"Thank you for your explanation, Master. I have some white jade here. I wonder if you would like to buy it?" Jiang Liu couldn't ask about the unknown object directly, so he could only tempt it with benefits.
Gu Yan's eyes lit up. He put down his teacup and said, "You have white jade? If it's top-grade white jade, I'll take it personally, and the price will definitely be higher than theirs."
Jiang Liu took out a piece of Hetian mutton fat white jade pebble he obtained from the "Dragon and Snake" world. It was the size of a fist and worth several million.
"Good jade, good jade... What a pity, what a pity, there's too little of it, too little of it!" Gu Yan stroked the white jade with his large hand, his face full of joy, clearly this white jade was extremely important to him.
After a brief moment of excitement, Gu Yan reluctantly withdrew his hand and said with a smile, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, fellow Daoist."
"Does the master need this jade to refine his body?" Jiang Liu suddenly asked.
This man was covered in an iron-blue hue, a result of reaching the peak of his skin-refining cultivation. Jiang Liu had seen a similar cultivation method in the Daoist canon, known as the Five Elements Body Tempering Technique. It involves absorbing the essence of steel to refine the skin, the essence of fire to refine the flesh, the essence of earth to refine the bones, the essence of water to refine the blood, and the essence of wood to refine the life force.
This swordsmith has already mastered refining the skin and flesh; the next step is to refine the bones. To achieve the desired ice-like skin and jade-like bones, one naturally needs to cultivate using jade.
Just like Jiang Liu's "Purification Mantra," which uses the sun to cleanse the body and the moon to refine the form, it borrows the power of the sun and moon to temper the body. However, its effect is far different from this "Five Elements Body Tempering Technique."
Once the "Five Elements Body Tempering Technique" is mastered, one will possess the supernatural power of having a head of bronze and bones of iron, and skin of ice and jade, which is incomparable to the "Purification Mantra".
Seeing that his cultivation technique had been discovered, Gu Yan didn't hide it and laughed, "You saw it too? Indeed, I've already reached the peak of refining skin and flesh, and now I'm preparing to refine my bones. Jade bones are the most perfect, so I applied to stay at this shop in Jinling City for three years to collect high-grade jade to prepare for bone refining. Three years have passed in the blink of an eye, and I've collected enough jade. However, I don't think it's too much. Success is reserved for those who are prepared, and it's never wrong to prepare more."
Jiang Liu smiled and said, "First of all, congratulations on your great achievement, Master. I have no shortage of spirit stones..."
This is a lie; he's desperately short of spirit stones.
"I only want something that catches my eye. If you have any unused magical treasures, I'm willing to trade. Even if you don't find what I want, consider this piece of jade a gift to broaden your knowledge and create a good connection. If you find anything you like, I have some other jade here..."
The true intentions were revealed when the map was unrolled; this was what Jiang Liu truly wanted to do. With that, he pulled three large pieces of Hetian mutton-fat jade from his robes.
Swordsmith Gu Yan remained silent for a while, then stared at Jiang Liu for a long time. He lacked high-quality jade for cultivation. Although he had collected enough before, the quality was far inferior to this Hetian white jade. Now that there was something better, he naturally couldn't let it go.
"This is a test of your eyesight! There's a saying among mortals called 'finding a bargain,' and you seem quite confident in your eyesight, fellow Daoist."
Jiang Liu's little schemes could not escape the eyes of this swordsmith; his words were seen through as soon as they left his mouth.
Gu Yan wasn't annoyed, and laughed again, "I'm conflicted now. I hope you don't find anything, which would show that my judgment isn't bad. But I also want your jade. If you do find something, it means that I can also misjudge people."
Jiang Liu smiled slightly and said, "In any case, Master has not lost out. Just as Master said before, this Blood Soul Steel is worthless in my hands, but it is a treasure in the hands of ghost cultivators. Perhaps some things are worthless in Master's eyes, but they are priceless to me."
