The Ethereal Domains

Mutation Of The Sphere's Space . . .

Guan Wan-Shan and the salesroom's accountant exchanged knowing glances, their thoughts echoing in disdain: "Look at that grin stretching from ear to ear, and he says it's improper, that he can't accept? Is there anything this guy wouldn't accept with that kind of smile plastered on his face?"

Outwardly, Guan Wan-Shan maintained an enthusiastic demeanor. "No, no, no. We're absolutely delighted that you appreciate the gesture," he responded fervently.

"Of course, I appreciate them. You could offer small gifts like these ten times a day, and I'd never grow tired of receiving them," Cha-Eun Xiao mused privately. However, his outward expression maintained the delicate balance between courtesy and politeness. He rubbed his hands together and replied with a practiced smile, "You truly shouldn't have, but it would be impolite to refuse such a generous offer. You truly are too kind, Master Guan. You and I, we're friends now."

As he spoke, Cha-Eun Xiao even went so far as to tap Guan Wan-Shan's shoulder warmly, his eyes brimming with camaraderie.

Guan Wan-Shan's facial muscles twitched involuntarily. "I knew it. I understand you," he thought. "If I didn't give in and offer this money to you, you'd never befriend me..."

With a polite farewell, Cha-Eun Xiao exited the salesroom, laden with bags brimming with his newfound treasures. He passed by the staff with an air of satisfaction, making his way through the back door and onto a private sedan-chair owned by the salesroom. With a wealth of fruitful results in tow, he journeyed back to his residence.

Indeed, the description "fruitful results" seemed apt. Cha-Eun Xiao had acquired approximately seven rare medical materials, one precious piece of Cosmic Hades, and a sack of Sky Crystal Sand—truly a bountiful harvest.

However, the notes of silver and gold had become somewhat of a burden. The spatial sphere's capacity was limited, and beyond a certain threshold, even thin notes could be stifling. In light of this, Cha-Eun Xiao decided to take only 500 notes, each worth the maximum denomination of 5 thousand silver bars, with him. The rest of the money would remain temporarily stored in the salesroom.

Guan Wan-Shan readily agreed to Cha-Eun Xiao's request, elated by the prospect of retaining such a significant sum in the salesroom's care. He couldn't help but think, "Now that you've left this much money with us, how could you possibly sever ties with our establishment?"

As the sedan-chair journeyed on, the two carriers soon noticed something amiss. The sedan-chair was unnaturally light, bearing none of the weight of its previous occupant. Perplexed, they brought the chair to a halt and peered inside, only to find that the man who had been sitting there just moments before had vanished into thin air. The two carriers exchanged incredulous glances, briefly entertaining the notion that they had encountered a specter.

Meanwhile, Cha-Eun Xiao walked the streets with the air of a man whose pockets were filled with gold. His elation was twofold—first, he had earned a considerable fortune in this second life, and second, the absorption of four out of seven medical materials into his spatial sphere had come as a delightful surprise.

As for the remaining three medical materials, Cha-Eun Xiao effortlessly absorbed and incorporated them into his inventory, discarding them like withered turnips. He was highly skilled in this process, with an almost innate proficiency.

However, what truly astonished him was that the Sky Crystal Sand had also been fully assimilated by the spatial sphere. Though its current utility remained a mystery, the spatial sphere's acceptance of it indicated its inherent value.

Another remarkable development awaited Cha-Eun Xiao with the Cosmic Hades, an item that had changed hands multiple times through numerous auctions, only to find its rightful possessor at last—Cha-Eun Xiao's spatial sphere. Like the Pure Heavenly Crystal, it was absorbed into the spatial sphere with a sense of purpose.

In terms of potency, the Cosmic Hades even surpassed the Pure Heavenly Crystal by a considerable margin, unleashing a frigid qi upon entering the sphere. Concurrently, the Pure Heavenly Crystal continued to emanate its scorching qi.

These two opposing energies blended within the spatial sphere. However, the Pure Heavenly Crystal's energy was undeniably weaker and required assistance from the other absorbed medicinal materials to withstand the frigid qi. As a result, the spatial temperature began to decline gradually.

Aside from the transformative energies, the entire spatial sphere seemed to fall into a tranquil state.

The medicinal materials' energies flowed beneath the sphere, with most of it being absorbed by the sphere itself. On the jade plate positioned at the tunnel's end, several new dan beads emerged.

Upon closer inspection, Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't contain his joy.

These newly formed dan beads were of top-tier quality, boasting the coveted dan clouds. Among the ten supreme dan beads, eight were Pei-Yuan Dan beads, while the remaining two were purple dan beads, radiating a glossy metallic sheen.

