Ye Que was now rather interested in the so-called ten miles of ancient tombs in Youzhou as it was able to unearth the Yin-and-Yang Pouch. Furthermore, there were even Qi-gathering Body-tempering Pills inside. This meant that the owner of the ancient tombs could not be an ordinary person. It was highly likely that he was a cultivator with decently high cultivation. That was because there was something else inside the pouch that was impossible for regular cultivators to obtain unless they encountered a great opportunity.
The item was a brocade box engraved in seal script. If Ye Que recalled correctly, the box ought to be called the 13 Mother and Children of Spring and Autumn Swords. There were 13 Spiritual Swords inside, one Maternal Sword and 12 Progeny Swords.
The brocade box engraved with seal script was evolved from the Nine Palaces of Supreme Oneness Divinatory Diagram. Those who didn't know how to decipher diagrams wouldn't be able to open the brocade box. If one tried to use external force to open the box, all of the 13 Mother and Children of Spring and Autumn Swords would self-destruct and be destroyed indiscriminately.
Rumors had it that this brocade box engraved with seal script was the sword box of the 13 Mother and Children of Spring and Autumn Swords.
The obverse side of the sword box was arranged according to the positions of the Eight Divinatory Trigrams and the attributes of the Five Phases of Philosophy. The Sun Figure and Divine Pivot of each Qi section were completely identical to the Nine Palaces. The shape of the sword box was an asymmetrical disk. The disk was overly rounded, with four lines dividing it into equal parts. At the end of the lines was the engraving of nine surnames. The second faced the eighth, the third faced the seventh, and the fourth faced the sixth. Amazingly, it employed a different approach from the Luo Scroll Square but was able to result in an equally satisfactory outcome. Nine steps up and one step down; three steps to the left and seven steps to the right; second targeting the eighth; fourth targeting the sixth; and then conforming to Qian (one of the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing heaven).
The Nine Palaces, Eight Divinatory Trigrams, the center of the circle, and line separation on the brocade box, that also functioned as a sword case, could be twisted left and right. If one wished to open this box, one must certainly be a physiognomy expert.
"13 surnames of the various sages of the Spring and Autumn Period; their rise and fall like that of a dragon transformation," Ye Que said rather emotionally. "In my previous life, you became the companion of my Senior Brother in the Qingqiu Sword Sect. This life, you're fated with me. Then why don't you weather the chaos of the three worlds with me?"
While speaking, Ye Que began moving his hand left and right on the brocade box.
While he wasn't skilled in physiognomy, he was familiar with the unravelment of the 13 Mother and Children of Spring and Autumn Swords. This was, after all, a treasure of the Qingqiu Sword Sect. Even if he didn't interfere this time, it would eventually end up in the Qingqiu Sword Sect and fall into his Senior Brother's hands. His Senior Brother had single-mindedly studied the seals for 30 years before finally unraveling them. More importantly, he had shared the various insights he gained during that period of time with Ye Que.
Soon enough, crisp creaking sounds came from the thing in Ye Que's hands.
If one were to perk up his ears and listen carefully, one could sense countless precise mechanisms moving without leeway for mistakes.
"Sir, what is this item?" Qian Shuxiao had been watching Ye Que looking at the brocade box in his hands with concentration. The latter even ignored the item currently being auctioned on stage. He was a little curious.
"This item is called Spring and Autumn and contains the 13 Mother and Children Swords. It's a genuine treasure but it's not suitable for you." Ye Que gave Qian Shuxiao a brief explanation but his hands never stopped moving. His ten fingers moved so swiftly that they were close to leaving residual shadows.
"That's not what I mean. If you like it, it's yours, Sir." Qian Shuxiao was content with the porcelain bottle containing the Qi-gathering Body-tempering Pills that he was holding. To be able to enter the Pre-celestial Realm in just a month was something that he wouldn't even dare to imagine just moments ago. "There should be a batch of offensive treasures coming up later. Why don't you take a look?"
"Rest assured. This won't take much time." All it took Ye Que to verify the item on the stage was a quick lift of his head. It was a black ancient sword. "Mystical iron coupled with Luetong. It's engraved with a Speed Spell. It's decently fast but the sharpness of the blade is just average. This is a Rank 1 low-grade magic treasure, unworthy of you spending a large sum of money to purchase. If you like it, I'll refine one for you when I have the time."
