Chapter 1343: Self-Confidence

Yu Yanluo paid him no mind, directly signaling the Biyuan Estate steward to cut the stone.

The Biyuan Estate steward had just witnessed the unusual phenomenon exhibited by the unpolished stone she had chosen, suggesting that its contents were likely extraordinary. His heart was trembling; the Biyuan Estate was suffering immense losses today, as Heaven-tier treasures had been revealed one after another. However, he quickly composed himself, deciding to view it as publicity. If the events of the day were heavily promoted afterward, it would attract even more people, turning it into a net positive for the Biyuan Estate.

Curious about what this unpolished stone might yield, he began cutting it with utmost concentration. He wasn't the only one; the others were equally curious. They all crowded around, holding their breath, their eyes fixed on the stone.

This stone was considerably smaller, allowing for a quicker cut compared to Shi Min's earlier stone. As a cut was made, a wave of intense heat emanated, making everyone feel, for a moment, as if they were standing in a scorching desert.

"Could it be fire-attributed?" the crowd wondered, startled, as they quickly craned their necks to see.

The unpolished stone was completely cut open, revealing only a handful of sand within. Nothing else remained.

Shi Min secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Shi Rong, however, burst out laughing. "All that fanfare," he scoffed, "just to cut out a pile of sand! I'm dying of laughter."

Princess Sorun looked at Yu Yanluo with concern. As a top noble of the Demon Clan, she had also participated in stone gambling and knew that many stones could exhibit various anomalies on the outside yet yield nothing within. This could be due to misleading elements inside, or because the stone was opened too early, before the internal treasure had fully formed. This uncertainty was precisely the thrill and appeal of stone gambling.

Yun Jianyue continuously poked Yan Xuehen. "It's over, it's all over!" she whispered. "They only cut out a pile of worthless sand. Yu Yanluo is probably going to lose terribly. Can she really afford that many Heaven-tier origin stones now? Your White Jade Capital is a prominent and wealthy family; why don't you lend her some support?"

Uncomfortable from the poking, Yan Xuehen shifted unnaturally. "Why don't *you* offer support?" she retorted.

"Well, our Holy Sect is poor, isn't it?" Yun Jianyue replied, adopting a 'my poverty justifies everything' demeanor.

Yan Xuehen snorted. "Just wait," she said. "Yu Yanluo might not lose after all."

"Oh?" Yun Jianyue mused, looking curiously at the handful of yellow sand. Could there be something special about this sand?

At that moment, Shi Min approached. Far more reserved than his younger brother, he smiled as he addressed Yu Yanluo. "Queen Medusa," he began, "it appears the victor has been determined, wouldn't you agree?"

"Not necessarily," Yu Yanluo replied calmly.

"Oh, don't tell me you're claiming this sand is more precious than my Heaven-tier Corpse Bone True Bamboo?" Shi Min retorted coldly. "As the leader of a clan, wouldn't such an unreasonable argument be beneath your dignity?"

At this point, Shang Liuyu interjected, "This is no ordinary sand. It is Strange Wood Demonic Sand, the highest-grade raw material for runic pigments. Moreover, it is essential for constructing certain forbidden grand arrays."

"What?" everyone exclaimed, looking at the sand again. Only then did they notice that each grain was unlike ordinary sand, faintly emitting a dark blue glow, much like the shimmering light of runic arrays. This luminescence, however, was so subtle that it was easily overlooked without close inspection.

Duke Shi snorted. "The Princess is quite close with Queen Medusa," he remarked. "She wouldn't be intentionally speaking on her behalf, fabricating something to deceive us, would she?"

The Little Golden Peng King smiled slightly. "Hardly," he replied. "The Princess is too free-spirited to fabricate a story merely for personal friendship."

The Second Prince also nodded. "Precisely," he said. "I have complete faith in the Princess's character. I've also heard of Strange Wood Demonic Sand, though I don't understand runes and haven't seen it firsthand."

Chi Gu curled his lip, cursing inwardly. These two were flattering his aunt in every possible way. Did they truly intend to become his uncle and lord it over him?

Zu An felt a similar admiration. Shang Liuyu possessed a transcendent and uninhibited aura; truly, her charm was boundless, no matter where she went.

At this point, the Biyuan Estate steward confirmed, "I have indeed seen this before. It is truly Strange Wood Demonic Sand, a Heaven-tier material."

Upon hearing this, Duke Shi's expression changed. "Don't you dare speak carelessly!" he snapped.

