203: Mysterious and Demonic Plant - Seeking Qi Crystal Vine
"Thank you, Big Shot, for saving our lives!"
Dou Chenyang cupped his hands toward the masked Chen Fei.
A being capable of instakilling a Roaring Yeti and a Star-Magic Ice Bear was definitely no ordinary person.
Dou Chenyang had enough discernment to tell that he was at least a top-tier Grandmaster Level expert, or perhaps even a King-level Beast Tamer.
Immediately after, Dou Chenyang asked again, "Might I ask if you are a Scavenger, Big Shot?"
Chen Fei paused for a moment and followed up with a question, "What is a Scavenger?"
At those words, it was Dou Chenyang's turn to be stunned.
If he wasn't a Scavenger, what was he doing in the Northlands?
However, the other party's cultivation was clearly higher than his own, and he had just saved them, so Dou Chenyang patiently explained everything:
"People usually come to the Northlands in organized groups. Those who come alone to search for treasures are called Scavengers."
So that was it!
"In that case, I suppose I am a Scavenger!" Chen Fei followed along with Dou Chenyang's words.
Upon hearing this, Dou Chenyang's face lit up with joy. "Since you don't have an organization, Big Shot, why not join us?
We have professional techniques for finding spirit ore, and you have sufficient strength. Why don't we cooperate?"
Chen Fei was silent for a moment before speaking, "Very well!"
He indeed wanted to see what the source of the spirit ore looked like, which had been so difficult for those two Mutants to describe.
Moreover, he could take the opportunity to ask this group about the Green Robe Tower.
Changing the subject, he asked, "But how will the spirit ore be distributed?"
Dou Chenyang had already thought it through. "Look, Big Shot, we provide the technology, and we have many people who need to support their families. So, you take forty percent and we take sixty, how does that sound?"
With Chen Fei joining, even if they gave him forty percent, the remaining sixty percent would definitely be much more than what they had before.
Furthermore, Chen Fei was a powerhouse far beyond ordinary people; their entire group combined wouldn't be a match for him.
A powerhouse naturally deserved the treatment of a powerhouse.
However, Chen Fei waved his hand. "There's no need for forty percent. I'll take thirty, but I want the right of first refusal for ten pieces of spirit ore."
Dou Chenyang discussed it with the others, and they all felt it was feasible.
Thus, the two parties reached an agreement.
"May I ask how to address you, Big Shot?"
"My name is Shan Gui!"
"Alright, Big Shot Shan Gui! To be honest, we attacked this Star-Magic Ice Bear because it occupied the mine cave we marked last time.
Now that we've slain this bear, we can head deeper."
Chen Fei simply said indifferently, "Lead the way. Call me if you encounter anyone you can't beat."
"Yes, Big Shot!" Dou Chenyang was delighted. He had been afraid that after Chen Fei joined, he would just be there for show and not put in any effort.
And so, Chen Fei followed Dou Chenyang's group as they began to head deep into the cave.
He wanted to see how those spirit ores in the Imperial City were actually mined.
They encountered no major dangers along the way, with only an occasional one or two fourth-tier early-stage Evil Beasts appearing.
Dou Chenyang could handle them without Chen Fei having to lift a finger.
Chen Fei chatted with them and started inquiring, "Have you ever heard of the Green Robe Tower?"
Dou Chenyang and the others paused. "You aren't a member of the Green Robe Tower, are you, Big Shot?"
"No, I'm looking for them because I have some business to conduct."
Chen Fei sensed that their tone was different from Wu Lu and the others, so he tested them, "However, you don't seem surprised at all by the reappearance of the Green Robe Tower."
Dou Chenyang hesitated, the words on the tip of his tongue before he swallowed them back down.
After a good while, he said, "To be honest with you, Big Shot, a portion of the spirit ore we obtain is actually sold to the Green Robe Tower—specifically to the Fire Suppression Tower within it.
Please don't tell any outsiders, Big Shot!"
An unexpected light flashed in Chen Fei's eyes. Wasn't this a coincidence!
"Then it seems Brother Dou will have to point me in the right direction."
Dou Chenyang didn't think much of it. "Easy, easy!"
Suddenly, there was a sound!
The Silver Spirit Ore Beast in Dou Chenyang's hands reacted.
The Silver Spirit Ore Beast was only slightly larger than Little Gu. It looked like a mole with silver fur and loved to eat spirit ore.
It would burrow toward wherever there was spirit ore.
Before they had gone far, Chen Fei saw many skeletons, all of which were encased in Ore. They must have been dead for a long time.
Then he saw something he couldn't understand.
He indeed saw the same types of spirit ore as those in the spirit ore shops of the Imperial City.
However, these spirit ores didn't need to be excavated.
Instead, they were hung one by one from blue-white vines thicker than a human head, like fruits. It was incredibly bizarre.
"Is spirit ore always like this?"
Seeing Chen Fei's reaction, Dou Chenyang understood that it was his first time seeing it.
"It's always been like this. When we first saw it years ago, we were even more surprised than you.
We couldn't understand why these spirit ores weren't buried in the rock walls, but were instead hanging like fruit.
That feeling... was just very strange!"
Chen Fei felt the same way, sensing that something wasn't quite right, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
He quickly flipped open the sacred codex:
[Qi-Seeking Crystal Vine]
Strength: fourth-tier, 9th-rank
This vine is like Wu Yun in that it can observe 'Qi'. Once it finds a Heaven And Earth Treasure where 'Qi' exists, it will use its vines to coil around it and then secrete a mysterious mineral substance.
This mineral will encase the Heaven And Earth Treasure, turning it into Ore.
The vine can then slowly absorb the energy and 'Qi' from the Heaven And Earth Treasure for its own use, thereby increasing its strength.
Therefore, when some spirit ores are opened, there is nothing inside because they have actually been absorbed by the vine.
Note: The stronger the vine, the more Advanced the spirit ore fruit it produces.
A fourth-tier vine can extend hundreds of meters away, while a fifth-tier vine can reach several kilometers.
Furthermore, they have no fixed location and can move at any time.]
Seeing the information on this vine, Chen Fei finally understood.
To think there was such a miraculous Demonic Plant in the world that could observe 'Qi' and produce spirit ore fruit.
In other words, these Qi-Seeking Crystal Vines would collect all nearby substances containing 'Qi', regardless of what they were.
This explained why things like Jade Slips, ivory, and exotic fires would appear... the information on the Qi-Seeking Crystal Vine resolved some of Chen Fei's doubts.
"Wu Yun, come out and take a look!"
Wu Yun looked and saw over a hundred pieces of spirit ore on the vines, but only one was an orange spirit ore; the others were lower-grade spirit ores.
This was related to the location of the Qi-Seeking Crystal Vine and the abundance of Heaven And Earth Treasures.
"Big Shot, this Crystal Vine is a bit strong. I'm afraid we can't beat it."
Dou Chenyang scratched his head awkwardly. "When we came last time, it was only fourth-tier, 2nd-rank. Now it's already fourth-tier, 9th-rank. Its growth is a bit fast..."