38: Fair trade

Inside the private room.

The mist enveloping the Golden Core Elder, for the first time, lost its usual tranquility. It surged and contracted violently, revealing the turbulent waves in its owner's heart.

He stared fixedly at Shen Yuanmo, who had reseated himself. On his aged face, shock and horror intertwined, unable to maintain the composure and calmness of a Golden Core Immortal Master.

This young man, in a way he could neither comprehend nor imagine, had overturned Heavenly Secret Pavilion's table right in front of him!

This was no longer a threat; it was a blatant display of power!

Shen Yuanmo was using facts to tell Heavenly Secret Pavilion that its proud defenses were not impregnable before him.

If he could detonate one weak point, he could find ten, or a hundred!

This had already touched upon the fundamental interests of Heavenly Secret Pavilion!

The Golden Core Elder had lived for hundreds of years and had never seen a Foundation Establishment Cultivator so audacious and so much of a Prodigy.

To see through the weak point of the Heavenly Secret Lock Yuan Grand Formation with a single glance, what terrifying Formation mastery would that require?

No, this had already exceeded the scope of Formation mastery; this was an insight almost akin to the Dao!

Even more terrifying was the opponent's pure Yang power, its high quality, and its domineering might.

It could precisely detonate the spiritual energy nodes, causing the entire grand Formation to become disordered without collapsing it.

This precise control over power was simply inconceivable!

Who exactly was he? A Disciple taught by some reclusive old monster?

Or was he, himself, an old monster disguised as a youth?

Countless thoughts flashed through the Golden Core Elder's mind, ultimately transforming into a deep sense of apprehension.

He knew that this matter today had exceeded his ability to handle.

The youth opposite him was no longer a Junior who could be manipulated at will, but an existence with the qualifications to engage in equal dialogue with Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

"Elder, can we... renegotiate the 'price' of the transaction?"

Shen Yuanmo's calm voice struck the Golden Core Elder's heart like a heavy hammer.

He picked up the spiritual tea and took a light sip, his movements unhurried, as if that earth-shattering blow just now was truly an insignificant matter.

The Golden Core Elder's throat bobbed. The chill that rose from the bottom of his heart made the spiritual power around him somewhat stagnant.

For the first time, he felt that his proud Golden Core cultivation seemed unable to provide absolute security in front of this youth.

"You..." The Golden Core Elder's voice became hoarse and dry, devoid of its previous profoundness and inscrutability.

"What do you want?"

He compromised. Facing a monster who could threaten the Tianji Treasure Pagoda, he had no choice but to compromise.

"What I want has been clear from the beginning." Shen Yuanmo put down his teacup, his gaze clear, looking directly at the mist.

"High Grade intelligence, everything about the nine-aperture stone milk."

"As for the price..." Shen Yuanmo smiled slightly.

"I said I don't want to give it, and you can't take it. But that doesn't mean I'm someone who likes to take things for free."

"Heavenly Secret Pavilion conducts intelligence business, emphasizing equivalent exchange. I understand this rule and am willing to abide by it."

Upon hearing this, the Golden Core Elder breathed a slight sigh of relief.

As long as the other party was still willing to talk, there was still room for maneuver.

"Then... what are you willing to pay?" he asked tentatively.

"Your Heavenly Secret Pavilion claims to know everything and calculate everything. Presumably, you also have some knowledge of the various Formations circulating within Baiyue Prefecture City, right?" Shen Yuanmo asked in return without answering.

"Naturally." Although the Golden Core Elder didn't understand his meaning, he still answered proudly.

The collection of Formation diagrams in Heavenly Secret Pavilion's database was enough to make any Formation aristocratic family envious.

"Then... does your esteemed pavilion have a collection of a Rank 2 High Grade defensive Formation called the Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation?"

"Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation?" The Golden Core Elder was startled, then nodded.

"This Formation is known for its defensive power among Rank 2 Formations. Our pavilion naturally has the complete Formation diagram."

"Alright then." Shen Yuanmo flicked his finger, and a blank Jade Slip flew to the Golden Core Elder's front.

"I will use the improved version of this Formation as the price for High Grade intelligence, how about that?"

"Improved version?" The Golden Core Elder's tone was full of suspicion.

The Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation was an ancient Formation, passed down for thousands of years, and had long been thoroughly studied by countless Formation Great Masters, widely recognized as one of the ultimate Rank 2 defensive Formations.

A youth in his early twenties dared to boast about improving it?

