Chapter 343: Strange Stones — Born of Heaven and Earth
The lake was a pale blue, clear and bright. The shores were lush with vegetation, dotted with pavilions, creating a beautiful scene. At this moment, figures were everywhere. No one knew how many people had come — men and women, old and young — all creating a noisy clamor.
Wu Ziming strode forward, a cold smile on his face. "Hey, black kid, you finally dared to show your faces. Couldn't hold back after hiding for so many days?"
Li Heishui sneered back. "Couldn't hold back? My heart is stirred. I've come out of seclusion specifically to collect some Source from you. Did you bring enough — a hundred thousand catties? If it's less than that, go back where you came from. We won't accept it."
By the lakeshore, everyone fell silent. These two were going at each other from the start, filled with gunpowder. This Source Art duel was sure to be intense.
"A hundred thousand catties of Source — Brother Tuoba has it on him. But don't even think about getting it from him!" Li Chongtian sneered.
Tuoba Chang remained very calm, ignoring the exchange. He stood there quietly, gazing at the small island in the lake, watching the falling petals drift down — glittering and crystalline.
"As long as he has a hundred thousand catties of Source, that's fine." Li Heishui's lips curled with a hint of coldness. He was afraid the other party might try to trick them with empty hands, having no Source on them. That would make it hard to gain anything.
Wu Ziming smiled lightly, as if borne on the wind. "You really think you can take it? In my view, the hundreds of thousands of catties you earned from auctioning off the spiritual medicine would make a fine contribution."
"That's right. Brother Tuoba's grandfather's three-hundredth birthday is coming up. Consider this your generous gift." Li Chongtian laughed loudly.
"Why waste words? Let's have a real Source Art duel and see who's delivering Source to whom." Li Heishui said.
Everyone around was eagerly anticipating this. Both sides were fully confident, like needle points meeting. And both were supreme Source Art masters. Today, they would likely cut out astonishing treasures.
"That's right. A Source Art duel — cut out some peerless rarities and let us feast our eyes."
"Everything else is empty talk. Only stone-cutting reveals the truth. Let the duel begin now."
Everyone was excited, wanting to see the methods of Source Art masters. Perhaps they would witness the birth of treasures rarely seen in the world.
"The extraordinary arts of the Source Art Aristocratic Clan — even the Origin Heavenly Master once praised them. Today, you all are in for a treat." Wu Ziming was very high-profile.
"Too bad they're dueling with rustic country tricks." Li Chongtian muttered quietly, but everyone could still hear him.
"The higher you climb, the harder you fall. Go ahead and boast now, belittle us all you want." Li Heishui sneered, though he didn't say these words aloud.
Ye Fan stepped forward, intending to cross the water and enter the small island where the Heaven-rank Stone Garden was located. To gather a million catties of Source, he now only selected precious stones.
Tuoba Chang, who had been ignoring Ye Fan and Li Heishui as if they didn't exist, finally glanced at Ye Fan. "Wait."
Ye Fan stopped and looked at him very calmly. Since the other party was so cold, he didn't want to say much either, waiting quietly for him to speak.
Tuoba Chang said, "The Holy Land's Heaven-rank Stone Garden is a sacred place. True Source Art masters enter by dueling their way in."
"What do you want?" Ye Fan asked.
"We don't need to start from the first layer of the Stone Garden. Let's use this lakeshore as our arena. If we can't cut out Source of the same grade, there's no need to enter the sacred Stone Garden for a duel."
"That's right. If the gap in Source Art is too great, Brother Tuoba doesn't need to waste time." Wu Ziming echoed.
"It should be so. If you can't cut out Source of the same grade, why bother entering the Ji Family's sacred Stone Garden?" Li Chongtian sneered as well.
"Fine. Choose your stone." Ye Fan had nothing more to say to him.
By the lakeshore, grass and trees grew in patches, pavilions stood tall, but stones were very scarce.
A Source Master from the Ji Family stepped forward and said with a bitter smile, "There are no stone materials here. Only a few scattered ornamental stones."
Tuoba Chang shook his head. "No. In my view, there are still some precious stones here. It just takes discerning eyes to spot them."
Everyone present was surprised. There were no stone materials by the lake — just common waste stones used as garden decorations, placed beside ancient tree roots or old vines.
Ye Fan and Tuoba Chang acted simultaneously, moving among the most ordinary stones with incredible speed. Otherwise, if there really were any extraordinary stones, the other would surely pick them first.
"The stones his fingers touch turn gold!" someone exclaimed.
"What's going on?!" Many were dumbfounded.
Tuoba Chang moved with astonishing speed, his index finger constantly pointing. Every stone he touched turned golden, as if cast from gold.
"This is... the Crimson Gold Divine Hand, at its peak state!" an old man sighed, feeling his horizons broadened.
