With power surging through his body and his newly acquired ability still playing out in his mind, Xiao Han finally took another look at the Shadow Demon Lotus.
The demon lotus had visibly dulled. He had devoured a considerable portion of its core origin.
But the demon lotus itself was a rare treasure containing the powers of space and shadow, and its value was immeasurable.
Now was not the time to touch it.
The abnormalities in the valley and the Black-Scaled Mad Ape were both strange. No one could predict what else might be lurking in the dark.
He had secured the greatest prize, and his strength had soared. There was no need to wade any deeper into these muddy waters.
Go!
He quickly disposed of the Black-Scaled Mad Ape's corpse and erased every trace of his presence.
The Eternal Night Monarch's power circulated, instantly concealing his aura and blending him into the surrounding darkness.
After one last glance at the gloomy demon lotus, Xiao Han vanished into the valley's shadows.
He used A Step to the Ends of the Earth, his movements uncanny and his steps elusive as he slipped away without a sound.
Time to return to Beihai City.
Then... to the Imperial Capital!
The dense forest outside the valley fell silent again.
Xiao Han darted through the shadows. A Step to the Ends of the Earth, combined with [Shadow Dominator], made him almost a part of his surroundings. Even the most seasoned hunter could forget about spotting him.
He avoided the road to the Warrior Center, taking a roundabout route back to the outskirts of Beihai City.
Materials from a Martial Master Realm exotic beast were too conspicuous.
A Martial Artist who had only been certified a few days ago taking something like that to the Warrior Center to sell? That would be asking for trouble.
He dug through the memories of those unlucky robbers and found a lead, then contacted a materials dealer in Beihai's underground circle known as Rat.
They arranged to meet at an inconspicuous secondhand store.
The air reeked of dust and moldy old things, stinging the nose.
The shop was very dark.
A short, skinny man with a goatee was examining a rusty copper coin through a magnifying glass.
He didn't even look up when Xiao Han entered.
"Where's the merchandise?"
Xiao Han wasted no words, placing the cloth bundle containing the fangs and scales on the counter.
Rat put down his magnifying glass, a crafty gleam flashing in his cloudy eyes.
He carefully opened the bundle, picked up a gray-silver scale and rubbed it between his fingers, then picked up a fang and tapped it, listening to the sound.
"Whoa! Good stuff!"
He smacked his lips, unable to hide his greed, but quickly suppressed it.
"Martial Master Realm? Only died recently? Kid, you've got some nerve."
Xiao Han's face remained expressionless.
"Name your price."
"Heh heh." Rat rubbed his hands. "These scales have a bit of the space attribute. Good material for crafting equipment. The fangs are hard enough, too. For the lot... this much."
He held up five fingers.
"Fifty million Federation credits?" Xiao Han's eyebrow twitched.
At that price, Rat was treating him like some greenhorn fresh off the boat, ripe for the slaughter.
"Kid, Martial Master materials are good, but these came from a shady source. I, Rat, am taking a risk here."
Rat stroked his goatee, putting on the fair-minded air of a man taking a loss.
Xiao Han's lips twitched, but he said nothing.
He let a little of his Sixth Level of the Warrior Realm aura out.
The power of [Shadow Dominator] stirred with it. The shop's already dim light abruptly sank, and even the air grew heavier. An invisible pressure weighed down on Rat's heart.
The false smile on Rat's face froze, and beads of cold sweat appeared at his temples.
When he looked at Xiao Han again, a chill of fear shot straight to the top of his head.
Sixth Level of the Warrior Realm!
That aura... gloomy and domineering!
This kid was no novice. He was a ruthless character!
And he'd just been thinking of fleecing him? He was like the God of Longevity hanging himself—tired of living!
"Ahem... little brother, my eyes failed me. I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai!"
Rat's face immediately filled with a fawning smile. His attitude took a sharp one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, making him look every bit a lapdog:
"I was being an old fool and quoted the wrong price. For top-grade materials like these, fifty million really is too low! Eighty million! Eighty million Federation credits, plus these cultivation resources. What do you say?"
He hurriedly fumbled beneath the counter and pulled out several bottles of pills and a few energy crystals, all commonly used for cultivation in the Warrior Realm.
Xiao Han glanced over the items. Their quality was decent, and the price had reached what he had expected.
He couldn't be bothered to waste any more words on a person like this.
"Deal."
The transaction went smoothly.
Eighty million was transferred into an anonymous bank account. Together with the pile of cultivation resources, the haul from his adventure in the valley could be called substantial.
As for the most valuable item, the Martial Master Realm Fourth Level crystal core, its energy fluctuations were too conspicuous and its value too high. Selling it in a place like Beihai City would too easily attract trouble, so he would keep it until he reached the Imperial Capital.
After dealing with the spoils, Xiao Han walked out of the secondhand store with a light step, as though he had merely gone out to buy some soy sauce.
He returned home.
The moment the door opened and Wang Xiulan saw him, the heart that had been lodged in her throat dropped back into her belly with a thump.
"Xiao Han! Where have you been these past few days? Mom was worried sick!" Wang Xiulan's eyes instantly reddened. She grabbed him and carefully checked him from head to toe, afraid he might be missing so much as a hair.
Xiao Jianguo stood beside her without speaking, but his taut face visibly relaxed.
"Dad, Mom, I'm fine." Warmth filled Xiao Han's heart as he gave them the explanation he had prepared long ago. "I went out to train for a few days, made a little progress, and earned a bit of money while I was at it."
He didn't say a word about robbing vicious bandits or hunting a Martial Master Realm exotic beast, lest his parents let their imaginations run wild and worry even more.
Only then did he tell them he was going to report early to the Imperial Capital Academy.
"You're leaving so soon?" Wang Xiulan's heart, which had just settled, tightened again. Tears welled uncontrollably in her eyes, and she was full of reluctance to part with him.
"The Imperial Capital... that's the heart of the Federation, where experts are as numerous as clouds. You're going there alone, so you must be careful!" Xiao Jianguo's brows were knitted, and his tone was serious, but he couldn't suppress the pride on his face.
Their son had made something of himself and was going to study at the Federation's number one academy. It was a wonderful thing that would bring glory to the family!
"Don't worry, Mom, Dad. I can take care of myself."
Xiao Han smiled and reassured them, then took out an anonymous bank card and held it out. "There's a hundred million Federation credits in here, and these pills and resources too. Keep them for yourselves. You don't have to work so hard anymore. It's time you enjoyed a comfortable life."
A hundred million?!
Xiao Jianguo and Wang Xiulan looked at the light little card, their hands trembling uncontrollably. They almost thought their ears were playing tricks on them.
In all their lives, they had never dared even dream of so much money!
"Xiao Han, this... this is too much money. We can't take it!" Wang Xiulan came to her senses and hurriedly pushed the card back.
"Mom, I earned it with my own abilities. It's clean money, so just take it without worrying. Your son is capable now. I can't keep letting you both toil and suffer."
Xiao Han was firm. "These resources can also help improve your health and prolong your lives."
Xiao Jianguo looked at his son, sensing a composure and confidence in him that hadn't been there before. He fell silent for a moment, then gave Xiao Han a heavy pat on the shoulder.
"Good! Good son! Your mom and I will listen to you! But while you're out there, you must, you absolutely must stay safe! Money can be earned anytime. What matters most is that you're safe and sound!"