Chapter 3, The Pearl of the Toad Dragon Mountain River
This is not a dream, but the inner world within the cursed artifact
The dragon gives birth to nine sons, one of which is the toad dragon. Its skin can be used to make drums, and its sound can be heard for a hundred miles, hence it is called the toad drum. The toad dragon has twenty-four ribs, corresponding to the twenty-four energies of the world. In the center of each rib, there is a luminous pearl, each worth fifty thousand taels of silver. However, only by shedding all twenty-four ribs can the toad dragon transform into a true dragon and depart
Upon seeing the default of Wenruo Xu, Chu Youcai felt a surge of joy in his heart. He did not expect such an item to truly exist; it seems that the wild goose did not deceive him! If he could obtain this item, then what would a debt of one thousand taels of silver matter!
Chu Youcai entered the room and immediately saw the enormous turtle shell, which was split into two halves forming the shape of a suitcase, inside of which were some belongings of Wen Ruoxu.
Chu Youcai shifted his gaze and said, "Brother Wen, it seems you are concealing something? Any rare and unusual item is not valued for its worth, but for its uniqueness. If Brother Wen has any treasures, why keep them to yourself?"
What lies before us is not an ordinary turtle shell
But how can we sell this pearl of great price at the highest price within three days
Chu Youcai surveyed his surroundings and found that there were only a few sailors on the ship, while the merchants had not yet returned. Knowing that time was of the essence, Chu Youcai approached the owner of the fruits and inquired, "Are you Mr. Wenruo Xu?"
He thought to himself: "What a treasure!" Yet he laughed heartily and said: "What a treasure." Although his thoughts and his words were the same, the tone in which he spoke and the intention in his heart were quite different.
Chu Youcai presented a golden hairpin as a gift, valued at several gold pieces, akin to sending charcoal in the snow. Coupled with his skill in divination, he naturally regarded Chu Youcai as a person of importance. Moreover, he observed the nuances in speech and behavior, believing that Chu Youcai intended to transform this tortoise shell into a highly treasured antique, thereby enhancing its value to present to his father, which also aligned with the temperament of the somewhat extravagant and domineering young man before him
Chu Youcai confirmed that Wen Ruo had walked far away, and then he focused his gaze on the tortoise shell in front of him, examining it carefully
This... this is not an ordinary luminous pearl! It seems to be a cursed treasure! Chu Youcai's heart was like a raging storm, only a cursed treasure could exhibit such abnormalities
He took the luggage out and then handed the tortoise shell to Chu Youcai.
Wen Ruo said with a hint of playfulness: "Third Young Master, I happen to have an urgent matter to attend to for half an hour. Please rest for a moment, and I will be back shortly."
The owner of the fruit was taken aback and respectfully said, "I am indeed. May I ask who you are?"
Wen Ruo, sensing the sarcasm in Chu Youcai's words, felt a wave of shame wash over her and stammered, "Young Master Chu San..."
He quickly left the room.
As long as one obtains the cursed artifact, with a drop of blood, anyone can use it
Chu Youcai was not discouraged; at this moment, he opened the last section of the toad dragon's rib.
A single luminous pearl is worth fifty thousand taels of silver, and the remainder is sufficient to settle the debts
Chu Youcai shook his head and, with a sincere expression, said: "Brother Wen, I do not mean to mock you. I have been well-versed in the art of divination since childhood, and I can see that you are inherently intelligent and come from a wealthy family, possessing the traits of great fortune. " Then he paused and continued: "It is a pity that you have not encountered a noble person, which has led to a life of misfortune and the decline of your family business...
Wen Ruo Xu took the golden hairpin and, upon closer inspection, was taken aback. The hairpin was intricately carved with intertwining dragons and phoenixes, lifelike as if it were a spiritual object. An air of elegance and nobility emanated from it, making him realize that this item was of considerable value. He could not help but repeatedly say, "Third Young Master, this item is too precious; I absolutely cannot accept it."
At that moment, Chu Youcai stood close to the door, feeling that there was no one outside. He then bit his index finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto it.
Although he is independent, he was once the third son of the Prince of Chu's residence, possessing an extraordinary demeanor. Coupled with the phrase "eyeing greedily," he resembles a typical young scion almost perfectly. Meanwhile, the person tracking him from a distance does not sense anything unusual; instead, they speculate whether Chu Youcai intends to forcibly seize something. However, the merchants passing through are under the protection of the Yanzhou government. If Chu Youcai were to openly rob them, he would likely face severe consequences, ultimately benefiting the lady of the prince's residence.
Cursed artifacts, invaluable, difficult to purchase even with millions of silver, are the supreme treasures of this world
Chu Youcai held the luminous pearl in his hand, lost in thought
For Chu Youcai, this is the crux of the matter; he cannot brazenly take the large tortoise shell back, otherwise he would surely attract the envy of others
Wen Ruo Xu had no choice but to take Chu Youcai to his room
Chu Youcai chuckled and said, "I just saw your esteemed friend selling rare items at the market, and I happened to hear them mention Mr. Wen's name. Just now, Mr. Wen was selling such extraordinary fruits, which made me a bit envious." He mimicked the tone and demeanor of his former identity.
