303: Chapter 297 Huge Gains

"As for Fellow Daoist Zhang Xing, Fellow Daoist Xu Wen, and True Lord Shenhuo, you have worked hard to restrain the Spider King. Your contributions are significant, so each of you shall receive ten percent."

"Everyone, what do you think?"

4:3:1:1:1.

Once this proposal was made, the scene fell into a brief silence.

Although the three of them—Zhang Xing, Xu Wen, and True Lord Shenhuo—felt somewhat unwilling, they had, after all, risked their lives.

But after glancing at the Talisman in Ren Quanxu's hand and then at the indifferent-looking Chen Zhiwen.

They ultimately had no choice but to nod helplessly.

Circumstances forced their hand.

Being able to get ten percent was better than losing their lives.

"Brother Ren is fair, we have no objections."

The three responded in unison.

Ren Quanxu nodded with satisfaction.

His proposal was, in fact, very calculated.

Taking forty percent was logical, as he was the initiator and the strongest combatant.

Giving Chen Zhiwen thirty percent was for the sake of winning him over and appeasing him.

After all, Ren Quanxu's state had fallen to rock bottom at this moment. If he were to truly break ties with Chen Zhiwen and unleash the Talisman.

While he could certainly severely injure or even kill Chen Zhiwen, he would definitely suffer greatly himself.

The possibility of mutual destruction was higher.

Furthermore, there was only one Talisman; once used, it would be gone.

Being able to buy peace with thirty percent of the profits and incidentally befriend a powerhouse with unlimited potential—why not?

Chen Zhiwen naturally saw through this as well.

He was not keen on unnecessary killing; after all, he had no grudges against them, and this distribution plan could be considered fair.

"Brother Ren is righteous."

Chen Zhiwen nodded, signifying his acceptance of the plan.

Soon, everyone began to dissect the Yao Beast corpses.

Precious Materials were stripped out one by one: Yao cores, poison sacs, sharp claws, carapaces...

They were piled together, overflowing with treasure light, dazzling to the eyes.

According to the agreement.

These items were divided into unequal portions.

Ren Quanxu's portion was naturally the most generous, containing most of the essential Materials from the Spider Queen.

Chen Zhiwen's portion was not bad either, containing quite a few top-quality Materials.

Although the three of them received less, they were still good items from a Tier 4 Yao Beast, which could be exchanged for many resources if taken outside.

Just as everyone was preparing to collect their respective spoils, Chen Zhiwen suddenly spoke up.

"Everyone, wait a moment."

Everyone was taken aback, stopping their actions one after another and looking at him in confusion.

Ren Quanxu also raised an eyebrow slightly, his fingers tightening around the Talisman.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, do you have any objections to the distribution?"

Chen Zhiwen shook his head and pointed to the mountain of Yao Beast Materials in front of him.

"There is no problem with the distribution."

"It's just..."

He paused, a look of disdain appearing on his face.

"I am merely a Sword Cultivator and am not skilled in Artifact Refining or Alchemy."

"These spider Yao Beast corpses are useless to me. They take up space and smell of blood."

Once these words were spoken, everyone was somewhat stunned.

Complaining that Tier 4 Yao Beast Materials take up space?

What kind of humblebrag is this?

Chen Zhiwen ignored their expressions and said directly:

"How about this: I will take out my entire portion and sell it to you all at a set price."

"I only want Spirit Stones, Mid-Grade Spirit Stones."

Upon hearing this.

Ren Quanxu and the others were stunned at first, and then expressions of immense joy appeared on their faces.

One must know that such high-level Yao Beast Materials were hard currency that had a price but no market.

Especially for Elders like Ren Quanxu, who were backed by a large Sect, or for Cultivators who needed to refine their Lifebound Treasure, Materials were harder to come by than Spirit Stones.

Spirit Stones could be earned again if lost, but a complete set of Tier 4 Yao Beast Materials might not be encountered even once in several years.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, are your words true?"

True Lord Shenhuo was the first to jump out, his eyes filled with burning intensity.

He was a fanatic for Artifact Refining and was just worrying about not having good Materials to upgrade his Magic Treasure.

"Naturally."

Chen Zhiwen's expression was indifferent.

"As long as the price is fair, we can make the deal immediately."

And so.

The originally tense standoff scene instantly turned into a lively trading market.

"I want this pair of spider pincers! I offer eight hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"This poison sac belongs to me; I offer one thousand!"

"I want the Spider Queen's carapace; no one fight me for it!"

The few of them almost fought on the spot to compete for the portion of Materials in Chen Zhiwen's hands.

Even Ren Quanxu, who had maintained his composure, couldn't help but make a move and bought several key Materials.

After all, these were his own spoils; although he had to spend money to buy them back, it was still better than them falling into the hands of outsiders.

After some intense bargaining.

Finally.

Ren Quanxu, Zhang Xing, Xu Wen, and True Lord Shenhuo gathered a total of six thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

They bought the thirty percent of Yao Beast Materials that belonged to him from Chen Zhiwen.

