Chapter 1832: Is Jiang Yunchong a Kunlun Realm Cultivator?
If it were any other item put up for auction, that would be one thing.
But the "Heavenly Demon Stone Inscription" is a heritage of the Kunlun Realm, a treasure of an entire realm—how could it be allowed to fall into the hands of cultivators from another world?
This was something Zhang Ruochen absolutely could not tolerate!
Jiang Yunchong said, "This painting, 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram,' was consigned to Tianjue Pavilion for auction by a cultivator. He doesn't need sacred stones; he only wants to exchange it for some things he currently needs."
"What things?" someone asked.
Jiang Yunchong replied, "Divine-level sword technique manuals, a hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicine, Heaven-grade sacred pills, King-grade sacred pills, divine stones, divine relics, supreme sacred artifacts, or materials for forging supreme sacred artifacts. Whoever offers something that satisfies him will get the 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram.'"
The cultivators present were like wilted eggplants, shaking their heads and sighing.
The treasures Jiang Yunchong had listed were all rare and extraordinary—how could any of them produce such things?
From the third-floor private room, a broad-shouldered, red-skinned man stepped out, holding an emerald box. "I have a Heaven-grade sacred pill, the Guihong Pill."
"Whoosh—"
The red-skinned man opened the emerald box, and instantly, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the entire Tianjue Pavilion.
Inside the box, the Guihong Pill was like a luminous pearl, warm and glowing with a rosy sheen, with thousands of inscriptions flowing within it.
Sounds of admiration and exclamation arose, along with many greedy gazes fixed upon it.
Jiang Yunchong said, "If you only have one Guihong Pill, it is not enough to exchange for the 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram.'"
The red-skinned man looked quite disappointed, put away the Guihong Pill, and retreated back into his private room.
From a private room on the fourth floor, a ghostly old man emerged, taking out a half-zhang-tall crystal. Inside the crystal was sealed a silver-colored strange flower.
"I have a hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicine. Can it exchange for the 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram'?" the ghostly old man asked.
Jiang Yunchong's gaze shifted to the private room on the west side of the fifth floor, as if communicating with someone.
After a moment, Jiang Yunchong shook his head. "One hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicine is clearly not enough. If you have more such medicines, it could be considered."
More hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicines?
Ancient sacred medicines weren't cabbages.
However, based on Jiang Yunchong's gaze, everyone guessed that the seller of the "Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram" was likely in that west-side private room on the fifth floor.
But how could someone as powerful as Jiang Yunchong make such a low-level mistake?
Next, sacred realm cultivators from various private rooms appeared one after another. Some brought out hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicines, some produced top-tier sword technique manuals, and others offered small pieces of materials for forging supreme sacred artifacts.
It was like a treasure competition, each showing their skills, giving the cultivators present a broadened perspective.
Of course, some low-key experts secretly memorized those cultivators and their treasures, harboring thoughts of killing and stealing.
One "Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram" had exposed many cultivators' heavy treasures. It was easy to imagine that after tonight, the Eastern Domain Sacred City would likely see a storm of blood and wind.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on the eastern private room, and he muttered to himself, "It seems Xie Canghai appeared at Tianjue Pavilion for the 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram.' He should be making his bid soon, right?"
Sure enough, a moment later.
The eastern private room opened, and Xie Canghai's tall, proud figure stepped out.
In an instant, all the light and heat in Tianjue Pavilion seemed to be devoured by Xie Canghai, and every cultivator's gaze involuntarily converged on him.
"I have three hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicines, plus a piece of Taiyi Ancestral Stone. Can that exchange for the 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram'?" Xie Canghai asked.
"My heavens! Three hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicines?"
"Who is this person? How can he speak so boldly? Is he not bluffing?"
"Hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicines usually develop intelligence and possess powerful cultivation. How could a Saint King possibly control three of them?"
Among the cultivators in Tianjue Pavilion, some knowledgeable ones revealed Xie Canghai's identity.
Instantly, sounds of gasps echoed, and countless cultivators showed fear and reverence.
Jiang Yunchong asked, "The seller wants to know, how large is Mr. Xie's piece of Taiyi Ancestral Stone?"
Xie Canghai's lips curled slightly, sensing the opportunity, and he took out a millstone-sized stone.
The stone emitted a golden radiance, different from gold, without metallic luster. The light was extremely dazzling, each beam like a sharp sword.
The sacred realm cultivators present all closed their eyes, not daring to look directly.
Zhang Ruochen held his breath. "Such a large piece of Taiyi Ancestral Stone is enough to forge the initial body of a supreme sacred artifact."
Taiyi Ancestral Stone is one of the five ultimate substances.
The five ultimate substances are, in turn, one of the top ten substances in the universe.
Three hundred-thousand-year ancient sacred medicines plus a piece of Taiyi Ancestral Stone—the seller was clearly tempted.
Zhang Ruochen didn't wait any longer. He pushed open the door of his private room, stood by the railing, and raised his voice, "This prince also has a treasure. I wonder if it can exchange for the 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram'?"
With that, Zhang Ruochen took out Qi Sheng's God-Extinguishing Cross Shield and tossed it downward.
"Boom."
