Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 260: Chapter 265: Rare and Precious

In this small world lay the remains of a sacred body. This left Ye Fan astonished, and many things immediately came to his mind. He said, "Take me to see it."

"Oh, come on, it’s the middle of the night! What corpse are you going to see? Even if you don’t find it awkward, I find it unlucky." Qin Yao swayed her slender, rounded waist. Like a seductive serpent, she moved with fluid grace toward the outside of the house, her allure captivating.

"When can you take me to see it?" Ye Fan gradually calmed down.

"Those remains aren’t something you can see just because you want to. Unless Princess Yan accompanies you, you won’t be able to see them." Qin Yao paused.

"Why?" asked Ye Fan.

Qin Yao’s beautiful hair cascaded down, her skin fair and tender, her expression languidly charming. She glanced at him and said, "The sacred body’s remains, setting aside other aspects, are exceptionally sturdy—few things in the world can compare. They can be refined into a Great Artifact and are very precious. They’re now kept in the treasure trove, so ordinary people naturally cannot see them. Moreover, the sacred body holds many secrets."

"This... refining a sacred body into a weapon?!" Ye Fan rubbed his chin; he felt a bit uneasy.

"Scared now, are you? You’d better be careful. Even though you’re only in the Dao Palace secret realm, judging from your performance during the day, your body is already sturdy enough. It’s tougher than a divine soldier’s blade—an excellent material for refining Vessels."

"Damn it!" Ye Fan couldn’t help but curse. He began to consider the potential problems he might face in the future—even his own body could attract unwanted attention.

Qin Yao teased, "So, you see, you’re quite valuable now. If it really came down to it, you could even sell yourself. I’m sure someone would be willing to pay a high price."

"Sell myself for what? If you want me, I’ll take a loss and pledge myself to you," Ye Fan joked.

"Could you let me use you for refining Vessels?" Qin Yao retorted sharply.

"You’re too ruthless."

"Otherwise, what use would I have for you?"

Ye Fan turned serious and asked, "Where were these sacred body remains found?"

"They were discovered right here in this small world. When there’s time, the princess can take you to see them." Qin Yao let out a small yawn, covering her mouth with her delicate hand. "No more talk. I’m going to sleep."

"I have room here; the bed is big enough," Ye Fan said with a smile, his arms crossed.

"Go to hell, you brat!" Qin Yao gave him a dramatic eye-roll, then, swaying her graceful figure, she glided away.

「」

In the morning, a large Fire Pearl rose slowly from the east, scattering radiance like the dawn’s rosy clouds.

Ye Fan couldn’t find Qin Yao, so he woke Tu Fei, planning to have him accompany him to Demon City.

"I say, little kid Ye, why are you running around? You’re a prime piece of meat right now. Aren’t you afraid some old demon will target you?"

"I want to gather some refining materials to craft my own weapon," Ye Fan replied.

Tu Fei rolled his eyes. "Don’t you already have a cauldron? Why craft another weapon?"

"Many people are coveting it now. Do you think I can just casually take it out to use?"

"Does it have to be this urgent?" Tu Fei seemed doubtful.

"Hurry up and take me. Besides, I want to see what Demon City looks like." Ye Fan also called over the big black dog; his trip was to gather materials to breach the Immortal Hall.

Demon City wasn’t very large in scale, but it was bustling. By the time the sun was high in the sky, Ye Fan and his companions had entered the city.

The streets were lined with many shops, most of them selling spiritual medicines and Weapons, and they were crowded with many cultivators from the demon clan.

In the city, one could see many strange individuals: some with horns on their heads, others with wings sprouting from their ribs, and some dragging tails behind them.

Many Demon Cultivators had retained some of their racial characteristics, not having fully transformed into human form.

"A Three-legged Golden Toad!" The big black dog eyed a Demon Cultivator not far away and muttered, "Its blood is excellent for refining medicine."

"Damn it, don’t get any ideas! This is Demon City. Words like that will cause public outrage," Tu Fei admonished.

