"Damn, this kid is too extravagant. He just crushed the jade ruyi he bought for nine hundred million?"
"No, wait, what is that..."
As the jade ruyi shattered into pieces, a thumb-sized, crystal-clear piece of jade emitting a warm yellow glow appeared before everyone.
Chen Xiao held the goose-yellow warm jade in his hand and sneered at Xu Banxian, "Old geezer, you were after this, weren't you!"
Xu Banxian's eyes were venomous, and he gritted his teeth, asking, "Kid, how did you find out?"
Before Chen Xiao could reply, someone suddenly exclaimed, "This is Xuanhuang Jade Embryo?!"
"What, Xuanhuang Jade Embryo? You must be mistaken!"
"I'm certainly not mistaken. My grand-master has a magical artifact forged from Xuanhuang Jade Embryo. How could I possibly mistake it?"
In an instant, exclamations erupted one after another.
Elder Huang's eyes widened, and he stared at the warm jade in Chen Xiao's hand in disbelief, then suddenly understood.
"No wonder Mr. Chen bid for this useless jade ruyi. It turns out he discovered the Xuanhuang Jade Embryo inside long ago!"
Only Brother Hua looked bewildered, not understanding why everyone was so shocked.
In his eyes, this piece of jade was indeed beautiful.
However, no matter how good the jade was, it couldn't be worth nine hundred million, right? Chen Xiao was clearly losing money!
As an ordinary person, he naturally didn't know what the Xuanhuang Jade Embryo meant!
At this moment, Xu Banxian suddenly sneered and said coldly, "Kid, you're not wrong. I knew long ago that this jade ruyi contained a piece of Xuanhuang Jade Embryo that could be used to forge a magical artifact, which is why I tried every means to get it!"
In an instant, greed flickered in everyone's eyes.
Those术法大师 (shùfǎ dàshī - masters of mystical arts) no longer felt they were outsiders or mere spectators.
Xu Banxian's words drew everyone into the fray.
It was all because the Xuanhuang Jade Embryo was too precious!
In simple terms, Xuanhuang Jade Embryo could be used to forge magical artifacts.
And the scarcity of magical artifacts was more than a hundred times greater than that of magical tools.
This was because magical artifacts and magical tools were fundamentally different.
Magical tools required spiritual energy to drive and activate formations to achieve specific effects.
However, magical artifacts did not require spiritual energy to activate at all.
After being refined, magical artifacts would become a part of their owner.
They did not require spiritual power to drive; they were connected by thought, wielded as easily as one's own limbs.
Moreover, there was a most fundamental difference between magical artifacts and magical tools: magical tools were inanimate; they could only do what they were designed to do.
Magical artifacts, in a sense, were alive; they could grow and even develop their own sentience.
For example, Chen Xiao's Yin Yang Jade was a sentient magical artifact. However, Chen Xiao could not claim to be its owner; it was more like the Yin Yang Jade chose Chen Xiao and guided him.
But if this piece of Xuanhuang Jade Embryo were used to forge a magical artifact, it would be entirely different; Chen Xiao could have complete control over it.
Therefore, after Chen Xiao discovered the existence of this piece of Xuanhuang Jade Embryo with his divine sense, he was determined to obtain it!
Chen Xiao was not the only one with the same idea.
Besides Chen Xiao, there was Xu Banxian, and now, there were also the other masters of mystical arts.
They all coveted this piece of Xuanhuang Jade Embryo.
Even Elder Huang, if he hadn't known how formidable Chen Xiao was, would likely have been tempted.
"Kid, have you ever heard the saying, 'An innocent man is guilty when he possesses a treasure'?"
Xu Banxian narrowed his eyes and stared at Chen Xiao, "With your abilities, you are not fit to possess this Xuanhuang Jade Embryo. If you know what's good for you, hand it over quickly, lest you invite your own demise!"
"Hand it over to you?"
Chen Xiao smiled playfully, "If I hand it over to you, with your skills, can you protect it?"
As he spoke, Chen Xiao's gaze swept over the other masters of mystical arts who were stirring restlessly.
Although they hadn't spoken yet, their intentions were already clear.
They were like a pack of wolves waiting for an opportunity.
However, unlike a wolf pack.
A wolf pack was a unified whole, but they were all acting individually, each wanting to claim the Xuanhuang Jade Embryo for themselves!
Xu Banxian naturally understood the meaning behind Chen Xiao's words. He chuckled, "Then you don't need to worry about it. As long as you give me the Xuanhuang Jade Embryo, I will have my ways, and you can save your life!"
Chen Xiao smiled, "What if I don't give it to you?"
"Don't give it to me? Kid, on what grounds? Do you think that old man surnamed Huang can protect you?"
Xu Banxian glanced at Elder Huang with disdain.
Elder Huang said nothing. This wicked old man was cunning; he watched Xu Banxian court death without offering a word of warning.
"If you want the embryo, show me some real skill. Just talking is useless!"
Chen Xiao's lips curved upwards, as if he hadn't realized his current predicament.
"Kid, you're forcing my hand!"
Xu Banxian gritted his teeth and said. Before he finished speaking, he suddenly sprang backward, followed by a roar.
"Die!"
Xu Banxian unleashed his mystical art. A whistling malevolent energy condensed into form, circled in the air, and charged towards Chen Xiao like a mighty gale!
This malevolent energy was colorless and formless, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, but its power was not to be underestimated.
Xu Banxian had lived in cemeteries for years, and his spiritual energy was condensed from the Yin energy of the dead, making it extremely insidious. Anyone contaminated by this malevolent energy would immediately have their vital energy balance disrupted.
Thus, in an instant, an extreme sense of coldness enveloped the entire space.
Ordinary people like Brother Hua and He Xinwu were shivering uncontrollably.
"Liuhe Sha! Kill!"
Xu Banxian's hand movements changed, and he quickly formed hand seals.
The Yin malevolent energy transformed into a sharp and formidable qi, sweeping towards Chen Xiao.
Xu Banxian's lips curled into a cold smile. In his eyes, Chen Xiao was already a dead man.
However, what happened next made him freeze, as if he had seen a ghost.
Chen Xiao slightly opened his mouth, and the Yin malevolent qi instantly turned into a small whirlwind, which Chen Xiao swallowed into his mouth.
The entire scene was like a dragon drinking water!
"This, this, this is impossible!"
Xu Banxian was stunned.
And in just a moment, Chen Xiao had completely absorbed the Yin malevolent qi into his body.
He smacked his lips and said with lingering desire, "Anything else? I haven't had enough!"
Xu Banxian's mind buzzed, and only one thought followed.
Run! Run quickly! Run as far as possible!
This kid was not human at all!
Noticing Xu Banxian's intention, Chen Xiao's eyes blazed with fire, and he grinned menacingly.
"Trying to run? Too late!"