The heavy God-Extinguishing Cross Shield, like a white stone cross, was stained with ancient divine blood. It plunged into the center of the first-floor hall, standing five stories high, extremely awe-inspiring.
The artifact spirit of the God-Extinguishing Cross Shield was powerful, and Zhang Ruochen couldn't control it. Moreover, it had many unstable factors, so he decided to exchange it for the "Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram."
"This treasure... is truly remarkable..."
Jiang Yunchong appeared beneath the God-Extinguishing Cross Shield, gently stroking it with his fingers. Blood-colored light patterns emerged from the shield.
"Without using sacred qi to activate it, it still releases such powerful divine might. It must be a war weapon of great origin."
"Could it be a supreme sacred artifact?"
...
Jiang Yunchong's ears twitched slightly, then he clasped his hands and smiled. "Congratulations, congratulations. The seller feels your war weapon suits his needs quite well and has agreed to the exchange."
"Agreed so quickly?" Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised.
The God-Extinguishing Cross Shield was extraordinary; even a Great Saint would likely fight for it. The seller's eagerness to exchange wasn't strange.
Xie Canghai was determined to get the "Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram." How could he let it slip away?
Killing intent surged from Xie Canghai's body, plunging all the cultivators in Tianjue Pavilion into an ice cavern, trembling uncontrollably.
"Youngster, your actions today have gone too far!" Xie Canghai's tone was extremely dark.
Although the gap in cultivation between him and Zhang Ruochen was enormous, Zhang Ruochen showed no fear, meeting his gaze. "We're all relying on our skills and wealth to buy treasures. Where have I gone too far? Xie Canghai, you're a Dao Domain realm expert. Why are you so petty?"
"Bang."
Xie Canghai punched the railing, instantly activating all the defensive formation inscriptions in Tianjue Pavilion.
A powerful surge of sacred energy radiated in all directions.
Zhang Ruochen was struck by one of the waves, his body feeling as if hit by a divine mountain. He staggered back two steps, his crown shattering, and his long hair falling loose.
Zhang Ruochen roared, "Old bastard! I am the secret disciple of the Yan God. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
"Whoosh—"
Zhang Ruochen mobilized the crimson rule patterns in his left leg, gathering them in his palms. Two blazing fire clouds appeared in his hands.
Xie Canghai withdrew his sacred might, somewhat surprised. "You are the secret disciple of the Yan God?"
Zhang Ruochen snorted coldly, speaking forcefully, "Xie Canghai, if you want to fight, this prince is not afraid at all. If we fight, we fight to the death."
The Yan God was a deity of the Merit Divine Temple and a titan of the Paradise Realm.
The Black Demon Realm behind Xie Canghai was, in the end, a younger brother to the Paradise Realm. When encountering cultivators of the same realm from the Paradise Realm, Xie Canghai had to lower his head.
The secret disciple of the Yan God held a high status and could not be offended.
Xie Canghai sent a voice transmission to Shenya Xiansheng and Daxi Wang: "Is this person really a disciple of the Yan God?"
Shenya Xiansheng frowned. "The Yan God has many direct and nominal disciples. It's hard to say."
Daxi Wang said, "This person's aura is exactly the same as the Yan God's. Moreover, that aura contains divine might. It's likely the Yan God bestowed upon him some extraordinary treasure."
"Could he be a direct disciple of the Yan God?"
"The Yan God only has one direct disciple, Shang Zihong. How could there be a second?"
After a long pause, Xie Canghai retracted his killing intent and forced a smile. "Since Your Highness is the secret disciple of the Yan God, then we are all on the same side. Everything can be negotiated."
Zhang Ruochen laughed inwardly.
Pretending to be the Yan God's secret disciple was the strategy Zhang Ruochen had devised to break the deadlock.
This move carried great risk, undoubtedly putting him in the spotlight, where he could be crushed at any moment.
"Can Your Highness step aside for a word?" Xie Canghai invited Zhang Ruochen.
"I don't think that's necessary."
Whether it was Shenya Xiansheng, Xie Canghai, Jueyan Hu, these old fellows, or Daxi Wang, this proud daughter of heaven, they were all extremely shrewd. If Zhang Ruochen really got close to them, he would definitely expose his flaws, and then he wouldn't even know how he died.
Know when to stop.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fell on Jiang Yunchong below. "Deal done?"
"Deal done." Jiang Yunchong said with a smile.
However, as he spoke the words "deal done," another voice echoed in Zhang Ruochen's mind: "The 'Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram' was used to bait Xie Canghai. To break the crisis in the Eastern Domain Sacred City, give him the diagram. A terrestrial master is present and might overhear our conversation. Don't send me a voice transmission asking why."
A flicker of surprise passed through Zhang Ruochen's pupils.
His expression remained unchanged, but his heart was churning like a stormy sea.
"Could it be that Jiang Yunchong really is..."
When he saw Jiang Yunchong, Zhang Ruochen had already suspected something.
Now, he was even more certain. Jiang Yunchong was most likely a cultivator from the Kunlun Realm.
What Zhang Ruochen couldn't determine was whether he was a hidden expert from the Kunlun Realm or a proud son of heaven who had awakened from a hundred-thousand-year slumber.