Soul-Repelling City's gates stood wide open as a massive Ancient Wilderness Ark flew off into the distance.
Aboard the ark, four cultivators gathered in a courtyard along its outer perimeter.
"Why hasn't that man come?" Their leader frowned as he looked at Ma Xuanwen.
"Senior Brother Zou, he went out to explore the Sand River Battlefield outside Soul-Repelling City a few days ago. Mining that Xuanhao Stone vein probably cost him some spirit stones, but he'll wait for the Ancient Wilderness Ark at the entrance leading to the Wildlands Continent. He can board then," Ma Xuanwen hurriedly explained.
He was also annoyed that the cultivator had left Soul-Repelling City ahead of time without consulting them.
But then he thought of how the man was risking an ambush by the Jade Soul Race to mine spirit ore—and how that ore would eventually become their spoils.
His annoyance eased considerably.
After all, although the man was a spirit puppet master, he apparently could not refine sixth-stage spirit puppets. He probably was not particularly wealthy.
With some extra proceeds, there would be more to divide later.
The last time they had traveled aboard the Ancient Wilderness Arks of the Astral Mystery Sect and the Heavenly Sound Sect, their haul had been mediocre.
There had been little fat to squeeze from the cultivators they brought along.
"Mm, this line of work really is getting harder and harder. We need to develop some other avenues. I suggest we have them scout the way this time!" Only then did the cultivator surnamed Zou nod.
As he spoke, he offered another suggestion.
They had brought four people this time, including a Nascent Soul cultivator. That meant each of them would receive less than one Spirit Transformation cultivator's worth of treasures.
After all, passage aboard the Ancient Wilderness