Chapter 1621 – Jade Dragon Horn
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With the young maid guiding them, Lin Ming and Xiao Moxian arrived at the center of the flying castle’s VIP hall.
The ground here was formed from clear crystal glass. This sort of crystal had no impurities at all. If one didn’t reach out to touch it, it would be difficult to even tell it was there.
The crystal glass beneath was empty space. As one walked over the crystal they could see the skies from a hundred thousand feet up in the air. Looking down, one could see the incomparably vast Divine Rune City stretching to the horizon.
From this height, the massive palaces and temples of the city became as small as toys, and the people walking along the streets became smaller than ants.
Walking here, one felt as if they were walking over the entirety of Divine Rune City.
“Sir, the exhibition room over there is the display room for the Dragon Contract spirit treasure. If you wish to enter, you must abide by the trading rules!”
The young maid gave a jade slip to Lin Ming. The jade slip was engraved with the words ‘Treasure Fair Trading Rules’.
Lin Ming swept over the jade slip. There were dozens of rules listed in it. The basics of it were that all trading must be done voluntarily and fairly and once a transaction was made it was permanent. One couldn’t buy or sell and then refuse on a whim.
Lin Ming took the jade slip and smiled. He placed 100 contribution points onto the badge on the young maid’s chest.
Seeing this, the young maid was ecstatic. This tip was several times a year’s wage.
As the girl happily left, Lin Ming stepped into the display room.
This display room for the Dragon Contract was 10 feet wide and long. There were a variety of objects placed within the room.
The most eye-catching of these objects was a dragon carved from white jade placed upon a pedestal in the center of the room. This dragon was carved in an exquisitely lifelike manner, as if it were about to come to life at any moment.
The white jade dragon’s claws held a jade box. This jade was surrounded with a number of array formations. With a brief probe, Lin Ming could estimate that the strength of these array formations could even hold back a World King powerhouse.
However, even though these array formations separated Lin Ming from the box, he could still feel that a powerful strength was locked within it. The surging blood vitality coming from it left one’s heart racing.
If he wasn’t wrong, then this jade box held the Dragon Contract that was refined with a jade dragon horn!
“This grade of treasure is likely an Empyrean spirit treasure… it must be ridiculously expensive!”
Seeing that this jade chest was around a square foot, Lin Ming could guess that this Dragon Contract was a foot long at most.
A true jade dragon horn could be a thousand feet long. But, using some arcane skills, one could shrink it down, concentrating it.
For instance, Lin Ming’s Azure Dragon bone had been refined by Mo Riverbliss using a secret technique and turned into dragon bone relics.
As Lin Ming walked into the room, a fat shopkeeper narrowed his eyes and looked at him.
Although Lin Ming was young and his cultivation wasn’t too high, the fat shopkeeper wouldn’t underestimate him. Anyone that entered the VIP hall could not be looked at with contempt. This was especially true for the youths, because they likely had some great influence standing behind them.
“Sir, are you interested in the Dragon Contract?”
The fat shopkeeper stood up from his chair, a wide smile on his face. He had a Divine Lord cultivation and was only a guard for this small display room. The treasures here belonged to his master.
“Can you take it out for a look?” Lin Ming asked. His sense was isolated out by the array formations so it was impossible for him to see what was inside.
The fat shopkeeper shook his head. “I am very sorry but the Dragon Contract is sealed in the array formation so that even I cannot take it out. No matter which guest comes, they can only look in from the outside. The true auction will begin a month from now and once it starts, sir will naturally be able to see its true colors.”
“Mm…” Lin Ming nodded. It was reasonable to maintain the mystery around a treasure of this level. “This Dragon Contract is an Empyrean spirit treasure?”
“That’s right. This is a treasure found by my family’s master on a mystic realm venture. During that venture into the mystic realm there were over 10 World Kings participating, but with my family’s master having a great destiny upon his body, he was the one to luckily survive the dangers and obtain this item!” The fat shopkeeper vividly illustrated the origins of the Dragon Contract.
Lin Ming didn’t doubt this. It was normal for a mystic realm with Empyrean spirit treasures to have dozens of World Kings exploring it.
He quietly calculated the price of this Dragon Contract. Although it was worse than the Primordius Gate and Primordius Bell, it wasn’t too far off.
A month later, its auction price would definitely be ridiculous!
Lin Ming increasingly felt that the 2 billion points he had was far from enough.
In a short month he had to find some way to gain another massive amount of points, otherwise he would be in danger of losing in the auctions he wanted to win.
And these materials could only be found through serendipity.
If he failed this time, he didn’t know when he would next have this chance. Lin Ming wasn’t able to wait this long.
“Can you reveal the starting price?” Lin Ming asked.
“Well… it hasn’t been decided yet, but it should be between 500 million and a billion…”
“Mm, I understand.” This price was well within Lin Ming’s anticipating. As for the final auction price, he wouldn’t be surprised if it was at least double.
