Chapter 114 Treasure Hunt in the Secret Realm 3

The whole thing took less than a breath.

The armored man stared in disbelief, utterly dumbfounded.

He was running away when he was so startled that he almost fell over!

Even though he didn't fall, the armored man landed quietly on the ground, not daring to show any presence.

As for leaving first...

He wouldn't dare.

Although he gave the warning first, he was the one who led the enemy in this direction. If he were to take the opportunity to run away, wouldn't that be too conspicuous? What if he gets wiped out while he's at it?

He couldn't possibly outrun those two guys who could take down the fusion!

Let's first correct our attitude.

Therefore, the armored man remained silent and observed the situation.

...be ready to beg for mercy at any time.

·

The two puppets moved swiftly, arriving in front of Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan in an instant.

They stood quietly and offered what they were carrying.

Wu Shaogan ignored it for the moment, and instead nudged Zhong Cai, asking in a low voice, "Cai, does it hurt?"

Zhong Cai also asked, "Old Wu, are you feeling unwell?"

Both of them said, "It's nothing."

Then they breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhong Cai looked at the puppets.

The two puppets remained standing in the same spot, maintaining their poses.

Wu Shaogan glanced at the still-bleeding head, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.

"Let's get rid of the makeup."

The puppet man instantly walked to the side, found a ball of purple mist filled with strange power, and threw his head into it.

In an instant, the mist enveloped his head, reducing it to nothingness.

The puppet man returned and handed over the mustard seed ring and mustard seed bag once again.

The puppet girl stood next to him, her movements exactly the same.

Zhong Cai unceremoniously collected all the mustard seed utensils.

Wu Shaogan's gaze finally fell on the armored man.

For some reason, the armored man shuddered.

Even though his level was higher, this guy's expression was really a bit creepy.

The armored man immediately cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you both for saving my life."

Wu Shaogan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Zhong Cai, on the other hand, had a much better temper and didn't have any objections to the armored man. He said, "There's no need to thank me, but brother, why were you being chased?"

The armored man was quite perceptive. Seeing that the man was willing to talk to him, he knew that his life was half saved. If the man's attitude was even better, he would have a very high chance of surviving. So he carefully explained the reason.

"I encountered a starry river before, and there was great danger in the surrounding mist that could have blocked cultivators. Although my strength was insufficient, I had a defensive item on me, and I managed to enter safely despite the great danger."

"I obtained two treasures with star attributes inside, but when I came out, I was already being waited for by that person."

At this point, the armored man deliberately kicked the headless corpse, sending it flying into a nearby ray of starlight where it was incinerated. At the same time, he gave the two men an apologetic look.

Zhong Cai waved her hand to indicate that she was fine.

The armored man was secretly pleased. It seemed that his kick was the right one. Originally, he had taken a risk by doing so, hoping that it would make him appear to be on the same side as these two. Perhaps instead of being seen as overstepping his bounds, he would be seen as helping to resolve the trouble.

Then he continued, "I originally intended to take out the treasure in exchange for my life, but this man was a vicious monster who chased me all the way and had no intention of letting me go. So I had no choice but to run for my life."

At this point, seeing that there was no real danger in the atmosphere, the armored man finally dared to say, "I'm sorry, both of you. I was in a panic and caused you trouble."

He immediately took out two treasures that shimmered with starlight and presented them to them.

"This is the treasure I obtained. It was originally of no use to me, but its grade is decent. Please enjoy it, it is also a small token of my gratitude."

·

The armored man's performance was indeed quite satisfactory, and there was really no reason to hold a grudge against him further.

Zhong Cai then looked at the two treasures.

Judging by their condition, they're all grade 5?

Each one is of very good quality; in addition to starlight, it also has a slight watery sheen, all belonging to the water-attribute star refining materials.

No wonder that Fusion Realm cultivator tried to snatch it; such refining materials are quite valuable.

·

What had just happened had indeed startled Zhong Cai and made him a little unhappy. Since the armored man had said he wanted to give them away, he had the puppet fetch them.

Seeing this, the armored man felt a pang of regret, but also breathed a sigh of relief.

My life is completely saved.

