The chamber fell into complete silence.
The pile of spirit stones continued to glow softly upon the floor.
Dense spiritual energy drifted through the room like a faint mist, filling every corner of the chamber.
Ling Yue remained frozen in place.
Her eyes were still fixed on the mountain of spirit stones.
Her mind had yet to recover from the shock.
Beside her—
Ling Wei had already moved.
The moment Lizarius finished speaking, he stepped forward without the slightest hesitation.
His movements were swift.
Decisive.
Almost eager.
"Yes, Senior."
His voice carried none of the uncertainty from before.
Only absolute certainty.
"With these resources, there will be no problem."
He bowed deeply.
"I will personally ensure the task is completed."
Ling Yue blinked.
Then stared.
*Personally ensure?*
*Since when was Big Brother this enthusiastic?*
Ling Wei didn't seem to notice her expression.
Or perhaps he simply chose not to care.
His storage pouch appeared in his hand.
A moment later—
he began gathering the spirit stones.
Carefully.
Extremely carefully.
As though he were handling the greatest treasure in existence.
One stone.
Then another.
Then another.
Every movement was precise.
Respectful.
Gentle.
Ling Yue watched in disbelief.
Only moments ago, he had looked terrified.
Now he resembled a loyal servant entrusted with an important mission.
The change was so drastic that even Lizarius stared at him for a moment.
Then—
Ling Wei's gaze swept across the chamber.
His eyes landed upon the shattered medicinal bottles.
The broken containers.
The scattered talisman fragments.
The dried bloodstains.
Without another word—
he immediately began cleaning.
Ling Yue's mouth opened slightly.
"...Big Brother?"
Ling Wei ignored her.
Pill bottles vanished into his storage pouch.
Jade containers followed shortly after.
Even the low-grade spirit stones that had rolled beneath furniture were quickly collected.
As he worked, he spoke calmly.
"The room has become somewhat untidy."
"This won't do."
He picked up another shattered container.
"I'll clean everything before leaving."
Ling Yue stared.
Then glanced at Lizarius.
Then back at Ling Wei.
Her expression became increasingly strange.
*Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?*
Even Lizarius appeared mildly puzzled.
The white-scaled lizard simply watched as Ling Wei moved throughout the chamber like an exceptionally diligent servant.
Within minutes—
everything had been gathered.
Everything.
Even the black shell fragments.
Even the remains of the Iron-Spine Cats that were currently being consumed.
Ling Wei finally straightened.
The room looked noticeably cleaner.
He nodded in satisfaction.
"Much better."
Ling Yue's eye twitched.
"Why are you cleaning?"
Ling Wei glanced at her.
"Because it's dirty."
"..."
"..."
Neither Ling Yue nor Lizarius knew how to respond to that.
After conducting one final inspection of the chamber, Ling Wei nodded once more.
Satisfied.
Then he turned toward Lizarius and bowed deeply.
"Senior."
"We shall take our leave."
"We will immediately begin acquiring the resources."
Ling Yue hurriedly nodded.
"Y-Yes."
"We'll leave now."
The siblings turned toward the door.
Lizarius remained hovering calmly above the stone floor.
His golden eyes were half-lidded.
His expression was as indifferent as ever.
His tone hadn't changed.
There was no anger.
No threat hidden within his voice.
No visible killing intent.
He sounded as though he were merely stating a simple fact.
"If you are not back within the next hour..."
His gaze drifted lazily toward the sealed chamber doors.
"...I will begin consuming every cultivator within this city."
A brief pause followed.
Then—
"Starting from here."
Silence.
Ling Yue's face instantly turned pale.
A cold chill raced down her spine.
Every hair on her body stood on end.
She had absolutely no doubt that he meant every word.
Not because he was angry.
Not because he was trying to threaten them.
But because he genuinely viewed it as a reasonable alternative.
If they failed—
he would simply solve the problem himself.
And that solution would be catastrophic.
Ling Wei's throat felt dry.
Yet unlike his sister—
he recovered first.
Because he understood something important.
The creature before them wasn't trying to frighten them.
He wasn't issuing threats.
He was simply setting a deadline.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Ling Wei immediately cupped his fists.
"Senior can rest assured."
His voice was firm.
Respectful.
Determined.
"There will be no delay."
Another bow followed.
"We will return before the hour ends."
Ling Yue hurriedly copied him.
"Definitely!"
"We'll definitely be back!"
"We won't even be a minute late!"
Lizarius merely watched them.
Ling Wei continued.
"The resources you requested will be gathered."
"Foundation Establishment beast remains."
"Beast cores."
"We will obtain everything possible."
Only then did Lizarius give a small nod.
"Good."
The pressure within the room seemed to lessen slightly.
Ling Yue quietly released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.
Ling Wei carefully secured the spirit stones inside his storage pouch.
His movements became even more cautious than before.
Each stone felt heavier than a mountain.
Not physically.
But in value.
By his estimation—
if even a single one of these spirit stones entered the market, it would shake the entire city.
