Seeing Zong Shou's increasingly grim expression, Qiao Han felt a pang of pity. Nevertheless, these words still needed to be spoken.

"It is said that in the Cloud Desolation Era, the Cangsheng Dao, in their war against the Martial Blazing Kingdom, only deployed seventy Spirit Masters of the Returning Yang Realm, and with a small stratagem, they managed to shatter the three-thousand-strong Blood Cloud Cavalry. A single Returning Yang Realm Spirit Master, paired with a mere hundred or so prepared Martial Sect experts, could annihilate three hundred isolated Blood Cloud Cavalry. It was enough to bring about the collapse of the Martial Blazing Kingdom—I wonder if I recall that correctly?"

As he spoke, Hu Zhongyuan and the others present were struck dumb with shock. Their gaze toward the pile of armor and weaponry shifted, now regarding it with the same disdain one reserves for refuse.

In Qiantian Mountain City, the Sky Fox, Iron Tiger, Wind Bear, and Eye Wolf clans were the most powerful. However, even combining the strength of all four clans could not assemble three hundred Blood Cloud Cavalry.

With so many inherent flaws, even if the overall grade were slightly higher, these items were clearly of little practical use.

And then, Zong Shou delivered the final blow: "Furthermore, if I recall correctly, this set of armor requires a corresponding special cultivation method, does it not? Something called the Blood Cavalry Slaughter technique. I heard it has been lost to history. If all these things were truly valuable, you wouldn't have them piled up here."

"Hmph, do you truly take me for a fool?"

Qiao Han was almost in despair. This Zong Shou, useless in martial arts and devoid of spiritual power—a complete failure—how could his knowledge be so vast?

He had been ready to give up, but upon careful consideration, Qiao Han sighed faintly and decided to rally one last effort, deploying his silver tongue: "My Lord, it is true that our Kongqi Sect has held onto these items for a long time without finding a buyer, but that is only because others lack the discerning eye. I can see that you, my Lord, are not a man without ambition. If Qiantian Mountain seeks to dominate the Eastern Lin Cloud Continent, how can it manage without an elite cavalry force capable of matching the heroes of Gaia? Relying solely on the Dark Fox Iron Cavalry is surely insufficient. My Lord might not have enough Martial Sect experts now, but that does not mean you won't acquire them in the future. The Blood Cavalry Slaughter technique is not lost either; it’s just that the ruins of the Martial Blazing Kingdom have yet to be fully explored. If three hundred riders is currently a shortfall, then maintain a force larger than three hundred—just don't split them up. If you find them unsuitable for mounted combat, our Kongqi Sect can modify them for you. In fact, with minor adjustments, this armor and weaponry can even function as Grade One spirit artifacts."

Zong Shou's expression flickered, and just as Qiao Han felt a surge of hope, he shook his head again. "I will consider it."

Although Qiao Han was disappointed, a sliver of yearning began to take root in his heart.

Since the Kongqi Sect unearthed these armaments, he hadn't known a peaceful day.

They had initially believed they could easily offload them at a high price, thus the sect had spent a massive amount of precious materials to fully restore every piece. But in the end, they simply could not sell them.

Neither the Eastern Lin Cloud Continent nor the other Cloud Continents and Islands held any interest in this Blood Cloud Cavalry armor and halberd-bows.

The reclusive sects might possess three or five hundred Martial Sect masters and could afford the price, but they were no fools either; they could craft more suitable spirit weapons and armor themselves and had no need for these relics.

They had been gathering dust here for decades, and the maintenance alone cost a fortune in beast crystals.

Every time he returned to the sect, Qiao Han had to endure the sour faces of the elders. But this was hardly his fault.

Zong Shou pretended to ponder deeply while casting his gaze around the warehouse. His attention finally fixed on another corner, obscured by clutter.

In that direction, countless miscellaneous items were heaped together: various spirit weapons and artifacts, mixed with pelts and ores. By their appearance, none of them seemed promising.

Zong Shou’s eyebrows immediately shot up, and he walked over. "What is the story with these? They seem incredibly old, perhaps relics from the Cloud Desolation Era, and most appear damaged."

Qiao Han, who had been marshaling his persuasive words, quickly offered a fawning smile. "My Lord has sharp eyes! What you see piled here are discarded ancient spirit artifacts from the Cloud Desolation Era. Although they are broken, some of their crafting concepts are still immensely beneficial to our Kongqi Sect. That is why our sect purchases some every year to send back. In fact, it’s not just our sect; other factions also acquire spoiled spirit pills and artifacts. For some unknown reason, more ruins and hidden domains have emerged in recent years, leading to an increase in these discarded spirit artifacts."

Zong Shou smiled, uninterested in the explanation. He began sifting through the junk. He had no interest in artifact forging himself, but these discarded spirit items held immense value for him.

In a moment, he pulled out a sword. The blade was etched with nine interlocking Qilin, their horns intertwined. Zong Shou casually picked up a nearby weapon of relatively high quality and drew the salvaged sword across it—the superior weapon snapped instantly, without even a sound.

He involuntarily gasped. "Before this sword was damaged, it must have been Grade Eight? What a pity..."

The sword had lost all its spirit energy, and the blade, a foot from the hilt, bore a deep nick; it was clearly ruined.

Qiao Han glanced over, mirroring the regret. "Indeed, a pity. This sword was reportedly the personal weapon of a prince in the Cloud Desolation Era, capable of gathering the aura of the Son of Heaven. Forged from a mixed gold alloy, its material composition is unknown, making decomposition difficult."