The Biyuan Estate steward calmly replied, "Considering the Biyuan Estate's reputation of so many years, why would I speak irresponsibly? I have handled countless treasures over the years, and I once encountered Strange Wood Demonic Sand by chance, which is how I came to recognize it."

Zu An seized the opportunity to speak. "It seems we've won," he declared. "Your Corpse Bone True Bamboo can only be fashioned into Heaven-tier soul-summoning banners, and it's primarily useful for those who practice sinister necromantic arts. Its application is clearly quite limited. The Strange Wood Demonic Sand, revealed by our clan leader, can not only be used to craft forbidden arrays but is also universally applicable. It's naturally the superior item."

The Biyuan Estate steward discreetly nodded in agreement. Indeed, the Strange Wood Demonic Sand was slightly more valuable.

"Nonsense!" Duke Shi immediately retorted. "They are both Heaven-tier treasures. By what right is your worthless sand deemed superior?"

The Second Prince nodded. "There's some merit to that argument," he conceded. "Perhaps we should consult the Biyuan Estate on this. They've handled many treasures. If these two items were put up for auction, which one would command a higher price?"

The Biyuan Estate steward's heart subtly stirred, and he replied respectfully, "Your Royal Highness, it would depend on the bidders at the auction. If necromantic cultivators are present, the Corpse Bone True Bamboo could fetch an astronomical price. Conversely, if more runemasters attend, the Strange Wood Demonic Sand would command a higher value." Working in an establishment like the Biyuan Estate, he was naturally astute and immediately recognized the Second Prince's subtle partiality. He was certainly not so foolish as to declare the Strange Wood Demonic Sand unequivocally more valuable, but he also wouldn't go against his conscience to claim the Corpse Bone True Bamboo was superior. This allowed him to avoid offending either party. In any case, the intrinsic value of the two treasures was not significantly different, so his statement was, effectively, the truth.

The Second Prince smiled, satisfied. "In that case," he announced, "this round will be declared a draw, and we shall have another round to determine the victor. What say you all?"

The Little Golden Peng King nodded slightly. "It's an excellent opportunity to further admire the skill of two stone gambling masters," he said. "I would be most pleased."

Shang Liuyu subtly furrowed her brow, but as she was representing the Sea Clan, she found it difficult to object. With the two highest-ranking individuals having spoken, the others naturally had no objections and readily assented.

Zu An's brow furrowed deeply. The Second Prince was clearly showing favoritism towards the Lion Clan. Had the Serpent Clan truly offended him? It didn't make sense. Surely this fellow wasn't genuinely seeking revenge for the Crown Prince?

"Your Royal Highness is most sagacious," Shi Min said, bowing respectfully. "I shall then proceed to search for the next stone." He immediately resumed his search in the garden. Having learned his lesson from the previous round, he dared not be careless in the slightest. This time, he focused all his attention, determined to find a world-astonishing treasure that would definitively crush his opponent.

Yu Yanluo felt a flicker of annoyance, but since the matter was decided, she had no recourse. She could only begin scrutinizing the stones herself, lest Shi Min select another suitable unpolished stone before her. She discreetly sent a spiritual energy transmission to Zu An and the others. "My skill in discerning stones is comparable to Shi Min's," she explained. "Even if I have a slight edge, there's no qualitative difference. Moreover, the inherent uncertainty of stone gambling will easily negate any small advantage I might possess." A deep worry laced her tone.

Yun Jianyue added, "Furthermore, this blasted Second Prince seems to favor the Lion Clan. If what we uncover this time is similar in value, I fear they'll declare it another draw and initiate a new round, continuing until Shi Min clearly surpasses us."

"There's another issue," Yan Xuehen added, a frown creasing her brow. "If we keep going like this, we won't have enough Heaven-tier origin stones to purchase new stones."

As they exchanged concerns, the three women's faces grew long with worry.

At this point, Zu An's expression grew peculiar. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm here."

"You?" everyone echoed, turning to look at him.

All those present were masters, naturally attuned to every move made by the two contestants. When they noticed Yu Yanluo gazing not at the stone, but at Zu An, their hearts stirred with curiosity. This individual, they mused, seemed to hold an unusual significance in Queen Medusa's estimation. They resolved to have their subordinates investigate 'Yan Zu' upon their return.

Zu An cleared his throat. "Trust me," he instructed, "later, choose that large stone by the pavilion!"