Chapter 1735: Soul Shocking Bamboo?

If Yun Xiao were here, he might recognize this graceful young woman entering from the South Gate of Erosion City as the talented genius from the Hidden Dragon Continent: Liu Hanyi.

Liu Hanyi, who was once part of the Luoyi Sect, was just a talented young girl until she met Yun Xiao. Through a twist of fate, she activated her incredibly rare Immortal Poison Body.

Later, she also activated a Poison Fire Ancestor Vein, turning Liu Hanyi into a feared Poison Vein Master. Her mastery of poison meridian skills is renowned both on the Hidden Dragon Continent and the Tenglong Continent.

Due to unforeseen events at the Chongxiao Stairs, Yun Xiao’s companions were transported to different parts of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. For instance, Liu Hanyi was directly sent to the Southern Domain of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud.

Currently, Liu Hanyi is only a cultivator at the Cloud Ascending Realm Middle Stage, but thanks to her cultivation of the poison meridian skill and her cleverness, she hasn’t suffered any significant losses.

Instead, several would-be pursuers ended up as pools of bloody mush, and when faced with invincible enemies, she often manages to escape unharmed.

As a Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master, Liu Hanyi naturally pays close attention to gatherings of poison vein masters, leading her to Erosion City, a hub for such masters, in hopes of finding some useful poisonous materials or heavenly treasures.

After leisurely strolling through the city, Liu Hanyi’s eyes finally focused, and she turned her gaze towards a particular storefront, sensing something before striding inside.

This was a shop named "Thousand Poison Pavilion." As soon as Liu Hanyi entered, she was bombarded with strange and unusual auras.

Inside the shop, there were many bizarre and colorful strange inanimate objects, as well as some iron cages containing live creatures.

These creatures all had fierce looks, emanating an aura that warned others to keep away. Clearly, their bodies harbored dangerously strong toxins, not to be easily touched.

Before Liu Hanyi entered the shop, there were already several figures inside, including two elderly men. One had white hair, while the other had bizarre dark green hair, lending him an air of mystery.

Besides the two elderly men, there were two younger figures who seemed to be a master-servant pair. The young master, with his prominent sword-like eyebrows, appeared quite handsome.

Though the young man with dark gray robes was indeed handsome, the occasional glint of cruelty in his eyes suggested he was not as harmless as he seemed.

Indeed, for a young person to be so nonchalant in this Erosion City shop, one could easily surmise he was not ordinary.

The distinct aura he emanated made Liu Hanyi instantly realize he was likely an exceptionally talented poison vein technique practitioner.

"Boss, how much is this piece of wood?"

After briefly assessing the shop’s four other occupants, Liu Hanyi didn’t pay much attention to them. She walked directly to a spot and pointed at a piece of wood within a wooden box, asking.

The owner of the Thousand Poison Pavilion was a plump man with a big head and large ears, appearing quite honest. Still, the shrewd light flickering in his narrow eyes betrayed his sharp mind.

"Miss, you truly have a discerning eye. This ’Soul Shocking Bamboo’ is no ordinary object!"

The plump shopkeeper first glanced at one of the young figures, noticing he hadn’t chosen anything yet, and then hurriedly scampered over, his voice arriving before he did.

"Soul Shocking Bamboo?"

As the plump shopkeeper spoke, the two elderly poison vein masters immediately turned their heads, casting a glance at the piece of wood with faintly concealed eagerness.

These two Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Masters had certainly heard of the Soul Shocking Bamboo’s reputation, and if it indeed was such an item, it would be of great use to them.

"Boss, how much for this Soul Shocking Bamboo? I want it!"

One of the elderly men was so impatient that he completely ignored Liu Hanyi, who had first asked about the price, directly expressing his eager intention to purchase it.

This Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master, already at the Lingyun Realm Late Stage, clearly sensed Liu Hanyi’s Cloud Ascending Realm Middle Stage cultivation and paid no heed to the young girl.

In contrast, the other elderly man appeared more restrained and didn’t speak up at this time, watching the scene unfold with a cold gaze, pondering something unknown.

"Well..."

Faced with the elderly man’s words, the plump shopkeeper seemed troubled, though only on the surface. In truth, he was delighted.

As the shopkeeper at the Thousand Poison Pavilion, the plump man loved situations where two customers coveted the same item. Such scenarios often led to items reaching exorbitant prices when they could have been sold at normal rates.

