Chapter 1330: A Place That Matches One's Identity

Yu Yanluo was naturally confident in this regard and was about to agree when Zu An quickly interjected, “No, we don’t have that many elemental stones with us.”

Having been in the demon race lands for a while, he knew that stone gambling was a very popular pastime among the nobility. Given their status, ordinary gambling would be unseemly. Only stone gambling was considered both elegant and exciting enough, making it widely favored by the young lords and ladies of various noble families.

Shi Rong sneered, “As leaders of your clan, you surely didn’t leave without elemental stones, did you?”

Zu An sighed, “The Snake Clan hasn’t been doing well these past few years, so we’re naturally a bit short on funds. Of course, we didn’t come completely empty-handed; we have over a hundred elemental stones on us.” Elemental stones circulating in this world were usually cut into standard shapes, much like gold and silver coins in his previous life, and counted by the piece. They could also be counted by weight, but this was less convenient and typically only used for large transactions.

“Over a hundred?” The Lion Clan princes were momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. For an ordinary cultivator, over a hundred elemental stones was already a substantial resource, but for a clan leader, it was truly pathetic.

“Our Lion Clan values chivalry, so we wouldn’t want to be accused of bullying women,” Shi Min said after a moment’s thought. “How about this: you take a hundred elemental stones to Azure Garden later and pick a few rocks. If you can cut anything out of them, I, this prince, will compensate you with another piece of equal value.”

Shi Rong and Shi Gong, standing nearby, grew anxious and tugged at his sleeve to warn him. They couldn’t understand why their usually resourceful third brother would do something so foolish, a no-win situation for them.

Shi Min transmitted his thoughts via energy, “Don’t worry. How else can we entice them to participate and then make them bleed heavily if not like this?”

Shi Rong was puzzled, “They only have over a hundred elemental stones on them. What more can they lose even if they bleed?”

Shi Min sneered, “They’re cautious now, which is why they only dare to bring out a hundred elemental stones. But once they get a taste of success, they won’t be able to stop. At that point, they’ll be at our mercy. Even if they don’t have enough elemental stones on them, don’t forget they have the Snake Clan behind them. Some of the Snake Clan’s mineral resources and their snake venom trade are profitable businesses. We’ll find a way to win both of those over then.”

Hearing his explanation, Shi Rong and Shi Gong’s eyes lit up. Their third brother truly was brilliant.

At this moment, Zu An also feigned interest and began discussing with Yu Yanluo, seemingly encouraging her to participate. Yu Yanluo then reluctantly agreed, “Alright, let’s give it a try.”

Yan Xuehen observed all of this silently, knowing full well that Zu An’s actions were deliberate. This man was truly sly; he plotted against others, yet they willingly played into his hands. Even Yu Yanluo was learning his bad habits… Realizing this, she was momentarily startled. Hadn’t she also learned bad habits from him? She used to never lie, but now she could deceive people without batting an eyelid.

Seeing them agree, Shi Min, fearing they might change their minds, quickly said, “Let’s go then. Azure Garden is not far ahead; we’ll be there soon.” Normally, they would have rushed ahead, but now they subtly surrounded Zu An and his companions, walking slowly, as if afraid they would back out at the last moment.

Yun Jianyue transmitted her thoughts to the two, “Do you two really have confidence in this?” Although she was a Grandmaster, the impoverished economic state of the Demonic Sect did not allow her to indulge in luxurious games like stone gambling. Moreover, cultivation was useless in stone gambling because the surface of the unpolished stones seemed to absorb cultivators’ divine sense, preventing them from examining what was inside. However, it was precisely this unpredictability that offered an unparalleled thrill to those who participated in stone gambling.

Zu An smiled without speaking, while Yu Yanluo nodded subtly. After all, she had once managed the Yu family’s elemental stone business and was absolutely confident in her discernment in this area.

Seeing this, Yun Jianyue also showed excitement. “Good! Beat them soundly, preferably until they lose everything but their underwear!” Clearly, the recent events had indeed angered her. Since she couldn’t intervene directly for various reasons, she decided to leave it to Yu Yanluo.

Yu Yanluo’s face flushed slightly, but she replied, “I’ll do my best.”

Soon, the group arrived before Azure Garden. Even through the large gate, a vibrant energy could be felt, and a faint verdant expanse was visible inside, accompanied by the fragrance of flowers and the crisp, melodious chirping of birds. Given the harsh cold of the Northern lands, such lush vegetation was rare. Maintaining this scenery here must have required immense effort and resources, truly a grand undertaking.

However, what was even more striking was the tallest building in the garden, a truly magnificent edifice, glowing with iridescent light from top to bottom.

“Are the tiles and bricks all made of jade?” Zu An asked, surprised.

