Chapter 34: Jade Gambling

The Fluctuating Light Holy Land is a place of swirling clouds and shimmering mists. Its massive mountains do not rest upon the earth but float suspended in the heavens. Each peak possesses a majestic air; some are wreathed in demonic clouds, others encircled by colorful vapors, as if they had existed since the dawn of creation, exuding the primordial aura of ancient times.

Deep within the Rising Sun Divine Island, inside a sacred hall, more than a dozen Supreme Elders had gathered. They were the pillars of the Rising Sun Divine Island, usually stationed in their respective territories and rarely seen together. Only when significant events occurred would they convene to deliberate. Their sole purpose for meeting now was to discuss the future treatment of Li Yao.

News of Li Yao defeating two peak Divine Bridge realm cultivators in the Holy City had traveled back. Since those two were not insignificant figures but held a certain reputation within the Fluctuating Light Holy Land, the upper echelons of the Rising Sun Divine Island paid them special attention.

The discussion lasted for a full hour. Ultimately, by unanimous decision, they doubled his monthly stipend from one thousand catties of pure Source to two thousand.

Far away in the Holy City of the Northern Domain, Li Yao remained unaware of these events. His mind was set on testing his mastery of Source techniques. Three months had passed since he first arrived in the Holy City. It had been autumn then, but after a period of seclusion, the world had turned to winter.

Snow danced in the air, blanketing the earth in silver. Yet, the Holy City remained a sanctuary; despite the onset of winter, it was filled with lush greenery. There was no trace of chill, only the warmth of spring breezes and flourishing vegetation, as if the seasons had no influence here.

The Fluctuating Light Stone Workshop was vast, covering at least several hundred miles. Divided into front and back sections, the rear served as living quarters for disciples, while the front functioned as a marketplace. Living in the Holy City is no simple feat; every inch of land is carved up by major powers. To conduct business here, even in a humble hut selling mere Source stones, is enough to build a fortune. That the Fluctuating Light Holy Land occupied such a vast expanse was, in itself, a testament to its formidable strength.

Li Yao had no intention of visiting other stone workshops. He sought only to practice and gauge his skill, so he prepared to randomly select two stones from the Fluctuating Light workshop for his experiment. As one of the largest gambling stone workshops in the Holy City, it was enclosed by high walls and saw a constant stream of visitors.

When Li Yao entered, hundreds were already wandering about, inspecting the stones. The workshop consisted of multiple courtyards filled with stones ranging from tens of thousands of catties to mere ounces. The first courtyard was clearly the lowest tier, with few people lingering. The stones here were ordinary, many seemingly brought in just to fill space.

"The current batch at the Fluctuating Light workshop is lacking; much of it is just filler," one visitor remarked.

"A few months ago, Jiang Yi, one of the thirteen great bandits of the Northern Domain, raided the Fluctuating Light Holy Land’s Source storage area. That was their six-month reserve meant for the workshop. With no new supply and a desire to avoid empty shelves, they’ve had to resort to inferior stock."

Hearing these whispers, Li Yao paused, recalling the event. He had been a witness to that incident and remembered it vividly. "I never expected the Fluctuating Light workshop to be hit so hard," he mused, shaking his head. Given his current strength, the clashes of mighty figures were far beyond his reach, and dwelling on them was pointless.

Ignoring the gossip, he turned his attention to the stones. He wandered through the first courtyard, patting one stone and tapping another with focused intensity. "As expected, these are just fillers. There’s almost nothing of value here. Even the best piece, by the standards of the Source Scripture, only has a slim chance of containing Source."

Still, Li Yao was here to learn, not to profit. He chose the stone with the highest potential and summoned a patrolling disciple. "How are these priced?" he asked.

"Brother, the stones here aren't worth much. Feel free to cut them as you please," the disciple replied, bowing respectfully. The battle from a month prior had spread throughout the workshop; every disciple now knew Li Yao. It is a universal truth, even in the Big Dipper Star Domain, that once you succeed, you are surrounded by friends.

"I’ll follow the rules. How much for this one?" Li Yao refused the favor. There was no need to owe a debt for a stone that cost a fraction of a catty of Source.

Liu Shi, the disciple, looked slightly embarrassed but quickly replied, "The stones in the first courtyard are one catty of Source per thousand catties of stone. This one weighs fourteen hundred catties, so one catty and four ounces of Source will suffice."

Li Yao handed over the exact amount, refusing to play the part of the lavish hero often seen in tales. After payment, he cut the stone himself. To his satisfaction, it yielded nearly ten catties of Source.

Liu Shi’s eyes widened in disbelief, his heart stirred by waves of shock. *Wait, brother, you actually know how to do this?* In his mind, Li Yao was just a novice who had reached the Divine Bridge realm in only half a year; surely all his time had been spent on cultivation. How could he possibly know Source techniques?

*Luck. It must be luck,* Liu Shi thought, unable to accept that someone could possess rapid cultivation, great combat power, and mastery of Source techniques all within half a year.

To verify his suspicions, Liu Shi followed Li Yao to the second courtyard. Li Yao bought two more stones, spending dozens of catties of Source. As the first was cut, Liu Shi held his breath, fearing he would miss a detail. It turned out to be a dud—completely useless stone.

"Phew," Liu Shi exhaled, his heart settling. *I knew it. It was just luck. It’s impossible for someone to balance cultivation, combat, and Source techniques in half a year.*

"Clang!"

"It’s revealed! It’s revealed!"

Exclamations erupted. Liu Shi’s heart sank; once might be luck, but twice was clearly skill.

*In this world, there truly are such people! Things that take others a hundred years to achieve, he accomplishes in half a year.*