Chen Zhiwen looked at the heavy Storage Pouch in his hand and swept it with his Divine Sense.

Inside, neatly stacked, were crystal-clear Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, emitting an enticing fluctuation of Spiritual Qi.

Adding the previously paid deposit and some small items he had picked up during the battle.

On this trip, Chen Zhiwen's final harvest, when converted, was approximately eight thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

This was definitely a huge sum of money.

One must know that the entire net worth of an ordinary early Nascent Soul stage cultivator was only about fifty thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Coming out on this trip, just fighting a battle and slacking off, he earned one-sixth of someone else's net worth; this deal was worth it.

Chen Zhiwen put away the Storage Pouch with satisfaction, a genuine smile appearing on his face.

"Many thanks to all Fellow Daoists for your generosity."

The trading continued.

The air was filled with the lingering scent of blood.

But this did not affect the enthusiasm of the two for discussing business in the slightest.

Chen Zhiwen's fingers gently rubbed his chin, his gaze falling on the earthy-yellow Jade Slip in Ren Quanxu's hand.

The Jade Slip looked ancient and unadorned, its surface even having some mottled cracks.

But if one probed carefully with Divine Sense, one could feel a power of Restriction contained within, as heavy as a mountain.

That was the aura left behind by the passage of time.

"Two thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones."

Chen Zhiwen's voice was very calm; one could not hear any trace of pain in his heart.

He untied a Storage Pouch from his waist and tossed it over casually.

The Storage Pouch traced a graceful arc in the air.

It landed steadily in Ren Quanxu's hand.

Ren Quanxu took the Storage Pouch and swept it with his Divine Sense.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

His usually gentle and refined features looked even more benevolent at this moment.

"Fellow Daoist Chen is indeed straightforward."

With a flip of his wrist, the earthy-yellow Jade Slip flew toward Chen Zhiwen.

This was the "Desolate Mountain Ancient Restriction".

Chen Zhiwen took the Jade Slip and pressed it against his forehead.

A massive stream of information instantly flooded into his mind.

This was an extremely profound defensive Restriction.

Its function was largely consistent with the "Immortal Rock Restriction," which was widely circulated in the cultivation world.

Both were inscribed on Magic Treasures, increasing the inherent hardness of the Magic Treasure by absorbing the power of the earth.

However.

Upon savoring it carefully, Chen Zhiwen was shocked in his heart.

Although the principle of this "Desolate Mountain Ancient Restriction" was similar, the delicacy of its rune arrangement and the obscurity of its spiritual power circulation were far from comparable to the common "Immortal Rock Restriction."

The degree of hardness it could enhance for a Magic Treasure was several times stronger than the Immortal Rock Restriction.

If it were inscribed on his own Flying Sword, even if it clashed head-on with an enemy's heavy Magic Treasure, it would definitely not chip a single bit.

The item was worth more than its price; Chen Zhiwen put away the Jade Slip and nodded inwardly.

Although Ren Quanxu was deeply calculating, he indeed had many good things in his hands.

At this time.

The atmosphere in the basin underwent some subtle changes.

The originally noisy process of dividing the spoils had completely ended.

Daoist Master Xu Wen tidied up his tattered Daoist robe, cupped his hands toward the two, and turned into a wisp of green smoke, leaving first.

Zhang Xing, fiddling with a segment of the venomous spider leg bone he had just received, followed closely behind with excited light flashing in his eyes.

The Elder from the Divine Fire Gate was even more impatient.

His whole body was surrounded by fire Qi, and as if he didn't want to stay for another moment, he rumbled out of the underground cavern.

In the blink of an eye.

The large underground basin became empty.

Only Chen Zhiwen and Ren Quanxu remained.

Their eyes met.

There was no awkwardness as imagined.

Instead, there was a tacit understanding between experts.

As well as a trace of probing and game-playing hidden beneath the calm surface.

"Fellow Daoist Ren."

Chen Zhiwen broke the silence first.

His gaze scanned Ren Quanxu's sleeve cuffs seemingly casually.

There, a corner of a small bronze statue was vaguely revealed.

During the previous battle, Ren Quanxu had briefly unleashed this item.

Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Chen Zhiwen keenly sensed that the bronze statue emitted an extremely special power of suppression.

It had some complementary aspects to his Sword Dao.

"I wonder if you would be willing to sell that bronze statue treasure in your hand, Fellow Daoist Ren?"

Chen Zhiwen asked tentatively.

His tone carried a hint of nonchalance, as if he were just mentioning it in passing.

But his slightly narrowed eyes were tightly locked onto Ren Quanxu's facial expressions.

Trying to catch even the slightest psychological fluctuation from it.

Ren Quanxu's movements paused slightly upon hearing this.

He looked down at his sleeve cuffs and then laughed dumbly.

