Chapter 616: Chapter 301: Zhang Fan’s Treasure! True Dragon Horn, One of the Nine Treasures (Part 2)

"Did you let Yu Xuanji go because you couldn’t bear to hurt her?"

As soon as he reached the doorway, a lilting voice came from the side.

Zhang Fan glanced over and saw Li Miaoyin leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest, her watery eyes staring right at him.

"Why are you up so late, following me?" Zhang Fan said indifferently, curling his lip.

So far, he couldn’t see through Li Yishan’s matchmaking partner.

"You’re the one sneaking out without calling me," Li Miaoyin complained.

"Call you for what? I went to..." Zhang Fan was about to retort, but the words got stuck in his mouth.

"Went for what? Why did you stop talking?" Li Miaoyin chuckled softly.

"You could’ve called me along even if it was to kill someone."

"Don’t say things like that."

Zhang Fan glanced around and quickly pulled Li Miaoyin into the room.

"Zhang Fan..."

As soon as they entered, Li Miaoyin called his name.

Zhang Fan felt a stir in his heart and looked down, realizing he was still holding Li Miaoyin’s hand.

"In the dead of night, pulling me into your room... Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Li Yishan?"

Hearing this, Zhang Fan quickly let go.

"Don’t say nonsense."

Li Miaoyin, seeing Zhang Fan’s nervous demeanor, couldn’t help but smile beautifully.

"Just teasing you..."

"Don’t worry, I won’t let him know."

"That’s better... What nonsense, what won’t let him know? What did I even do?"

Zhang Fan glared, sitting down in annoyance.

"I want you to help me look at a couple of things."

As he spoke, Zhang Fan took out his spoils from the night and placed them on the table.

"Great Demon Inner Core!?"

Li Miaoyin sat beside Zhang Fan, picking up the yellow pill.

"Good stuff. Judging by the quality, it’s as good as the Mahayana Realm. This kind of Inner Core is quite the treasure. It should be from the Great Demon of Yellow Skin Cave within the Hundred Thousand Mountains."

With her wide knowledge, Li Miaoyin could tell its origins just from an Inner Core.

The Hundred Thousand Mountains, a secretive place, where every Spirit Monster and Ghost takes refuge in deep mountain caves, hiding from sight.

Yellow Skin Cave is a fairly powerful Demon Cave among the Hundred Thousand Mountains. To be able to refine an Inner Core of such quality, Huang Liulang must be no ordinary character.

"So that means Yellow Skin Cave is siding with Li Changgeng."

Zhang Fan quickly thought of many things.

Li Changgeng’s reach is too far, already touching the Demonic Ghosts within the Mountain and Sea Desperate Realm.

"How much is this Inner Core worth?" Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.

"Depends on the channel. Ordinary people don’t have the qualifications for trading Great Demon Inner Cores," Li Miaoyin said softly.

After all, even Demonic Ghosts are considered contraband, forbidden by Daoist Sects, let alone their Essence Inner Cores?

If sold to the Daoist Alliance, it would be around two to three million.

"That cheap?" Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow.

This is a Great Demon Inner Core, incredibly rare. Demons are scarce enough, not to mention one with an Inner Core of this quality.

"It’s contraband, you’re selling it to the official side. It’s good enough not to have it confiscated for nothing," Li Miaoyin reminded.

"If you have other channels, you could try, the price could be much higher, around five to six million."

"Other channels, you mean..." Zhang Fan’s heart skipped a beat.

"The black market!?"

"Not everyone on the black market would take such things." Li Miaoyin leaned in to whisper in Zhang Fan’s ear, "You could ask the little beauty you saved."

"Lin Jianyue!?" Zhang Fan suddenly realized.

Lin Jianyue herself practices External Core Skill, so she certainly wouldn’t refuse such a treasure.

"Alright, I understand." Zhang Fan nodded.

If this Great Demon Inner Core were sold to Lin Jianyue, it could fetch at least five million.

"And this treasure?"

Speaking, Zhang Fan’s gaze fell on the little tower he took from Yu Xuanji.

"That’s Sanqing Mountain’s Wind and Thunder Tower, a Cyan Feather Treasure, worshipped for nearly seven hundred years." Li Miaoyin picked up the small tower, examining it carefully.

