Chapter 151: 151. Chapter 149: Offering Treasures (Bonus Chapter 5)

151. Chapter 149: Offering Treasures (Bonus Chapter 5)

After returning to the Rest Inn, Ding Huan organized everything and placed it all inside the Star House, then continued calculating events three days ahead.

Three days from now, the powerful beings from the advanced civilization's planet would arrive at the Four Directions Star Continent and take up residence in Four Directions City.

Although Ding Huan had already deduced this fact, he still needed to verify it several more times.

There could be no error whatsoever, or he'd have to wait another hundred years.

Five individuals—three men and two women—entered the City Lord's Mansion, led by Ding Qi, the Star Lord of the Four Directions Star Continent, along with the clan heads of the Four Great Families and the sect masters of the Three Major Sects.

Although Ding Qi was the Star Lord, Ding Huan clearly observed during the escort that Ding Qi lagged behind.

In his calculations, the faces of these people were unclear; Ding Huan guessed this was due to his own limited skill level.

This group arrived at a massive hall, where seats had already been arranged.

The five guests sat in the most prominent positions, clearly the main figures.

The first step was recruiting gifted disciples; at this point, a man pulled out a testing device and placed it in the center of the hall.

Ding Huan saw the man grasp the air, and a one-zhang-tall device instantly appeared in the hall—he deduced the man must also possess a storage device.

Next, the Four Great Families and the Three Major Sects each brought forth numerous boys and girls.

These boys and girls took turns standing on the device for testing.

To Ding Huan's disbelief, except for a few individuals, nearly everyone who stood on the device caused the light behind it to reach one zhang in height.

The color of the light varied, and according to Ding Huan's knowledge, this was caused by differences in spiritual root attributes.

It seemed that although the universe where the Four Directions Star Continent lay could not support cultivation, it could still produce individuals with spiritual roots.

Thus, a large number of gifted disciples had gathered here—these gifted ones were the targets the advanced civilization intended to take away.

But each ship could carry only a few people; these seven disciples were essentially one each from the Four Great Families and the Three Major Sects.

These calculations had no issues—every time, the result was the same.

Next would be the acquisition and offering of treasures.

Acquiring treasures was simple: the Four Great Families and the Three Major Sects provided treasures from the universe of the Four Directions Star Continent, then traded them with the powerful beings from the advanced civilization.

After this process concluded, came the offering of treasures.

Only five hundred or so individuals were permitted to enter and offer treasures.

Ding Huan secretly admired Jin—he'd actually managed to obtain an entry token for offering treasures.

But Ding Huan was certain that if he hadn't seized Jin's entry token, Jin still wouldn't have been able to enter the City Lord's Mansion to offer the Seven-Tooth Suying Grass.

Because Jin had no idea the advanced civilization's ship had arrived so far ahead of schedule.

No one would bother individually notifying everyone about such a thing.

The fact that only five or six hundred people entered the City Lord's Mansion to offer treasures proved it.

Even Ding Huan couldn't help but marvel: the Four Great Families and the Three Major Sects truly knew how to do business.

They had sold tens of thousands of offering-entry tokens, then spread word that the advanced civilization wouldn't arrive on the Four Directions Star Continent for another two years.

In reality, the visitors had arrived a year and a half early.

So the vast majority who held offering-entry tokens didn't even know offering had already begun.

Those who possessed treasures but couldn't offer them were left with no choice but to sell them.

These treasures would very likely flow back into the hands of the Four Great Families and the Three Major Sects.

This was truly a move with multiple benefits.

Ding Huan also had a hunch: the Seven-Tooth Suying Grass Jin had collected would not earn him a spot on the advanced civilization's ship.

The Seven-Tooth Suying Grass was at best a primary ingredient for Foundation Establishment pills—how could such a thing catch anyone's eye?

Among over a thousand three hundred people, only three would be chosen—this competition was truly fierce.

Moreover, the Four Great Families and the Three Major Sects were also among those offering treasures.

Ding Huan couldn't calculate every single treasure, but he sensed that what these people brought forth were no ordinary items.

Hmm? Why are they fighting?

Ding Huan froze—he'd calculated before, and no one had fought last time.

What shocked him even more was that one of the fighters was none other than Ding Qi, the Star Lord of the Four Directions Star Continent, and the other was a clan head.

Ding Qi was just a mortal—how could he fight a clan head?

Remember, any clan head was at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator, possibly even Foundation Establishment peak.

Ding Huan strained to calculate clearer details, but his mind grew hazy again—he had no idea what was happening.

After several failed attempts to deduce the outcome, and only vaguely sensing that Ding Qi held the upper hand, Ding Huan gave up the calculation.

He believed his own treasure would surely earn him a spot.

And he needed two spots—one for himself, and one for Qi Xinyue.

As for whether the Monkey would claim a spot, Ding Huan didn't know—he'd decide once they reached the City Lord's Mansion.

If the Monkey wasn't allowed aboard, then too bad for the old sixth.

Since reclaiming the old sixth, Ding Huan had known the old sixth wasn't truly loyal to him—so if forced to choose, he'd abandon the old sixth.