These are some precious heavenly materials and earthly treasures, not put up for sale in the store, but taken to auctions for bidding, because that’s how their value can be maximized.

At this moment, if only Liu Hanyi were interested, the fat shopkeeper wouldn’t play any tricks. But now that both of them are interested in this "Soul Shocking Bamboo," the situation is completely different.

"Miss, you see..."

The fat shopkeeper didn’t immediately answer the elder’s question, but instead turned his somewhat troubled gaze to Liu Hanyi, seemingly expecting something.

"A little girl, why are you asking her? Boss, how much is this Soul Shocking Bamboo?"

Seeing that the fat shopkeeper ignored him, a trace of gloom flashed across the elder’s face, and his words were somewhat impolite. In his heart, he indeed didn’t pay any regard to Liu Hanyi.

"Soul Shocking Bamboo?"

To the elder’s impolite words, Liu Hanyi remained calm, while a trace of doubt rose in her heart, wondering why this guy, who was at least a Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master, couldn’t recognize whether this was Soul Shocking Bamboo or not.

In fact, Liu Hanyi wasn’t particularly interested in a piece of Heavenly Rank Low Level Soul Shocking Bamboo. After all, she had already become a genuine Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master.

Of course, this is only because of Liu Hanyi’s Immortal Poison Body. For an ordinary Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master, it still has great use, especially for that eager elder.

Since the Heavenly Rank Low Level Soul Shocking Bamboo was of no great use to Liu Hanyi, why did she speak up to ask the price first? The real reason is that it wasn’t truly Soul Shocking Bamboo, but something else.

Although Liu Hanyi’s experience wasn’t as formidable as Yun Xiao’s, her special Immortal Poison Body constitution made her sensing ability more extraordinary than others, even more sensitive than Poison Vein Masters a whole Great Rank higher.

Earlier outside, it was Liu Hanyi’s sensing of the aura emitted by this piece, which superficially seemed to be Soul Shocking Bamboo but was actually something else, that led her into the Thousand Poison Pavilion, directly getting to the point.

Little did she know that just after she inquired about the price and before she got a reply from the fat shopkeeper, she would be interrupted by someone else. At this moment, Liu Hanyi truly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master elder obviously sensed the aura similar to Soul Shocking Bamboo from this piece of wood, but failed to discover the deeper substance. Such trouble truly fell from the sky.

"Soul Shocking Bamboo? Old man, are your eyes blind?"

However, just as Liu Hanyi was debating whether to reveal the truth, a slightly cold voice suddenly sounded from somewhere, drawing everyone’s attention.

Upon seeing this, it was that young man in a gray robe who had been selecting poisons with a servant, and at some point, he had also noticed the situation here. Obviously, he was the one who made that remark.

"Boy, watch your mouth!"

Turning his head, the elder, although unable to sense the Meridian Qi cultivation of the young man in the gray robe, didn’t pay much attention due to the youth’s age, evidently provoked by that earlier impolite comment.

"Old man, do you even know who you’re talking to?"

Upon hearing this, before the young man in the gray robe could respond, his companion, who seemed like a servant, couldn’t hold back any longer, shouted fiercely, and appeared to be about to make a move.

"Du Qi, there’s no need to get angry at such a blind fool!"

Seeing that the servant was about to step forward, the young man in the gray robe patted his shoulder instead, and his words almost made the elder lose his composure and want to take action first.

"The young master is right!"

Held back by the young man in the gray robe, Du Qi’s furious aura instantly subsided, but this single remark seemed to echo the young man’s earlier "blind fool" comment, further darkening the elder’s face.

"Boy, I’ve been cultivating the Poison Meridian Skill for over two hundred years, and I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice. I would make a mistake?"

The elder who called himself Long Jinjiang exuded a faint aura but didn’t act on it at once. Hearing his words, the young man in the gray robe couldn’t help but deepen the cold smile at the corner of his mouth.

This Heavenly Rank Intermediate Poison Vein Master named Long Jinjiang had been studying the Poison Meridian Skill since childhood, handling countless poisons over more than two centuries. While the young man was speaking, Long Jinjiang had already observed that piece of wood again, affirming it was indeed Soul Shocking Bamboo.

The so-called Soul Shocking Bamboo, even without refining, just during sensing, makes one feel a shiver in their soul, distinct from ordinary soul-affecting heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

On this point, Long Jinjiang was confident he wouldn’t misinterpret the sensation.