Many had heard of it for the first time, and naturally, this was their first time seeing it with their own eyes. Tuoba Chang's finger seemed to possess a strange magical power. As he walked along, he turned dozens of stones completely golden.
Only after he had taken more than ten steps did those stones return to their normal state, leaving everyone in awe.
Ye Fan's heart tightened. The other party was indeed a master. The Crimson Gold Divine Hand had reached the realm of perfection, able to discern what lay within stones.
"Ding!"
Suddenly, Tuoba Chang stopped, pointing at a stone full of holes and cracks, like rotten wood that had been gnawed by insects — pitted and uneven.
He held this stone in his hand and continued selecting, but in the end, he didn't change his choice. He had settled on this stone.
"This is Ghost Crack Stone. It almost never produces Source. Why choose it?" Many were puzzled. Even Wu Ziming couldn't help but remind him.
Ye Fan arrived at the lakeshore and scanned some stones, but hesitated for a long time without acting. After all, this wasn't a real Stone Garden. Only some waste stones had been discarded here. Choosing a precious stone from them was somewhat difficult.
But no one urged him. The scene was deathly silent as everyone waited quietly. Having cut out a Primordial Divine Medicine, many had confidence in him.
Ye Fan walked half a circle around the small lake, examining all the waste stones. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He went straight to the lakeshore, fished out a head-sized stone submerged in the water, observed it carefully, and selected it.
Tuoba Chang was very straightforward. Without saying much, he tapped with his golden finger. The Ghost Crack Stone split apart, and a dazzling beam of light shot out — a sky-blue radiance, extremely beautiful, entering everyone's sight.
A fist-sized piece of Mutant Source burst forth with light, like the concentrated essence of an azure sky, shooting out blue rays. This was Blue Diamond Source. A piece like this was worth at least fifteen hundred catties of Pure Source.
Ye Fan didn't say much either. He gently sliced, and the stone shattered with a sound. At the same time, a crimson glow surged up, reflecting outward.
It was also Mutant Source, similar in size, like a blazing red sun flashing with light. It was called Fire Red Source.
Everyone marveled. Source Art masters could turn stone to gold with a casual touch. Without any effort, they had each cut out fifteen hundred catties of Source. People could only envy, never learn.
"Good. Enter the island!" Tuoba Chang didn't say more. He boarded a boat and crossed the lake. No one dared to fly here; they could only honestly take a boat across.
The people of the Ji Family Gambling Stone Pavilion could only pray silently. Having two such masters choose this place was a disaster, not a blessing.
Ye Fan and Li Heishui also boarded a boat and rowed toward the small island in the lake. The true duel had begun.
"Let us go over and watch. We'll stand on the water and observe quietly."
Many cultivators made requests. In the end, the Ji Family agreed. Overjoyed, the crowd surrounded the small island in an instant.
The island was only a few hundred meters in circumference. Flowering trees grew in patches, many of them ancient trees thousands of years old, their gnarled trunks like coiled flood dragons. Petals danced in the air, glittering, filling the air with fragrance.
The island was arranged with great care. Spiritual springs gurgled, strange stones were arrayed, forming natural scenery that complemented the flowering trees.
It was like a piece of transcendent immortal soil. On the island, an old man with skin like a baby's and hair as white as snow sat alone among the flowering trees, cross-legged, eyes closed, completely motionless and unresponsive.
"Haha... we're not late, are we?" A group of old men appeared, all with crane-like hair and childlike faces, vigorous and spirited, their ages terrifyingly advanced.
"We made it in time. Luckily, it hasn't started yet." It was the same group of old codgers who had watched Ye Fan cut stones at the Dao Yi Stone Pavilion last time.
These people had enormous backgrounds, hailing from various major sects. Many had little lifespan left, and no one wanted to provoke them.
After receiving the news, this group of old men had come rushing over as if injected with stimulants, full of enthusiasm, and directly boarded the island.
The Ji Family's Heaven-rank Stone Garden wasn't usually open for casual entry, but these people were old customers. An exception was made for them. Looking around, one could see a sea of white-haired heads.
"Sister Biyue, let Miaoyi in too." An Miaoyi, who had just arrived, spotted Ji Biyue and made her request.
Ji Biyue smiled lightly and nodded, granting this exception. Jiang Yifei, Yao Yuekong, Xu Heng, Jin Chixiao, the Great Xia Prince, the White-Robed Little Nun, and some other Holy Land successors also entered the Stone Garden.
Everyone was astonished. The influence of this Source Art duel was so great that it had drawn so many people here in person.
Not only were there old-timers of senior generation, but also successors of Holy Lands like Xiang Yifei and the Holy Son of Wanchu.
"Haha... young man, are you going to cut out another peerless treasure this time?" an old man laughed loudly.
Another went straight up to Ye Fan and said, "Do you need us old fellows to introduce you? The good stuff here is no less than at the Dao Yi Holy Land. Some stones have been sitting here for many years. We've all been eyeing them, never able to make up our minds. They're comparable to the Nine-Orifice Stone Man."
