Wu Chen observed the scene, analyzing patterns and behavior. Wealthy nobles chose the largest, shiniest orbs. Fools, most of them. The true treasures were never obvious.
Before he could move forward, a sneering voice interrupted.
"Look at this peasant. Do you even have the money to be here?"
Wu Chen turned to see a young man in silk robes, his eyes filled with arrogance. Behind him, several lackeys smirked.
Li Wei stiffened. "Who are you?"
The man scoffed. "You don't even know me? Lin Yufeng of the Heavenly Blade Sect! My father owns half the mines in this kingdom! And you two…" He gave Wu Chen a disdainful look. "A nameless rogue cultivator? How pathetic."
Wu Chen didn't react. Years of experience had taught him that men like this weren't worth wasting breath on.
Seeing his indifference, Lin Yufeng clicked his tongue. "Tch. I bet you can't even afford the cheapest Stone Orb here."
Wu Chen's eyes flickered to the display.
Amid the shiny, glowing orbs, one caught his attention—a dull, cracked stone, smaller than the others and covered in dirt.
To an average person, it was worthless.
But Wu Chen sensed something ancient inside it, faint yet incredibly powerful.
"This one," he said, pointing at the orb.
The crowd burst into laughter.
"Is this guy blind?"
"That thing is trash!"
"He's throwing his gold away!"
Lin Yufeng smirked, stepping forward. "You want that garbage? Fine. But let's make it interesting."
Wu Chen glanced at him. "Oh?"
Lin Yufeng crossed his arms. "I'll pick a stone too. Whoever gets the better treasure wins one million gold coins."
The crowd gasped. One million gold was a fortune—enough to buy land, slaves, or even an entire business.
Li Wei whispered urgently, "Master, we don't even have that much!"
Wu Chen, however, smiled slightly. "Fine. Let's bet."
Excitement erupted in the hall.
Lin Yufeng, full of confidence, selected a massive glowing stone orb, its surface etched with golden markings.
"I've got the Heaven's Marked Orb," he declared. "This thing must contain a High-Grade treasure!"
He then glanced mockingly at Wu Chen's ugly, cracked orb. "And you? A pebble? Hahaha!"
Wu Chen ignored him. He already knew—his choice should hold something better.
As the Stone Master prepared to cut the first orb, the entire Golden Sky Pavilion held its breath.
The air inside Golden Sky Pavilion grew tense as cultivators, merchants, and nobles crowded around the stage.
Bets were whispered, gold changed hands, and the Stone Master, an elder with decades of experience, prepared his tools.
Lin Yufeng smirked, arms crossed. "We'll start with mine."
The massive glowing stone orb was placed on the cutting platform. Golden veins pulsed across its surface, its energy fluctuations obvious. The crowd murmured in admiration.
The Stone Master raised his chisel and hammer, delivering the first precise strike. A crack formed. Another tap, and the outer layer fell away.
A dazzling golden light burst forth.
A servant rushed forward, carefully retrieving the revealed object—a shimmering Golden Beast Core.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"A Golden Beast Core!"
"A treasure worth at least five hundred thousand gold!"
"As expected from Young Master Lin!"
Lin Yufeng grinned arrogantly. "Not bad, huh?" He turned to Wu Chen, sneering. "Ready to lose?"
Wu Chen remained silent as his ugly, cracked stone orb was placed onto the cutting platform. The laughter returned.
"Haha! That trash won't have anything!"
"He just threw away a million gold!"
The Stone Master hesitated, then sighed and raised his tools. The first strike landed.
CRACK!
The room fell silent.
A thin, eerie blue light leaked from the crack. The Stone Master's hands trembled as he delivered another strike.
BOOM!
An overwhelming shockwave of energy erupted from within the orb, sending dust and debris flying. A powerful gust of heat swept through the hall, forcing people to shield their eyes.
When the dust settled, everyone froze.
Sitting in the elder's trembling hands was a blood-red egg, pulsing with strong flames. Strange, ancient runes flickered across its shell.
The Stone Master gasped. "T-this… this is…"
An elder from the Royal Auction House suddenly rushed forward, eyes wide in disbelief. "Impossible! It's the Extinct Skyfire Beast Egg!"
The crowd erupted in chaos.
"A Skyfire Egg?! Those creatures went extinct centuries ago!"
"This is priceless!"
"Even the royal family would kill for it!"
Lin Yufeng's face turned deathly pale. His Golden Beast Core suddenly looked worthless in comparison.
Wu Chen calmly took the egg from the elder's shaking hands. Its warmth spread through his palm, and deep inside, he could feel a slumbering consciousness.
Lin Yufeng stammered, "N-no way… There's no way…"
The Stone Master bowed respectfully. "Sir, your stone orb contained an Ancient Divine Relic. By the gambling house's rules, the bet stands. Young Master Lin must pay you one million gold coins."
The crowd exploded in laughter.
"HAHA! Lin Yufeng just lost a fortune!"
"Serves him right for being arrogant!"
Lin Yufeng's expression twisted. "I—I refuse!" He turned to the Stone Master. "This is unfair! He must have cheated!"
Wu Chen's cold gaze locked onto him. "Are you saying the Golden Sky Pavilion rigged the gamble?"
The Stone Master's face darkened. "Young Master Lin, you know the consequences of slandering this establishment."
Lin Yufeng trembled. The Pavilion was backed by the Azure Flame Kingdom's royal family. Challenging them meant death.
Clenching his fists, he forced a smile. "Of course not… I was only joking…" His heart bled as he took out a storage pouch, tossing it toward Wu Chen.
Wu Chen caught it, inspecting the contents. Exactly one million gold.
Li Wei's eyes sparkled. "Master! We're rich!"
Wu Chen smirked. "Let's go." He turned to leave, but just as they stepped away, a cold, oppressive aura descended upon the room.
A deep voice boomed.
"Who dares to humiliate my younger brother?"
Wu Chen stopped.
A tall, black-robed man stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent. His aura was vastly stronger than Lin Yufeng's.
Lin Xuanyuan—Mortal 2 Master an Expert of the Heavenly Blade Sect.
The crowd gasped. Things had just gotten serious.
Wu Chen narrowed his eyes. This wasn't over yet.