The armored man said again, "Thank you both for saving my life."

Then, the atmosphere became a little awkward.

After all, the two sides were not familiar with each other. Zhong Cai recognized the armored man as someone he had traded with before, but the armored man did not immediately connect Zhong Cai, Wu Shaogan, and the two heavily wrapped-up men in black robes.

So it seems like the two sides have nothing to say to each other.

The armored man tentatively asked, "Is there anything else you two need?"

Zhong Cai: "I don't have any instructions."

The armored man said almost impatiently, "Then I'll take my leave first—"

Zhong Cai then said, "I just have a few questions I'd like to ask you."

The armored man was a little nervous: "Please speak, brother."

Zhong Cai pondered for a moment and said, "I wonder if you have ever encountered a floating meteorite island or meteorite mountain of a lower grade?"

This isn't exactly a formal description, but it's fairly apt.

The armored man immediately understood. After thinking carefully, he replied, "I have seen it, but it is already guarded by powerful individuals who have taken over all the resources there."

Zhong Cai thought for a moment and said, "It's alright. Please tell us the location and we'll go take a look."

The armored man was about to give directions.

But it was at this moment that Wu Shaogan spoke up: "Lead the way."

Zhong Cai was taken aback, but did not object.

The armored man wanted to leave immediately, but since Wu Shaogan had brought it up, he couldn't say anything more.

So he had no choice but to point in a certain direction and say, "Please come this way with me, both of you."

·

Wu Shaogan was still carrying Zhong Cai on his back, not relaxing his grip at all.

The armored man walked in front, while two level-six puppets concealed their auras and stood guard on both sides.

There are many dangers along this route, but since both the armored man and the puppet can scout ahead, it doesn't affect the two of them much.

Of course, they encountered some powerful individuals along the way, but this time Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan did not avoid them and proceeded directly.

If those powerful cultivators turned a blind eye, all would be well, and everyone would live in peace. But if any cultivators showed them malice, the two would order their puppets to kill them, dispose of their bodies, and plunder their property.

Actually, it's still a bit brutal.

But this is also because the two of them have a slightly different mindset.

They originally only wanted to collect treasures, but instead, they were constantly being slapped as they passed by. Even though neither of them was actually injured, they were still in a bad mood.

The two of them were still a little upset.

If someone with ill intentions were to come along at this point, they would be walking right into the line of fire.

Even if a powerful cultivator wanted to eliminate them, they couldn't, because the two puppets could gang up on each other.

·

The armored man watched helplessly as the two slaughtered at least seven or eight Fusion cultivators and more than ten Suspended Illumination cultivators, his heart pounding in his chest.

Yes, some powerful individuals did indeed become bloodthirsty and attacked indiscriminately.

There were so many Suspended Illuminations and Fusions in this secret realm, yet the two cultivators who had achieved Enlightenment and Palace Opening were able to eliminate so many directly with the help of puppets, which was quite astonishing.

He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

Even after seeing it with his own eyes, he felt as if he were in a dream.

At the same time, the armored man felt a slight sense of relief.

These two possess such treasures, which must come from a very powerful force. Although his own force is quite good, he is actually in a somewhat awkward position within his family. Being able to get to know these two through this opportunity might even allow him to build goodwill and expand his network of contacts...

·

The armored man's name was Fan Jiming, which didn't have any special meaning; it was simply a name chosen in hopes of being included in the Fan family.

It uses a homophone, but doesn't use the same tone, so it's not immediately obvious.

It was merely a reflection of his mother's hopes.

Now that he has taken the surname Fan, he naturally hopes that his wish will come true.

The reason why this still has to be an expectation is because he is his mother's illegitimate son.

Yes, an illegitimate child.

If his mother was a son-in-law who married into the family, regardless of whether she kept a man outside the marriage, he wouldn't be considered an illegitimate child, because his mother gave birth to him directly and raised him in her own home, without any need for expectations.

Given this identity, it actually means that his mother was a man's wife or concubine who had an affair and became pregnant with him.

·

Fan Jiming's mother, Pan Que, was the principal wife of the seventh branch of the Fan family. The Fan family was a level six family, and the most powerful member of the family was a Palace Constructing expert.

