About half a li south of the marketplace’s east gate lay an open, gravelly wasteland.
Li Yuan stood in the center of the wasteland and took the Fla Snake Tube from his sleeve.
The dark red body of the tube glinted with a dull luster in the morning light. Li Yuan channeled Spiritual Power into the copper tube.
The Fire Crystal Stone flashed for an instant. A tiny, crimson arc of light shot out from the tube’s opening, flying out with a SWOOSH and striking a waist-high rock about twenty zhang away.
THWACK. A scorched, black pit the size of a fingernail appeared on the rock’s surface, sending a few fragnts of stone flying.
’The power really isn’t that great. It’s far weaker than even my own Fireball Technique.’
’But it’s fast. There’s almost no charging process between channeling Spiritual Power and firing.’
Li Yuan channeled Spiritual Power three consecutive tis. Within a single breath, three crimson arcs of light shot out one after another, striking three different spots on the rock. The scorch marks were tightly clustered.
’The rate of fire is high, the accuracy isn’t bad, and it consus little Spiritual Power—each shot uses only a little over thirty percent of what the Fireball Technique needs.’
Controlling the Fla Snake Tube was simpler than the Fireball Technique. You just had to channel Spiritual Power into it to fire, and aim with your wrist.
’It’s good for harassing and pinning down an enemy, but not as a primary ans of attack.’
After firing a dozen or so shots, Li Yuan put the Fla Snake Tube back in his sleeve and took out the Concealnt Jade Pendant.
The system panel displayed a green entry: Aura Concealnt. The effect was clear enough, but Li Yuan had no idea how to use this Magical Artifact.
He tried channeling Spiritual Power into it.
Channeling Spiritual Power into the Jade Pendant was like dropping a stone into the ocean; there was no feedback. The pendant’s surface didn’t glow, heat up, or vibrate. It was no different from channeling Spiritual Power into an ordinary rock.
Li Yuan examined it from every angle, then tried infusing it with varying amounts and frequencies of Spiritual Power, but still got no reaction.
’This isn’t a Magical Artifact that activates just by channeling Spiritual Power into it. This Jade Pendant must have a special way of being used.’
Li Yuan put the Jade Pendant into his sleeve and turned to walk toward the marketplace.
Turning west from the middle of North Alley into a narrow lane, he found a shop with a small facade at the very end. An old wooden sign hung above the door, bearing the faded words "Treasure Appraisal Pavilion."
The Treasure Appraisal Pavilion was a shop in the marketplace that specialized in appraisals. It also handled sales, consignnt, and pawning of items. The fees were reasonable, and they would look at anything.
Loose Cultivators could bring in anything for appraisal: unfamiliar ores found in the mountains, strange objects pulled from the stomachs of Demon Beasts, or Magical Artifacts of questionable authenticity haggled for at street stalls.
Li Yuan pushed the door open and went in.
The shop wasn’t large. The front half was taken up by a counter, while the back half was partitioned off by a cloth curtain.
Behind the counter sat a man in his forties. He had a gaunt face, a short beard, and wore a gray-blue robe. He was bent over, writing in a booklet with a fine-tipped brush.
"How many Spirit Stones to appraise this?" Li Yuan asked, placing the Jade Pendant on the counter.
The appraiser set down his brush. His gaze fell upon the Jade Pendant, which he first glanced at casually before reaching out to pick it up.
He turned it over to look at the back, then rubbed the surface with the pad of his finger.
"One Spirit Stone."
Li Yuan took out a Spirit Stone from his sleeve and placed it on the counter.
The appraiser took the Spirit Stone and brought the Jade Pendant before his eyes, examining it carefully.
"Where’d you get it?"
"Took it off a raider. Spoils of war."
’The origin of this Jade Pendant was perfectly legitimate, so he had nothing to fear from others finding out.’
The appraiser had only asked out of habit. He grunted in acknowledgnt, turned the Jade Pendant over a few tis, flicked its edge lightly with a fingernail, and tilted his head to listen to the echo.
He then retrieved a palm-sized, dark green jade slate from under the counter. He placed the Jade Pendant on top of it and closed his eyes, sensing it for several breaths.
"The quality of the jade is ordinary. It’s not Spirit Jade," the appraiser said, opening his eyes. His tone was flat.
"There are no residual Spirit Patterns on the surface, nor any trace of Spiritual Power circulation inside."
The appraiser placed the Jade Pendant back on the counter, tapping it with his finger.
"It’s not a Magical Artifact."
Li Yuan’s expression did not change.
"Take a closer look."
The appraiser showed no impatience. He’d seen plenty of people like this, clutching an item they believed to be a treasure when it was, in fact, worthless.
Offending custors was the greatest taboo for a shop like the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion, so the appraiser took the pendant back and made a show of examining it again.
Suddenly, his fingers paused. His slender digits slid slowly along the edge of the Jade Pendant, stopping at a tiny, inconspicuous, worn-down groove.
The appraiser’s brow furrowed.
He retrieved a silver needle from under the counter, inserted the tip into the groove, and scraped gently.
"Hold on."
The appraiser’s tone changed, taking on a more serious quality. He looked at the tip of the needle, which was coated with an extrely thin, almost invisible layer of dark powder.
"This is no ordinary Jade Pendant."
The appraiser placed the Jade Pendant on the dark green jade slate and used the silver needle to scrape out the groove along its edge, bit by bit.
