307: Chapter 301 They're all cunning old foxes

It not only required extremely high attainments in Formations, but also necessitated the expenditure of a great deal of mental effort and time.

If it had been anyone else, he would have flatly refused long ago.

But looking at the Chen Zhiwen before him—who, though young, was unfathomable and possessed immense wealth—

the scales in Ren Quanxu's heart tipped.

Maintaining a good cooperative relationship with such a promising talent was, for him, entirely beneficial and devoid of any harm.

"Since Brother Chen has spoken, I naturally cannot refuse."

Ren Quanxu pondered for a moment before giving his reply.

"However, I need to go into seclusion to digest what I have gained this time, so I fear I will be unable to break away in the short term."

He extended a finger and traced a line in the Void Realm.

"Ten years."

"Ten years from now, I will certainly personally visit Hidden Sword Peak."

"At that time, I will set up the grand Formation for Brother Chen and merge the Spiritual Vein, how about that?"

For a Nascent Soul Cultivator,

ten years was merely a snap of the fingers.

This was already a very prompt commitment.

Chen Zhiwen was overjoyed.

"Good! It's a deal!"

"Ten years from now, I will sweep the couch to welcome you at Hidden Sword Peak!"

With the main business concluded,

the thought of upgrading his Lifebound Treasure Flying Sword surfaced in Chen Zhiwen's mind again.

Watching Ren Quanxu, who was about to turn around, he couldn't help but ask one more question.

"Oh, right, Brother Ren."

"I wonder if Brother Ren has any spare fourth-grade or even fifth-grade top-quality Ore on hand?"

"If you do, I am willing to purchase it at twenty percent above market price!"

Although the hidden edge sword was sharp, its material was ultimately failing to keep up with his cultivation level.

He urgently needed high-grade Ore to recast the sword body.

Hearing this,

Ren Quanxu stopped in his tracks, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

He spread his hands helplessly.

"Brother Chen, you are making things difficult for me."

"If I possessed a Heaven And Earth Treasure like fifth-grade Ore, I would have used it myself long ago; why would I keep it?"

"As for fourth-grade ore..."

Ren Quanxu sighed and pointed to his sleeve.

That was the place where he stored his Lifebound Treasure and that bronze statue.

"I did originally have a piece of 'Star Meteorite Iron' that I had treasured for many years."

"But before coming here, in order to enhance the power of this set of Formation Flags, I already fused it into my Magic Treasure."

"Now, I am empty-handed as well."

Hearing this answer,

a trace of disappointment flashed in Chen Zhiwen's eyes.

It seemed that the matter of upgrading his Flying Sword would have to wait for another Opportunity.

"Forget it."

Chen Zhiwen shook his head, quickly adjusting his state of mind.

"Since that is the case, I will not force it."

He bowed solemnly to Ren Quanxu.

"The green hills will not change, the green waters will flow on."

"Brother Ren, we will meet again in ten years!"

Ren Quanxu also returned the salute solemnly.

"In ten years, I will certainly keep the appointment."

"Farewell!"

As the words fell,

Ren Quanxu did not linger any longer, transforming into a streak of light and vanishing instantly at the edge of the horizon.

Chen Zhiwen stood in place, watching the other person depart.

Until that light beam completely disappeared,

he withdrew his gaze and glanced at this now-empty Spiritual Vein.

A hopeful arc curled at the corners of his mouth.

"This trip was a huge profit."

Chen Zhiwen hovered quietly in mid-air, watching Ren Quanxu transform into a yellow streak of light and depart.

He did not leave immediately.

The sea breeze blew against his robes, making them flutter loudly, but he himself was like a statue that had stood since ancient times.

He remained still for a long while.

This Spiritual Vein, which had been thoroughly scavenged, fell into an eerie silence.

In the air, there was only the sound of the wind, and that faint scent of blood that had not yet completely dissipated.

Suddenly,

Chen Zhiwen turned his head and cast his gaze toward the empty clouds on the left.

His gaze was calm and waveless, as if he were looking at an ordinary ornament.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you have great patience."

Chen Zhiwen spoke calmly; his voice was not loud, yet it clearly drifted into every cloud.

"Waiting here for several days, I truly feel deeply guilty."

This sound was like a clap of thunder on a clear day.

As soon as his voice fell, that patch of white clouds suddenly surged without warning.

The space seemed to turn into a water surface, rippling with invisible circles.

Immediately after,

a dry response came from the depths of the clouds.

"Heh, there's no need for guilt."

"It's just that I didn't expect to be seen through by Fellow Daoist Chen."

Before the voice finished, amidst the surging space, a man wearing white robes appeared out of thin air.

He was Zhang Xing, one of the five people who had left earlier.

At this moment, Zhang Xing looked like a completely different person compared to his previous disheveled appearance.

