Chapter 474: The Eerie Soulless Golden Man (Part 1)

Others would turn pale at the mention of soul shamanists and flee as far as possible, but this guy, instead, wants to get a few to help his students advance?

Everyone felt their jaws drop to the ground, almost spitting blood.

If anyone else had said this, they would have thought him crazy, but seeing Sun Qiang's experience, they knew he was telling the truth...

Capture soul shamanists to boost strength... Brother, do you think this terrifying profession is like a realm-breaking pill?

"Well... Master Zhang, soul shamanists were nearly wiped out in ancient times. This one survived because it used some secret method to fall into a deep sleep, which I accidentally triggered, allowing it to awaken... Such things are rare."

Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, Luo Zhu quickly explained.

Soul shamanists were scarce even in ancient times, and later were annihilated by the Master Hall. Those that survived, like the amber, were mere coincidences. Did you think they were like street potatoes or radishes, easily grabbed in handfuls? Dug up by the sack?

And you want to get a few to help your students advance...

What a bold thought!

"Rare? That's a pity..."

Zhang Xuan looked regretful.

Seeing Sun Qiang advance as easily as drinking water, going straight from Grandmaster to Mortal Transformation First Layer... If he could really get a few, Zhao Ya and the others would surely break through smoothly. If they reached the Mortal Transformation realm, they would be a great help even in the Ten Nations Alliance.

"By the way, what exactly are the Soulless Golden Man and the soul shamanist? Could you tell us in detail?"

Knowing that such things were rare and not easily obtained, Zhang Xuan stopped dwelling on it and looked over.

The others were also full of curiosity.

Where did this guy get the Soulless Golden Man, and how did he get entangled with a soul shamanist?

"It's all my fault for being greedy! I found a soul shamanist's tomb from an ancient book and thought there would be countless treasures, so I went... I encountered a Soulless Golden Man, and just as I collected one, a soul possessed me. I dared not continue and fled in panic..."

Luo Zhu's face flushed.

His experience was similar to what everyone had guessed: he discovered an ancient soul shamanist's tomb, went in seeking treasure, but was possessed by a soul.

After struggling for who knows how many days, feeling the soul grow stronger, he knew that if he continued, he would eventually be erased. So he was forced to come to the auction house, sell the Soulless Golden Man, hoping to use the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion's reputation to attract more people interested in soul shamanists and incidentally resolve the隐患 in his body.

Fortunately, he was lucky to meet this Master Zhang.

Otherwise, anyone else would have gone along with it, directly trading with that soul and refining him.

"I want to go take a look and also seek the soul shamanist's inheritance. Can you take me to that tomb?"

After hearing his story, Zhang Xuan spoke.

His main purpose in coming to Honghai City was to find the soul shamanist inheritance and a way to save Lu Chong. Now that he had this opportunity, he wouldn't let it pass.

"Go to the tomb?" Luo Zhu's body trembled.

His last experience was unforgettable; going again filled him with fear and dread.

"If you're worried, you can just give me the address, and I'll go alone."

"Well... No need! You saved my life, Master Zhang. If you truly want to go, I'll take you!" After hesitating for a moment, Luo Zhu gritted his teeth.

Without this Master Zhang, his soul would have been obliterated. Such a great kindness could not be repaid with just a Soulless Golden Man.

"But... Master Zhang, be careful. That place is eerie beyond compare. It's best to prepare in advance, otherwise, I'm afraid... even with your strength, you might be caught off guard!"

Recalling the tomb's eeriness, Luo Zhu shuddered.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

As one of the most terrifying and feared professions of ancient times, soul shamanists were certainly not simple. Sun Qiang's easy refinement of that soul was partly due to the Heavenly Dao true qi, but more importantly, that soul had lived for who knows how long and was extremely weak.

Moreover, after competing with Luo Zhu for control of his body for so long, it was like a soldier exhausted from marching, easily defeated. No surprise there.

But that tomb was different. If there were other souls inside, with unknown strength and methods, it would certainly not be so easy.

"I'll prepare the necessary items now. We'll set off in three days!" After thinking it over, Luo Zhu said.

Having investigated the soul shamanist tomb for so long, he knew some things that souls feared. However, these items needed to be custom-made, not available on the market, and required his personal preparation.

"Good!" Zhang Xuan agreed.

The techniques and martial skills he had asked the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion to prepare were not yet complete, and there were still many matters to handle here. Three days would be just enough for him as well.

"Then... I'll take my leave!"

After discussing more details about the soul shamanist tomb, Luo Zhu cupped his fists and left.

"Master Zhang, the soul shamanist inheritance is lost and eerie. I... would also like to go along, if I may?"

After Luo Zhu left and the room quieted down, Pavilion Master Sai's face reddened as he spoke.