"Alright, I'd like to see how discerning you really are!"
Chapter Sixty: Fragments of the Nine Cauldrons (Part 1)
A keen eye isn't something that can be developed by reading a few books; it requires long-term practice and accumulation. As one grows older, one's sharpness only increases, something Jiang Liu naturally cannot compare to Gu Yan.
However, with "The One Who Escaped" on his person, no treasure could escape Jiang Liu's perception, and the information was detailed and accurate.
"It's here! It's here! That thing is right here! What is it that has caused such a huge reaction from those who have entered!"
Jiang Liu's heart was pounding, and even his pupils dilated slightly.
"You've come at just the right time. I was just about to return to the mountain. I've already packed up these materials and magical artifacts, and I'm preparing to take them back to Longquan Sword Pool. If it had been three days later, you wouldn't have been able to see them. Everything has been neatly categorized and organized, and you can look at them one by one..."
The two entered a secret chamber, where two great swordsmen, both at the Innate Realm, stood at the door, holding their swords and expressionless. Xie Hong, being quite sensible, did not follow them in, but instead sat in the main hall, slowly sipping tea.
Inside the secret room were several large boxes. Gu Yan opened one of the boxes, lifted a red cloth, and a white light emanated from it. Jiang Liu looked closely and saw that the entire box was filled with jade, including uncarved raw jade pieces and exquisitely carved jade artifacts.
For Qi cultivators, uncarved jade pebbles are more valuable. Whether for setting up formations, crafting protective magic weapons, or absorbing jade essence for cultivation like Gu Yan, the raw material is more effective. Once carved, they lose some of their variability, and if they enter the mortal world and are played with by ordinary people, their value decreases.
There's a saying that "jade nourishes people, and people nourish jade," and this is indeed true. However, no matter how well it's nurtured, it's difficult for a cultivator to refine it into a magical artifact for cultivating life and spirit. Just like courtesans, no matter how beautiful they are, or how skilled they are in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and songs, few would marry them as their first wife; they can only be concubines.
Although the treasure hinted at by "the one that vanished" was not in this box, Jiang Liu still searched carefully and patiently. Outsiders had no idea which target he was after.
Although the box contained many jade artifacts, they were not much better than the Hetian jade he had obtained from "Dragon and Snake." Only some of the carved ancient jade pieces were somewhat interesting, so he picked out two pieces.
One is an ancient, somber jade disc, carved with dragon patterns, clearly dating back to the pre-Qin period. The other is a jade cicada, entirely blood-red, standing out starkly against the pure white jade.
After selecting the two jade pieces, Jiang Liu closed the box, clearly indicating that he had made his choice.
Gu Yan looked at the two jade artifacts, stroked his beard, and said, "This jade disc was a ritual object used by the Chu state during the pre-Qin period to worship the heavens. Chu has been extinct for thousands of years, and the national fortune and the power of the sacrifice within this jade disc have dissipated. However, since it was worshipped by the power of a nation for thousands of years, it can still be used to gather incense offerings. I originally intended to offer this jade disc to the mountain god and the earth god of Longquan Mountain. For ghosts and gods, this can be considered a treasure."
Jiang Liu toyed with the blood-red jade cicada in his hand. He didn't particularly care about the jade disc, but this blood-red jade cicada was somewhat special.
Blood Jade Cicada
【Han Dynasty Eight-Cut White Jade, Dragon Blood】
The blood of the Dragon King of the Yangtze River carries a wisp of his vengeful spirit.
"The Dragon King of the Yangtze River? Was he killed? Or did he die of old age?" Jiang Liu didn't know who the Dragon King of the Yangtze River was, but he knew the strength of the Water God.
