“I deliberately had Qing’er keep an eye out before, but so far, nothing has been found.”
“Or perhaps, such a method simply doesn’t exist in this world.”
Qu Qirong sighed faintly, her words full of regret.
As a top-tier second-rate power, the Spirit Treasure Sect’s merchant associations spanned all of Youzhou, even having branches in other provinces.
Based on this network, she had ordered Qing’er to have people search secretly and even posted a high reward, yet there was still no news.
How could she not wish to find such a method, to properly stay by her Tianyu’s side and enjoy the joy of family life?
“There’s no need to rush. Perhaps the merchant association will have news after a while.”
“I’ve already spoken to Shizun about this; she said she will help search.”
Deng Tianyu pondered for a moment, then smiled reassuringly.
He always kept Aunt Rong’s matter in mind, so naturally, he wouldn’t forget to ask his Shizun.
His Shizun was formerly the Moon Consort of the Yin-Yang Law Heaven, her breadth of knowledge far surpassing others. Having her help would certainly yield twice the results with half the effort.
“Thank you for the trouble, Tianyu.” Qu Qirong smiled charmingly. Knowing that the junior she cherished held her in his heart made her feel deeply warm.
She was also somewhat aware of the identity of Deng Tianyu’s Shizun and naturally understood that with her help, the chances of finding it would be greater.
“Ying… ying!”
Suddenly, the little fox nestled in her arms, blinking her large eyes and looking around, twitched her nose. A flash of excitement gleamed in her eyes as she broke free from the embrace and dashed into the distance.
Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong were both stunned for a moment, then quickly followed.
As they moved forward, Qu Qirong asked curiously, “Did Yingying discover some delicious food? Is she craving it?”
Due to feeding her so frequently these days, Yingying the little fox had become very attached to her, even liking to act cute and spoiled.
Thus, she had grown increasingly fond of this adorable little creature.
In the past few days, she had even specially set up a little fox bed in her boudoir for Yingying to sleep in.
“Delicious food? Probably not.”
Hearing this, Deng Tianyu shook his head.
Yingying the little fox’s storage ring was overflowing with snacks and over a dozen bottles of Purple Jade Marrow. If she wanted something, she wouldn’t need to run this far.
The only explanation was that she had discovered some spiritual item even more attractive than snacks and Purple Jade Marrow.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong arrived at a small stall.
The stall owner was a middle-aged male cultivator. His stand displayed various spiritual plants, along with many spirit beast pets.
“Slurp… (￣￢￣）!”
And right now, the little fox was staring at a fish basket before her with intense longing. Inside were two exceptionally beautiful Spirit Cod.
One Spirit Cod was black, the other red. Shimmering together, they looked like symbols of good fortune.
The two Spirit Cod noticed the little fox’s fixed, hungry gaze and her swallowing motion, immediately hiding terrified in the deepest part of the basket.
“Whose pet fox is this?”
“Don’t tell me you want to eat my two Spirit Cod?”
The stall owner, the middle-aged cultivator, quickly picked up the fish basket and shooed the little fox away.
Spirit Cod were creatures from West Rime Lake, also a type of spirit beast. They could absorb impurities within spiritual energy, making it purer.
Many cultivators would buy one or two to keep nearby, as they had a good effect during cultivation.
Of course, not all Spirit Cod could absorb spiritual energy impurities—only the extremely rare few that had awakened spirituality could.
“Ying… ying!”
Seeing herself being shooed, the little fox became very anxious and looked back at Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong.
Qu Qirong gently picked up the little fox and asked softly, “Yingying, do you want to buy these two Spirit Cod?”
“Ying… ying!” The little fox nodded rapidly, even reaching out her little pink tongue to lick Qu Qirong’s slender hand.
Her practiced, coquettish cuteness made the corner of Deng Tianyu’s mouth twitch.
“Do you two want these Spirit Cod?”
“If you truly wish to buy them, they’re yours for just 2,000 Spirit Stones!”
Seeing this, the middle-aged cultivator knew business was here and quickly greeted them.
Just by their attire and disposition, he could tell this beauty and young man weren’t ordinary people.
If he closed this deal, even if he sold nothing else today, it would be a decent profit.
Deng Tianyu frowned: “2,000 Spirit Stones? Have these Spirit Cod awakened their spirituality?”
The middle-aged cultivator explained with a smile: “Not yet, but they’re getting close. If you don’t believe me, look at their gill edges!”
Judging whether a Spirit Cod has awakened spirituality was simple: just check if it has grown tendrils.
Tendrils were also called Spirit Whiskers. Awakened Spirit Cod used these whiskers to absorb spiritual energy impurities.
“Let me see.”
Deng Tianyu naturally knew this. He leaned closer to examine them.
Just as the stall owner said, the edges of this pair’s gills already had tiny tendril buds.
However, for the tendrils to fully form still depended on opportunity.
It might require feeding them spiritual items for several years, or perhaps decades, even centuries. The resources consumed in between were no small sum.
Otherwise, this pair of Spirit Cod would certainly be worth more than 2,000 Spirit Stones. Even putting them in an auction house, they’d be items with no fixed price.
His thoughts pausing here, Deng Tianyu took a bag of Spirit Stones from his storage ring and handed it over: “Here are two thousand Spirit Stones.”
“Fellow Daoist is truly generous!”
The middle-aged cultivator counted them, grinned widely, and directly handed the Spirit Cod, basket and all, to him.
“Ying… ying!”
As soon as Deng Tianyu took the basket, the little fox immediately darted into his arms, pawing at his clothes and looking up at him with a please ingratiatingly.
Nothing good comes from unprovoked flattery!
Already grasping her intent, Deng Tianyu asked, “You want me to cook them into a delicacy for you?”
“Ying… ying!” The little fox leaned in and licked his face.
“No can do.”
To this, Deng Tianyu shook his head, refusing.
He hadn’t bought these Spirit Cod to eat them, but to see what was different about this pair, able to attract the little fox’s attention so strongly.
Ever since Tantai Mingyue appeared, coupled with the little fox Yingying’s special means of finding spiritual items, Deng Tianyu knew that anything she took a liking to was definitely no ordinary thing.
“Ying… ying!”
Refused, the little fox once again acted cute and wronged, even pitifully looking at Qu Qirong nearby, hoping she would help.
“Don’t look at her. I said no eating them, so no eating them.”
Deng Tianyu lightly tapped her little head and directly grabbed the scruff of her neck, handing her back to Aunt Rong.
After the little fox’s commotion, his curiosity about these two Spirit Cod only grew stronger.
The little fox Yingying’s furry ears drooped, her gaze still lingering on the fish basket.
Qu Qirong found it both funny and endearing, rubbing her little head and comforting her: “They already have a trace of spirituality, they can’t be eaten!”
Hearing this, the little fox reluctantly withdrew her gaze and laid in Qu Qirong’s arms, presenting an utterly listless, adorable picture of despair.