Fortunately—
he had no intention of allowing anyone to learn where they had come from.
After securing the final spirit stone, he straightened.
"We'll leave immediately."
Ling Yue nodded rapidly.
"Y-Yes."
The conversation was over.
The siblings wasted no time.
They practically fled the chamber.
The stone doors rumbled shut behind them.
BOOOOM.
The moment the doors sealed completely—
both released long breaths.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Ling Yue grabbed her brother's sleeve.
"Big Brother..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"How are we supposed to do this?"
Ling Wei's expression remained tense.
But unlike before—
there was now determination burning within his eyes.
"We have the resources."
He patted the storage pouch hanging at his waist.
"And not just any spirit stones."
His gaze became complicated.
"We have enough wealth to buy half the city."
Ling Yue swallowed.
Even thinking about that pile of spirit stones made her feel dizzy.
Ling Wei immediately began walking.
Fast.
Very fast.
"We don't have time."
"The spirit beast remains can be acquired from auction houses, merchants, hunting halls, and clan warehouses throughout the city."
Ling Yue hurried after him.
"What about Foundation Establishment corpses?"
Ling Wei grimaced.
"Harder."
"But not impossible."
He didn't slow his pace.
"The most likely place..."
His eyes narrowed.
"...the Golden Lotus Pavilion."
Ling Yue immediately understood.
Her expression shifted.
"Of course..."
The Golden Lotus Pavilion wasn't merely an auction house.
It was the largest trading center in Lotus City.
Rare herbs.
Spirit beast materials.
Cultivation manuals.
Weapons.
Pills.
Even unusual treasures acquired from distant regions eventually found their way there.
If Foundation Establishment beast remains existed anywhere in the city—
the Pavilion was the most likely place to find them.
Ling Wei nodded.
"Exactly."
"We don't have time to search every merchant individually."
"The Pavilion gathers everything."
"If someone possesses what we need, information will be there."
"Or the Pavilion itself may already have what we require."
Ling Yue hesitated.
"But Foundation Establishment beast remains aren't cheap."
Ling Wei's hand rested lightly upon his storage pouch.
For a brief moment, his expression became rather strange.
Complicated.
Almost absurd.
"Normally?"
"No."
"They aren't."
He remembered the mountain of spirit stones.
The terrifying amount of wealth currently sitting inside his pouch.
His heartbeat quickened slightly.
"Today isn't normal."
Ling Yue swallowed.
She couldn't argue with that.
The two hurried through the Ling Clan grounds.
Servants stepped aside respectfully.
Guards greeted them as they passed.
Neither sibling paid any attention.
Every second mattered.
Behind them—
deep within the sealed chamber—
a white-scaled lizard hovered silently in the air.
Golden eyes half-closed.
Waiting.
---
Outside the clan estate—
Lotus City bustled with life.
Merchants shouted from roadside stalls.
Spirit beasts pulled ornate carriages through the crowded streets.
Cultivators moved between shops, inns, and trading halls.
The aroma of food drifted through the air.
The city appeared lively and peaceful.
Yet Ling Wei and Ling Yue ignored everything.
Their destination stood near the heart of the city's central district.
A towering seven-story structure overlooked the surrounding streets.
Golden lotus carvings decorated its walls.
Rows of spiritual lanterns hung beneath elegantly curved roofs.
Cultivators entered and exited constantly.
The entire building radiated wealth.
Influence.
Power.
The Golden Lotus Pavilion.
Ling Yue looked up at the massive structure.
Even as a disciple of the Ling Clan, she couldn't help feeling a sense of awe.
"This place always looks expensive."
Ling Wei nodded.
"Because it is."
Without hesitation, the siblings climbed the broad stone steps and entered.
The moment they crossed the threshold—
the atmosphere changed completely.
The noise of the city vanished.
Elegant music drifted softly through the spacious hall.
Rows of display counters showcased rare treasures beneath protective formations.
Spirit herbs floated within crystal containers.
Weapons rested upon polished jade stands.
Cultivators and merchants negotiated quietly throughout the building.
The air itself seemed refined.
Orderly.
Luxurious.
A beautiful woman dressed in elegant golden robes immediately approached them with a professional smile.
"Welcome to the Golden Lotus Pavilion."
Her gaze swept across their clothing.
Recognizing the insignias of the Ling Clan.
"Young Master Ling."
"Young Miss Ling."
"How may I assist you today?"
Ling Wei didn't waste a single moment.
"We require Foundation Establishment beast remains."
The attendant blinked.
Then her smile became noticeably more attentive.
"Foundation Establishment remains?"
"Yes."
"Complete corpses if available."
"Beast cores as well."
The woman studied him briefly.
Such requests were not impossible.
But they certainly weren't common coming from Spirit Refining cultivators.
Still—
her professional smile never wavered.
"I can arrange that."
The moment those words left her mouth—
both Ling Wei and Ling Yue felt a wave of relief wash over them.
At the very least—
their search had begun.