# Chapter 287: Excited Hall Master Lei
Lei Jing looked somewhat disdainfully at the five jade items on the table—three jade bracelets and two jade rings. The material of the jade was not bad, but it was still too ordinary.
For a martial arts expert, what were a few jade items worth? With a single spirit crystal, one could buy a whole basketful.
Lei Jing licked his lips, extended two fingers, and picked up a space ring. He handled it as if he were holding a dung beetle, lightly playing with it for a moment before tossing it back onto the table. He then vigorously wiped his fingers on his sleeve, saying flatly, "You want to put these few jade items of yours into the auction house? Don't embarrass your master, alright? The auction house of Heavenly Demon Martial City is the largest auction house among the thirty-six commanderies of Heavenly Demon Ridge. Only the most top-tier treasures can be sent for consignment. The people who can enter the auction house are all first-class big shots."
Lei Jing's meaning was simple: take your few dung beetles... no... jade items away, and don't bring them out to embarrass yourselves.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Master, why don't you take another look?"
"Another look?"
Lei Jing stared at the table, suspicion arising in his heart. Could these jade items hide some mystery?
Driven by curiosity, Lei Jing picked up a space ring again and infused a wisp of true qi into it.
"Whoosh!"
As the true qi surged into the ring, a faint layer of white light appeared on the ring's surface, as if a door to nothingness had opened on the ring, leading to a mysterious space.
After discovering the secret of the space ring, Lei Jing's pupils immediately emitted a piercing light. When he looked back at the jade items on the table, it was like an old lecher seeing a group of stunning beauties stripped completely naked.
Lei Jing glanced at Zhang Ruochen again, gathered the five space treasures into a pile, and stretched out a large hand to press them firmly under his palm, as if afraid they would fly away.
Lei Jing cleared his throat twice, his face not reddening nor his expression changing, and said, "Zhang Ruochen, you haven't been with your master for long. You probably don't know yet that you have a total of five master's wives. I think these jade items are polished quite exquisitely. I was thinking, why don't I take them back and treat them as gifts from you to honor them."
The moment Lei Jing spoke, Zhang Ruochen sensed something was wrong, but he never expected that the dignified Hall Master of the Silver Robe Elder Hall would actually be such an old rogue, trying to swindle even his own disciple's treasures.
Fortunately, Zhang Ruochen was prepared. He said calmly, "Master, don't you want to know how your disciple obtained these jade items?"
Lei Jing also showed a curious expression and asked, "Right! I was just about to ask."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Your disciple once discovered an ancient cave left from the Middle Ages. Inside, I obtained some treasures—not just these few jade items, but also several top-tier cultivation techniques."
To conceal his identity as the son of Emperor Ming from eight hundred years ago, Zhang Ruochen had no choice but to fabricate a lie.
This was a very helpless matter!
Lei Jing had long suspected that Zhang Ruochen must have had some fortuitous encounter. Otherwise, how could a prince from a lower commandery have opened twenty-seven meridians?
At the very least, the technique he practiced must be quite extraordinary.
This was not a strange thing. The Kunlun Realm had a long history, and countless experts had been born since ancient times. Even if Zhang Ruochen encountered the cave dwelling of an ancient saint, it would not be surprising.
Lei Jing was a man of principle, so he did not ask about Zhang Ruochen's fortuitous encounter, nor did he ever think of seizing Zhang Ruochen's cultivation techniques.
Just like Yan Lixuan back then, who, for the sake of a spirit-grade upper-class sword technique, developed a mental block and couldn't break through his realm for decades.
The loss outweighed the gain.
Lei Jing stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen and asked, "What do you mean?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "As far as I know, a martial artist only has one chance to change their cultivation technique, and that is during the Fish-Dragon Realm."
"The Fish-Dragon Realm is also called the 'Fish-Dragon Nine Transformations.' In this realm, a martial artist undergoes nine transformations. Those who complete the nine transformations are like carp leaping over the dragon gate—fish transforming into dragons—and they step into the saint gate, reaching the Half-Saint realm. Those who cannot complete the nine transformations remain fish forever, never able to touch the saint gate."
"Martial artists in the Fish-Dragon Realm can change their cultivation technique with each transformation. The higher the cultivation technique, the faster the cultivation speed, and the higher the future achievement. Master, don't you want to switch to a higher-grade cultivation technique?"
Lei Jing laughed and said, "The 'Blood Cloud Sutra' that your master practices is a ghost-grade lower-class technique. Compared to the strongest technique of Cloud Terrace Sect Mansion, the 'Ultimate Saint Qiankun Skill,' it is not inferior at all. Can you possibly produce a technique more powerful than the 'Blood Cloud Sutra'?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "As it happens, your disciple obtained a ghost-grade upper-class technique from that ancient cave, called the 'Blood God Sutra.' It seems to share the same origin as the 'Blood Cloud Sutra.' Switching from the 'Blood Cloud Sutra' to the 'Blood God Sutra' would be an effortless task. I originally wanted to honor my master with it, but since master is unwilling... then..."
Before Zhang Ruochen could finish, Lei Jing suddenly stood up and roared, "You unfilial disciple! When did this old man ever say he was unwilling?"
Seeming to realize he had lost his composure, Lei Jing sat back down somewhat awkwardly, smiling as he said, "Zhang Ruochen, your cultivation is still relatively low. You might not understand ghost-grade techniques. First, take out the 'Blood God Sutra' and let your master appraise it. Perhaps it's not a genuine ghost-grade upper-class technique."