The sea has its Dragon King, the rivers have their Dragon King, and the wells have their Dragon King. In the water system of the Great Tang Dynasty in the East, the Four Sea Dragon Kings are revered, followed by the Five Lakes, Eight Rivers, and Four Major Rivers. The rest are considered minor, insignificant dragon kings. The Yangtze River is one of the Four Major Rivers, which consists of the Yangtze, Yellow, Huai, and Ji Rivers. These four rivers flow into the sea, and their dragon kings wield immense power, being known as the Four Major Rivers Dragon Gods. The Yangtze River Dragon King, in particular, controls all aquatic life within the Yangtze River system.
"A vengeful spirit, it seems it did not meet a peaceful end!"
As Jiang Liu pondered, he heard Gu Yan say, "Although the sword techniques on this jade cicada are simple, they possess a powerful, expansive, and unrestrained artistic conception. It is vigorous, rough, and sharp, and should be the long-lost Han Eight Swords. More importantly, this jade cicada is stained with blood, turning it into blood jade. This blood has spiritual energy, and it is obviously the blood of a cultivator. It is difficult to determine what kind of blood it is! However, it has a certain majesty and is a magical artifact that can deter demons and evil spirits."
Jiang Liu walked to the next box and said, "Master, please estimate the price first, and I'll see if there's anything else of value."
The second large box was full of metal, including unrefined ore, fragments of artifacts, and even finished metal ingots.
These are materials for refining weapons!
Longquan was the most famous sword-making place in Jiangnan and even the entire Tang Dynasty. One of the main tasks of opening a shop in Jinling City was to collect precious metals to provide to swordsmiths to forge divine weapons.
At first glance, this box contains over a dozen types of materials, all of the Yang attribute. It's likely the remaining boxes contain metals of other attributes. Jiang Liu's fingers lightly traced the materials: meteorite from outer space, volcanic lava iron, flame core stone, nine-flame steel, supreme Yang copper…
There was also a piece of metal fragment made of blazing purple copper, about the size of a palm, with some irregular lines carved on it.
"So it was it! It was actually it!"
"The one who sensed the escape was actually it!"
Jiang Liu pointed to a palm-sized piece of metal, his fingers trembling slightly, and a surge of immense joy welled up within him.
Jiang Liu held his finger for three seconds, then slowly moved it away, continuing to pretend to look at the remaining metal. However, his mind was completely occupied by the information about the metal fragments, and he had no interest in looking at the other materials.
"The Nine Cauldrons! The Nine Cauldrons! I am so fortunate to have obtained this item!!"
[The Nine Cauldrons of China - Yangzhou Cauldron (Fragment)]
Cast by Yu the Great, its main material is blazing red copper, which possesses the power to suppress the nine provinces.
Jiang Liu calmly picked out three pieces of metal: a Flame Heart Stone, about the size of a bull's eye, which looked like a burning flame and was hot to the touch; a Three-Turn Yang Iron; and the third piece was a fragment of the Yangzhou Cauldron.
After picking out the fragments of the Nine Cauldrons, Jiang Liu's heart gradually calmed down. He casually placed the three pieces of metal on the table and continued to look at the next treasure chest. He picked out a few more materials, including Deep Sea Demon Copper and Netherworld Iron.
After patiently examining all seven large boxes, Jiang Liu's heart was as still as water, as calm as a still well.
"I've finished choosing!" Jiang Liu sat down methodically, then picked up his teacup to moisten his throat and said, "Master, these materials are all rare and valuable forging materials. I can only choose those that will be of great use to me. Even these are definitely not something I can afford to buy. I'll be satisfied if I can get one or two."
Gu Yan tapped his fingers on the chair, his eyes scanning the various materials, but he found nothing unusual.
"Am I overthinking things? Finding a bargain isn't that easy!"
"I want the Flame Heart Stone too! The Blazing Sun Purple Copper is also good. While the Third-Rank Yang Iron is slightly inferior for refining Yang-attribute magic weapons, it has the advantage of quantity. The Netherworld Iron is good for refining Yin-attribute magic weapons, but I can't refine two magic weapons at the same time. I'll choose to refine a Yang-attribute magic weapon first..." Jiang Liu, channeling his imperial powers, muttered a few words in a pretentious manner, then said to Gu Yan, "Master, name your price!"
