NOVPUB
Chapter 194: Chapter 198: Gamble Stone
Ye Fan soared into the sky, gazing into the distance and scanning all directions. Yet, he saw nothing and departed with lingering doubts.
Over a month passed, and the stone village remained unchanged. When Ye Fan returned, Wang Shu and the uneducated youth were overcome with a mixture of delight and surprise.
"Brother Ye, you’re finally back! I thought you had gone away for good."
"Brother Ye, where did you go? How could you have been gone for so long?"
During these past days, Ye Fan had been secluded deep within the mountains in an ancient mine, completely isolated from the outside world. Seeing his friends again filled his heart with joy. He laughed and said, "I told you I would return, and I have. I’ll take you to gamble on stones and fulfill your long-held wish."
Fifth Grandpa Zhang heard the news and quickly rushed over, an excited expression on his old face, his voice trembling as he said, "You’re back... It’s good that you’re back."
These past days, he had sighed constantly, his heart heavy with grief and self-reproach. He frequently murmured that he should have stopped Ye Fan. In his view, with over a month having passed, Ye Fan was likely facing dire straits, perhaps even trapped in the Purple Mountain like their ancestor thousands of years ago.
"Today, we must celebrate properly!" Fifth Grandpa Zhang brushed away his gloom, the wrinkles on his old face smoothing out as he declared, "Uneducated youth, Wang Shu, go and slaughter a sheep to welcome Brother Ye and wash away the dust from his journey."
Ye Fan was also delighted. "Today is indeed worth celebrating; we should drink to our hearts’ content!"
While everyone present was happy, only Ye Fan and Fifth Grandpa Zhang understood how truly thrilling this moment was. He had brought out the *Heavenly Source Book*. If word of this spread, it would shake the entire Northern Region.
Because, in the near future, it was highly probable that a Heavenly Source Master would emerge.
When the crowd dispersed, Fifth Grandpa Zhang pulled Ye Fan directly into the courtyard, shut the door, and locked it. His expression was agitated, and his words trembled, "You... you truly..."
With a flash of silver light, the *Heavenly Source Book* appeared in Ye Fan’s hand. Its silver glow was hazy, like the moon reflected in a well or a dragon pearl in the depths of the sea, lending it an unreal quality.
"After enduring so much hardship and narrowly escaping with my life, I finally managed to bring the *Heavenly Source Book* out."
"Good, good..." Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s hands trembled as he poured Ye Fan a cup of tea, urging him to recount the details of his ordeal.
Upon hearing that the Yaochi Saintess had been trapped and died in the Demon Mountain, he was overcome with sorrow for a moment. "To think that fairy from Jade Lake was so loyal and righteous. My Zhang family’s ancestor is greatly indebted to her."
After Ye Fan finished his account, a long time passed, yet the elder still couldn’t regain his composure. "The *Heavenly Source Book* is finally retrieved!"
He caressed the *Silver Book* with his calloused fingers, overwhelmed with a myriad of emotions, and slowly, his agitation began to subside.
Finally, Fifth Grandpa Zhang stood up. Holding the *Silver Book* solemnly, he came before Ye Fan and said, "You risked life and limb for this scripture; I know you need it."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Although this is a treasured scripture passed down through my Zhang family, without you, it would have been lost forever. You... take it."
Ye Fan wasn’t pretentious and said directly, "I do indeed need this scripture. However, I only need to look through it and memorize its contents. The treasured scripture will still belong to the Zhang family."
Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s fingers trembled. He opened his mouth to speak several times, but it was a long while before he finally said, "I am old and no longer have the energy to study this scripture. The younger generation is lazy and lacks talent. Take this *Heavenly Source Book* with you. If, in the future, you no longer require it and happen to find a talented descendant of my Zhang family, you may pass it on to them."
"There’s no need for that. After I finish reading it, you can just keep it safe," Ye Fan replied with a smile.
"No, Brother Ye, listen to me. For now, keep it in your possession; it will be safer that way. I know you cultivators have long lifespans. In the future, when you have the leisure, you can simply return it to a descendant of my Zhang family."
Fifth Grandpa Zhang harbored a hidden worry, which he voiced. It wasn’t just that there was currently no suitable heir in the clan; he also felt a sense of unease.
Nowadays, the Northern Region was chaotic, overrun by bandits. He feared he wouldn’t be able to protect the *Heavenly Source Book*.
The younger generation lacked a calm temperament and possessed poor aptitude, making it difficult for them to achieve success in cultivation. Moreover, if word of the scripture were to leak, it would undoubtedly attract a great calamity.
"Currently, there is no one capable in the Zhang family. Keeping it in our hands will surely invite a calamity that could wipe out our family. One day, Brother Ye, when you deem there is a suitable candidate in the Zhang family, then you may pass it back." Having said this, he suddenly knelt.