At this time, the small tower seemed ordinary, like a mere craft item, with nothing mystical about it. To the average observer, it was just a mail-order trinket for ninety-nine dollars.

"A Cyan Feather Treasure, that should be quite valuable," Zhang Fan couldn’t help saying.

Ordinary magical artifacts have little power, only effective against common Fierce Ghosts and Spirit Monsters.

Artifact treasures over a hundred years old become magical treasures, and those over three hundred years old are Yellow Feather Treasures.

From three hundred to eight hundred years old are Cyan Feather Treasures.

Such as Meng Qiwu’s Thunder Essence Pearl and Yu Xuanji’s Wind and Thunder Tower, both are Cyan Feather Treasures.

To some extent, these treasures are enshrined by their respective sects; they merely borrow them, gaining temporary usage rights.

These kinds of treasures are meant to be passed down through generations.

"Valuable?" Li Miaoyin glanced sideways, then shook her head: "How could you measure this with money?"

"Such treasures can’t be bought with money. Even in trades, it’s bartering with other treasures."

As she spoke, Li Miaoyin set down the Wind and Thunder Tower.

Every treasure requires dedicated learning and refining for mastery.

Zhang Fan isn’t a disciple of Sanqing Mountain. Even if he spent effort on the Wind and Thunder Tower, its power would be significantly reduced.

In that case, it might be better to trade it.

"Barter?"

"Indeed, if you sell it back to Sanqing Mountain, they should offer the highest price," Li Miaoyin suggested.

This treasure originally belonged to Sanqing Mountain. With its name and history, selling it to someone else might not find many buyers willing to take it, and even if they did, they’d drop the price harshly.

Since that’s the case, it might be better to sell it back to Sanqing Mountain, letting them recover face. Otherwise, they not only lose a magical treasure but also face ridicule for losing to outsiders in Magical Combat, bringing shame to their Ancestral Master.

"Sanqing Mountain is one of the world’s Ten Great Taoist Sects, what treasure don’t they have?" Li Miaoyin advised Zhang Fan.

Great Medicine, Exotic Treasures, even things like White Bone Relic are all good options.

Moreover, Sanqing Mountain’s Daoist Skill secrets, exclusive elixirs are also available for exchange.

"Besides this, there are other good things." Li Miaoyin seemed to be Zhang Fan’s strategist.

"What?"

"After the fall of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Sanqing Mountain acquired quite a few good things." Li Miaoyin lowered her voice.

Hearing this, Zhang Fan felt a stir in his heart.

Sanqing Mountain and Dragon Tiger Mountain have a very complicated relationship, being only three hundred miles apart.

Eighty years ago, after the fall of the Dragon Tiger Zhang Family, many good things ended up in their hands.

"The treasures of the Dragon Tiger Zhang Family, including many previously lost External Core Skills..." Li Miaoyin reminded.

"You can exchange them all."

"I see, I have an idea now."

Hearing this, Zhang Fan’s eyes lit up, watching Li Miaoyin with increasing fondness.

"If Old Li marries you, his ancestors must be grinning in their graves," Zhang Fan teased.

"Who said I’m marrying him?" Li Miaoyin gave Zhang Fan a look.

"Aren’t you two..."

"It’s just a matchmaking thing, introduced by the family, nothing certain," Li Miaoyin said calmly.

"Plus, I’ve met with him fewer times than with you."

"By that logic, must I marry you?"

"..."

"I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to sleep."

Saying this, Li Miaoyin got up and left Zhang Fan’s room.

"That’s true."

Zhang Fan looked at the closed door, muttering, but soon his attention returned to what was before him.

"Treasures, all mine."

Zhang Fan grinned, pulling the Great Demon Inner Core and Wind and Thunder Tower into his embrace.

...

Deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

The full moon sets in the west, the sun is about to rise.

The last moonlight illuminates the huge ancient rock wall, like a forgotten relic of time.

Meanwhile, a young man sits cross-legged in front of the great rock wall, looking up at those marks seemingly carved by time.

"Li Changgeng, you’ve finally discovered his secret."

A cold voice resounded from behind.

"Zhao Jie Xuan, I finally understand why you traveled so far to the Hundred Thousand Mountains..."

In front of the great rock wall, Li Changgeng’s eyes were as deep as a thousand fathoms.

"It turns out that one of the Nine Treasures is hidden here..."

"The True Dragon Horn!!"