This family is considered a middle-class family, and given the wealth of the area they live in, the Fan family itself wields considerable power.

Pan Que's family is a fifth-level family. Pan Que herself has a low-grade Earth aptitude, similar to that of the direct descendants of the Fan family. After marrying into the family, she gave birth to children early on, but the highest aptitude of her children is only low-grade Profound aptitude, which is not considered good.

The two families were formed through marriage, but the relationship between Pan Que and the direct descendants of the Fan family was lukewarm, and the level of trust between the couple was not very high.

As the decades passed, Pan Que's strength gradually increased, and her chances of having children decreased significantly. The direct descendants of the Fan family often took in other beauties and didn't spend much time with her anymore.

Pan Que was not one to compromise herself. Since her husband didn't come to her courtyard, she would find a few handsome men to enjoy herself with.

However, since she was married into the family, this matter couldn't be brought up openly.

As a result, Pan Que unexpectedly became pregnant.

The chances of that happening are extremely small!

Since she was pregnant, she naturally wanted to give birth. Pan Que hoped to give birth to a child with high potential, so that her foundation would be more stable.

Of course, the chances are even smaller.

Pan Que was filled with anticipation. After sensing the gender of the child in her womb, she named it "Ji Ming".

After Fan Jiming was born, he was first sent to the Pan family to be raised.

This is not unusual. The Pan family treats Fan Jiming well, and they share a portion of all the resources that Pan Que sends back with him.

Both the Pan family and Pan Que were actually waiting for Fan Jiming's talent to be revealed.

The fact that Fan Jiming's soul imprint was actually very rich in color gave them even greater hope.

Fan Jiming did not disappoint them. At the age of three, an extraordinary phenomenon appeared, revealing his low-grade aptitude.

This is already the same as Pan Que.

Pan Que was overjoyed and told her husband about it.

The direct descendants of the Fan family felt a little uneasy, but were generally happy, so they had Pan Que bring the person back.

From then on, Fan Jiming was included in the Fan family genealogy and became the son of Pan Quefu.

However, even if such a son is born to the legal wife, he will not be recorded in the direct line; he will simply be raised by the legal wife's side and actually recorded in the collateral branch.

However, people with exceptionally high-quality aptitude are rare, and the Fan family wouldn't turn them away.

As for Fan Jiming's biological father?

He was just a male concubine; Pan Que had already dismissed him when she became pregnant with Fan Jiming.

·

Fan Jiming grew up in the Fan family and still received all the benefits he was entitled to.

His nominal father treated him quite well, but his true identity could not be hidden forever. As time went by, he still felt that staying in the Fan family was somewhat jarring.

Therefore, Fan Jiming spent most of his time training outside. If he needed any special resources, he would try his best to accumulate them himself and would not easily rely on the Fan family's connections.

Many years later, Pan Que gave birth to another daughter of low rank. She devoted most of her attention to her daughter and paid much less attention to Fan Jiming than in previous years.

Fan Jiming went back even less often.

But deep down, he still identified himself as a member of the Fan family. The Fan family had never mistreated him, so he naturally felt a sense of belonging...

·

Fan Jiming is usually very cautious when he's out in public, but he was still a little scared after almost dying this time.

He continued leading the way, when suddenly, a strange feeling arose in his heart.

Fan Jiming hadn't thought much about it before because his emotions had been fluctuating, but now he vaguely felt a sense of familiarity.

The description of the two realms—the Palace-Opening Realm and the Enlightenment Realm—that were very close, wealthy, fearless, and whose origins he deduced must be extraordinary, was indeed somewhat familiar.

When Fan Jiming's gaze fell on the defensive array plate in his hand, he suddenly realized something.

The original owner of this array!

In the underground trading market, he was trading with a kind-hearted man in black robes, who was also being guarded by another person.

Now that I think about it, aren't they very similar?

Fan Jiming is almost certain; it's these two!

Without the black robes covering their faces, the two men were truly remarkable and pleasing to the eye. Not only could they ignore the various dangers in this secret realm, but they also had two level-six puppets protecting them. They were definitely people he absolutely could not afford to offend!

