Martial Universe (Wu Dong Qian Kun)
chapter-120

Lin Dong rushed to the Thousand Gold Auction House as if he was on fire and when he finally arrived, there was already a servant girl waiting for him. Once she saw him, she respectfully led him to the guest room.

Currently, there were two figures In the guest room. One of which was Xuan Su, while the other was a slightly lean and unfamiliar middle aged man who had deep-set eyes.

“This is the one who wanted to auction the Secret Art, mister Yanzhong.” Upon seeing Lin Dong rush over, Xuan Su stood up and slightly smiled as she introduced the other man.

“Are you the one who wanted to purchase my Secret Art?” Yanzhong’s eyebrow furrowed when he glanced at Lin Dong. The former clearly thought that the other party was too young.

Lin Dong smiled as he nodded his head: “May I inquire as to what tier mister Yanzhong’s Secret Art is?”

“Don’t worry, this Secret Art of mine is no ordinary one.” After hearing these words, Yanzhong proudly declared. Soon after, he fished out a thin golden tome.

“Tri Sun Art.”

When the tome was being retrieved, Lin Dong caught a quick glance of the three simple words on it from the corner of his eyes.

“The Tri Sun Art is a second-tier Secret Art. Not only is this Secret Art able to open fifteen channels, it can also cultivate three sun-like Yuan Qi balls in the Dantian. At a crucial moment, one can utilise them by igniting them. Even against an opponent who is one cultivation level stronger, the opponent would still be caught unprepared and suffer substantially.”

After listening to Yanzhong’s pride-filled voice, a passionate flame quietly grew in Lin Dong’s heart. Just from hearing about it, this Tri Sun Art seemed several times stronger than Qingyuan Art. Most importantly, this ‘Tri Sun Art’ seemed to possess a corresponding secret technique. Similar to Jiang Li’s Transformation Art, only that the latter was able to evaporate his blood to increase his strength over a short period, while the ‘Tri Sun Art’ allowed one to form three bomb-like objects in the Dantian. It would definitely be able to catch an enemy off guard.

“Opening fifteen channels is considered normal for a second-tier Secret Art. As for the secret method of attack you mentioned, I’m thinking that it would injure the user quite badly after activation right?” While a fire burned in Lin Dong’s heart, to one side, Xuan Su chuckled as she asked.

Xuan Su’s foresight was naturally incomparable to a greenhorn like Lin Dong. Thus she could find the fatal flaw Yanzhong had failed to mention in a glance.

After hearing her words, Lin Dong became a little more clear-headed. When Jiang Li activated his Blood Transformation Art, he had ended up suffering serious repercussions. This ‘Tri Sun Art’ could not possibly be perfect right?

“Heh heh, perceptive indeed.” Yanzhong had evidently underestimated Xuan Su’s insightfulness as he let out an awkward laugh. He had no choice but to continue explaining: “There is no major backlash, it’s just that forming the ‘three sun balls’ requires a high level of control, or else, one would easily wound himself from the resulting explosion.”

It was in fact not easy at all. Ever since he had obtained the ‘Tri Sun Art’, Yanzhong had never ever succeeded in forming it before. In the process, he had hurt himself many times until he no longer dared to practise this ‘three sun balls’.

Lin Dong was amazed as he secretly praised Xuan Su in his heart and gave her a grateful look. However, the interest he had in this ‘Tri Sun Art’ intensified. Due to the fact that he cultivated Mental Energy, though Lin Dong did not consider himself extremely masterful at controlling energy, he was still confident of being on a whole level higher than those at the same cultivation level as himself. Just because Yanzhong was unable to succeed did not mean that Lin Dong would be unable to.

“Though there are some flaws, it is still considerable among second-tier Secret Arts.” Xuan Su slightly smiled as she continued: “May I inquire as to how much mister Yanzhong wishes to sell this Secret Art?”

“Manager Su’s eyes are too sharp, I shall not waste any more words, 50 000 Yang Yuan Stones.” Yanzhong muttered to himself for a while before he extended out five of his fingers and declared in a low voice.

“50 000 Yang Yuan Stones.”

After hearing this figure, the corners of Lin Dong’s eyes involuntarily twitched violently. He had originally thought that although he could not be considered extremely wealthy, he at least had ample funds. He did not expect that he was currently unable to purchase even a single second-tier Secret Art…

“50 000 Yang Yuan Stones is rather expensive, however it is still reasonable.” Xuan Su softly replied. Through her discerning eyes, she predicted that if this ‘Tri Sun Art’ was auctioned, it would probably end up at a higher price.

Lin Dong bitterly laughed in his heart. Currently, he had at most 2000 Yan Yuan Pills on hand. This was only equivalent to 20 000 Yang Yuan Stones. He had indeed underestimated the cost of such a Secret Art.

“Mister Yanzhong, there are 5000 Yang Yuan Pills in here, do check the amount is correct.”

