Shen Xuan felt a surge of joy.
He had figured out some of the factors that affected the values on the Mysterious Jade Talisman.
The higher the Dao Rhyme, the better the quality of the talent he could plunder.
When plundering Monster Beast Blood, using roughly the same amount, the Water Repelling Rhinoceros's Dao Rhyme was higher than the Iron Armored Crocodile's had been.
"The golden light on the Mysterious Jade Talisman has a cooldown of several days. It should gradually shorten in the future."
Shen Xuan made an estimate.
The Mysterious Jade Talisman's cooldown was probably seven or eight days.
He took out the Rhinoceros Horn.
This was the most important part of the Water Repelling Rhinoceros.
[Insight Technique]!
Shen Xuan focused his mind and stared at the Rhinoceros Horn.
His thoughts gradually grew hazy.
A divine light seemed to flicker faintly within the white horn.
Shen Xuan touched it lightly and infused it with spiritual power.
A faint, profound divine light burst from the horn. It shook his mind, as if it were unfolding some kind of Dao of Change.
Shen Xuan silently contemplated it.
It seemed to have slightly increased his affinity for Water Spiritual Power.
He had gained a faint insight into the Water Parting Technique.
He looked again at the Mysterious Jade Talisman.
[Talent: Water Splitting (29/100)]
His experience had increased by one point!
Shen Xuan was overjoyed.
"Just as I thought. The Rhinoceros Horn is the very essence of the Water Repelling Rhinoceros."
He cultivated for a full two hours. Only after a spirit stone in the Spirit Gathering Array had crumbled to dust did Shen Xuan leave the training room.
Zhao Chunsheng had already returned, unable to hide the smug look on his face.
"Talisman Master Shen, take a look. Does this split seem fair?"
The bill was simple.
The hide, bones, and meat had been sold separately. The Water Repelling Rhinoceros had fetched a total of ten thousand eight hundred spirit stones.
That didn't include the Rhinoceros Horn or Rhinoceros Blood.
After deducting the horn and blood, Shen Xuan's share, along with the dozens of fine Talismans, came to two thousand seven hundred spirit stones.
"I'm getting a bit too much, aren't I? Do Fellow Daoist Wen and Fellow Daoist Shi have any objections?"
Shen Xuan asked.
"What objections could they have? I'm the captain. I have the final say!"
Seeing Shen Xuan's gaze remain fixed on him, sharp as lightning, Zhao Chunsheng softened his tone. "They've both seen it. Neither has any objections!"
"This hunt has set a new record for our team."
Shen Xuan nodded. "Good. As long as no one objects."
According to the bill, Wen Zijian received two thousand one hundred spirit stones, including compensation for the wear and tear on the Flying Boat.
Even the Iron Brothers, who hadn't gone along, each received two hundred and eighty spirit stones.
"Isn't that a little too little for the Iron Brothers?"
Zhao Chunsheng shook his head helplessly.
"That's the rule among Monster Hunters. Anyone who isn't part of the team has no right to share the spoils. I've already been very generous!"
They were long-term partners who had sworn an oath to work together. Now that they'd made a fortune, they'd at least shared a bowl of soup with the Iron Brothers.
Shen Xuan said no more.
He had put in the most effort on this hunting trip.
And he had reaped the greatest rewards.
Besides the spirit stones, Rhinoceros Horn, and Rhinoceros Blood, he'd also taken two High-grade Magic Artifacts from Black Wind, the Robbing Cultivator Leader.
A Golden Ring and a flying sword!
Based on what he'd learned at the auction, each was worth over a thousand spirit stones!
Of course, stolen secondhand goods wouldn't fetch that price.
"Fellow Daoist Zhao, I'd like to trade these two high-grade metal Magic Artifacts for two high-grade Water-Attribute Magic Artifacts. Do you know a way?"
Zhao Chunsheng looked envious.
"Talisman Master Shen, these belonged to Black Wind, the Robbing Cultivator Leader!"
"If you want to get the best price, you should sell them back to Black Wind!"
Shen Xuan was speechless.
Zhao Chunsheng really was cut out for business.
"You know a way to sell them to him?"
"No!"
Zhao Chunsheng thought for a moment.
"But I know someone who does."
"It's just that Black Wind hates you to the bone now. If he gets these two Magic Artifacts back..." Zhao Chunsheng said with some concern.
"It's fine." Shen Xuan didn't think much of it.
Compared to spirit stones, what was a mere Robbing Cultivator like Black Wind?
As long as there was water nearby, Black Wind still wouldn't be a match for him, even if he got his flying sword and Golden Ring back.