Fan Jiming felt almost immediately that he couldn't miss this opportunity.

Subconsciously, he glanced at the two of them, and then opened his mouth as if he was hesitant.

·

Having dealt with many unpleasant individuals, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan's moods have improved considerably.

Seeing the armored man's hesitant expression, Zhong Cai finally felt a little more inclined to ask, "Brother, just say what you have to say."

Fan Jiming paused for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Friend?"

As he spoke, he even raised the array plate.

Zhong Cai laughed: "Friend, you recognized me?"

Fan Jiming looked somewhat puzzled: "You two recognized me first?"

Zhong Cai laughed and said, "I do recognize you. You haven't changed your armor, your cultivation level hasn't changed, and your temperament is similar." He suddenly paused, "Most importantly, your array plate looks too familiar."

Fan Jiming realized he had been too nervous and had asked a pointless question.

He couldn't recognize them because they didn't have any distinctive features, but these two could spot the array plate he was holding at a glance—how could he not recognize them!

Fan Jiming gave an awkward smile.

Zhong Cai also became interested in chatting: "What do you call a friend?"

When Fan Jiming saw that he had taken the initiative to ask, he quickly gave his name and asked, "And those two?"

Zhong Cai also gave his and Lao Wu's names before saying, "We are disciples of the Azure Dragon Academy."

Fan Jiming also said, "I am a member of the Fan family from E'shang City."

After this exchange of information, they had developed a slight rapport with each other.

Fan Jiming was still quite shocked.

He already knew that the two had extraordinary backgrounds, but it was still unexpected that they came from the Azure Dragon Academy.

But thinking about it carefully, it's probably because he comes from such a powerful force and must have a very strong master behind him that he can perform like this.

Fan Jiming felt that the name "Wu Shaogan" sounded familiar.

The cultivator had a good memory; after some thought, he finally remembered.

He once saw the admission stone tablet of the Azure Dragon Academy when he passed through some cities. Wu Shaogan was ranked eighth on the Hidden Dragon List!

Those who make it onto the list in this way are all extraordinary.

Fan Jiming didn't think of Zhong Cai—after all, he was a martial arts cultivator, and when he passed by the stone tablet, he would mainly pay attention to martial arts cultivators, while Zhong Cai was an alchemist, and the alchemist didn't display any rankings, so he didn't pay much attention to him at all.

However, just by observing how Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan interacted, Fan Jiming knew that Zhong Cai's ignorance was due to his limited knowledge, rather than a lack of status.

Fan Jiming was quite perceptive and treated Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan with the same respect.

He had a vague feeling that if he showed more respect to one of them, the one he flattered would be unhappy... it was a bit hard to describe.

·

The conversation among them gradually became more casual.

Fan Jiming had the intention of making friends with the two of them, so he simply recounted all his experiences after arriving in the secret realm.

Zhong Cai listened carefully and discovered quite a few resource points—many of which Fan Jiming himself could not obtain, or which he did not risk by not wanting to consume the lifespan of the array plate.

Of course, for now, we will mainly go to the places designated by Zhong Cai.

·

The Meteor Realm was truly vast, and since we hadn't used any speed-enhancing techniques, it took us more than half an hour to finally reach the floating island that Fan Jiming had seen.

The island is indeed very vast, and the starlight above it is quite complex, but there are not many naturally generated dangers around it, and even if there are dangers, they are limited to the third and fourth order.

These are relatively easy resources to obtain.

Therefore, many cultivators with relatively lower cultivation levels come here, intending to search for resources on the island.

However, hovering around this island was a very large, dark-colored rare beast.

The rare beast was perched all around, its long, thick tail sweeping around constantly, clearly not wanting anyone to approach.

If any cultivator attempts to land on the floating island, it will immediately attack them!

Even more terrifying, this rare beast would occasionally open its mouth as if to spit.

From that enormous mouth, one could see a swirling, bluish-green mist, which was highly poisonous.

Once it spews its poison, cultivators who are not strong enough will not even be able to get close to it and will die in the poisonous fog!

That's terrifying, absolutely terrifying!