If Qi Xinyue couldn't board either, then he'd ask how to enter the advanced civilization.

He refused to believe that, after presenting such an advanced treasure, they'd refuse his small request if he couldn't get aboard.

Two days passed in a flash; on the third day, Ding Huan arrived early outside the City Lord's Mansion.

Although Ding Huan, Qi Xinyue, and the old sixth pretended to be casual as they arrived,

he immediately sensed dozens of idle individuals suddenly gathered outside the mansion.

Ding Huan understood: these people, like him, were waiting to enter the City Lord's Mansion to offer treasures.

This made Ding Huan reflect: he'd known today's arrival of the advanced civilization's ship only because he'd obtained the Great Calculation Art and deduced it.

And these people, most likely, all came here through personal connections.

An hour later, Ding Huan saw the vision he had calculated: a group of people walking over.

Ding Huan dared not scan with his divine sense; he merely glanced once, then quickly withdrew his gaze.

The five elites from the advanced civilization had qi signatures that definitely surpassed Foundation Establishment—they were elites among elites.

Star Lord Ding Qi looked frail, and his appearance was utterly ordinary.

No one would have guessed that this puppet Star Lord was a master.

Although the later scenes could not be calculated, Ding Huan could guess the general outcome.

Although Ding Qi was strong, he was facing the Four Great Families and the Three Sect Masters.

If these seven people joined forces against Ding Qi, no matter how strong he was, it would be useless.

Ding Huan found a spot and sat down with Qi Qi Xinyue to wait.

After entering, their first task was to select geniuses; only after the geniuses were chosen would they begin acquiring various top-tier materials and treasures.

After the treasures were acquired, only then would it be their turn to enter and offer their own treasures.

The testing of geniuses and acquisition of various materials went quickly—less than two hours, and the Lord's mansion gate opened.

No one came out to announce anything, but Ding Huan knew clearly: this was the moment—if they didn't enter soon, the gate might close again.

So the moment the gate opened, he rushed into the Lord's mansion with Qi Qi Xinyue and Lao Liu.

Seeing Ding Huan enter, the others followed suit and charged in.

A few who had temporarily left for urgent matters arrived too late and lost their chance.

The main hall inside the Lord's mansion was very spacious; Ding Huan had already calculated this, so he wasn't surprised. Because he entered early, his position was excellent.

The woman presiding over the treasure offering was one Ding Huan could not gauge—he sensed she could easily kill him.

The woman's demeanor was extremely gentle; she smiled as she scanned the entire hall, then spoke in an exceptionally soft voice:

"My name is Sang Sang Yuhe. Thank you all for coming here to offer your treasures—we will evaluate them fairly and impartially, and will not let any true treasure-bearer go unrecognized."

"This evaluation is scored out of one hundred points; anything below sixty points will not qualify for the subsequent rounds. Now, please, the first person, present your treasure."

Ding Huan saw that the first person Sang Sang Yuhe called was the one closest to the door—the very last to enter.

The man produced a medicinal herb; Ding Huan did not know what kind of herb it was.

But Ding Huan felt this herb was roughly the same tier as Seven-Tooth Mold-Green Grass.

In Ding Huan's estimation, even Seven-Tooth Mold-Green Grass wouldn't be selected—so if this herb was chosen, it would be strange indeed.

Indeed, the score came back: only thirty points.

The treasure contributor was deeply disappointed; he chose to sell his treasure and received two cracked crystal shards before leaving.

Next came a second person with a mineral ore—his treasure was even worse than the previous one, earning only ten points.

This score didn't even earn a cracked crystal shard—only a tiny fragment of a broken artifact.

Ding Huan saw that the artifact fragment emitted almost no aura; he guessed it wouldn't fetch much value.

Third item, fourth item…

Over a dozen treasures followed, none of them anything remarkable, leaving the several visitors from advanced civilization planets with grim expressions.

Fortunately, a decent spirit-fruit sapling appeared next, scoring sixty points—barely qualifying to stay.

After that came scores of ten to forty, with two fifties appearing in between.

Then a very obese youth pulled from a leather sack behind him a medicinal cauldron.

"Spirit artifact?" A middle-aged man standing behind Sang Sang Yuhe exclaimed in surprise.

Although his voice was low, Ding Huan still heard it clearly.

In Ding Huan's calculation, this obese youth's medicinal cauldron scored eighty points.

"Hah! Good! Your treasure is the best—step forward."

The speaker was again the middle-aged man behind Sang Sang Yuhe; he laughed loudly, then seized the spirit-artifact cauldron in his hand, examining it repeatedly.

Clearly, he was reluctant to let it go.

Until now, there had been only one true treasure.

Ding Huan had entered first, so he was the last to offer his treasure.

All eyes were fixed on the cauldron; Ding Huan could only reach into his own leather sack and pull out the Immortal-Demon Pill.

"What is this thing?" Sang Sang Yuhe frowned slightly.

Although her cultivation was higher than the previous merchant's, her knowledge of treasures seemed quite limited.

Before Ding Huan could explain, she sensed something odd—she raised her hand and, from afar, snatched the Immortal-Demon Pill from Ding Huan's grasp.