Chapter 162: The Mysterious Talisman

This second VIP of the trade fair was tremendously bulky and tall. Whether it was a result of his natural physique or some secret cultivation technique, he stood over two meters tall, making him exceptionally conspicuous in the crowd, much like a crane standing among chickens.

Upon arriving in the trading circle, the massive giant reluctantly lowered his head to whisper with the master of ceremonies. He then retrieved a wooden box sealed with restriction barriers from his spatial Dharma artifact and handed it to the host.

When the host heard what was inside the box, he could not help but cast two glances at it. However, his expression was devoid of greed; instead, it was one of extreme dread.

Taking a deep breath, the host announced, "The item offered by this second distinguished guest is the Thunderbolt Fire Bead, capable of inflicting severe injuries on cultivators in the Divine Soul realm. Furthermore, there are three such beads inside this wooden box, enough to preserve your lives three times against late-stage Divine Soul experts, or to instantly annihilate a late-stage Divine Soul cultivator in one go."

Hearing this, everyone stepped back two steps in unison, terrified that the Thunderbolt Fire Beads inside the box might detonate and blow them all to smithereens. Eventually, however, they calmed down. The reputation of the Thunderbolt Fire Beads was simply too resounding; after all, these were one-time disposable magical artifacts crafted by the Thunder Fire Hall, and the vital energy firearms produced by the Thunder Fire Hall possessed formidable destructive power.

Thus, everyone could easily guess that this hulking giant was very likely a member of the Thunder Fire Hall, or at the very least, inextricably linked to it.

The crowd immediately realized the immense value of these Thunderbolt Fire Beads. Escaping the pursuit of a Divine Soul expert was something they usually only dreamed about. Unless one possessed a Divine Soul-tier flight artifact like Chen Mu's Wind-Walking Boots, fleeing from the clutches of an ordinary Divine Soul expert was utterly impossible.

Moreover, a single Thunderbolt Fire Bead could heavily injure a late-stage Divine Soul expert and force them to abandon their pursuit, whereas the Wind-Walking Boots could only help Chen Mu shake off early-stage Divine Soul cultivators; against the late stage, even exhausting all one's strength would achieve nothing.

Although these Thunderbolt Fire Beads could be used at most three times, their success rate in saving one's life was undeniably much higher than that of the Wind-Walking Boots.

Learning of the life-saving utility of the Thunderbolt Fire Beads, the crowd's eyes ignited with fervor, and they anxiously awaited the host to announce the minimum requirements for the trade.

Without dawdling, the host immediately announced that the item desired by the giant was called the "Soul-Returning Long Vine." This Soul-Returning Long Vine was a spiritual material capable of healing soul injuries. If it could be refined into Soul-Returning Pills, the therapeutic effect would be even greater.

There was only one reason why someone would seek the Soul-Returning Long Vine: either the giant himself or someone close to him had suffered soul damage, and he was searching for remedies and herbs to treat it.

What the giant required remained spiritual herbs and materials, and all of them were obscure and rare treasures of heaven and earth, which put the crowd in a difficult position.

Clearly, none of them possessed a Soul-Returning Long Vine to trade with this giant. Unfortunately, the giant would only accept the Soul-Returning Long Vine and refused any other items in exchange.

Such a condition caused everyone to droop their heads in despair. It seemed that everyone was destined to miss out on these three Thunderbolt Fire Beads.

Naturally, Chen Mu did not possess one either. However, he pondered deeply; after all, he desperately wanted these three Thunderbolt Fire Beads. If he could secure such a formidable weapon for killing enemies and preserving life, he would be able to guarantee his survival against late-stage Divine Soul experts three times over.

He deduced that this giant in the black robe must be seeking to treat a soul injury, so Chen Mu decided to take a gamble and trade with him.

Although Chen Mu did not have the Soul-Returning Long Vine, he possessed a similar or even superior spiritual herb—the fifth-grade spiritual herb "Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower," which he had acquired from Daoist Floating Dust.

Although the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower belonged to the same fifth-grade tier as the Soul-Returning Long Vine, it was even rarer and possessed far superior efficacy.

If the giant truly needed to heal someone with a soul injury, the efficacy of the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower would definitely surpass that of the Soul-Returning Long Vine. Therefore, using the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower to trade for the three Thunderbolt Fire Beads was more than sufficient.

Just as a look of disappointment crossed the giant's face and he was about to retract the wooden box containing the three Thunderbolt Fire Beads, Chen Mu stepped into the trading circle, signaling his request to trade.

The host was also taken aback, not expecting anyone to actually produce a Soul-Returning Long Vine for the trade. This caused him to look at Chen Mu with a hint of strangeness.

While the rest of the crowd curiously sized up Chen Mu, a fraction of them looked at him with peculiar expressions. These were the cultivators who had previously browsed Chen Mu's stall of magical artifacts.

Could this unreliable Chen Mu really have a Soul-Returning Long Vine? These people thought to themselves. After all, how could someone lacking common sense—who used Nascent Soul-tier equipment to trade for lower-grade primordial stones—ever play by the rules? Therefore, these individuals assumed that Chen Mu had stepped forward without even figuring out what the massive giant wanted to trade for.

Sure enough, Chen Mu did not have the Soul-Returning Long Vine. When the host inquired, Chen Mu directly stated that he did not, which caused the expressions of both the host and the bulky giant to darken as they glared angrily at Chen Mu.