"What kind of being do you think This Emperor is? I wouldn’t stoop to its level. I was just making a casual remark. Speaking of refining medicine, Celestial Roc Blood would be even better."

"You, stop showing off. Behave yourself," Ye Fan warned.

"What materials do you need?" Tu Fei asked.

"Star Stone, Black Ice Jade, Divine Blood Soil..." Ye Fan listed a long string of names, all provided to him by the big black dog.

"I say, little kid Ye, what are all these materials? They’re all such odd and bizarre things. These will be hard to find," Tu Fei said, shaking his head.

"They aren’t exactly peerless materials. We should be able to find them in Demon City," Ye Fan said.

They went from one shop to another along the street, but they only managed to find a dozen or so types of materials. The big black dog, however, had listed a full thirty-six types, a significant shortfall.

"This is supposed to be the Green Flood Dragon King’s hidden sanctuary. How can Demon City not even have these materials?" Ye Fan was perplexed.

"The main issue is that the materials you listed are too obscure. They’re rarely used in daily practice, so naturally, they’re difficult to collect." As he spoke, Tu Fei seemed to recall something. "Oh, right! There’s one place in the city we haven’t checked yet. It’s a free-trade area where many strange and curious items can be found."

"Alright, let’s go there!"

This free-trade zone was in the northern district of Demon City. It was quite crowded, much like a human market, with many people having come with the hope of finding treasures.

There were many stalls here, offering all sorts of peculiar and strange materials.

"This is just too much of a rip-off! Someone just dug up an old tree root and dares to sell it as Blood Dragon Wood." Ye Fan clicked his tongue in amazement.

At a stall ahead, an old tree root was displayed on a red sandalwood table. The stall owner was shamelessly proclaiming it to be the root of a rare Blood Dragon Wood.

"Let the buyer beware; that’s how things work here. Sometimes, genuinely good items do turn up, which is why many people come here treasure hunting," Tu Fei explained.

They moved to another stall. On the ground lay a ragged piece of cloth, upon which were only three fist-sized stones. They were as red as blood and had been polished until they were crystalline and translucent, looking quite appealing.

Aren’t these just red pebbles picked from a riverbank? And he dares to sell them as green jade... Ye Fan was dumbfounded.

"No, buy it!" the big black dog transmitted urgently.

Ye Fan’s mind stirred. He asked the vendor, "How much for these three stones?"

"Each one is worth ten jin of Source." The Demon Cultivator first appraised their attire before stating the price, clearly tailoring it to the customer.

"Why don’t you just go rob someone? These three worthless stones are obviously a scam!" Tu Fei stopped Ye Fan. "These are just stones from a riverbed. Don’t buy them."

The big black dog grew anxious and, with a snap, bit Tu Fei on the calf, nearly making him stumble.

"Damn it, you blasted dog, you bit me again!" Tu Fei was furious. A battle between man and dog was imminent, but Ye Fan quickly intervened to mediate.

"I’ll take these three stones!" Just then, a fragrant breeze wafted by. Qin Yao appeared, squatted down, and picked up one of the bright red stones.

The big black dog released Tu Fei and immediately pounced.

Startled, Qin Yao swiftly retreated. The big black dog pinned the remaining bright red stone under its paw.

"This Emperor saw that first!" the big black dog snarled at Qin Yao.

"You saw it, but you didn’t buy it," Qin Yao chuckled lightly. She tossed two pieces of Source to the stallholder and said, "I’ve bought it."

Ye Fan knew these stones were no ordinary objects and also tossed ten jin of Source to the stallholder.

"Aren’t these just pebbles from the riverbank?" Tu Fei was bewildered.

"What do you know? This is Demon Blood Stone!" the big black dog grumbled resentfully. It opened its mouth and spat out a Pilean, collecting the red stone.

"What? Demon Blood Stone? I’m not selling!" The stallholder wanted to go back on his word, but unfortunately, both Qin Yao and the big black dog had quickly secured their stones.

Demon Blood Stone, legend said, was formed from the essence blood of great demons of Ancient Times after their death.