As he scraped, more and more dark powder accumulated, forming a small pile on the surface of the jade slate.
The appraiser brought the powder to his nose and sniffed it.
"It’s a compound powder, ground from a mixture of at least three or more herbs. I can’t identify all the specific ingredients, but one of them is Hidden Glow Grass."
The appraiser set down the silver needle and took out a bronze, mirror-like Magical Artifact. The mirror began to glow, casting its light onto the Jade Pendant, which the appraiser then observed closely.
After a mont, the appraiser gave his reply.
"Hidden Glow Grass has the effect of masking fluctuations in Spiritual Qi. When it’s mixed with other herbs, ground into a liquid, and applied to the groove, the dicinal properties seep into the Jade Pendant. Then, you channel Spiritual Power into it."
The appraiser picked up the Jade Pendant and gestured with it.
"After applying the dicinal liquid, the jade absorbs it like a dry sponge soaking up water. If you then channel in Spiritual Power, it will rge with the liquid and slowly seep out of the groove."
"If you consu the substance that seeps out, it can mask your aura and the fluctuations of your Cultivation for a period of ti."
The appraiser paused and glanced at Li Yuan.
"It has its limits. Complete Concealnt is impossible. At best, it makes your aura seem weaker and more indistinct to others. However, against the perception of those at the sa tier or one tier lower, it is still effective."
"How long does it last?"
"It depends on the concentration and amount of the liquid. At a normal concentration, one dose will last about two or three days. The liquid itself can’t be stored for very long either."
The appraiser placed the Jade Pendant back on the counter.
"This gadget isn’t as good as a standard Concealnt Jade Pendant, but it doesn’t consu Spiritual Power while active. Plus, the complex craftsmanship is designed to prevent anyone from realizing it’s a Magical Artifact."
Li Yuan put the Jade Pendant back into his sleeve.
"The powder for the groove—can I get the ingredients in the marketplace?"
The appraiser thought for a mont.
"Hidden Glow Grass is sold in the marketplace from ti to ti, and it’s not expensive. I can’t be sure about the others, but they should all be common Low Tier herbs. Go ask a Pill Master. They’re better at identifying herbs than I am."
Li Yuan nodded, collected the powder, and left the shop. He made his way to Old Sun’s stall.
Old Sun was sitting behind his stall, fiddling with a small porcelain vial. He glanced up as Li Yuan approached.
Li Yuan crouched down, took the powder from his sleeve, briefly recounted what the appraiser had said, and then handed the powder over.
Old Sun took the Jade Pendant, scraped in the groove with his fingernail, brought the dark powder to his nose to sll it, and rubbed it between his fingertips.
"Hidden Glow Grass, Calming Flower, and... Cyan Leaf Moss."
Old Sun was quick. In less than ten breaths, he had nad all three herbs.
"None of the three are valuable; you can buy them in the marketplace. Just grind them into a liquid and mix them. As for the ratio—"
Old Sun pondered for a mont, then extended his fingers to gesture.
"Three parts Hidden Glow Grass, one part Calming Flower, and half a part Cyan Leaf Moss. Add a small amount of fresh water and grind it all into a thick paste."
"How much?"
"No charge. They’re all the cheapest Low Tier herbs. I have so on hand right now."
Old Sun turned and pulled out the three herbs from a dicine box behind him, and nimbly began to grind them in a small stone mortar.
In less ti than it takes an incense stick to burn, a small bowl of thick, dark-green paste sat before Li Yuan, emitting a faint, bitter aroma.
"Go back and try it yourself." Old Sun dumped the residue from the stone mortar and clapped his hands.
Li Yuan carefully put away the paste and the Jade Pendant, offered his thanks, and left.
Back at his residence, Li Yuan began his experint, saring the thick paste onto the Jade Pendant.
A few breaths later, the thick paste began to seep into the jade.
After the thick paste was completely absorbed, Li Yuan channeled Spiritual Power into the Jade Pendant.
This ti was different from before.
The mont he channeled the Spiritual Power in, the Jade Pendant grew slightly warm. He could feel sothing flowing within it at his fingertips.
After about twenty or so breaths, liquid began to seep out of the groove.
A tiny, dark-green droplet erged from the edge of the groove. It slid slowly down the surface of the Jade Pendant and dripped onto Li Yuan’s fingertip. He took out a bowl and began to collect the liquid.
After an incense stick’s worth of ti, the Jade Pendant stopped secreting the Spirit Liquid. There was only a thin layer covering the bottom of the bowl.
Li Yuan drank it. The liquid was slightly bitter, with the astringent taste of herbs. After he swallowed, a faint, cool sensation slid down his throat to his chest and abdon, spreading slowly through his ridians.
Wherever the cool sensation spread, Li Yuan felt the fluctuations of his Spiritual Power recede slightly, as if veiled by a thin mist.
With a thought, Li Yuan focused his senses on his own Spiritual Power fluctuations.
’It really is much weaker. My Qi Refining Fifth Level aura has been suppressed to about the level of the Qi Refining Third Level. It’s hard to discern the difference without sensing carefully.’
After so thought, Li Yuan decided to report the matter to Wang De. He might even get a good amount of contribution points for it.
’The main thing is, the source of the information is plausible and won’t expose my secret. Cultivators have incredible mories, so it wouldn’t be strange for to rember Zhao Wu’s Jade Pendant.’
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