As if the opposite party had sensed Miren Fei's and Lang Kuang's gazes, they turned to look at them for a moment, but as they were all wearing disguises, they only knitted their brows before focusing on the affairs before them.
Miren Fei smiled, taking her eyes from them, as did Lang Kuang, who was now being pinched by Tuzi Baoli. Though she didn't show surprise as she was already filled in by Lang Kuang, after harshly interrogating him of his adventures in detail. It appeared that she didn't like him looking at a beauty like Xia Rou for extended periods.
Toram, Myria, and Leon, along with everyone, looked in curiosity towards the individuals mentioned, but as they saw that they weren't with any special features, none of them showed any primary interest. If anything, both Leon and Myria only gave Xia Rou a slightly deeper look for a moment before looking away thinking of something.
Feng Yu shook his head at their words, he had met quite a few talents on his short journey and wanted to warn them not to demean even those that seem as ordinary. However, right at this moment, a flash of blurry shade appeared by Feng Yu's side as Dai Lin once more stood nearby.
Feng Yu glanced at him and asked, "Any luck figuring it out?"
Dai Lin looked at everyone before sending a mental message that everyone could hear, "It was as I've said young master, the vendor over there is selling information about a particular Secret Zone. It is said to be a very mysterious treasure grounds in the Southern Wastelands, a place called the Five Element Mirage Zone."
"Five Element Mirage Zone? What so special about this place to conjure such a crowd?" Miren Fei asked with puzzled eyes.
Feng Yu and the others also showed similar looks, as they stared at Dai Lin in silence. Not disappointing their expectations, Dai Lin smiled as he replied, "It's the Power of Elements, they said that this place is one of the rare few that has actually managed to tame its chaotic elemental energies. As such, the elements are in their natural purest state capable of forming Five Element Shards."
Miren Fei, Lang Kuang, Tiana, and Tuzi Baoli looked puzzled as they tilted their heads, not understanding what this meant, but as for Leon, Myria, Toram, Tira, and Feng Yu, their faces showed traces of joy as they spoke.
"Haha, this is excellent! It is such a great opportunity already, and we have yet to enter those Ruin Openings," Feng Yu said with excitement in his eyes, he recalled the words of that strange Peng from the Storm Rise Cliff, as it resounded in his mind.
'I've propelled that special egg in your soul to the maturation phase, find it the sources of all elements, and it shall awaken to your aid...'
When Feng Yu recalled those words, he couldn't help but smile as he thought to himself, 'I had thought by some miracle that the Element Storm would have had some influence on your awakening, but sadly, I was disappointed. Now, it seems that I can not only awaken you thoroughly, but I can similarly take that chance to breakthrough to True Foundation realm using that kind of environment.'
Feng Yu wasn't the only one with such an idea, as Leon and Myria had smiles on their faces while thinking.
'With this, I should be able to convert more than enough force energy to fully recuperate from those negative effects, officially bringing my strength to at least the peak of True Foundation realm.'
As if they sensed each other's thoughts, they looked at each other before nodding temporarily putting aside their small feud.
Toram grasped Tira's hand and made a smile as he spoke, "It seems we might be able to grow stronger again. Gyah-gyah! Feeling weak really isn't my style..."
Tira smiled and replied, "Haha, I know dear, let's just see what this opportunity brings, the more stones there are, the better. It truly is a pain trying to use this world’s essence energy cultivate force energy."
Lang Kuang, upon hearing Feng Yu and a few others asked puzzledly, "Young Master, are the effects of these stones that good? Wouldn't it affect our battle efficiently if we use them for cultivating like those who rely on pills to make breakthroughs?"
Miren Fei also looked at Feng Yu with an expectant look, she really wanted to know why they were also so excited about these Five Element Shards.
Feng Yu only now realized that they didn't understand, he looked at them and spoke, "You are a bit wrong in your statement, while it's true that cultivating with pills is a path that leads to no good future for us practitioners. There are naturally born treasures that are capable of being used with small side effects, but one must spend a considerable time to consolidate their cultivation. These Five Element Shards is one of them, but it has its own special uses. Since they are of an elemental nature, they will naturally have strands of the Elemental Dao and, as Dai Lin said, the Power of Elements.”
