Chapter 166 Malice Value Changes
Zhong Cai picked up the precious medicine, looked at it against the light, and smiled as she pointed it out to Wu Shaogan.
Wu Shaogan smiled as well: "Lotus and Golden Silk Grass."
Zhong Cai immediately praised, "That's right! Old Wu, you still remember! The biggest difference between Lotus Golden Silk Grass and Black Silver Poison Grass is whether there are golden threads inside the leaves when they are exposed to light..."
Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "I don't forget anything about you."
Zhong Cai's smile became even brighter.
The three members of the Fan family standing to the side: "..."
Fan Jiming didn't think much of it, but he did feel that the two of them were even more affectionate.
Fan Liukong was a little surprised, but he understood why his cousin Ming often spoke of the affection between the Canglong disciples and their friends. Seeing this today, he realized it was indeed true.
Fan Zhongyang's smile remained unchanged. When he looked at the two of them, his eyes flickered slightly, but then quickly calmed down... almost imperceptible to anyone.
·
Then, Wu Shaogan opened another piece.
He still did the work, while Zhong Cai watched the whole thing.
The second piece is empty.
Zhong Cai had no regrets, but continued to encourage Wu Shaogan, still with an expectant look on her face.
Wu Shaogan continued to contribute his efforts, opening the third section.
This time, the stone contained ordinary level-seven refining materials.
Zhong Cai beamed with joy: "Old Wu is the best!"
Wu Shaogan's eyes were gentle as he looked at the third, fourth... and seventh stones.
He was always the one who did the work.
Two of the items were empty, while the other three yielded one level-six resource and two level-seven refining materials, respectively.
Luck is neither good nor bad.
By the time he got to the eighth stone, Wu Shaogan had already split it open more than halfway, leaving only a small portion uncut, but he was already certain that it contained treasure. He paused for a moment, then pushed the stone to Zhong Cai.
Zhong Cai understood immediately, looked up and asked with a smile, "Old Wu, shall I do the final blow?"
Wu Shaogan replied with a smile, "I've been having bad luck lately, so I'm borrowing some of A Cai's good fortune."
Zhong Cai raised her chin: "Then I'll lend you some!"
As he spoke, he swiftly cleaved the last layer of stone with his knife.
The next moment, a burst of golden light actually erupted from the crack in the rock, which was quite dazzling.
The golden light contained abundant energy, reaching the seventh level.
Fan Jiming immediately noticed and quickly retreated, blurting out, "Quick, dodge!"
—Fan Jiming is very sensitive to danger. The reason he couldn't dodge in time was because the Blazing Sun Pearl and the Blazing Sun Body strongly resonated, which captured Fan Jiming's mind and made him unable to react for a moment.
Fan Jiming naturally sensed that the treasure this time was not the Blazing Sun Pearl.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan also sensed it, but this time, they did not try to avoid it.
Fan Jiming was getting anxious when he realized that although the golden light did fall on his two friends, it only swept around for a moment and did not cause them any harm.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that his two friends were enveloped in a defensive force that blocked all the golden light.
Fan Jiming breathed a sigh of relief.
It's alright.
·
In fact, nothing happened.
When the Blazing Sun Pearl appeared earlier, there was a dangerous impact from its force. The reason Wu Shaogan ran so fast with Zhong Cai was simply because he had momentarily forgotten that he was wearing armbands for protection. He was too concerned about Zhong Cai's safety and his worries clouded his judgment. After that incident, both Wu Shaogan and Zhong Cai's armbands felt slightly warm, so they naturally remembered and that's why they are so relaxed now.
Even a powerful attack of this level can be withstood by a level seven arm ring. Although this golden light has been accumulated over many years, it is only a collection of the power it emits and cannot shake the defense in the slightest.
·
Fan Liukong and Fan Zhongyang also rushed out quickly, and after the golden light subsided, they walked back with Fan Jiming.
Fan Jiming looked over and asked curiously, "What treasure did Master Zhong find?"
