Ao Zhan looked at the twenty-three Water-Fire Resonance Pills in Zhu Mangqi's palm. His gloomy expression instantly brightened, revealing a flicker of delight.
When the other pearl divers looked at Zhu Mangqi again, they felt as though he radiated the holy light of a savior. Their past jealousy and resentment toward him vanished like smoke in that instant.
Watching this, Shen Luo smiled knowingly.
Indeed, if a stranger like him had suddenly stepped forward and claimed to have found twenty-three Water-Fire Resonance Pills in one go, it would certainly have aroused suspicion and distrust.
But with Zhu Mangqi, the finest pearl diver, announcing it, the outcome was entirely different.
The commotion outside soon drew attention aboard the treasure ship. Ao Qin, the South Sea Dragon King, came down and asked:
"What is all this noise?"
"Father, we've gathered all the Water-Fire Resonance Pills!" Ao Zhan cried excitedly.
Delighted, Ao Qin walked over. Upon learning that twenty-three of the twenty-eight Water-Fire Resonance Pills had come from Zhu Mangqi, his face filled with smiles, though he still remembered to ask, "Where did you find them?"
"It was a pearl deposit I discovered some time ago, deeper in the Purgatory Sea. I originally thought that scarcity made things precious, so I didn't dig them all out at once. Now that I've had the honor of beholding Your Majesty, I dared not keep any hidden away." Zhu Mangqi gave the answer he had spent the entire return journey devising.
"Such a great contribution deserves a generous reward," Ao Qin said approvingly, seeing no sign of deceit in his expression.
With that, Ao Qin summoned the artifact refiners and ordered them to take the Water-Fire Resonance Pills away, embed them in the hull, and complete the final work.
"Ao Zhan, take them back and reward