I Accumulate Spirit Roots for My Next Life - Chapter 399 - 249: Liu Hongling’s Shock
“Oh~ a Tier Four Earth Spirit Master?” The surrounding people perked up upon hearing the elder’s confident words.
“If a Tier Four Earth Spirit Master were to gamble on stones, they certainly wouldn’t lose. They can sense which raw stones contain Spirit Stones with just a slight probe.”
“Heh, why would a Tier Four Earth Spirit Master care about ordinary Spirit Stones? They’re concerned with divine minerals containing wondrous treasures.
Moreover, sensing requires consuming their own Spiritual Power, and it’s not worth wasting Spiritual Qi for regular Spirit Stone Ore.”
“Everyone, please be silent, do not disturb the expert invited by the Crown Prince.” The Shopkeeper, pleased by the crowd’s praises, glanced at the Crown Prince and spoke to control the scene.
A glimmer flashed in Li Jizhou’s eyes. If An Liuli and Liu Hongling were together, with An Liuli’s bloodline Divine Abilities continuously replenishing Liu Hongling’s Spiritual Power, wouldn’t they be able to select all the raw ores containing Spirit Stones?
Of course, he wasn’t doing it for stone gambling, just to save the stone-cutter’s time and increase their work efficiency.
Regarding the current chaos in the mining area, he already had a preliminary plan in mind and would implement it after ascending the throne.
“Celestial Master Liu, please proceed.” The Crown Prince of Prince Yun’s Mansion guided Liu Hongling to the center of the courtyard where five large Spirit Stone Ores were placed.
These five large Spirit Stone Ores were the town treasures of Black Stone Workshop due to their skin appearance, flowing patterns, and other features indicating something extraordinary inside.
Some estimated there might be Spiritual Treasures of Fifth Grade or higher inside.
Others suggested they might contain Tier Six or above heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
Each raw stone ore was priced over five hundred thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones.
However, there were rumors that there used to be eight such raw stone ores. Initially, Prince Yun personally cut three and didn’t gain more than one hundred thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones, hence they were sold at a sky-high price in the stone workshop.
Regarding these rumors, Prince Yun’s Mansion neither denied nor confirmed them.
Seeing the Crown Prince specially invite an Earth Spirit Master today, the rumors might indeed be true.
Liu Hongling showed a cold demeanor, with no goodwill toward the Crown Prince of Prince Yun’s Mansion, but had no choice but to step forward for sensing.
Without any extra words, she slowly closed her eyes. As her internal Spiritual Mechanism gradually merged with the earth, the earth responded with resistance, merging a vast earth power with her Spiritual Sense.
With a flick of Spiritual Sense, the Earth Spirit enveloped the five Spirit Stone Ores in front.
The outer skin of the Spirit Stone Ore, which even a Nascent Soul Primordial Spirit couldn’t penetrate, was easily infiltrated by Liu Hongling’s Earth Spirit.
Each of the five raw stones emitted varying degrees of Spiritual Qi feedback.
However, aside from sensing the differing densities of Spiritual Qi, there was little else visible.
Just because her own Spiritual Power was insufficient to mobilize the higher tier Earth Spirit.
“If Sister An were here, with her bloodline Divine Abilities turning spring into rain, I would surely see through the objects inside!”
Thinking of An Liuli, Liu Hongling sighed in her heart.
Twenty years ago, two Nascent Souls from the Shangguan family in the Central Domain of the Eastern Desolation suddenly arrived, easily capturing An Liuli and sending them to the Cangming Dynasty.
An Liuli was then imprisoned in the Imperial City, not seeing the light of day, while she, due to her Earth Spirit Master identity, was noticed by the Cangming court.
Placed under Spirit Soul Restriction and sent to the northern mining area.
She spent more than a decade in the mining area of the Cangming Dynasty, recently being moved here again.
Compared to pursuing earth veins and seeking immortal traces in the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp, stone gambling hardly interested her.
Nor was it voluntary.
“All five raw stones have Spirit Stones condensed within, and this stone’s Spiritual Qi is the most abundant!”
“Come, cut it!” The Crown Prince of Prince Yun’s Mansion showed a look of joy and called for the chief stone-cutter.
“Crown Prince? Prince Yun once instructed…” The Shopkeeper was instantly shocked.