After saying those words, Feng Yu looked at everyone with a smile on his face as eyes flashed when he spoke, “These can not only be used to aid in your Martial Path understanding for the five elements but to further temper your body and its foundation. This is the most important function. In tempering an already perfect foundation, you can achieve much easier breakthroughs, which will ultimately lead you unearthing more potential and in cases for people like us with special traits, special physiques, and bloodlines, it will increase our combat power."
"Ah... so that's how is, truly interesting," Lang Kuang said as he had now gotten a better picture.
Miren Fei also had beaming eyes as she was a bit excited about it. She always thought her cultivation was a bit slow, but that had to do with her exceptional trait. If she can temper her foundations, she can speed up drastically catching to monsters like Dai Lin, barely.
'We have to go there by any means necessary!' Miren Fei thought to herself as her eyes glowed in a firm light while gripping her fist.
At this time, Tuzi Baoli was a bit surprised she spoke, "Then, if I were to use it to cultivate, how long would it take for consolidation?"
Feng Yu paused for a bit before he checked her cultivation, he noticed that she was now at the Seventh Tier of Aura Disciple Realm. He spoke, "It depends on how much stronger you use them to become, while it won't hinder your battle power, overly relying on them is quite dangerous, for the farther you grow, the longer you will have to wait. Hmm, judging by your current cultivation, if you try to reach the peak of the Aura Disciple realm, you may only need about one and a half months to consolidate. I recommend that you stop there and use the rest of the Five Element Shards to fortify your foundations, but then again, this all depends on how many we can find."
"I-I understand, thanks for your guidance Young Master Yu," Tuzi Baoli replied a bit awkwardly, she was still not used to speaking with Feng Yu like this, it will take a bit of time.
Feng Yu nodded before shifting his eyes over to the tent again as he spoke to Dai Lin, "Dai Lin, this is good information you've brought, did they say anything about how to locate that Secret Zone?"
Dai Lin, who was calmly waiting, spoke, "Replying to Young Master, this gathering is meant to enlighten us on its whereabouts. The vendor should be announcing some kind of event soon..."
As Dai Lin spoke, he heard a ringing bell, as everyone shifted their eyes to the tent. A chubby and shrewd looking man had appeared from behind a room and carried a stack of jade slips.
Feng Yu smirked a he looked at everyone and spoke, "Speak of the devil, come let's see what this man has to say."
Following his words, everyone nodded and followed along as they went closer to witness the spectacle.
Chapter 285
An Odd Duo? Element Slips
When Feng Yu and the others walked over, their hair and robes fluttered slightly as each person though disguised gave off a unique feeling. A few persons cast a look towards them, including two unknown southern folks with profound auras. One of them was a beautiful black-haired female that wore a seductive black dress with fishnets and wrappings; a spider mark was on her forehead and her eyes were of slanted shape with yellow pupils.
Not too far away from her was a handsome young man with short orange hair. He wore a red feath
er robe along with strange markings on his skin with the symbol of a bird on his left arm, with eyes that looked no different from the likes of a vulture.
"Well now... I never thought I'd feel such aura from the likes of anyone here in this town, it appears that we've now gotten quite a few tigers in our southern lands,” The young man said as he looked at Feng Yu, as well as Dai Lin. He could feel a trace of oppression from their bodies.
"Hehe, doesn't it make it interesting, Hong Tu? It's already nearing the Ruin Openings, so it's natural many of these ‘hidden ones’ start appearing. When I think about who will appear and the blood that will soon spill, it's almost enough to excite me..." The beauty said with a slightly fascinated face.
Hong Tu looked at her and shook his head as he replied, "Maybe so, but a word of advice to you Zi Lei, don't underestimate these foes..."
“Humph! I need not fear anyone that is not of a bloodline,” Zi Lei said as she pouted at those words no longer paying him any mind.
Feng Yu stared at the two in the distance and was a bit surprised as he sensed a tinge of familiar aura from their bodies. He pondered, 'Bloodlines? These two... which clans are they from? I never thought there were a few others unknown to the clan. Looks like I need to gather more information....'
