Chapter 83: Soul-Shaking Bell
At these words, Zhao Zuo immediately put the black thumb ring down.
He didn’t have enough Spirit Stones and couldn’t afford it.
Most importantly, his Golden Finger didn’t react to the thumb ring at all. This likely meant the black ring wasn’t a Spiritual Object, and certainly not a Magical Artifact, placing it outside the scope of his Golden Finger.
Just as Zhao Zuo was about to stand up and leave, he caught sight of a pile of rust-covered junk in the corner of the stall. He couldn’t help but reach out and gently rummage through it. A bronze scale and a copper bowl within the pile elicited no reaction.
However, there was a bronze bell. Although it was completely covered in rust, he could vaguely make out broken and blurred Spirit Pattern Paths on its surface. Zhao Zuo gently touched it with his right hand.
[Level: Upper Grade Magical Artifact · Soul-Shaking Bell] (Damaged)
[EXP: 0/20000]
[Status: Not upgradeable]
The bronze bell exuded a quiet, ancient aura. It was shaped like a large egg, its surface covered in mottled rust. Inside, three gray metal balls were suspended by extremely fine silver threads.
Zhao Zuo gently shook it with his right hand. The small gray balls collided, producing a piercing sound that faintly echoed in the air like a demon’s shriek from Hell. The patterns on the bell’s body flickered with a weak Spiritual Light before immediately dimming again.
"How many Spirit Stones for this?"
"One hundred," the stall owner replied, looking up slightly. His voice was completely flat.
A slight breeze wafted by, and Zhao Zuo caught the faint, decaying stench of a corpse on the stall owner. Though not overpowering, it confirmed his suspicions.
"This Magical Artifact is completely broken. If I take it, I’ll just be spending time melting it down for Artifact Refining materials. I’ll buy it if you can give me a better price." Zhao Zuo casually set the Soul-Shaking Bell down. The item was indeed useful to him, but not urgently so. Besides, to anyone else, it was nothing but junk.
"Eighty Spirit Stones," the stall owner said, his voice hoarse and muffled.
"Deal."
Zhao Zuo took eighty Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag and handed them to the stall owner. He then picked up the Soul-Shaking Bell, stood, and quickly disappeared into the crowd. Lowering his head, he altered his facial features and nonchalantly resumed his treasure hunt.
"Move it, move it!"
Suddenly, a commotion erupted not far away. Zhao Zuo immediately hid within the crowd to observe carefully. He saw three arrogant-looking young men in blue Taoist Robes with silver patterns, shoving their way through the people with considerable force.
Upon seeing their robes, the people who had been pushed aside immediately parted, some even making way with an obvious deference, trying to curry favor. The men were heading directly for the stall where he had just purchased the Soul-Shaking Bell.
Blue robes with silver patterns were the uniform of the Moyun Sect’s Inner Sect Disciples. No wonder everyone instinctively avoided them like the plague. The vendors selling heretical materials and Illusion Dream Pills muttered a few curses under their breath, then quickly packed up and fled.
Clearly, something major was going to happen tonight.
After a moment of thought, Zhao Zuo inconspicuously squeezed out of the crowd and hurried home.
Though confident in his own abilities, he knew he was likely no match for the Moyun Sect’s Inner Sect Disciples. Setting aside their more powerful Cultivation Techniques and Magic Skills, the simple fact that each of them wielded an Upper Grade Magical Artifact was more than he could handle right now.
Besides, his fighting style was a self-taught, unorthodox method. It couldn’t compare to that of Sect Disciples, who received personal instruction from their masters and were even granted life-saving trump cards or Magical Artifacts. Taking all these factors into account, his chances of winning were slim to none.
At his courtyard gate, Zhao Zuo used a Cleaning Talisman to remove any auras he might have picked up. Only then did he push the door open and enter. He went to the Earth Fire Chamber and burned the Taoist Robe he had worn that day to ashes.
For some reason, he had a feeling the Inner Sect Disciples’ visit to the small trading meet was connected to the stall selling goods from a tomb. After all, any Cultivator within a hundred miles powerful enough to be buried with an Upper Grade Magical Artifact would have to be from either the Moyun Sect or one of the few Foundation Establishment families.
「The next day.」
Zhao Zuo was in his courtyard practicing One Slash when he felt a fluctuation of Mana from outside.
Zhao Zuo had to stop his Cultivation to open the gate. He didn’t need to guess to know it was his enthusiastic neighbor, Xue Liang. This time, however, he had actually been waiting for him, hoping to subtly probe for information about what had happened at the trading meet after he’d left the previous night.
The two were quite familiar with each other. As soon as Zhao Zuo opened the gate, Xue Liang walked straight to the stone chair in the courtyard. Seeing his neighbor’s hurried demeanor, Zhao Zuo felt a stir of anticipation.
"Taoist Friend Zhao, did you go to the small trading meet last night?" Xue Liang asked, sitting on the stone chair. He took a wine gourd from his waist and took a heavy swig, the rich aroma of alcohol filling the air.
"I was busy with my Cultivation last night and lost track of the time, so I missed it," Zhao Zuo said, his expression perfectly normal. Aided by his Hundred-Change Mask, his acting skills were on par with an award-winning actor.
"Then you really missed some excitement," Xue Liang said, taking another two gulps of wine, his words thick with the smell of alcohol.
"Excitement?" Zhao Zuo asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Someone robbed the tomb of a Wang Family ancestor and brought the goods to the trading meet to sell. Unfortunately for him, he underestimated the resources of a Foundation Establishment family. There was a trackable item among the burial goods, and he was hunted down and killed on the spot last night."
The Wang Family is one of the Foundation Establishment families affiliated with the Moyun Sect, and they specialize in Alchemy.
"I can’t believe something like that happened last night," Zhao Zuo said, feeling a surge of delayed fear.
"They say... the trackable item was an ink-black thumb ring."
Hearing this, Zhao Zuo instantly recalled the thumb ring with the Invisibility function. A wave of relief washed over him. ’Thank goodness I didn’t have enough Spirit Stones,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, that would have been me.’
"Also," Xue Liang continued, "the guy managed to sell a few of the burial goods before he was caught. The Wang Family has issued a notice asking the buyers to return the items voluntarily. They’re promising a hefty reward."
Logically, the Wang Family’s announcement was strange. They had already recovered most of the burial goods, so there was no reason to be so desperate for the last few pieces—unless those specific items held an even greater secret.
"Oh, right."
Xue Liang’s eyes were glazed over, and he was clearly starting to get drunk, though his face was just very flushed.
"Just a rumor, but they say one of the burial items contains the Wang Family’s most important inheritance."
Zhao Zuo glanced at Xue Liang, who went back to drinking by himself as soon as he finished speaking, as if it were just a casual remark.
"I wonder which lucky person will get their hands on that inheritance."
Zhao Zuo remarked softly, taking two large gulps of cool water. A look of genuine eagerness and envy crossed his face.
"My friend, are you sure you didn’t go to the trading meet last night?"
Suddenly, Xue Liang set down his wine gourd. He asked the question casually, but behind his hazy eyes, a sharp, scrutinizing glint was well hidden.
"I already told you I was at home cultivating. Don’t you believe me?" Zhao Zuo replied, feigning displeasure.
"Haha, of course I believe you... I was just asking."
"Good. As long as you believe me, my friend." Zhao Zuo gave a simple, honest-looking smile, but deep down, his guard against Xue Liang went up even higher.
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