The chosen raw stone was the largest among the five and was priced the highest, reaching nine hundred thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones.
Moreover, Prince Yun had ordered after cutting three stones himself not to cut the remaining ones.
Enough to show Prince Yun had no confidence either.
Comparing to gambling on whether heavenly materials and earthly treasures were inside, having nine hundred thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones in hand felt more solid.
“Less nonsense, Father ordered this Crown Prince to act as proxy for all matters before he entered seclusion!” The Crown Prince coldly reprimanded.
“Yes, old servant obeys!” The Chief Shopkeeper hurriedly signaled the stone-cutter.
As the stone-cutter stepped forward, everyone in the courtyard eagerly watched the raw stone ore.
The larger the raw stone ore, the harder it is to cut. Its skin hardness can even make Core Formation Masters pale in comparison.
To precisely unlock it according to the pattern’s trajectory, the stone-cutting knife needed to be at least at the Spiritual Treasure level.
The chief stone-cutter, at the Early Stage of Nascent Soul cultivation, held a Third Grade Spiritual Treasure short knife, looking solemn.
Nine hundred thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones were at the mercy of his thought.
If the wrong path was chosen, a cut could scrape the Spiritual Eye, and the already solidified Spirit Stones within would instantly drain of Spiritual Qi, turning to dust. If it contained heavenly materials and earthly treasures, the instant internal Spiritual Qi drained might also cause loss.
After some time, the stone-cutter finally determined the cutting route and began to cut.
With stone chips flying around, everyone in the courtyard held their breath.
Except for two people.
One was Liu Hongling, who was utterly indifferent to the stone-cutting result, standing silently on the side with eyes closed to rest.
The other was Li Jizhou, whose gaze swept over the Crown Prince of Prince Yun’s Mansion and the eight guards beside Liu Hongling, his gaze indecisive.
Since he’d already arrived at the Jiuli Dynasty, Li Jizhou naturally wouldn’t let Liu Hongling return.
However, the guards beside her were likely sent by the Cangming Dynasty, and this place was controlled by Prince Yun’s Mansion, he had to plan carefully.
Of course, the most crucial aspect was to get Liu Hongling’s willing consent.
A moment later, Liu Hongling, who stood with her eyes closed, suddenly furrowed her brow.
The eight guards beside her instantly sensed something and instinctively looked at her.
She immediately relaxed her brow without any further expression.
Meanwhile, Hong Luan had a slight smile at the corner of her mouth and nodded at Li Jizhou.
With eight guards around, any ordinary cultivator transmitting sounds to Liu Hongling would surely be detected, but Hong Luan’s bloodline Divine Soul had exclusive Secret Skills.
According to Li Jizhou’s instructions, she transmitted sound to that Tier Four Earth Spirit Master, receiving nearly identical results to what Li Jizhou had told her.
This surprised Hong Luan greatly.
She even felt that she couldn’t see through her young master more and more.
Moments later, when the guards’ attention returned to the stone-cutting progress, Liu Hongling slightly slowed her breathing.
But her heart was already a stormy sea.
“Master Huangshi? Senior Li?” She inconspicuously stretched her waist, her peripheral vision swept over Hong Luan, who had just transmitted her sound, then focused on the young, noble-looking gentleman in front of Hong Luan.
“Senior Li was supposedly killed seventeen years ago by the Shangguan family after unleashing a Quasi-Immortal Artifact, his soul dissipated, this matter couldn’t possibly be false!” The incident of Li Jizhou was widespread in Central State.
Especially the Cangming Dynasty, which paid particular attention to the Quasi-Immortal Artifact Guanghan Seal from the Moon Worship Dynasty, got the news first-hand.
And quickly spread it throughout the Dynasty.
Back then, she and An Liuli were still imprisoned inside the Imperial City, so naturally, they also heard the news. An Liuli was even interrogated by the Cangming Emperor regarding her relationship with Li Jizhou.
This news had shocked An Liuli greatly at that time.
Especially when a water curtain recorded the scene of Li Jizhou transforming into An Liuli’s appearance before unleashing the Quasi-Immortal Artifact Guanghan Seal.
An Liuli never expected that the hope for the restoration of the An clan, on which they had set their hearts, had long been captured by Li Jizhou.
Moreover, Li Jizhou transforming into her appearance made her suspect that Li Jizhou’s approach back then was to take her bloodline.
