Chapter 520 - The Professionalism of Scavengers

In truth, Gu Han simply wanted Chen Qing’s clothes. From the tenth pass of the Gold List to being swallowed by that bizarre rhizome, nearly all of it had been life-or-death battles fought with his life on the line. Meanwhile, Yu Miao's treasure robe could block any attack below the Transcendent realm, hence it had long since shattered.

After he explained himself, Chen Qing felt relieved, as what he valued more than his own life was no longer under threat. He didn’t have to strip naked either, as he had several more sets of clothing in his storage ring.

After changing clothes, Gu Han channeled what little remained of his cultivation, shaking off the bloodstains and revealing his true appearance.

Chen Qing secretly sized him up. Gu Han’s complexion was pale, and he could be considered handsome, but didn’t quite qualify as a “pretty boy.” It wasn’t that he was ordinary, it was just that he wasn’t particularly remarkable. It seemed the sharpness and dominance he had glimpsed in Gu Han’s eyes, along with that faint wisp of saint might he had sensed, had all been mere illusions.

Thus, Chen Qing concluded, How unremarkable!

Of course, an injured Saint realm cultivator was still a Saint realm cultivator. Since Gu Han hadn’t spoken, Chen Qing didn’t dare leave on his own accord.

Gu Han glanced at Chongming, then frowned deeply after examining his own injuries. Following that, Gu Han surveyed his surroundings. “You said Luori Mountain? What’s in there?”

Chen Qing explained the situation. Though the conditions were generally similar to the Wild Forest of the Eastern Wasteland, the center was somewhat different.

“Rumor has it that there were strange living dead roaming about in there, and flowers with human faces. No one knows how many people have gone in, but almost none came out alive.”

He sighed inwardly with emotion. This senior looks so unremarkable, yet he managed to survive there. He must be quite lucky, just like me.

Gu Han fell into thought. Living dead, human-faced flowers, and that rhizome, the canopy, the human-shaped fruit...

Putting aside the bizarre human-shaped fruit, the rhizome was merely one of this giant tree’s root tendrils. Clearly, he could reach the Tiannan Realm only because that root tendril spanned both realms.

If a mere root tendril could span two realms, then how massive must the main body be?

Putting the giant tree aside for now, his arrival here was purely a matter of luck. Even if he and Chongming were at full strength, it would be impossible to return using the same method.

He opened his left hand. The bodhi seed was still intact, and his gaze softened slightly. “Is this your homeland?”

The Tiannan Realm wasn’t just Ling Ya’s lair, it was also Mo Chenyin’s homeland. Back then, Ling Ya had dispatched Zhong Yu to annihilate the entire Mo Clan, leaving her as the sole survivor. With the Profound Yin Physique, and she had lived her entire life within his schemes.

Kill Ling Ya! He had buried this thought deep in his heart and never forgot. However, if he were to fight Ling Ya, he would die horribly. Though he did have one advantage.

Ling Ya was in the open, while Gu Han was in the shadows.

With both the split soul and Zhong Yu gone, Ling Ya had no idea that a person named Gu Han even existed, despite having once plotted against him. This was Gu Han’s greatest source of confidence. For a moment, his desire to return wasn’t as urgent anymore. Since he was here, he might as well figure out Ling Ya’s background.

With that thought, he looked at Chen Qing again. “Do you have any pills?”

Chen Qing cooperated readily, taking out a few bottles of his best healing pills. “Yes! Senior, please use them.”

Gu Han didn’t take them as he found the pills a bit too low-grade. Not even several hundred bottles of such pills could mend his bodily wounds.

“Do you have any saint herbs?”

Chen Qing was taken aback, Senior, do I look like someone who has saint herbs?

Gu Han realized he had misspoken because Chen Qing was clearly a rogue cultivator and certainly wasn’t wealthy. “Half-saint herbs, then?”

Chen Qing said nothing.

“How about some Transcendent substance? You should have some of that, right?”

Chen Qing’s heart ached. “Well... I do have a little.”

“Give me ten bottles first.”

The legendary scavenger’s face flushed bright red. Bottles?

This was the first time he’d heard of Transcendent Substance being measured in bottles rather than drops. Thoughts aside, as an experienced and prudent scavenger, he thoroughly adhered to the essence of The Scavenger’s Manual: cooperate obediently and never play tricks.

He endured the heartache and produced a jade bottle. “Senior, I only have a dozen or so drops.”

Though it was little, it represented the greater part of his life’s savings. He had originally planned to save up thirty drops to break through to the third stage of the Transcendent realm, but now he could only hand them over honestly.

He silently consoled himself, Money leaves, safety stays.

Gu Han glanced at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll repay you tenfold when I have the chance.”

Chen Qing said nothing. Words like that were just for listening, and you couldn’t take them seriously.

As the Transcendent Substance entered Gu Han’s mouth, a vast surge of life essence flowed into his body. His wounds healed rapidly, though they were far from fully healed.

Chen Qing bled inwardly. Using Transcendent Substance to heal wounds... How absurd!

Chen Qing forced a smile. “Senior, I’ll remember this kindness. I’ll repay you someday. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave—”

Gu Han was taken aback. “Hm? What kindness?”

Chen Qing was sincere. “The kindness of not killing me is a great kindness indeed!”

Gu Han was speechless.

Principle 97 of The Scavenger’s Manual: Say nice things, ply them with flattery. Make the other party feel too embarrassed to attack you. The success rate of escaping safely is as high as seventy percent.

Gu Han was about to ask more questions when his gaze shifted and landed in the distance. A few breaths later, three figures landed, forming a triangle around them. They had been drawn over by the loud commotion from earlier.

The leader was a burly man with cultivation at the second stage of the Transcendent realm. The other two were at the first stage of the Transcendent realm.

Upon seeing Chen Qing, the burly man sneered. “Someone’s already here? What rotten luck. Did you find anything good? Let us have a look!”

Chen Qing’s expression turned sour. “There’s nothing!”

Find anything? Bullshit! I lost most of my life’s savings!

The burly man didn’t believe him. His gaze shifted and landed on Gu Han. “So this is the fat sheep you found. Wait, never mind. He looks like a pauper. Probably broke too. We wasted a trip for nothing!”

Not far from the burly man, a gaunt man laughed. “Forget it, Big Brother. In our line of work, where do we have the right to pick and choose?”

Puzzled, Gu Han looked at Chen Qing. “What line of work are they in?”

Chen Qing explained in a low voice. These three were a bit different from scavengers like Chen Qing. Chen Qing strictly picked things off the dead. Meanwhile, if the three happened to find the owner still alive, they'd make sure they didn't remain that way.

After all, they couldn’t come across dead people every day. When they didn’t, they had to make a living through robbery and murder. In fact, this was the norm for most scavengers. Scavenging was just a side gig. Robbery, murder, and plunder were their main professions.

Of course, the risks were also high because they died relatively quickly as well. That was why Chen Qing, a rogue cultivator who had scavenged for three hundred years and was still alive and well, had such a great reputation.

Chen Qing could only describe these people with one word: unprofessional!