A short while later.
Ye Yunfei walked into the Dahuang Stone Field.
Though called a stone field, it was actually a sanctuary-like garden lush with greenery, with a very extensive area. Ancient trees grew in clusters, the grass was verdant and soft, and everywhere were piled stones of varying sizes.
The stone field was extremely lively, packed with people everywhere, dense crowds making for a deafeningly noisy atmosphere.
Ye Yunfei discovered that this stone field was divided into different stalls, with many stall owners setting up shop to sell raw stone.
The so-called Stone Gambling event was essentially just many different stall owners selling stone ore. If a customer took a fancy to one, they would pay to buy the stone and have it cut open on the spot to see the harvest.
“Hey there, young man, care to gamble on some stones? All these stones of mine were excavated from large-scale mines! Not only is the probability of finding treasures high, but they are also the cheapest in the whole field—fair prices for all!”
The moment Ye Yunfei walked into the stone field, a middle-aged man not far away greeted him enthusiastically.
This middle-aged man was guarding a stall laid out with large stones.
“I wonder if the Stone Appraisal Art is useful.”
Ye Yunfei recalled a specialized secret technique recorded in Geomancy for appraising stone materials, called the Stone Appraisal Art.
Within Geomancy, this Stone Appraisal Art was considered an extremely profound secret technique. One could only possibly execute it after cultivating Geomancy to a remarkably high level.
Ye Yunfei estimated that even the Houtu Sect Leader wouldn’t be able to perform it.
Within the entire Houtu Sect, he estimated, only Ye Yunfei himself would have the potential to successfully execute this secret art.
This was because, ever since obtaining the five Earth Dragons, Ye Yunfei frequently traveled underground, coming into contact with vast earth energies. His cultivation in Geomancy had grown increasingly profound, achieving a qualitative leap!
“Let's give it a try!”
Thus, Ye Yunfei attempted to execute the Stone Appraisal Art. Moments later, his eyes turned a yellow hue, releasing wisps of earth-attribute law energy, which extended like invisible tentacles towards the stones on that middle-aged man's stall.
“I really can execute the Stone Appraisal Art!”
Ye Yunfei felt a bit excited.
However, after observing for a while, none of the stones on the man’s stall displayed any unusual phenomena.
According to the Stone Appraisal Art, if a stone showed no unusual phenomena, it indicated it contained no treasures hidden within; it was just an ordinary stone.
If a stone concealed a treasure, then unusual phenomena would definitely appear!
“Young man, buy a few stones and try your luck. I see you have a ruddy glow on your face—your luck today is good, you’re bound to gain something! The stones here are the cheapest in the whole place, they’re big enough, the weight is generous, perfect for finding hidden treasures!”
The middle-aged man was still trying his hardest to peddle his stones.
“Not interested.”
Ye Yunfei walked away without even turning his head.
Ye Yunfei was eager to try it out at other stalls.
The Stone Appraisal Art, one of the most profound secret arts recorded in Geomancy, greatly interested him, and he wanted to properly explore it.
“Old Li, did you go down to the riverbank again to pick up some random stones to fool these greenhorns dreaming of striking it rich? Hahaha, don’t you get bored?”
As soon as Ye Yunfei left, a woman at a nearby stall teased the middle-aged man.
“Keep it down! This is a business with zero capital outlay, specializing in deceiving these guys who have no skill but dream of hitting the jackpot. Last time, didn’t we fool some idiot and make a killing!”
The middle-aged man said triumphantly.
With Ye Yunfei’s exceptionally powerful Soul Power, he overheard this and couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
The Stone Gambling industry indeed required technique and experience. If one understood nothing but dreamed of stumbling upon treasure, they were likely to lose miserably.
Ye Yunfei wandered around a dozen or so stalls within the stone field, continuously executing the Stone Appraisal Art to appraise the stones on these stalls.
“Seems useful!”
Ye Yunfei clearly noticed that some of the stones displayed unusual phenomena, indicating they contained treasures.
Thus, Ye Yunfei made several moves, buying some stones and having them cut open on the spot.
Several times, he cut out large basins of high-grade Spirit Crystal, and once he cut out a pinkish fruit about the size of half a fist.
“Ginseng Origin Fruit!”
The moment this fruit was excavated from the stone, many people nearby cried out in surprise, gathering around.
“The Ginseng Origin Fruit is already an extremely rare sixth-grade dao fruit! To have it excavated from ore makes its value even higher!”
“This Ginseng Origin Fruit is worth at least a hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals! I just saw this young brother spend only fifty high-grade Spirit Crystals to buy this stone, and in the blink of an eye, he’s made a profit of two-thousand-fold! Instant riches!”
The onlookers all envied Ye Yunfei’s good luck.
Some also made offers on the spot to buy the Ginseng Origin Fruit from Ye Yunfei, but he flatly refused.
Ginseng Origin Fruit was a relatively rare sixth-grade dao fruit; even with money, one couldn’t necessarily buy it. Ye Yunfei could use it to refine several types of sixth-grade dao pills.
Next, Ye Yunfei made successive moves, reaping quite a bounty, making at least a profit of two to three hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals.
Soon, a group of martial artists began to cluster around Ye Yunfei.
Some were following along for the spectacle, but quite a few were following his leads.
Once Ye Yunfei took a liking to a stall and stepped forward to purchase stones, many others would immediately rush forward to grab stones from that stall.
Several quick-witted martial artists, acting based on Ye Yunfei’s moves, also earned tens of thousands of high-grade Spirit Crystals, and they stuck so closely to Ye Yunfei’s side in their excitement that they were like his personal attendants.
“By the way, young man, since your luck is so hot today, why not go into the inner court and take a look. Only in the inner court, among those ancient stones, is there a chance to cut open truly heaven-defying treasures.”
An old man suddenly spoke to Ye Yunfei.
Hiss!
Upon hearing the words ‘inner court’, all the people around drew in sharp breaths of cold air.
“Old man, those stones in the inner court, a single one can cost tens of thousands or even over a hundred thousand stones. If you go into the inner court hoping to get lucky, be careful not to gamble away your pants!”
“Exactly! Only the rich can afford the price of stones in the Dahuang Stone Field’s inner court.”
“Right. Only those with money, or of high status, enter the inner court for Stone Gambling.”
The people around all sighed with feeling.
“Inner court?”
Ye Yunfei looked at the old man, puzzled.
“The stones in the inner court are all ancient stones, strange stones, of great antiquity. While their prices are expensive, if you manage to cut open a treasure, it’s bound to be rare and precious, of astonishing value. Profits of thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of times the cost aren’t impossible. Look, the entrance to the inner court is over there.”
The old man answered, pointing into the distance.
Ye Yunfei’s gaze followed.
“Alright then, I’ll go into the inner court and take a look.”
After a moment’s thought, Ye Yunfei began walking towards the inner court.
“Young man, you’re really going?”
The old man had only spoken casually. Seeing Ye Yunfei actually go, he was taken aback.
“This kid is so young, what does he know about Stone Gambling? He was just lucky a few times earlier. Old man, you talked him into going to the inner court, I guarantee he’ll lose until his face turns green!”
Someone nearby sneered and said.