Chapter 770 301: Soul Wood

Chu Nan carefully counted and calculated. A moment later, he shook his head. "Brother Chen, even with all this, the total value isn't enough for the Void Gold Stone. The value of a Void Gold Stone… is far beyond that of ordinary Spiritual Materials."

Chen Qing pondered for a moment before taking out two more Thunder Profound Fruits.

The crimson and green fruits shimmered with an alluring luster under the light, and faint arcs of electricity could be seen dancing across them.

"I have two more Thunder Profound Fruits, but I also want that piece of withered wood."

When Chu Nan saw the Thunder Profound Fruits, his eyes lit up. These items were quite valuable.

He quickly made some mental calculations, but a difficult expression appeared on his face. "Brother Chen, even with these two Thunder Profound Fruits, you want to trade for the Void Gold Stone, eighteen Top-Grade Treasure Artifact swords, and that piece of wood… Sigh, eighteen Top-Grade Treasure Artifact swords are no small number. By this count, I'll be taking a small loss on this deal."

How could Chen Qing not know he was haggling? His expression remained unchanged as he said coolly, "Steward Chu, let's be frank. This is the absolute highest price I can accept. If it's truly too difficult, I can do without the Void Gold Stone and the withered wood. I'll just take the Treasure Swords."

Chu Nan's eyes flickered as he observed Chen Qing's expression. Seeing that he showed no particular attachment to the piece of withered wood, the trace of doubt in his heart—'perhaps this item is a treasure'—mostly dissipated.

He let out a laugh, his tone suddenly becoming爽快 "Fine! Consider it my way of making a friend in you, Brother Chen! I'll trade these things for the price you named! As for that piece of wood, consider it a little extra from me, a gift to you, Brother Chen!"

In the end, the two parties completed the exchange.

Chen Qing carefully put away the Void Gold Stone, the eighteen gleaming Top-Grade Treasure Artifact swords, and the seemingly rotten piece of withered wood.

Afterward, he went to the Quiet Chamber next door to find Ruan Lingxiu.

After a short rest, Ruan Lingxiu's complexion had improved considerably. Upon seeing Chen Qing, she said, "I've made you worry, Brother Chen. I'm fine now."

Chen Qing nodded. "It's good that you're all right. Let's go back."

The two then bid farewell to Chu Nan and left the Eight Treasures Tower.

After watching the two of them depart, the young disciple behind Chu Nan couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Master, why did you give him that piece of wood in the end? What if it's really some kind of treasure…"

Chu Nan picked up his teacup, gently blew on the surface, and took a sip before saying leisurely, "That thing might truly have something extraordinary about it; otherwise, it wouldn't have survived to this day. But we've studied it for so many years without seeing any of its miracles manifest. What does that tell you? It means it's not fated to be ours."

He set down his teacup, his gaze profound. "In life, you must give to receive. Rather than clinging to something useless, it's better to do a favor that costs you little. This Chen Qing is already in the True Essence Realm at such a young age, and he was even taken as a personal disciple by Luo Zhixian, the Master of Ten Thousand Laws Peak. Is he someone who will remain obscure? By forming a good bond today, we might receive an unexpected reward in the future."

Hearing this, the young disciple nodded in thought.

.....

Chen Qing and Ruan Lingxiu walked side by side on the path back to the courtyard. The night grew darker, and occasional lights shone from behind the high walls on either side.

"Junior Sister Ruan, are you sure you're just tired?" Chen Qing turned his head to look at Ruan Lingxiu's profile, confirming once again.

Ruan Lingxiu forced a smile and raised a hand to rub her left arm, which still throbbed with a piercing pain. She offered some reassurance, "Don't worry, Brother Chen. It's just that the past few days of travel and fighting have taken a heavy toll on my Heart and Spirit. I should be fine after a night of rest."

Hearing this, Chen Qing nodded slightly and didn't press further.

Thinking back, they had journeyed at top speed from the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect to Longze Lake, immediately followed by an encounter with the Cyan Profound King Snake, a great battle with Zhang Huaguo and Lü Hanyin, and a confrontation with three members of the Cloud Water Upper Sect. There had been almost no rest in between.

Even for someone at the True Essence Realm of Cultivation, it was normal to feel exhausted after such continuous mental strain.

"In that case, get some good rest when you get back," he said in a calm tone.

Neither said anything more. They quickened their pace and soon returned to the Ruan Family's quiet courtyard.

Steward Liu Yue was already waiting. Seeing the two return, he quickly made arrangements.

After bidding Chen Qing farewell, Ruan Lingxiu went straight to her room. She truly felt an indescribable weariness washing over her in waves and wanted nothing more than to immediately meditate and regulate her breathing to dispel the discomfort.

Chen Qing also returned to his own room.

The room was simply furnished with a bed, a couch, a table, and a chair.

He sat cross-legged on the bed. With a flip of his wrist, the piece of black, withered wood appeared in his hand.

The wood was about two feet long and heavy to the touch. Its surface was coarse and covered in cracks so deep it seemed it would crumble with the slightest squeeze.

He probed it with his Divine Sense, but it was like a stone sinking into the ocean; there was no feedback at all.

He tried to infuse it with his True Essence, but the True Essence met an invisible barrier, unable to penetrate in the slightest.

'Extraordinarily tough, impervious to True Essence… but other than that, it seems to have no other miraculous properties?'

Chen Qing's brows furrowed slightly.

He trusted the mysterious ball of Purple Light in his mind, the one that originated from the Celestial Treasure Tower.

This piece of withered wood definitely concealed an unknown secret.

'How exactly do I activate it?'

Chen Qing pondered, observing it carefully.

It was like an ordinary tree root that had completely died and been weathered by time, devoid of any life.

Just as he was concentrating his thoughts, almost at the point of giving up—

A sudden change occurred!

Deep within the sea of consciousness between his brows, the dormant cluster of purple light suddenly lit up without any warning!

HUMMM…

A faint vibration that only Chen Qing could hear echoed in his mind.

The next moment, a brilliant beam of Purple Light, so condensed it was almost tangible, slowly emerged from between his brows.

Then, under Chen Qing's unblinking gaze, the Purple Light descended as gracefully and precisely as a fledgling returning to its nest, silently merging into the withered wood.

In that instant, a miracle happened!

The originally dead, gray, and crack-riddled piece of withered wood, at the moment the Purple Light merged with it, seemed to have been injected with some kind of incredible source of life.

.....