The magic treasures of the three worlds were divided from Rank 1 to Rank 7. The higher the rank, the stronger its power. Each rank was divided into three levels: high-grade, mid-grade, and low-grade. The magic treasures in the current Cultivation World were mostly between Rank 1 and Rank 3. Magic treasures beyond Rank 3 could be considered as immortal objects. This was akin to cultivation realms. Back when Ye Que ascended to heaven, he was in the Level 4 of Apocalypse Realm. The magic treasures of the Destructive Lightning Calamity were also Level 3 high-grade treasures.
If all 13 of the 13 Mother and Children of Spring and Autumn Swords were together, their rank would lie between Level 2 high-grade or Level 3 low-grade. In the Cultivation World, the swords could be considered as really powerful.
The principal magic treasures of the 10 large sects of the Cultivation World were usually Level 4 and above treasures while those of the small sects were usually Level 3 and above treasures. Thus, it was an incredibly fortunate thing for Ye Que to unexpectedly obtain the Spring and Autumn Swords here.
"If you wish to cultivate, I can impart a Qi-refining Taoist technique to you. After all, it's not the orthodox path to enter the Pre-celestial Realm through pills. If you want to improve in the future, you must focus on cultivating without slacking off." Ye Que glanced at Qian Shuxiao. "It's best not to visit places like brothels unless absolutely necessary. Those places damage your vitality."
"Shuxiao will definitely remember your advice," Qian Shuxiao said earnestly. "Then, what kind of magic treasure do you think suits me?"
He rubbed his hands awkwardly. Even though he knew the magic treasure wasn't worth its price as per Ye Que's words, being at the auction and looking at the glittering treasure made him somewhat unable to control his desire to purchase it.
"Since you've never experienced systematic cultivation, you'll become very passive once your opponent gets close to you in a battle. The best thing to do is use a magic treasure with a long-range attack such as..."
Ye Que was about to name magic treasures when over on the stage, Bai Yu presented an odd-looking bow. "The Languid Bow of the Firebird's Nest originates from the depths of the Mount Shiwan. Legend has it that this bow requires no arrow and its bowstring will automatically produce Spiritual Arrows. However, it's Taoist technique has been lost a long time ago. It's been waiting for a fated person to use it again. It's very worth collecting."
"Why is the Firebird's Nest appear here? Isn't it the magic treasure of that Older Sister from the Emei Sect?" Ye Que asked curiously. He then gestured at Qian Shuxiao. "This bow is not bad. It suits you very much and I have its Taoist technique. Go ahead and bid for it."
Just as Ye Que was wondering how the Firebird's Nest ended up in the hands of the Mortal World Pavilion, Dao Shisi who had been swimming for a very long time in Luo River outside of the dragon ship finally saw the shore.
"Ye Que, Qian Shuxiao, I'll remember you both. The humiliation I suffer today, I'll definitely repay twofold in the future." Dao Shisi scolded under his breath as he raised his aching shoulder. Carrying the Bloody Saber that weighed twenty catty made him swim for two whole hours. Whoever in his shoes wouldn't feel good about it. Only him, who had just entered the Pre-celestial Realm, had the physical body to withstand it. Someone who was a Rank 2 martial artist like Lin Mei'er might just suffer a different kind of fate.
"To think a weak, frivolous Young Master dares to humiliate me this way. Just wait and see!" Dao Shisi yelled while gnashing his teeth.
"Pui!" Dao Shisi spat out a mouthful of river water. He was frowning so hard that his face was nearly as crumpled as the skin of a bitter gourd. "Why is the water of Luo River so tart? Stinks too. Strange. Why didn't I notice this before?"
Looking at the riverside, his vision reached nearly one hundred miles into the distance. "How bloody unlucky. Had I know earlier, I wouldn't have come to this damned flower-viewing drinking banquet."
Perhaps it was because he was too indignant or perhaps it was because he was about to go ashore. He dropped his guard against his surroundings to the point that he didn't realize a shadow swimming under his feet.
It was a very strange shadow. If one were to swim deep into the waters, one would discover that the entire shadow was approximately two meters long. It had the head of a lizard, the body of a fish, and the claws of a wolf. There was a layer of brown carapace on its back. Its tail was both thick and long. Its mouth was gigantic and lined full of ferocious-looking teeth. Green viscous liquid was seeping out of the gaps between its teeth and soon dissolved in the waters. It was likely the reason for the stink that Dao Shisi was complaining about earlier.
Evidently, this strange creature wasn't something a human had ever seen.