Pure, bright light shot out of a diamond-shaped crystal, illuminating the originally dim cave like it was under broad daylight.
The crystal was embedded in a huge Space Spirit Jade. It seemed to be a part of the jade, yet it was very different.
The crystal was far clearer and more transparent, and the spatial fluctuations it emitted were far more intense.
PHEW! PHEW!
The numerous colorful light threads seemed to become attracted by it as soon as the crystal was unearthed, since they suddenly began to converge on it.
Nie Tian sensed its uniqueness and the changes it had caused. Staring at it with curiosity filling his eyes, he asked softly, “What is it?”
Pei Qiqi, who was now only inches away from Nie Tian, also had her eyes that were as bright as stars fixed on the crystal. Nie Tian could even feel her breathing grow more rapid.
It seemed that she hadn’t heard Nie Tian’s words, as her attention had been completely seized by the diamond-shaped crystal.
With a sniff of her pleasant, flowery scent, Nie Tian didn’t ask again. Instead, he waited in silence for her to calm herself.
Standing so close to Pei Qiqi, Nie Tian ran his gaze over her delicate, milky-white face and felt it was prettier than that glittering crystal.
“What did you find, Hua Tian, Senior Martial Sister?”
The fat Li Ye walked slowly forward as he approached Nie Tian and Pei Qiqi and stuck his head through the gap between them.
With a single glance at it, Li Ye waved his hands and stamped his feet in joy. “It’s a crystallized Space Spirit Jade!
“I can’t believe we were able to find one of these here, in such a small Space Spirit Jade mine! We’re so lucky!”
Nie Tian didn’t know anything about spiritual materials that contained spatial energy. He didn’t know what they could use Space Spirit Jades for, much less the use and rarity of Space Spirit Crystals.
“Is this thing more precious than a Space Spirit Jade?” He asked subconsciously.
Li Ye rolled his eyes at him as if he were talking to a fool. “Of course! Do you know the difference between the value of a spirit crystal and a spirit jade? The difference between the value of a crystallized Space Spirit Jade and a Space Spirit Jade is even greater. You can trade one spirit crystal for a hundred spirit jades in the other nine realms. However, you can trade one crystallized Space Spirit Jade for five hundred Space Spirit Jades!
“Space Spirit Jades are essential materials for building teleportation portals, while crystallized Space Spirit Jades are used to forge spatial spiritual tools that are even more powerful.
“I’m not talking about rings of holding or bracelets of holding. I’m talking about extremely precious spiritual tools that can distort space!
“Spatial spiritual tools are hard to find in any realm. Not only because they are hard to forge, but also because it’s very difficult to gather all the necessary materials. From what I know, back when the Realm of Split Void was still one of the most powerful realms in the Domain of the Falling Stars and the Void Palace Sect were still thriving, the Void Palace Sect was the only sect that possessed a Spirit Channeling-grade spatial spiritual tool.
“The Void Palace sect only prospered in the Void Illusion Mountain Range because of it!
“Since crystallized Space Spirit Jades are the most important materials in forging Spirit Channeling-grade spatial spiritual tools, they are one of the most wanted types of spiritual materials throughout the realms. Powerful experts have even started wars for them!”
After realizing what it was, Li Ye’s eyes turned red from excitement.
On the other hand, Nie Tian listened to his explanation while observing Pei Qiqi’s expression. He discovered that when Li Ye mentioned the Void Palace Sect, Pei Qiqi’s eyes suddenly wandered away from the crystallized Space Spirit Jade, as she seemed to become lost in her memories.
He even briefly saw a hint of sadness in her eyes.
However, she seemed to have put away her emotions in the next moment.
She turned to Nie Tian and said, “You’ll only need to give Li Ye a third of the Space Spirit Jades that you’ve mined. I’m willing to give up my share.”
“Why?” Nie Tian was surprised.
She pointed to the crystallized Space Spirit Jade and said, “I want that.”
Li Ye jumped in and said, “Hua Tian, that crystallized Space Spirit Jade is of no use in your hands. That’s a pretty good deal. Only experts in spatial magics like my senior martial sister will be able to use a spatial spiritual tool, and crystallized Space Spirit Jades are indispensable to forge high-grade spatial spiritual tools. It means much more to her than to you.
“Even if you take it and sell it, you won’t be able to get a better deal than that in the Realm of Split Void.”
“I see,” Nie Tian nodded and said with a smile. “I’ve made more gains than I ever expected from this trip to the Void Illusion Mountain Range. Because you want this crystallized Space Spirit Jade so much, and you’re willing to make a fair trade for it, I shall accept the honor.”
Pei Qiqi was quite content. “Neat. I like your manner of doing things.” After a moment of pondering, she said, “How about this: I’ll help you sell the Space Spirit Jades in Shatter City, along with the spiritual materials and that you’ve looted from those Wild Fire members.
“You just need to tell me if you want to trade them for spirit stones or if you have something particular in mind. I’ll help you with it, either way.
“I guarantee you that with me there to help you sell them, you’ll get more in return than you would have if you sold them yourself.”
Nie Tian’s eyes lit up as he said, “Thank you!”
“Alright, it’s about time that we wrapped things up here,” Pei Qiqi urged. “Let’s get that crystallized Space Spirit Jade, gather and process the jades that you’ve already dug out, and leave.”
It appeared that she didn’t want to wait for another second to take the crystallized Space Spirit Jade and return to Shatter City.
Upon hearing her order, Nie Tian and Li Ye got down to work again.
An hour later, they stepped out of the almost-emptied mine with the crystallized Space Spirit Jade in their hands.
In the Void Illusion Mountain Range…
Nie Tian, Pei Qiqi, and Li Ye, who had already put their jade bracelets back on, were traveling along the same route that they had taken to get to the mine.
After the battle in the mine, the jade mining, and Nie Tian’s attitude when she had demanded the crystallized Space Spirit Jade, Pei Qiqi had changed her view towards Nie Tian.
On their way back, Pei Qiqi didn’t march by herself in the forefront as she had done when they had come. Instead, she marched shoulder to shoulder with Nie Tian and Li Ye. She even swallowed her pride and joined their conversations from time to time.
The atmosphere was much more friendly than when they had come.
Under the night sky, the three of them approached the cave where Pei Qiqi’s small teleportation portal was located. However, Pei Qiqi suddenly came to a stop and called out loudly, “Who’s there!? Show yourself!”
Thump! Thump!
Heavy footsteps echoed out from the distant horizon. Li Ye’s face instantly flickered as he blurted, “Damn it! Don’t tell me we’ve run into a spirit beast in this shit place!”