Chapter Forty-Six: Blood Soul Wood

Perhaps it was because he had been an assassin in his previous life, but Wang Luo was never fond of the Jin Family’s sword techniques, which were bold and forceful, relying on overwhelming power. He preferred swordplay that was strange and cunning, intricate and ever-changing. Now, he employed a technique called “Shadow Phantom,” paired with the Shadow Phantom Steps—a set of swordplay stored within his spatial ring, renowned for its bizarre moves and highly regarded, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Jin Family’s sword arts.

True to its name, the Shadow Phantom swordplay was elusive and unpredictable, coveted by every assassin. Its accompanying footwork was even more exquisite, making both close combat and assassination unrivaled. It ranked among the top sword techniques on the Sky Profound Continent.

The bone sword Wang Luo wielded was forged in imitation of the slender blades of ancient China. Even he could not say how many magical beast bones had been refined to create its essence. Except for a certain lack of flexibility, it met the requirements for practicing the Shadow Phantom swordplay quite well.

It was the first weapon Wang Luo had ever crafted, and he was deeply fond of it. As he continued to use it, channeling his blood energy into the blade time and again, he found himself developing a peculiar connection to the bone sword.

From his extensive reading on weapon forging, Wang Luo had discovered several shortcomings in his bone sword. He resolved to further refine it whenever the opportunity arose, to make it more perfect, better suited for assassination, and more harmonious with the cultivation of the Shadow Phantom technique.

Baibatu City was the closest metropolis to Nicholas City, though even so, it was still five or six hundred li away. The Sky Profound Continent was home to countless races, numbering in the trillions, yet even that seemed sparse compared to the vastness of the land.

Tonight, Baibatu City was to host a magnificent auction, suddenly organized for one reason alone: its featured item—the Millennia Blood Soul Wood.

Blood Soul Wood not only helped cultivators enter a calm state for training, but also nourished their spiritual power, refining it to greater purity. Its greatest allure lay in the possibility of locating the legendary Soul Spring through it.

The Soul Spring was the essence of Blood Soul Wood, a liquid formed from pure spiritual energy. It was a sacred elixir for cultivating spiritual power; drinking it cleansed and purified the soul. However, it was of little use to those in the Sanctuary Realm—only those below that level benefited.

At the entrance to Baibatu City, a boy carrying a wooden box approached the gates. Those waiting in line all watched him curiously. As his figure disappeared into the city, murmurs rippled through the crowd, unable to contain their intrigue.

“I heard that half a month ago, in Nicholas City, a boy with a wooden box caused a stir at the Mercenary Guild and even wounded the Guild Leader’s daughter!”

“Is that true? Why would the Guild Leader’s daughter be in such a backwater like Nicholas City?”

“Who knows! Word is, that boy has a seventh-level magical beast, a fifth-level one, and another of unknown rank!”

“You’re behind the times! Didn’t you hear—a Sanctuary Realm expert appeared after that!”

“Sanctuary Realm!”

The crowd gasped, the atmosphere suddenly falling silent, before erupting again in astonishment as rumors spread like wildfire.

Wang Luo withdrew his spiritual sense from outside the city gates, glanced at the crowd now eyeing him strangely, and decided it was time for a disguise. He slipped into a clothing shop, and before long, a small figure wrapped head to toe in a black robe emerged.

“Heh, once again, it’s the Ruski Inn!”

The black-robed figure stood before the finest inn in Baibatu City, let out a soft chuckle, and entered. Guided respectfully by a servant, he was led to a VIP suite. After ordering a lavish meal, he dismissed the servant and revealed his true face—it was Wang Luo.

“Good thing my tolerance for heat is strong, or I’d have died in that!” Wang Luo tossed the robe aside, muttered to himself, and sent his three beasts off to play hide-and-seek. He then fell into deep thought; he had come to Baibatu City precisely because of tonight’s auction.

He intended to see whether he could obtain the Millennia Blood Soul Wood. Of course, the so-called “millennia” was just rumor, but reliable sources claimed the wood was at least three thousand years old—an extraordinary rarity with unknown origins.

Wang Luo was thoroughly familiar with Blood Soul Wood, for it was a main ingredient in crafting the Blood Soul Banner. Yet the Soul Spring hidden within the wood was a temptation too great for any cultivator. He had little hope of securing it; even if he did, he might become a marked man, hunted for the treasure he possessed.

Still, Wang Luo decided to try his luck. He owned most of the Jin Family’s assets, so money was no concern. More importantly, he hoped to take advantage of the mysterious expert of unknown rank who had been trailing him—spotted several times by Xiao Bai—and use the threat by proxy.

Inside a shop that purchased magic crystals, an attendant was sprawled across the counter, fast asleep. Suddenly, a hand wrapped in black cloth slapped the counter twice without ceremony. The attendant awoke drowsily, and, spotting the fully cloaked figure, instantly became alert and addressed him with respect.

“Hello, how may I assist you?”

“Call your boss out.”

The black-robed figure spoke in a hoarse, unpleasant voice. The attendant hesitated briefly, then slipped through a small door. Soon, he returned with an old man.

Upon seeing the old man, Wang Luo muttered inwardly: what a coincidence! It was the old man from Nicholas City.

But Wang Luo had no intention of acknowledging him. He simply tossed a black pouch onto the table. The old man said nothing, but poured out the magic crystals. With just a glance, his eyes showed surprise.

“A fifth-level magic crystal, ten fourth-level, and twenty third-level. That comes to twenty-five thousand gold coins. If you don’t have a gold card, we can throw one in for free. What do you think?”

After a moment’s thought, the old man spoke. Seeing the black-robed figure nod, he handed over a gold card. Without another word, the figure left the shop.

“Boss, a third-level magic crystal is worth about one hundred gold coins, fourth-level about one thousand, fifth-level ten thousand. Even with their excellent quality, these are worth no more than twenty-three thousand gold coins. Why give him two thousand extra, and a gold card as well?” After the black-robed figure left, the attendant asked in confusion.

“Remember all those rumors about the mysterious boy lately?” The old man glanced at the attendant, who immediately understood, just as a chilling voice echoed in his ear.

Azure Dragon of the Other World 46—Chapter Forty-Six: Blood Soul Wood, update complete!