Chapter 585: Mysterious Rock
As the long-faced man was thinking, he suddenly heard a sound coming from a shop.
“Dear Sir, this mysterious rock was dug up especially by us from inside a deep cave. The cave was extremely dangerous and abnormal. It is unknown how many years this mysterious rock has been buried underground. It cannot be ordinary! No matter what item it is refined into, or what research it is used for, it will be extremely useful, but you are only giving me twenty low-ranked relics for it? Isn’t that too little?”
This voice sounded extremely familiar to Yi Yun. As he had a good memory, a simple recall identified the voice to belong to the man who was in his twenties, out of the trio who he met when he entered Heaven Martial City.
Yi Yun’s raised his eyebrows as he looked inside.
He saw three figures standing at a counter inside a bright hall. A fist-sized dark golden rock was placed on the counter. And across the counter sat a round shopkeeper in his forties.
This fat shopkeeper was dressed in a resplendent ingot costume. He was holding a white smoke pipe made out of desolate bone in his hand. The thumb ring on his hand was made out of Heaven Frostwater Jade. His clothes stood in sharp contrast to the three shabbily dressed customers.
At this moment, the shopkeeper squinting his eyes. He was not looking at the rock on the counter, but was instead sizing up the girl name Ah Yu as well as the youth named Ah Niu.
He was not calculating the value of the rock, but was curious as to what sort of encounter allowed for the trio to manage to dig up such a rock.
This sort of rock was rare, even in Heaven Martial City, so he too could not fully recognize it.
However, there was a similar rock that had appeared in Treasure House in the past. However, that rock’s size had been as big as a millstone, while this rock was about the size of a fist. Also, the color was slightly different.
Back then, the millstone-sized rock at Treasure House was sold at an astronomical price, as for this piece of rock… he was unsure.
However, it was definitely worth more than 20 low-ranked relics.
However, the more valuable such a rock was, the more he could not reveal his desire for it. This would make the seller alert, and make them suspect of him swindling them.
Especially that young man, who chattered non-stop, he had a glimmer of greed in his eyes. He had even previously transmitted his voice, telling the shopkeeper to lower the price and from that, give him a rebate.
Such a person, who was unscrupulous just for his own benefits, thinking he was being clever, but he too did not know the true value of the rock.
The shopkeeper could make good use of this person, but this made it more pertinent to not appear tempted.
Putting on a play with him to get the rock in hand through deceit was what was important.
“I will measure it.”
The fat shopkeeper said as he lazily opened his eyelids.
A clerk beside him grabbed the rock and threw it on a small, shallow golden tray. This rough handling of the rock made the girl wince.
The moment the dark gold rock landed on the golden tray, the tray immediately lit up, sending a burst of light. It completely bathed the rock in light. In this light, every pattern on the rock could be seen clearly.
The dark gold color began to shimmer on the rock’s surface. It looked like the highest grade gems of the mortal realms. The patterns were runes, formed by nature, and were very profound. As for right inside the rock, it was a complete darkness. There was no way of seeing through it.
However, the man in his twenties was focusing his gaze on the tray that analyzed the rock, without leaving it from his sight. He knew that this tray was called the Heaven’s Eye Compass. It was a magical treasure that could distinguish treasures, and was extremely valuable. The Li Fire Sect was too rich. If he had the opportunity to join them, it would be great!
The girl and the youth beside her, Ah Niu, were staring intensely at the rock on the tray. Very soon, the light dimmed.
The fat shopkeeper gave a glance and then said nonchalantly, “The light dimmed, so the value is average. Twenty two low-ranked relics. This is the highest price I can give. It is up to you if you want to sell or not.”
Although the results of the Heaven’s Eye Compass was ordinary, the fat shopkeeper knew that the Heaven’s Eye Compass had limitations in its analysis.
Upon hearing this price, Ah Yu’s eyebrows frowned. She actually did not know the value of the rock, but believed that it should be invaluable.
The price of 22 low-ranked relics greatly disappointed her. However, there really was no special transformations during the magical treasure’s measurement of the rock.
“Why don’t we go elsewhere and ask?”
The girl shook her head. Only by going elsewhere and getting quotes from others would she be convinced.
However, the cousin beside her began to worry. Just now, the fat shopkeeper had already transmitted his voice, promising him five low-ranked relics as a rebate.
He naturally wanted to close this trade. Since the rock had been appraised, and was not some marvelous treasure, him being able to earn a tiny bit from it was not bad.
He immediately transmitted his voice, “Ah Yu, just now what I said was to scam the shopkeeper. The price of twenty two relics really is not low! It is just an ordinary gem. It might be precious to mortals, but to warriors, it has typical usage. With my years of experience, can I be wrong? Besides, I would not scam you. Past this village, there will not be another shop like this!”
However, her cousin’s voice did not change the girl’s mind.
This rock was obtained by risking her and her brother’s life before they managed to dig it up. To dig this rock, Ah Niu had to climb up a steep cliff, and he had even injured himself. She was heart-broken over this for a long period of time.
Initially, she planned on using the money she obtained from selling the rock to buy pills and relics for Ah Niu. If not for discovering this rock and digging it out, she would not have made the firm decision of bringing her brother, Ah Niu to Heaven Martial City with her cousin.
However, if the rock was only sold at the price of 22 low-ranked relics, then all her plans would fall through. On the way here, they had already spent 10 low-ranked relics.
From just entering the city, to finding a place to stay made Ah Yu deeply aware of the expensive prices of Heaven Martial City. It was a place warriors like them, who came from remote places, could not survive.
“Sis, let us go.”
Ah Niu noticed her sister’s expression, and saw her hands trembling. He immediately grabbed the rock and pulled his sister’s arm in an attempt to leave.
Upon seeing this scene, the fat shopkeeper frowned.
How could he let a deal that was in the bag escape his grasps?
He looked towards the young man in his twenties.
The young man immediately put on a flattering smile and stopped the stubborn youth, “Young children do not know any better. They think their rock is something awesome. Let me speak to them.”
Saying that, the young man pulled the sibling aside and whispered, “Ah Niu, what are you doing!? Ah Yu, can you discipline him!? Where do you think you are? This is the Li Fire Sect’s shop! The Li Fire Sect is a extremely powerful sect, we cannot offend them.”
Ah Niu disliked this cousin of his as he turned his head away, saying, “We did not offend them, we just are not selling to them.”
“Ah Yu…” The young man looked towards the girl again and gave an annoyed look. “The two of you are always so obstinate. Do you think if you go elsewhere, you will sell it for a better price? The Treasure House is big, but they would never allow rural people like us to enter. They would not even think anything of what we have! The stores in these area have similar prices. The Li Fire Sect has done business all these years, and they have a reputation to uphold. Do you think they will scam minor figures like us!?”
As the young man was urging them, a jovial voice sounded, “Hahaha, this young brother. How old are you?”