C25 Trade

The grass shimmered with a vibrant green, indistinguishable from the surrounding vegetation.

Yet, a closer look revealed a barren circle of a few centimeters radius around the grass, where no other plants took root. The leaves' serrated edges further solidified Ye Tian's suspicions.

"Can you dissect this snake? If not, I'll handle it!"

With a composed demeanor, Ye Tian shielded the grass with his body, crouched down to remove it, and turned to address Zi Hanyue.

Zi Hanyue found herself at a loss. Despite being a teacher at Spirit Feather Academy, she had never engaged in such a gory task, and today marked her first experience in killing a snake.

Aware that the Silver Scaled Snake's body was a trove of treasures, Zi Hanyue was clueless on how to proceed. The daunting task of dissecting the lengthy creature stumped her.

"Lend me your dagger. Since you've never done this, let me show you how it's done."

In that moment, Ye Tian deftly took the dagger from Zi Hanyue's grasp, his expression earnest, as if he were the mentor instead.

Zi Hanyue watched in frustration as Ye Tian, the young upstart, put on airs before her. She longed to put him in his place, yet found herself unable to act on the impulse.

With the dagger in hand, Ye Tian expertly sliced through the Silver Scaled Snake. In no time at all, he had skillfully removed an intact skin.

"Keep this safe. One day, you can craft a suit of soft armor from it, which will greatly enhance your defense!"

Without a second glance, Ye Tian tossed the sticky snake skin to Zi Hanyue, catching her off guard.

The snake skin, though not worth a fortune, was a rare find not easily acquired by the average person. Yet Ye Tian had casually passed it on to her.

Zi Hanyue nodded in approval, her heart swelling with pride as a mentor.

Ye Tian then proceeded to adeptly section the snake meat into several pieces, intending to make a restorative soup for his father, Ye Chengfeng, whose health remained precarious. Perhaps the mature essence of the Silver Scaled Snake soup could offer some improvement.

As he continued to dissect, Ye Tian's keen eyes caught a subtle, elusive glow within the snake's carcass. With each slice, his excitement grew palpable.

He had only just realized why the Silver Scaled Snake was superior to its peers, and it certainly didn't behave like it was merely at the ninth level of the Qi Profound Stage.

The reason was that the Silver Scaled Snake had surpassed the Qi Profound Stage and was on the cusp of entering the Spirit Profound Stage. The faint glow emanating from the carcass was from the nascent inner core of the Silver Scaled Snake!

Though not fully formed, the energy within had already reached a critical threshold. Ye Tian was convinced that if the serpent hadn't encountered him, it would have ascended to the Spirit Profound Stage within the week!

If that happened, even joining forces with Zi Hanyue wouldn't guarantee the same outcome they had now.

"We've struck it rich with this inner core!"

Zi Hanyue recognized the spherical object in Ye Tian's hand and couldn't help but exclaim with excitement.

Once a beast forms an inner core, it evolves toward the rank of a Demon Beast, and such a core commands a hefty price.

Ye Tian quickly silenced Zi Hanyue, their bodies drawing close once more, and he felt the softness of his teacher's body again.

"Keep quiet. 'The innocent man is guilty of the treasure he carries.' Haven't you heard that before?"

Ye Tian whispered cautiously, wary of any unwanted attention.

They couldn't afford to reveal the inner core's existence; its value was too great, and knowledge of it could attract dangerous complications.

Zi Hanyue, momentarily disregarding Ye Tian's impertinence, remained vigilant, but despite her caution, an oversight had occurred.

Just then, from deeper within the forest, came a rustling sound, and a young man clad in a grey short-sleeved shirt with a brown leather cloak emerged.

He took in the scene of the meticulously dissected Silver Scaled Snake before Ye Tian and Zi Hanyue and grasped the situation.

While Ye Tian maintained a composed facade, Zi Hanyue was on high alert, her eyes betraying a flicker of panic.

"Don't be alarmed. You've both been tracking this Silver Scaled Snake for quite some time. With an inner core developing inside, it's an opportunity no one would want to miss, right?"

The young man's gaze lingered on Ye Tian and Zi Hanyue. After Zi Hanyue spoke, she became even more guarded, which only made the young man's smile grow broader.

"Rest assured, you two. The Silver Scaled Snake was slain by you, and I have no intention of taking it by force. However, its inner core is of great importance to me. Would you consider selling it to me?"

His demeanor was so natural, his smile so disarming, that it was impossible to fault him.

Zi Hanyue, hearing the offer to purchase the Silver Scaled Snake's inner core, subtly tugged at Ye Tian. The gesture was slight but enough to irk him.

"This foolish woman!"

Ye Tian chided inwardly. The young man's identity remained a mystery, and despite his benign appearance, he was meticulously observing their every move.

It was well-known that the Flying Waterfall Nether Spring lay beyond the Spirit Feather Academy's domain. Should trouble arise, the academy would be powerless to intervene.

Now, Zi Hanyue's actions had inadvertently exposed their hand, leaving Ye Tian with no room to deny the truth.

"You wish to purchase the inner core, but it seems we have different prices in mind," Ye Tian said, stroking his chin with a composed air.

"Hehe, don't worry. If it's something I desire, I'm willing to pay a fair price, provided it doesn't exceed the core's value," the young man replied with a light chuckle. "I offer 50 Vast Essence Coins."

"No, it's worth 90 Vast Essence Coins," Ye Tian countered firmly, stating his price, which indeed did not surpass the core's worth.

"My friend, your asking price is fair, but consider the journey I must undertake to return home after acquiring the inner core. Surely, you can appreciate the associated costs..."

The young man's plea was earnest, seemingly devoid of ulterior motives. Yet, he was negotiating with the Heaven Soaring Great Monarch, whose soul had spanned tens of thousands of years.

After some back-and-forth, Ye Tian and the young man settled on a final price of 75 Vast Essence Coins.

"Ye Tian, this man appears to have no hidden agenda. Let's complete the transaction and take our leave," Zi Hanyue suggested.

Zi Hanyue watched with growing impatience as Ye Tian and the young man went back and forth over the price, their haggling dragging on. With a sense of resignation, Ye Tian turned to his teacher with a helpless look.

Having said his piece, Ye Tian had no choice but to rise and produce the inner core. The young man responded by pulling out a cloth bag and giving it a couple of shakes, the clinking of Vast Essence Coins echoing in the air.

"Great, it's a pleasure doing business. It's people like you that really bring me joy!"

As Ye Tian and the young man were about to make the exchange, a glint of cunning flashed in the young man's eyes. He hurled a black pestle at Ye Tian in a sudden attack.

"I knew you were up to no good!"

Anticipating a twist, Ye Tian had braced himself for a change in events. He swiftly stepped back, narrowly dodging the black pestle as it whizzed by.