It is indeed him! Chu Youcai felt a great joy in his heart
At that moment, the person with the chestnut horse bought the remaining fifty or so fruits at three times the price, paying sixteen taels of silver, and then left with a smile, while the surrounding crowd dispersed in a rush
In that moment, he suddenly felt a kind of scorching aura flickering within the luminous pearl, an aura that almost threatened to consume him with flames
At this moment, Chu Youcai felt that the surrounding turtle shells had vanished, the desk had disappeared, the merchant ships outside the room were no longer visible, and everything in the world beyond the sky had disappeared. The entire world seemed to be enveloped in a haze, and Chu Youcai felt as if he were floating above the sea, with the entire universe revealing a new world to him
Wen Ruoxu's face flushed as he said, "It's just a rare item, of no value." At that moment, he recalled how, when he brought back those two large turtle shells to the ship, everyone was filled with astonishment: "What a big turtle shell! With so many other fine items, why choose this one?" Someone joked, "It has its uses; if there are any great suspicions, you can use this for divination, and it will be even more accurate." In the end, Wen Ruoxu cleaned the turtle shell, divided it into two parts, tied them together with a rope, and turned it into a large trunk to store luggage, which inevitably caused another round of laughter among the crowd. With so many other fine items, why choose this one?" Someone joked, "It has its uses; if there are any great suspicions, you can use this for divination, and it will be even more accurate." In the end, Wen Ruoxu cleaned the turtle shell, divided it into two parts, tied them together with a rope, and turned it into a large trunk to store luggage, which inevitably caused another round of laughter among the crowd.
This is the way of balance in the world, cultivating the physical body requires a significant amount of essence and blood food to compensate, and naturally, using cursed artifacts that exceed one's own capabilities necessitates sacrifices
Wen Ruo Xu is inherently a clever and astute individual, aware that within just half a day, those traveling with him could not possibly divulge his background to a stranger. This person before him likely possesses the skills of divination. At this moment, he feels the vastness of the world, realizing that only Chu Youcai can understand him, truly believing that Chu Youcai is a benefactor destined for him. He then earnestly states: "Although this tortoise shell is not precious, it carries the wish for longevity. Though I have just met the Third Young Master, we feel as if we have known each other for a long time. With this gift, I wish your esteemed father a hundred years of longevity."
Wen Ruo Xu's face instantly turned pale.
He took out the gold hairpin from his bosom and handed it to Wen Ruoxu, saying: "This item is a gift for Brother Wen."
To cast a cursed artifact, one must expend energy. Taoists must consume Taoist energy, talismans require talismanic energy, while scholars and officials expend literary energy. As for ordinary people, what they consume is their lifespan
In that moment, countless thoughts flashed through Chu Youcai's mind
At this moment, Chu Youcai saw Wen Ruoxu's expression and felt that the time was ripe. He then devised a plan and said in a lowered voice: "I am the third son of the Prince of Chu's residence. My father’s birthday is in two months, and he has a great fondness for rare treasures, especially those from the sea. I wonder if Brother Wen has any related items on board? If so, this young master will certainly not treat you poorly."
What he could not believe at all was that it was completely empty inside
Upon hearing this, Wen Ruo let out a sigh of relief. Then, recalling something, her face flushed slightly, yet she hesitated to speak, eventually shaking her head and saying: "Ruo Xu has met the Third Young Master. However, the belongings of my friends have already been sold, so I can only disappoint the Third Young Master."
No wonder there is only this one night pearl among the twenty-four ribs; the essence of the others must have been absorbed into this one.
If this person is truly clever and astute, how can one purchase the turtle shell without arousing suspicion? One must understand that possessing a precious item can lead to trouble; once it is spread, the lady of the house will be on high alert, and one's own situation will become perilous
In that moment, a ball of light wrapped around a pearl the size of an inch appeared, dazzling and radiant. Even on the pitch-black table, the pearl continued to shimmer, illuminating the surrounding area for several feet as if it were broad daylight
"It is of no concern. There is no reason for me to take back what my third son has sent out. However, Young Master Wen, I still need to age the tortoise shell..." Chu Youcai said.
And this tortoise shell is the shell of the toad dragon that contains twenty-four luminous pearls
Yet while he thought this, he was laughing heartily and boasting, saying: "This young master is knowledgeable and can discern the value of any item at a glance, and will certainly not bring shame upon you"
Wen Ruo's empty words stem from sincerity, and Chu Youcai finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was quite profound. If he did not understand Wen Ruo's character and experiences, how could things proceed so smoothly? Now that the turtle shell was in hand, it was time to implement his next plan.
He grew up in the residence of the prince from a young age, so he naturally knows some basic knowledge about cultivation
Chu Youcai had seen many treasures in the prince's mansion, but he had never been so surprised as he was at this moment
And as he shattered all the remaining twenty-two ribs, they were all hollow inside
At this moment, Chu Youcai saw such a large tortoise shell and was finally completely convinced that this must undoubtedly be a rare treasure, which filled him with great joy
Chu Youcai confirmed that this tortoise shell was intact and had not been broken. He then opened the first rib of the toad dragon shell.