Relying on her defenses, Zhong Cai carefully took out the contents of the container.
It is a golden bamboo.
More precisely, it was a section of golden bamboo.
The golden light just now all burst out from the bamboo, but when Zhong Cai held the bamboo in his hand, he could see that it not only had no luster, but also no energy leakage. Moreover, it was visibly shrinking, and in just a few breaths, it was almost like a crumpled sack.
Zhong Cai showed it to his old man in surprise, saying, "This should be Golden Spirit Bamboo, right? It seems that Golden Spirit Bamboo Wine can be brewed inside? It is said that the grade of bamboo wine is supplied to cultivators of a certain level, and after drinking it, one will get very drunk and then have enlightenment in their dreams..."
·
This insight is random, but it is absolutely suitable for cultivators who have drunk bamboo wine.
Some might make an already practiced secret technique more powerful or give it greater potential. Others might help the practitioner comprehend a new secret technique. Sometimes, it simply enhances the practitioner's comprehension, allowing them to break through their current cultivation bottleneck—or even directly enabling them to break through a major realm!
However, cultivators who drink bamboo wine will fall into a deep sleep and have no ability to resist.
Therefore, cultivators must be in a very safe environment. Moreover, because the duration of unconsciousness varies among different cultivators after drinking alcohol, it is best for cultivators to find a cultivator they can absolutely trust to help them guard the pass—or to have a contracted rare beast to protect them.
Otherwise, if any unexpected event occurs during this period, the cultivator will be unable to make any effective response.
·
Wu Shaogan pondered, "They look very similar before they shrink, but the legendary Golden Spirit Bamboo doesn't shrink to form a pocket."
Zhong Cai shook the bamboo pouch, thought for a moment, and said, "There's a saying that if this kind of bamboo is accidentally buried underground, completely sealed off, and after many years of fermentation, the outer skin will gradually dry and wrinkle, but the bamboo wine inside will become exceptionally fragrant and mellow." He pondered for a moment and added, "However, just like you said, the dried and wrinkled bamboo should be several sizes smaller, not like this."
Wu Shaogan pondered, "The Golden Spirit Bamboo being taken into the giant rock can be considered a kind of 'burial,' but because it is not buried underground but related to this special beast, it may have caused other mutations."
Zhong Cai considered it and made a decision: "I'll hand it over to my master to study later."
Wu Shaogan also agreed.
No one knows what the Golden Spirit Bamboo has turned into, or how long it can maintain this form. It makes one worry both that its current use is strange and that delaying its formation too long will waste such a rare resource.
Furthermore, its level is so high that it's simply beyond A-Cai's current ability to fully understand it...
Since that's the case, why don't we let Master Sang do it?
With Master Sang's talent, he will surely be able to figure it out, and he will naturally teach A-Cai in the future.
·
Originally, it was Fan Jiming who asked Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan the question, but Zhong Cai ended up having a private chat with Wu Shaogan and forgot about Fan Jiming for a moment, and also forgot to answer his question.
Fan Jiming didn't seem to care.
It wasn't the first time, so he just had to wait for his two friends to finish speaking... and they would naturally pay attention to him.
Sure enough, less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed before Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan both looked at Fan Jiming.
Fan Jiming smiled and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master Zhong."
Zhong Cai's lips twitched slightly, and for what felt like the umpteenth time, she expressed her apology to Fan Jiming for forgetting him.
Fan Jiming said "It's alright, it's alright" for what felt like the umpteenth time.
Fan Liukong and Fan Zhongyang also took these matters into account.
Fan Liukong was very envious, but he also knew his own limitations—he couldn't possibly covet this thing, and he couldn't take it at all right now.
Deep within Fan Zhongyang's eyes, however, lay a burning greed.
Just like all his barely perceptible unusual emotions, he suppressed them deep inside, not daring to show them on his face at all.
·
After the Fan family members offered their congratulations, Wu Shaogan split the ninth stone.
This is an especially ugly piece; it's hard to describe what you see.
