Chapter 94: The Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris
The sea beasts living in the Southern Sea might seem ordinary on the outside, but they’re actually full of valuable resources. Their tail fins, scales, bones, and even tentacles can be used to craft powerful artifacts. Some of these creatures even contain precious demon cores, attracting many cultivators eager to find treasures.
Yu Zhao, possessing a Water Spirit Root, was naturally unsuited for alchemy or crafting artifacts. She even had to borrow an alchemy room from the Green Wood Sect just to forge her life-bound magical weapon. As a result, she wasn’t particularly interested in the shelves filled with sea beast materials, though she did select a few popular alchemy ingredients. After all, asking Mu Ye for help without bringing anything wouldn’t be polite.
The female cultivator from the Mermaid Pavilion, expecting a big sale on the third floor, felt a bit disappointed but kept a bright smile on her face. “Honored Cultivator, if the items on the third floor don’t suit your taste, perhaps you would like to check out the fourth floor? We have rare treasures from the Southern Sea, like Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris, Deep Sea Blue Essence Stone, and South Abyss Pearls.”
“Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris?” Yu Zhao raised an eyebrow, intrigued. She had been feeling that her current incense supplies were running low. “Let’s go to the fourth floor.”
The female cultivator beamed with joy as she led Yu Zhao and Little Red upstairs. If there were one word to describe the fourth floor of the Mermaid Pavilion, it would be “lavish.” The luminous pearls used as decoration on the lower floors served only as accents here, highlighting the various treasures displayed in glass cases. The walls were supported by high-transparency crystal pillars that sparkled in the sunlight. Even the carpet underfoot, made from some sea beast’s fur, felt like walking on clouds—soft and thick.
Little Red was so amazed by the fourth floor that she couldn’t bring herself to blink, afraid she’d miss something. The female cultivator smiled knowingly at their reactions and began introducing the rare items. While Yu Zhao was only interested in the Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris, she listened attentively. After all, broadening one’s horizons was the whole point of these excursions.
Before long, they reached the glass display case holding the Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris. This mystical incense, amber in color, emits a sweet scent when burned, capable of calming the mind and invigorating blood flow. The piece in front of Yu Zhao was a rich golden yellow, about the size of a human head—a rare, high-quality specimen.
“Can I test the scent?” Yu Zhao asked.
The female cultivator’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Of course.” She was thrilled; testing usually indicated a potential sale. She fetched a silver spoon and a silver square. With delicate care, she scraped a small amount of the Dragon Ambergris into the silver square, then placed it over a lit candle.
In just a few moments, the air filled with an exotic aroma.
“Hmm? What’s that smell?”
“Fragrant but not overwhelming, elegant without being cloying. Could it be Dragon Ambergris?”
“Let’s go check it out.”
Drawn by the scent, other customers on the fourth floor gathered around, some recognizing the fragrance, others curious. Despite the small amount used, the scent lingered, filling the air with its distinctive aroma.
Before Yu Zhao could speak, one of the onlookers asked, “How much for this Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris?”
His attending female cultivator responded evenly, “Honored Cultivator, this piece of Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris is from the deep sea of the Southern Sea, extremely rare, priced at five hundred top-grade spirit stones.”
The questioner looked as if he’d been doused with cold water, immediately cooling his enthusiasm. While rare, Thousand-Year Dragon Ambergris had a limited audience, mostly among those who truly appreciated incense. Few would spend such a fortune on a single piece.
Yu Zhao wasn’t a connoisseur, but the Dragon Ambergris was useful for her illusion techniques, so she didn’t hesitate. She instructed the female cultivator to set it aside for purchase upon her departure.
The female cultivator had anticipated this ever since Yu Zhao had asked to test the scent, but she still felt a dizzying rush of joy when the sale was confirmed. The commission from selling an item worth five hundred top-grade spirit stones was enough to ensure a comfortable life.
Other cultivators at the Mermaid Pavilion looked on enviously, regretting that they hadn’t encountered such a generous customer.
The female cultivator was momentarily stunned, then hurriedly apologized to Yu Zhao. Once Yu Zhao reassured her, she quickly set the Dragon Ambergris aside, storing it carefully.
The sale of the Dragon Ambergris shocked Little Red the most. Five hundred top-grade spirit stones was an unimaginable amount to her, yet her senior spent it without a second thought. She felt both admiration and an inexplicable sense of loss. Distracted, she only realized they had toured the entire fourth floor when they returned to the entrance, having missed much of what was said.
Biting her lip, Little Red felt a pang of regret.
Neither Yu Zhao nor the female cultivator noticed Little Red’s distraction. The female cultivator was explaining, “Honored Cultivator, the fifth floor holds only one item, very precious. However, whether you buy it or not, there’s a fee of ten top-grade spirit stones to enter.”
The female cultivator spoke slowly, worried that Yu Zhao might be offended by the Pavilion’s strict conditions.
“What’s on the fifth floor?” Yu Zhao asked, intrigued.
The female cultivator shook her head. “Honored Cultivator, we don’t know.”
A spark of interest lit Yu Zhao’s eyes. The Mermaid Pavilion selling something even their staff didn’t know about? She decided to check it out.
Turning to Little Red, she said, “You’re coming with me.”
Little Red shook her head frantically. “No, Senior. I’ll wait here.”
Just a glance would cost ten top-grade spirit stones—far too expensive for her to even consider. The female cultivator also reminded Yu Zhao that only one person could go up at a time.
Yu Zhao didn’t push the matter. After paying the fee, she ascended the staircase to the fifth floor alone. At the top was a closed door, which opened with a light push, revealing a dim, narrow corridor.
A slight smile tugged at Yu Zhao’s lips as she stepped into the passage.