Chapter Sixty-One: Fragments of the Nine Cauldrons (Part Two)
In ancient times, Yu the ancestor controlled the floods, opening up the nine provinces, opening up the nine waterways, draining the nine marshes, crossing the nine mountains, and collecting bronze from the nine provinces to cast nine tripods to pacify the world.
According to the "Xia Shu. Yu Gong" in the Book of Documents, during the time of Yu the Great, the world was divided into nine provinces: Yu Province, Qing Province, Xu Province, Yang Province, Jing Province, Liang Province, Yong Province, Ji Province, and Yan Province.
The present-day city of Jinling is located in the ancient Yangzhou region.
The nine tripods were cast from different materials, each originating from a different prefecture. The gold from which a prefecture contributed was used to cast the tripod for that prefecture, and the mountains and rivers of that prefecture were also cast on them. In addition, various strange birds and beasts, gods and monsters that Yu the Great encountered when he was controlling the floods were also engraved.
The gold offered as tribute from Yangzhou was Yanyang Zitong, a metal with the yang attribute, which was as famous as the copper from the Shoushan Mountain and was said to be transformed from the essence of the sun.
Legend has it that after the nine tripods were completed, they were gathered in the capital of the Xia Dynasty to suppress the nation's fate and bring blessings to the entire land.
From then on, the Nine Provinces became synonymous with China, and a symbol of supreme royal power and national unity and prosperity. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties revered them as national treasures, and the Nine Tripods, which carried the fortunes of these three dynasties, were considered the most precious treasures in the world.
The Nine Cauldrons absorbed the fortune of humanity to suppress the world, causing all evil spirits and demons to flee. The land of the Nine Provinces was brought into great order, and the human race prospered for ten thousand years. Thus, the Nine Cauldrons became shrouded in mystery. Cast from the bronze of the Nine Provinces, and symbolizing the Nine Provinces, they represented the right to rule the world, and even more so, the human race's right to rule the land of the Nine Provinces—making them even more sacred and ancient than the Imperial Seal!
However, later generations were unworthy. At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the Five Hegemons and Seven Warring States vied for supremacy. The seven states of Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Qin fought for a thousand years, resulting in the devastation of the land. The Nine Tripods were also lost in the struggle for power.
Without the Nine Cauldrons to suppress the mountains and rivers, demons and monsters reappeared in the land of Kyushu.
It wasn't until Qin unified the world and used its powerful army to intimidate the nine provinces that the fate of the human race began to change.
After the Qin Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, slew the demon king, the white snake, and only then did the human race stand tall on this land again.
However, the Nine Tripods have been lost. Judging from this fragment, the Nine Tripods have been destroyed.
Although it was only a small fragment of the Nine Cauldrons, Jiang Liu was secretly delighted, thinking to himself, "This Yangzhou Cauldron is one of the Nine Cauldrons of the world. Although it is broken and its spiritual energy has dissipated, it is still one of the Nine Cauldrons! The fact that it could cause such a huge reaction from 'The Vanished One' shows that it has its own unique properties. Even if it cannot be used to suppress mountains and rivers, it is still an excellent divine object for refining weapons. Now it depends on how to buy it from him! This is a great fortune, and I cannot let him see anything unusual about it."
Gu Yan stopped tapping his fingers on the chair and carefully examined each of the refining materials, but found nothing.
He was unsure about the Blood Jade Cicada; the blood stained it was of unknown origin, yet it possessed an undeniable air of great majesty. However, no matter how powerful the blood had been in its lifetime, it was merely a trace of blood on the jade.
As for the other materials, they are nothing special. Even that piece of Fiery Sun Purple Copper is just a remnant of a broken magic weapon. It can only be recycled and refined. It is just a refining material!