He was completely clean from head to toe, and that white robe didn't even have a single wrinkle.

His left hand grasped a piece of unknown beast meat that was roasted to a golden, oily sheen.

His right hand held an exquisite purple clay wine pot.

He took a large bite of the roasted meat and then tilted his head back to take a swig of strong liquor, looking as if he were feasting with gusto.

That posture was leisurely and self-satisfied, as if he were not in a dangerous wilderness, but enjoying the afternoon in his own backyard.

"Hiccup..."

Zhang Xing let out a wine-induced hiccup, a glimmer of curiosity flashing in his murky eyes.

He slowly tore off a beast leg and chewed until his mouth was full of oil.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, I pride myself on this set of 'Formless Evasion Technique' being passable."

"Below the Late Nascent Soul Stage, few people can see through it."

"How did you see through my concealment technique?"

Seeing this demeanor, Chen Zhiwen felt not a shred of contempt in his heart.

The more someone appeared unreliable like this, the more dangerous they often were.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you are joking."

Chen Zhiwen's tone remained flat, with no joy or anger detectable.

"It is not that my eyesight is superior."

"It is because you, Fellow Daoist Zhang, deliberately revealed a flaw."

This sentence was ambiguous.

In reality, right after Ren Quanxu left, Chen Zhiwen had habitually spread his Divine Sense to guard the surroundings.

It was at that moment that he keenly perceived:

In that hidden patch of clouds, there was a fluctuation of Spiritual Qi that, while weak, was exceptionally dense.

That Spiritual Qi carried a unique, murky sensation; it felt like earth, yet also like wind.

It was precisely the aura Zhang Xing had displayed during the previous battle.

This was obviously not a mistake that a skilled concealer should make.

The only explanation was that the other party had done it on purpose.

Hearing Chen Zhiwen's words, Zhang Xing's movements paused.

A faint, imperceptible glimmer of sharpness flashed in his seemingly murky eyes.

Immediately, he laughed out loud, his laughter full of frankness.

"Hahaha! As expected, I couldn't deceive Fellow Daoist Chen."

Zhang Xing admitted it frankly.

He put away the remaining roasted meat and the wine pot, wiped the oil stains off his hands, and seemed prepared to start discussing business.

"Since you have seen through me, I won't pretend anymore."

He smacked his lips, as if still savoring the mellow taste of the fine wine.

"I heard that Hidden Sword Peak is not far from here?"

"I wonder if there is any specialty food nearby? I have a weakness for that."

He acted as if they were old friends, seemingly just wanting to find a place to ask about good food.

But Chen Zhiwen's expression turned completely cold at this moment.

His patience had been exhausted.

From the moment Zhang Xing appeared, the Spiritual Qi in his body had been in a state of readiness.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang."

Chen Zhiwen's voice was like the cold wind of the twelfth lunar month, carrying not a trace of warmth.

"If you have something to say, you might as well say it directly."

"What exactly is your goal?"

Chen Zhiwen urged, his eyes becoming sharp as knives.

He even omitted polite forms of address, directly using an interrogative tone.

Being stared at by Chen Zhiwen's cold gaze, the smile on Zhang Xing's face did not diminish in the slightest.

He waved his hand, signaling that he had no malicious intent.

"Aiya, why must Fellow Daoist Chen be so nervous?"

He said slowly, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

"If I truly had ill intentions, I wouldn't have waited until now."

"Rest assured, I have no malice toward you."

Speaking to this point, he changed the subject.

His gaze swept over Chen Zhiwen, then looked in the direction where Ren Quanxu had disappeared.

In those murky eyes, it seemed he had seen through everything.

"You and that old man Ren privately swallowed the skeleton of the Extreme Cold Plague Spider King."

"Such a huge benefit, and the two of you split it."

"You didn't even leave a mouthful of soup for me."

"Look, I haven't even held this matter against you."

Boom!

This sentence was like a bolt of lightning from the blue, exploding in Chen Zhiwen's mind.

His complexion changed drastically in an instant.

From calm, to shock, and then to a trace of unconcealable horror.

Privately swallowing the skeleton?

How could he know!

This meant that from the moment they discovered the Plague Spider King skeleton, to the two of them bargaining, and then to the final transaction being completed...

This Zhang Xing had actually been hiding and peeping the entire time!

And he and that old fox Ren Quanxu had been completely unaware of it!

Thinking of this, Chen Zhiwen's back was instantly soaked in cold sweat.

If this Zhang Xing had harbored ill intentions, and had suddenly launched a sneak attack at the moment when he and Ren Quanxu were confronting each other over the skeleton and their minds were most tense...

The consequences would have been unimaginable!

He, Chen Zhiwen, might have been able to rely on his trump cards to counter-kill Zhang Xing.

But Ren Quanxu, who was not in good condition, would likely have fallen on the spot!

