Chapter 28: A Jade Bead

“Xian’er, Yun’er, the topics we brothers are about to discuss probably won’t interest you. Why don’t you two go out and stroll for a while? Don’t spend all day cultivating. It’s good to get out and about from time to time,” Ye Zili said with a hearty laugh.

“Alright, Father,” Ye Yun nodded.

Here in the western frontier of the Sacred Dragon Dynasty, Yunshui City was the preeminent metropolis, home to several hundred thousand people. Its streets blossomed with vibrant life, a testament to the tireless efforts of Lord Ye Haiyi.

“Brother Ye Yun, it’s been ages since I last went out shopping,” Ye Xian said happily, clearly delighted to be out and about.

Those with mediocre talent were often overlooked, but for the gifted disciples like Ye Xian, the elders of the Ye clan constantly pressed them to cultivate, never allowing a moment’s idleness.

Just as Ye Zili had said, for them, life seemed to consist of nothing but ceaseless cultivation—true freedom was nothing but a dream reflected in a mirror.

“Cultivation should follow the natural course, after all,” Ye Yun replied with a smile. The siblings strolled together along the city’s bustling thoroughfare, a wide street lined with all manner of shops: weapon dealers, material merchants, slave traders—everything imaginable.

Unlike Ye Xian, Ye Yun had spent his earlier years in Feilong City under the guidance of his master, who often took him out to explore, broadening his horizons in countless ways.

“This is the Xu family’s heirloom! Without ten thousand taels of gold, I will not sell it!” a sudden voice rang out, catching Ye Yun’s attention. Most of the residents in Yunshui City were ordinary folk; cultivators were few. Even so, a fortune of ten thousand taels of gold was enough to grant one substantial standing here.

The speaker was a scruffy man with a chin full of stubble, who had spread a cloth on the street to peddle a single crystal-clear orb.

“It’s just a jade bead. How dare you ask for ten thousand taels of gold? Aren’t you afraid of biting your own tongue with such boasts?” someone sneered.

“Hmph, what do you commoners know? This isn’t just any ordinary jade—it’s a spirit stone, imbued with the energy of heaven and earth, invaluable for cultivation!” the unkempt man retorted with a curl of his lip.

Perhaps driven by hardship, he had no choice but to sell what he claimed was a family treasure.

Having traveled and trained with his master Ye Yu for so many years, Ye Yun could see at a glance that this man was a mere commoner who had cultivated a trace of inner energy, but nothing profound—clearly lacking the talent ever to succeed in cultivation.

To truly succeed in cultivating one’s energy, at least one of the three souls and seven spirits must shine as bright as a lamp.

“Is it really a spirit stone?” Ye Xian asked, intrigued by the man’s words.

As he had claimed, spirit stones were indeed of immense value to cultivators, far beyond anything as mundane as gold.

The powers of heaven and earth also had their hierarchy. The lowest was vital energy, followed by spiritual energy, and above that, elemental force.

Cultivators in the Energy Refinement stage absorbed the world’s vital energy, or the essence of food, to refine it into inner energy and lay a solid foundation.

But if one could absorb spiritual energy, progress would be twice as fast for half the effort.

Even a powerful clan like the Ye family, ruling over thousands of miles, could not afford to let disciples in the Energy Refinement stage use spirit stones for cultivation. Even those at the Foundation Establishment stage received only a scant allocation each year.

“Sure, keep talking! If it’s a spirit stone, why not call it an immortal stone?” someone mocked.

“I’ll offer you a thousand taels of gold, out of respect for the bead’s craftsmanship. Take it or leave it.”

“One price only—ten thousand taels. Those who know its worth will understand!” The scruffy man paid no heed to the crowd, sitting down as if determined not to sell unless someone offered his price.

“Let’s go have a look,” Ye Yun, curious, walked over with Ye Xian.

“They’re disciples from the main Ye family!”

“Look at their waist tokens—not just ordinary disciples, but core disciples!”

The crowd quickly parted as the two approached, and the previously languid man perked up.

For an ordinary person, ten thousand taels of gold was a fortune, but to a cultivator above the mundane, it was nothing.

“May I take a look?” Ye Yun asked.

“Of course! Young master, you must recognize its worth!” The scruffy man respectfully handed over the white jade bead.

The bead was crystalline and smooth, radiating a gentle warmth. Upon closer inspection, Ye Yun could see mist swirling within, as if it truly contained spiritual energy.

A cultivator at the Energy Refinement stage had a divine sense too weak to probe into the bead itself. If only his sense could penetrate it, he could confirm whether it was a genuine spirit stone.

Lifting the bead to the sunlight for a better look, Ye Yun was startled, breaking into a cold sweat.

In that brief instant, under the sunlight, the white jade bead in his hand looked like an eye, utterly devoid of emotion, as though it saw through all his secrets.

“This thing seems quite unusual.”

A bead of sweat formed on his brow. Ye Yun took a deep breath, calming the fright that moment had given him.

“I’ll buy this bead,” Ye Yun said on the spot.

“Young master, you truly recognize its value!” The scruffy man was overjoyed.

Only then did Ye Yun realize he didn’t have that much gold on hand. The Dragon-Phoenix Pendant’s space was limited; he only carried about a hundred taels at most—far short of ten thousand.

“Xian’er, do you have much gold on you?” Ye Yun turned to ask his sister.

“Just a few dozen taels of pocket money. I hardly ever use it,” Ye Xian replied, shaking her head.

“No money?” The man’s smile froze, but then quickly returned. “Young master, you can fetch the gold from home. I’ll hold the bead for you.”

“No need,” Ye Yun replied. He worried someone else might buy the bead if he left, so instead, he drew several fangs from the Dragon-Phoenix Pendant and placed them before the man.

“These are wolf demon fangs. Sell them as materials to a merchant and you’ll get more than enough for ten thousand taels of gold,” Ye Yun explained.

Since his return, Ye Yun had slain many beasts but hadn’t exchanged their parts for pills yet. It was a perfect opportunity to use these to acquire the mysterious bead.

There was no mistaking genuine wolf demon fangs. As soon as Ye Yun produced them, a baleful aura spread, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

The man’s smile deepened. Materials from demon beasts were extremely valuable; even two or three fangs like these were worth far more than ten thousand taels.

With the transaction settled, Ye Yun immediately put away the bead, intending to consult his master about its origins. With his master’s experience, he was sure to uncover the truth behind this enigmatic jade bead.