Chapter 140: The Mysterious Stone

For most people, medicinal pills are far more valuable than magic crystals. Although a sixth-level pill and a sixth-level magic crystal may contain the same amount of energy, the energy within a crystal is chaotic; one can only absorb a fraction of it during refinement, while the rest is wasted.

Medicinal pills are different. Their energy is mild and can be fully refined and absorbed into the body. Furthermore, each pill possesses unique properties. Thus, a magic crystal can never compare to a pill of the same grade. This is why everyone was so baffled by Wang Luo’s decision to trade pills for magic crystals.

For Wang Luo, however, magic crystals are far more useful than pills. Trading a single pill for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of crystals is an incredibly profitable deal for him. He doesn't care about subtle effects or medicinal properties; he only cares about the quantity of energy contained within. Whether the energy is volatile or mild is irrelevant. The space within his body—once filled with flowers and plants, but now mostly cleared—can devour anything. It can even rapidly refine and absorb the energy of a ninth-level magic crystal.

"Are other parts of magical beasts that contain vast amounts of energy acceptable as well?"

"Anything rich in energy will do. If you can haul them back, magical beast carcasses are fine! Rare medicinal herbs are also fine! Everything will be valued based on magic crystals. As long as the items are equivalent to one hundred seventh-level magic crystals, you can trade for a Seven-Star Pill. Other pills follow the same exchange rate!"

"Wait, carcasses work? Herbs too? And other pills can be traded this way?"

"Magical beast carcasses are usually massive; bringing them back won't be easy!"

"Medicinal herbs are worth considering; there are quite a few in the Forest of Trials!"

"Rare herbs are always guarded by powerful magical beasts; they won't be easy to obtain!"

...

As Wang Luo finished speaking, his words stirred a wave of discussion. Some people even began heading toward the door. Regardless, these were no longer his concerns; he only needed to wait for people to bring him crystals.

When he met up with Pril and the others, it sparked another commotion. Each of them looked at Wang Luo with surprise, chiding him for being a spendthrift by trading away such precious pills.

Deep down, everyone speculated about Wang Luo’s family background, yet no one suspected him of being an alchemist. Alchemy requires a lifetime of accumulated experience; sixth-level pills cannot be crafted on a whim, let alone the even rarer Seven-Star Pills.

Seeing that no one seemed particularly moved by the Seven-Star Pill, Wang Luo was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected these individuals to have such impressive backgrounds that they remained indifferent to such a treasure.

"Wang Luo!"

As Wang Luo walked with his companions toward the Forest of Trials, he heard a voice calling from behind. Turning around, he saw an unfamiliar youth, roughly seventeen or eighteen years old, approaching him.

"You want to trade for a Seven-Star Pill?"

A flash of recognition crossed Wang Luo’s mind. He remembered this person; at the mission board, this was the individual who had asked if things other than magic crystals could be traded for the Seven-Star Pill.

"Yes, but I would like to speak with you in private."

The youth’s pupils constricted slightly as he glanced at Pril and the others. He hadn't expected Wang Luo to be acquainted with such a group of geniuses. The weakest among them was at least fifth-level, while the strongest had reached the peak of the sixth level—and seemed even more formidable than that.

After a brief hesitation, Wang Luo agreed. He told Pril and the others to head out first, promising to catch up later, and then turned to the youth, waiting for him to speak.

"Follow me."

The youth took the lead. Since he was already here, there was no reason to back down. There was no such thing as murder and robbery within the Tianxuan Academy, so Wang Luo followed without hesitation.

"What is this?"

Sitting on a sofa in the youth's living room, Wang Luo looked down at the dull, grey, fist-sized rock the youth had produced to trade for the Seven-Star Pill. He asked in confusion, unable to detect anything special about it.

"To be honest, I don't know what it is either. However, you are looking for things with immense energy, and this definitely fits your criteria. I estimate that the energy stored within it is at least comparable to a ninth-level magic crystal."

"Oh?"

Seeing the youth’s confidence, Wang Luo replied with a hum. His interest piqued, he channeled his magic power into the stone.

"Wait!"

The youth’s warning came too late. As soon as the words left his mouth, Wang Luo’s magic power seeped into the stone. Suddenly, the tattered, ugly rock erupted with an incomparably blinding, piercing light.

*Thump!*

*Boom!*

The world turned black for a moment as Wang Luo felt a tremendous force surge from the rock. He couldn't control the spray of blood from his mouth, and his lean body was sent flying, slamming hard against the wall.

"Cough, cough!"

Wang Luo stood up, his face pale. He looked at the rock lying in the distance with a mixture of fear and ferocity. He coughed twice, then glared at the apologetic youth, waiting for an explanation.

"I’m sorry, I didn't mean to. Are you alright?"

The youth rushed over to help Wang Luo to the sofa. He was secretly shocked; he had been knocked unconscious and nearly died in the Forest of Trials when he first encountered the stone, yet Wang Luo had only vomited a mouthful of blood.

"When I first touched this stone, the energy inside rebounded, knocking me out cold in the Forest of Trials. I was nearly eaten by magical beasts!"

"I found this stone inside the stomach of a sixth-level Gluttonous Frog. Its gastric juices are incredibly corrosive, yet this stone remained. I thought it was extraordinary, perhaps a treasure, so I kept it."

"Although I killed the frog, I was heavily injured. After I recovered, I tried injecting my magic power into it, and the shock knocked me unconscious in the frog's den. Luckily, the scent of the frog remained, keeping other beasts at bay, or I would have lost my life there."

The youth stopped, looking at Wang Luo. Wang Luo met his gaze, and they fell into silence.

The Gluttonous Frog is a powerful sixth-level water-and-earth dual-attribute beast, notorious for its highly corrosive gastric juices and its insatiable appetite.

Wang Luo didn't believe he could have defeated such a beast with his magic alone. The fact that the youth before him had managed to hunt it down made him realize that his own training in magic and combat techniques still had room for improvement.