That smile carried a bit of transparency of seeing through everything, and also a bit of the cunning peculiar to an old fox.

"Fellow Daoist Chen's eye is indeed sharp."

He reached out and gently patted his sleeve cuff, as if to appease the treasure inside.

"This item is called the 'Prison-Suppressing Bronze Statue', which I obtained in an ancient ruin in my early years."

"Although it is not my Lifebound Treasure, it has accompanied me for many years and we are already in sync."

Speaking of this, he changed the subject.

His gaze became sharp, piercing straight toward the sword box on Chen Zhiwen's back.

"However, all things in the world can be traded."

"If Fellow Daoist Chen is willing to exchange it with this miraculous spiritual sword, I have no objections."

Ren Quanxu pointed to the "hidden edge" sword that had never been fully unsheathed.

A trace of undisguised greed and appreciation flowed in his eyes.

As a Great Master of Formation, his sensitivity to Qi flow was the sharpest.

Although that sword looked simple and unadorned, and even somewhat dilapidated.

But in Ren Quanxu's perception, it was like a sleeping abyssal evil Dragon.

Once awakened, it would surely be earth-shattering.

Chen Zhiwen sneered in his heart upon hearing this.

The "hidden edge" sword was the foundation of his path to the Dao, and even more so, it was the unique growth-type Magic Treasure bound to the System.

Let alone a bronze statue.

Even if the entire Tian Yin Pavilion were offered in exchange, he wouldn't blink an eye.

"Fellow Daoist Ren, you are wealthy, so why covet my mere dilapidated Spiritual Artifact?"

Chen Zhiwen coldly refused.

His palm gently stroked the sword hilt, and a cold touch came from his fingertips.

That was a posture of refusing to talk further.

Ren Quanxu was not angry either.

He seemed to have expected this result long ago.

"Since that is the case, it is my misfortune."

He shrugged, looking indifferent.

Then he stopped talking and fell into that unfathomable silence again.

The scene was somewhat cold for a moment.

According to common sense.

The Yao Beast had been eliminated, and the spoils had been divided.

This temporary squad of five should be completely disbanded at this moment.

Everyone should go their separate ways to scavenge for natural resources in other areas of this Tier 4 Spiritual Vein.

After all, this was a treasure land that had not been fully developed.

When coming along the way.

Chen Zhiwen had once simply scanned the area with his Divine Sense.

He found that although this Tier 4 Spiritual Vein could not be considered top-tier rich, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi barely met the standard.

But it had the advantage of being inaccessible, and there were still quite a few Tier 3 Spiritual Plants and Ores.

Even in some hidden corners, one could see some companion spiritual items that were rare to see in the outside world.

If one were patient enough to spend a month or so collecting them.

When converted, earning thousands of Mid-Grade Spirit Stones would definitely be an easy thing.

For an ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivator, this was already a significant windfall.

But the strange thing was.

At this very moment.

Whether it was Chen Zhiwen, who was always thrifty.

Or Ren Quanxu, who looked like he had consumed a lot and was in urgent need of rest.

Neither of them had any intention of leaving the spider Yao Beast lair!

They were like two statues.

One on the left and one on the right, floating in the underground space filled with a fishy smell.

As if there were some peerless treasure here that was more attractive than those Spiritual Plants and Ores outside.

Chen Zhiwen's gaze swept across the huge spider webs and viscous poison around.

Finally, it settled on the darkest area deep in the cave.

There, it seemed that some unusual aura was hidden.

"Fellow Daoist Ren."

Chen Zhiwen spoke slowly.

His voice was low, echoing in the vast cave, carrying a power that struck straight to the heart.

"You went to great lengths to invite Fellow Daoists far and wide, and even spared no effort to use a trump card like the Three-Yi Hunyuan Talisman."

"It couldn't be just to hunt these few Tier 4 Golden Luo Spiders, could it?"

Ren Quanxu's eyelids jumped slightly.

But he still maintained that indifferent appearance, and even tidied up his sleeves with interest.

He was not in a hurry to refute.

Seeing this, Chen Zhiwen was even more certain in his heart.

He continued, his tone full of clear and logical analysis.

"As everyone knows, the Dark Firmament Golden Luo Spider is an extremely common Earth Yao Bloodline in the cultivation world."

"After they mature, they are at most at the Peak Tier 2 strength, and those that can break through to Tier 3 are few and far between."

"For the Yao Race, the importance of Bloodline is like the Spiritual Root compared to us human Cultivators."

"It is a natural chasm, a shackle, and an insurmountable gulf."

Speaking of this, Chen Zhiwen pointed to the huge Spider Queen corpse on the ground.

Although it was already broken, the golden carapace still emitted a heart-palpitating pressure.

"But, in this Spiritual Vein, five Tier 4 Yao Beasts, the Spider King and Spider Queen, were born at the same time."

"This is as incredible as a Trash with five Spiritual Roots suddenly Cultivating to the Nascent Soul Stage."