Chapter 27

Ye Chuqi had wondered about that before, but something had interrupted her, and she had forgotten to pursue it. If the Little Oasis had originally been the Horned Python's territory, where had the Big Black Fish, which couldn't live without water, been living?

Judging by how long and how far it had chased Ye Chuqi, it couldn't survive out of water on land for long. San San had scanned the area within that distance of the Little Oasis and found no other oases or water sources. The Big Black Fish couldn't have traveled there by ordinary means.

Now, with San San's reminder, Ye Chuqi understood. "The Big Black Fish can move through space?" That fish had a gift like that?

"Mm," San San answered firmly.

"Then does it have anything that could help stabilize space?"

"Spatial Bluestone." San San laughed. "It told me so itself."

After entering the space, the Big Black Fish had learned about the Spatial Spirit. San San was the space's rightful master, after all, while it was only a guest, so it had introduced itself to San San early on. With San San's help, it could also see what was happening outside. When it heard Ye Chuqi asking about crafting Spatial Equipment, it told San San it had Spatial Bluestone.

The Big Black Fish might have been low-level and seemingly useless, but once it calmed down, it was shrewd. It had stayed in the space for quite a while, so paying a little rent was only fair. But it had arrived in a hurry and brought none of the treasures it had hidden underwater. The only thing it could offer was the piece of Spatial Bluestone it had nurtured beside its Beast Core. It knew exactly how good Ye Chuqi's space was. If it wanted to stay longer, it had to get on her good side.

Out with the old, in with the new. It's only Spatial Bluestone!

Sensing the Big Black Fish's thoughts, San San laughed and passed them on to Ye Chuqi. "It also said it would be nice if you could leave it a little."

Crafting a tiny badge wouldn't require much Spatial Bluestone. The Big Black Fish could have given Ye Chuqi just a sliver, but it had left the choice to her.

"Let it decide how much to give. I only need enough."

After years of being nurtured beside the Big Black Fish's Beast Core, the Spatial Bluestone had become as precious to it as its own life. Offering it to Ye Chuqi now was proof of its sincerity. She had no serious quarrel with it, so there was no need to take everything it had.

Of course, Ye Chuqi wasn't about to turn down something valuable offered to her.

That evening, after Jun Ruofeng returned, Ye Chuqi went to him. In her open palm lay the red badge Red Beard had given her and the Spatial Bluestone from the Big Black Fish. Even without a word from her, Jun Ruofeng could see what she wanted.

Red Beard was surprised to see the fingernail-sized piece of Spatial Bluestone. "Yezi, you want to turn that badge into Spatial Equipment?"

Ye Chuqi nodded.

"Do you know using Spatial Bluestone to stabilize the badge would be wasteful? Extravagant, even?"

Ye Chuqi nodded hesitantly.

Jun Ruofeng laughed. He held out a Spatial Ring to Ye Chuqi. "Is that really necessary?" It was only Spatial Equipment. It wasn't as though he couldn't produce any. "Give me the Spatial Bluestone, and this Spatial Ring is yours."

Strictly speaking, that small piece of Spatial Bluestone was worth less than the ring in his hand. But in his hands, it could serve a far greater purpose than upgrading a Mercenary Corps badge.

Ye Chuqi hadn't expected to provoke Jun Ruofeng into offering her a Spatial Ring. She wanted it badly, but she still thought turning the badge into Spatial Equipment was a good idea. No one would imagine someone wasting Spatial Bluestone on such a tiny badge. She could keep emergency supplies inside it and avoid Red Beard's fate: having his Spatial Ring destroyed the moment he met an enemy, then ending up without even a sip of water.

Ye Chuqi waved the Spatial Bluestone and badge in her hand. "Craft it! Keep the extra as payment. And then..." She produced another piece of Spatial Bluestone, roughly the same size. "I'll trade you this for the ring!"

She wanted the badge and the Spatial Ring.

Only children have to choose!

For once, Jun Ruofeng was stunned. He stared at what Ye Chuqi held, as though questioning everything he knew.

Red Beard couldn't help laughing. The fact that Ye Chuqi was willing to show them these things meant she was beginning to trust them. That mattered. "Ruofeng, help her craft it. It won't take much work. If there's a shortfall in materials, I'll cover it. Put it on my tab."

Once he turned in the Red Sun Fruit, Red Beard would receive a large sum of money. That should just about clear his debts, right?

"You're only this bold because you already owe so much!" Jun Ruofeng grumbled, taking the items from Ye Chuqi's hand. He had agreed.

After a moment's thought, Ye Chuqi took out something else at San San's direction. "Can you use this to hide it? Will it cover the difference?"

The little girl before him was holding up an enormous chunk of Black Ghost Stone, looking as though it might crush her to the ground at any moment. The sight was so absurd that even Jun Ruofeng laughed. For an instant, it was as though an immortal had descended to the mortal world,

and the sharp-tongued

figure in an ink painting had gained a touch of human warmth.

"Yes." Jun Ruofeng had no intention of taking the Black Ghost Stone, which stood taller than Ye Chuqi. He knew his own strength well enough: a stone she could lift would probably flatten him. "But we won't need this much."

Finished Spatial Equipment always gave off some spatial fluctuations. A layperson might not notice them on a Spatial Ring, but a powerful expert or someone skilled in Alchemy could spot them at a glance. Incorporating a little Black Ghost Stone would indeed conceal them better. The girl had thought it through.

Ye Chuqi set the Black Ghost Stone on the ground, where it smashed out a deep pit. She had brought it straight from the Little Oasis, and it wasn't even the largest piece. She had tried to break it before so it wouldn't be quite so conspicuous when she took it out, but she had failed. Despite her strength, she had left only faint marks on the Black Ghost Stone. She hadn't managed to break it.