Bone Ablutionary Dan!

A step above the Pei-Yuan Dan, this dan was specifically designed to purify the body's muscles and bones, expelling impurities. For aspiring cultivators, it promised a brighter future. This wasn't merely a figure of speech; ten Bone Ablutionary Dan beads could significantly enhance a cultivator's Jing and Mai quality. Regardless of the martial arts they pursued afterward, they would achieve twice the results with half the effort. Such a dan was the dream of many budding cultivators, particularly those yet to establish their foundation.

In the Qing-Yun Realm, Bone Ablutionary Dan was relatively common. However, within the Land of Han-Yang, a realm of lower cultivation, it held immense value. Even the major sects possessed few of these precious dan beads. Typically, only the most outstanding disciples would be fortunate enough to use them, while ordinary disciples would never have access.

Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but marvel at the spatial sphere's newfound ability to produce Bone Ablutionary Dan. It represented a significant upgrade in quality.

Yet, his attention soon shifted to the enigmatic egg.

Its energy absorption process continued to baffle him. Frowning in contemplation, Cha-Eun Xiao scrutinized the egg and detected something new. Mysterious veins had seemingly appeared on its surface, and its size appeared to have increased. However, he remained skeptical, wondering if it was merely an illusion.

Nevertheless, there was one undeniable change—the egg's color had grown noticeably brighter.

Examining the egg closely, Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but mutter in frustration, "Wretched egg, when will you hatch? How many more cultivation resources must you absorb…"

Cha-Eun Xiao shifted his attention to the bustling planting area, and the weight that had settled in his chest began to dissipate. In the midst of the plantation, the Heaven's Cyan plant stood tall and robust. It had thickened to the size of a bowl and reached an impressive height of 16 meters, with a crown spanning almost 10 meters in width.

Each of its verdant leaves gleamed like radiant emeralds, exuding an astonishing delicacy. It was no longer merely a Heaven's Cyan; it had blossomed into the early stages of a Tea Cultivation Tree. Naturally, Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but wear a jubilant grin.

The four newly acquired medicinal materials had taken root in the north, south, east, and west corners of the plantation area. Cha-Eun Xiao could sense their heightened vitality within the spatial sphere. He quickly calculated the timeline and was astounded by the result.

When he had first obtained the Heaven's Cyan, it was already over nine thousand years old and still required hundreds of years to progress into a Tea Cultivation Tree. But how long had it been since the plant entered the spatial sphere? A mere five or six days!

It had not only matured into a Tea Cultivation Tree but had also bypassed the infant stage, entering the early stage of growth. The speed of growth inside the spatial sphere far surpassed the rate outside, though an exact comparison would require scientific study.

While reveling in the remarkable growth of the medicinal materials, Cha-Eun Xiao suddenly felt the spatial sphere tremble, causing a disconcerting sensation that suggested an imminent collapse. Intense pressure surged from all directions, converging relentlessly toward the sphere's center.

Before he could react, Cha-Eun Xiao found himself forcibly expelled from the spatial sphere. This ejection was vastly more powerful than any prior experience, leaving him feeling helpless and disoriented, like a leaf caught in a tumultuous sea. Nausea and dizziness overwhelmed him as the world seemed to spin uncontrollably.

Confused and helpless, he mumbled to himself, "What's happening?" Attempting to alleviate his nausea by closing his eyes proved futile, and he struggled to find something to lean on. He was reduced to crouching on the ground, his hands grasping for stability. 𝗯𝐞𝗱𝐧𝗼𝐯𝐞𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

This excruciating sensation was unlike anything he had ever encountered before, neither in his previous life nor in this one. Cha-Eun Xiao's thoughts raced wildly as he sensed his spiritual power being drained, rendering him utterly befuddled.

As his spiritual power dwindled, Cha-Eun Xiao could no longer endure. He collapsed onto the ground and lost consciousness. But before succumbing, he clung to a single thought: "Please, let no one see me like this. I'm still Feng Zhi-Ling for the time being."

However, fate often had a way of contradicting one's wishes.

As Cha-Eun Xiao lay unconscious on the ground, a group of individuals approached him with measured steps. Leading the way was the young woman in a cyan-colored outfit, her face partially obscured by a delicate silk veil. Behind her trailed two middle-aged figures, one man and one woman.

The middle-aged woman hesitated and furrowed her brow as she spoke to the young woman, "My lady, should we return, or...?" Her words trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air.

The young woman in cyan, whose identity as the bidder for the Regeneration Ink Lotus against Cha-Eun Xiao at the auction had been revealed, pondered the situation.