Chapter 280: 280
No matter the circumstance, if you wanted a steady, consistent source of power, you could always rely on spirit stones .
Yang Qi had the spatial coordinates to return to the Rich-Lush Continent, but using them would require a huge amount of power, and thus, he needed spirit stones . Thankfully, spirit stones were abundant in the Quake-Dawn Continent .
And he had plenty of demon cores to trade for them . He could only hope that the situation wouldn't be like the Western Continent, where open contempt was shown for people from the Rich-Lush Continent .
Although the Western Continent was known for its spirit stone mines, when compared to the Quake-Dawn Continent, their reserves were paltry at best . At the moment, Yang Qi stood on the mountain peak, looking off into the distance, where a surging convergence of spirit energy seemed to indicate that a large number of people were gathered . Sending his psychic tempest into space-time, he soon caught sight of a sprawling city some tens of thousands of kilometers away . It was a city far larger than Silvermoon, and also more prosperous .
‘Looks like a trade center of sorts . I should go check it out . ’
However, he had learned from his previous experiences, and instead of just waltzing into the city, he first sat down cross-legged and worked on changing his appearance . Considering his level, it was easy for him to use true energy to change his clothing and facial features . In fact, he could even change his body in general . Before long, he looked like a completely different person, even down to his temperament and mannerisms .
A person from the Quake-Dawn Continent and a person from the Rich-Lush Continent could change their facial features, general physique, and even their clothing to resemble someone from the other location . However, in terms of their temperament and mannerisms, the old saying still applied: in these lands and waters, people are unique . Because of that, it would be easy for people from one land to notice strangers from another .
However, the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth was so miraculous that it could even transform Yang Qi’s mannerisms and temperament .
After finishing with his work, he headed toward the city and blended into the crowd heading toward the gates .
Everyone that he saw was an energy arts cultivator . Even the commoners had cultivation bases in the eighth or ninth phase of the Energy Arts level . And Lifeseizers were everywhere . There were even quite a few Legendaries here and there .
In the Rich-Lush Continent and even the Western Continent, Legendaries were relatively rare, and even in big cities, people would crane their necks to catch a glimpse of them . Here in the Quake-Dawn Continent, they were considered like nobility, but at the same time, were not rare .
Even in the ancient era, Legendaries were called energy warriors, and were considered to have a high status . As such, it was no surprise that even the Legendaries in the Quake-Dawn Continent walked around with looks of haughty pride on their faces .
As he passed the moat that surrounded the city, Yang Qi looked down and caught the occasional flash of scales; apparently, there were dragon-snakes in the moat .
As for the city walls, they were carved with countless dragons and vermillion birds, which served as inspiration for the name of the city . The highest structure in the city had a plaque with three characters written on it, in the ancient Yore-Wilds script . Of course, the Rich-Lush Continent, the Western Continent, and the Quake-Dawn Continent had all once been a part of the primeval Yore-Wilds Continent . Because the script used back in the Yore-Wilds Continent was still used in the large continents that had once been part of it, Yang Qi had studied it in the Demi-Immortal Institute .
‘Vermillion Dragon City?’
Eventually, he reached the main gate of the city, where he paid a spirit stone tax before entering . At the moment, his stockpile consisted only of the low-, mid-, and high-grade variety that he had taken from Silvermoon .
After entering the city, he singled out a cultivator in Tertiary Lifeseizing .
“Hey there, Brother, do you happen to know where I can exchange demon cores for spirit stones?”
From the man’s getup, he seemed to be a freshman student from some sect, and he was carrying himself with utmost caution . In the Rich-Lush Continent, a Tertiary Lifeseizer would be an individual to be reckoned with almost anywhere he went, but in the Quake-Dawn Continent, he was a nobody .
“Y-you’re talking to me, Senior?” the cultivator stammered, immediately intimidated by Yang Qi’s powerful aura . Shivering, he continued, “The best place to do business in Vermillion Dragon City is in the Grand-Wilds Mansion . They buy and sell everything there . You could definitely trade demon cores for some really nice spirit stones . It’s in that direction . ” He pointed .
“I see . Many thanks!” Tossing a few high-grade spirit stones over as a tip, Yang Qi turned and headed toward the Grand-Wilds Mansion .
Eventually, he reached the end of one particular street where an enormous structure rose up, emanating an aura like that of the ancient Yore-Wilds . There were actually countless storefronts and halls in the structure, as well as countless towers rising into the sky . And of course, people streamed in and out constantly as they did business .
Everything imaginable was being sold, from magical treasures, to building materials, weapons, medicinal pills, books and scrolls, and even bottle gourds filled with all varieties of true energy .
As for the demon core business, it seemed to be booming more than anything else .
Yang Qi even saw a few Legendaries selling fiend-devil cores to acquire royal- and imperial-grade spirit stones .
As he attempted to enter the location, a Lifeseizer pageboy reached out to block his path . “Sir, this is the demon core market here in the Grand-Wilds Mansion . Are you here to exchange demon cores?”
“That’s right,” Yang Qi said with a nod . “What are the rates?”