"Very well. I swear a solemn oath that in the future, I will return the *Heavenly Source Book* to the Zhang family," Ye Fan vowed earnestly.
The wrinkles on Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s face seemed to vanish, replaced by a wide smile, as if a monumental wish had finally been fulfilled.
The evening feast was lavish. A bonfire flickered merrily, and the people of the stone village sat outdoors, feasting on large chunks of meat and drinking wine from big bowls. Some beautiful young women danced before the fire. The air was filled with the aroma of roasting meat and wine, as people clinked their bowls together in joyful camaraderie.
Suddenly, screams erupted. Women and young children scattered in fear.
"What is that thing? How did it get into the village?"
"Quick, stop it! Don’t let it run wild and hurt someone!"
"Damn it! It snatched two whole roasted sheep! Stop it!"
...
To everyone’s astonishment, over a dozen strong young men failed to stop the black shadow. Instead, they were sent tumbling like gourds, allowing it to escape.
"It looked like a black dog! That’s a great delicacy! I’ll go catch it, and we can make a delicious hot pot with its meat!" the uneducated youth exclaimed, then rushed out.
A short time later, the uneducated youth returned, his face bruised and swollen, muttering, "That damned thing knocked me into the ditch!"
Ye Fan was also startled. "Let me go take a look."
But by the time he chased out of the stone village, the black shadow had vanished without a trace.
"Uneducated youth, you love to wrestle, but try not to dive into ditches next time," Wang Shu teased. "Did you see what it was?"
"No. It got away with two roasted sheep. It’s so frustrating!"
Ye Fan sensed something was amiss. Ordinary wild animals shouldn’t be able to move that fast; he hadn’t caught even a trace of it.
*Could it be the thing that was following me?* he wondered, recalling the sensation of being watched ever since he had emerged from the Purple Mountain.
However, what reassured him was that the black shadow hadn’t harmed anyone. It probably wasn’t a malevolent creature.
In the following days, Ye Fan dedicated himself to cultivation while also meticulously studying the *Heavenly Source Book* every day.
He couldn’t help but marvel; the book truly lived up to its name as a Mysterious Scripture, comparable to the ancient scriptures of the various Sacred Lands. Its contents were profound and abstruse.
In Ye Fan’s view, the value of this scripture was immeasurable. For him, it was comparable to the *No Beginning Scripture*. Mastering it was akin to controlling an immense supply of Source.
He believed that in the eyes of many, this scripture was on par with several ancient scriptures of the Eastern Wastelands, for it could be used to locate Divine Sources and trace dragon veins, making it a priceless treasure.
"This is the treasure of treasures!"
Ye Fan believed that if his strength were great enough, he might even be able to use this ancient scripture to negotiate with the Sacred Lands for an opportunity to view their ancient scriptures.
Mastering the *Heavenly Source Book* was like possessing an inexhaustible Divine Mine; its significance was immeasurable.
Ye Fan carefully compared them: the material of the *Silver Book* was similar to the golden pages upon which the *Dao Scripture* was recorded. It was indestructible, a divine artifact of unknown origin.
In terms of the art of refining Vessels, the *Heavenly Source Book* and the *Dao Scripture* were clearly of the same caliber, both equally rare and precious.
Regarding content, both were supremely profound and wondrous methods, each a pinnacle in its respective field. However, the *Dao Scripture* was incomplete, containing only the Wheel Sea Volume, whereas the *Heavenly Source Book* was complete. In a certain sense, the value of the *Heavenly Source Book* far exceeded that of the Wheel Sea Volume of the *Dao Scripture*.
Ye Fan had risked life and limb exploring the Purple Mountain, and his greatest reward was obtaining this ancient scripture, the value of which was simply beyond measure.
For an entire month, he was utterly engrossed, immersed in a miraculous state of comprehension. Aside from his regular cultivation, he spent every waking moment, even during meals, intensely studying the *Heavenly Source Book*.
During these thirty days, Ye Fan never let the Bodhi seed leave his hand. Relying on this seed from the Enlightenment Holy Tree, his understanding of this Mysterious Scripture progressed by leaps and bounds.
He felt that he had thoroughly grasped the foundational Chapters on discerning Source.
*I’ve mastered some of its principles; I should go and put them into practice,* Ye Fan thought. He stepped out of the stone house and felt the sunlight on his skin. It felt so gentle, so full of hope.
If other cultivators’ bodies were like ponds, then his was like a vast reservoir; the amount of Source required to fill it was substantial.
Of course, the power he could unleash was also vastly different. At the very least, when facing cultivators of the same realm, he consistently overwhelmed them with an absolute advantage; there was never any suspense.
