Shrouding the Heavens Chapter 323 - 324 Chapter 329 Human Essence Fruit

324: Chapter 329: Human Essence Fruit 324: Chapter 329: Human Essence Fruit Calling for monthly ticket support!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At this moment, Ye Fan had pletely peeled out the pink fruit without any damage.

Its fragrance was intoxicating, causing Li Heishui to swallow hard.

“Absolutely a rare divine medicine!

If you want it, Daoist, bring out three hundred thousand pounds of Source!” Li Heishui made an exorbitant demand, unaware of the Red Dragon Daoist’s mysterious identity and thus pletely unconcerned.

As he spoke, he took out a jade bottle, poured out the medicinal pills inside, and swiftly and cleanly placed the pink fruit within.

“This is the stone material chosen by this humble Daoist…” the Red Dragon Daoist said expressionlessly.

“But I did sell it to them,” the old man guarding the Celestial Jade Sacred Land’s gate said weakly, leaning on his cane.

“That’s right, Daoist.

Surely you wouldn’t resort to robbery?

That would disgrace your status as a respected senior,” Li Heishui said.

Ye Fan quickly stopped him, fearing he would speak too rashly and invite disaster.

This old Daoist was like the Peacock King: he disregarded worldly laws and acted as he pleased.

He had nearly killed the Flickering Light Sacred Master.

“Daoist, if you truly need it, I can give it to you,” Ye Fan said, intending to earn a significant favor from him.

“How can you just give it to him for free?

This is worth over a hundred thousand pounds of Source!” Li Heishui exclaimed.

Ye Fan dared not transmit his voice; at such close range, he feared the Red Dragon Daoist might overhear.

He merely tugged Li Heishui’s sleeve, urging him not to go too far.

Li Heishui, ever the schemer, immediately changed his tune.

“Such precious Source!

If you really intend to give it to this Daoist, aren’t you being far too generous?” The Red Dragon Daoist directly took the jade bottle, sealed the fruit properly, and then stated expressionlessly, “This humble Daoist will not take advantage of you.” “Daoist, you misunderstand.

That wasn’t our intention at all.

We saw you hadn’t returned for a long time, so we bought it and then cut it open.

Now that you’re back, Daoist, no matter how precious this fruit is, we won’t keep it.

This was the stone material you selected, so it’s only right that we return it to you.” Ye Fan didn’t want to antagonize the Red Dragon Daoist; otherwise, the old Daoist could crush them with any excuse.

Thus, he generously offered the fruit, feigning no desire for reward.

Indeed, the Red Dragon Daoist’s expression immediately softened.

“You did buy it first, after all.

This humble Daoist will not let you suffer a loss.

So-called Source is useless to me; only a fruit such as this holds any meaning.” The Red Dragon Daoist flicked his Daoist robe sleeve.

CRASH!

A large pile of Source appeared on the ground.

It was dazzling and radiant, with Spiritual Qi as thick and dense as clouds, almost too rich to disperse.

It was a full thirty thousand pounds of Source, yet he tossed it out as carelessly as if it were ordinary stones.

“This humble Daoist only has this much.

I will find a way to pensate you for the rest in the future.” “Daoist, please don’t!

It makes me uneasy.

I feel unworthy accepting this Source; I don’t dare to take it,” Ye Fan demurred repeatedly.

The Red Dragon Daoist cradled the jade bottle, rubbing it continuously.

Obtaining the fruit had put him in a very good mood, and his expression was mild as he said, “If I tell you to take it, then take it.

These things are like mon worldly copper coins to me; they’ve long been useless.” “Since that’s the case, this junior will accept it.

But I truly feel it is presumptuous to accept and I am unworthy of such a gift,” Ye Fan said, no longer declining.

Then, a puzzled look appeared on his face, and he asked earnestly, “Senior, may I ask, what exactly is the use of this fruit?” The Red Dragon Daoist glanced at him.

“This fruit is called the Human Essence Fruit, and it has many wondrous uses.

In the hands of an Alchemy Master, it can be refined into a Divine Pill.

In my hands, it can extend my life by at least fifty to a hundred years.” A Divine Pill capable of extending one’s lifespan—this was an absolutely peerless treasure!

