"Indeed."
Qian Xiaoyue nodded.
Despite working under an alchemy master, her monthly salary wasn't high. Coupled with the hard work she put into making and selling talisman paper, she barely managed to earn over ten Lower-Grade Spirit Stones a month.
This time, it was equivalent to nearly a year's effort for her.
"However.
These two people have made many moves over the past year, it shouldn't be just these, should it?
While listening before, I heard the term 'Magical Artifact' a few times.
Could they have already sold them off?
Even the lowest tier Magical Artifact can be worth a hundred or two hundred Lower-Grade Spirit Stones..."
Qian Xiaoyue couldn't help but frown.
"Magical Artifact?"
Zhou Changwang's body trembled at these words, and a gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes.
A Magical Artifact is an indispensable treasure for a cultivator when traveling.
A cultivator with a Magical Artifact and one without are worlds apart in terms of strength.
For example, Zhou Changwang, if he had a Magical Artifact during an attack, he could immediately use it to counterattack. Ordinary martial artists, even top-level Innate ones, wouldn't dare to easily provoke a cultivator with a Magical Artifact.
Upon hearing that there might be a Magical Artifact hidden in this room, Zhou Changwang couldn't sit still and hurriedly searched every corner meticulously.
If there's really one Magical Artifact this time, it's a huge gain; two would mean soaring... he hadn't even considered three.
Qian Xiaoyue was similarly eager.
Finally, after one incense stick's time.
The two of them exchanged glances, each showing a disappointed look.
They practically rummaged through the entire room, not missing even a corner of the living room, yet found nothing.
It seemed, this talk of a Magical Artifact, was just their imagination.
"Then let's start dividing the treasures."
Finally, Qian Xiaoyue spoke up.
Zhou Changwang nodded, feeling somewhat anxious.
Though they had been neighbors for years, they were barely acquaintances before, a nodding acquaintance at best, and now that interests were involved, he couldn't guarantee what actions the other might take.
After all, her Qi Refining Third Layer cultivation was indeed a notch higher than his.
But after careful observation, she didn't seem to have any special actions, and upon further thought, if she really wanted to hoard these Spirit Stones and other items for herself, she wouldn't have invited him along in the first place, allowing him to be somewhat at ease.
Then, the two began to gather everything together.
The heaviest was the three large chests.
Then, there was a rice jar in the kitchen.
The jar itself was ordinary, but inside, it wasn't the Mortal Rice he imagined, it was Spirit Rice.
Not only was it Spirit Rice, but each grain was plump like Crescent Rice.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Changwang's eyes practically glowed green.
Considering his previous situation as a Qi Refining Second Layer Immortal Cultivator, he was still eating ordinary Mortal Rice, and only through the efforts of the past few days did he finally get to eat Spirit Rice and enjoy a slightly better life.
Yet, these two mortal martial cultivators were eating Spirit Rice every meal, and the key was, they were eating Crescent Rice, which was much more expensive than Linghe Rice, making him feel a bit unsettled.
...
There was quite a lot of Spirit Rice in the jar, totaling nearly fifty pounds. At one Lower-Grade Spirit Stone for five pounds of Crescent Rice, that was nearly ten Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, which he obviously wouldn't pass up.
He directly picked up the jar and was about to carry it away when Zhou Changwang's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Fellow Daoist Qian, look here."
Soon, Qian Xiaoyue quickly arrived in the kitchen.
Underneath where the jar was initially positioned, a few bricks and soil that were noticeably different from the surroundings could be seen.
"Let's try digging!"
Qian Xiaoyue said quietly, her voice calm yet tinged with a hint of expectation.
Zhou Changwang nodded, his Spiritual Hoe had been cut off during the previous fight; unable to find a suitable hoe, he directly used the lady martial artist's Long Sword as a tool. In just a few strokes, the bricks and soil were opened up, and soon, a yellow canvas appeared below.
"There really is something."
Seeing this, Zhou Changwang's heart was moved, and he quickly cleared away the bricks and soil, then used the Long Sword to lift the canvas.
Qian Xiaoyue impatiently received the canvas, then opened it bit by bit.
Suddenly, a small black dagger appeared before them.
The dagger wasn't large, only eight inches long, without a handle, or rather the handle was small, leaving room for only a two-finger grip. It was entirely black, with only the blade flashing a hint of cold gleam. Upon closer inspection, faint patterns could be seen etched on the knife's surface.
Its weight was also light, held in hand, it felt as if it weighed nothing.
"A Magical Artifact.
It's really a Magical Artifact."
Qian Xiaoyue exclaimed, her gaze fixated on the dagger.
Zhou Changwang was also surprised.
They never imagined they'd actually find a Magical Artifact.
Those two really hid it well.
Like a cunning rabbit with three burrows.
If he hadn't moved the Spirit Rice, he wouldn't have discovered this Magical Artifact.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou."
Qian Xiaoyue reluctantly tore her gaze from the black dagger and looked at Zhou Changwang, "How about I take this Magical Artifact?"
Zhou Changwang looked at her, saying nothing.
A Magical Artifact...
Who wouldn't want it?
"I won't take any of the other items, leave them all to you, I just want this Magical Artifact, how about it?"
Qian Xiaoyue requested earnestly.
"Alright."
Zhou Changwang hesitated for a moment but finally nodded.
He indeed wanted the Magical Artifact, as it could directly enhance his strength.
However, since Qian Xiaoyue had helped him once before, and it was she who first proposed the loot sharing, plus most importantly, although her cultivation was a Qi Refining Third Layer, higher than his, she hadn't attempted to forcefully take more benefits... he wasn't one to be ungrateful.
Although the Magical Artifact was good, the combined value of the other items was also significant, and he wouldn't necessarily suffer a loss.
Once the distribution was agreed upon, neither of them had any intention to linger.
Qian Xiaoyue left with a light-hearted expression.
While Zhou Changwang took advantage of the night, making three trips to transfer all the loot back to his home.
"This time, I've truly gained a lot."
Zhou Changwang sat on his bed, looking at his haul, feeling incredibly satisfied.
Firstly, there were three large chests filled with gold, silver, jewelry, and Martial Arts Manuals. For him, they weren't very valuable, and he didn't plan to take a whole chest of gold to the Artifact Refining Hall to trade for three or five Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.
Because doing so would be too conspicuous.
It could likely cause unnecessary trouble.
Now that he wasn't short on Spirit Stones, he naturally didn't want to take such a risk.
"Then there are the Spirit Stones.
A total of one hundred and forty-eight Lower-Grade Spirit Stones.
Adding the eight I got today and the five from yesterday... that means I now have a total of one hundred and sixty-one Spirit Stones?"
Zhou Changwang counted three times, feeling jubilant.
This is a huge sum.
Especially for the likes of him before.
He could barely even see such a number of Spirit Stones, let alone possess them.