The cultivators who came here were quite afraid. Most of them knew they had no chance after just one glance and ran away as fast as they could.

However, some cultivators were different; they simply waited a little further away.

Because they didn't want to miss out on these relatively easy-to-explore floating islands, they were unwilling to give up so easily...

·

The mountain range had already been struck by meteorites, causing the loss and melting of countless lives. Therefore, this rare beast must not have originated from the mountain range itself, but rather was brought in by another cultivator.

This rare beast is a poisonous lizard, and it already has the strength of a fifth-tier creature!

If it doesn't build the palace, it can roam freely in the secret realm.

Palace cultivators would have no interest in islands where starlight only reaches the third or fourth tier.

...In fact, even normal fusion cultivators might not be interested.

If the lizard's owner is weaker than it, then it needs the resources from the floating island; but if the lizard's owner is a fusion cultivator... then it just means that this fusion cultivator is really poor.

·

Zhong Cai, perched on Wu Shaogan's back, also spotted the poisonous lizard at a glance.

Then, the corner of his mouth twitched.

This looks so familiar!

Moreover, to avoid making a mistake, he carefully examined the details.

It's confirmed.

Isn't this poisonous lizard the Heavenly Poisonous Lizard, the accompanying rare beast and mount of Qin Shang, one of his old Wu's special Dao soldiers?

When the Heavenly Poison Lizard came out, it was probably at the peak of the fourth rank, but now it's at the fifth rank.

But thinking about it carefully, it has been training with its master for some time now, and Qin Shang, that little old man, is ruthless and cunning. It's not unusual for him to find some way to improve his cultivation level.

Qin Shang must have been relatively poor.

After all, all special Dao soldiers are completely broke when they are summoned.

·

A cruel glint flashed in the eyes of the Heavenly Poison Lizard as it surveyed its surroundings.

It seemed to be looking for a cultivator who wanted to approach, and it even revealed a rather ferocious appearance.

However, the Heavenly Poison Lizard's gaze fell on the two people, and it recognized them.

In an instant, just like its master, the cruelty in the eyes of the Heavenly Poison Lizard disappeared, and it became somewhat clean and harmless.

Zhong Cai, who took everything in her view: "..."

Stop pretending, we all know each other.

His request to the Sky Poison Lizard was simple: just don't kill innocent creatures indiscriminately.

He doesn't necessarily need to control his nature.

·

Seeing that his two masters were blocked outside the floating island, the Heavenly Poison Lizard immediately nodded to them and conveyed a thought to them.

—The two masters can go to the island at any time.

At the same time, the Heavenly Poison Lizard turned its head to look at the island, as if it were trying to send a message to the people on it.

The next moment, a figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the island, looking outwards.

This is a powerful expert at the Fusion Realm!

However, perhaps because the breakthrough time was not too long, his aura was relatively chaotic and had not yet been completely stabilized.

This powerful man appeared to be around seventy years old, with a somewhat kind and benevolent look. However, his eyes were always restrained, making it difficult to see clearly and giving people a sense of unease, making them hesitant to approach him rashly.

Zhong Cai looked over.

Who else could this be but Qin Shang?

His strength has indeed reached the fifth level, but his appearance and everything else remain the same.

He probably genuinely felt that the "kind old man" persona made it easier to get along with people...

·

Qin Shang did not immediately bow to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan, because he was unsure whether they were willing to reveal their relationship with him. So he simply made an appearance and waited for their reaction.

Wu Shaogan gave a slight nod.

Qin Shang understood and immediately gave instructions to the Heavenly Poison Lizard.

The Heavenly Poison Lizard naturally did as instructed.

Originally, because Qin Shang had promised Zhong Cai that he would restrain himself and act as a normal cultivator, the Heavenly Poison Lizard only held the poisonous mist in its mouth as if to spit it out, just to intimidate other cultivators.

But now, it's no longer just about scaring people.

The Heavenly Poison Lizard gently exhaled a stream of poisonous gas towards a place where many cultivators had gathered.

The poison gas traveled very slowly, giving the cultivators enough time to escape.

Those cultivators did indeed run away.

