Chapter 667 - 339: An Angler’s Mood

Chapter 667: Chapter 339: An Angler’s Mood

"Important marked item detected: three Soul Crystals, located at Altar 23."

Cheng Zongyang had been wholeheartedly focused on the activity within the safe zone. The moment the alert suddenly sounded, his gaze, sharp as lightning, shot toward the location his assistant had pinpointed: the room for Altar 23.

He was utterly surprised. His eyes, which had been as placid as a lake, rippled as if a stone had been tossed into them. Excitement then surged through him like a rushing tide, and it felt as if two small flames were dancing in his eyes. His heart couldn’t help but quicken its pace, beating like a frantic drum in his chest.

’He really hadn’t expected this. Things had only just started, and someone had already brought Soul Crystals here!’

The results came so quickly it was genuinely thrilling.

It was like he had just finished chumming a spot on a calm lake and had barely cast his line when three big fish eagerly took the bait!

For an avid angler, what could possibly be more exciting?

This was undeniable proof that the items he had listed in the manual for exchange with Soul Crystals held immense appeal.

The corners of his mouth lifted into a satisfied smile, tinged with a hint of cunning, like a wily old fox watching its prey fall into a trap.

He and his partner, the Ring Spirit—the two "anglers" in this operation—were naturally quite pleased.

’These people from the Immortal Sect are fast. The contents of the manual must have already spread!’ Cheng Zongyang mused. After a moment’s thought, he understood how.

At this thought, Cheng Zongyang’s consciousness immersed itself in the system. He took on his sovereign form, like a lofty king looking down upon the masses, and surveyed the entire safe zone with a majestic yet detached air.

Inside the room for Altar 23, the atmosphere was tense and mysterious, as if a light veil shrouded the entire space. A faint light flickered uncertainly, like a candle flame trembling in the wind, threatening to go out at any moment.

A Sect Disciple stood before the altar, his hands gripping a Storage Pouch so tightly his knuckles turned white. It was as if he weren’t holding a pouch, but his very destiny.

When he heard the Divine Statue actually take the initiative to ask a question, his heart clenched. He immediately sensed that this transaction was anything but ordinary.

He struggled to suppress the thrill of being on the verge of obtaining nine thousand Points, swallowing hard as his throat went dry.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the tomb-like silence of the room. A whirlwind of emotions, a mix of anticipation and anxiety, churned within him. His lips trembled slightly as he managed to stammer out his request, "I... I want a Nascent Soul Pill."

Cheng Zongyang froze when he heard the request.

A Nascent Soul Pill. That was an Elixir needed to advance from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul realm, a treasure countless Golden Core Cultivators coveted.

’This guy is asking on behalf of a Golden Core Cultivator! Only a Golden Core Cultivator would be in such urgent need of a Nascent Soul Pill!’ Cheng Zongyang instantly understood the Qi Cultivation Disciple’s situation. He had initially thought the disciple was acting for himself.

So that was it. A Golden Core Cultivator must have learned the contents of the manual and, without a second thought, taken out the Soul Crystals he had collected—ones whose origin and purpose he’d never known—to decisively trade for a special Elixir like the Nascent Soul Pill.

’Now that’s decisive!’

He had, of course, listed that Soul Crystals could be exchanged for a Nascent Soul Pill in the manual, but he had also specified that it would require *multiple* Soul Crystals.

He just hadn’t specified exactly *how many* "multiple" was, which was why the other party had brought three Soul Crystals.

As for whether the disciple had more on him, Cheng Zongyang felt he needed to do a little probing.

At his signal, the Ring Spirit Assistant responded immediately. That was right—the Ring Spirit Assistant was the one controlling all the altar’s Divine Statues.

"The Nascent Soul Pill is extremely valuable. You have an insufficient number of Soul Crystals. A minimum of four is required. For every increase in the Elixir’s quality grade, the cost increases by one Soul Crystal. An Upper Grade Nascent Soul Pill raises the success rate of a Golden Core breakthrough to eighty percent. A Top Grade one raises it to ninety-eight percent."

Cheng Zongyang wasn’t in a hurry to finalize the trade; he wanted to entice his customer further.

After all, if he hadn’t given a specific number, the customer might have hesitated. But giving them a target that was almost within reach was a different story entirely.

It was like one of those gamified shopping promotions where you see exactly how close you are to winning a prize. Once you feel that just a little more effort will get you there, it sparks the desire to keep trying.

’Seven Soul Crystals for a Top Grade Nascent Soul Pill with a ninety-eight percent success rate... If that Golden Core Cultivator finds out, he’ll probably be losing his mind with impatience.’

A flicker of disappointment crossed the Sect Disciple’s eyes upon hearing the Divine Statue’s response, like a dark cloud obscuring their previous glimmer of hope. But after a moment of contemplation, he asked another question.

"What if I were to exchange them for a Golden Core Pill?"

"You can receive one," the Divine Statue replied, its response concise and clear.

"And a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"You can receive three," the Divine Statue answered just as briskly.

The Sect Disciple nodded silently, as if etching this crucial information into his mind. Then, he carefully retrieved the Divine Statue Head and prepared to take it back to report to his superiors.

Similar scenes of attempted offerings were constantly playing out across the hundred altar rooms.

Cheng Zongyang also felt his supply of Spirit Stones dwindling bit by bit, though not by a significant amount. After all, most people were still just testing the waters, offering ordinary, common items of no great value.