"Perhaps I'm overthinking it! Finding a bargain isn't that simple. I've checked these materials countless times. If it really is a bargain, then the Blood Jade Cicada might be... Oh well! Oh well! I'm determined to get these jade stones. If I can refine the Jade Bone, I'll have a very high chance of breaking through the Refining Essence into Qi stage and reaching the Refining Qi into Void stage, becoming an Earth Immortal! If I was 50% confident before that I could refine the Jade Bone and obtain this batch of jade stones, I'm at least 60% confident now... An Earth Immortal! This is my opportunity. If I don't seize it, I'll be punished by heaven!"
Thinking of this, Gu Yan said, "Fellow Daoist, as you know, my Longquan Sword Pool is a holy land for sword forging. What we lack most is sword forging materials. I have been collecting these things for three years. They are all treasures that are hard to come by... If we were to barter, your four pieces of white jade could be exchanged for one piece of material."
“One piece? No, no, no, I’m losing out too much. You know, a piece of jade like this is worth at least three spirit stones. Of your refining materials, only Netherworld Iron and Flame Heart Stone are worth a little more, but they are still far inferior to my Blood Soul Steel. Although the materials for Blood Soul Steel are just Yin Copper and Yin Iron, the process of forging it involves a great deal of karma and may even attract heavenly tribulations. Therefore, it is not often passed down through generations and is much more valuable.”
Jiang Liu wasn't completely ignorant; with the "one who escaped" as a test, he had done his homework thoroughly.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, Jiang Liu conceded and said, "How about this, Master? I don't need the Blood Soul Steel either. I'll sell you all of these items together. I'll choose three materials, but you must give me the Blood Jade Cicada!"
This move is called feinting to the east while attacking in the west. Compared to the Dragon King's vengeful spirit in the Blood Jade Cicada, the Nine Provinces Cauldron is obviously more important, and the fragment of the Yangzhou Cauldron is the one that must be obtained!
If we could also obtain the Blood Jade Cicada, it would be killing two birds with one stone, which would be perfect!
"The Blood Jade Cicada? Could it really be something special?" Gu Yan stroked the Blood Jade Cicada in his hand, but he still couldn't be sure.
Looking at the fragments of the Nine Cauldrons on the table, Jiang Liu felt a surge of urgency, like a cat's claws scratching at his heart. Seeing Gu Yan's hesitation, he decided to take a drastic step and said, "Master, it's just a wisp of dragon blood! The value of these jade stones I have should be enough. You won't lose out. If it doesn't work out, I'll leave. As we agreed before, please keep this white jade. I always keep my word."
After saying that, Jiang Liu shook his head dejectedly, his face full of disappointment, and tried to stuff the white jade into his arms.
Gu Yan gave a wry smile. Perhaps the Blood Jade Cicada really had something special about it, but it couldn't improve his strength. As for these jade stones, they were hard to buy even if you had money. There were thousands of cultivators in the world, and these top-quality cultivation items were rarely sold. Even that small box of jade stones had taken three years to collect.
The white jade on the table alone was worth a year's worth of harvest. Gu Yan immediately made a decision, saying, "Fellow Daoist, wait! I'll consider this a friendly exchange, a barter. We'll do as you say. This Blood Jade Cicada plus two materials, but you can only choose one: the Flame Heart Stone or the Netherworld Iron!"
“Alright! I only need Yang attribute materials to refine magic weapons. The Netherworld Iron is useless to me.” Jiang Liu fiddled with a few pieces of metal and said critically, “If we’re talking about appearance, this third-grade Yang Iron is not as good as the Blazing Sun Purple Copper. Let’s go with the purple copper! Among the five colors, purple is the most prestigious. Although the power of a magic weapon is important, its appearance cannot be too bad.”
"Okay!" Gu Yan didn't pay any attention to the purple copper. He put the white jade and blood soul steel into his sleeve and was very satisfied.