Chapter 219: Stone Gambling
After eating their fill, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue paid the bill and left the restaurant.
However, they didn’t go too far.
They stood across the street and looked at the entrance of the restaurant.
"Azhen, how sure are you about the Ice Palace meeting?"
Yu Nianzhen looked at Jiang Yue and smiled.
When he saw the smile, Jiang Yue also smiled and didn’t continue asking.
’I can’t wait to see what he does.’ He thought.
Without talking, the two waited for half an hour before their targets left the restaurant.
"Two at the origin forging realm and one at the qi transformation realm." Jiang Yue said and sneered.
"What qualifications do they have to insult master Yang?" He muttered, and his eyes narrowed.
"Let’s go."
The two didn’t cross the street to approach their targets.
Instead, they followed from across the street and didn’t leave until the three entered a courtyard.
The next day, a rumour started in the Great Artisan city.
According to the rumour, three Jin family apprentices were robbed and beaten within an inch of their lives.
No one knew who did it; it was also unknown whether the apprentices could recover.
Even if they could recover, they would be bedridden for many months.
"I didn’t expect they were from the Jin family." Jiang Yue said when he heard the rumour.
"It doesn’t matter which family they belong to." Yu Nianzhen said.
"You are right. Since they insulted master Yang, they should pay the corresponding price."
"Let’s keep a low profile for the time being."
Although they used the disguise pill before they found the three people, some families had powerful artefacts that could see through deceptions.
Just in case, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue needed to lay low until they saw the Jin family’s reaction in the following days.
Yu Nianzhen looked at his husband and pulled him into his arms. Since they planned to lay low, he had the perfect way to spend the time.
Five days later, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue finally left their inn room. Both had gotten rid of their travel fatigue, and they looked refreshed.
"Let’s eat and then go shopping." Jiang Yu suggested.
"Good."
They returned to the previous restaurant and sat in the public hall.
As before, they extended their divine senses and eavesdropped on other patrons.
This time, the Jin family incident was added to the previous discussion topics.
’Looks like the Jin family doesn’t have any clues about us.’ Jiang Yue thought and looked at Yu Nianzhen.
Yu Nianzhen nodded, and they no longer bothered to eavesdrop.
They ate their meal, paid their bill, and left the restaurant.
"Where do you want to go?" Yu Nianzhen asked.
"Stone gambling house." Jiang Yue said without hesitation.
Before visiting the shops to buy what they needed, he wanted to go to the stone gambling house.
After all, a treasure in another person’s hands was one less treasure in their hands.
"Alright." Yu Nianzhen agreed and rubbed Jiang Yue’s hair.
He wasn’t surprised to hear Jiang Yue’s decision.
After all, the more they practised, the more resources they needed.
If they had enough resources, their cultivation speed would not slow down. This was not only beneficial to their future, but also gave them more strength to protect themselves.
Yu Nianzhen held Jiang Yue’s hand, and they walked down the streets.
Since they didn’t know the location of the stone gambling house and didn’t want to ask, they walked randomly.
In this way, morning turned to afternoon, but they had yet to find the gambling house.
Eventually, they asked for directions and found the stone gambling hall just beyond their position.
Soon after, the two arrived in front of the gambling hall.
"It’s huge." Jiang Yue said as they looked at the five-storey building.
"Hmm." Yu Nianzhen nodded and narrowed his eyes.
"Let’s go in."
They walked into the gambling hall and were immediately greeted by a beautiful female cultivator.
She was at the ninth level of the meridian awakening realm and was only a step away from breaking through to the origin forging realm.
"Two guests, you are lucky to come today. We have just received new stones, and they haven’t been too selected. If your luck is good, you may walk away with an unbelievable treasure."
"Thank you, fellow Daoist. We will borrow your good words."
"Which floor do the two guests want to go?"
"We are new to the Great Artisan city and don’t know the rules of the stone gambling house. Can the fellow Daoist tell us about the floors?"
"It is my duty." The female cultivator said and looked at the two.
One was wearing a white robe, and the other was wearing a black one.
They both wore silver masks, but she could tell they were handsome.
Most importantly, their clothes and masks were of good quality. This meant they had a good background and did not lack spirit stones.
’They look like rich young masters.’ She thought, and her eyes brightened a little.
If they spent a lot in the gambling hall, her day’s commission would also be a lot.
When she thought of that, her smile widened and she spared no effort.
"Each stone on the first floor costs one hundred spirit stones. Those on the second floor are one thousand, ten thousand on the third floor, one hundred thousand on the fourth floor, and one million on the fifth floor." She informed.
"If you cut a treasure, you can sell it to our gambling house at a good price."
"Do we have to cut the stones here?" Yu Nianzhen asked.
"Our guests can take away the stones on the fifth floor without cutting them. However, stones from the first four floors must be cut in our gambling hall." The female explained.
When they heard that, Jiang Yue and Yu Nianzhen looked at each other.
[How cunning.] Jiang Yue transmitted.
[Yea.]
Those who could afford the stones on the fifth floor were people with a big background.
The gambling hall didn’t dare to bully those cultivators but had no qualms about bullying the rest.
[It’s hard to take a treasure from this place.] Jiang Yue grumbled.
[Let’s look around first. If we find something we need, we will figure it out.]
[Okay.]
"We will look at the stones on the first floor first." Jiang Yue told the attendant.
"Alright, please follow me."
The female cultivator led the way, and they entered a large hall.
The hall was about one thousand square metres, and stones were placed in rows for people to view.
"Please take your time."
"Thank you."
Jiang Yue and Yu Nianzhen walked to the end of a row and began looking at the stones.
[Any reaction from the treasure compass?] Yu Nianzhen asked.
[The sixth stone on your left has a mid-grade fire crystal.] Jiang Yue said and sighed.
Neither he nor Yu Nianzhen had a fire-related origin and couldn’t use the fire crystal for cultivation.
However, Jiang Yue had the primordial Yin-Yang flame. If the flame swallowed the fire crystal, its level would definitely increase.
[Is there a way to take it out without cutting it in the gambling hall?]
Jiang Yue was a little depressed by their current situation.
If the stone was cut in the gambling hall, they would definitely be unable to take it out.
[I have thought of a way, but I don’t know if it will work.]
[What is it?]
[Buy a stone on the fifth floor. At that time, it may be possible to group the stones together and take them out without cutting them.]
Jiang Yue thought about it and felt Yu Nianzhen’s method was feasible.
However, it was also risky.
If things didn’t go as they hoped and they were forced to cut the stones in the gambling hall, things would turn from bad to worse.
At that time, they would miss out on the treasure and their ability to recognise treasures would be revealed.
[Let’s ask the attendant.] Jiang Yue said and immediately called the female cultivator.
"Do the two guests need something?"
"If I want to buy a stone from the first to the fourth floor without cutting it, is there a way?"
The female cultivator looked at the stone directly in front of Jiang Yue, and her eyes narrowed.
She wondered if there was something special about the stone but quickly hid her curiosity.
"There is a way." She said.
"Please tell us." Jiang Yue gave her ten spirit stones and waited for her answer.
"If there is a stone you like but don’t want to cut it, you have to buy it at the price of one million spirit stones."
"Thank you, fellow Daoist."
After that, Jiang Yue and Yu Nianzhen didn’t rush to grab the stone they had identified. Instead, they carefully studied the stones in front of them.
Only after some time did they move to examine a few more stones before taking the one they wanted.
In this way, Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue roamed the first floor of the stone gambling hall before climbing to the second.
