Chapter 55 - The Appraisal Begins, a Origin Stone as the Grand Prize!
Chapter 55: The Appraisal Begins, a Origin Stone as the Grand Prize!
“Betting on Origin Stones—this trend only started in recent years.”
“It’s something only powerful individuals and major factions can afford to play.”
“They say: one cut and you’re broke, another and you’re rich, the third even the gods can’t stay seated.”
“It’s thrilling and dangerous—it’s all about the adrenaline rush.”
Ji Yaoyao just thinking about it made her a little excited.
“Why is it only the powerful and influential who can play this game?”
“Aren’t all Origin Stones just scavenged from the junkyards?”
Chen Fan asked.
“Normally, most Origin Stones come from the Transcendent Junkyards.”
“Also, they’re massively hyped in the market.”
“One stone starts at a minimum of ten thousand catties—larger ones are even more valuable.”
“With such low odds of obtaining something good from a cut, many people just choose to sell them directly.”
Ji Yaoyao explained.
“True. If the odds of getting something useful are that low, you’re better off converting it into currency to buy actual cultivation resources.”
Chen Fan nodded in understanding. This was the more stable, pragmatic path of cultivation.
If he didn’t have a system, he’d probably do the same with any Origin Stones he found.
“Besides, the contents sealed within an Origin Stone might still be alive—and not just alive, but incredibly fierce and overwhelmingly powerful.”
“Most people wouldn’t be able to suppress them.”
“As far as I know, ever since the dawn of this new era, at least ten terrifying lifeforms have been unleashed from Origin Stones and escaped into uninhabited regions, each spawning what’s now considered a human-forbidden zone.”
“And that’s just in our Qin-Xia Empire. There are quite a few more in other nations as well.”
As she spoke, Ji Yaoyao’s expression grew serious.
“Such powerful beings… creating entire forbidden zones…”
Chen Fan was deeply shocked. He’d never heard of any of this—there wasn’t a whisper of it online either.
But thinking about how mysterious those uninhabited zones were, it made sense. News rarely leaked from such places, let alone from the forbidden zones within them.
“What exactly is in those uninhabited zones?”
Chen Fan asked.
“You’ll find out in time.”
Ji Yaoyao didn’t answer directly.
“Oh, right. The Shiji Betting House in South City will be hosting a Origin Stone Gambling Tournament soon, in collaboration with various noble families.”
“If, before then, you can get your hands on an auction-worthy treasure to serve as the finale, I might be able to get you a ticket.”
Seeing how interested Chen Fan was, Ji Yaoyao tempted him with an offer.
“I want to get one, but it’s not like I can control whether I find treasure or not.”
Chen Fan rolled his eyes, though the idea piqued his interest.
“Well, I had to give you a little motivation.”
Ji Yaoyao knew she was asking a bit much.
After all, even gaining access to a junkyard in the next few days wasn’t guaranteed, let alone finding something valuable.
“By the way, after the dragon corpse auction, will I be allowed to participate in a round or two?”
Chen Fan asked with curiosity.
“Highly unlikely.”
“And I strongly suggest you don’t go down that road.”
Ji Yaoyao shook her head.
“Everyone, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend Luo’er’s sixth birthday celebration.”
“Your presence honors our humble Feng Clan with great radiance.”
“Our clan’s foundations are modest, and if our hospitality is lacking in any way, I hope you’ll forgive us. In any case, we hope you eat well and have fun…”
“To add some excitement to the festivities, we’ve prepared ten treasures and will be hosting a small-scale treasure appraisal event.”
“All appraisers, restoration masters, and other discerning individuals are welcome to participate…”
An elderly man with white hair but an overwhelmingly powerful aura slowly stepped forward, speaking with a warm smile.
The crowd fell silent, eyes locked on the elder and the treasures before him.
“Of course, we’ve made a slight change to the format this time.”
“During the appraisal, no need to debate—just write your findings on a piece of golden paper. I’ll personally compare and judge the results…”
“The winner will be awarded today’s grand prize—this Origin Stone!!”
The elder continued, his voice trembling faintly with excitement.
Hissss—!
A collective gasp swept through the crowd, eyes blazing as whispers erupted.
“Damn! An Origin Stone as the grand prize? Just how deep does the Feng Clan’s pocket go…?”
“No way—I’m joining this one!”
Hearing that the prize was an Origin Stone, even Ji Yaoyao couldn’t contain herself—she blurted out a rare curse in excitement.
“So flashy and extravagant, huh?”
“Could it be that the Origin Stone is empty?”
Chen Fan muttered.
“Impossible!”
“To this day, not even divine-tier cultivators can perceive or peer into the contents of a Origin Stone.”
Ji Yaoyao immediately shut down the suspicion.
“True enough…”
Chen Fan nodded.
“System, what’s sealed inside that Origin Stone?”
Chen Fan connected to his system.
“Ding. The lifeform has indeed been sealed. However, the system requires the host to make physical contact with the stone to perform a scan.”
“That said, preliminary evaluation indicates that something is indeed sealed within.
The system replied.
“To win this Origin Stone… I guess I’ll have to show some skill.”
Chen Fan murmured.
“You think you can do it?”
Ji Yaoyao’s eyes lit up instantly.
“With all these masters here, how could I be confident?”
“Hey, aren’t you joining too?”
“You act like you believe in me more than you believe in yourself.”
Chen Fan looked at her, speechless.