However, there were a couple of fools who thought that the poisonous lizard's venomous mist spewing out at this speed was only so fast. They were eager to try it out, as if they wanted to play with the poisonous mist, and continued to try to land on the island.

However, the Heavenly Poison Lizard was no pushover. Despite several attempts to subtly warn them and show mercy, they still didn't run. Wasn't that just provoking it? If they didn't want to live, they should have just said so!

When the Heavenly Poison Lizard spewed its poisonous breath again, those one or two fools perished within the poisonous mist.

After the thick toxin melted the cultivator into blood, it spread across the ground, leaving a charred mess and a foul stench in its wake.

It wasn't until it encountered some strange, shimmering starlight that the poisonous water began to stalemate and wear down the opposing forces.

Even so, the poisonous water proved extremely stubborn.

Therefore, no cultivator dared to harbor any illusions anymore.

They all scattered like birds!

·

Fan Jiming hadn't expected the venomous lizard to make its move so quickly that day, and indiscriminately at that!

Therefore, he immediately reminded Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan to leave as well.

However, Wu Shaogan didn't move, and Zhong Cai remained leisurely perched on Wu Shaogan's shoulder.

Neither of them was in a hurry.

Fan Jiming wanted to run away, but he had finally gotten to know these two prodigies a little better, and if he left alone now, that vague friendship would be gone immediately!

So, in a flash, Fan Jiming decided to believe that these two would lend him a hand, and gritted his teeth and stayed.

What happened next was completely unexpected by Fan Jiming.

Because there was no question of helping each other out, the poisonous lizard fell from the sky after everyone else had dispersed.

Moreover, it shrank continuously during its descent until it was only a little over ten feet long, hovering in front of Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan.

At the same time, the old man who had undergone fusion on the island also floated down and came to the two of them. He respectfully bowed and said, "Young masters, it's been a long time."

Fan Jiming's pupils contracted.

What happened?!

Didn't Brother Zhong not know about the situation here before? The old man who is so respectful to Brother Zhong is actually the one who controls the island!

Could it be that by sheer coincidence, these two men's subordinates happened to be in the secret realm without their knowledge?

·

Zhong Cai sized up Qin Shang for a while and then smiled, "Senior Qin, your strength has greatly improved."

Qin Shang smiled kindly and said politely, "Thanks to the two gentlemen."

The venomous lizard stood to the side, its tail gently swishing as if it were also giving Zhong Cai a friendly greeting.

Zhong Cai smiled again.

Qin Shang then said, "You two young masters have come here to find resources? Why don't you go to the island? If there's anything you want, just let me know, and I will definitely find it for you."

As they spoke, the Heavenly Poison Lizard moved closer, turning its back to the two of them.

It's obvious that this is meant to carry their meaning.

With a slight movement, Wu Shaogan was already standing on the back of the Heavenly Poison Lizard.

The Heavenly Poison Lizard let out a satisfied hiss.

Qin Shang hovered to the side.

Zhong Cai didn't forget Fan Jiming either, so he looked over at him and asked, "Brother Fan, are you coming?"

Fan Jiming still had many questions in his mind, but none of them were particularly important.

Upon hearing Zhong Cai's words, Fan Jiming pondered for a moment and realized that Brother Zhong had a good impression of him, which was why he had extended this invitation.

But the other party is one of their own, and he is the only outsider. If he goes with them now, wouldn't that disturb their time together?

So Fan Jiming said, "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Zhong, but I won't go." Then he added, "I remember a few resource locations. Let's wait here. I'll take you there when you two brothers return."

Zhong Cai raised an eyebrow: "Then thank you very much, Brother Fan!"

Fan Jiming quickly replied that it was too kind of him.

Then, the Sky Poison Lizard flew straight up and quickly reached the edge of the island.

Wu Shaogan stepped onto the floating island.

Immediately afterward, Fan Jiming could no longer see the group of people.

He simply started searching the vicinity.

Because of the Heavenly Poison Lizard, no other cultivators came here. He didn't need to compete with others. As long as he carefully avoided the various sudden dangers in this place, he could still gain a lot.

The Sky Poison Lizard, still floating on the edge of the floating island, glanced lazily at Fan Jiming and then ignored him.

