Chapter 769 301: Soul Wood

Two pretty attendants in light cyan dresses immediately came forward, their stances respectful.

Before they could speak, Ruan Lingxiu announced, "Ruan Lingxiu of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect."

Her voice was not loud, yet it possessed the composed air of a True Inheritance disciple from a major Sect.

The two attendants' expressions shifted slightly upon hearing her words. 'Celestial Treasure Upper Sect!'

The name of one of the Six Great Upper Sects carried immense weight in Black Water Giant City, far beyond what any ordinary, minor sect could compare to.

One of the attendants immediately bowed. "Honored guest, please wait a moment."

She then hurried toward the inner hall.

Before long, a middle-aged man with a scholarly face, dressed in fine brocade robes, strode out. Following behind him was a young man with a calm and steady presence.

The middle-aged man's gaze swept over Chen Qing and Ruan Lingxiu. Cupping his hands, he smiled and said, "I am Chu Nan, one of the stewards here at the Eight Treasures Tower. I was unaware that two esteemed disciples from the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect were gracing us with their presence. Please forgive my tardy welcome."

Ruan Lingxiu secretly sent a mental message to Chen Qing. "Senior Brother, that's Chu Nan. He's the son of King Chu Jiang, one of the three Vice City Lords of Black Water Giant City, and he's quite well-known here."

Understanding dawned on Chen Qing. With a calm expression, he returned the greeting. "Chen Qing of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect. You're too kind, Steward Chu."

"Ruan Lingxiu of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect," Ruan Lingxiu stated, also identifying herself.

Chu Nan's smile grew wider. He turned to the side to lead the way. "Please, both of you, follow me. We can speak in one of the private rooms upstairs."

The group ascended the stairs and arrived at an exquisitely decorated Quiet Chamber.

After they were seated, an attendant served them Spirit Tea.

After a few pleasantries, Chu Nan began to introduce the rare collection of the Eight Treasures Tower.

Just then, Ruan Lingxiu, who was beside him, let out a soft murmur. She raised a hand to rub her temples, her expression weary.

"Junior Sister Ruan, what's wrong?" Chen Qing asked.

Ruan Lingxiu shook her head, trying to rally her energy. "It's probably just fatigue from traveling for so many days. It's nothing serious."

Seeing this, Chu Nan said considerately, "Since True Inheritance Ruan is fatigued, why not rest for a while in the Quiet Chamber next door? I'll have someone prepare some calming incense for you."

Ruan Lingxiu did indeed feel a wave of inexplicable weariness wash over her, so she nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Steward Chu."

She was then led out of the room by an attendant.

Chen Qing watched her leave, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing more.

'Something seems off about Ruan Lingxiu.'

Chu Nan retracted his gaze and smiled. "Shall we continue, Brother Chen? What brings you here today? I'm sure we at the Eight Treasures Tower have something that will meet your needs."

Chen Qing mulled it over for a moment before saying directly, "I need eighteen Treasure Swords, ideally each with a different attribute. It would be best if they are all Spirit Treasure Level, but if you can't gather that many, Top-Grade Treasure Artifacts will also do."

He knew that if the True Martial Demon-Vanquishing Sword Array was formed using eighteen Spirit Treasure Level Treasure Swords, its power would be world-shaking, but the cost would also be enormous.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Chu Nan's eyes. Requesting eighteen Treasure Swords, each with a different attribute, was no small matter.

He thought for a moment before replying, "As for Spirit Treasure Level Treasure Swords, we have seven or eight in stock that fit your description, all with different attributes. To gather eighteen, we would need to source them from our other branches or commission a master craftsman to forge them. The price... would be quite steep."

Chen Qing wasted no words, directly taking out the Jade Box he had obtained from Lü Hanyin. He opened it to reveal two fifty-year-old Treasure Medicines. A rich medicinal fragrance filled the air, wreathed in a hazy Spiritual Light.

"How many swords can I get for these?"

Chu Nan inspected them carefully before saying thoughtfully, "These two Treasure Medicines are excellent, both in age and medicinal properties. But if you're looking to trade them for Spirit Treasure Level Treasure Swords... they are worth five at most."

Chen Qing had already anticipated this, but he still frowned slightly at the price.

'Two fifty-year-old Treasure Medicines are only worth five swords. I really don't have the resources to trade for eighteen Spirit Treasure Level Treasure Swords right now.'

Chen Qing nodded, put the Jade Box away, and asked, "Do you have any Void Gold Stone or Blood Bodhi?"

He needed these materials for his cultivation of the Void Annihilating Divine Light.

'Exchanging for them in the Sect is an option, but it would cost sixty thousand Contribution Points and would inevitably draw unwanted attention.'

'If I can just buy them here, it would save me a lot of trouble.'

Chu Nan replied, "Blood Bodhi is extremely rare; our tower currently has none in stock. As for Void Gold Stone..."

"It contains Void Magnetic Force, a rare Spiritual Material used for cultivating certain Divine Techniques. Our tower does indeed have two pieces, but the price... is extremely high."

'Extremely high!?'

Just as Chen Qing was about to speak, the mysterious purple mass of light in his mind suddenly pulsed, transmitting a faint sense of yearning.

Chen Qing followed the sensation with his gaze, which landed on an inconspicuous wooden shelf in the corner of the room. A piece of dead wood, about two feet long, gray-black and covered in cracks, was placed there casually.

However, Chen Qing's expression remained unchanged. He asked, seemingly at random, "Steward Chu, what is that piece of wood? It looks quite old."

Chu Nan followed his gaze, slightly startled, then smiled. "Brother Chen, you have a sharp eye. The specific name of this item has been lost to time. A True Essence Realm expert brought it back from Beyond the Mountain many years ago. It's said to be incredibly tough—even a mid-grade Spiritual Treasure can't sever it. Unfortunately, besides that, no other special properties have ever been discovered. We've held onto it, but it's been useless."

At this, he looked at Chen Qing. "Surely Brother Chen isn't interested in this item?"

Chen Qing replied nonchalantly, "Just curious. I've dabbled in some Wood Attribute Techniques before, so I'm somewhat sensitive to this kind of ancient wood."

Chu Nan nodded and didn't press the matter, but he made a mental note of it.

Chen Qing steered the conversation back on course. "In that case, I'll take one piece of Void Gold Stone, plus the eighteen Treasure Swords at the Top-Grade Treasure Artifact level that we discussed."

He once again took out the Jade Box with the Treasure Medicines, along with the other valuables he had taken from Lü Hanyin and Zhang Huaguo, including the black, short ruler—a Spiritual Treasure—and the True Essence Pills.