This meant that if he cultivated to the later stages, as a sovereign, he alone might even be able to withstand the combined siege of several Peacock Kings.
"The first realm of the Dao Palace requires one thousand jin of Source..." Thinking of this number, he couldn’t bring himself to smile.
Even in the Northern Region, one thousand jin of Source was an amount that an ordinary small sect could not afford, let alone an individual.
"If that’s multiplied tenfold, the second realm of the Dao Palace will require ten thousand jin of Source..." This figure made his mouth twitch and a chill run down his spine; it was an unbearable prospect.
As for the astronomical figures required for the realms beyond the third realm of the Dao Palace, he forced himself not to even think about them. Otherwise, the veins on his forehead would surely throb.
Those terrifying numbers would make even the major Sacred Lands balk; it was a burden too heavy to bear.
*In this world, there will always be people who turn green with envy. I hope that person isn’t me...*
On this particular morning, after Ye Fan finished his breakfast, he called Wang Shu and the uneducated youth over. "I’m taking you to gamble on stones."
"Really?!" The uneducated youth somersaulted with excitement. "I’ve been dreaming of seeing what it’s like! This is great!"
Wang Shu also rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Ever since my grandfather’s generation, the stone village has completely declined. Hardly anyone from the village has ever traveled far."
Ye Fan smiled. "Today, I’ll fulfill your wish. If you behave yourselves, I’ll take you out more often in the future."
"The Sacred City is tens of thousands of li away; it’s truly too distant from here. However, the highest-level Gambling Stone Workshops established by the various Sacred Lands are all located there."
"According to roving Daoists, renowned sovereigns, members of the Royal Family among Central States cultivators, and great figures of the Northern Region all congregate in the Sacred City, often spending years in the Gambling Stone Workshops."
"Last time, that old Daoist mentioned that in those places, fairies cut stones, sacred ladies frequently make appearances, and talented individuals from all over often engage in duels there. Brother Ye," Wang Shu teased, seeing his mischievous smile, "are you really planning to win a Goddess to bring back?"
Ye Fan quickly wiped the smile from his face. "What are you thinking? How could we go to the Sacred City for our first time gambling on stones? Today is mainly just to test the waters."
He solemnly warned the two that, upon arrival, they shouldn’t speak carelessly. They had no real concept of the Sacred Lands and naively thought of their members as ordinary, good-natured merchants. Speaking out of turn could easily invite trouble.
"We understand. Those people are like gods to us; we only dare to discuss them like this within the village."
Pingyan City was six hundred li from the stone village, a relatively prosperous city situated in an oasis that spanned several hundred li across.
By the time Ye Fan and his companions arrived, the sun had already risen high in the sky. The ancient city, constructed entirely from massive, reddish-brown stones, exuded an aura of historical vicissitude. According to the locals, the city boasted a history of over a thousand years and had always been the central hub of the region.
The city’s population was around three hundred thousand, which was considered quite prosperous for the Northern Region. Its streets teemed with carriages and pedestrians, a bustling scene.
Wang Shu and the uneducated youth felt as if their eyes couldn’t take it all in. It was their first time in such a large city, and everything seemed novel and exciting.
"So many people..."
"Yeah, I’ve never seen so many people before..."
Listening to their rather unremarkable comments, Ye Fan chuckled. "Learn well today, and one day I’ll take you to the Sacred City."
"Great! Brother Ye, today we’ll first get familiar with the rules and conquer all the Gambling Stone Workshops here, and then we’ll head to the Sacred City!"
Ye Fan asked around for directions to the city’s Gambling Stone Workshops and was told there were dozens of them.
Furthermore, he was surprised to learn that all the major Sacred Lands had branches established in this city.
This gave him an idea. After some thought, he decided to avoid the branches belonging to the Ji Family and the Flickering Light Sacred Land, so as not to walk right into trouble.
The *Heavenly Source Book* contained a profound skill called "Changing Heaven and Shifting Earth," which could not only alter mountain ranges and terrestrial features but also transform one’s own body. It was countless times more sophisticated than the Disguise Technique used by cultivators, achieving an almost complete transformation from the inside out.
Unfortunately, Ye Fan had not yet fully mastered it, which was why he wanted to avoid those two particular Gambling Stone Workshops today.
"Does Jade Lake also have a Gambling Stone Workshop in this city?"
"Of course. It’s one of the most reputable and largest Gambling Stone Workshops in the city," an old man replied.
"Thank you, elder." Ye Fan cupped his fists in a salute, then turned to Wang Shu and the uneducated youth. "We’re going to Jade Lake’s Gambling Stone Workshop."
"Ah! Brother Ye, are you really going to try and win a sacred lady?"
