Chapter 352: A Transaction

Qin Ming walked over to the silver fox and asked indifferently, "So it was you who stole and ate my spiritual herbs?"

Upon hearing this, the silver fox demon beast shrank its body in fear, trembling violently.

Seeing this, Shi Tian Shu hurriedly stepped forward and recounted the whole story to Qin Ming.

"Uh-heh-heh, Master, listen to me; here's what happened."

A moment later.

After listening to Shi Tian Shu's account, a rare grave expression appeared on Qin Ming's face.

"There's trouble again in the Beast Cry Mountain Range..."

"Among the four great Wang Zu clans, the Gale Vulture clan is suspected to have once again given birth to a fourth-stage shapeshaped great demon, the 'Great Black Heaven Demon Saint,' full of ambition."

"The Silver Moon Sky Fox clan leader is severely injured..."

Having digested this information, Qin Ming's gaze fell once again on the silver fox, his eyes flickering uncertainly as he pondered something unknown.

Seeing him in this state, Shi Tian Shu steeled his nerves and pleaded on behalf of the silver fox on the ground:

"Master, I think she has unspeakable difficulties; her actions are truly understandable..."

"How about... how about we just spare her life? Heh-heh."

The silver fox was quite surprised to see Shi Tian Shu, who had previously manhandled her, now pleading for her, and she cast a grateful glance at him.

"Hmph, don't tell me you two conspired something before I arrived?"

"And now you want me to spare her life?"

Finding this amusing inwardly, Qin Ming deliberately put on a stern face, frowned, and asked Shi Tian Shu, "What? Do you want her to become your mountain stronghold wife or something?"

"If that's the case, I could actually make it happen."

Shi Tian Shu hurriedly explained, "Heh-heh-heh! Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! How could I have such thoughts? It's just that the Silver Moon Sky Fox clan has always had a good reputation; even when many demon races launched the beast tide before, they were among the few demon races that opposed participating."

"This clan dislikes conflict, has a gentle temperament, and loves peace just like you, Master; I believe her mistake was unintentional."

"Her crime does not deserve death..."

Qin Ming pondered for a moment, then looked at the silver fox on the ground and decided, "Very well, the death penalty can be waived, but the living penalty cannot be escaped."

"Offer up two drops of your essence blood, and I will let you go."

Hearing this, the silver fox's little face turned deathly pale; she was most afraid of pain, let alone having her essence blood taken.

However, to save her life, she had no choice but to comply.

But suddenly, she thought of something else.

Thus, after a fierce internal struggle, the silver fox gritted her teeth and pleaded sorrowfully to Qin Ming:

"Senior, could you please help save my mother? She is about to give out."

"I am willing to agree to any condition you set and can make a transaction with you."

"I believe you will be interested."

Hearing this, Qin Ming couldn't help but ask, "Oh? Then tell me, what kind of transaction is it?"

"I... I know the location of a fourth-stage spiritual fruit within the Beast Cry Mountain Range; as a condition of the transaction, I can tell you."

"Furthermore, if you can heal my mother, we can go together to retrieve the spiritual fruit."

"A fourth-stage spiritual fruit?"

"Do you know what kind of spiritual fruit it is?"

Upon hearing this, both Qin Ming and Shi Tian Shu were invigorated; they had originally planned to let her go, never expecting this twist.

The fox demon shook her head awkwardly and explained in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "I only heard it from my mother; I don't know specifically what kind of spiritual fruit it is..."

"You know nothing at all, yet you still want to make a transaction?"

"That is a legendary fourth-stage spiritual fruit; if you knew where it was, why wouldn't you go get it yourself?"

"It's probably not that easy to obtain, is it?"

Shi Tian Shu couldn't help but ask.

Hearing this, the silver fox nodded gently without denying it.

Since ancient times, heavenly treasures and earthly materials have always been guarded by powerful demon beasts or separated by natural moats full of crises, so naturally, they are not so easily obtained.

Qin Ming pondered for a moment and said, "Then why can you be so certain that I can definitely heal your mother?" "Be-because my mother's injuries can no longer be delayed; this humble daughter can see your capabilities—not only can you cultivate third-stage spiritual plants, but you also command such a powerful Demon King under you—so I am just trying my luck." After speaking, the silver fox began to sob softly again.