Zhang Ruochen no longer kept Lei Jing in suspense. He took out the 'Blood God Sutra,' which he had already transcribed, and handed it to Lei Jing.
Lei Jing looked at the 'Blood God Sutra,' his fingers trembling slightly. Although he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was already extremely excited.
It was only a transcribed copy, not the original technique.
Opening the first page of the 'Blood God Sutra,' Lei Jing had only read the first sentence when he became completely absorbed, as if enchanted. He was fully immersed in the profound technique, reading with great relish, unable to extricate himself, constantly exclaiming in praise.
"Marvelous! Truly marvelous! No wonder it's a ghost-grade upper-class technique—exquisite and profound. I'm afraid even a saint would find it difficult to explain all its subtleties."
A full hour passed, and Lei Jing's eyes never left the 'Blood God Sutra,' as if he had forgotten about Zhang Ruochen standing nearby.
If he continued reading, Zhang Ruochen suspected he would maintain that posture for an entire month.
"Master, Master, Master."
Zhang Ruochen called out three times before Lei Jing reluctantly tore his gaze away from the 'Blood God Sutra.' As if holding a peerless treasure, he quickly stuffed the 'Blood God Sutra' into his bosom, afraid that Zhang Ruochen would snatch it back.
Now, even if it were the Martial Market Academy's principal trying to take the 'Blood God Sutra,' Lei Jing would fight him to the death.
A ghost-grade lower-class technique and a ghost-grade upper-class technique might seem to differ by only two grades, but the value difference was more than a hundred times.
Originally, at Lei Jing's age, he had given up all hope of breaking through to the Half-Saint realm.
But obtaining the 'Blood God Sutra' gave Lei Jing hope again.
By cultivating this ghost-grade upper-class technique, he had a great chance of reaching the Half-Saint realm.
The more Lei Jing looked at Zhang Ruochen, the more pleasing he found him. How could his luck be so good that he had taken on such an incredible disciple?
Not only was his "talent" heaven-defying, but even his "fortune" was heaven-defying.
If his "fortune" weren't heaven-defying, how could he have obtained such a powerful cultivation technique as the 'Blood God Sutra'?
Zhang Ruochen said, "Master, what do you think about the auction matter?"
Having obtained the 'Blood God Sutra,' the impact of the five space treasures on Lei Jing was no longer so strong.
Lei Jing looked at the five space treasures and said boldly, "Zhang Ruochen, don't worry. Your master will definitely handle this matter properly. Just wait until auction day—bring a sack to the auction house to collect spirit crystals!"
"No need for a sack. Your disciple has an even better space treasure."
Zhang Ruochen took out a newly refined space jade bracelet and handed it to Lei Jing, saying, "This space jade bracelet is a treasure your disciple offers to honor his master. It is a hundred times better than those five space treasures. I hope master will accept it."
Lei Jing picked up the space jade bracelet and examined it carefully. He indeed found that the internal space of this jade bracelet was extremely vast, and it was also inscribed with defensive inscriptions and owner-recognition inscriptions.
Compared to it, the five space treasures on the table were like defective products.
His earlier words about giving the five space treasures to Zhang Ruochen's five master's wives were entirely a joke with Zhang Ruochen.
If his disciple obtained five space treasures and only thought about auctioning them without thinking of giving one to his master, Lei Jing would naturally be unhappy. That was why he had tried to scare Zhang Ruochen in that way.
It turned out that Zhang Ruochen was not unfilial to his master; he had prepared something even better for him. Lei Jing's mood naturally improved greatly.
After Zhang Ruochen left, Lei Jing put the space jade bracelet on his wrist. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it, and he couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Good lad, worthy of being this old man's disciple."
"Zhang Ying, Ji Fantian." Lei Jing called out.
Hearing Lei Jing's voice transmission, two silver-robed elders immediately arrived at the Silver Robe Elder Hall, knelt on one knee, and bowed to Lei Jing: "Greetings to the Hall Master. May we ask what orders the Hall Master has?"
"Rise first!"
The two silver-robed elders stood up.
Lei Jing pointed to a thick stack of invitation letters on the table and said, "Zhang Ying, I order you to deliver these ten invitation letters to those ten individuals within three days."
Zhang Ying was somewhat surprised in his heart. Just delivering letters—such a trivial matter—required a silver-robed elder to do it personally? Wasn't the Hall Master making a mountain out of a molehill?
But when Zhang Ying took the ten envelopes and saw the names written on them, he became even more shocked.
"Cloud Terrace Sect Mansion Sect Master, Han Li."
"Blood God Sect Sect Leader, Sima Mingde."
"Taiqing Palace Palace Master, Ye Huiyi."
"Min Shu Commandery Commandery Prince, Xia Xuecheng."
...
Every name on the envelopes was a fearsome overlord of Heavenly Demon Ridge. If any one of them sneezed, the entire thirty-six commanderies of Heavenly Demon Ridge would tremble.
What had happened that the Hall Master wanted to invite these people?
Zhang Ying asked, "Hall Master, could it be... could it be that the decade martial arts conference is being held again?"
Lei Jing said, "Zhang Ying, your memory is getting worse and worse. Wasn't the martial arts conference held just three years ago?"
"But..."
"No more 'buts.' Just deliver the letters as instructed." Lei Jing said.
Lei Jing did not mention a word about the contents of the letters.
"Yes! I will go now."
Zhang Ying bowed to Lei Jing and quickly walked out of the Silver Robe Elder Hall.