Chapter 179: Obtaining the Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch

As soon as the anomaly occurred in the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb, detailed posts with images and text appeared on the forum. If anyone said that Jiuyu Pavilion had not planted informants within the nineteen allied factions, he would never believe it even if beaten to death.

On the path bypassing the treasure vault, the way forward was almost completely blocked by Stone Dragon Beasts, numbering in the tens of thousands.

Such a massive number of Stone Dragon Beasts meant that if the nineteen factions had not formed an alliance and instead acted separately, any single one of them would have suffered severe losses. Some of the smaller factions might not even have been able to pass through at all.

But now, they had forcefully carved a path through, battling their way across.

Along the way, they collected two ancient pines and a green willow, all of which were seventh-rank materials for crafting magic treasures, with very wide applications.

However, based on deductions by players who had studied formation techniques, reaching the end led to a seemingly endless desert and Gobi landscape.

A swirling yellow sand teleportation formation stood atop a steep ridge. This was the key to reaching the second level of the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb.

Unfortunately, when Tianshui Yifang eagerly stepped forward to try using the yellow sand vortex teleportation formation, endless quicksand surged out and completely swallowed the Department Head of the Shushan Sword Alliance alive, leaving no trace.

Then, as if the sky split open, the distant Gobi began to collapse and crumble. A hundred-zhang tall stone tablet descended from the sky, deeply embedding itself next to the yellow sand vortex teleportation formation. It was covered in carved text.

Curious players who tried to touch or even move the hundred-zhang stone tablet were instantly struck by a bolt of heavenly lightning, shattering into countless fragments of light. Closed Beta experts recognized that the heavenly lightning was one of the possible Heavenly Tribulation tests players might encounter during Tribulation Crossing: the Five Elements Purple Lightning Calamity.

Every player faced different Heavenly Tribulation tests during their Tribulation Crossing; it all depended on their luck and whether the System Deity favored them. Or if they had committed heinous acts, the difficulty of the Heavenly Tribulation test would correspondingly increase.

In the First Heavenly Tribulation, the difficulty of the Five Elements Purple Lightning Calamity ranked at least in the top three. It was notorious for being relentless and lasting an extremely long time. About eighty percent of players couldn’t hold on during the final few lightning strikes, their Qi and Blood and True Qi exhausted, and were blown to pieces.

Although it wasn’t as infamous for its terrifying lethality as the Great Sun True Fire Tribulation, the power of the Five Elements Purple Lightning Calamity was still something players around levels forty to fifty couldn’t withstand. It was designed for players around level one hundred.

Once they understood this and realized the hundred-zhang stone tablet was not to be touched, no players dared to continue their brave attempts to interact with it at the cost of their lives.

The entire text recounted the great achievements and illustrious battle records of the Yellow Emperor. Only in the last two sentences did it briefly mention that to use this teleportation formation to enter the tomb’s second level, a pass token was required.

The pass token for the first level was called the Taihuang Thick Earth Talisman. As for how to obtain it, the hundred-zhang stone tablet gave no hint whatsoever. No one knew; players had to explore and find out for themselves.

So, this grand exploration of the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb could be considered concluded at this point.

Without obtaining the Taihuang Thick Earth Talisman, there was simply no way to enter the second level. Meanwhile, the treasures in the first level of the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb had basically all been cleared out. Any remnants were likely of little value.

“The Shushan Sword Alliance really tried to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice. Tianshui Yifang is going to have a good cry when he gets back.”

Ye Rong had no fondness for this Tianshui Yifang, who had once led a team to flaunt their power on Mount Qingcheng. Seeing him meet misfortune naturally made Ye Rong quite happy; he even wished he could go and deliver a kick himself.

In this operation, the Shushan Sword Alliance suffered heavy losses among its members. Even high-ranking figures like Department Heads and Swordmaster Envoys had several casualties.

Their final gains were only comparable to those of the Herbal Hall, which arrived late and paid very little cost. The higher-ups of the Shushan Sword Alliance were probably deeply frustrated, holding their breath in anger.

“How exactly is the Taihuang Thick Earth Talisman obtained? There’s still no clear method. I guess we won’t be able to go to the second level of the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb either.”

“It doesn’t matter if we can’t go; it might even be a good thing for us. The first level only had Stone Dragon Beasts. The guardian monsters encountered on the second level are likely to be much stronger. If there are that many again, just the two of us would find it hard to explore very deeply. It might be better if the opening of the second level is delayed a bit. That way, we can improve our strength and handle it with ease later.”

The Yellow Turban Warriors disappeared, and players began exiting the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb in large groups. Ye Rong decided to stop his work as a digger.

“I will go back to Miaozhen Temple first and ask the senior sister to help me find Yi Jing to craft a ship. With a high-rank ship, there’s nowhere we can’t go. It will definitely provide a lot of convenience for our future trip to the second level of the Yellow Emperor’s Tomb.”

The Long-Legged Lady was preoccupied with thoughts of having her own ship. She had been thinking about this for a long time, and now that she finally obtained a piece of Bodhi Wood, she couldn’t wait to put it to use immediately.

