"Is this piece of Dazzling Light Crystal suitable, Fellow Daoist?" The cultivator within the white radiance didn't open the jade box but handed the entire box directly to Han Li.
Han Li didn't stand on ceremony. He reached out and took it, immediately lifting the lid.
Inside lay a milky-yellow crystal radiating rings of faint purple luminescence. Even a brief glance at it was enough to send waves of dizziness washing through his mind.
Yet rather than alarm, Han Li felt a spark of delight. A flash of blue light flickered in his pupils, and the dizzying sensation vanished instantly. He then pinched the yellow crystal out with two fingers and held it before his eyes, examining it closely.
The figure in the white radiance watched Han Li gaze steadily at the Dazzling Light Crystal—how the man had merely swayed slightly before seeming perfectly fine—and felt a secret jolt of surprise. Even he himself didn't dare look at the crystal a second time for a while after even a single glance. Yet this unknown cultivator could stare at it so long and remain utterly unaffected. It was truly astonishing!
"Excellent. It is indeed a supreme-grade Dazzling Light Crystal. Fellow Daoist may take this Demon Marrow Drill." Han Li showed a satisfied expression, placed the crystal back in the jade box, and casually tucked it into his storage pouch.
"Heh heh, then this old man won't be polite either." The cultivator in the white radiance carefully pocketed the drill. His gaze then shifted, fixating with open greed on the second Demon Marrow Drill. "No one has traded for the remaining one yet, it seems—no one else has the materials you want. Would Fellow Daoist be willing to sell the second one to this old man at a premium? Or an exchange for other rare materials would work as well. Whichever way you prefer, I will absolutely make you satisfied."
"Who says no one has the materials? I have a piece of Five Elements Jade right here."
"Wait—no one is allowed to compete with this old man for that item. This one is mine!"
The moment the white-radiance cultivator's probing words left his mouth, someone among the surrounding cultivators had already lost patience. A man's voice and a woman's voice rang out almost simultaneously.
The man's voice boomed like a thunderclap from a clear sky, while the woman's was melodious and sweet. Following that, a mass of pitch-black radiance and a burst of dazzling silver light shot from seats on either side, landing one after the other before Han Li.
This scene set the surrounding cultivators buzzing in whispered discussion.
Unlike the Dazzling Light Crystal, which few people knew about, the Five Elements Jade was famous throughout the cultivation world. Everyone knew it was a top-tier material for refining jade-type treasures. It was just that this jade was exceedingly rare—the last time one had appeared in the cultivation world seemed to have been five or six hundred years ago.
Now that someone had produced another, it naturally startled and ignited envy in quite a few people. It seemed that the cultivators present did possess true rarities and treasures; most simply kept them hidden and were unwilling to show them easily.
The figure in the white radiance recognized the man's voice, and his expression changed dramatically. The face shrouded in radiance became grim and uncertain in an instant.
"What's this—Second Ye, you dare break the exchange meeting's rules and try to monopolize the Demon Marrow Drill?" The cultivator in the black radiance paid no attention to the slender silver-robed figure who had arrived a step later. Instead, he fixed his cold gaze on the white radiance and spoke without a shred of courtesy.
Though his features were obscured by the black radiance, his frame was imposingly tall, and his voice was chillingly frigid.
"Brother Kun, you truly worry too much. How could I ever do such a thing? I was merely offering this Fellow Daoist a suggestion. Whether he agrees or not is entirely up to him. Since there are now two Fellow Daoists interested, I naturally won't interfere further." The host of the exchange meeting clearly recognized the demonic cultivator in the black radiance and gave a bitter smile, cupping his fists in a bow before stepping to the side, signaling his concession.
"Hmph—at least you know your place!" The demonic cultivator snorted coldly, clasped his hands behind his back, and spoke with brazen arrogance.
The female cultivator stood gracefully in her silver radiance nearby, appearing somewhat taken aback.
A string of shocked murmurs spread through the surroundings.
"Surname Kun—could it be Kun Wuji, Grand Elder of the Blood Rain Sect? Looking at his build and hearing his voice, it really does seem like him."
"Who besides a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would carry themselves so presumptuously?"
……
Hearing these words, Han Li's expression shifted subtly. This demonic cultivator was actually a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and the Blood Rain Sect was one of the ten renowned sects of the Demonic Path.
"So it is Grand Elder of the Blood Rain Sect. This humble woman has been disrespectful. Does Fellow Daoist also possess the material this other Fellow Daoist needs? If so, I will turn and leave immediately, yielding the item to Fellow Daoist." The female cultivator was silent for a moment, then exhaled softly and spoke.
It seemed she had no intention of giving up on the Demon Marrow Drill despite the other's terrifying cultivation and prominent status.
"Heh heh! Although this Kun does not possess Five Elements Jade or Dazzling Light Crystal, materials comparable to them are plentiful. If you know what's good for you, you'd best obediently step aside." Kun Wuji's face darkened, and his voice turned sinisterly cold, the threat in his words unmistakable.
"That does make things difficult. This Demon Marrow Drill is also something I earnestly desire. How about this—if this Fellow Daoist truly prefers to choose your materials over the Five Elements Jade, then I will not linger and will yield the item to Brother Kun." The female cultivator chuckled lightly.
"Good. This old man is not an unreasonable person. You have my word." To the surprise of everyone present, the demonic cultivator Kun Wuji seemed supremely confident in his own offerings and agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Watching the two before him discuss the allocation of the Demon Marrow Drill between themselves while completely ignoring him, their host, left Han Li quite annoyed. But with the Five Elements Jade now in hand, the last material he needed was about to be secured, and he felt a wave of profound relief wash over him.
Maintaining a calm exterior, he watched the man and the woman in cold silence, not saying a word.