Zong Shou nodded and continued to search. A moment later, he let out another sound of surprise. From the pile of scrap, he extracted a bright, yellowish orb, pondering that this item was also discarded—the Kongqi Sect, he thought, was utterly lacking in judgment.

Looking through the rest, there were certainly many good items, but most were severely damaged. Zong Shou casually selected a dozen or so pieces that possessed superior appearance and grade, focusing on the finest relics. He was particularly fond of one item resembling a conch shell, which he played with in his hand for a long time before setting it down.

Then, he turned toward Qiao Han and held up four fingers. "Two Grade Seven Beast Crystals. I will take all the Blood Cloud Cavalry armor and weapons, and these discarded items will be thrown in as bonuses!"

Qiao Han’s eyes narrowed, feeling as if his heart had been violently gripped. He shook his head like a rattle-drum: "Absolutely impossible! That is four thousand five hundred sets of Grade Three spirit artifacts! Complete with riding armor, horse armor, and the bow-halberd and saber—all included. A complete set like this, when used in concert, rivals a Grade Four spirit artifact. How could that be settled for less than a hundred Grade Four spirit stones? And these are unrivaled killing instruments on the battlefield! Two Grade Seven Beast Crystals—what a price you dare to quote, My Lord!"

"If not, then keep them."

Zong Shou’s lips curled into a slight, almost wicked smile, and he turned without hesitation toward the door. Hu Zhongyuan and the others, who had never favored the purchase of this junk, offered no objection and followed immediately.

Qiao Han’s face cycled rapidly from green to white. After a long moment, it seemed as if all the strength had drained from his body.

He quickly called out, "Four Grade Seven Beast Crystals—not a cent less! Our Kongqi Sect spent that much just repairing them; we cannot afford to lose money!"

"What your sect spent is none of my concern," Zong Shou grinned, his expression looking decidedly impish. "You yourself said that once modified, these items are only comparable to low-grade spirit artifacts. Moreover, in my assessment, they only reach that level when used as a complete set, making their practicality even worse. They amount to about four thousand low-grade spirit artifacts at best! Fine, how about three and a half? I wish to build a friendly connection with your Kongqi Sect, especially with you, Steward Qiao. Consider it a favor owed to you; I truly didn't want to buy them otherwise! And throw in one Dragon-Horned Winged Horse for me to test the effects. It must be delivered within five days. Oh, I heard your sect also trades in spirit-grade weaponry. Can you procure three hundred of your sect's Three-Armed Giant Crossbows for me? I will pay ten Grade Seven Beast Crystals! If you can guarantee secrecy, I can add five more!"

Qiao Han felt a desperate urge to weep, but his heart was also profoundly relieved. Offloading this cumbersome stock and even recouping a few Grade Seven Beast Crystals was already a considerable success.

Though the number seemed small, despite the Kongqi Sect hunting beneath the Sea of Clouds every year, even the combined efforts of ten Celestial Martial Sect masters and eight Sun-Roaming Spirit Masters only yielded eight to ten Grade Seven Beast Crystals annually. While the sect had stronger experts, any who dared descend into the Sea of Clouds beyond the Martial Venerable Realm were guaranteed death. With those few guarding beneath the Sea of Clouds, the strength of any faction, no matter how powerful, was irrelevant.

This transaction, in a way, was a win. One should truly thank this fool, Zong Shou. However, why did this fellow want the giant crossbows? And would he be able to pay for them later? Never mind that; this was the truly massive business deal.

Yin You once again watched as the Blood Cloud Armor and weaponry were moved into the vaults of the Three Continents Money House, officially becoming his personal assets.

Zong Shou was in an exceptionally good mood. He secured several guest rooms in Jie Fu City.

Then, he took out the discarded spirit artifacts he had collected and began to examine them.

Tan Tao and the others nearby were speechless. To them, the armor and weapons were useless, and they couldn't fathom why Zong Shou had bought them. Earlier, they had tried to dissuade him, but he had paid no heed. Hu Zhongyuan also frowned deeply; even with ample wealth, such reckless spending was questionable. He hesitated several times, intending to offer counsel, but ultimately held back.

Zong Shou, feeling their scrutinizing gazes, couldn't help but glance sideways, thinking how much better his own Ruo Shui was. No matter what he did, she accepted it as natural.

"Do you really think I engage in transactions that result in a loss? Rest assured, this deal was not just profitable; it was overwhelmingly so."

Seeing that Tan Tao and the others clearly didn't believe him, Zong Shou couldn't be bothered to explain further. He knew the origins of the Dragon-Horned Winged Horse, and the Blood Cavalry Slaughter technique was imprinted in his memory. In a few years, countless Innate Martial Masters would advance to the Martial Sect Realm—matters he couldn't possibly articulate now.

He turned the conch-like object over in his hands, examining it closely. Zong Shou's will shifted, causing Xiao Jin to detach from his arm and merge with the object.

The divine ability Xiao Jin awakened after reaching Grade Four was 'Solid State.' Individually, it was unremarkable. But combined with the prior 'Mimicry,' it became incredibly potent—as it was now, repairing this ruined spirit artifact.

As spiritual pathways were structured within Xiao Jin’s core, the arrays within the conch began to cycle once more.

In the next instant, a cacophony of disparate sounds erupted within the room.

"The Sound Listener Conch, it really is this thing?"

Zong Shou’s eyebrows lifted. He executed a hand seal, instantly filtering out the majority of the noise. Zong Shou then proceeded to cast various arcane gestures with keen interest, causing the soundscape to shift continuously. (To be continued)

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