“Sir, although the Dragon Contract isn’t for sale yet, there are still some items here that you may be interested in. Would you like to take a look at them?”
As the fat shopkeeper spoke he took out many items.
Things that were able to be displayed in the VIP hall naturally weren’t ordinary. Lin Ming swept over the items and quickly discovered extremely valuable spirit artifacts and high grade pills.
However, these things didn’t draw Lin Ming’s attention. What he cared about was a necklace.
Lin Ming had amazing eyesight. At a glance he was able to see that there was a divine runic symbol on this necklace.
Lin Ming had inherited Torchriver and the others’ memories so he had a deep understanding of the different types of divine runic symbols. He was able to recognize that this was a peak sixth grade divine runic symbol, one that even approached the seventh grade – it was called the Heart Spirit Symbol.
Its function was to use the necklace to remember a person’s soul aura. Then, the master of this necklace could use the necklace to communicate with that person. As long as they were in the same universe, even if they were separated by 10 quadrillion miles the necklace with the Heart Spirit Symbol would still be able to send a message! This was something that no sound transmitting talisman could compare with.
Although the Heart Spirit Symbol was a peak sixth grade divine runic symbol, it only had the single function of facilitating communication and this was limited to only two people. Thus, the effects weren’t as great as those of other peak sixth grade divine runic symbols. Moreover, a great deal of rare and precious materials were needed to draw it and the cost was astronomical, so very few divine runic masters drew one.
Still, there would occasionally be a divine runic master that would spend a great deal of effort to draw up this divine runic symbol. This was mostly when there was a special need for it. For instance, to protect certain important individuals. As long as two people were in the same realm, regardless of where they were they could instantly locate the other person.
Lin Ming was skilled, but he had yet to truly step into the boundary of a sixth grade divine runic master so it was impossible for him to draw up a Heart Spirit Symbol.
Even Torchriver and the others wouldn’t draw up a Heart Spirit Symbol.
But, this necklace was actually useful to Lin Ming.
He planned to buy it and gift it to Xiao Moxian. If so, he could communicate with her at any time and know what her current situation was. This would be tremendously useful for the final trial.
If Lin Ming passed the final trial and was able to bring the Asura Heavenly Dao Laws back to the Divine Realm, this necklace would still be able to be used. At that time, Lin Ming could also know what Xiao Moxian’s circumstances were in Demondawn Heavenly Palace. Otherwise, he would be endlessly worried that Empyrean Demondawn would find some clue about him on Xiao Moxian and keep her under house arrest.
“This necklace, how much is it?”
“Sir has great eyes. This necklace is called the Thousand Mile Heartlink. It is the best gift to give one’s lover. At any time, anywhere, you will be able to contact them. The price is 30 million points.”
The fat shopkeeper said, looking at Xiao Moxian with flattering eyes.
Xiao Moxian wrinkled her nose. “This is too expensive. 30 million to buy a necklace for communication?”
Still, Lin Ming remembered the Treasure Fair Trading Rules that he looked over earlier. One of the rules stated that all items had to be clearly marked with the auction price. In particular, within the VIP hall, all items were price-marked beforehand and the Runic Pill Trading Organization even sent people to specifically verify that these items were accurately priced.
With Lin Ming’s experience, he knew that this Thousand Mile Heartlink was indeed worth this price. Although it had a very niche function, the cost to manufacture it was extremely high.
He said, “I’ll buy it.”
As Lin Ming spoke, he took out a contribution point jade slip and sent 30 million point runes fluttering out.
“Big Brother Lin, you still have an auction in a month…” Xiao Moxian anxiously pulled on Lin Ming’s arm.
“Having another 30 million for the auction won’t matter. If I buy this necklace now, it will definitely be useful later.” Lin Ming vaguely said, paying the points.
“Great!” The fat shopkeeper was overjoyed as he saw these 30 million points.
After buying this necklace but before taking it in hand, a voice resounded from behind him. “Thousand Mile Heartlink? That’s a good name. Shopkeeper, forget that transaction. I am interested in that necklace.”
Lin Ming turned around as he heard this voice. He saw four or five men in feathered robes. These robes all appeared similar; it was clear they came from the same influence.
And beside these young men and women was a black-cloaked old man. This old man caught Lin Ming’s attention. From this old man’s body, Lin Ming could feel an icy cold aura.
And this icy cold aura was the same as the one Lin Ming felt when he first entered the VIP hall!
“It was this person? He was spying on me?”
Lin Ming frowned. He simply didn’t have the slightest impression of who this old man was and this should be the first time they met, so why would this person be targeting him?
Hidden in his black cloak, Shadow Overflow darkly smiled as he noticed Lin Ming’s gaze. From beneath his shadowy cloak, one could only make out his old and withered lips, looking extremely bleak.