Qinglian had made thorough preparations for this meeting, and now, fearing communication difficulties with Shen Jue, she had even brought along a simultaneous interpretation device called Little Shell.
As the jellyfish spoke, the small seashells flashed with blue fluorescence.
After a while, the blue fluorescence suddenly flashed intensely, and the shell "snap" out a crystal nucleus shrouded in black mist.
Shen Jue's pupils contracted sharply; this was a compressed version of the Dark Crystal.
The density of this crystal is equivalent to that of nearly a hundred dark crystals.
Shen Jue instinctively sensed the difference in this crystal.
The red warning pop-up from the game system proved her intuition correct.
[A devastating source of mental contamination has been detected. Immediate destruction is recommended!]
“This crystal was originally the core of our clan’s heritage.”
Qinglian's umbrella-like canopy had almost shrunk into a tiny, transparent sphere. "Everything was fine before, but three months ago, black dots suddenly appeared on the crystal, then they turned into black mist. After that, everyone in our clan who came into contact with it went mad..."
The blue jellyfish spoke in a trembling voice about the process of crystal contamination.
Finally, strange golden patterns lit up the edge of the blue jellyfish's bell, revealing her purpose.
"But I heard from Master Zhijiu that you can reconstruct energy structures using card-making techniques!"
This blue jellyfish isn't being honest. She said all the people in her tribe who touched the crystal went mad. If touching it could drive them mad, then why is she still standing here perfectly fine?
The waves gently lapped against the rocks, and the translucent canopy of Qinglian reflected the faint fluorescent veins within her body.
Shen Jue toyed with a card made from a deep-sea seashell, but his gaze never left the crystal in Qing Lian's hand.
"So," Shen Jue finally spoke, his voice tinged with languor, "your jellyfish clan's core heritage has run into trouble, and you'd like to ask me for help in resolving it?"
Qinglian's tentacles trembled slightly, and a pale blue halo appeared around the edge of its umbrella: "Yes, Master Shen. The elders of our clan unanimously believe that only your card-making ability can save our heritage core."
Shen Jue chuckled and flipped the card between his fingers: "Saving the core of the legacy is no small matter. What price are you prepared to pay?"
Qinglian seemed to have been prepared. She gently shook her umbrella, and several fluorescent pearls rolled out from her body: "These are Moon Pearls, a specialty of our Jellyfish Clan. Each one contains the pure power of the moon, making them an excellent material for crafting high-level cards."
Shen Jue glanced at the pearls and shook his head: "Moonlight Pearls are precious, but not enough to warrant my offer. The core of your Jellyfish Clan's heritage is related to the survival of the entire clan; this reward is far too meager."
Qinglian's umbrella-like canopy contracted slightly, clearly showing some nervousness: "Then... how about adding the deep-sea coral jade treasured by our clan? These coral jades, having been washed by ocean currents for thousands of years, already contain the essence of the ocean, making them a top-grade material for crafting water-themed cards."
Shen Jue remained unmoved. She sighed softly, "Qing Lian, you should understand that I don't want these ordinary materials. The problem with your inheritance core means that the entire Jellyfish Clan may face annihilation. Do you think a few pearls and coral jade can satisfy me?"
Qinglian's tentacles twitched uneasily, and the fluorescent light on her umbrella flickered. She remained silent for a moment, then finally whispered, "Then... what does Master Shen want?"
Shen Jue's gaze sharpened as she stared directly at Qing Lian: "I want to enter the sacred secret realm of your Jellyfish Clan."
After mastering telepathic communication, she can explore the other person's inner thoughts whenever she wants.
It's incredibly effective in negotiations. Since the other party mentioned the sacred secret realm, she definitely had to go in and take a look.
Since it's a sacred place, the other party definitely won't agree so easily. There's still room for negotiation. Shen Jue's thoughts flashed by in an instant.
Upon hearing this, Qinglian seemed greatly shocked: "This...this is impossible! The Sacred Realm is the most sacred place for our Jellyfish Clan, and no outsider has ever entered it!"
Shen Jue smiled slightly, his tone tinged with sarcasm: "Is that so? But if your inheritance core completely collapses, what use is the sacredness of the Holy Land Secret Realm? At that time, the entire Jellyfish Clan may cease to exist, and the Secret Realm will be nothing but ruins."
Qinglian's tentacles trembled violently, clearly indicating a fierce internal struggle. She whispered, "The sacred secret realm holds our jellyfish tribe's most precious treasures, and the remains of our ancestors rest there... For outsiders to enter is a grave disrespect to our forefathers..."