This time, buying the Soulless Golden Man, he hadn't helped at all but would directly benefit from the results, which made him a bit embarrassed.

However, soul shaman culture had a significant mark in ancient times. As an appraiser, having the chance to get close to it, he naturally wanted to join.

"Master Zhang, I'd like to go too..."

Luo Qin also quickly said.

The auction house never acts without profit. Soul shamanists study souls and require large tributes before acting. Going to take a look, if they obtained some treasures, it would greatly benefit the auction house.

"Want to go?" Zhang Xuan frowned slightly, then his eyes lit up: "Alright, but I suggest you prepare enough spirit stones in advance. If there are any treasures, you'll have the money to buy them!"

These two were wealthy. If he found good things in the tomb, he could sell them directly to them and profit.

Gold coins were useless to him now. Getting more spirit stones would benefit both him and Zhao Ya and the others, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.

"Yes!"

Both nodded in agreement.

If anyone else had dared to say that, given their status, they would have beaten them to a pulp.

But since witnessing this Master Zhang's unfathomable methods, even easily destroying a soul shamanist... they dared not entertain such thoughts.

He had casually disabled the Flowing Cup Pavilion, seen through possession at a glance... coupled with his identity as a master teacher, none of these allowed them to act recklessly.

"By the way, could you trouble Pavilion Master Sai to take me to your library to look at books about soul shamanists?"

Having decided, Zhang Xuan looked at Pavilion Master Sai.

Since he was at the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion, he might as well go through their library to learn more about appraising treasures and soul shamanists, so he wouldn't be so passive.

"That's simple!"

Thinking it was just a request to read books, Pavilion Master Sai smiled slightly.

This man's appraisal skills were already superior to his own; even without asking, he was qualified to enter and read.

"Good! I might also trouble you to prepare accommodations. My students and this Young Master Zhao need to rest."

Zhang Xuan continued.

Having traveled all the way from the Xuan Yuan Kingdom, arriving directly at the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion and then attending the auction... everyone was feeling a bit tired.

Pavilion Master Sai nodded and left. Before long, he had arranged several quiet rooms.

Entering one, Zhang Xuan called Zhao Ya and the others to him.

"The soul shamanist tomb is extremely dangerous. In the next few days, improve your strength as quickly as possible to ensure safety."

The soul shamanist tomb had attacked even Luo Zhu, who was at the peak of Mortal Transformation Second Layer. These students were only Grandmasters, far behind. They must improve quickly; otherwise, even if they went, they would be a burden.

"Use the spirit stones freely. In three days, you must all break through to the Sovereign realm. Otherwise, you won't come along!"

Taking out a pile of spirit stones and tossing them over, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

Before, when he was poor and had no spirit stones, he didn't even use them himself, and his students had never seen any. Now, after the auction and the Flowing Cup Pavilion, he had over twenty thousand spirit stones in hand, to use as he pleased, without stinting.

"Yes!" Hearing the teacher's command, everyone gritted their teeth.

Breaking through from Grandmaster to Sovereign was difficult, but the teacher had explained all cultivation issues, created special techniques for them, and with so many spirit stones, if they still couldn't succeed, they might as well not live.

"Go cultivate!"

Having given his instructions, Zhang Xuan left the room and followed Pavilion Master Sai toward the library.

Appraisal involved humanities, history, calligraphy, antiques, weapons... many professions, with countless knowledge. The library's collection of books was also richer than that of other professions.

Taking a look, Zhang Xuan was awed by the library's grandeur.

Compared to this, the libraries of the Tian Wu Kingdom and even the Xuan Yuan Kingdom Master Teacher Academy were insignificant.

"Let's begin!"

Zhang Xuan started recording the books again.

Rustle!

It took nearly a day to finish recording all the books.

Returning to his quarters, he found himself limp all over, barely able to stand.

From the Xuan Yuan Kingdom to here, the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion, Flowing Cup Pavilion, and auction had taken a toll. Physical exhaustion was nothing, but overusing the Eye of Insight and the drain on his mental scale, along with quickly recording books, left him utterly fatigued.

He slept until noon the next day before recovering and feeling refreshed again.

As long as the foundation wasn't damaged, mental scale could fully recover with enough rest.

"Let's see if I can find any clues!"

Awake, he stretched and flipped his wrist. A huge golden man appeared before him.

He had bought it at the auction but hadn't examined it much. Now that he had time, he could study it thoroughly, perhaps finding some clues to deepen his understanding of soul shamanists.

The golden man lay quietly, no different from a corpse or puppet. Zhang Xuan looked at it for a while without seeing anything, then placed his finger on it.

"Flaw!"

Whoosh!

A book formed in his mind.

He casually opened it and looked down, then furrowed his brows, his expression turning extremely strange.

"This... how is this possible?"