Such an item wasn’t considered supremely rare. After all, with the passage of many years, most of the essence blood would have dispersed. However, it possessed some unique and marvelous effects: it could be used to refine one’s Demon Blood, temper one’s Demon Bones, and so on.

A fierce light flickered in the big black dog’s eyes. It was extremely frustrated but helpless. Now, in the territory of the demon clan, it understood the gravity of the situation and didn’t lash out at Qin Yao.

"Little girl, your Realm isn’t high enough. You’re still far from being able to undergo a blood exchange and regeneration. Why not trade with me?" said the big black dog.

Qin Yao let out a laugh like silver bells. "Things like this are encountered by chance, not sought. I can’t use it now, but I can save it for later."

The big black dog grew even more dejected, and the stallholder beside them was filled with endless regret.

"Why are you here?" Ye Fan asked.

"I often come here to hunt for treasures. But why are you running all over the place?" Qin Yao countered.

"I want to buy some refining materials."

"I’ve already consulted the princess. She said you can go see the sacred body remains," Qin Yao said with a smile.

"What? Is it a sacred body that has achieved Great Success?" The big black dog’s eyes lit up. "If it is, a Supreme Weapon could definitely be refined from it!"

Ye Fan wanted to give it a good thrashing.

"Kid, don’t glare at me. This Emperor isn’t interested in a sacred body like yours, still in the Dao Palace secret realm. I won’t target you," the big black dog muttered under its breath.

"I’ll go with you later to visit Princess Yan," Ye Fan said, expressing his thanks to Qin Yao.

After wandering around this Free Marketplace for over half an hour, Ye Fan had collected more than ten kinds of materials, only lacking eight types.

"You can come back in a few days. Perhaps you’ll find more then," Tu Fei suggested.

Ye Fan nodded. He was already very satisfied; finding twenty-eight types of materials in Demon City in such a short time had truly exceeded his expectations.

If he really couldn’t gather all of them, he could use Source to make up the difference. At worst, he would just splurge. This time, no matter what, he had to rescue Pang Bo.

"We act tonight! For now, let’s go see the sacred body remains!" Ye Fan transmitted to the big black dog, telling it to think carefully about how to engrave Dao Glyphs on these materials.

"Rest assured, I can finish inscribing them in half an hour!"

Hearing the big black dog’s reply, Ye Fan felt a wave of relief. Then, with a relaxed heart, he went to visit Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu’s residence was suffused with Spiritual Qi that coiled like dragons, wreathed in auspicious light. She was flawless, like heaven’s most exquisite masterpiece, her beauty breathtaking.

"The sacred body remains are in the Green Flood Dragon King’s treasure vault. Although I can take you in to see them, you cannot stay for too long."

"I am deeply grateful!" Ye Fan expressed his thanks.

From this, it was clear that Yan Ruyu held a significant position here; she could even enter and exit the Green Flood Dragon King’s treasure vault.

The Ancient Saints had opened up this small world, leaving behind some relics. The Green Flood Dragon King’s cave residence had been built amongst these ruins.

It was a colossal mountain, soaring into the clouds. At its peak were jadeite palaces and jade pavilions, making it seem as if one had arrived at the celestial court.

Besides Yan Ruyu and Ye Fan, Qin Yao, Tu Fei, and the big black dog had also come along.

In front of a massive palace, Yan Ruyu stopped. This was a Forbidden Land; trespassers would be killed without mercy. Several old demons personally stood guard here, and even Yan Ruyu was very polite to them.

A few of these old demons were clearly nearing the end of their lifespans. They looked incredibly ancient, their wrinkles so deep they seemed to seal their eyes shut. Their snow-white eyebrows were half a foot long, and their heads were long bald, without a single strand of hair.

Some were sweeping the grounds, some were tending to flowers, and others were playing chess. They moved about the courtyard like ordinary elderly people in their twilight years, laboring slowly.

However, no one dared to look down on them. These old demons were all old subordinates of the Green Flood Dragon King. Although their lifespans were nearly exhausted, their strength was terrifying. If angered, they could sweep through an entire region.

The old demons glanced deeply at Ye Fan, then said nothing and opened the heavy White Jade Gate.