As Feng Yu removed his eyes from the strange duo, he began to look around. Other than Ji Weng, Xia Rou, and Ye Wang, who noticed them before, Jin Chin, Cheng Ba, Lu Wei, and Mo Dang was also a bit intrigued by him and his party. They saw his strange crimson mask and long red hair, as Dai Lin and the others wore odd getups that shrouded most of their features.
"Hmm, who are they? I can't fully sense their auras?" Cheng Ba thought in shock as he eyed them carefully.
He saw the masked man was staring at him directly, but for some reason, he didn't feel ill intent from the party.
'So odd...' Cheng Ba thought before he turned his attention elsewhere.
Jin Chin was a bit puzzled, but she didn't pay them any mind for too long, her eyes carried a sad look as her current mood wasn't one of happiness.
Lu Wei and Mo Dang narrowed their eyes as they felt this group was different, they couldn't quite grasp any of their strengths.
‘Master was right, the south isn’t such a simple place…’ Lu Wei thought to herself.
“….” Mo Dang said nothing, as he took his eyes from Feng Yu, he shifted his eyes around towards a distant corner, there he saw a beautiful but strange Du Nuan looking at him with a sweet smile.
Not paying the rest any mind, Feng Yu sighed as he saw Jin Chin's downcast look, he naturally knew why she was in such a mood. He looked around saw that the supreme prodigies Ning Wen and Sheng Xuefeng, as well as the core elders and leaders belonging to the various powers were no longer around.
'It seems that they must have left them to experience the south for themselves. It's the smarter way to rase experts I guess, no one want’s to be a Greenhouse Prodigy...' Feng Yu thought with flashing eyes.
After clearing his mind, he focused his attention on the chubby and shrewd looking vendor that held a stack of jade slips. Soon, the stall vendor had started to speak as he introduces his jade slips to the crowd of practitioners. His eyes beamed as if he knew that this was the best time to make money.
"Greetings one and all, my name is Cao Yi, and I am pleased to share with you all an extraordinary announcement!" Cao Yi said with a smile.
Everyone who heard this looked at him with solemn eyes, he smiled as he spoke once more, "I am sure that you've all heard the rumors of the Five Element Mirage Zone. I can assure you that they are real, it has once again appeared and is situated at the core of the Tempest Dunes."
When the southern and a few knowledgeable easterners and westerners heard those words, their faces turned pale as a commotion started.
"What? Are you kidding me? You want us to venture through those cursed dunes?" One man said with a skeptic look on his face.
"This man must be insane, those dunes are only slightly inferior of a hazard when compared to a Five Element Storm," Another person said while looking at Cao Yi as if looking at a fool.
Despite the noisy few, some had chosen to remain silent as the eyes of Feng Yu, Ji Weng, Dai Lin, and a few others showed sharp looks when they stared at the vendor.
"This fellow's beating around the bush, he should quit wasting our time," Xia Rou said in a displeased tone.
"Haha, why complain? It's not like we are in any rush, let him play his game," Ye Wang said in a calm tone.
"Hmph! Only you would say something like this, you never change… tsk! I should have followed Senior Brother Zang, anywhere would beat these boring southern lands," Xia Rou said with an annoyed look on her face.
Ye Wang shook his head and replied, "You and I both know that couldn't happen, our families need us to enter that ruin after all."
Xia Rou glanced at him from the corner of her eyes as she spoke, "You say that like we're the same, aren't you just filling the role of your bother?"
Ye Wang remained silent for a moment before he made a smile as he replied, "Maybe so, but whose filling whose role will ultimately be determined at the end."
Xia Rou gave him a look before shifting her sights, her eyes stared off deep into the sky as if she was perplexed about something, a misty figure that was blurred into her mind. Yet, the oddest thing was that no matter how she tried pondering, she couldn't recall anything about him.
She shook her head once more, focusing on the current scene, but right at this time, she had unknowingly glanced at Feng Yu and his party again.
Xia Rou frowned as she thought, 'Why does he give me the very same feeling as that bloodline freak? Even those guys seem a bit familiar...'