“Alright, I’ll also take care of some equipment and go back to my Sect to inquire about a few things. If you need anything, send me a Flying Sword Message right away.”

Ye Rong nodded. Carrying two seventh-rank Flying Swords and a temporarily sixth-rank sealed Magic Treasure, staying in such a dangerous place while carrying such valuable items really made him feel a bit nervous.

Their Sword Lights rose together as they flew towards Chang’an City. After saying goodbye, they each returned to their own territories.

…

“Yijian, there are only these few pieces of equipment that meet my requirements. Thinking you can get my Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch with just this seems a bit insufficient.”

Lei Laohu turned the gleaming golden Flying Swords and Magic Treasures over and over in his hands. His pupils nearly turned into gold ingots, and a shrewd glint flashed in his small eyes, hidden amidst folds of fat.

“You’re a skilled player too; you should know the value of storage-type Magic Treasures. Rare items are precious. This type of Magic Treasure is uncommon in the entire game, not to mention one with such practical attributes. It wouldn’t be surprising if it sold for several times the price of other Magic Treasures of the same rank.”

“Humph, this one, this one, and this one. Three fourth-rank items plus a piece of information, in exchange for your Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch.”

Seeing Lei Laohu’s expression, Ye Rong knew the professional merchant’s nature was taking over. Lei Laohu wouldn’t stop unless he managed to squeeze a hefty sum out of him.

If he followed Lei Laohu’s lead, he would definitely end up paying heavily. So he decided to do the opposite.

Strangely enough, in all his transactions with Lei Laohu, there really hadn’t been many times where he got a huge advantage. For a professional merchant, that was almost impossible.

Ye Rong didn’t think he held such high status in Lei Laohu’s eyes. He wasn’t some top-ten Heavenly Ranking super expert or a Core Member of a major Faction whom professional merchants would show some courtesy to.

“Impossible! This Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch could even be exchanged for a sixth-rank Magic Treasure. Thinking you can get it with just a few fourth-rank Magic Treasures? Are you dreaming?”

“Then forget it. I originally intended to share some information about the Appraiser Life Profession with you.”

Ye Rong dropped the Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch, stood up, and started walking out.

“What? Appraiser?”

Lei Laohu slammed the teacup in front of him, knocking it over with a clatter. He was so agitated he stumbled over his words.

The significance of an Appraiser, for a professional merchant, especially one aiming to expand and strengthen, was just as important as the Appraiser profession was for a solo-acting super expert.

With the Appraisal skill, countless conveniences would arise when purchasing equipment. One could even directly open an appraisal shop.

He believed a large portion of players would choose to patronize shops that offered appraisal services. After appraisal, if the equipment attributes didn’t suit them, they could sell it right there on the spot; the two activities were interconnected.

As a professional merchant, Lei Laohu had long been aware of the tremendous business opportunities and profits an Appraiser could bring him. Combining the two could create wealth that would rapidly propel him into the ranks of the top professional players in Far Shore.

“Don’t go, don’t go! Let’s sit down and discuss this properly!”

Lei Laohu hurriedly grabbed Ye Rong’s arm, his expression shifting to that of a kind, benevolent philanthropist, smiling like a genuine Maitreya Buddha.

“So, what about the Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch trade?”

“As long as the information you provide is sufficiently valuable, I agree to your deal! I, Lei Laohu, always conduct business with virtue to convince others!”

The fat on Lei Laohu’s face trembled slightly, a result of his extreme distress causing his facial muscles to twitch.

“Boss Lei, I guarantee that no more than three people in the entire Far Shore know this information about Appraisers. Even if you don’t take it, I’m sure other professional merchants will rush to buy it from me.”

Ye Rong sat back down calmly. Lei Laohu’s expression made it clear to him that this deal was certainly successful.

“Let me think, let me think first… Fine! The Myriad Mother Brocade Pouch is yours! I’ll take this gamble!”

Lei Laohu slammed the table hard, his small eyes narrowing into slits as he looked at Ye Rong earnestly. In his mind, however, he imagined a tiny version of Ye Rong, and he was shouting internally:

Stomp on you, stomp on you, stomp on you, you crafty merchant! Next time I sell you equipment, I’ll definitely charge you ten times the price! I, Lei Laohu, who convinces others with virtue, have been doing business in Far Shore until now, and this is the first time a player has managed to extort me instead! This hurts!

“Players can already take up the Appraiser Life Profession. They just need to obtain the Dao Scrolls that allow them to learn the Appraisal skill. Once learned, they can become Appraisers. However, like other Life Professions, it requires constant use to level up, allowing the appraisal of higher-rank equipment. Moreover, there is a strict limit on the number of pieces of equipment that can be appraised per day.”

Ye Rong finished speaking in one breath. Seeing Lei Laohu’s dumbfounded expression, he added one last sentence.

“What I can tell you is that someone has already become an Appraiser. The Appraisal skills are divided into the Liuchen Divine Illumination Technique and the Tianzhao Bright Illumination Technique. The former can appraise Flying Swords and Magic Treasures, while the latter can appraise clothing and accessory-type equipment. It’s still unknown if other Appraisal skills exist.”