It was simply a fantasy!

"If Elder doesn't believe it, just take a look." Shen Yuanmo's expression was indifferent, as if he had long anticipated the other party's reaction.

The Golden Core Elder suspiciously took the Jade Slip but did not immediately examine it.

Instead, he swept it with his vigilant Divine Sense again and again, confirming that there were no tricks, before slowly sinking a trace of his mind into it.

The next moment.

"Buzz—!"

The Golden Core Elder's Sea of Consciousness seemed to have a giant rock thrown into it, stirring up monstrous waves!

The mist around him instantly exploded!

An old face covered in wrinkles was completely exposed to the air for the first time. His cloudy eyes, now wide as brass bells, were filled with ten times more shock and disbelief than when he had seen Shen Yuanmo overturn the table earlier!

"This! How is this possible!"

He gasped in astonishment, his voice trembling!

Within the Jade Slip, it was indeed the Formation diagram of the Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation.

But!

This Formation diagram was vastly different from the original version he knew!

The original Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation was composed of 3,600 basic runes, had eighty-one Formation eyes, and 108 spiritual energy nodes, with a complex and interconnected structure.

However, this improved version in the Jade Slip had its basic runes reduced to 2,400!

The Formation eyes were even optimized to thirty-six!

The number of spiritual energy nodes remained unchanged, but their operational routes were re-planned, becoming more concise and efficient!

Although the Golden Core Elder was not a Formation Great Master, he had studied Formations and could discern the terrifying aspects within.

The reduction in runes and Formation eyes meant that the difficulty and cost of setting up the Formation were reduced by at least 30%!

And the optimization of the spiritual energy circulation routes meant that, under the consumption of the same spiritual energy, the defensive power of this Formation was at least 50% higher than the original version!

Cost reduced by 30%! Power increased by 50%!

This... this was no longer an improvement!

This was turning stone into gold! Turning decay into wonder!

How could this be a Rank 2 High Grade Formation? This was clearly a quasi-Rank 3 grand Formation, infinitely close to Rank 3 Low Grade!

If Shen Yuanmo's previous act of overturning the table had made him feel threatened and apprehensive.

Then now, the value contained within this Jade Slip made him feel an endless... fanaticism!

He could imagine what immense benefits Heavenly Secret Pavilion would gain once it mastered this improved Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation, whether by selling it as a commodity or using it to set up its own strongholds!

Its value already far exceeded a single piece of intelligence about the nine-aperture stone milk!

No, even ten pieces wouldn't compare!

"Now." Shen Yuanmo's voice softly sounded, awakening the Golden Core Elder from his immense shock.

"Elder, do you think this 'price' is enough?"

"Enough! More than enough!" The Golden Core Elder blurted out.

The look in his eyes towards Shen Yuanmo had completely changed.

To be able to casually produce an improved Formation of this Rank, this young man's Formation mastery could no longer be described as superb.

This was a Grandmaster! A Great Grandmaster of Formations, capable of establishing his own sect and being treated as an honored guest by Nascent Soul True Lords!

Offend such a person?

The Golden Core Elder felt a chill down his spine just thinking about it.

Although Heavenly Secret Pavilion was powerful, it was unwilling to provoke a Formation Great Grandmaster with limitless potential for no reason!

"Fellow Daoist Shen..." The Golden Core Elder's attitude underwent a complete 180-degree change. He even stood up from his meditation cushion and bowed slightly to Shen Yuanmo, performing a Junior-to-senior salute.

"It was this old man who was blind and ignorant. I have offended you greatly before, and I hope Fellow Daoist will be magnanimous!"

"Today's transaction, my Heavenly Secret Pavilion will do it!"

"High Grade intelligence, I will fetch it for Fellow Daoist immediately!"

"No, not just intelligence!" A shrewd glint flashed in the Golden Core Elder's eyes.

"My Heavenly Secret Pavilion is willing to treat Fellow Daoist as our highest-Ranked honored guest! From now on, all of Fellow Daoist's transactions with my Heavenly Secret Pavilion will enjoy the highest standard of treatment and the greatest discounts!"

He knew very well that an improved Formation diagram had already given Heavenly Secret Pavilion an enormous advantage.

Now, what he needed to do was not to calculate gains and losses, but to spare no effort to befriend this unfathomable young man!

A Formation Grandmaster who could improve the Mysterious Turtle Suppressing Sea Formation—who knew how many world-shaking things he still had hidden in his mind?