Chapter 34: Chapter 34: One-Yuan Heavy Water Bead

"What are you offering in exchange?" Lu Zhao decided to understand the situation first.

"An Array Disc."

Chen Moyang took a thick, heavy, yellowish-brown stone disc from his Storage Bag, a hint of reluctance on his face.

Lu Zhao looked at the Array Disc. Its surface was covered in natural, Turtle Shell-like cracks, within which an earthy-yellow Spirit Light flowed.

"This is a Tier One Lower-Grade ’Earth Vein Mysterious Turtle Array.’ It uses an Earth Crystal as its Array Hub. When activated, an earthy-yellow Spirit Light covers an area of a hundred feet, making it as solid as a boulder."

"I spent three years of painstaking effort refining this Array, using Yin Earth I gathered from a ravine floor. It is perfectly suited to the Earth Vein here!"

"Since it’s an Array deployed via a disc, even someone who doesn’t understand Arrays can set it up by following the instructions."

"Three years ago, at a Marketplace auction, this Array sold for seventy-five Spirit Stones."

"If you’re interested, Mr. Lu, I’ll value it at seventy Spirit Stones in trade for your Puppet."

Chen Moyang laid out all the details of the Array in one breath.

After listening, Lu Zhao didn’t respond directly. Instead, he asked an unrelated question: "Do you have a Tier One Middle-Grade Defensive Array?"

Hearing this, Chen Moyang faltered, an awkward expression appearing on his face. After a moment of silence, he said:

"My skills are lacking. I can only make Tier One Middle-Grade Trapping Arrays. Besides, the value of a Tier One Middle-Grade Array and the Puppet don’t match."

Hearing Chen Moyang’s words, Lu Zhao began to calculate in his mind whether he should trade for the Array.

He had already been planning to buy a Defensive Array, so he had some understanding of their value. This Array was indeed worth seventy Spirit Stones.

After a few minutes, Lu Zhao nodded. "Alright. But if anything goes wrong with the Array, you’ll have to help me repair it!" It was rare for Lu Zhao to make a joke, which showed he was in a genuinely good mood.

Hearing this, Chen Moyang let out a long sigh of relief. "Of course," he said, and then proactively handed the Array Disc to Lu Zhao.

Seeing this, Lu Zhao also took an Ironwood Guard from his Storage Bag and gave it to Chen Moyang.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and after a few minutes, Chen Moyang made an excuse about having other matters to attend to and left Lu Zhao’s stone house.

In the Quiet Chamber, Lu Zhao placed his hand on the Array Disc. The smooth, slightly cool surface of the Earth Crystal under his fingertips gave him a profound sense of security.

"Activate!"

Seven pillars of earthy-yellow light shot toward the sky, instantly coalescing into a Turtle Shell-shaped shield that covered an area of a hundred feet.

With this Array, a weight that had long been on Lu Zhao’s mind was finally lifted.

’It’s time to head back to the Marketplace,’ Lu Zhao thought with a faint smile.

After traveling for half a day, Lu Zhao returned to the Marketplace. As he walked into the Nine Abyss Pavilion, he saw the Shopkeeper squinting behind the counter.

"The three-month period isn’t up yet. Don’t tell me you’re in some kind of trouble again, Mr. Lu," the Shopkeeper said with a smile.

"Nothing major to report. I just wanted to ask you to keep an eye out for something for me, Shopkeeper."

"I knew you were up to no good, you brat," the Shopkeeper chided with a laugh.

"What is it this time? Why’ve you come looking for this old man?"

Lu Zhao told the Shopkeeper his purpose. "A powerful Water or Ice Attribute Magic."

"You’ve been to the Library Pavilion in the Guest Minister Pavilion, I assume?"

"Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come looking for you, Shopkeeper."

Lu Zhao had actually arrived at the Marketplace two days prior. He first spent a full day searching the Library Pavilion but, as expected, found no suitable Magic.

He had also visited the Black Market, but the Magic there was even worse than what the Library Pavilion had to offer.

"Give this old man a day. I’ll ask around and see if anyone has that kind of Magic."

"As for the Magical Artifact you’re looking for, go to the Hundred Refinement Pavilion. When it comes to artifacts, their selection is more comprehensive than mine."

The Shopkeeper waved his hand, telling Lu Zhao to come back and see him tomorrow.

’I didn’t expect the two shops to have such a good relationship,’ Lu Zhao mused as he walked toward the Hundred Refinement Pavilion.