Shen Jue tapped the card in his hand lightly, his tone tinged with impatience: "Qing Lian, you should understand that this is not the time to talk about respect. If there is a problem with the core of the inheritance, your ancestors will not be at peace. Besides, I am only going in to find some materials and will not disturb your ancestors."
Qinglian remained silent for a long time, the glow on the umbrella gradually dimming. She said softly, "This matter...I cannot make the decision. I need to consult the elders of the clan..."
Shen Jue nodded, his tone softening slightly: "Of course, you can ask for instructions. However, I must remind you, time waits for no one. Cracks have already appeared in the core of your inheritance. If this drags on any longer, I'm afraid even I will be powerless to help."
Qinglian's tentacles trembled slightly, clearly indicating that she was struggling internally.
She said in a low voice, "Master Shen, could...could you take a look at our core inheritance first? Perhaps...perhaps you could offer a more reasonable price..."
Shen Jue chuckled and shook his head: "Qing Lian, are you testing my limits? I've already figured out the issue of the inheritance core from the crystals you brought. Your Jellyfish Clan's sacred secret realm is the only thing that interests me. If you can't make that decision, then please leave."
Qinglian's umbrella suddenly shrank, clearly startled by Shen Jue's bluntness.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally said in a low voice, "Master Shen... please wait a moment, I will contact the elders of the clan immediately..."
She gently shook the umbrella, and several beams of light flew out from her body, transforming into tiny jellyfish that quickly disappeared into the night.
Shen Jue leaned against the giant reef, gazing at the distant sea, a faint smile playing on her lips.
About an hour later, the little jellyfish finally returned.
They danced around Qinglian, seemingly conveying some message. Qinglian's canopy trembled slightly, clearly communicating with the elders in some way.
Finally, Qinglian's umbrella stopped trembling.
She turned to Shen Jue, a hint of helplessness in her voice: "Master Shen... the elders have agreed. If you can repair our inheritance core, we can make an exception and allow you to enter the sacred realm..."
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Shen Jue's eyes, but she did not agree immediately. Instead, she continued to ask, "Is there a time limit for entering the secret realm?"
Qinglian's tentacles trembled slightly, and she whispered, "The elders said... you can stay in the secret realm for three days."
Shen Jue shook his head: "Three days is too short. If your sacred land is very large, you won't even be able to explore a third of it in three days. I need seven days."
Qinglian's umbrella closed again, clearly troubled by the request.
She said in a low voice, "Master Shen... seven days is too long. The elders said... five days at most..."
Shen Jue chuckled lightly, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Seven days. That's my bottom line. If you don't agree, then this deal is off."
Qinglian remained silent for a long time before finally saying in a low voice, "Alright... seven days it is. The elders have agreed."
Shen Jue nodded in satisfaction, then took out a contract card, gave it a gentle shake, and lines of text appeared on the card: "In that case, let's sign the contract. I will repair your inheritance core within seven days, and you will allow me to stay in the Holy Land Secret Realm for seven days to find the materials I need."
Shen Jue waved the card in his hand, indicating that Qing Lian should sign the contract.
Qinglian's tentacles gently touched the contract card, and a fluorescent light flowed from her body, merging into the card's surface.
With the contract in place, Shen Jue smiled and said, "Very good, then we'll wait two hours before setting off."
Qinglian: ...
Shen Jue: "I'm doing this to repair some of your core heritage first..."
The fluorescent light on Qinglian's umbrella lit up again: "Master Shen, please make yourself at home."
Shen Jue said it would take two hours, and it really did. As soon as the Blue Sea Mermaid Tears she planted ripened, Shen Jue picked them and immediately consumed them.
The moment she drank the mermaid's tears, not only did her health points return to full, but the invisible shackles on her body also lightened.
The curse that had been placed on her disappeared.
Shen Jue was very happy and immediately announced the departure!
The two dived into the sea one after the other, swimming towards the sacred secret realm of the jellyfish tribe.
A hint of anticipation flashed in Shen Jue's eyes. She knew that this time, entering the secret realm might allow her to find the material she had been dreaming of—the legendary deep-sea dragon crystal.
However, just as they successfully returned to the Jellyfish Clan's homeland and were about to reach the entrance to the secret realm, Qinglian suddenly stopped.
Shen Jue: "What's wrong?"
The fluorescent light on Qinglian's umbrella flickered: "Master... there's something I must tell you..."
Shen Jue raised an eyebrow: "What is it?"
Qinglian's tentacles trembled slightly, her voice tinged with unease: "Some unusual things have recently appeared in the Holy Land's secret realm. In some areas... even our clan's elders dare not approach..."
A hint of interest flashed in Shen Jue's eyes: "Oh? What's the anomaly?"
Qinglian's umbrella contracted slightly as she whispered, "There...it seems something is awakening..."
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