Chapter 612: Storming the Stone Pillars

He had been so focused on earning points that he forgot he didn't have a single high-grade spirit stone on him, only one top-grade and one mid-grade.

Although he had previously obtained nearly six hundred mid-grade spirit stones from various sects like the Flowing Cloud Sect, they were all spent before reaching the Imperial Capital of Huanyu. Now, he was utterly destitute, worse than a pauper.

"How much is the deposit?" The young man didn't know the rules.

"Ten mid-grade spirit stones!" Gan Yiping said.

"Here! We'll both give it a try." Without asking further, the young man flipped his wrist and produced twenty mid-grade spirit stones.

To others, twenty mid-grade spirit stones would be impossible to scrape together even by selling everything, but he seemed unconcerned.

Taking the spirit stones, Gan Yiping smiled and pointed forward, explaining the rules: "There are two rows of stone pillars here, each sealing a treasure with a hint inscribed on it. Based on that and your own judgment, you must deduce what item is inside."

"Each person has only the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. If you recognize it and speak its name, the pillar will automatically split open. The more pillars you crack, the more points you earn, and the more treasures you can exchange!"

"Alright!"

The young man nodded, a fawning expression on his face: "Sixth Miss, wait here. I'll be right back!"

With that, he walked straight forward and strode up to the stone pillars.

Zhang Xuan and the others also watched.

They understood the rules and wanted to see how the test worked and how difficult it was.

Standing before the stone pillar, the young man seemed to read the hint left on it. He circled the first pillar once, and his once confident face showed confusion, as if the more he looked, the more bewildered he became.

The pillar was smooth and round, with no distinguishing features. What was inside was invisible, intangible, and even its shape was unknown. It was like guessing an object through a container, and the difficulty was beyond imagination.

After circling twice more, his face turned ashen.

He had just boasted to the Sixth Miss that he'd be back in a flash, intending to earn points and win her heart, but now he couldn't identify anything. If he went back like this, it would be too embarrassing!

Scratching his head, the young man grew anxious. He reached out to touch the pillar, channeling his true energy to penetrate it, but found that the pillar seemed to block true energy, rendering it useless.

"This..."

Soon, he had tried every method he could think of. Unable to hold back, he turned to Gan Yiping.

"Master, this thing has no features at all. How can anyone figure it out?"

Was this a scam?

This was just a stone pillar. What was he supposed to see?

Even a five-star or six-star appraiser couldn't figure it out!

"Young master, don't be impatient. The hint is left on the pillar; you can deduce from it!"

As if expecting this reaction, Gan Yiping smiled slightly.

"Deduce?"

He looked at the inscription on the pillar again but still couldn't understand it. Seeing that the incense stick was almost burnt out, he gritted his teeth and blurted out random guesses: "It's a sword... a knife, a medicinal herb, a wooden staff..."

He named over a dozen items, but nothing happened.

"Time's up!" Gan Yiping shook his head with a wry smile.

At first glance, he had sensed that this young man was extraordinary and had hoped he could break the deadlock, but now it seemed he had been overthinking.

"Well..."

His face flushed red, the young man walked back in embarrassment.

What a mess. He had thought that, like in appraisal gambling, he could easily identify the items and earn points to buy something for the Sixth Miss and win her favor. He never expected to fail completely and return empty-handed.

Now, instead of making a good impression, he had lost face.

"Young master, don't be discouraged. I discovered these stone pillars in a relic. No one knows who left them; they are extremely mysterious. Even I, observing them daily for nearly fifty years, have only cracked three!"

Seeing his low spirits, Gan Yiping comforted him.

"Fifty years? Three?" The young man was startled.

"Yes. Only by knowing exactly what is inside and its precise effect can you open it. Over the years, I've tried every method but couldn't solve them. That's why I opened this Curio Tower, hoping to find someone to help me with this problem."

Gan Yiping shook his head: "Actually, there's no need to rush. The incense stick time is just for observation to make way for others. Since you've paid the ten spirit stones, you can take a rubbing of the inscription and come back whenever you solve it. There will be no additional charge!"

"A rubbing?" The young man shook his head: "We're just passing through the Imperial Capital of Huanyu and won't be here long. Besides, I'm only interested in one of your medicinal herbs."

If not for the Sixth Miss insisting on coming, given his status and experience, he wouldn't bother with such a small place.

Although this Curio Tower had many rare and precious items, given his wealth, he could easily produce comparable things if he wanted.

"Very well."

Seeing his lack of interest, Gan Yiping's eyes showed disappointment. He shook his head and said with a hint of melancholy: "These stone pillars have consumed most of my life's effort. It seems... I'll have to take this regret to my grave!"

"His lifespan..."