It was well known that ordinary spiritual medicines were useless to figures of his caliber; only legendary divine items could offer even a slight benefit to such powerful experts.

This pink fruit could help the Red Dragon Daoist extend his life by fifty years.

If it were an ordinary person, how many years could it extend their life?

It was indeed a priceless treasure!

The Red Dragon Daoist had been trapped by the Great Emperor Array Pattern of Holy Cliff for fifteen hundred years.

Now around three thousand years old, his lifespan might be nearing its end, making this fruit exceptionally precious to him.

“Can this kind of fruit increase one’s cultivation base?” This was what Ye Fan most wanted to know.

“The Human Essence Fruit is more precious than Divine Source, but it cannot be consumed carelessly, as it is also highly toxic.

It must be processed; only its fragrance possesses divine efficacy.

It should be able to increase one’s cultivation base, but no one would waste it in such a manner.” The Red Dragon Daoist made it clear: those who sought such rare fruits were all ancient figures, definitely not looking to merely increase their cultivation base.

“Its value differs depending on whose hands it falls into.

In my eyes, it is currently worth over a hundred thousand pounds of Source.

But in the hands of an old Sacred Master with only a few years left to live, it would be far more precious.” The Red Dragon Daoist floated away.

Li Heishui transmitted telepathically, “Over a hundred thousand pounds of Source, and you were just going to give it to him like that?” “Do you know who he is?

That’s the Red Dragon Daoist!

He nearly killed the Flickering Light Sacred Master last time.

He’s a terrifyingly powerful existence!” “What?

It’s him!” Li Heishui was stunned.

He had already guessed the old Daoist’s identity was extraordinary, but he hadn’t imagined someone so terrifying.

This was a giant who could roam unchallenged throughout the Eastern Wastelands.

Ye Fan transmitted telepathically, “Didn’t he say he’ll be in the sacred city for a while?

If anything happens, we can find him at the Sacred Land’s Stone Workshop.

This is a powerful ally.

I might directly enter the Heavenly Stone Garden of a certain Sacred Land.

If I stir up too much trouble, I’ll need him to help smooth things over.” Li Heishui nodded and said, “I was a bit worried you might gamble too recklessly and run into serious problems.

Meeting the Red Dragon Daoist today was truly an unexpected delight!” “Old man, please accept some Source,” Ye Fan said to the last gatekeeper of the Celestial Jade Sacred Land.

The old man, bent low and leaning on his cane, shook his head wearily and said in a weak voice, “This isn’t my Source; I can’t accept it.

You already paid a lot when you bought the stones.” Ye Fan swept his sleeve, collecting most of the pile of Source but leaving a small portion behind.

Then, he and Li Heishui walked out.

“Today’s haul is enormous—thirty thousand pounds of Source!

At this rate, you’ll be able to gather all the Source you need within a month.” On the way, Ye Fan asked Li Heishui which auction house in the divine city had the best reputation.

“There are seven major auction houses in the divine city.

I think the Heavenly Demon Palace’s Treasure Palace is quite good.” As he spoke, Li Heishui pointed to the sky and said, “Look, it’s up there, in that part of the sky.” It was a magnificent heavenly watchtower, imposing and colossal, none other than the Treasure Palace of the Heavenly Demon Palace.

“What do you plan to auction?” Li Heishui couldn’t help asking.

“I want to auction half a fruit.

But it must be done anonymously; no one can know it’s me.” “What fruit?

Don’t tell me it’s like that pink fruit from earlier,” Li Heishui said, curious.

Ye Fan took out a jade box.

Opening it revealed half a tattered fruit from which a faint, sweet fragrance drifted.

Tooth marks were clearly visible on it.

“Why do I get the feeling it’s very similar to that fruit from before?!” Li Heishui said in shock, a puzzled look on his face.

“And why does it look like there are canine tooth marks on it?” “It’s exactly that kind of fruit.

A dog bit it!” This was the pink fruit that the Black Emperor had bitten.

Ye Fan had collected it afterward and hadn’t discarded it, thinking it might prove useful.

When he learned the full story, Li Heishui nearly coughed up blood.