“What’s so strange about that? A bumpkin who’s never seen the world,” Shi Rong sneered, feeling an inexplicable sense of superiority watching the other party look like a countryman entering the city.

Shi Min, worried his brother might offend them too much and make them retreat early, stepped in to lighten the mood and explain, “This Azure Garden is a leisure estate built by the Fox Merchant Association, the most renowned merchant guild in the demon race, within the royal court. On normal days, it only hosts the royal court members and the most elite figures from various clans. Reservations can be booked up to half a year in advance, and ordinary people, no matter how wealthy, are not qualified to enter.” There was a distinct note of arrogance in his tone, as if implying that Zu An and his companions were only fortunate enough to enter because they were with them.

Zu An didn’t take offense. He was more concerned about something else now: so Azure Garden also belonged to the Fox Merchant Association. He had encountered this association before in Qingqiu Kingdom. He wondered if there was any connection between this association and Tu Shan-yu and her group. He would ask Tu Shan-yu if he had the chance, though he had specifically inquired before and it seemed she hadn’t arrived at the royal court yet. She had said she had something to handle back then; he wondered if she had been delayed.

Soon, the group entered Azure Garden. The guards at the entrance clearly recognized Shi Min and his brothers. A butler-like figure warmly welcomed them inside. As for Zu An and his companions, the butler assumed they were the princes’ friends and naturally didn’t make things difficult for them. Awed by Yu Yanluo’s beauty, he didn’t dare to stare and said, “Princes, please come in. The Second Prince and his party have already arrived. I will lead you there now.”

Hearing this, Zu An and his companions were startled. The arrogant man they had seen earlier on the outskirts of the city, leading a team of formidable black-armored knights, came to mind. It seemed he was the one who arranged this gathering. This Second Prince was privately associating with these noble clan scions; it seemed his ambitions were indeed considerable.

At this point, Shi Min raised a hand to stop him. “No hurry for now. My friends here would like to try some stone gambling first.”

“Oh?” The butler wasn’t surprised, as stone gambling was popular among visitors here. “What level of stone gambling are the guests interested in?”

“What levels are there?” Zu An asked.

The butler was momentarily taken aback. How could someone who frequently visited not know such basic information? However, his excellent professional demeanor prevented him from showing it, and he smiled, pointing to the shimmering pavilion in the distance. “It’s mainly divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. As the names suggest, the higher the floor, the more expensive the unpolished stones inside, and naturally, the higher the probability of cutting out something good. For instance, in the Heaven-tier building, someone once cut out a Heaven-grade elemental stone.”

Zu An frowned, saying with a hint of dissatisfaction, “Heaven-grade is the highest?”

Shi Min and the others beside him almost choked. Did this guy even understand what Heaven-grade meant? With his hundred-odd elemental stones, he probably couldn’t even buy a corner piece of a random stone in the Heaven-tier building, yet he was already expressing disdain. They originally wanted to see Zu An embarrass himself, so they didn’t expose him, instead waiting with eerie smiles to watch the show.

The butler, hearing the extraordinary tone in Zu An’s voice, was somewhat surprised. “Indeed, worthy friends of the Lion Clan princes, your insights are truly exceptional. Actually, besides the Heaven-tier building, there’s also the Immortal-tier building. Years ago, someone cut out an Immortal-grade treasure there. Inside, it’s not just elemental stones, but potentially various precious spiritual herbs, weapons, and similar items. Of course, every unpolished stone in there is astronomically expensive. Are you gentlemen interested in trying it out?” Seeing Zu An’s unusual tone and Yu Yanluo’s stunning beauty, he simply assumed they were exceptionally distinguished guests and had no doubts whatsoever.

Zu An was still somewhat dissatisfied. “Only Immortal-grade? Why isn’t there a Divine-grade?”

The butler wiped cold sweat from his forehead. “Honored guest, you jest. To cut out an Immortal-grade treasure is already extremely rare. As for Divine-grade items, there are only a handful in the entire world, and each belongs to a top expert of this era. How could they possibly be cut from these unpolished stones?” If a divine artifact could truly be cut out, it wouldn't be a joyous occasion for their merchant association; instead, it would invite disaster, potentially leading to their complete annihilation.

“Oh~” Zu An immediately sounded somewhat disappointed.

The butler could only cautiously ask, “Then, honored guest, which floor would you like to try?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Zu An puffed out his chest, acting like a wealthy braggart. “I’m a friend invited by the Lion Clan princes, so naturally, I’ll go to a place befitting their status. We have as many as a hundred elemental stones in hand, so of course, we’re going to the Immortal-tier building!”

The butler looked utterly bewildered. He then instinctively looked towards the Lion Clan princes standing nearby.

Shi Min and the others were so enraged they almost spat blood on the spot.