186: Chapter 186 The Green Snake Gets Played with?

Sima De brandished his wisdom staff, his body retreating backward.

The five-colored pillar of light above his head shifted direction, shooting toward Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's eyes lit up; without dodging or evading, he lunged straight for Sima De.

He took a stance as if he were prepared to perish together with his opponent.

He tore off the tiancheng cloth.

His pair of heterochromatic black and white pupils glowed with a pink light.

Charm activated!

[Ding, proficiency requirements met]

[Charm Lv4 leveled up to Charm Lv5]

Damn, the Charm skill leveled up so fast again!

Sima De only felt a momentary trance in his mind.

He felt that his current self, being an enemy of Xu Qing, deserved to die ten thousand deaths.

It was only a split second of daze before he regained his senses.

But it was already too late.

The green sword stabbed down fiercely, transforming into ten thousand flashes of sword light.

"Shield Condensation!"

In his haste, Sima De only managed to condense a thin layer of dharma shield.

"Burst!"

The Self-Destruct maniac Xu Qing did not hesitate to detonate the green sword that had just been forged and didn't even have a name yet.

The power of the ten thousand sword lights reached its peak during the Self-Destruct, exploding one after another.

The dharma shield was instantly torn to shreds, and the sword light submerged Sima De.

Xu Qing closed in.

His eyes snapped open.

He used Charm once more.

Even though the heavily injured Sima De was prepared, he was forcibly charmed and fell for it again.

Xu Qing's tail coiled around his neck, hoisting him up until he was unable to move.

His struggles only resulted in the tail tightening further.

"The match is decided."

"I win."

Xu Qing released the Charm; the light in the eyes of the conscious Sima De grew dim.

It seemed he couldn't accept reality for a moment.

"West River Maiden wins! The eleventh place on this session's spirit artifact ranking list is West River Maiden's Spiritual Artifact, the heaven-accepting gourd!"

Referee announced the result.

Xu Qing also released his tail, letting Sima De fall onto the arena stage with a face full of disappointment.

Next up.

No one questioned the rankings of the Xiliang Sword, the green flood dragon ring, or the green tail white hair sword, nor did anyone challenge Xu Qing.

After all, the combat power Xu Qing had just displayed made people give up on trying to snatch a ranking.

What they should worry about was Xu Qing questioning their rankings and looking for trouble with them.

The lengthy magical duels continued.

There were some fluctuations in the rankings, but overall, the positions stayed within those ranges without much significant change.

Until the duels concluded.

The spirit artifact ranking list for this session of the Hundred Treasures Court Assembly was officially finalized.

Xu Qing and the other twenty Artifact Refining Grandmasters also had to sign the pages.

Xu Qing could only painfully sign the four words "West River Maiden."

After all, that was the name on his registration in the human world.

There was no way to change it anymore.

If he wrote Xu Qing, others wouldn't recognize it.

The day after the spirit artifact ranking list was completed.

The Hundred Treasures Court Assembly began its next phase.

Exchange of Artifact Refining experience, while a market would also be held to trade finished Spiritual Artifacts or Materials.

"Let's see if I can trade for some Materials containing Yin Qi."

Xu Qing still held onto this goal.

The hell pagoda, with only five levels, had already become one of his trump cards.

If all eighteen levels were fully condensed to summon a complete Hell Descends, what a sight that would be.

Just thinking about it felt incredibly cool.

Xu Qing followed along to a small pavilion.

Unlike those commoners without invitations who could only set up stalls in the open air to trade.

As a noble Artifact Refining Grandmaster and one of the twenty appraisers.

Naturally, a specialized small pavilion was prepared as his trading venue.

There were also dedicated staff members responsible for helping out for free.

Only in this way could his noble and unique status as a Green Snake be highlighted.

Xu Qing took out a wooden board.

Then he picked up a brush.

"Exchanging for Materials containing thick Yin Qi, quality no lower than yin si stone, terms to be negotiated in person."

"West River God."

Xu Qing handed the wooden board to the staff member.

"Hang it outside."

"Yes."

The staff member obediently hung the wooden board outside the pavilion.

Next, Xu Qing pulled out some Materials he didn't need, displayed them in his pavilion, wrote an exchange list for the staff, and then went out.

It might sound a bit irritating to others.

But Xu Qing was not short on Spirit Stones, so it didn't matter whether his own items were traded or not.

Being able to scavenge some good items was more important.

"What is this?"

Xu Qing picked up a blood-red stone and asked the stall owner in front of him.

"This is the legendary Dragon Blood Stone!"

"Not from a flood dragon, but a stone soaked in the blood of a True Dragon from mythological stories!"

"Buy it now, not for 998, not for 598, but for only 98 Spirit Stones!"

Xu Qing put down the "Dragon Blood Stone" and stopped speaking.

There was some "dragon blood" residue on his hand.

This Dragon Blood Stone even lost its color.

It seemed impossible to scavenge any good items from these stalls.

The Cultivators present weren't all fools.

How could they possibly give him a chance to find a bargain?

"West River Maiden, please stay!"

Xu Qing was about to turn and leave when he was called by an unfamiliar voice.

A male Cultivator strode toward Xu Qing, dressed in blue robes.

"And Your Excellency is?"

Xu Qing, who was face-blind, sniffed the scent; it wasn't familiar, it was his first time smelling it.

It had the salty air of the sea.

"I am Taoist Zhizai of Penglai Island."

"I have long heard of West River Maiden. Seeing you today at the Hundred Treasures Court Assembly, I have come specifically to pay my respects."

Disaster-Stopping bowed in greeting.

"Penglai Island? I've heard much about it!"

Xu Qing also cupped his hands in return.

Xu Qing had indeed heard of Penglai Island several times.

It was considered a hidden land, further east than the East Sea Dragon Court, and was also a top-tier power with a Soul Transformation Cultivator presiding over it.

Among the four great Immortal Plants, the Penglai Death-Reversing Immortal Plant was a specialty of Penglai.

"If the Maiden has time, you may come to Penglai Island for a visit."

"Next time for sure, next time for sure."

Xu Qing nodded repeatedly.

"This time, I am representing Penglai Island at this session's Hundred Treasures Court Assembly."

"I specifically brought many Materials unique to Penglai. Is the Maiden interested?"

"Of course I am."

"Then please follow me, Maiden."

Xu Qing and Disaster-Stopping discussed their insights on Artifact Refining while heading toward Penglai's exchange pavilion.

They entered the pavilion.

An afternoon passed.

Without realizing it, Xu Qing had been talked into buying a whole bunch of Penglai specialties.

"Take care, Maiden!"

Taoist Zhizai stood at the door, waving at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing had walked quite a distance before he snapped out of it.

He seemed to have been sold many inexplicable things.

Like an hourglass that couldn't flow sand, called "Stagnant Time!"

A cup that couldn't hold water, called the "Cup of Broken Rules!"

A lamp that glowed but couldn't illuminate anything, called "The Place Light Can Never Reach!"

"..."

Wait a minute, could it be that I was swindled!

The clever Xu Qing finally came to his senses!

He had been swindled out of his Spirit Stones!

The Spirit Stones he had saved through thriftiness, frugality, and being economical had actually been cheated away!

Unbearable!

He quickly turned around to go back and return the goods!

But at this moment.

Where was the small pavilion? There was only an empty plot of land with nothing on it.

"...He ran away?"

Xu Qing frowned.

A mental influence Divine Ability.

He couldn't possibly be that stupid.

At that time, his mind must have been influenced by a spell from that Disaster-Stopping to buy those things.

It must be so!

Damn it, Xu Qing will remember this grudge!