Although Wu Shaogan wouldn't cut a stone while holding his nose, he always removed all the ugly bumps first when he made a move.
Next, he went to look for cracks in the rock and continued cutting into them.
Even when there were still a few layers of stone left to cut away, Wu Shaogan asked Zhong Cai to make the final few cuts.
Zhong Cai did not disappoint him; the ninth piece was not empty either.
The Fan family members also craned their necks to look.
Zhong Cai carefully peeled off the last part again and took out the resources inside.
There was no burst of energy, and it wasn't particularly eye-catching, but... those scattered together were five high-grade mystic stones.
It's not too bad.
Wu Shaogan opened the tenth block, and Zhong Cai also took the final step again.
This time, it was still not an empty stone.
A strange blue light flashed, rippling the water.
It turned out to be a mid-grade level seven alms bowl, filled with a lake of water, and in the depths of the rippling blue waves, there were more than ten drops of accumulated water-attribute natural treasures.
Its total value is quite considerable, only slightly inferior to the Golden Spirit Bamboo Wine.
·
By this time, all the stones in this batch had been cut open.
Wu Shao chuckled dryly and said, "Sure enough, it was only after A Cai lent me her luck that I was able to obtain these high-quality treasures."
Zhong Cai snorted, feigning smugness.
In fact, both of them knew very well that this had nothing to do with luck. After all, each time Wu Shaogan cut open most of the stone, he could already make some judgments about most of the treasures. There was no sudden change.
All three members of the Fan family came to offer their congratulations.
Then, Zhong Cai brushed the stone fragments off her body, took her husband Lao Wu's hand, and continued walking around the giant rock.
The Fan brothers followed a few steps behind, all quite relaxed.
·
Previously, when Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were breaking stones, whenever they found something interesting, they would hear some gasps of surprise from the shadows, which were probably involuntary expressions of amazement and awe. But as long as the people didn't rush over, the two of them would just pretend they didn't hear them.
They've already opened a lot of stones, and Zhong Cai's itching to open stones has long since "cured." Next, they slowly walk in circles while occasionally checking on the progress of other people opening stones.
The quality of the resources here is really good. Zhong Cai noticed that many people were expressing surprise and delight. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that they had obtained many remarkable items. However, perhaps because the items were so exceptional, some cultivators even consumed the resources on the spot!
Zhong Cai watched with great interest.
Because she had already collected many stones that she liked when she was looking for them before, she was not as interested in collecting stones as she used to be, so Zhong Cai became more picky about the stones.
Needless to say, Wu Shaogan wasn't very interested to begin with, and since A Cai wasn't picky anymore, he didn't want to play any more games.
Every now and then, the three members of the Fan family would chat with Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan for a few minutes.
·
"We've found a level 8 resource!"
"This is definitely level eight! It smells amazing! What kind of resource could it be? Anyone recognize it? It's incredibly energizing!"
"It's actually a substitute peach wood! How could it be such a thing?!"
"Wait! He's run away! Go after him!"
"The substitute peach wood can save lives! Hurry and chase after them to get it back!"
"First come, first served! Don't let someone else get there first!"
A sudden burst of noise rang out not far away, and more than a dozen streaks of light shot into the sky, chasing each other fiercely.
Many other cultivators, after getting closer and learning the reason, quickly joined the fleeing group—they also wanted to seize the substitute peach wood.
·
The so-called "life-saving" ability can absorb 90% of the attack power the host receives the moment it is attacked, leaving only 10% for the host to bear on their own—with 90% of the damage gone, the host's life is naturally saved.
Even with extremely terrifying and powerful attacks, the target it locks onto will quickly transform into a substitute peach wood and complete the "substitution" process.
However, the peach wood itself will be damaged.
The stronger the attack, the greater the damage.
It may break at best, or shatter at worst.
Once it's completely shattered, it's useless.
·
Zhong Cai whispered to Wu Shaogan, "It really is a good thing. Although it has a limited lifespan, it can really save your life in a critical moment."
