681: Does Wang Chen have a terrorist background?

“Hong Gu, what did that Wang Chen buy from your Spirit Pet Pavilion? It cost twenty Flawless Spirit Crystals?”

In the City Lord’s mansion hall, Han Tianxing painstakingly tore his gaze away from the Flawless Spirit Crystals and turned to look at Hong Gu.

Although the Spirit Pet Pavilion’s business was not small, Han Tianxing knew very well that the value of those Spirit Beast cubs, even if added together, might not be as precious as these twenty Flawless Spirit Crystals.

Did he buy the entire Spirit Pet Pavilion?

Seeing Han Tianxing’s serious expression, Hong Gu couldn't help but be stunned, saying with some confusion:

“He bought that Dark Tyrant Ape Cub, valued at three hundred thousand Spirit Crystals. Because he paid with Flawless Spirit Crystals, according to the black market’s highest price, we charged him twenty Flawless Spirit Crystals.”

“Tianxing, is something wrong?”

“Foolish!”

After hearing Hong Gu’s words, Han Tianxing sighed deeply, looking at Hong Gu with an expression of disappointment:

“Can you buy Flawless Spirit Crystals in the black market with fifteen thousand ordinary Spirit Crystals?”

“Even if you offer double or triple the price, getting one would be a good deal.”

Flawless Spirit Crystals in the black market were always rare and in high demand, with no real market price. The exchange rate released was just to fool those who didn't know better. If Flawless Spirit Crystals truly appeared, let alone fifteen thousand, even thirty thousand or fifty thousand would have people rushing to buy them.

Because these Flawless Spirit Crystals were not only strategic items serving as energy sources for large city magic dispelling arrays, but also essential for cultivators above the sixth stage in the Netherworld when they underwent a Breakthrough.

Cultivators living in the Netherworld naturally absorbed energy mixed with a trace of Netherworld power. At lower stages, this Netherworld power was very small and would not affect Breakthrough.

However, once they reached the sixth stage, this Netherworld power would have accumulated to a considerable extent, causing an impact on the cultivator’s body.

To continue to Breakthrough, they must use the energy within Flawless Spirit Crystals to cleanse their bodies, completely expelling this Netherworld power before they could advance further.

The reason Han Tianxing served as the City Lord of Qing Shi City, engaging in daily power struggles with the major Families and various forces in the city, was for the annual Flawless Spirit Crystal Salary (stipend) issued by the Chu Kingdom, as well as the convenience of occasionally borrowing the energy reserves of the city’s magic dispelling array.

“Hong Gu, you are truly foolish!”

“That Wang Chen probably didn’t know about the exchange situation for Flawless Spirit Crystals and directly paid you according to the black market rate.”

“But if he finds out later, what do you think he will think?”

“He can casually take out Flawless Spirit Crystals for a transaction. Even if he doesn't come from a major force like a Holy Land, he probably has a God-Demon level elder behind him.”

“Can we withstand the wrath of such an existence?”

Han Tianxing said with a solemn expression, wishing he could immediately distance himself from Hong Gu.

“Then… what do we do now?”

Hong Gu also panicked at this moment. Before, she had only focused on the benefits of the Flawless Spirit Crystals and hadn't thought about this aspect at all.

“What else can we do!”

Han Tianxing’s hand pressed on the box containing the Flawless Spirit Crystals, saying with a gloomy face:

“Send this to Young Master Wang. That Dark Tyrant Ape Cub will be our thank-you gift for him bringing Yutong back.”

“But…”

Hong Gu looked reluctant upon hearing this:

“That’s three hundred thousand Spirit Crystals, and besides, Yutong was the one who brought him back!”

“There’s no need to worry about these minor details. If you think your life is more important than three hundred thousand Spirit Crystals, then consider that I never brought this up.”

Han Tianxing angrily waved his sleeve, a chill already flickering in his eyes.

Seeing this, Hong Gu’s heart fluttered: “I’ll go right now.”

Picking up the box, she was about to turn and leave.

“Wait.”

Han Tianxing suddenly spoke.

Such a person with a profound background coming to Qing Shi City was a mixed blessing, but no matter what, establishing a good connection and becoming familiar might prove useful later.

“I’ll go personally.”

“This will also show my sincerity.”

Straightening his attire, Han Tianxing took the box and left the hall with Hong Gu.

…

In the inn room.

Wang Chen was currently looking through information about the Demon Beast Forest.

The Demon Beast Forest covered an extremely vast area. According to the book, it spanned several states, tens of thousands of miles in circumference, bordering various forces.

Within it, there were numerous types of Demonic Beasts, said to be over ten thousand species. More than a third of the Spirit Beast cubs in the Netherworld were obtained from here.

As for why the names differed, the book stated that naturally born Demonic Beasts were fierce and tyrannical, while those raised by humans from a young age had gentle temperaments, hence the different names for distinction.

However, in Wang Chen’s opinion, it was merely a change of name to sound better.

Because the Demon Beast Forest covered an extremely vast area, powerful Demonic Beasts within it were ubiquitous.

A Demonic Beast like the Dark Tyrant Ape, which possessed seventh-stage strength after reaching adulthood, could be called a hegemon in the Demon Beast Forest, but its might was limited to outside the core region.

In the core region of the Demon Beast Forest, it was said that there were terrifying existences reaching the eighth or even ninth stage of strength. God-Demon level powerhouses had once ventured deep into the Demon Beast Forest and ultimately perished there.

However, the records about these powerful Demonic Beasts in the books were only fragmented, mostly based on hearsay. No one had personally seen these powerful Demonic Beasts, but everyone had listed the core region as a Forbidden Ground.

While perusing the information about the Demon Beast Forest, Wang Chen also gained an unexpected harvest.

A roughly annotated map showing the activity areas of various powerful Demonic Beasts in the Demon Beast Forest.

On this map, Wang Chen saw records about the Dark Tyrant Ape.

The location of the Dark Tyrant Ape was already extremely close to the core region of the Demon Beast Forest.

Moreover, there were many dangerous peaks and Forbidden Grounds around, and several other powerful Demonic Beasts also resided there.

Each of them, after reaching adulthood, was no weaker in strength than the Dark Tyrant Ape.

“The owner of that Spirit Pet Pavilion being able to pick up a Dark Tyrant Ape Cub in the Demon Beast Forest probably isn't just good luck.”

“Furthermore, this person venturing so deep into the Demon Beast Forest likely had an ulterior motive.”

Observing the map, Wang Chen thought silently.

The dangers along the way to the Dark Tyrant Ape’s area were considerable. Just from this simplified map, it could be seen that one would have to pass through at least four areas occupied by Demonic Beasts that possessed seventh-stage strength after reaching adulthood.

To safely reach and return, even with seventh-stage strength, it was not guaranteed.

According to Han Yutong, the strongest person in Qing Shi City was her father, City Lord Han Tianxing, whose strength was at the seventh-stage Middle Stage.

The owner of that Spirit Pet Pavilion was Han Yutong’s uncle. Even if he had hidden his strength, he would not exceed the seventh-stage Middle Stage at most.

After all, given Han Yutong’s naive personality, if her uncle were an eighth-stage cultivator, she would have long since boasted about it.

Under such circumstances, daring to venture deep into the Demon Beast Forest meant there must be something there that held an extremely strong attraction for the Spirit Pet Pavilion owner.

“Little fellow, could it be that your race also bears the task of guarding some Treasure Trove?”

Thinking of this, Wang Chen glanced at the Dark Tyrant Ape Cub, which had quietly moved to the door.