Wang Xu needed a large number of treasures, and Vast Blood Mountain City was just the right place for him.

Stepping into Vast Blood Mountain City, it was a grand palace bustling with people. Cultivators came and went in an endless stream, drawn by the city's reputation to buy or sell treasures.

The uniqueness of Buluan City attracted a gathering of powerful figures. Although Wang Xu, at the Duality Saint Venerable Realm, was formidable in the secular world, in Buluan City, his level was quite common. Just within Vast Blood Mountain City alone, there were eight Ancestor Realm individuals appraising treasures.

"They even sell Heaven-Shocking Secret Collections here?" Wang Xu was slightly surprised.

Heaven-Shocking Secret Collections were extremely rare. Even the lowest level of such treasures could cause those at the Saint Venerable Realm to fight each other fiercely. If it were a higher level, even Ancestor Realm experts wouldn't be able to resist and would make a move.

As Wang Xu walked through the grand hall, he saw several Heaven-Shocking Secret Collections. Even though they were merely a finger, a toe, or a piece of flesh, they were marked at prices so high that even Wang Xu couldn't afford them.

"With my wealth, I can't even afford a single finger of an ancient being." Wang Xu shook his head.

This time, on his journey, he left most of his wealth in the Ancient Luo Cosmos of Fengye, bringing only a few emergency Divine Medicines with him.

Buying a Heaven-Shocking Secret Collection was out of the question, and he could only try to choose some treasures for dealing with arrays and traps.

After spending three days and nights, Wang Xu circled the entire palace of Vast Blood Mountain City, witnessing all the treasures from the inside out.

"I need these treasures."

Wang Xu arrived at a Trade Pavilion and spoke to a grey-robed elder sitting at the wooden table.

Immediately, a wisp of spiritual thought flowed from his fingertip towards the grey-robed elder. After the elder carefully inspected it, he croaked out a slightly hoarse voice: "Five million Chaos Stones."

"Five million?" Wang Xu frowned. "It's just a few Array Talismans, an Illusion-Dispelling Pill, and part of a map, how can it be so expensive?"

The prices of treasures were always changing, so they never had clear price tags.

Only by going to the Trade Pavilion and having an appraiser look at them was a true price determined.

However, regardless, five million Chaos Stones were far too expensive, far beyond what Wang Xu could afford.

A low-level Heaven-Shocking Secret Collection was worth about twenty million Chaos Stones, yet these few items alone cost five million Chaos Stones. It was outright extortion!

"The Array Talisman and Illusion-Dispelling Pill combined only need two hundred thousand Chaos Stones."

The grey-robed elder said expressionlessly, "But that part of the intelligence and map is worth four million eight hundred thousand Chaos Stones."

"Is your intelligence and map crafted by the Great Emperor himself, to demand such a high price!" Wang Xu's face darkened.

He had seen intelligence and maps regarding the Profound Dragon Ruins in Vast Blood Mountain City. While he knew the price might be high, he never expected it would cost as much as four million eight hundred thousand Chaos Stones!

"Hmph! If you're unwilling to buy, then please leave!" The grey-robed elder's attitude was firm, unwilling to explain further to Wang Xu.

"Wait! Wait!"

Just then, the door of the Trade Pavilion was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in yellow robes hurried in, his eyes icy blue, with an antenna on his forehead. When he saw Wang Xu, he greeted him with a smile, "Dear customer, Elder Leng, both of you, please calm down. How about this, I'll attend to this customer, okay?"

The middle-aged man in yellow robes waved his hand and took out two well-aged Spirit Medicines. The grey-robed elder accepted them, let out a cold humph, and gestured for him to take Wang Xu away.

"Thank you, Elder Leng!"

The middle-aged man in the yellow robes smiled again at Wang Xu, saying, "Dear customer, could you follow me, please?"

Wang Xu was unsure of what this person was trying to do, but he had no major worries. After all, this was Vast Blood Mountain City, with a longstanding reputation, unlikely to harbor any ill intent toward him. Besides, he didn't have anything on him worth targeting. What could they possibly gain from plotting against him?

The two of them entered another Trade Pavilion, which was independent from the others, with careful confidentiality measures in place, including an Isolation Array.

"Dear customer, my name is Chi Lu, and outsiders call me 'Chi Lu Saint Venerable.'

The middle-aged man in the yellow robe introduced himself, "I am one of the appraisers of Vast Blood Mountain City. I am fully aware of the treasures you seek. Elder Leng did not falsify the price. The intelligence and map you need are indeed worth four million eight hundred thousand Chaos Stones."

"You are fully aware?" Wang Xu furrowed his brow.

"There's no need for concern, dear customer. All information is exchanged within our internal network, and no outsider will ever know, nor will it spread recklessly. Rest assured of this point," Chi Lu Saint Venerable said.

After the incident with Elder Leng, Wang Xu felt a bit displeased, but seeing Chi Lu Saint Venerable's humble demeanor, he decided to speak truthfully: "Five million Chaos Stones, the price is too high. I simply cannot afford it."

Wang Xu's entire fortune amounted to only eight hundred thousand Chaos Stones, so asking him to produce five million Chaos Stones was utterly unrealistic.