If the cultivator who mined this thing hadn't run away in a flash—and many cultivators hadn't even had time to react—he would probably be surrounded and dealt with by a group of people by now.
However, even though it can only be a chase for now, in the end, the treasure will probably be taken away by the stronger one.
After all, this thing is extremely rare; it can even save the life of a Nirvana cultivator.
·
Zhong Cai couldn't help but sigh, "Look at their luck! They snatched the highest-grade treasure right away! We've made quite a bit of money today, but it's still not as valuable as this substitute peach wood."
Wu Shao chuckled dryly: "Anyway, it's just a useless thing for the two of us."
Zhong Cai nodded and sighed, "I'm afraid that in places further away, it's already a scene of bloodshed." He lowered his voice, "I wonder if that senior from Tianxing Trading Company has regretted it yet."
Wu Shaogan subconsciously looked for Feng Ling, only to see Feng Ling quietly signal to a subordinate, who quickly and inconspicuously blended into the crowd.
Zhong Cai followed Wu Shaogan's gaze and quickly found Feng Ling, and also saw his reaction.
It seems that this steward Feng also values the life-substitute function, so when the cultivator was picking and opening stones as a guest, Feng Ling did nothing and let the other party run around freely—after the cultivator left the place, Feng Ling naturally did not have to be restrained.
Tianxing Trading Company was just one of the pursuers.
Wu Shaogan also sighed: "It seems there's still a trace of Nirvana in the air..."
·
The two chatted casually for a few minutes, then completely lost interest in opening the stone.
As more people joined the chase, the venue became empty and increasingly deserted.
Zhong Cai decisively bid farewell to the Fan brothers.
Fan Jiming and the others were not qualified to participate in the chase, so they quickly said goodbye to the two.
They needed to hurry back to the Fan family's flying artifact to report the news to their ancestor—although they knew very well that their ancestor probably wasn't qualified to participate in the competition. But it was one thing for their ancestor not to be qualified, and another thing for them, the younger generation, to be closer and able to provide more detailed information.
·
The Fan brothers quickly slipped away.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan held hands and went to find their two masters.
They had a feeling that their masters probably weren't interested in taking the substitute peach wood...
As expected, when the two returned to the place where they had met their masters before, they were reunited with them once again.
·
At this moment, Sang Yunchu and Jiang Chongguang are playing chess.
They had also heard the commotion caused by the substitute peach wood.
However, they are wealthy and have many defensive items. One of them has an incredibly complex protective method, and the other has extremely strong combat ability... Their survival ability is very strong, and they don't really need to sacrifice themselves.
The two glanced at each other briefly before continuing their game.
We also had a few cups of tea together...
The moment the two disciples approached, the two masters immediately noticed and looked up.
Sang Yunchu chuckled softly and asked, "Cai'er, stop it, have you two had enough fun?"
Zhong Cai nodded immediately: "There's nothing fun left. Master, have the other uncles returned? When are we leaving?"
As if summoned, not long after Zhong Cai finished speaking, several of Jiang Chongguang's junior brothers and sisters arrived and quickly joined the group.
Judging from their expressions, they were both in high spirits because the earlier incident had spoiled their mood.
But at the same time, it also clearly shows that they don't seem interested in the substitute peach wood either...
Zhong Cai was a little puzzled and a little curious.
Several of his senior brothers seemed to have seen through his thoughts, so they put forward one of them to explain.
Li Yishui smiled and said, "It's not that I don't want it, but it's not urgent. There are so many people vying for it, and it would be too troublesome to fight over it. Besides, although we in the Azure Dragon Sect don't have such a life-saving method, we have other secret techniques that can greatly enhance our ability to survive. Moreover... there are also life-saving items in our inventory that are slightly less effective."
Zhong Cai suddenly realized.
Instead of fighting to the death with so many people to snatch it, it's better to go back to the academy, work hard, and save up enough Xuan Stones and quest points to exchange for slightly less valuable items in the trading hall.