Hearing himself singled out for praise, Shi Tian Shu unconsciously puffed out his chest, stepped forward, and said proudly, "I must say, you are quite accurate in judging people; aside from my own strength, my Master is on the level of a Son of the Plane—"

"A mere healing is naturally no problem."

Hearing him about to spout nonsense again, Qin Ming flicked his head and said, "Enough, can you keep it down?"

"Eh-heh-heh! Yes, yes, yes! Everything is up to the Master," Shi Tian Shu hurriedly said.

Qin Ming turned his head again to the silver fox on the ground and said, "If we are trading for a fourth-stage spiritual fruit, then it is not impossible."

"However... I must first implant a divine soul restriction on you; once the transaction is complete and I have the spiritual fruit, I will release the divine contract. How does that sound?"

At these words.

The silver fox immediately fell into a dilemma, but thinking that her life was already in the other party's hands and eager to save her mother, she nodded in agreement.

"This humble daughter agrees."

"Senior must keep your word."

Qin Ming nodded and said indifferently, "Naturally; rest assured, the guiding principle of my, Qin Mou's, conduct in life is reputation above all; I definitely do what I say."

Hearing him say this, the silver fox felt slightly reassured and thus opened up her sea of consciousness.

Seeing this, Qin Ming formed a mysterious gray rune with his fingers, then pointed at the silver fox on the ground, and the rune shot into her sea of consciousness.

Inside the silver fox's head came a sensation of the world spinning and the earth turning; in some mysterious way, she signed the divine contract with Qin Ming.

From now on, her life and death rested entirely on a single thought of Qin Ming.

Immediately after, Qin Ming signaled to Shi Tian Shu to untie the silver fox and set her free.

Upon receiving the order, the Shi Tian Shu hurried forward, gently untying the bindings while whispering, "Ahem! My apologies from earlier; I was most disrespectful!"

"It's f-fine." The silver fox gently licked her swollen wrists and ankles.

Then, somewhat anxiously, she said to Qin Ming, "Senior, let us depart immediately."

Qin Ming nodded. "Mm, you lead the way."

It seemed the Fox Clan's matriarch was on the verge of death.

Otherwise, this silver fox would not be so desperate as to seek help from anyone, even at the cost of sacrificing herself.

"Ehehe! I'm going too!" the Shi Tian Shu chirped from the side.

Afterwards, Qin Ming exited the cave and, guided by the silver fox, flew toward the Beast Cry Mountain Range.

A full hour passed.

The snow-white figure ahead moved with astonishing speed, transforming into a flickering stream of silver light comparable to a mid-stage Jin Dan cultivator, a feat made possible by her Wang Zu bloodline talent.

Qin Ming and the Shi Tian Shu followed closely behind.

Perched on Qin Ming's shoulder, the Shi Tian Shu, seeing they still hadn't arrived after so long, couldn't help but complain, "This is way too far! Could this chick be up to some trick?"

"No," Qin Ming said indifferently. "Having signed the Divine Contract, she wouldn't dare harbor any ulterior motives."

Gradually, a cliff face appeared within Qin Ming's sight.

Immediately after, the silver fox struck a talisman against a section of the cliff wall, instantly revealing an extremely concealed entrance.

Even Qin Ming's powerful divine sense could not detect it in the slightest.

Qin Ming followed her inside, and the entrance outside sealed shut in an instant, restoring its original appearance.

Then.

They proceeded deeper into the cave, where Qin Ming discovered a vast cavern space, with countless white stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

Upon reaching the innermost part, a dark, deep pool emitting cold mist came into view.

Above the deep pool lay a massive Bai Yuhan bed.

Upon this cold bed now lay quietly a beautiful woman dressed in palace attire; her skin was as smooth as congealed fat and delicate enough to break at a touch. Beneath her garments, alluring curves were faintly visible, while below the hem of her skirt emerged a pair of jade-like feet and a pristine, flawless fox tail.

The Shi Tian Shu was stunned. "Good heavens! So this is the legendary half-transformed great demon, the Fox Clan's Saintess; she is truly beautiful!"

……

(End of Chapter)