"Hush! Don’t speak such nonsense!"
"Don’t worry, we’re just saying this amongst ourselves," the two hastily assured him, nodding.
The so-called Gambling Stone Workshops generally occupied vast areas, all enclosed by high walls. Inside, Source stones were displayed everywhere.
The Yaochi Immortal Stone Workshop was located in the eastern district of Pingyan City. It was a very tranquil area, surrounded by clusters of ancient trees and lush greenery.
"Huh? Why isn’t it open today?"
A considerable number of people had gathered under the ancient trees, discussing something amongst themselves.
"I heard that some fairy from Jade Lake has arrived in Pingyan City, so they’re closed to the public this morning. They should resume normal operations in the afternoon."
"The fairies of Jade Lake are renowned throughout the world. Men from the various Sacred Lands and Ancient Nobilities all consider it an honor to marry one. Alas, few ever succeed. I truly wish I could behold her true appearance."
"You’ll be able to see her in the afternoon. But as for those unrealistic notions, I’d advise you to abandon them sooner rather than later."
...
"A fairy of Jade Lake!" Wang Shu and the uneducated youth’s eyes lit up, and they both looked expectantly at Ye Fan.
"Don’t look at me like that, as if I’m some kind of lecher." Ye Fan pondered for a moment, then said, "We’ll come back this afternoon. For now, let’s just find some other place to try our luck."
Eventually, Ye Fan chose a Gambling Stone Workshop named "Rongxiang."
"Stop right there." The three of them were halted outside the Rongxiang Gambling Stone Workshop. Several men at the entrance glanced at Wang Shu and the uneducated youth’s attire, then frowned. "Are you miners? If you’re looking to sell Source stones, go to the east gate. This is a place for gambling on stones."
"We’re here to gamble on stones," Ye Fan stated. As he had been living in the stone village, he too was dressed in miner’s clothes.
"Do you have any Source on you?" A few men stepped out from the gatehouse, all of them frowning. One of them said, "Our establishment isn’t a place just anyone can enter."
Ye Fan took out a piece of Source weighing about half a liang and asked, "Isn’t this enough?"
From behind them came a derisive snort. "Half a liang of Source, and you dare come here to gamble on stones? What an ignorant country bumpkin! You probably couldn’t even afford a single decent old mine Source stone!"
"Who’s that? What are they blabbering about?" Wang Shu said, annoyed, turning to look.
A young master, fanning himself with a folding fan, approached. An attendant by his side wore an expression of utter disdain. "Go back and mine your Source properly. This isn’t a place for the likes of you."
"Ah, it’s Young Master Liu of the Qingxia Sect! Please, come in, quickly!" The staff of the Rongxiang Gambling Stone Workshop greeted him with obsequious smiles and bowed respectfully.
Young Master Liu of the Qingxia Sect said nothing, merely casting a glance at Ye Fan and his two companions before striding inside. His attendant, however, turned back and sneered, "What, still not convinced? If you have Source, by all means, come in. I’ll play a few rounds with you. If you don’t have Source, then go back where you came from. Stick to mining Source properly and don’t entertain such unrealistic fantasies. This isn’t a place for the likes of you."
"You son of a...!" Once they had gone inside, the uneducated youth was so angry he started pulling his hair.
In every trade, there are always those who judge people by their appearance. Ye Fan, naturally, wouldn’t lower himself to their level or argue with the staff of the Rongxiang Gambling Stone Workshop.
Wang Shu said, "Your entry requirements here are quite high, aren’t they? Don’t you know that a visitor should be treated as an honored guest?"
"Apologies, but we have our own rules here. Not just any riffraff can come and go as they please," one of the men at the front replied, folding his arms. Their smiles had vanished, and their indifferent expressions returned as soon as Young Master Liu of the Qingxia Sect had entered.
"How much Source does it take to get in?" the uneducated youth asked in a gruff voice.
"All the stones we have here are peak Source stones excavated from old mines. Without one jin of Source, you cannot pass through this door," one of them said with a look of disdain. "If you don’t have that much, I’d advise you to go back to your mines, like good little workers."
Ye Fan remained silent. He directly produced a one-jin piece of Source, waved it before their eyes, and then strode inside.
As Wang Shu passed the gatehouse, he said, "Just you wait! We’ll make you cry later!"
"That’s right! We’ll let you watch with your own eyes and see what a true stone-gambling master looks like!" the uneducated youth added, still fuming.
"Well, well, you actually made it in." Ahead of them, the attendant of the Qingxia Sect looked surprised, his tone laced with sarcasm. "One jin of Source! That must have taken your grandfather, father, and son many long years to scrape together, right? Truly not easy. Well then, let’s play a few hands together. A gamble within a gamble, how does that sound?"
