Phosphate Fertilizer Trade

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The familiar transformation of heaven and earth swept over him. His thoughts sped up by several hundredfold, and his mind had never been clearer.

Without the slightest hesitation, this was far from his first time using [Ignite Comprehension]. He had long since adapted to the sudden surge in comprehension.

He briefly sensed his own condition.

"Sure enough, the New Version Great Medicine, ten times stronger than the Old Version Mighty Bull Great Medicine, doesn't provide a tenfold increase in [Ignite Comprehension]."

Theoretically, the Old Version Mighty Bull Great Medicine could provide a two-hundredfold boost for ten minutes.

The new version was ten times stronger, so it should have provided a two-thousandfold boost for ten minutes.

But when used with [Ignite Comprehension], perhaps because its energy increased progressively rather than through simple numerical addition, there were certain shackles in place.

The boost Zhang Ming felt had been capped at one thousandfold for ten minutes.

Compared to the old Great Medicine, it was only five times stronger.

What exactly was the reason? Why was it like this?

While in the [Ignite Comprehension] state, Zhang Ming could come up with thousands, even tens of thousands, of logically consistent explanations in a second.

But which one was true? He really couldn't be sure. He didn't know.

"There's too little information to determine why it's limited to one thousandfold.

I'll deal with it later."

"For now, I should handle the important matter first."

The next moment, Zhang Ming gathered his thoughts.

He focused all his attention on the Zombie corpse before him.

Staring at the mangled Zombie corpse, he set out to devise a research method.

In an instant, countless research plans and methods appeared in his mind.

These plans and methods were bizarre and varied, densely packed, numbering in the tens of millions—an overwhelming jumble of quantity and variety.

The next instant, he rejected 99.99% of them himself.

Another instant later, 99.99% of the 0.01% of plans and methods that had luckily survived the first round were cut away again.

After several such cycles, only one final plan remained in Zhang Ming's mind.

"Like this?"

"I don't know whether it'll work."

"Whatever. All things considered, this seems to be the only method available right now."

"It's worth a try!"

The sun slowly sank from the sky, like a gigantic hourglass turned upside down, its golden sand scattering across the heavens, symbolizing time's mercilessness.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

That day, Zhang Ming had just finished dozens of consecutive hours of research. Exhausted in both body and mind, he was preparing to rest.

Then he suddenly sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar presence outside the door.

"You came?"

A cool female voice replied.

"I came."

"You shouldn't have."

"But I came anyway."

"But you really shouldn't have."

Zhang Ming no longer had the mood to joke around.

He hurried forward several steps and quickly reached the door, stopping Jiang Yingxue as she was about to open it and enter the room.

He had no desire to let Jiang Yingxue see what he was researching.

Zhang Ming spoke first.

"Let's talk outside."

"Hm?"

Jiang Yingxue looked somewhat puzzled. She glanced at the tightly shut door, but said nothing.

In the courtyard.

Under the silvery moonlight, the two faced each other from a distance.

"You came to see me. Do you have an answer?"

Zhang Ming had been very busy these past days.

But he had not forgotten the trade he proposed to Jiang Yingxue more than ten days ago—Phosphate Fertilizer in exchange for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

"Let's not discuss that first. I heard you were attacked by Zombies some time ago. Nothing serious happened, did it?"

Zhang Ming shook his head, then took the chance to ask, "Yang City is a small place, and there are few records regarding Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Oddities. I wonder..."

"Here, take it. Consider it a gift for this trade."

Taking the booklet, Zhang Ming casually flipped through it and memorized its contents. He discovered that it contained records of several common Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Oddities.

They were called Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Oddities, but each term, taken separately, was its own category.

Demons were demons, monsters were monsters, ghosts were ghosts, and oddities were oddities.

But the book broadly divided them into two types.

One was corporeal, and the other incorporeal.

Demon Beasts, Zombies, and the like had forms and bodies, so they belonged to the corporeal category.

Their defining trait was that they were relatively easier to deal with.

If one could not deal with them, it could only mean one was not strong enough.

The book's focus lay in its records of incorporeal Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Oddities.

It recorded incorporeal, formless beings such as Evil Ghosts, Water Ghosts, Nightmares, and Inner Demons.

They were harder to deal with and required specific methods to resolve.

Some powerful Ghosts, if left unchecked, could cause immense harm!

After only a rough glance through a few pages, Zhang Ming had already benefited greatly from the book's records.

A door to a world belonging solely to Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Oddities was opening before him.

Some of its records even coincided with the patterns he had summarized from his research on Zombies over the past few days.

All of this made Zhang Ming realize that the booklet in his hands was immensely valuable.

"Thank you."

Jiang Yingxue smiled faintly.

"It's nothing, just a few records. Once your strength reaches a certain level, even if we don't tell you, others will."

"Oh, and it's enough to read these things casually. Most of these records are things we'll never encounter in our lives. Even if we do encounter them, run immediately. There's no need to go looking for trouble."

Zhang Ming smiled lightly.

"I understand. I'll accept the gift. Let's discuss the real business."

Jiang Yingxue's expression turned slightly serious.

"Fine. We agree to the trade of Phosphate Fertilizer for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures."

"However, we don't have many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in our possession. There's only one."

"Only one?"

Zhang Ming nodded. He understood Jiang Yingxue's meaning: whether he wanted to trade or not, this was the only item available.

Take it or leave it.

"One is one. What Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure is it? What does it do?"

"Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure: Dragon Blood Grass. It possesses tremendous vitality, rapidly heals wounds, and allows the injured to quickly regain their strength.

There is also a certain chance that it will give a person's blood the Dragon Blood Trait."

Jiang Yingxue crossed her arms and glared at Zhang Ming, as if to say, How could we possibly give such a treasure to you?

Though indignant inside, Jiang Yingxue did not conceal anything she ought to explain.

"With Dragon Blood Grass, it's equivalent to having a second life.

Bringing the dead back to life and growing flesh on bare bones may be a slight exaggeration, but as long as there's still one breath left, the person will definitely survive."

"Dragon Blood Grass? Bringing the dead back to life and growing flesh on bare bones—surviving as long as there's one breath left?"

Endless curiosity rose in his heart. How could such a thing exist?

It completely violated the medical education he had received. ([Ignite Comprehension—Traditional Medicine: Great Perfection])

"And... the Dragon Blood Trait?"

"Dragon?"

Zhang Ming pressed, "Do dragons really exist?"

Jiang Yingxue nodded, then shook her head.

"I don't know. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. In any case, ancient texts say they exist."

"Also, it's called the Dragon Blood Trait, but in reality, it only increases the activity of one's Vital Energy and improves some physical qualities. Don't hold your expectations too high."

"Oh..."

"Then I'll trade."

"Fine."

Money changed hands, goods changed hands.

Zhang Ming received the Dragon Blood Grass, while Jiang Yingxue received the letter addressed to the Mine.

Once the trade was complete, Jiang Yingxue departed swiftly without lingering in the slightest.

"Whew, she's finally gone."

Only after Jiang Yingxue vanished from sight did Zhang Ming rub his temples and finally relax.

"Good thing I reacted quickly and didn't let her enter the room."