"I can't change the price, but I can offer you a way out," Chi Lu Saint Venerable said.

"What way?" Wang Xu asked, puzzled.

"The information and map about the Profound Dragon Ruins you seek certainly are quite valuable, but if you are willing to exchange them for equivalent information, not to mention five million Chaos Stones, even ten million wouldn't be a problem," Chi Lu Saint Venerable said with a meaningful smile.

Wang Xu finally understood.

It turned out that Chi Lu Saint Venerable, having heard that he wanted to purchase information and a map about the Profound Dragon Ruins, assumed that Wang Xu had some understanding of it and was looking to buy related information from him.

Exchanging goods for goods, information for information, was indeed a viable path.

"Dear customer, what do you think?" Chi Lu Saint Venerable asked.

Wang Xu felt a headache.

Regarding the Profound Dragon Ruins, beyond the Profound Dragon Talisman and the Guiding Map on it he possessed, he had no other information to speak of.

The Profound Dragon Talisman is certainly out of the question, so the only thing I can offer is that Guiding Map.

But how valuable is a map of the Profound Dragon Ruins?

"I do have some intelligence regarding the Profound Dragon Ruins," Wang Xu decided to give it a try.

"Oh?" Chi Lu's eyes lit up immediately. Without hesitation, he laid down several Isolation Arrays, layer upon layer, making the entire Trade Pavilion airtight, "Sir, rest assured, our transaction will be completely fair, with no intent to deceive. Otherwise..."

The Supreme Law descended, the binding power of the Law appeared, and Chi Lu unexpectedly made a Law Oath on the spot.

"Sir, you should see my sincerity now. If the information about the Profound Dragon Ruins in your possession is valuable to me, I will certainly trade at the highest price and will not shortchange you. How about it?" Chi Lu's eyes were filled with desire.

Making a Law Oath indeed showed Chi Lu's sincerity.

After all, even a Saint Venerable who defies a Law Oath would suffer irreversible painful torment, causing grave injuries, even if not annihilating them as in the Celestial God Realm.

"Alright, since you are so sincere, I'll trade with you."

Wang Xu said, "Actually, I don't have much information on the Profound Dragon Ruins, just one piece. Please have a look."

Upon finishing his words, Wang Xu flipped his hand to reveal a blank scroll.

Chi Lu stared intently at the blank scroll, his eyes shining.

Whoosh!

Running his hand over the blank scroll, Wang Xu projected the Guiding Map from the Profound Dragon Talisman onto the scroll.

But halfway through, Wang Xu's palm stopped.

"This... This is the Guiding Map to the Profound Dragon Ruins! Yes! It must be the Guiding Map. It even has markings for passing through dangerous areas! Wonderful! Truly wonderful!" Chi Lu was so excited his voice trembled.

Could a single Guiding Map really excite him this much?

Wang Xu mused to himself, if he told him he also had the Profound Dragon Talisman to open the Profound Dragon Ruins, wouldn't Chi Lu lose his mind on the spot?

"Sir! Is this Guiding Map complete?" Chi Lu raised his head to ask heavily.

Wang Xu smiled slightly, without answering.

"Good!"

Chi Lu exclaimed excitedly, "Sir, I will buy this map for ten million Chaos Stones! How about it?"

Ten million Chaos Stones!

Wang Xu showed no expression outwardly, but inwardly he was secretly astonished.

A single Guiding Map fetching a price as high as ten million Chaos Stones? Could it be that even their intelligence on the Profound Dragon Ruins didn't include a Guiding Map?

"Haha! Brother Chi Lu must be joking. When I bought it, it cost me more than that."

Wang Xu rolled his eyes and laughed aloud.

Just bluff, bluff like this!

The opening price being ten million Chaos Stones, the true price must be higher!

"Eleven million Chaos Stones! Sir, this is my entire fortune, I can't go higher!" Chi Lu lamented.

Can he really not afford eleven million?

Having been an appraiser for so many years, how could his wealth be so little!

"Brother Chi Lu, such words are quite distant. How can I take your entire fortune?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Lu's eyes lit up, but Wang Xu's next words made him stare, "How about this, I won't take your entire fortune, I'll keep this Guiding Map for myself instead."

"No! No! Please don't!" Chi Lu perked up at once.

He pondered deeply, his gaze flickered with hesitations, but when his eyes landed on the half-revealed Guiding Map, it seemed to possess an immense allure, almost enchanting him!

Wang Xu did not urge, standing quietly by the side waiting.

He knew very well that the dangers marked on the Guiding Map were certainly not limited to one place. Without a complete Guiding Map, venturing rashly into the Profound Dragon Ruins would encounter terrifying dangers at any moment.

That is a Forbidden Area where even the Ancestor Realm finds survival difficult. A careless intrusion could end in doom.

"Alright!"

Moments later, Chi Lu gritted his teeth and said firmly, "Sir, fifteen million Chaos Stones is my final offer. If it goes any higher, I can only choose to give up."

"Haha! Brother Chi Lu is so straightforward, let's make this trade then!"

Wang Xu laughed heartily.

Today, this leverage managed to squeeze out merely nothing! (To be continued. If you like this work, you're welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)