As Xia Rou thought here, she shook her head, concluding, 'Na, he wouldn't be so foolish to leave that clan of his, not when those guys are out for him. Traveling out in the open with your friends amidst danger, who would be so foolish?'
Feng Yu, who was unaware of Xia Rou's thoughts, was looking at Cao Yi with puzzled eyes as he pondered, 'What's his aim? He keeps wasting unnecessary time.'
Dai Lin's eyes flashed as if he could see through him, he stared at the strange slips that gave of a vague power only he could sense.
Cao Yi had remained silent on purpose; he enjoyed the minor commotion. His chubby cheeks shook as he spoke again with his shrewd face beaming with a sly smile, "People please, no fighting... entering this region is indeed no different from seeking death. However, today I am here to provide you all with the necessary means."
As he finished his words, he tossed his stack of jade slips onto the counter, before pointing at one of them. Soon, a strange power began to emit from it as it floated in the air and glowed in colorful lights.
Dai Lin's eyes shone as he thought, "As I've thought, they are embedded with the Powers of Elements."
A few others also looked over with bright looks on their faces, Cao Yi smirked when he saw their reaction he spoke again, "What you see before you are known as Element Slips, these papers are fused with strands from each of the five elements. Normally, it would be useless for most of us who don't practice the Martial Paths of the elements, but if you want to find the Five Element Mirage Zone, you'll definitely be needing it. Each of them can source the boundaries of the Special Zone, allowing you to find it at a quicker rate rather than pointlessly wandering in those dreaded storms of the Tempest Dunes."
When many heard this, their eyes beamed with excitement, even Ji Weng and the others couldn't help but show looks of keen interest.
'I have to get my hands on a few of them, this Special Zone is my best opportunity to grow even stronger,' Ji Weng thought with a sharp look in his eyes.
"It looks like it's about to start," Chen Ba said in a soft tone.
Jin Chin looked at him before staring at the vendor with a deep look, as for Lu Wei and Mo Dang, they were similarly eager.
Xia Rou and Ye Wang glanced at each other and nodded, not saying anything else, while both Hong Tu a
nd Zi Lei had faint smiles.
However, unlike everyone else, Feng Yu shook his head while muttering, "So this is it, it would appear that he's likely going to be doing in an auction to sell these things."
As if Cao Yi heard Feng Yu's words, his smile grew wider as he spoke, "Well then, my dear guests, shall we begin?"
The air soon turned cold as the sky finally faded into the dark of nightfall, bringing with it the start of a struggle between the wealthy.
Chapter 286
Offending Two Powers, Leaving Casually
As the night fell, a heavy tension filled the air as the various parties stared at the small stack of Element Slips. No one made the first move, as Ji Weng, Xia Rou, Ye Wang, and the others eyed each other in silence, waiting for the show to begin.
Cao Yi made a smug look as he thought to himself, 'Hehe, Senor Yimu was right, if I didn't come here, I wouldn't have made any profit from these folks. Since they are all having trouble, I might as well get the ball rolling.'
Having organized his thoughts, Cao Yi smiled as he slapped the stack, causing the paper to float up and glow as he spoke, "Fellow Practitioners of all walks, there are roughly twelve sheets of these Element Slips. The more you have, the better you will be in coordination to find the position of the Five Element Mirage Zone. Since everyone is a bit hesitant, then let's start things off with a price. Each slip will be priced at ten thousand middle-grade essence stones, let the bidding commence!"
The moment Cao Yi spoke, everyone's eyes flashed prepared to make a move. However, before anyone could talk, a black carriage pulled by four-armed raptors had appeared from nearby. They each had brown scales, and a long tail, each of their limbs was bound with chains. A few sturdy looking men in armor that rode on the back of these raptors were also standing guard around it.
'A Desert Raptor? Who is this to afford such an expensive essence beast as a mount?" Cheng Ba asked with surprise.
Jin Chin also looked over in surprise, as did a few others in the area. Feng Yu looked over but didn't bother to pay it any mind, but as he looked away, the voice which spoke soon let him raise one of his brows.
Dual Sword God: Book 7: The Crimson Devil of the Redlands Page 2