Hearing his lament, Zhang Xuan glanced at him and couldn't help shaking his head.

This old man, though extremely powerful, already showed signs of decay in his body, indicating his lifespan was nearly at an end.

When a martial artist reaches the first level of the Mortal Transcendence realm, their life essence changes, and their lifespan greatly increases to about two hundred years.

Thereafter, as strength increases, lifespan also increases slightly, but the effect is minimal. Thus, without breaking through to the Saint realm, around two hundred years is a limit; with good care, maybe three hundred.

This old man's lifespan exceeded two hundred and fifty years, already at its end.

Having unearthed these strange stone pillars and wanting to know their secrets but unable to decipher them, he opened this Curio Tower, offering the treasures he had collected over a lifetime to attract others to solve them.

As for the ten mid-grade spirit stones, it was just a standard and requirement; otherwise, everyone would come to try their luck, and he wouldn't get anything done all day.

Having earned no points, the young man looked apologetically at the girl beside him.

"Sixth Miss, I'm really sorry..."

"Let me have a look."

Knowing it was difficult, the Sixth Miss was also stirred by competitiveness. She raised her eyebrows and walked over to the first stone pillar. After glancing at the inscription, her brow furrowed just like the young man's.

The time of one incense stick quickly passed, and she too shook her head in frustration.

Clearly, even she had no solution.

"What a pity!"

Seeing that these two also failed to crack the pillars, Gan Yiping sighed.

Both of them were extraordinary in cultivation and demeanor, clearly rare talents. He had hoped they might make a breakthrough, but they hadn't solved even one.

"Master, I am a master teacher."

Seeing that the Sixth Miss had also failed, the young man approached the old man, flipped his wrist, and a badge appeared in his palm.

"Five-star..."

Gan Yiping's pupils contracted.

He had already sensed that the two were extraordinary, thinking they were children of some noble family, but he never expected one to be a five-star master teacher!

A master teacher of this level, even entering the imperial city, would be personally received by the emperor and treated as an honored guest.

"Yes. I am currently a guest in the Huanyu Empire. That Duyou Grass downstairs is of great use to me. Could you part with it and sell it to me? I'll pay double, triple, or even five times the price!"

Seeing the shock at his identity, the young man nodded with satisfaction.

A five-star master teacher commanded high status and prestige wherever they went.

"You want to buy that Duyou Grass?" Gan Yiping hesitated slightly.

"Yes!" The young man nodded: "That thing is really useful to me. I hope you can oblige."

"How about this: I won't charge double or triple the price. I might even give it to you for free, as long as you are willing to give me a lecture. The Duyou Grass is yours."

After a moment, Gan Yiping said.

His lifespan was nearly over. If he could make a breakthrough, he might live a few more years. Since this person was a five-star master teacher, perhaps he could help.

Moreover, the Curio Tower had been open for twenty years without finding anyone who could crack these pillars. Continuing to wait would likely be futile. Rather than sticking to the rules, it was better to accommodate the other party and befriend a five-star master teacher.

"Alright!"

Having not expected much, the young man was pleasantly surprised that the other agreed. He quickly nodded.

A lecture was nothing.

"You're welcome!" Gan Yiping waved his hand and called to a nearby attendant: "Go downstairs and fetch the Duyou Grass from the third floor, wrap it up for this young master..."

"Yes..."

The attendant nodded and was about to leave when a voice rang out: "Hold on!"

Then, a fat man walked up.

Sun Qiang!

The young master was looking for items to activate Yuan Tao's physique. Although he hadn't said what he needed, his eyes had lingered on this Duyou Grass for a long time, clearly indicating it was of great use.

If it was taken away, finding another one wouldn't be so easy, so he couldn't allow it to be taken.

"What's the matter?"

Seeing a fat man interrupt, the young man frowned.

"Nothing, just that this is unfair!"

Sun Qiang turned to the old man: "As the master of the Curio Tower, since you've set the rule that treasures can only be exchanged with points, you can't make an exception and sell it. Otherwise, how can people trust you?"

If there were rules, they had to be followed. Changing them on a whim would undermine credibility.

"Rules must be followed, but my lifespan is nearly over, and cracking the stone tablets seems hopeless... So, forget it. Starting today, the Curio Tower will close permanently. If it's closed, what rules are there?"

Sighing, Gan Yiping shook his head.

His end was near. These days, he clearly felt his strength waning. After so many years without finding the answers, continuing to wait seemed pointless. Though unwilling, he knew it was better to let it go.

"No hope? That's because our young master hasn't made a move! If he does, he'll crack every single one of your items, not a single one left!"

Sun Qiang snorted.

"Crack every one? Quite the bold claim!"

The Sixth Miss's pretty face darkened as she let out a cold snort.