98: Chapter 98 Ready

"Be more specific, I'm too lazy to look it up myself," Gu Na asked, quite exasperated.

Mu Cheng also voiced his speculation.

"Yeah, explain it clearly! If I'm not mistaken, anyone can use a Trader, but it requires a certain fee."

Since it was a game dungeon, it naturally required tickets or something similar, so it wasn't hard to guess.

"You need to pay star-glow crystals, and High-level Traders are controlled by the Five Major Chambers of Commerce," Tao Mumu explained.

"Holy crap!!! That damn woman... no wonder, no wonder. I suddenly feel like we lost at least a billion."

"Damn, a High-level Trader is worth half a Divine Artifact—a full fifty billion star-glow crystals." Gu Na was also completely shocked.

Fifty billion star-glow crystals were a small matter to Mu Cheng, and he immediately made a bold claim.

"Mumu, go to the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce and ask if they can sell a High-level Trader to us."

Better a short pain than a long one; with each entry costing a hundred thousand star-glow crystals, it was better to grit his teeth and buy one.

"I'll go personally right away. It shouldn't be much of a problem," Tao Mumu said before leaving.

Tao Shuishui suddenly asked curiously,

"Speaking of which... the Global Survival Game has only been around for less than half a year, right? Where did all those star-glow crystals come from?"

"Since you've asked so sincerely, your Grandpa Peppa will show mercy and tell you: star-glow crystals actually have ore veins," Peppa suddenly replied.

Tao Shuishui looked quite speechless. "Fine! Just pretend I never asked... I'm going to help my sister."

After she left, only Mu Cheng and Gu Na remained. The two peeked at each other several times but didn't say a word.

The atmosphere suddenly became very awkward...

"Hey, can't you two say something? You're making your Grandpa Peppa feel awkward too." Peppa couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help but chime in.

Mu Cheng was indeed bored. "It seems there's not much to say. Everything that needs to be arranged has been arranged."

The current situation at Menglou Pavilion was normal; they were just waiting for news from Tao Mumu's side.

"There really isn't much. If I want to break through to the Eighth Rank, it's not something that can be done in a day or two," Gu Na also spoke slowly.

There was a hurdle between the Seventh and Eighth Rank. Not only did one need a deep understanding of their own bloodline or ability, but they also needed to fully comprehend Transcendent Martial Arts.

"It is indeed difficult, but then again, maybe not? To put it simply, the Eighth Rank doesn't require a forced breakthrough; it needs to be done bit by bit," Peppa also understood this very well.

Strictly speaking, the Eighth Rank was a qualitative change. Not only would lifespan increase significantly, but the body also required a massive upgrade.

"This is indeed difficult. The Eighth Rank is the foundation; if the foundation isn't laid well, the Ninth Rank is ruined," Mu Cheng had also come to understand this over those few months.

Although the sign of reaching the Eighth Rank was walking on air, the rank was actually very important, just like the foundation of a house.

To far surpass an ordinary Ninth Rank, one had to be grounded in the Eighth Rank, gradually transforming the entire body—bloodline, cells, and so on...

"Mhm, I can only take it slow. If there's nothing else, I'll head back to my room."

Staying was awkward, so Gu Na naturally found an excuse to leave, and she did so without even waiting for Mu Cheng's agreement.

Indeed, no agreement was needed. After all... there really wasn't anything to handle right now.

"By the way, Little Piglet, is my current physical strength already considered barely at the Ninth Rank?" Mu Cheng asked, still quite curious.

Peppa: "What else? However, for you, breaking through to the Ninth Rank doesn't require condensing an energy source at all. As for the reason, you'll find out later."

It was very certain about this. Devouring Bloodline users didn't have a Ninth Rank; they broke through directly from the Eighth Rank to beyond the Ninth Rank.

One could imagine... just how difficult that would be.

"I'm also quite curious. I'm not the first Devouring Bloodline user, so why hasn't a Ninth Rank appeared?" Mu Cheng said after thinking seriously.

He now had a certain understanding of the Devouring Bloodline, which led to a point of great confusion for him.

Users of the Devouring Bloodline mysteriously disappeared after breaking through to the Eighth Rank, as if they had vanished from the face of the earth.

Peppa: "Why think so much? Won't you know once you break through to the Eighth Rank? For now, you'd better plan carefully!"

"Fine! I really do need to understand things better." Mu Cheng didn't ask any further.

He began to learn about the rules of this great city...

An hour later.

Tao Mumu suddenly sent a message.

"Brother Cheng, I've finished the negotiations with the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce. The High-level Trader will cost one hundred billion star-glow crystals."

"One hundred billion star-glow crystals? The price has doubled... is this person trying to rob us?" Mu Cheng couldn't help but curse.

Peppa: "Can't you use your brain? Were all those years of schooling for nothing?"

"I almost forgot, High-level Traders also have different grades. It seems the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce didn't intend to scam me," Mu Cheng said as it finally clicked.

This was quite reasonable. Mu Cheng was a powerful ally after all; for the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce, they definitely wanted to hold onto him tightly.

Peppa: "What else? Use your brain—the number of Divine Artifacts is limited."

"It seems I have to go there personally, and while I'm at it, I'll hand over those energy sources to the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce," Mu Cheng suddenly remembered.

He soon arrived at the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce, where Tao Mumu was also present...

"One hundred billion star-glow crystals—how do you plan to trade?" Chu Tingting was the first to ask.

[The Second Miss is really something, how am I supposed to find the nerve to ask this kid to take out all the energy sources?]

After Mu Cheng heard this inner thought, he had intended to return them anyway... so he didn't make things difficult.

"What is the price for a million-year energy source? Also, that girl left some things here last time, I'll give them all to you together!"

"A million-year energy source is priced at one billion." Chu Tingting was very surprised.

She never expected... Mu Cheng would offer to return them proactively. Though skeptical, she still opened the trade interface.

"Just give the Trader to that girl. I'll trade all the million-year energy sources to you." Mu Cheng didn't hesitate to operate his high-tech bracelet to start the trade.

In any case, he had over a hundred thousand energy sources of various types, and since Divine Artifacts might have uses later...

After thinking it over, he ultimately chose to pay with energy sources.

[Brother Cheng actually has energy sources... could it be from the Botanical Garden last time? What exactly happened? He didn't even share any with the sisters.]

Mu Cheng heard Tao Mumu's inner thoughts. He actually did have that intention, but none of the sisters had broken through to the Seventh Rank yet.

So... he would wait until later.

After finishing the trade, Mu Cheng and Tao Mumu quickly left the Chu Family Chamber of Commerce and returned to the mansion...

As soon as Tao Mumu returned, she began preparing nervously, placing the Trader in the first-floor lobby of the mansion.

Once everything was ready.

"Sisters, it's time to get to work. Remember, safety first. If you can't win, come out. Do not, under any circumstances, push yourselves too hard," Tao Mumu emphasized once again.