Fan Jiming felt a chill run down his spine, but then returned to normal.

·

On the floating island.

Zhong Cai looked around, sensing the various dangerous places on the island.

...It's not that dangerous.

The island's resource level alone proves that the level of danger it harbors is clearly lower than the island he and Lao Wu first encountered.

Most of the plants grown there are rare medicinal herbs.

Qin Shang smiled and said, "I was just thinking about when to go to Canglong City to find a way to deliver the resources I've collected to Master Zhong Dan, and I didn't expect to meet you here."

Zhong Cai suddenly realized.

It turns out that Qin Shang specially booked this relatively low-level island in order to collect rare medicinal herbs for him.

That shows they put their heart into it.

Qin Shang continued, "If Master Zhong needs anything, please feel free to ask. I am very familiar with the resources on this island; I am just slowly exploring them and have not yet taken them all out."

Zhong Cai didn't stand on ceremony.

What else could be the purpose of finding a floating island of such low level yet possessing all five elements?

Naturally, it's his five treasures for cultivating secret techniques!

So he asked, "I wonder if there are any starfire, star core... or other celestial treasures on this island?"

Qin Shang immediately smiled. He didn't even bother to look for it before saying, "It seems I am destined to meet you two young masters. Admittedly, I haven't found any sparks or anything like that on this island, but I did find several other meteorite craters and meteorite mountains, so I've collected them all."

Huh? What a coincidence? Zhong Cai was immediately taken aback.

Qin Shang explained, "I have always been trying my best to search for resources with the five elements attributes."

Zhong Cai suddenly realized.

Yes, upgrading the ancient city requires Yin-Yang and Five Elements refining materials. The materials in the Starry Sky Secret Realm all contain Star Power, which cannot be directly used for upgrading the ancient city. However, it might be possible to collect them first and then figure out a way to deal with them later.

It's just that it's a waste...

Given Qin Shang's meticulous nature, he still tried his best to collect information.

It's estimated that he'll mainly be collecting metal-attribute star cores, but since there are also star fire dew and other things, he won't miss them either.

He could give away what the ancient city didn't need to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan; the level of resources was appropriate.

·

After a slight hesitation, Zhong Cai said, "Senior Qin, the five planetary treasures I want should ideally come from the same meteorite."

Qin Shang smiled and said, "It is indeed the same meteorite." He showed a slight expression of satisfaction, "It just so happened to be nearby, and I took it without thinking."

Zhong Cai immediately understood.

Yeah, he found them all nearby, didn't he?

In any case, he no longer needs to search for it himself.

·

Qin Shang was always very attentive. Seeing that Zhong Cai wanted it, he immediately took out several resources and showed them to Zhong Cai one by one.

Zhong Cai gently patted Wu Shaogan, gesturing for him to come closer to look.

Wu Shaogan moved closer.

Zhong Cai examined each item carefully, then revealed a joyful expression: "Senior Qin, thank you so much! They're all perfect!"

Qin Shang was in a good mood, feeling that his hard work had not been in vain.

Although when he was first summoned, Master Zhong did not have a very good impression of him—so much so that Young Master Wu also had a mediocre impression of him.

Now that his actions have pleased Master Zhong, Young Master Wu will also be pleased with him.

Sure enough, Qin Shang glanced at Wu Shaogan without leaving a trace.

Wu Shaogan did indeed have a slight appreciation for him.

·

Zhong Cai didn't think too much about it; she genuinely felt that Qin Shang had helped her.

When Qin Shang handed over the Five Elements resources, Zhong Cai carefully put them away, saying, "Senior Qin, please exchange these directly from the 30% commission. If you need anything, just let me know."

Qin Shang smiled and said, "These treasures are not bad in terms of price among second-level resources, but among all the resources I have acquired, they are far less than 30%." He was somewhat smug, "Even if all the resources on this floating island were gathered together, it would not reach that number."

Zhong Cai thought about it and realized it made sense. After all, Qin Shang had already integrated it himself and used resources he had acquired himself, so the price was naturally much higher than these.

Just as Qin Shang had predicted, Zhong Cai now had a very good impression of Qin Shang.