In an instant, Spiritual Qi surged out like a tide. The interior glinted with a brilliant light, so dazzling it was hard to keep one’s eyes open.

As they stepped inside, the more than meter-thick White Jade Gate boomed shut behind them. Yet, the treasure vault was not dark; it was as bright as day.

"Damn, it’s all treasures!" The big black dog wanted to dive into the pile of treasures but managed to restrain the impulse.

The treasure vault was vast, divided into Nine Layers of Treasure Halls. Radiant light shone everywhere, filled with valuable treasures, making one feel as if they were in a dream!

The Golden Holy Sword, emanating tens of thousands of Sword Qi, blazed with a golden light. It hung suspended in the air of its own accord, exuding boundless killing intent, splendid and dazzling.

The Red Blood Demon Spear, its bloody light like a curtain, was fiendishly beautiful and sharp. It was fixed in mid-air, divine energy flowing from it, making it impossible to look at directly.

The Purple Copper Divine Bell emanated divine rays and was enveloped in purple aura. Suspended there, its tones lingered, autonomously swinging, as if Heavenly Sounds from Primordial times were cutting through time and space to arrive.

The Coiling Dragon Treasure Cauldron was ancient and majestic, suppressing the Void Space. True Dragons coiled around it, its glyphs profound, mysterious, and filled with an enigmatic power.

...

Countless Heavy Artifacts, one weapon after another—all were rare treasures that left one breathless and deeply shaken.

"These are all Heavy Artifacts! The Green Flood Dragon King is so wealthy; he really deserves to be robbed..." the big black dog muttered softly, speaking its true thoughts.

Ye Fan glared fiercely at it. This damn dog was too greedy; it wanted to snatch treasures wherever it went.

Tu Fei was also dumbstruck, saying, "So many treasures! The Nine Layers of Treasure Halls are piled full! How much Source must this all be worth?!"

Apart from the various Weapons, there were also many precious materials, gleaming and dazzlingly bright.

"Isn’t that Blood Dragon Wood? This is definitely real, not like those tree roots from the street stalls," the big black dog licked its lips.

Ahead, a blood-red light shimmered. It was a withered piece of wood resembling a True Dragon, entirely crimson, crystalline and sparkling, possessing a draconic form.

"That piece of Jade has a Divine Phoenix Grass sealed within it! It’s worth a fortune!" Tu Fei also exclaimed in amazement.

Within the white Jade, the Divine Phoenix Grass was incredibly splendid, rays of light shooting out, faintly forming the shape of a Phoenix.

"What’s this bead?"

Ye Fan saw an enormous Treasure Bead, almost the size of a human head. It was wreathed in thousands upon thousands of auspicious streams of light, suspended in the air, bobbing up and down.

"This is a Flood Dragon Pearl, an exceptionally rare treasure!" The big black dog felt an unbearable itch of desire, desperately wanting to pounce and swallow it in one gulp.

Red Refining Copper Essence, Five-Colored Ancient Vine, Star Meteorite Iron... All sorts of materials radiated myriad beams of light. The treasure vault seemed to contain everything imaginable, making one wish they could grab it all.

Innumerable rare treasures—it was truly a treasure vault worthy of the name. The collection of a demon clan sovereign was indeed dazzling and utterly震撼ing.

Soon, Ye Fan felt himself drawn by a mysterious Qi Mechanism. He involuntarily began to walk towards the deepest part of the treasure vault.

The surrounding treasures seemed to dim in an instant; only that aura profoundly captivated his Heart Spirit.

Stepping into the Ninth Treasure Hall, his pupils contracted sharply. He saw the sacred body remains.

Here, there were even more treasures, piled up into small mountains, splendid and dazzling.

At the very center, a desiccated corpse sat cross-legged, motionless. Although its flesh had withered, it had not decayed, clinging tightly to the bones.

"The flesh actually hasn’t decayed..."

Both the big black dog and Tu Fei were astonished.

Ye Fan, however, was like a clay statue or a wooden carving, stock-still, frozen on the spot.