From waterfowl, it began to transform into the Great Sun Golden Crow.

Chapter 57 The Mad Young Master Cao

The vultures relentlessly pursued them from behind.

Mother Zhao Huailian had already mastered the use of spiritual energy. They were already 26 kilometers apart, flying on their swords.

Meanwhile, vultures shrouded the sky behind them, relentlessly pursuing them.

In a short while, Zhao Huailian brought her daughter to the Red Forest.

"Madam, this place is filled with miasma. Why don't you come back with me, and I will leave you and your daughter with complete corpses?"

Zhao Huailian held her daughter, her face covered in tears.

"Even if I die, I will not go back with you. We Yunlin merchants would rather die a glorious death than live a shameful life."

At that moment, Zhao Huailian, holding her daughter, jumped into the mangrove forest.

The bald man has gone mad.

This woman has gone mad.

She was carrying a child and was recklessly risking her life. He was about to stop her when he saw her rush into the purple miasma.

"Hurry up and chase after them!" Vulture shouted, giving orders.

At this moment, everything is already clear.

Gu Heting stood there dumbfounded, listening to the girl finish telling her everything.

He remained unsettled for a long time.

Seeing the fire was almost extinguished, Gu Heting flapped his little wings and rekindled the flames.

"I can do you a favor. I can help you find your lost mother, provided that you give me the Wan Hua Fang Hong Shi."

Since I saved your life, I won't do anything that doesn't benefit me.

"You just need to nod or shake your head."

Shang Rui nodded as she looked at the little water bird.

Within the city of Liyang, there are two major families: the Cao family and the Li family.

The Li family had been entrenched in power for many years, while the Cao family, a rising star, had always been neglected.

The eldest son of the Cao family was introducing calligraphy and paintings to others in the courtyard.

"This painting is a treasure that enhances one's cultivation during meditation. More importantly, it inherently possesses the artistic conception of landscape. It is a rare and invaluable auxiliary treasure. It can be taken home for just three thousand taels of spirit stones. How about it, the highest bidder wins."

The eldest son of the Cao family is named Cao Hong, and he cultivates both Taoism and Confucianism.

Many people only know that he studies Confucianism and Taoism, but they don't know that he has already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment and is halfway to Core Formation.

Originally a disciple of the academy, he had a refined appearance, with crescent-shaped eyebrows and willow-leaf eyes. Coupled with the scholar's blue robe and antique hairpin, he was the epitome of a refined gentleman.

But behind his back, his servants called him the Blue-Clad Demon.

On a rainy night, the young master of the Cao family killed his father and two younger brothers and inherited the position of family head.

Soon after, he turned his attention to his family's businesses.

Ultimately, the Cao family appeared to be a merchant caravan, but in reality, they were engaged in shady dealings.

Behind the scenes, the Cao family secretly hires assassins from the immortal realm to kill passing cultivators and steal their storage rings. The current young master of the Cao family has become the emperor of the underground trade.

This landscape painting of immortals was obtained by robbing a Taoist priest.

Those who come to this place in the courtyard are all immortals. They all wear bamboo hats and have their faces covered with black veils. They have come here for magical treasures.

"Three thousand five hundred immortal spirit stones." The voice that spoke was very deep, like that of a rugged man.

"Barbarian, your cultivation techniques are all body-strengthening techniques. Do you really have the time to appreciate this landscape painting?" The voice was sharp and somewhat androgynous.

"None of your business, you damn transvestite! I bought it to play with, is that not allowed?"

"Hmph, then I'll offer three...three..." The sharp voice paused, then said, "Four thousand taels of immortal stones."

"Are they asking for a beating?"

Just as the two were about to start arguing, the eldest son of the Cao family coughed, breaking their argument.

"Gentlemen, the underground black market has its own rules. Fighting is forbidden here, and you two shouldn't reveal too much about your identities. Just do me a favor."

Upon hearing this, Cao Hong, the eldest son of the Cao family, unleashed a surge of powerful spiritual energy. This energy was so malevolent that it nearly suffocated everyone around him.

"Please calm down."

"I was being reckless," the transvestite and the man said.

Seeing that the two had given him a way out, Young Master Cao withdrew his spiritual power. Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then the next item is called the Purple Spirit Soul Hook Sword, a flying sword that can damage one's soul. Anyone want to buy it for 8000 immortal stones?"

