Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 245 – A Beast Tamer’s Nemesis, Soulshake Bell?

This was really a look with bright eyes and pearly teeth!

Qing Shui was instantly dazzled by the sparkling and magnificent beauty before him. However, the faint smile in the lady’s sparkling gaze infiltrated deep into Qing Shui’s heart.

Qing Shui turned away from that pair of extremely sparkling eyes, embarrassed. However, at that moment, a person carrying an embroidered pouch entered.

“Darn, Yang Laosan, you really brought that broken bell that was passed down from your ancestors!” A young man said to young man with the embroidered pouch in his hands.

“Bai Langzai, this ancient bell is my family heirloom, not a broken bell!” The young man calledYang Laosan said furiously. It might be because he was worried that Qing Shui might believe that person’s words, causing his dim hope to be extinguished.

Qing Shui smiled faintly as he looked at the two youths, especially that comical young man called Bai Langzai. When Qing Shui carefully sensed the embroidered pouch in the young man’s hand, he suddenly felt a faint spiritual energy. Moreover, it was the purest kind.

“Sir, don’t listen to his gibberish. This treasure of mine was definitely passed down from my ancestors. Take a look, can I trade it for that sword of yours?”Yang Laosan looked at Qing Shui and said seriously.

Qing Shui smiled. While he also wanted to take a look at the contents of the embroidered pouch, he still smiled and said, “So long as your item is a good one, I’ll definitely not let you suffer a loss.”

“Sir, take a look!” Yang Laosan carefully handed over the embroidered pouch.

Qing Shui smiled faintly as he threw a glance at Yang Laosan before he slowly put his hands to out receive the embroidered pouch. When Qing Shui felt the item in the pouch, a faint and distinctive sharp bell rang out.

Qing Shui slowly opened the embroidered pouch, and an exquisite purple-colored bell appeared in his hand. It was just the right size to be held with one hand, the whole item had a deep and resounding feeling, but there were two small holes on the side which were the size of a pea. The round ball inside exuded a faint purple glow, giving the bell a demonic beauty.

That solemn yet unsophisticated aura was especially strong, and had even gave out a heart shaking feeling. However, Qing Shui was overjoyed. He had been yearning for this item, because it was the Soulshake Bell, one that he was very familiar with!

Soulshake Bell!

The use of the Soulshake Bell was to fend off demonic monsters. With just a shake, it would scare demonic beasts so much that it was as if their souls would leave their bodies.

Now, Qing Shui had no mood to think about why Yang Laosan would have the Soulshake Bell.

He was sure that the world of the nine continents had treasures, but they exist in another manner. Thinking of the 1000-year Gloomy Wood, he could find a demonic beast’s core, collect Heavenly Silk, or to find a 5000-year old turtle shell, but where would he find the 八卦炉, and would he be able to learn the method of concocting?

“Sir, how is it?”

Qing Shui looked into Yang Laosan’s hopeful eyes, hearing his words which had the tinge of a tremble, he could tell that the young man was especially fond of that weapon. After all, to most people, that weapon was like a Divine weapon.

Looking at the honest young man who had yet to reach 30 years old, he seemed very sturdy, but it was a pity that he had no level of cultivation. From his dress sense, it was very likely that he was a hunter.

“Do you know this item’s use and value?” Qing Shui grinned and asked.

When the young manYang Laosan heard Qing Shui’s words, he awkwardly shook his head as disappointment filled his heart. How could he had thought of using an item whose use was unknown trade for something that someone was selling for five million taels of silver…

“How about this? I like this small bell a lot. I said I would not let you be put at an disadvantage. Do you have hope to break through Xiantian in this life?”

Qing Shui’s words stunnedYang Laosan. Even the ladies were stunned!

“I don’t know of any martial arts, I had no means to pick up martial art, resulting in me missing out on the best age to practice martial arts. I don’t even dare to think of attaining anything higher than the 6th grade of Martial Warrior, let alone Xiantian, something that is out of my reach.”

Hearing this, Qing Shui brought the box with the Crippling Divine Pill out and took the sealed porcelain bottle out. He recalled that this item was treated as a Divine Pellet by ordinary people, but it was more terrifying than poison to cultivating geniuses.

“This pill will allow you to reach the pinnacle of Martial General or even the 10th grade of the Martial Commander realm immediately. However, it destroy your chances of reaching Xiantian. You better consider it carefully. If you wish to take it, then take it, saving any complications in the future. As for the weapons, you can take your pick of any you like.” Qing Shui smiled and said as he looked atYang Laosan.

“So amazing? I heard of this medicinal pill before, but it was too expensive. If it wasn’t so, I’d get one myself even if I had to go bankrupt.”

“Yang Laosan is really some lucky bastard. To think that a broken bell could be so… ” The young man called Bai Langzai stared with wide-open eyes.

“In the future, I’ll follow behind Brother Yang… ”

Yang Laosan stared blankly for a moment, and so did the other people in the area.Yang Laosan took a look at the smiling Qing Shui. He received the porcelain bottle with the Crippling Divine Pill, opened it, and poured the pill into his mouth!

Qing Shui felt slightly disappointed. From the start till the end, he had not managed to catch a glimpse of what the Crippling Divine Pill looked like. Is thisYang Laosan just impatient or was it that he had trusted him.. ?

