The Prodigies War
chapter-988

“Attendants, cut open the meteorites,” Nangong Shui said aloud as soon as Lin Xun selected a Star Debris Meteorite, as though he was worried that he would change his mind.

“Okay.” A middle-aged man stepped forward, carrying a blue wooden blade.

It was the Spirit Cutting Blade, which was crafted from a kind of precious blue wood. When it dissected a rock, it prevented the aura of the treasure inside from being destroyed.

The middle-aged man was an experienced stone cutter called Jia Zheng. As he stepped forward, he first carefully studied the Star Debris Meteorite before he raised his blade to cut it open.

Crack!

It slowly made its way into the core of the rock, sending rock fragments everywhere.

Jia Zheng’s stone-cutting skills were unquestionably skilful, natural and smooth. He looked like a butcher effortlessly dismembering an ox.

Everyone couldn’t help applauding in their hearts. Different people specialized in different arts. Although Jia Zheng was only a stone cutter, he undeniably had admirable attainments in his field.

Very quickly, the Star Debris Meteorite selected by Nangong Shui was cut open, revealing a fist-sized jade essence that was pouring out with a dreamy luster.

Star Rainbow Jade Essence!

A commotion broke out among the audience, and many people’s faces were alight with amazement. That’s a precious treasure! It is a medicinal ingredient used in the preparation of king-grade pills!

A fist-sized piece is worth over a thousand high-grade aeth essence!

”Congratulations, Young Master, you obtained a Star Rainbow Jade Essence and judging from its appearance, it should be worth around one thousand and three hundred high-grade aeth essence,” said Jia Zheng.

“Brother Nangong’s eyes are as illuminating as the brightest torches. I’m truly impressed!”

“He’s a real expert! If Brother Nangong hadn’t shown his skills today, who would know that he is also so skillful in appraising rocks?”

The young men and women quickly flattered Nangong Shui.

Most importantly, if Lin Xun lost, according to the betting agreement, they each would receive one thousand three hundred high-grade aeth essence!

This was what they were most excited about.

They were slaughtering a fat lamb. There were many benefits to be gained with little effort.

Nangong Shui also felt triumphant, but he remained calm on the surface and said indifferently, “Everyone is over praising me, that was nothing and not worth making a huge deal about.”

“Monk, it’s your turn now!” Someone could not wait to see Lin Xun make a fool of himself.

Immediately, many eyes were filled with some sort of gloating as they shifted to Lin Xun.

This was because they believed that the Star Debris Meteorite that Lin Xun chose would not contain any treasure and highly likely be just a piece of junk.

Lin Xun gritted his teeth and said, “Everyone, if I win, you are not allowed to go back on your words. But if you want to withdraw from the bet, you can do so now.”

His words and voice were lacking in confidence.

The young men and women felt more and more satisfied and delighted. They all promised that they would never go back on their words.

But Lin Xun didn’t believe them and said to the spectating cultivators. “Everyone, please be a witness, if I win...”

Before he could finish speaking, someone interrupted, “Monk, why are you so troublesome? This is a treasure appraisal event attended by famous figures. Do you think someone would be so shameless to go back on their words here?”

“Okay, let’s start then.” Lin Xun sighed, looking as though he was resigning to fate.

Then, the stone cutter Jia Zheng hesitated for a moment before he sighed aloud, “Monk, there is no need to cut this stone. The surface is motley and covered densely with tiny holes. It is a scrap honeycomb rock. You lost this time.”

Everyone roared with laughter. This must be a huge blow for the monk if even the stonecutter said that.

“Monk, it‘s your first time so it’s understandable that you’ve made a mistake. Just treat this as a lesson,” someone mocked.

“Come, come, come let me do the math with you. Including Brother Nangong, we have a total of nine people here. So, if I add that all up, you have to pay us eleven thousand and seven hundred high-grade aeth essence,” a young man shouted impatiently.

“Stop, it is the monk’s first time playing so we can’t let others think that we are bullying him. How about this? We will just take ten thousand top-grade aeth essence.” Nangong Shui waved his hand generously.

Even so, many people inhaled sharply. He has to pay ten thousand high-grade aeth essence for a single bet! That stab is so ruthless!

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Lin Xun seemed unable to bear the blow of defeat and yelled out, “I don’t believe this, if you won’t cut it open then I will do it!”

He took the stone cutting blade from Jia Zheng’s hand and swung it down with forcefulness as if he was venting his anger.

Everyone thought that the monk was exasperated.

Stone cutting was a very delicate skill. His strike would very likely destroy all treasures inside of the rock if there were any.

Crack!

The Star Debris Meteorite cracked open, revealing its empty core, but shards of rock flew all over the ground.

Everyone almost laughed out loud. It really is a piece of trash!

“Monk, do you admit defeat now?” A youngster asked in a ridiculing tone.

Lin Xun’s eyes lit up. “I won!”

Everyone was flabbergasted as they watched Lin Xun crouched down to pick up a dusty stone bead from the pile of stone fragments. It was only the size of a pigeon egg and looked nothing special.

What is he playing at?

All eyes gathered on the bead.

Lin Xun had already started to dissect the little inconspicuous stone bead with the stone cutting blade.

