I, a Demonic Nascent Soul Patriarch, Begin by Snatching a Cheat

“Brother Mo, please don’t toy with us.”

The white-robed cultivator who had earlier exchanged Millennium Cold Frost Spirit Water with Jiuyou pointed at the jade hairpin in Mo Tiancheng’s hand, his gaze filled with doubt and a hint of anticipation as he spoke.

“What extraordinary power does this supreme treasure possess, that you treat it with such solemnity? Why not tell us, so we fellow cultivators may hear?”

As soon as the white-robed cultivator finished speaking, several other Nascent Soul cultivators chimed in to urge him on. Everyone’s eyes fell on the cyan jade hairpin, brimming with curiosity and expectation.

Jiuyou perked up slightly. Sensing the formidable spiritual pressure radiating from the hairpin, he watched the object in Mo Tiancheng’s hand with growing interest, raising an eyebrow.

Seeing the atmosphere was just right, Mo Tiancheng let out a light laugh.

He injected a thread of magical power into the hairpin, and in an instant, the cyan jade hairpin was enveloped in a gentle breeze. Azure light swirled as it slowly floated in midair. The hairpin’s body was a vivid emerald, its spiritual light inwardly restrained, yet it exuded a mysterious aura that was both indescribable and unfathomable.

The cultivators’ gazes all fixed on the hairpin, filled with curiosity and intrigue.

“Fellow cultivators.”

Mo Tiancheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, scanning the crowd as he spoke in a measured tone.

“This ancient relic hairpin is called the ‘Hundred-Mile Inch Hairpin.’ As its name suggests, it can shrink distances into inches and traverse a hundred miles in an instant. It wraps the user in a shroud of cyan light, covering three hundred miles in the blink of an eye.”

He paused, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.

“This is a supreme speed treasure I stumbled upon by chance. If not for… heh, I wouldn’t be willing to part with it.”

The moment these words were spoken, a murmur of discussion rippled through the Grand Hall. Crossing three hundred miles in an instant—such speed was terrifying even for Nascent Soul cultivators, making it an invaluable tool for both pursuit and escape.

Just then, another cultivator spoke up, his tone cautious.

“Brother Mo, with a life-saving treasure like this, why not use it yourself? Why offer it in exchange? Could there be some hidden flaw? And what kind of heavenly material or earthly treasure would be required to obtain it?”

A smile curved across Mo Tiancheng’s face, as if he had anticipated the question. He nodded slightly at the speaker.

“This friend asks a good question.”

He raised one finger and spoke slowly.

“A treasure that unleashes such explosive speed in a short time naturally consumes a vast amount of a cultivator’s magical power. Even for a powerful Late Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator, using this item requires compressing immense amounts of magical power to activate it just a few times. For us Mid-Nascent Soul and Early Nascent Soul cultivators—”

He shook his head.

“Not only does it drain enormous magical power, but we also have to burn Essence Blood to barely manage one or two uses. Otherwise, Mo would not have brought this treasure out for trade.”

At these words, many of the cultivators who had been eagerly interested in the Grand Hall suddenly had their expressions dim.

Most of them were Early Nascent Soul cultivators.

A life-saving treasure, yes, but the cost was too great.

For cultivators at their stage, their magical power was far less abundant than Mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, and Essence Blood was exceedingly precious. A significant depletion could result in death at worst, or severe injury and cultivation decline at best. Moreover, for Nascent Soul cultivators, restoring Essence Blood was extremely difficult, requiring decades of painstaking cultivation to recover.

There was another unspoken concern, though no one voiced it aloud.

Many Mid-Nascent Soul cultivators were present, and none had concealed their auras or altered their appearances. The Early Nascent Soul cultivators naturally had no desire to provoke those Mid-Nascent Soul experts by competing for this treasure. Besides, the treasures they could offer were likely no match for what those Mid-Nascent Soul cultivators could bring.

Even though the three Grand Cultivators had strictly ordered the various Nascent Soul old monsters not to fight among themselves, no one could guarantee that a rival wouldn’t secretly cause trouble during future defense shifts. It was better to avoid trouble altogether.

Mo Tiancheng took in everyone’s reactions but remained unflustered.

He simply stood calmly on the stone platform, his gaze steady, letting the discussions in the Grand Hall rise and fall.

After a moment, a surge of profound magical power radiated from his body, spreading like an invisible tide across the entire Grand Hall.

The cultivators were all startled, and many unconsciously mobilized their own magical power, silently on guard against any unforeseen developments.

Jiuyou did the same. His magical power surged within him as his Divine Sense locked onto Mo Tiancheng, his face betraying nothing.

At the same time, his gaze fell once more on the inch hairpin, his thoughts growing increasingly active.

Right now, he lacked no offensive means. Golden Sun Heavenly Mountain, the great divine ability of Nether Capital, the Soul-Locking Chains—these were enough to contend with any Mid-Nascent Soul cultivator. His defensive options included the White-Jade Bottle, the Heavenly Light Mirror, and a shell-type ancient relic. While not top-tier, they sufficed. The only thing that was his greatest weakness was speed.

If he could obtain this item, it would add another life-saving trump card.

Mo Tiancheng slowly withdrew his magical power, a smile spreading across his face as he finally spoke in a measured tone.

“I’m sure you’ve all noticed. I’ve been stuck at the peak of Mid-Nascent Soul for quite some time. I intended to refine my foundation further and wait for the right moment to break through. But now that the Abyssal Sea has suddenly faced such turmoil, with Beast Tides surging and blood mists spreading, I naturally cannot remain aloof.”

His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone solemn.

“I wish to exchange this inch hairpin for items that can help break through bottlenecks. That way, when we face the inevitable major Beast Tides or what the three Grand Cultivators call the ‘New Birth,’ I can contribute more to the humans of the Abyssal Sea.”

His words were reasoned and compelling, painting himself as a man devoted to the greater good of humanity—much like those hypocrites of the Righteous Path Alliance.

Jiuyou sneered inwardly, but he had to admit that Mo Tiancheng knew how to talk.

For a moment, the Grand Hall fell silent.

After all, treasures that could increase the chances of breaking through were exceedingly rare. Even if someone had such a breakthrough treasure of equal value to this inch hairpin, which cultivator would be willing to part with it?

Everyone exchanged glances, and for a while, no one made a bid.

Jiuyou lowered his eyelids, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his seat as his mind raced.

He had the Little Green Bottle, so he never lacked spiritual herbs. Herbs like Mystic Mountain Grass and Tranquility Herb—he had plenty, and they were of high age, but they still fell short compared to this inch hairpin. To succeed in this trade, he would likely need to bring out something truly extraordinary.

After a moment, he lifted his head and fixed his gaze on Mo Tiancheng.

His lips moved soundlessly as he sent a voice transmission.

“Brother Mo, this old man has a bottle of Ten Thousand Year Spirit Milk. Might it be of interest to you?”

Mo Tiancheng, who had been scanning the crowd, raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing the transmission. His gaze subtly flickered in Jiuyou’s direction.

He didn’t respond immediately, only nodding slightly, the corner of his mouth curling into an almost imperceptible smile.

In the Grand Hall, the air itself seemed to grow still.