Chapter 647 - 41: Coquettish to the Bone, Delightfully Charming

More than a decade passed in the blink of an eye.

In the deep, dark expanse of the Outer Void, it was as if a long, narrow rift had been violently torn open. It stretched for over one hundred thousand miles, yet was only a thousand miles wide. Endless white light blossomed from within, dazzling the eyes.

Near the rift, a Star Stone as massive as a mountain floated like a black dot against the backdrop of the long, enormous Celestial Ruins.

Countless palaces and pavilions stood upon this Star Stone, creating a stern and imposing atmosphere. Though it appeared deserted, it was the only marketplace in the surrounding seventy-eight World Heavens that specialized in trade among Tribulation Realm Great Powers.

—Celestial Ruins Marketplace.

Fang Cheng’s two incarnations had spent these years traveling through the nearby heavens, collecting Dao Pattern Spirit Jade and other rare treasures. But the places they spent the most time were the Lingkong Celestial Ruins and this Celestial Ruins Marketplace.

At this moment, inside a certain pavilion in the Celestial Ruins Marketplace, Fang Cheng’s Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation incarnation was leisurely sipping tea while seated on a cool jade mat.

Opposite him was a couch carved from white jade. A languid young madam reclined upon it, draped only in a thin, light gauze. Her skin was as smooth as cream and her waist as slender as a willow.

The hazy view only enhanced her bewitching allure.

Behind the Jade Couch stood a Golden Screen—the very one Fang Cheng had obtained from the Spirit Immortal’s Abandoned Mansion all those years ago.

Now, however, the screen was adorned with the portraits of nineteen men.

Some wore Feather Robes and Star Crowns, their handsome features making them appear like celestial beings. Others had rugged, ancient faces and wore magnificent Daoist robes. Still others had long beards that reached their abdomens and bizarre builds, or possessed burly frames that made them look like ghouls...

The nineteen men had vastly different auras, likely Tribulation Cultivators from Mystic Sects, Demon Sects, prominent families, or Loose Cultivators. Despite their varied origins, all wore sorrowful expressions and remained silently within the screen, their postures exceedingly deferential.

Two handsome young Daoist Children stood in attendance before the couch. One massaged the beautiful young madam’s back, while the other cradled her fair, delicate left foot, kneading it gently.

This woman was a Demon Dao titan from Black Universe Heaven, the Supreme Elder of the Heart Demon Sect, Ascendant Wuxin.

Although she had a Nine Tribulation cultivation and possessed numerous deep reserves, not at all inferior to the likes of Ye Tuo or Beiming Yong, she was not on the Immortal Ascension List.

However, every edition of the Immortal Ascension List was ultimately reviewed by her before she ordered it to be published in the Lingkong Celestial Ruins.

Among the seventy-eight World Heavens near the Lingkong Celestial Ruins, Yuelang Heaven was first in terms of strength, Kunyu Heaven was second, Beiming Heaven was third, and Black Universe Heaven was fourth.

The Demon Dao flourished in Black Universe Heaven, and almost the entire World Heaven was the domain of Demon Cultivators, a fact that was inextricably linked to this woman.

Fang Cheng had been navigating the Lingkong Celestial Ruins for many years, and after conducting a few deals with this woman, they had gradually become familiar with each other.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, I went through great trouble to find that Ten Thousand Demons Forbidden God Talisman. I lost three incarnations alone, not to mention countless Demon Servants. If this were a normal day, I would have no complaints about you trading a Tier Six Fragmented Artifact for a complete Sixth-rank Talisman. But... that Earth Book Fragment from the Beiming Family is a hot potato."

The beautiful young madam’s starry eyes shimmered, and she smiled charmingly.

"After all these years, in this vast Lingkong Celestial Ruins, I’m afraid that besides myself, you won’t find another person with the ability and courage to take this treasure off your hands, will you?" the young madam giggled.

Fang Cheng calmly replied, "Wuxin Dao You, we’ve come to understand each other over the years. There’s no need for such pointless words. In your hands, that Ten Thousand Demons Forbidden God Talisman is far less powerful than a Tier Six Fragmented Artifact. Besides me, who in this entire Lingkong Celestial Ruins would be willing to buy that talisman from you?"

Even if the handful of people from the Beiming Immortal Race, Yuelang Heaven, or Kunyu Heaven had the ability to buy this talisman, the price would be so great that they likely wouldn’t be willing to bear it.

Moreover, this Sixth-rank Talisman was a Demon Path Divine Talisman, which was incompatible with the legacies of those three World Heavens. Who would be so bored and have nothing better to do than to trade their own Clan Treasure for a talisman that isn’t even very useful to them?

The young madam’s eyes darted about as she toyed with a lock of her hair. "Since I want to sell and you want to buy, I won’t beat around the bush. Rumor has it that you killed the Great Demon Yao Shu of Yuelang Heaven. Is her Seven Treasures Spirit Bead in your possession?"

Fang Cheng couldn’t help but laugh. "Your appetite is a bit too large, Fellow Daoist. You want to trade a single talisman for two of my Tier Six Fragmented Artifacts?"

The young madam said leisurely, "What if I add two Void Demon Embryos?"

Fang Cheng shook his head. "Still not enough."

The young madam’s beautiful eyes widened in a playful pout. "That Seven Treasures Spirit Bead is a famous treasure from Yuelang Heaven, a Magical Artifact personally bestowed upon Yao Shu by a Spirit Immortal Incarnation. It’s an even bigger hot potato than the Earth Book Fragment."

Fang Cheng took a sip of Spirit Tea and said lightly, "I heard you have a piece of Earth God Copper, Fellow Daoist. Why not add that treasure as well? Otherwise, I would rather wait a few more years. To be honest, I find the Earth Book Fragment and the Seven Treasures Spirit Bead quite useful."

The young madam let out a sudden laugh. Though she appeared fawning on the surface, she was actually furious inside with no way to vent her anger. ’Damn him,’ she cursed silently. After weighing the pros and cons several times in her mind, she finally agreed reluctantly. "Fine. You can have the better end of the deal this time, Fellow Daoist. But when we do business again, you’ll have to concede a point to me."

That Earth God Copper was an extremely rare Tier Six Treasure Material, even in the Lingkong Celestial Ruins, and was a core material for refining Sixth-rank Magical Artifacts.

Fang Cheng chuckled. "Of course. Next time, for sure."

After finalizing the deal, they exchanged their treasures and continued to chat amiably. They talked and drank for a long while, and it was half a day later before Fang Cheng finally took his leave.

...

「Lingkong Celestial Ruins.」

Fang Cheng traversed the heavens on an auspicious cloud, a purplish-black Talisman in his hand.

A demonic aura radiated from the Talisman, as vast and untamed as the ocean. The Demon Patterns upon it were mysterious and bizarre, their structure so intricate and complex as to be utterly unfathomable.