Hearing this, the people of the Ji Family Stone Pavilion's faces changed color. They silently cursed these old goods — full from eating, with nothing better to do!
Ye Fan smiled and expressed his thanks to them.
Under an ancient tree, Ye Fan discovered a Dragon Head Stone, about the size of a millstone, incredibly lifelike. Faint dragon qi swirled around it.
"This stone..." He was greatly shocked, filled with astonishment. This stone was too extraordinary. Even ordinary people could see traces of dragon qi, let alone him.
What was more, this stone was naturally formed, not carved by human hands. It had become a dragon head naturally, leaving one in awe.
"Well, isn't this stone even more peculiar than the Nine-Orifice Stone Man? It's a real dragon's head!" an old man sighed.
Ye Fan was indeed startled. After careful observation, he became uncertain again. The surface of this stone had unusual phenomena, with dragon qi appearing and disappearing. But he felt there might be a hollow space inside and couldn't be sure.
"How about this Dragon Head Stone? Priced at a hundred thousand catties of Source. Do you dare to cut it?" an old man asked.
"Forget about this stone." Ye Fan shook his head. He really couldn't make a judgment.
"If you don't cut this stone, it will leave us old fellows regretting it for the rest of our lives." A group of old men urged him.
"If I cut this stone, I'll probably regret it for the rest of my life." Ye Fan shook his head firmly. It wasn't worth the risk.
On the other side, some old men were enthusiastically introducing the Heaven-rank Stone Garden's sky-high priced strange stones to Tuoba Chang.
"This stone can make sounds..." Li Heishui exclaimed in surprise, pointing at a strange stone weighing over a hundred catties in a nearby spiritual spring.
At this moment, it was a greenish-brown color. When the clear spring water struck it, it produced a pleasant musical sound, like someone playing a zither.
"This stone is very unusual. It's called the Immortal Music Stone. We old fellows have been coveting it for decades."
As long as water splashed against it, it would produce wonderful sounds. It was truly extraordinary, making one want to cut it open and see what was inside.
"Eighty thousand catties of Source. So expensive."
Ye Fan tapped it gently, listening carefully. In the end, he frowned. This didn't seem like material from a Source mine. He pondered hard for a moment before finally standing up.
"How about this stone? It's one we've never been able to forget." An old man pointed ahead.
This was a sunny spot, without grass or trees, very dry. A single large stone sat there alone, about the size of a tabletop.
"A hundred and twenty thousand catties of Source? Isn't that too outrageous?!" Li Heishui was shocked.
"Because this stone is too special. Heaven and earth have nurtured a Dao diagram on it. Go take a look." An old man explained.
Ye Fan approached and was greatly shocked. On this stone was imprinted a deep Bagua diagram.
"This must have been carved by someone!" Li Heishui curled his lips.
"It's natural!" Ye Fan had studied Source Art and could tell. His heart was unsettled. The Ji Family's sacred Stone Garden — every stone here was extraordinary.
"Well, young friend, are you tempted? Are you going to cut it open and let us feast our eyes?" Several old men strongly urged.
Ye Fan studied it carefully, observing for a long time before saying, "Aside from this Dao diagram, I can't see anything special about it for now."
"Young friend is truly calm. Then come take a look at this garden's treasure."
A group of old men led him to another spot. This was a very large stone, over two meters tall, standing quietly beside a flowering tree. Falling petals drifted down, giving it an ethereal feeling.
"This stone is worth a hundred and fifty thousand catties of Source? That's excessively expensive. Even if you cut out Divine Source, it would be about the same." Li Heishui shook his head.
"Young friends, look carefully. This stone is very special. It's called Peerless Beauty." A group of old men highly praised this stone.
On this fine-grained stone, heaven and earth had nurtured a diagram — the outline of a beautiful woman's head. Though not clear, it gave one an infinite ethereal feeling, as if it should be a peerless beauty.
"Some speculate that a peerless beauty might be sealed inside, her outline penetrating the stone wall. Do you dare to cut it?" An old man's eyes burned with fervor, desperately hoping Ye Fan would nod.
"Let me take a look." Ye Fan circled around this large stone, constantly tapping and listening. He was truly stumped.
After examining four sky-high priced strange stones in a row, he couldn't see through any of them. He felt they might all be hollow, yielding nothing when cut.
Yet, faintly and indistinctly, he seemed to sense that there might be world-shaking treasures inside. This made him furrow his brows tightly.
"Cut it. Cut this precious stone called Peerless Beauty. Who knows, you might cut out a female Sacred Spirit." An old man was almost tempting him.
"If I really cut out a female Sacred Spirit, who in the Divine City could suppress her?" Ye Fan smiled.
"I think you're tempted, young friend. This garden's treasure truly shouldn't be missed." Some old men were even more anxious than Ye Fan, urging him strongly.