Junior sister, keep forbear for a while, I almost become invincible as soon!

She hadn't started cultivating yet, so her concept of realm strength was rather vague. Whether Chen Pingping was powerful or not wasn't a shocking factor in her eyes. At most, it would surprise her. This included his inexplicable aura, the Earth Chicken leading the way, and the Mao Qiu perched on his shoulder.

Hmm, this Senior Brother seems to like keeping small animals, Princess Zi Ji thought.

However, Princess Zi Ji had a very clear understanding of the concept of Spirit Stones and Spiritual Medicine because she often heard the palace maids discussing these things. Topics like how a third-rank Spiritual Medicine could be exchanged for a courtyard, and if one could get a fifth-rank Spiritual Medicine, they'd be rich! And so on. Moreover, the maids often calculated their salaries mostly in terms of Spirit Stones. For instance, working for a year could be exchanged for one Spirit Stone, as they were easier to store this way.

"You haven't begun cultivating yet, right?" Chen Pingping wondered. "How do you know it's a fifth-rank Spiritual Medicine?"

Good question!

Princess Zi Ji froze, then remembered she hadn't started cultivating. How could she judge the grade of that Spiritual Medicine? Why? What had just come to mind? A vague concept...

She couldn't answer. She just looked with distress at the Spiritual Medicine he had tossed, saying, "If Mother had a Spiritual Medicine back then, she wouldn't have had to bring me into the imperial city."

Chen Pingping: "..."

Her words made him feel awkward about taking out any sixth or seventh-rank Spiritual Medicines. But without higher-rank Spiritual Medicines, there was no way to attract the Spiritual Milk Jade!

Well then!

Chen Pingping tentatively threw out a Spirit Pill.

Princess Zi Ji's mouth twitched. This time... she remained silent. She clearly understood Chen Pingping's intentions—it was all for the Spiritual Milk Jade. She simply kept her mouth shut.

Believing she had no concept of their value, Chen Pingping started tossing them out recklessly. Third-rank Spirit Pills, fourth-rank Spirit Pills, fifth-rank Spirit Pills, sixth-rank Spirit Pills... He tossed out more than a dozen in a flash.

But the Spiritual Milk Jade still didn't appear.

Chen Pingping was frustrated. "Is there anything in this world that doesn't like Spirit Pills?"

"Senior Brother, why not try Spiritual Medicine?" Princess Zi Ji whispered.

"Oh, I'm quite short on those, and Spiritual Medicines are too expensive," Chen Pingping said earnestly.

Indeed! Spirit Pills aren't expensive?

Princess Zi Ji's expression was stiff.

"Alright! I'll give it a try, expensive as it is," Chen Pingping found a way to save face.

Actually, the value of a Spirit Pill far exceeded that of a same-rank Spiritual Medicine, by several times, even.

But Chen Pingping had them. What he lacked least were precisely these "trash" items: Spiritual Medicines, Spirit Pills... The system rewarded him with a large batch each time.

Chen Pingping took a deep breath and threw out a sixth-rank Spiritual Medicine. "Hey now, I spent a fortune on this Spiritual Medicine!"

Princess Zi Ji: "..."

Then he threw out a seventh-rank one.

He said, "I'm broke now, really."

However, the Spiritual Milk Jade still didn't respond.

Chen Pingping's expression soured. He casually tossed out an eighth-rank one, saying with feigned pain, "Gone, all gone! Really, this is the last one!"

"Alright! Actually, I do have one last Spiritual Medicine."

"Yes, I swear, this time it's really gone. Your Senior Brother is very poor."

"Little Junior Sister! You have to believe me, your Senior Brother is genuinely poor and truly can't afford Spiritual Medicines..."

"I'll just toss this last one..."

"Forget it, forget it! If it doesn't come out, we're leaving!" he gritted his teeth. "This is the absolute last one! If it doesn't appear, we're out of here!"

In the span of about ten minutes, Chen Pingping had thrown a total of fifty Spiritual Medicines, ranging from third to eighth rank, along with about ten Spirit Pills and several hundred Spirit Stones. Each time he threw something, he wore a pained expression, insisting it was truly his last one. Yet the hand that threw them was decisive, without a hint of hesitation.

