice made their scalp tingle as they felt their souls were on the verge of being shattered.
Even the young prodigies like the King with Six Crowns, the Phoenix Lady, Sky Demon Sovereign, and An Xi, struggled to catch their breath. A surge of fresh blood rose in their throats. Their very souls trembled and they could barely remain standing. It took them a long time to regain their composure, but their faces were still unusually pale, as if drained of all color.
The only person who remained largely unaffected was Princess Yu Feiya. A mysterious rune glowed on her forehead. Aside from Gu Changge, nobody seemed to notice the peculiar phenomenon occurring within her.
Deep within the ominous cloud, Chan Hong Yi’s voice rang out once more. “Considering you have acquired a hundred Immortal Crystals, lending me another hundred should not prove to be a daunting task.”
Upon hearing these words, everyone was stunned. Even Elder Master Qinglong and others seemed surprised and confused. It took them a few moments to realize that the demoness in red was actually speaking to Gu Changge.
“Are they acquainted with each other on a personal level?” They grew even more puzzled.
[Why would the demoness in red speak to Gu Changge in such a manner? Shouldn’t the two of them have bad blood with each other? Why were they acting like they know each other?]
Had they not been there to hear the powerful demoness asking Gu Changge to lend her Immortal Crystals with their own ears, they would never have believed it.
“How could it be…” Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others were also extremely shocked at this moment.
“So, they are indeed acquainted with each other.” Princess Yu Feiya’s suspicion, which had lingered for some time, was finally confirmed.
Gu Changge was also taken aback by Chan Hongyi’s request to borrow the Immortal Crystals. His expression changed slightly, but he quickly composed himself and casually asked, “Oh, then why do you think I still have another hundred Immortal Crystals to spare?”
“I don’t need to think to ask,” Chan Hongyi replied nonchalantly.
“Then why should I lend it to you?” Gu Changge smiled faintly.
“You will.” Chan Hongyi’s voice remained as calm as a tranquil lake.
Gu Changge gently shook his head and said, “How are you going to pay me back if I lend them to you?”
“How do you intend to return what you owe me then?” Chan Hongyi sat elegantly in the carriage, her scarlet dress resembling the hue of freshly spilled blood. Her countenance remained as cool as ice, and the tone of her question sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it.
Although their conversation sounded like riddles to everyone else, it still left everyone feeling uneasy. For some reason, it felt like Gu Changge and the demoness in red shared some hidden secret between them.
[Could it be that they had made some sort of agreement in Divine City back then?] Despite the confusion and shock, those present could only continue to speculate.
“I can lend you a hundred Immortal Crystals, if you want. The question is, do you dare to accept them if I give them to you now?”
As the crowd was speculating about their relationship, Gu Changge smiled and produced a sealed jade jar in his palm once again. Those who had witnessed him purchase the Immortal Foetus Rock earlier couldn’t help but hold their breath, knowing exactly what the jar contained.
Gu Changge slowly walked toward Chan Hongyi with the jade jar in his hand as if he intended to present it to her personally. The people of Devil Mountain were taken aback by this sight. Even Elder Master Qinglong, who was standing in front of the carriage, stepped back in fear.
He instinctively realized the sheer terror of Gu Changge’s strength, knowing full well that despite his own reputation, he was no match for this young man. The other great demons also stepped back, creating a path for Gu Changge to pass through.
Chan Hongyi who was in the depths of the demonic cloud fell silent as she did not expect Gu Changge to approach her like this. She remained quiet, as she watched Gu Changge coming toward her with her cold and indifferent eyes.
So… He is being extorted now? Cool