"Next time I run into him, I'll just snatch the two Magic Artifacts back again!"
If the price was right, Shen Xuan didn't mind selling them several times over.
Zhao Chunsheng's mind went blank.
In the end, he decided not to think about it.
"Talisman Master Shen, think it over for a couple of days. Once you've made up your mind, I'll take you to fence the goods."
Three days later.
Zhao Chunsheng brought Shen Xuan to an Artifact Refining shop.
The signboard bore the words "Hundred Refinements Workshop."
"Father, Uncle Shen, what brings you here?"
A sturdy young man of seventeen or eighteen, Zhao Erhu, came out to greet them.
"Is Master Gu here?"
"He is. I'll go let him know!"
Zhao Erhu dashed toward the rear courtyard of the workshop.
Before long, he ran back out.
"My master is free right now. I'll take you to see him."
In the rear courtyard of the Artifact Refining shop.
Shen Xuan met Master Gu.
He was broad-shouldered and heavily muscled. His Cultivation Realm was likely at the peak of Qi Refining.
Shen Xuan took out the high-grade flying sword and Golden Ring.
"Golden Rainbow Sword."
"Adamantine Ring."
Master Gu recognized them at a glance.
"You must be Shen Xuan, Talisman Master Shen!"
"Shen Xuan pays his respects to Master Gu!"
Zhao Chunsheng chuckled. "Master Gu, Talisman Master Shen is my brother in life and death. He wants to sell these two high-grade Magic Artifacts."
Master Gu nodded.
"How much are you asking for them, Talisman Master Shen?"
Shen Xuan smiled. "I'd like to trade them for two high-grade Water-Attribute Magic Artifacts."
Hearing that he wanted to trade, Master Gu smiled.
"Talisman Master Shen, all the Magic Artifacts here are brand-new. These two of yours are old goods!"
"I'll make up the difference!" Shen Xuan replied without hesitation.
At the Ding Family auction, high-grade Water-Attribute Magic Artifacts had been a rare sight.
At Hundred Refinements Workshop, the prices would only be higher.
"Master Gu, don't worry. My brother's a straightforward man! If you've got anything good, bring it out already!" Zhao Chunsheng chimed in.
"Get out! I want to speak with Talisman Master Shen alone!" Master Gu wasn't nearly as polite to Zhao Chunsheng!
"Come with me!"
Shen Xuan followed Master Gu to the outer room of a storeroom.
Master Gu formed a Magic Seal with his hand and opened several layers of Formation Restrictions.
When he came back out, he was carrying seven brocade boxes.
"These are the only seven high-grade Water-Attribute Magic Artifacts I have left!"
"Talisman Master Shen, pick whichever ones you like."
Shen Xuan opened the first brocade box.
The Magic Artifact inside immediately drew in the sparse spiritual energy in the room, sending out waves of powerful spiritual force.
"These high-grade Magic Artifacts are all treasures. You couldn't find them at the Ding Family auction!"
"Each one took me years of painstaking work to forge. You came to the right person!"
Master Gu looked pleased as he introduced the artifacts in the brocade boxes one by one.
"This Magic Artifact is called the Azure Dragon Umbrella. It was made from..."
"This is the Heavy Water Seal..."
Time passed little by little.
Shen Xuan spent a full hour examining the seven Magic Artifacts.
In the end, he chose two high-grade Magic Artifacts.
One was the Sea Suppressing Bell.
Master Gu said it had formidable defensive power.
Its body was forged primarily from high-quality Ten Thousand Year Origin Copper. It was exceptionally sturdy and could withstand a full-strength strike from someone at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.
It also had a clapper inside. Once driven by spiritual power, it could strike the bell and unleash shockwaves, launching a Sonic Attack.
The range and power of the Sonic Attack depended on the user's spiritual power.
The other was the Heavy Water Seal.
It was forged primarily from Spirit Sea Gold Sand, a material with an affinity for Water Spiritual Qi, and weighed a thousand jin.
Once a cultivator infused it with spiritual power, it could continuously absorb nearby Spirit Water, growing heavier until it transformed into a gigantic seal.
It followed the path of Proving the Dao with Strength.
Shen Xuan was very satisfied with the two high-grade Magic Artifacts.
A Magic Artifact's power was closely tied to a cultivator's spiritual power.
Their upper limits were very high.
They were far stronger than his old Water Cloud Shield and Water-Splitting Emei Dagger.
Shen Xuan mused to himself.
With his current spiritual power and Spiritual Sense, he should be able to wield one high-grade Magic Artifact.
If there was water nearby, wielding two high-grade Magic Artifacts would be no problem.
Before you continue