Princess Zi Ji had grown numb. She'd heard too many of Chen Pingping's lies—his claims that "Senior Brother is very poor," that "Senior Brother really has nothing left," and that "You must believe Senior Brother."

Bullshit! She had figured it out: Senior Brother was actually quite wealthy.

Huh?

Suddenly, in this gloomy world, a flash of radiance appeared.

Chen Pingping's face lit up. "It's here!"

So? Princess Zi Ji looked at him.

Just as she'd expected...

The Senior Brother who had just been claiming poverty immediately began tossing out more, a large pile of Spiritual Medicines.

Chen Pingping was triumphant. As he tossed out the hundredth Spiritual Medicine, the Spiritual Milk Jade finally appeared!

"Heh, little rascal," he crowed, "I knew you'd be interested!"

It was entirely snow-white, about the size of a fist. It hopped out from beneath the altar, seemingly testing the waters.

Chen Pingping chuckled. "Junior Sister, see that? It's here."

"I see it!" Princess Zi Ji replied. The effort finally paid off, she thought.

He continued tossing out Spiritual Medicines.

Step by step, the Spiritual Milk Jade drew closer.

When it was about a meter away, Chen Pingping suddenly made his move. Stepping out from Lao Huang's aura, he swung his large hand; it rapidly expanded and pressed down directly. The entire process was done in one fluid motion, as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water.

After capturing the Spiritual Milk Jade, he returned to the sanctuary of Lao Huang's aura. Chen Pingping couldn't help but roar with laughter. "Damn it, I finally caught you!"

The Spiritual Milk Jade struggled fiercely, but Chen Pingping's grip was too strong for it to break free.

Princess Zi Ji was also very happy, but then she looked at the mountain of Spiritual Medicines piled up nearby and couldn't help asking, "Senior Brother, aren't you going to retrieve those Spiritual Medicines?"

"Oh?" Chen Pingping said, "Of course, I'll take them back! After all, your Senior Brother is truly poor and can't afford to be wasteful."

Hearing the word "poor" again, Princess Zi Ji's mouth twitched, but she refrained from arguing.

"The Spiritual Milk Jade has developed Spiritual Intelligence, but it's not very high..." Chen Pingping chuckled. "If it were too high, it would be difficult to capture."

Heaven and earth spirits are favored by the heavens, nourished by the Great Tao. To snuff out such a spirit would incur divine wrath.

Chen Pingping quickly gathered the pile of Spiritual Medicines and departed briskly with Princess Zi Ji. "It's not safe to linger here; we should leave quickly."

「At the foot of the mountain range.」

The middle-aged man from Chong Tower returned to Prince Qi's side, looking rather pale. "They're dead," he reported.

"What?" Prince Qi was shocked.

"Two hundred li of wilderness, five ambush points, Divine Weapons, Arrays, experts—all deployed, and all of them ended up dead in the snow." Murong Hua's expression was icy. "This Princess Zi Ji is no simple character!"

"Heh." Prince Qi sneered at Chong Tower's failure. "I told you we needed to use the Slayers! You just wouldn't listen."

Murong Hua remained silent.

"Never mind, Princess Zi Ji has entered the sacred site to look for the Spiritual Milk Jade. She's as good as dead this time," Prince Qi laughed coldly.

According to the records in Holy Light City, hardly anyone had ever emerged from the sacred site alive, let alone find the Spiritual Milk Jade. Its very existence was still a matter of debate.

He was convinced that this time Princess Zi Ji was doomed.

And yet...

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the mist-shrouded mountain range.

Prince Qi was stunned for a moment.

All the experts lying in ambush were also dumbfounded.

They came out? How could that be possible?

Everyone thought they were seeing things and rubbed their eyes, but... there they were: Chen Pingping and Princess Zi Ji, with Lao Huang beside them.

PHEW!

The moment they stepped out of the mountain range, Chen Pingping smiled. "We're finally back."