“That damn dog!

It devoured two hundred thousand pounds of Source in one bite!

It deserves to be skinned alive and eaten!” Ye Fan was also quite frustrated.

Having so much Source bitten off by that greedy dog would leave anyone speechless.

Much of its medicinal efficacy had been lost.

In its current state, it would fetch twenty to thirty thousand pounds of Source at auction, at most.

He thought for a moment and said, “Now isn’t a good time to auction it.

Let’s wait until after the Sacred Lands suffer heavy casualties attacking the Purple Mountain.

Then we’ll sell it.

No, better yet, let’s wait until some Sacred Master is on his deathbed before auctioning it.” “Damn, you’re ruthless!

Auctioning a dog-bitten fruit for a dying Sacred Master to eat…” Li Heishui was dumbfounded.

“What’s wrong with that?

I’d be saving their lives.

Not only will they have to give me Source, but they’ll also have to thank me,” Ye Fan said, his eyes narrowing into a smile.

“Little Ye, you’ve got a bright future!” Li Heishui patted his shoulder and then laughed.

“I’m looking forward to that moment.

Just imagining the scene is immensely satisfying.” On the ancient streets of the divine city, pedestrians moved in endless streams, flanked by rows of Heaven Temples.

At this moment, the two were not heading to the Sacred Land Stone Pavilion, as the sums of Source wagered there were astonishingly large.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t enter for lack of Source; Ye Fan simply had grander ambitions.

He wanted to go to the Sacred Lands to gamble for ‘rare treasures’ and ‘Exotic Strange Sources.’ He didn’t want to bee too well-known there too soon from his initial accumulation.

「In the following days」 Ye Fan frequented the smaller Stone Workshops, engaging in what he called “primitive accumulation.” However, these so-called small Gambling Stone Workshops were themselves vast palatial plexes, many times larger than the biggest Stone Workshops found in other oases.

For eight consecutive days, Ye Fan left early and returned late, practically living in the various small Stone Workshops in the southeastern corner of the divine city.

During these eight days, he made continuous purchases, cutting the Source Stones himself, and accumulated over ten thousand pounds of Source.

Li Heishui’s jaw nearly dropped.

It was utterly astonishing to him; he drooled with envy.

For other cultivators, this was an enormous fortune, enough to squander for a lifetime without ever running out.

But for Ye Fan, this was merely a fraction of what he needed, far from enough.

The road ahead was long and arduous.

He frowned.

Even at this remarkable pace, it would still take him more than two years to gather the required amount of Source.

Moreover, during this period, he could do nothing else; he had to dedicate all his energy to stone gambling.

It seems I really have to go to the Heavenly Stone Gardens of the major Sacred Lands to gamble for ‘rare treasures’ and ‘Exotic Strange Sources.’ The Heavenly Stone Garden of a Sacred Land was a special place.

One couldn’t buy stone materials and take them elsewhere to cut.

All stones had to be cut on-site, allowing people from the Sacred Land to observe and learn from the experience.

This was a strict rule, its origins dating back to an unknown era.

Some speculated it was because a Heavenly Source Master had once caused the Sacred Lands great losses, leaving them green-faced from their gambling defeats.

This had pelled them to summarize and refine their Source Techniques.

In fact, over the years, the Source Techniques of the various Sacred Lands had indeed improved significantly.

The vast majority of individuals with profound attainments in Source Technique could not necessarily pare.

For months, Ye Fan had practically imprinted the Heavenly Source Book onto every inch of his being.

Even after entering the sacred city and dedicating himself to stone gambling these past few days, he never stopped pondering it.

It could be said that his Source Technique had reached an astonishing level; he could now roughly identify even stone materials containing Divine Source.

“Starting today, I’m going to sweep through the major Sacred Lands!” “You’re finally going?” “That’s right.

I can’t wait any longer!” Ye Fan declared, having made his decision.

「On the ninth day」 Ye Fan and Li Heishui arrived at the Dao Yi Sacred Land.

They had heard that eight madmen had been causing a major disturbance there recently, boasting that they would win the sacred lady of the Dao Yi Sacred Land.

