Chapter 83: Unbelievable Gains!
Chapter 83: Unbelievable Gains!
The Phoenix Hairpin was born from a ten-thousand-year spirit jade vein. Carved from pure jade essence—just as rare as Spirit Beasts among beasts! It gathered spiritual energies of heaven and earth, neither decaying nor fading. It absorbed the purest essences, its spiritual energy overflowing without weakening. Wearing it granted immunity from illness and harm from heat or cold. For Martial Artists cultivating, it yielded double results! It also held a storage space of three cubic meters.
Jade, whether in his former world or this one, remained a cherished treasure among people.
As for ten-thousand-year spirit jade—need one even say more? Its name alone revealed its incredible value!
The hairpin before him, carved with a phoenix poised mid-flight, turned out to be jade marrow from such a vein!
Jade marrow resembled the human heart. Just as a heart pumps blood, jade marrow generates jade! Bury this marrow deep within mountains, and over countless years, the rocks and soil around it transform into jade mines! Thus, expert miners knew one truth: not every jade vein held jade marrow within it…but where jade marrow existed, a massive jade vein surely lay hidden!
Even a fingernail-sized piece of ordinary jade marrow held immeasurable worth…let alone this ten-thousand-year spirit jade marrow! And someone had carved it into nothing more than a hairpin!
What kind of woman could possibly deserve such a thing?
In that instant, two stunning faces flashed through Qin Li’s mind. One belonged to his mother, Qin Hanyue. The other…was the pale blue visage that had haunted his sleepless nights.
Shiyu… she should be fully recovered by now? The thought suddenly surfaced as firm determination flickered in his eyes.
He shook his head slightly. His gaze shifted to another display case. Inside lay a single ring, pitch-black as starless night. Its ink-dark surface seemed capable of swallowing all light. No trace of spiritual energy pulsed from it. Were it not placed here, anyone would likely overlook it.
Beside the black ring lay a sheet of fine rice paper. Only a single line was written: ‘Storage Ring. Input Spiritual Energy to Activate!’
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Qin Li could no longer hold back. He threw back his head and roared with laughter. What had he stumbled upon? A super treasure trove!
Waves of glee washed over him, yet a nagging question surfaced: Why hadn’t that ancient explorer managed to reach this place? If he’d found it, he’d surely have taken everything!
A trickle of drool escaped the corner of his lips as the thought arose. Putting the Storage Ring on his finger, he began plundering the jewelry shop. Frantically. Hungrily. He almost wished he could dig three feet under the floor.
“This…is mine! This…is also mine!”
Had anyone glimpsed his frenzy, they’d have gaped. Gone was Qin Li’s usual composure. In its place stood a wide-eyed miser beholding a mountain of gold!
And what lay before him wasn’t gold…but treasures far more priceless!
True value beyond measure? This…this was it!
Qin Li combed through every nook of the shop. Including the ring now snugged onto his finger, he recovered only five pieces of jewelry!
Each possessed unique, astonishing powers.
That phoenix hairpin of ten-thousand-year spirit jade deserved its place as the prize find. As for the obsidian Iron Ring circling his finger… when he channeled Spiritual Energy within, he gasped. Its inner space was enormous—ten cubic meters! This wildly surpassed his wildest hopes. He’d expected something backpack-sized at best—just to ditch the bulky travel sack on long journeys. But this! Its capacity stunned him more than words could convey!
Next, a pair of bracelets crafted from identical ten-thousand-year spirit jade. Wearing them repelled insects, warded off hot and cold extremes, and even nourished the body. But their true wonder? They, too, held storage spaces!
Only three cubic meters each, but ample for any lady. Clearly…these were never meant for men!
A necklace forged from celestial metal. When worn, it massively amplified the power of fire-attributed Combat Techniques! More magically, its body shimmered with swirling colors—like Cai Hong itself!
Especially under light—its many hues flowed like liquid. The entire necklace seemed alive!
Women would covet it…but even straight-faced Qin Li felt momentarily mesmerized!
The pendant? Marble-sized jade marrow, again from ten-thousand-year spirit jade! Carved into a miniature storage space of one cubic meter. Tiny…yet just enough for clothing and small necessities!
Just from these pieces, Qin Li understood. The creator was undoubtedly someone of supreme mastery—especially in the rules of space. How else forge storage functions into mere jewelry?
He scrutinized every piece. No maker’s mark. No insignia. Nothing. He chuckled then. For one achieving such craftworldly fame meant less than passing clouds.
Such a spacious shop…yet only five items displayed?
Qin Li reluctantly eyed the counter itself. Though he knew not its timber, centuries hadn’t withered it. Faint perfume still clung to its wood. Its luxury was obvious.
But his ring’s space felt suddenly inadequate. Ten cubic meters—ample space, yes? Yet with only one shop explored…and an entire city beckoning, he knew it would never suffice. He’d need the other four pieces!
Exiting the shop, a peculiar pattern emerged. Walked block after block. Not one other shop! Street after street of empty buildings. No pots stoves stools baskets—nothing of daily life remained. Qin Li suddenly pondered—had these houses ever been lived in?
So why a jewelry shop? And how did this entire city sink beneath a lake? A mystery buried by time. Huangsha City’s rise to prominence spanned but recent millennia. Back in the Era of Antiquity…what cataclysm struck here? Why did priceless treasures rest untouched? Why, wandering this dead city, hadn’t he found a single bone?
Countless riddles swirled inside Qin Li.
After covering several li, a structure rose three stories high. Graceful ancient wood formed its bones. Above its entrance, a plaque declared bold calligraphy:
WU FAMILY LIBRARY
Likely this city’s lord hailed from Clan Wu. Qin Li pushed the door open. Rows of shelves stretched before him. Moderately stocked. Somehow…even after untold ages…the dust itself feared to tread here. Immaculate!
He’d feared brittle pages crumbling to dry rot. But testing the pull of one book… its pages looked like new! Stronger than any paper he’d touched in this life…or his last!
A travelogue. Hand-lettered…indicating it was not only a manuscript—it might well be the world’s only copy. A unique relic!
Contents within…could peel away the mysteries shrouding this city frozen for ten thousand years! Essential revelations!
Dangers? Forgotten instantly. Grabbing a chair by the library entrance Qin Li sat. He smoothed the first page. Began to read with focused care.
Yet far above these silent streets…at the very spot where Qin Li had slipped into this drowned world…fierce fighting had commenced!