Very quickly, a ray of bright and magnificent purple light shot out and basked Lin Xun’s hand with a shimmering, ethereal purple glow.

“Heavens! Did the monk really find a treasure?”

“The stone was hidden in the rock. Based on the visions the treasure produced, it can’t be an ordinary treasure!”

The audience broke into a commotion. Many cultivators cried out in surprise.

Even the stone cutter Jia Zheng was a little dumbfounded, mumbling to himself, “There is no way that there are treasures in that meteorite, why...”

A purple crystal-like object around the size of a melon seed appeared before their eyes. Although it was extremely small, it erupted with waves of intense purple light that dazzled everyone.

What is that?

Many people were bewildered.

Based on appearance alone, it had to be extraordinary, much superior to the Star Rainbow Jade Essence that Nangong Shui cut out from his chosen meteorite.

“That...how is that possible? How can there be treasure in a piece of trash?” Nangong Shui was utterly speechless, his expression morphing endlessly.

“Haha, the Buddha made its appearance and created an opportunity to befall me, so as to use my hand to rescue you all!” Lin Xun smiled.

His words, coupled with his voice and smile made people want to rush over to give him a beating.

“How is that damn possible?!” The young men and women were all stupefied as if ten thousand wild horses were roaring across their hearts.

“Everyone, don’t be too hard on yourself. When you hunt geese all year round, occasionally you get pecked in the eye by geese. Just treat it as a lesson.” Lin Xun maintained a dignified expression, but his remark infuriated Nangong Shui and the others because it was exactly what they said earlier!

“Monk, do you think you have won before we even assess the value of that thing?” someone said bitterly.

Suddenly, Nangong Shui and the others felt hopeful. That’s right, we don’t even know the background of that thing nor have we determined its value yet. The winner of the bet remains to be decided!

“Everyone, are you planning to play some tricks? Monks don’t tell lies, and any cultivator with eyes can tell that my treasure is much more precious than yours.” Lin Xun frowned.

“Don’t talk nonsense, it’s just brighter. Its value still needs to be determined,” retorted the young men and women.

“You are all famous people, can’t you afford to lose?” sighed Lin Xun.

Everyone gnashed their teeth in anger and hatred. The monk acted so worried about losing, but now that he had some damn luck, he suddenly turned so irritatingly arrogant.

“No matter what, you have to first assess the value of that item.” Nangong Shui took a deep breath and said aloud, “If I truly lost, then I am willing to admit my defeat in the bet.”

Shua!

As soon as those words rang out, an old man’s figure appeared in front of everyone. He was dressed in an old Daoist robe that had turned whitish from the countless times it had been washed.

“Purple Supreme Dao Essence! It really...” The old man’s skin was bronze, his beard and hair were a scraggy gray, and his body was dull and dry, but he was full of vigor.

His pale golden eyes were fixed on the purple stone in Lin Xun’s hand, and his dry and dull body was exuding an invisible oppressive force.

Everyone instantly realized that the old daoist did not resemble a human, but a colossal monster that had spanned the universe, like an ancient fierce god born every ten thousand years. All the nearby cultivators felt an unbearable pressure bearing down on them.

Many people fell limp on the ground.

Lin Xun also inhaled sharply, and his hair stood on end. The aura of this old daoist was incredibly strong and more terrifying than any Life Death Stage Kings he had ever seen.

“What a pity that it’s too small, and not enough...” As the old Daoist sighed, the invisible power around him receded like a tide.

Everyone immediately felt a weight lifted off them, but when they looked at the old daoist again, their hearts still trembled with lingering fear. There was no doubt that he was an old monster!

“Elder, if you like it, feel free to take it,” urged Lin Xun.

The old daoist tossed a storage bag to Lin Xun with a wave of his sleeve. “I don’t like to take advantage of people. There’s five thousand high-grade aeth essence in there, which is enough to buy that small piece of Purple Supreme Dao Essence from you.”

Then, he took the purple stone from Lin Xun’s hand and, with a stretch, disappeared into the distant sky.

Everyone seemed to see a true dragon soaring into the sky! Even the sky and the universe shook!

In the depths of the garden, many experts were alarmed and quickly looked up one after another.

It didn’t take long for the rumors about the identity of the old daoist to spread.

He was the Scarlet Dragon King, one of the eight great monster-beast kings in the Floating Vast Sea!

Floating Vast Sea was a dangerous ocean that made cultivators turn pale at the mere mention of its name. It was filled with monster-beast clans and ruled by eight monster-beast kings.

The Scarlet Dragon King was one of the eight great monster-beast kings. Its original body was a blood dragon. It had made a name for itself thousands of years ago, and now it was a terrifying old monster who had set foot onto the longevity path.

No one could imagine that the Scarlet Dragon King would appear at the Rock Appraisal Event, let alone purchase a piece of Purple Supreme Dao Essence!

After the initial shock, everyone’s gazes turned complicated. This monk is so damn lucky.

It was unbelievable that he was able to, by a lucky chance, cut out a dao essence that even a terrifying being like the Scarlet Dragon King could not resist.

Lin Xun simply smiled as he ran his eyes over Nangong Shui and the others, “Now, have we decided who won?”