While Lin Dong was still feeling slightly awkward, to one side, Xuan Su sweetly smiled as if she had seen through his thoughts and retrieved a Qiankun bag from her sleeves before handing it over to Yanzhong. From the looks of it, she seemed to have prepared it earlier…

Yanzhong was somewhat delighted as he received the Qiankun bag, he inspected the contents for a long time before passing the tome in his hand to Xuan Su. Not wanting to linger any longer, he straightaway bid them farewell and left.

“Here, little brother Lin Dong, even though this ‘Tri Sun Art’ is rather difficult to practise, the ‘three sun balls’ is quite formidable. Yanzhong lacked the ability thus he was unable appreciate it, or else 50 000 Yang Yuan Stones would not be enough to purchase this ‘Tri Sun Art’.” After seeing that Yanzhong had left, Xuan Su turned around as she smiled and offered the ‘Tri Sun Art’ in her hand to Lin Dong.

“Big sister Su, thank you. I will make sure to return this sum to the Thousand Gold Association.” Lin Dong hesitated for a moment, though not dallying too much as he received the tome and earnestly replied. 50 000 Yang Yuan Stones was no small sum and he did not want to owe too many favors. Favors between people were sometimes the hardest to repay.

After seeing Lin Dong’s earnest appearance, Xuan Su could only helplessly nod her head as she replied in a slightly annoyed voice: “You little brat, your stubbornness is such a headache…”

As he gazed at the heart-tugging, pouting face of the beauty, Lin Dong let out a hollow laugh as he kept the ‘Tri Sun Art’ in his Qiankun bag. After sincerely chatting and keeping Xuan Su company for quite a long time, he gave her one final smile before standing up to leave.

…

When he returned to the inn, Lin Dong did not immediately start to study the ‘Tri Sun Art’, instead, he took out a batch of grade five elixirs he had bought the day before. These elixirs were not like those of the past which possessed Mental Energy recovery properties, instead they were extremely beneficial for Yuan Power cultivation.

All these elixirs were eventually refined by Lin Dong into elixir pills using the Stone Talisman. In total, he ended up with over sixty pills, if he auctioned off these pills, he would be able to repay his debt. After all, Lin Dong was not accustomed to owing others.

After using up most of the day to refine these elixirs, Lin Dong finally sighed in relief as he retrieved the ‘Tri Sun Art’ he had obtained today from his Qiankun bag and concentrated on studying it.

This lasted for about an hour before Lin Dong withdrew his attention from the tome as he involuntarily nodded his head. As expected of a second-tier Secret Art, compared to ‘Qingyang Art’, it was better in every way.

After gaining a reasonable comprehension of this ‘Tri Sun Art’, Lin Dong gently closed his eyes as his mind slowly submerged into the Stone Talisman within his palm.

Lin Dong once again appeared in the familiar Spiritual Domain, yet, this time, he did not straightaway head towards the Mind Millstones area. Instead, he waited at the place where the glowing shadows were born. As anticipated, a newly born glowing shadow appeared in a sitting position.

Lin Dong quietly sat before that glowing shadow and focused his full attention on the light that flowed within the glowing shadow’s body. The path that the light took was the one needed to open the channels of the ‘Tri Sun Art’.

Under Lin Dong’s unwavering gaze, the paths of fifteen channels successively made their appearance.

When the light completed the route of the fifteenth channel, Lin Dong did not relax his attention but instead, his eyes opened even wider. He looked forward to finding out: How many channels could this ‘Tri Sun Art’ unlock after being strengthened by the Stone Talisman?

The mysterious Stone Talisman did not disappoint Lin Dong. After slightly pausing, the light once again started to flow. An extremely remote channel pathway was slowly travelled by the light, as if it was trying to open up a mountain path.

And, this was not the end!

Quickly following, another path that did not belong to the fifteen original channel pathways once again appeared!

Path by path…

Under Lin Dong’s excited gaze, in a short span of ten minutes, the light had once again cautiously opened seven channels!

These seven channels combined with the fifteen original channels of the ‘Tri Sun Art’ was in total a whopping twenty two channels!

This number had actually surpassed Qingyuan Art by more than three times!

If fifteen channels was considered normal among second-tier Secret Arts, these twenty two channels would be considered extremely good.

After witnessing the strengthening effect of the Stone Talisman, Lin Dong involuntarily let out a hearty laugh. These 50 000 Yang Yuan Stones were well spent indeed.

Moments later, Lin Dong’s excitement slowly faded as he suppressed the joy in his heart. Once again, he concentrated his attention on the flowing light and carved the twenty two channel pathways into his brain.

After memorising these channel pathways, Lin Dong was finally satisfied as he withdrew from the Spiritual Domain. He sat down cross-legged as a Yin Yang Pearl was once again pressed between his palms while streams of Yuan Power gushed out of his Dantian. Under his control, they swiftly flowed towards the obscured channels.

Armed with his previous experience, Lin Dong proceeded with ease this time. When all these channels were opened, he would truly be able to taste the various benefits of a second-tier Secret Art…