Not even three breaths afterYang Laosan had taken the Crippling Divine Pill, a gleam of gold light flashed very quickly. If everyone wasn’t fixed on Crippling Divine Pill, it would be hard to notice.

In just that mere moment, a strong aura came fromYang Laosan. Qing Shui smiled as he looked at him. He could sense that the Crippling Divine Pill had raised his level of cultivation to the 2nd grade of the Martial Commander realm. This made Qing Shui recalled how much energy was held in that Crippling Divine Pill. And at the same time, the pill would fully deplete the individual’s potential, forcing open his meridian channels and Dan Tian.

By right, it should be an excruciating process, one with so much pain that most people would not be able to withstand it. However, Crippling Divine Pill was so strong that it could make one stronger, but yet, it would not give one the pain of going through a “complete and thorough change”.

Yang Laosan had sensed that there was an immense amount of power in his body and he was so overjoyed that words could not describe his feelings. He wanted to drop to his knees immediately and thank Qing Shui.

Qing Shui was not used to this and he stopped his bending body with one hand. “Alright, take the sword and go. Everyone’s looking at you.” Qing Shui smiled and said.

Yang Laosan smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. He then randomly grabbed a sword from the shelves and left!

When everyone saw that Yang Laosan had gotten such great returns with just a “broken bell”, the crowd quickly left. Qing Shui smiled bitterly as he looked at those passionate gazes.

Qing Shui looked at the lady holding onto the sword, noticing that she was still looking at him with much interest, her beautiful sparkling eyes were absolutely stunning.

“This weapon can only be traded with items?” The lady spoke out once again.

“Mmm, this sword is much better than those over there!” Qing Shui chuckled.

The lady looked at the weapon in her hands, then at Qing Shui, “I probably can’t bring out anything at the moment. I had initially brought enough silver notes and I planned to buy it.”

“Actually, you just need to bring something which interests me and you’ll be free to take this sword. Precious stones, ores, medicinal prescription… So long as it interests me, anything works.” Qing Shui smiled and said.

“Prescription? I do have one of those. But I approached many alchemists, and they all said that it was useless. I’ll bring it for you to see another day.”

After saying that, the lady once again put her snow white slender hands out and took a bangle off her wrist. With one look, Qing Shui could tell that it had black treasured stone in it, one that was slightly better than the one Canghai Mingyue’s mother had given Huoyun Liu-Li. However, it should also be a 3rd grade one.

The lady clenched her teeth and passed it to Qing Shui, “Take a look at this. Let me know what else I’ll need to give and I’ll go make the preparation.”

Qing Shui smiled bitterly, shook his head and looked at the lady, “A gentleman does not snatch the love of another. How about this? Just bring me that prescription you mentioned. This sword is yours.”

Qing Shui was in an extremely good mood and he felt very generous. Moreover, he saw that this lady had taken a great liking for this sword such that she wanted to trade for it with that bangle. However, her gaze was filled with a great attachment for that bangle, and Qing Shui had a very good impression towards this intellectual lady. It was a pure feeling, and he was attracted by her disposition.

“Aren’t you afraid that I’ll run with the sword?” The lady didn’t expect Qing Shui to be so easy-going. To think that he would allow her to take such a precious item first.

“This weapon has only costed me some time. Rather, I hope you would run away with it. If that happens, the next time I meet you, I can grab you as payment.” Qing Shui looked at the Soulshake Bell in his hand and said happily.

“Then I’ll bring it for you at a later time!” Saying that, the lady left with the jagged sword, not reprimanding Qing Shui for being offensive with his words. The two ladies from Joyous Sect had also quickly followed behind her.

Qing Shui’s thoughts were all on the Soulshake Bell. Its greatest use was to cause panic in demonic beasts when it was shaken, so much so that they may even attack their own owners. Qing Shui had long been yearning for this item, because ever since he had the fire bird, he knew that he was much safer now as he could hide in the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal before dashing out on the fire bird. So long as the other party did not own a flying demonic beast, they would not be able to do anything to him. Qing Shui was only afraid that the other party would also have a flying demonic beast, and a stronger one than his fire bird at that. If that happens, there was no way he could escape.

However, now Qing Shui had the urge to laugh. The Soulshake Bell actually had a bigger use, which was to scare away the other party’s demonic beast. It was the nemesis for Beast Tamers as well as people with beast rides.

Qing Shui felt that the value of this Soulshake Bell was comparable to the Flower of Life. He grabbed the Soulshake Bell, gradually channeling the Qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique into it!

“Mmm? It can be refinement?” Qing Shui noticed that the Qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique he had channeled in was absorbed by the Soulshake Bell!

Qing Shui was overjoyed. If he could use the Qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique to refine the Soulshake Bell, it would definitely become a terrifying existence in the future. Qing Shui grabbed the Soulshake Bell and continued to channel in Qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique gradually.

After 15 minutes, Qing Shui realized that it was impossible to channel in anymore, and he knew that it had reached a saturated state. He planned to see if he could continue to channel in Qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique to refine the Soulshake Bell.

Qing Shui slightly shook the Soulshake Bell!

“Wu Wu!”

A soul trembling sound which brought pins and needles to one’s scalp came out. It was no longer the nice bell sound from earlier. Was it because he had channeled in Qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique?

Thank goodness that there was no one in the blacksmith store. However, the terrifying sound had reached out onto the street, creating a series of disturbances and screams.