Luo Qian was only a merchant, but he understood a few things. You could not stop exporting steel for fear that other countries might make guns and cannons, yet the Americans only ever sold second-rate weapons to vassal states like Japan and South Korea. That was the compromise between commerce and politics. The medicinal ingredients Luo Qian sold Daoist Wanwan and Mu Fengming were certainly not the best he had. That was his compromise between profit and his own safety.
As for Heavenlight Whiskers, Luo Qian had sold only those from the little Ant Snakes. Of course he had kept the two whiskers of the true Ant Snake King, each as thick as an old club, for himself. He had sold the Ant Snake blood, but he still had Bixi. Sacred Blood Condensate was the truly supreme medicinal ingredient.
The materials from the Giant Octopus Whale Emperor had not yet been completely carved up and were being kept with Gesberti for the time being. Luo Qian had other plans for the Octopus Whale Ambergris he had brought back.
Saberdin's craftsmanship was exquisite. The Octopus Whale Ambergris he had extracted was like amber, transparent and utterly free of impurities. That enormous Giant Octopus Whale Emperor had yielded only a piece of ambergris the size of a baby's palm. Even allowing for some waste during the dissection, the whole piece could not have weighed more than half a jin. Luo Qian would never hand something so precious over to Longque in one go. He scraped off a little with a knife, then winced over the loss for ages.
He had only just been reunited with Pei Sefei when he left for six days, and he felt he had let his beloved down. After returning from the Western Divine Realm, he stayed by