Chapter 536: Beautiful Female Cultivators Are Not Good People

Chapter 536: Chapter 536: Beautiful Female Cultivators Are Not Good People

However, as he reached the more central and crowded area of the Marketplace, a Sword Artifact on an inconspicuous stall instantly seized his Heart and Spirit.

It wasn’t because the stall owner was hawking their wares loudly, but because the Sword Artifact itself was faintly emitting the spiritual fluctuations of the Magical Treasure Level.

It made him stop in his tracks subconsciously.

A thought couldn’t help but flash through his mind.

’Could it be I’m about to find a hidden treasure?’

Although he could easily accomplish the Refining of Magical Treasures as long as he had sufficient materials, Xu Yunfan wouldn’t pass up an opportunity like this.

Although the Sword Artifact’s spiritual aura was obscure and seemed damaged, with an indescribable, dust-covered feel—like a pearl hidden by grime—Xu Yunfan’s keen senses from his fully-formed Grotto Heaven Embryo and the extraordinary Heart and Spirit from his Linn Character Technique detected the remarkable nature of its core.

The sword was about three feet long, its design simple and archaic. The blade, neither gold nor iron, was a dark, somber black, covered in countless minuscule cracks, fine as dust.

The guard and hilt were simple, devoid of any ornamentation. The entire weapon exuded a lonely aura of having weathered the ages in long silence.

’The foundation of a Superior Magical Treasure?’

His interest piqued, Xu Yunfan stepped forward, examining it closely from a pace away.

The sword was damaged and its Spiritual nature seemed flawed, but the faint, lingering fluctuation gave Xu Yunfan a peculiar feeling.

Deep within this fluctuation, there seemed to be an extremely subtle resonance with the wisp of Sword Dao Origin he had comprehended from cultivating the Wansheng Sword Technique.

’With a connection like this, it must be from the Wansheng Sword Sect.’

Although the Three Sects were currently in a tripartite stalemate, their covert conflicts never ceased. It wasn’t surprising to see a Sword Artifact from the Wansheng Sword Sect within the Primordial Sect.

Just as he was Concentrating Spirit to observe the sword, a sweet and charming voice, like the song of an oriole, sounded beside him.

"Junior Brother, are you very interested in this ’Sunken Star’ Ancient Sword?"

Xu Yunfan glanced sideways.

The stall owner was a woman with a graceful figure, dressed in an exceptional Light Purple Flowing Cloud Robe. The cut was perfect, outlining her exquisite curves. A silk sash dotted with several lustrous Treasure Beads cinched her waist, making it appear even more slender—a mere handspan.

Her skin was like fine porcelain, whiter than frost or snow. Her phoenix eyes sparkled with life, and when she looked at him, her gaze seemed to flow like spring water, brimming with coquettish charm.

Her gaze made a fire of desire stir in Xu Yunfan’s heart, but it was instantly suppressed by his Linn Character Technique.

The Female Cultivator had a fine, straight nose and lips that were a natural crimson. She held a perfect smile, one that was neither overly friendly nor distant.

Her full, dark hair was loosely held up by a single jade-inlaid hairpin. A few rebellious strands escaped to frame her ears, adding a touch of lazy, captivating charm.

The woman’s beauty and figure were among the most remarkable Xu Yunfan had ever seen.

More importantly, the charm she exuded seemed entirely natural. Her every move, her every expression, held a sort of soul-stealing power. She was like an invisible vortex, drawing the eyes of nearly every male disciple in the vicinity.

The moment she spoke, Xu Yunfan could clearly sense that within a radius of several dozen feet, the breathing of nearly every male Qi Cultivation Stage disciple hitched. Their breaths quickened, and their Hearts and Spirits were almost entirely captivated by her.

She was like an unseen star, holding the absolute center of attention in the area.

A strange light glinted in Xu Yunfan’s eyes.

’Interesting.’

With his current Cultivation and mental fortitude, further bolstered by the Linn Character Secret, his Mental Power far exceeded that of his peers. It even surpassed those in the Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment, giving him a powerful, innate resistance to such overt Charming Power.

More importantly, he was well aware of one thing.

This was the Primordial Sect—a place the world knew as the Primordial Demon Sect.

In a great Demon Sect like this, where the law of the jungle—"big fish eat small fish"—reigned supreme, there was no such thing as unprompted kindness. Especially not in a bustling Marketplace. There was no such thing as a free lunch.

’And a Female Cultivator whose Cultivation had reached the peak of the Late-Stage Qi Cultivation, who possessed such astonishing beauty and charm, was proactively striking up a "pleasant" conversation with a disciple who, in the eyes of others, was just an unremarkable Mid-Stage of Qi Cultivation nobody?’

’That in itself was a huge red flag.’

’Approaching him like this showed she was utterly confident in her looks.’

"Greetings, Senior Sister."

As his mind raced, Xu Yunfan forced an expression of surprise and awkwardness suitable for his supposed identity. His gaze lingered on the woman’s face for a heartbeat before he bashfully lowered his eyes to the Ancient Sword before him.

"This sword seems quite remarkable, but it also looks very old and damaged. Forgive this Junior Brother’s poor judgment, but what is its origin?"

The woman gave a charming smile, her gaze flowing, and the very air seemed to grow sweeter. "Junior Brother has a good eye. This ’Sunken Star’ Ancient Sword is indeed a Magic Treasure Embryo. It was the personal sword of a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master from the Wansheng Sword Sect. Unfortunately, it was severely damaged during an intense Magical Combat. Its Spiritual nature was crippled, less than a tenth of its power remains, and its Artifact Spirit was destroyed long ago."

"If not for that, how could such a treasure possibly end up in the Marketplace?"

She sighed, her voice tinged with the perfect amount of regret. "I found it by chance myself, in a Cultivator’s abandoned grotto. A pity that in its damaged state, it’s of little use to me."

"I heard that on Divine Sky Peak, the art of Artifact Refining flourishes and there are many skilled masters. I thought I would try my luck here, hoping to find someone with an affinity for the sword, or perhaps trade it for some urgently needed Cultivation resources to help me break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Her explanation sounded perfectly reasonable, and combined with her convincing beauty and demeanor, her story seemed flawless.

Unfortunately for her, she was speaking to Xu Yunfan.

As a master of the Linn Character Secret, his Divine Soul was powerful and his perception was terrifyingly acute.

As the woman spoke, he perceived an aura naturally woven into her overwhelming charm.

’Charm Technique.’

’A promiscuous hussy from Hundred Desires Peak.’

’This woman is bait.’

Though his mind was racing, Xu Yunfan’s expression shifted to one of dawning realization and longing. This was quickly replaced by an embarrassed flush, the look of a man with empty pockets.

"I see. But even a damaged Magic Treasure Embryo isn’t something a minor Qi Cultivation Stage disciple like me could ever hope to afford. The resources required must be astronomical. I’ve bothered you, Senior Sister. I was just looking, to broaden my horizons."

With that, he gave the woman an apologetic bow. He cast one last, lingering look at the Female Cultivator, then turned away with feigned reluctance. Looking back several times, he melted into the flowing river of people and quickly vanished.

The woman remained smiling, her gaze fixed on the spot where Xu Yunfan had disappeared. Her eyes were calm as still water, but deep within them, an almost imperceptible flicker of surprise and scrutiny passed.

’He actually managed to get away.’

’He must be a Foundation Establishment Daoist Master, then.’

’And here I thought it was strange. After all, even other Foundation Establishment Daoist Masters who see me act like we’re old friends, lingering for ages and trying to make me theirs.’

But a moment later, her incredibly infectious smile returned to her face.