380: All materials are complete

[Jiang Ci's pupils constricted imperceptibly.]

[At the very moment his Law Power was blocked, a smooth, glass-like pearl the size of a goose egg quietly emerged in the palm of your right hand.]

[It was precisely the soul-eroding pearl!]

[As soon as this pearl appeared, although it didn't attack, the naturally emanating cold, corrosive aura that pierced straight into the Divine Soul caused the temperature of the entire cave to drop several degrees.]

[The several Golden Core Cultivators standing slightly closer felt their Divine Souls tremble, nearly losing their mental focus.]

[Jiang Ci's gaze instantly locked onto the soul-eroding pearl, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.]

[A Spirit Treasure!]

[And definitely no ordinary Spirit Treasure; that sense of threat directed at the Divine Soul was enough to pose a serious danger even to a Cultivator of his level.]

[Particularly—your expression remained calm from beginning to end, and your aura hadn't wavered even slightly.]

[This composure, this unfathomable confidence, forced him to suppress the slight displeasure and urge to test you that had arisen from your 'impersonation.']

[The sharp, sword-like aura radiating from him, poised to strike, paused for a moment before slowly being retracted.]

["Forget it."]

[Jiang Ci suddenly spoke, his voice as calm as still water, as he completely withdrew the invisible Law Power.]

[The terrifying, heart-shaking pressure in the cave receded like a tide, leaving only the dull roar of the planetary core's rotation and the faint 'sizzling' sound of the Formation siphoning off Origin energy.]

[That brief and perilous silent confrontation had already clarified things.]

[Your control and neutralization of the Law Power were effortless; your Foundation was as solid and deep as his own.]

[More importantly, you had casually displayed a Spirit Treasure capable of threatening a Soul Transformation Cultivator!]

[What did this signify?]

[It meant you likely had even stronger trump cards you hadn't revealed yet.]

[If things truly escalated to a life-and-death struggle here, the consequences would be unpredictable.]

[Even if he won, it would be a pyrrhic victory.]

[Furthermore, it might completely cut off this 'source of wealth'; if he lost, everything would be over.]

[If things went wrong, the planetary core could be affected. If energy leaked and the core exploded, the entire Shattered Star Continent would be finished.]

[He gave you a deep look, a complex light flashing in his eyes—]

[Vigilance, calculation, and wariness, perhaps even a subtle flash of interest at meeting a worthy opponent, before finally settling into a calm like a deep pool.]

[You had long anticipated this outcome.]

[Jiang Ci's expression softened, and a faint smile even tugged at the corner of his mouth as his tone became more relaxed:]

["Actually, while world origin is precious to my Langgan Pavilion, it is not entirely unique. It's just... such a treasure cannot be given away to outsiders for nothing."]

[You nodded slightly in understanding, speaking simply and directly:]

["Your terms?"]

["It's simple." Jiang Ci looked directly at you. "If you want this wisp of world origin, you must... do one thing for my Langgan Pavilion."]

[Your brow twitched almost imperceptibly, and you didn't agree immediately.]

["Do one thing?"]

[If he asked you to charge into a certain-death forbidden zone or go head-to-head with some gargantuan entity, wouldn't that be seeking your own demise?]

[Jiang Ci seemed to see through your concerns and let out a light chuckle, his tone carrying a convincing frankness:]

["Rest assured, Fellow Daoist."]

["My Langgan Pavilion is in the business of trade; we value fair exchange and honesty."]

["This 'one thing' would likely be escorting important cargo, clearing out a troublesome faction, or... dealing with a specific target."]

["We will assess your strength and will never force you to do something beyond your capabilities."]

[He paused and added:]

["After all, the long-term value of a powerful Soul Transformation Daoist with potential far exceeds a single wisp of world origin."]

["We would much rather establish a... long-term cooperative relationship with you."]

[Jiang Ci's pupils constricted imperceptibly.]

[You pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in your mind.]

[What he said made sense. For an organization like the Langgan Pavilion, reputation was indeed important, and the strength you had shown made you worth their investment.]

[Furthermore, the Immortal Realm contained countless Shattered Star Continents. They surely had similar siphoning nodes established across all of them.]

[No wonder Old Monster Xinghen had brought you here. In this place, you wouldn't dare to act recklessly.]

["Fine." You no longer hesitated and nodded in agreement.]

[The smile on Jiang Ci's face deepened. With a flick of his finger, a warm white jade pendant floated toward you:]

["This is a Covenant Jade. When a suitable mission arises, it will display the specific details and requirements. You only need to complete it as agreed."]

[Simultaneously, with a gentle wave of his other hand, a special jade box—identical to the one you had seen earlier containing the ten-colored energy flow—slowly flew toward you.]

["Your timing is quite fortunate," Jiang Ci said. "This wisp of world origin was only recently condensed and sealed. It hasn't been sent back to headquarters yet, so let it serve as the advance payment for our agreement."]

[You reached out and took the jade box and the jade pendant.]

[The jade box felt cool to the touch, and the majestic, pure Origin aura within could be faintly felt through the Restriction—the jade pendant felt warm, with nothing unusual about it.]

[Things had gone... unexpectedly smoothly.]

[Standing there, you felt a moment of hesitation.]

[Was it really this easy to obtain a wisp of world origin that countless Cultivators dreamed of?]

[Even if it meant completing an unknown task, the price seemed too light.]

[Could there be a trap?]

[Was the jade box a fake?]

[Or was there a tracking or curse Restriction hidden within the jade pendant?]

[Jiang Ci seemed to understand the flash of doubt in your expression. He shook his head with a smile, his tone carrying the pride characteristic of a major power:]

["Fellow Daoist, there is no need for concern."]

["While condensing a wisp of world origin is indeed time-consuming and costly, for my Langgan Pavilion, it is not worth destroying our reputation over such a small payment by resorting to deception."]

["Furthermore, your strength and potential are worth this investment."]

[His tone shifted, and his eyes narrowed slightly:]

["Of course, if you take the item but refuse to fulfill the agreement... then I'm afraid another name will be added to the Langgan Pavilion's pursuit list."]

["I believe you wouldn't want to experience the price of that."]

[A combination of grace and authority, with an air of openness backed by unquestionable rules.]

[Your doubts lessened slightly. You put away the jade box and pendant, then cupped your hands:]

["In that case, I thank Fellow Daoist Jiang. I will keep an eye out for the mission."]

["Good." Jiang Ci nodded slightly and said no more. With a blur of his figure, he returned to the main position of the Formation, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed as if nothing had happened.]

[You didn't linger either. Giving a slight nod to the trembling Old Monster Xinghen nearby, you followed the original path, activated the teleportation Formation, and left the cave deep within the earth's veins.]