However, Chen Zhiwen was, after all, someone who had experienced great storms and waves.

Although his mind was shaken, he quickly forced himself to calm down.

His brain spun rapidly.

No.

No matter how strong this person's concealment Divine Ability was, it was impossible to completely deceive his Divine Sense.

The reason he was able to discover him just now was that he had fully spread his Divine Sense.

And previously in the underground cave, most of his attention had been on Ren Quanxu and that skeleton.

The detection range of his Divine Sense had been restricted.

That was why he had been able to exploit the loophole.

"If I had fully spread my Divine Sense from the very beginning, leaving no blind spots, I might not have failed to see through his concealment."

Chen Zhiwen mused to himself.

This judgment allowed him to regain a trace of confidence.

But in any case, Zhang Xing's threat level had already skyrocketed to the highest in his heart.

"So Fellow Daoist Zhang has been here the whole time."

Chen Zhiwen suppressed all emotions, with no ripples visible on his face.

He said calmly, as if speaking about something unrelated to himself.

"Since you have no intention of contending for it, Fellow Daoist, then I will take my leave."

"Within the Sect, there are many trivial matters, and it is truly inconvenient to stay here for long."

He was unwilling to continue entangling himself with this unfathomable guy.

After speaking, Chen Zhiwen turned to leave.

But at the same time,

the Spiritual Qi in his body had been circulated to the limit, and that hidden edge sword also emitted a slight hum.

Even the thought of activating the System's tenfold combat power was already swirling in his mind.

He secretly stayed on guard, as long as Zhang Xing made any unusual movement.

Even if he had to risk massive consumption, he would forcefully keep this person here!

This kind of hidden danger that could threaten his life at any time must never be let go easily.

However,

Zhang Xing seemed to really have no intention of making a move.

Watching Chen Zhiwen's look of facing a formidable enemy, he not only didn't mind, but instead found it somewhat amusing.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

He said slowly, his tone still that same devil-may-care manner.

"I haven't waited for you for so long just to scare you."

As the words fell,

Zhang Xing flipped the back of his hand gently.

Two ice-blue crystals emitting bone-chilling cold appeared in his palm.

Those crystals were like two solidified water droplets, crystal clear, and inside, it seemed there was flowing light slowly rotating.

A stream of extremely pure water-attribute Spiritual Qi instantly permeated the area.

"This is... fourth-grade ore, ice marrow jade stones!"

Chen Zhiwen's pupils shrank violently.

He stopped his figure that was preparing to flee, his gaze fixed tightly on the two crystals in Zhang Xing's hand.

ice marrow jade stones.

They were a wisp of Spiritual Vein essence that could only be nurtured in extremely cold places after ten thousand years of freezing.

They were rare supplementary Materials for refining top-tier water-attribute Magic Treasures.

Their value was so high that a small grain was enough to fetch a sky-high price of five thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones at a large auction.

And the two in Zhang Xing's hand were each the size of a pigeon's egg, and their quality was flawless.

Their value was immeasurable.

"That old miser Ren Quanxu doesn't have high-grade Ore in his hands."

Zhang Xing toyed with the two ice marrow jade stones, a look of disdain appearing on his face.

"I, on the other hand, like to collect some strange and odd things in my spare time."

"These two jade stones have been with me for some years, and I haven't found a suitable place to use them."

"I see that Fellow Daoist Chen seems to be looking for such Materials."

"How about I just give them to you."

Saying this,

Zhang Xing flicked his finger.

Those two priceless ice marrow jade stones transformed into two ice-blue streaks of light, tossing towards Chen Zhiwen unhurriedly.

That movement was as casual as if he were tossing two worthless pebbles.

Seeing this, Chen Zhiwen was filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

What was this?

A slap followed by a sweet date?

Or was there some other ulterior motive?

He dared not be the slightest bit careless.

With a thought, the hidden edge sword behind his back unsheathed with a "clang."

A sharp Sword Qi rolled out, not directly touching those two crystals,

but rather using a sheath formed from Sword Qi to cautiously lift them up.

He released his Divine Sense, carefully inspecting them over and over again.

Confirming that there were no Divine Sense brands, Restrictions, or hidden traps on them.

They were just two pure, extremely refined fourth-grade ore pieces.

After observing for a moment, Chen Zhiwen guided the sword light and carefully stored the two ice marrow jade stones into his storage ring.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, what is the meaning of this?"

Chen Zhiwen sheathed his sword and looked at Zhang Xing with a vigilant gaze.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world.

With such a heavy gift, the plot behind it was likely even more astonishing.

Facing Chen Zhiwen's guarded look, Zhang Xing laughed aloud.

He shook his head, as if looking at a naive child who hadn't seen much of the world.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, I already said I have no malicious intent."

He spread his hands, saying with an innocent face.