77

"10000 taels," came the voice of an old man this time. He didn't waste any words; he simply uttered the number lightly.

"Alright," Young Master Cao urged his flying sword and flew towards the old man.

The old man lightly tapped his storage ring, and the flying sword disappeared.

Four hours later, seeing that the auction was almost over, Young Master Cao said, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is today's highlight: the legendary spirit stone, a rare and precious treasure. It's the Myriad Flower Red Stone. However, the Myriad Flower Red Stone is still on its way, so please be patient and wait a moment."

""

The words "Wanhua Fanghong Stone" caused an uproar among the crowd. They could no longer control their expressions and whispered among themselves in the auction house. Even the old man's lips were slightly agape, unable to believe that such a rare treasure could exist in this small place.

"Everyone should know the uses of the Myriad Flower Red Stone, a top-grade material for crafting magical artifacts. I won't go into too much detail; you all know it yourselves. Starting bid: one million immortal stones."

"I want as many as you have," the voice still belonged to the old man.

"Do you still offer a premium?"

Seeing that Young Master Cao had set such a high price, the others fell silent. Although they were unwilling, they were helpless because they did not have the means to pay that price.

"Please wait a moment, sir..."

""

The quiet meeting room was broken by an untimely voice. It was one of Young Master Cao's men, an informant who was making a deal with murderers and robbers on Young Master Cao's behalf.

"What's wrong?" Young Master Cao asked in a low voice, sounding somewhat displeased.

"We can't contact the evil bees or the vultures, and I can't contact them now either."

Young Master Cao's eyes widened in disbelief. How could the lady, who was only at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, have ended up like this?

He rubbed his eyes, clearly still reeling from the shock.

Young Master Cao stood there blankly, calming himself for a long time. After a short while, he said, "Everyone, the Myriad Flower Red Stone is still on its way and won't arrive today. I've also prepared rare and precious materials for you, including Burial Gold Sand, worth two hundred thousand taels of immortal stones." Young Master Cao said with a smile.

The old man was clearly unhappy, feeling as if he had been tricked, and he waved his hand.

He left without a word. Cao Hong could only smile apologetically and bow.

In the end, the Burial Sands were bought by someone for 220,000 taels of immortal stones.

Since the deal fell through, Young Master Cao had no choice but to give up.

He had heard that the Wan Hua Fang Hong Shi (万花方红石) appeared here.

He wanted to monopolize the Myriad Flower Red Stone and sell it on the black market. To this end, he paid a high price to hire the notorious assassin Evil Bee Vulture from the Demonic Sect. To make the matter as clean as possible, he even took the heads of the mother and daughter.

Originally, he planned to kill them all without leaving any survivors and frame the demonic cult members for the incident, so that he could obtain such a treasure without personally taking action. However, the two demonic members have disappeared.

This put him in a difficult position, and he might even start to suspect himself.

After the auction, Young Master Cao summoned his servants and led them to the courtyard.

He wanted to find out exactly what had happened.

Young Master Cao and the Evil Bee Vulture had cooperated many times, and he knew that the two of them were at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, so how could they easily have an accident?

"Tell me, what exactly happened? How did they both disappear?"

"Those two chased too deep and entered the Red Forest with the merchant mother and daughter. Young Master, that place is full of miasma, and you can't survive there."

Cao Hong narrowed his eyes to slits, and after a long while, he stared blankly at the sky and laughed, "He's probably dead. Come here."

""

The servants of the Cao family trembled instantly; their master was capricious and unpredictable. They feared he was about to take his anger out on them.

"See that painting behind the screen? Go get a brush and add the eye of that dragon in the picture."

Cao Hong pointed to the painting behind the screen, his expression strange.

"Young master, is this the painting?"

The servant was so frightened that he dared not speak. That was not a dragon at all; it was a huge black python with its tongue flicking out.

"Young master, I've ordered."

"Hmm," the eldest son of the Cao family laughed more and more ferociously, his expression abnormally distorted.

The eyes had just been touched up.

Suddenly, the python emerged from the painting. It opened its scarlet maw and swallowed the servant whole. Blood splattered all over the python's mouth, and in an instant, the man vanished.

"Useless piece of trash, I have to do everything myself."

""