Although both were Zhou Family businesses, many shops in the Marketplace were competitors and would never refer customers to one another.

When he arrived at the Hundred Refinement Pavilion, he found Shopkeeper Liuu looking just as he had before. With greasy fingers, he habitually toyed with his sparse, whisker-like mustache, his small eyes still glinting sharply and the tip of his nose red.

At that moment, however, he was in the middle of scolding a young woman in green robes.

She was a girl of about sixteen or seventeen, with her dark hair loosely tied back. Her skin was fair, and her eyes shone with a clever, spiritual light.

Her Cultivation was only at the Qi Cultivation First Layer. As she was being scolded, she kept her head down, not daring to say a word.

Seeing Lu Zhao arrive, he took a few steps forward to personally welcome him inside.

Then, seeing the girl rooted to the spot, he snapped irritably, "What are you just standing there for? Hurry up and serve the tea."

After leading Lu Zhao into a Quiet Chamber and serving the Spirit Tea, the girl retreated as if taking flight.

Lu Zhao found this a bit amusing. In all his years here, he had rarely seen someone like her.

"My apologies for that display, Mr. Lu," Shopkeeper Liuu said with a sigh.

"She’s the daughter of an old friend. She’s just been too sheltered. If I’m not strict with her, I’m afraid she won’t survive in the Cultivation Realm."

"It’s no bother."

Lu Zhao took a sip of the Spirit Tea. After a few sentences of simple small talk, Shopkeeper Liuu reverted to his proper shopkeeper persona.

He rubbed his hands together. "Mr. Lu, have you come to my humble shop to sell or to buy?"

"I need a Tier One Middle-Grade Water Attribute Heavy Magical Artifact. Does your esteemed pavilion have one?"

"A Tier One Middle-Grade Water Attribute Heavy Magical Artifact..." Shopkeeper Liuu frowned slightly.

"Does your pavilion not carry such Magical Artifacts either?" Lu Zhao asked.

"It’s not that we don’t, it’s just that this type of Magical Artifact is indeed rare."

"However, our pavilion happens to have one in our collection. It’s just that the price..."

"Shopkeeper, please feel free to say what’s on your mind."

"You’re a straightforward man, Mr. Lu. Please wait here for a moment."

Before long, he returned, personally carrying a jade box.

Lu Zhao looked over and saw the jade box glowing with a blue light, as if a great Treasure was hidden inside.

Seeing Lu Zhao’s gaze, Shopkeeper Liuu said no more and opened the box.

Inside lay a Mysterious Blue Bead. Lu Zhao focused his gaze on it. A fist-sized bead rested within, and it seemed to carry the weight of an abyssal ocean.

"The One-Element Heavy Water Bead. Surely you’ve heard of it, Mr. Lu."

When Lu Zhao heard the name, his heart stirred.

He stared intently at Shopkeeper Liuu, his expression clearly waiting for an explanation.

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Liuu, fearing a misunderstanding, quickly said, "Don’t misunderstand, Mr. Lu. This item is indeed a One-Element Heavy Water Bead."

"It’s just that this particular Magical Artifact is quite special. Its grade depends entirely on the amount of One-Element Heavy Water it contains."

"When this bead was refined, only two drops of One-Element Heavy Water were integrated into it, which is why it’s only a Tier One Middle-Grade Magical Artifact."

"The world-destroying One-Element Heavy Water Beads you’ve read about in Ancient Texts are all Tier Two or higher."

"This item’s effects are similar to what’s described in the Ancient Texts, but its power is much, much weaker."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao finally understood. Seeing his expression, the Shopkeeper decided to strike while the iron was hot:

"I was originally planning to put this item in the annual Nine Abyss Pavilion auction, but since you’re a regular customer, Mr. Lu, I endured the pain of taking it out for you."

"One hundred and thirty Spirit Stones. That’s the final price."

As Shopkeeper Liuu said this, he wore a pained expression, as if it physically hurt him.

After a moment of silence, Lu Zhao spoke: "What’s the bead’s lock-on range? Can it break through the physical defenses of a Tier One High-Grade demon beast known for its durability?"

"Within thirty feet, anything locked onto by this bead cannot evade it. If a Tier One High-Grade demon beast is hit by it, even if it doesn’t die, it will be severely injured."

"And what are its drawbacks?" Lu Zhao asked.

The Shopkeeper hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully.

"It consumes a great deal of Magical Power, it’s slow to control, and it can only be used against slow, cumbersome targets..."

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