“Please come with me . I’ll take you to an official appraiser, who can determine the quality of the cores you want to trade, and set a fair price for you . ” This pageboy spoke quite fluently, and kept his face completely expressionless . Clearly, he was extremely experienced in dealing with customers .
Without any further fanfare, he led Yang Qi to a certain sales counter, sitting behind which was an old man with a long white beard, and sharply glittering eyes . He was a Legendary, and in the fifth transformation . Considering that he understood the transformations of both the five phases and yin and yang, it was obvious that he qualified to understand the workings of vital energy .
To the old man, Yang Qi looked like nothing more than a Space-Void Legendary, and thus, he didn’t feel any need to be courteous .
“Alright boy,” he said, “hand over the demon cores you want assessed . ”
Yang Qi pulled out a blood-red devil core, pulsing with so much battle spirit that the entire area suddenly seemed like a battlefield for suras . The old man shot to his feet .
“An asura devil core?!”
When others in the area heard the appraiser’s exclamation, they looked over with envious shock .
“What? An asura devil core? Who pulled out something like that? What level is it? Don’t tell me it’s Legendary?”
“Yeah right . Asuras are born as Legendaries . Even a baby asura is dozens of times stronger than a human Blood-Form Legendary . Devil cores like that are perfect to add to powerful weapons or deadly spell formations . In fact, you can even use them to create warrior nascent divinities . ”
“What level is that devil core? Asura devil cores are virtually priceless!”
Rubbing his hands together, the appraiser said, “Let me see that, boy . ”
Yang Qi flicked his hand, sending the devil core flying over in a streak of light . The old man caught it and began to study it, even pulling out a mirror and using reflected light to determine the core’s level .
Then, he pricked his finger and let a drop of blood drop onto the core .
RUMBLE!
Thunderous rumbling sounds echoed out as the blood evaporated and transformed into an asura war god, a being whose most casual attacks could shatter the void and summon masses of starlight .
“Eighth Legendary Transformation? This devil core is from an Astral-Star asura!” Looking very serious, the old man put the devil core down onto the counter . “Where did you get this devil core, boy?”
Yang Qi raised an eyebrow . “What . Does the Grand-Wilds Mansion require certificates of origin or something?”
“It’s not that,” the old man replied . “It just seems to me that you don’t have the cultivation base it would take to kill an Astral-Star asura . That said, you don’t have to reveal the information if you don’t want to . That's a rule here in the Grand-Wilds Mansion . In any case, this devil core is an amazing thing . How much do you want for it?”
“I thought you people specialized in appraising things like this,” Yang Qi said coolly . “What’s it worth?”
“You’re right, we do specialize in appraisals . But this core is too precious . We’re going to need to negotiate a price that you're happy with . ” He licked his lips . “This isn’t the place for a discussion like this . Please, come upstairs with me . ”
Under the glittering eyes of all present, the old man led Yang Qi up the stairs . There were looks of sadness, envy, and outright jealousy . There were even some experts who considered trying to snatch the core . In the end, though, none of them dared to cause problems in the Grand-Wilds Mansion .
After all, it was a powerful organization, with as many top experts as the sky has clouds . Anyone who caused trouble would end up dead . After all, it was common knowledge that the person who ruled over the entire mansion was a Great Sage .
Yang Qi followed the old appraiser upstairs, into a dimension that was larger than below, and very quiet and peaceful . Eventually, they reached a table, where Yang Qi sat down . The appraiser left, and the pageboy hurried over with a silver platter to put the demon core on .
Yang Qi remained expressionless, but inside he mused that he was actually starting to like this Grand-Wilds Mansion .
Soon, tea was served, as well as a variety of fruit and melons . Eventually, the old appraiser returned with a younger man .
Almost instantly, this newcomer’s aura caused everything in the area to tremble . He was clearly a Half Sage, and from the way the old appraiser bowed and scraped in his presence, it was obvious he was very important . He was clearly in a leadership position in the Grand-Wilds Mansion .
Of course, Yang Qi had just beaten up a Half Sage, and therefore, wasn’t fazed at all . In fact, he didn’t even rise to his feet per protocol . Instead, he nodded slightly .
The fact that Yang Qi didn’t stand caused a flicker of displeasure to pass through the man’s eyes .
“I run the Vermillion Dragon branch of the Grand-Wilds Mansion,” he said . “You can call me Overseer Redwood . ”
With that, he pulled a chair over and sat down . “Friend, do you mind telling me what organization you represent? Our Grand-Wilds Mansion has relationships with many powerful groups, and if you come from one of them, we can give you a much better deal . ”
“I'm just a rogue cultivator,” Yang Qi replied . “I'm happy to do business with you without any special privileges . As long as the price is reasonable, I'm happy to part with quite a few devil cores . ”
With that, he waved his hand, and another asura devil core popped out, this one radiating the power of the eighth Legendary transformation .
“What?” the appraiser blurted, visibly stunned .
Even the Half Sage Overseer Redwood had to suppress the urge to rise to his feet .
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