Chapter 263 - 111: Emperor’s Qi, Snatched from Under Her Nose, I’m Dirty

The Exotic Stone lay on the Jade Platform before him. Wisps of rosy light burst forth from within, carrying a sacred aura, as if they could illuminate the Stone Embryo inside until it was dazzlingly transparent.

In a daze, one could almost hear the great, resounding voices of ancient people offering sacrifices to the heavens, praying for favorable winds and timely rains.

"Members of the Business Alliance discovered this Exotic Stone beneath a desolate island overseas."

"There, they found a Bronze Ancient City that had been submerged at the bottom of the sea for an unknown number of years. Nearly seventy percent of the people sent to investigate died. They only managed to bring back a few items, and this Exotic Stone was one of them..."

"Some of the Business Alliance’s old scholars personally studied it, consulting numerous ancient texts for verification. They unanimously concluded that this Exotic Stone has likely existed for over tens of thousands of years."

"But what’s inside is hard to say. It’s quite strange; the Business Alliance has used various methods to probe it, only to find it completely empty. It doesn’t seem to contain anything sealed away at all..."

"That is why the Business Alliance decided to put it up for auction this time."

The portly, middle-aged man was the one in charge of this auction house. His name was Jiang Xun.

Like Ying, who was previously tasked with protecting Jiang Lan, he had been granted the surname Jiang and was responsible for many of the Business Alliance’s affairs.

He was in charge of this auction as well.

Seeing that Jiang Lan seemed quite interested in the Exotic Stone, he now respectfully explained its origins to him.

To fetch a high price, the Business Alliance had started building hype for it long ago, portraying the Exotic Stone as something akin to a Divine Embryo Immortal Egg. This had drawn the attention of many Immortal Sect Lineages.

It was for this very reason that many cultivators and other beings had heard the news and come.

This auction was a packed house, an unprecedentedly grand occasion.

"I understand. You may go."

Jiang Lan waved his hand dismissively.

"Yes, Young Master." Jiang Xun respectfully withdrew.

News about the Exotic Stone had spread long ago, drawing attention from all quarters.

But if Jiang Lan was interested in it and wanted to keep it, Jiang Xun would have no choice but to devise an excuse and see if he could somehow smooth things over during the auction.

The Business Alliance, after all, had a business to run.

If they abandoned even the pretense of integrity, future dealings with the major Immortal Sect Lineages would become difficult.

Jiang Lan knew what was on Jiang Xun’s mind, but he didn’t care and couldn’t be bothered to explain.

He had actually been waiting for the Exotic Stone to arrive since yesterday, but due to the length of the journey, it hadn’t yet been delivered to the Imperial Capital.

That was why he had to wait until today.

In the original plot, it was at this very auction that Shang Mingyu, a princess and surviving remnant of the Shang Kingdom, spent a fortune to acquire this Exotic Stone.

Sealed inside this Exotic Stone was a Tao Source, personally refined by a Great Divine Ability User. And within that Tao Source was a sealed wisp of Emperor’s Qi.

Emperor’s Qi was an aura formed in ancient times. When an Emperor offered sacrifices, had the people’s hearts, and the world submitted to his rule, this aura—this grand phenomenon—would coalesce upon receiving the heavens’ recognition.

It not only contained the incredibly profound will of an Emperor but was also a symbol. To obtain the Emperor’s Qi meant one had the heavens’ approval and the people’s loyalty, marking them as the most orthodox Emperor from ancient times to the present.

Shang Mingyu possessed the Hong Kingdom’s supreme treasure, the Ball of Grand Aspiration, which could deduce opportunities and one’s destiny. Thus, she had known about this item’s existence for a long time.

That was why she planned to buy it at the auction. She intended to use it to aid the Sixth Prince, Qi Qingxuan, in his struggle for power, thereby opposing Emperor Xia.

Although Jiang Lan did not cultivate any Emperor Skill and had no desire to rule a nation, that didn’t stop him from intercepting the Emperor’s Qi and claiming it for himself.

He might not have a use for it now, but that didn’t mean he never would.

Furthermore, he could use this Exotic Stone to plot against Shang Mingyu and Qi Qingxuan in advance.

’Extracting the Emperor’s Qi without a sound will be a bit troublesome, but I have to try...’

’Besides, Shang Mingyu only knows it contains a wisp of Emperor’s Qi; she’s never actually seen it herself.’

’If I swap it with a fake, she might not even notice.’

Jiang Lan had already made thorough preparations.

Several Jade Talismans flew out, transforming into streams of light that scattered in all directions, completely concealing the auras within the private room.

Jiang Lan then focused all his attention on the Exotic Stone before him.

The spot between his eyebrows began to glow, illuminating his cheekbones until they seemed transparent. An inexplicable aura surged from that very spot, and a faint, terrifying phantom seemed to materialize behind him.

Then, his Divine Thought spread out like a thin mist, quickly enveloping the entire Exotic Stone.

The next moment, the Spirit Soul Minion in his Sea of Consciousness emerged. It transformed into a wisp of ethereal light, following the cracks on the Exotic Stone’s surface. Guided by the rosy glow emanating from within, it moved toward the stone’s interior.

The stone’s surface was covered in cracks, but they were not deep, extending only about half an inch into its interior.

An inexplicable power emanated from within, acting like an embryonic membrane to block any external auras from seeping in.

This was the Tao Source that sealed the Emperor’s Qi within.

If an ordinary person tried to probe its contents, they would be blocked by the Tao Source. The result would be the same even if they used an Exotic Treasure for the survey.

A faint, ethereal light shone in the eyes of Jiang Lan’s Spirit Soul Minion. A sense of ancient stillness seemed to emanate from its body, spreading out to corrode the inexplicable power.

Through the stone’s skin, one could faintly see the Tao Source wrapped inside.

However, as his Divine Soul continued to corrode the barrier, Jiang Lan quickly discovered another problem.

The Tao Source’s embryonic membrane was thinning, showing signs of weakening. If the corrosion continued, the Tao Source would shatter prematurely.