After all, virtually no one dared to cause trouble at this trade fair. By now, the host and the giant had both labeled Chen Mu as a troublemaker.

However, anticipating this reaction, Chen Mu did not waste words. He immediately lowered his voice using a modified tone to converse with them: "Let me ask this fellow Daoist: are you seeking the Soul-Returning Long Vine because you wish to treat a soul injury? If so, I have a spiritual herb far superior to the Soul-Returning Long Vine. Surely Your Excellency has heard of the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower? It is far rarer and more effective for soul injuries than the Soul-Returning Long Vine, making it more than enough to exchange for the three Thunderbolt Fire Beads."

The host had originally intended to make a public issue of the matter, but upon hearing Chen Mu's words, he hesitated. Indeed, the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower completely outclassed the Soul-Returning Long Vine; it was merely too scarce, leading most people to pin their hopes on the Soul-Returning Long Vine instead.

Upon learning the situation, the host immediately consulted the massive giant. The previously enraged giant instantly transformed into a state of wild joy upon hearing the news, and he readily agreed to exchange with Chen Mu.

And so, Chen Mu communicated with Blood Sky within the Resting Immortal Residence, having him retrieve a Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower. Because this particular spiritual plant had not been cultivated within the radius where he had accelerated the growth of the Golden-Sun Crimson Paulownia Tree, it had not absorbed the life breath emanating from the black bead. Thus, Chen Mu had no fear that the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower would expose his secret.

A dark-hued flower was transferred out from the Resting Immortal Residence and landed in Chen Mu's palm. The process was as ordinary as retrieving an item from a storage ring, with nothing unusual about it, so no one suspected that the Resting Immortal Residence carried by Chen Mu was a grotto-heaven dwelling magical treasure.

Seeing the Soul-Spirit Dream Luo Flower, the bulky giant's joy grew even more pronounced. He immediately snatched the flower, stroking it affectionately as if afraid Chen Mu might take it back.

After confirming that the flower matched the descriptions in ancient texts, the giant handed the wooden box containing the three Thunderbolt Fire Beads to Chen Mu, and then retreated in utter satisfaction to the VIP section.

The host looked at Chen Mu in a new light. He had not expected such a rare item to fall into Chen Mu's hands, and more importantly, Chen Mu was bold yet meticulous, instantly guessing the giant's true needs and prescribing the right medicine by producing an even superior herb.

Meanwhile, the cultivators outside the trading circle were completely baffled. Initially, seeing the host and the giant fly into a rage, they assumed Chen Mu had courted disaster and was incapable of producing the Soul-Returning Long Vine. Yet, in the end, the giant was beaming with joy while the host returned to his aloof expression, defying all logic.

One thing was certain: the item Chen Mu provided had left the giant immensely satisfied, or else the latter would not have been beaming so brightly. Although puzzled, the crowd could not help casting a few extra glances at Chen Mu, realizing that this fellow was far too eccentric and never played by the rules.

Chen Mu contentedly placed the Thunderbolt Fire Beads into his storage ring. Even through a layer of restriction barriers, he could sense a surging wave of energy faintly leaking from them, confirming that these were indeed the major lethal weapons crafted by the Thunder Fire Hall.

Just like that, Chen Mu had acquired yet another means of self-preservation.

The subsequent transactions left many people alternately amazed and sighing with regret. The items displayed were stunning, but they simply could not afford them, leaving everyone wishing they could secure the next item themselves.

Among the many trades, quite a few tempted Chen Mu, but none reached the level of overwhelming appeal, so he chose not to make another move and remained dormant within the crowd.

For some time now, he had sensed an unknown gaze probing him, attempting to pierce his disguise. He knew for certain that pulling out a fifth-grade medicinal herb would inevitably attract prying eyes, but he felt no panic.

After all, let them pry. Would they dare murder and loot right here? Furthermore, the medicinal herb had already been traded away—who knew if he still had more on his person? Besides, he now held three Thunderbolt Fire Beads; whoever dared to make a move against him would taste the might of this firearm first.

Of course, such a tactic was reserved for Divine Soul experts. As for Nascent Soul cultivators, if he could not defeat them, he could simply rely on his Wind-Walking Boots to escape unhindered. Who could stop him?

Thus, the situation was far from desperate, and Chen Mu continued to watch the proceedings with a carefree and composed demeanor.

However, when the next round of traded items was presented, Chen Mu lost his composure. The item, personally brought out by the organizers, was a talisman—an unrated talisman unearthed from an ancient ruin.

At first, Chen Mu thought nothing of it. But Rou'er, residing within the spirit beast bracelet, suddenly lost all coherence and cried out, completely discarding her composure, "Woody! Woody! Hurry! Quick! Grab that talisman... No, trade for it! You must trade for it! Those bunch of idiots have no idea of its value; they are utterly foolish... Wahahaha, I never expected a Five-Elements Seal-Breaking Talisman to be here. Heaven truly aids this baby!"

Chen Mu grew both puzzled and tense. Items deemed valuable by Rou'er were exceedingly rare in this lower realm, which meant this so-called Five-Elements Seal-Breaking Talisman was likely something coveted even by supreme almighty beings.

Yet, this talisman possessed scattered primordial energy and weathered, ancient paper, showing no apparent worth at all. Was it truly worth trading for?