The two of them wanted to see if they could fish in troubled waters.

The young Daoist nun from Dao Yi Sacred Land had left a profound impression on Ye Fan.

With just the four words ‘Infinite Heavenly Venerate,’ delivered in a heavenly sound, she had purified several thousand malevolent spirits and demonic horses.

He wanted to see what kind of remarkable characters dared to act so audaciously, showing no fear of a Sacred Land.

If they could join forces and stir up trouble in other Sacred Lands as well, it would be an excellent plan.

The Dao Yi Sacred Land was surrounded by towering ancient trees that cast large swathes of cool shade.

The Daoist Temple itself was very tranquil.

Amidst the opulence of the divine city, it possessed an air of returning to simplicity and nature.

Amidst the boundless mortal world, this place seemed like a Pure Land.

Ancient trees grew in clusters, and the Daoist Temple shimmered with a pale golden light under the sun, appearing incredibly sacred.

This Daoist Temple plex occupied a vast area, nestled among the trees and vegetation.

As they approached, Ye Fan spotted two familiar faces: the Prince of Great Xia and the young, white-robed nun.

A number of attendants acpanied them, all of whom appeared to be of significant status, not ordinary youths.

“Is His Highness the Prince here today to engage in stone gambling with Jin Chixiao of the Golden Family, or to wager against Young Master Yao Yuekong of the Heavenly Demon Palace?” someone inquired.

“Let’s not rush those matters.

First, let’s see what these eight eccentric talents are all about.

I’ve heard of them for some time but have yet to see them,” the Prince of Great Xia replied.

His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, his eyes shone like torches, and he moved with the majestic gait of a dragon and the boldness of a tiger.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the little country bumpkin.

Did you e here to stare blankly at a watermelon stone again?” one of the youths couldn’t help but laugh upon seeing Ye Fan approach.

“Brother Wu, you know this young man?” another person asked.

“I saw him at a small Gambling Stone Workshop.

He foolishly bought a pile of watermelon stones and ran off looking quite pleased with himself,” Wu Ziming jeered.

Hearing this, the others burst into laughter.

Even the Prince of Great Xia and the young nun couldn’t help but show faint smiles.

“He’s Wu Ziming, the chief disciple of the Head Elder of the Five Elements Palace,” Li Heishui transmitted to Ye Fan.

Through Li Heishui’s introduction, Ye Fan learned that this group consisted of disciples from several Great Sects.

Although they couldn’t pare to the Prince of Great Xia, their statuses were still extremely prestigious.

Wu Ziming, a teasing smile on his face, waved at Ye Fan and jibed, “So, did you e to the Dao Yi Sacred Land today to buy watermelon stones?” “What’s wrong with watermelon stones?” Li Heishui retorted.

The crowd erupted in laughter again.

Wu Ziming shook his head, mocking, “Even if watermelon stones could be cut to reveal Source, it would only be a few ‘melon seeds’ worth—pitifully small particles of Source.

Do you two even understand Source Stones?

ing here is an insult to the Dao Yi Sacred Land.” “Young man, you should leave.

This is not a place for people like you,” someone else chimed in with a scornful laugh.

“No, no, e on in with me.

Later, you can pick up the watermelon stones I leave behind.

I’ll save them all for you,” Wu Ziming cackled.

Many in the group couldn’t help but laugh.

The Prince of Great Xia also smiled and shook his head.

“What’s wrong with watermelon stones?

How about I use watermelon stones to gamble against all of you?” Li Heishui, supremely confident in Ye Fan’s Source Technique, challenged the group.

“HAHA… Did you hear that?

Someone wants to gamble against us using watermelon stones!” “These two country bumpkins… truly leave one speechless.” After his laughter subsided, Wu Ziming sneered, “e along then.

You can pick up watermelons behind me today.” Even the Prince of Great Xia couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Ziming, you’re bullying them too much.” Wu Ziming retorted, “It’s not that we’re bullying them; they’re the ones who eagerly came here to be laughed at.

If we didn’t make fun of these two, they themselves wouldn’t be satisfied.” Ye Fan transmitted to Li Heishui, “Get ready to collect Source from these buffoons later!”