·
The people on Canglong's side weren't interested.
The people from Meijiashan Mountain also quickly gathered around, but they didn't pay much attention either.
The swordsman responsible for guarding it really wanted to steal it, but with his mission in mind, he chose to keep his promise.
·
Since his disciple wanted to leave, Sang Yunchu naturally packed up the chessboard and other items, discussed with Jiang Chongguang, and left together.
They've been out for... well, not that long.
But because of the auction, with all sorts of high-quality items coming up one after another, it was dazzling, and it felt like several years had passed in a single day, as if one had experienced a whole period of time.
It's time to go back to Azure Dragon.
·
Jiang Chongguang had no objections.
Anyway, they came here to accompany the disciples. Now that the disciples don't want to play anymore, they should go back.
Therefore, Jiang Chongguang quickly took out the huge treasure ship.
Many cultivators leaped up and went up to the deck.
The treasure ship turned around and headed straight towards the direction of the Azure Dragon Academy.
·
There was still some distance to the Azure Dragon. Many cultivators could stay on the deck if they wanted, or return to their respective cabins if they wanted.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan returned to their separate cabins.
Wu Shaogan understood Zhong Cai's idea and quickly set up various array plates, including those that isolated soul thoughts, soundproofed, and had various other functions.
In short, they quickly created an absolutely private space for the two of them.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan leaned back together, snuggling close together, and then fell into a soft couch together.
Then, they still tacitly took out their respective key mirrors together.
The malicious activity list feature has been enabled.
·
Wu Shaogan first checked his own list of malicious comments.
Unsurprisingly, Fan Zhongyang remained in the red-name status above, and his malice value had increased significantly.
Wu Shaogan scoffed.
Zhong Cai also looked at her own list of malicious comments.
Is it surprising or not...?
On the list that was originally empty, with only one non-red name, a new red name suddenly appeared.
That red name belonged to Fan Zhongyang.
Zhong Cai also chuckled.
Then, the two looked at each other.
Zhong Cai poked the name with her finger and whispered, "It really is this guy."
Wu Shaogan agreed, "It is indeed him."
·
Suspecting that Fan Zhongyang of the Fan family was the one who harbored ill intentions towards them, the two secretly observed Fan Zhongyang while opening the stone.
Although they seemed to get along normally with the Fan family, they were actually very close to each other and intentionally or unintentionally ignored the Fan family members—especially Fan Zhongyang.
Often, they would even deliberately show off.
Of course, this wasn't some ostentatious boasting, but rather a series of brief introductions each time a decent resource was available, showcasing their "erudition" and their apparent disregard for the value of high-level resources.
Fan Jiming didn't notice anything amiss. After all, they were friends, and he probably only sensed that the two were "more affectionate." He even took the initiative to ask, essentially acting as a slapstick comedian without realizing it.
Fan Liukong is a kind-hearted person and probably doesn't overthink things.
But Fan Zhongyang...
If he already harbored strong malice towards them, and was also arrogant as a transmigrator, he would probably be unable to resist generating even more malice.
Of course, if this Fan Zhongyang is not the same Fan Zhongyang as before, even if there is malice, the level of malice will not be too high. And even if this Fan Zhongyang is too narrow-minded and has become a red name, it will be an independent name on the mirror.
·
Since Fan Zhongyang in Wu Shaogan's mirror appeared, his malice level has remained unchanged.
According to their speculation, this is probably because Fan Zhongyang's malice towards many people has been fixed ever since he appeared in this world—after all, they have never interacted with each other, and if it's just because of the plot, the initial malice will not change.
But now... things have changed.
The two men's probing was quite successful.
Zhong Cai actually felt that if Fan Zhongyang was a transmigrator of the book and harbored ill will towards Lao Wu, then the fact that this character, who didn't exist in the book, appeared next to Lao Wu and was so close to him would probably make Lao Wu angry.
This is also a definite approach.
Sure enough, it's confirmed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
