Chapter 269: Bewitching Gorge
“Can you sell me the exact coordinates of the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine?”
Neither Han Yue nor the young man had expected that after pondering for a moment, Zhou Ming would give such a reply. A trace of surprise immediately appeared on both their faces.
Han Yue promptly explained,
“Brother Zhou, you may have misunderstood. The reason I mentioned earlier was not to deceive you. According to our investigation results, it would take at least a hundred Professional Beast Tamers, or a Transcendent-level expert personally taking action, to safely take down that place.”
It was not that he did not want to sell the precise location of the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine to Zhou Ming. Rather, Zhou Ming had been able to produce High-grade Source Crystals, so he suspected that Zhou Ming’s background was extraordinary.
If Zhou Ming were to encounter danger because of this, he feared it might bring trouble upon the Crimson Chamber of Commerce.
The forces behind the Crimson Chamber of Commerce were not weak, but within the entire Alliance, they could only be considered mid-tier.
“Rest assured. Since I intend to buy the exact location of the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine, I naturally have the strength to take it down. You need not worry.”
With a turn of thought, Zhou Ming understood the other party’s concerns and immediately gave his assurance.
Seeing that Han Yue still looked hesitant, Zhou Ming took out the High-grade Source Crystals he had just put away. One piece. Two pieces. Three pieces.
Three fist-sized High-grade Source Crystals were placed on the tea table.
The dazzling golden radiance they emitted instantly made Han Yue and the young man’s breathing quicken.
If they possessed High-grade Source Crystals, their Crimson Chamber of Commerce would have long since established ties with Transcendent-level experts. The benefits brought by such connections could not be measured in ordinary money.
Zhou Ming smiled faintly at the sight and continued placing more High-grade Source Crystals on the table. When ten pieces lay upon it, their brilliant light was as striking as ten suns suspended in the sky.
“Is it enough?”
The ten High-grade Source Crystals weighed roughly ten kilograms. If exchanged purely for ordinary Source Crystal Coins, they could be traded for at least ten thousand Source Crystal Coins.
However, some things could not be calculated so simply. High-grade Source Crystals were exceedingly rare, and they were beneficial even to Transcendent Masters and Legendary Saints.
Their significance was far beyond what ordinary Source Crystal Coins could measure.
“Enough, enough. Since Brother Zhou is so sincere, if our Crimson Chamber of Commerce refuses to act, we would be truly lacking in tact.”
Seeing Zhou Ming take out such a large quantity of High-grade Source Crystals, Han Yue understood that Zhou Ming was determined to obtain the information. If they refused to sell the precise location of the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine, it might invite unnecessary trouble.
At this moment, he was already certain that Zhou Ming’s background was extraordinary—far beyond what their Crimson Chamber of Commerce could afford to offend.
“Please wait a moment.”
Without further delay, he immediately rose and delivered a map along with detailed materials into Zhou Ming’s hands.
After a brief inspection and finding no major issues, Zhou Ming put them away and prepared to leave.
“If I discover that you have deceived me, I will return to your Crimson Chamber of Commerce.”
At the doorway of the reception room, Zhou Ming suddenly turned around. A terrifying aura spread out, confined entirely within the room and not leaking outside.
Under this overwhelming pressure, the young man following beside Han Yue instantly collapsed to the ground. As for Han Yue, he felt as though a mountain weighing ten thousand tons pressed down upon him, rendering him unable to move.
“P-please rest assured… absolutely no problem.”
Only now did Han Yue truly sense the terror of Zhou Ming’s strength. Even among Professional Beast Tamers, the gap between individuals could be as vast as heaven and earth.
“Good.”
Without paying them further attention, Zhou Ming walked out of the Crimson Chamber of Commerce.
“Uncle Han… what realm has this man reached?”
After Zhou Ming’s figure disappeared, the sweat-soaked young man braced himself on the ground and crawled onto a nearby sofa, voicing his doubt.
Even though Zhou Ming’s aura had dissipated, the fear within his heart continued to spread. His body trembled uncontrollably.
For the first time, he realized how fragile so-called background and status were in the face of true power.
“High-level Professional Rank. However… he should not be far from Transcendent.”
Han Yue did not consider the young man’s disheveled state exaggerated. Instead, he calmly voiced his judgment.
“Doesn’t that mean he’s about to prepare for his advancement ritual?”
Thinking of Zhou Ming’s youthful appearance, then comparing it to his own distant prospects of becoming a Professional Beast Tamer, a sense of frustration rose within him.
“Young Master, do not be discouraged. The Alliance has stood for several hundred years. There are always those with monstrous talent—existences ordinary people cannot compare with.”
Seeing the young man so shaken, Han Yue quickly offered comfort, lest he fall into despair and implicate others as well.
As for Zhou Ming, he was unaware of what had transpired in the reception room after his departure. Having obtained the information he needed, he casually found a place to stay.
“Bewitching Gorge?”
Inside the hotel room, Zhou Ming carefully examined the materials provided by Han Yue.
According to the records, the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine discovered by the Crimson Chamber of Commerce in the Endless Forest Sea was located within a gorge five hundred li east of the Furious Flood Dragon Mountain Range.
This gorge was shrouded in clouds and mist year-round. Its magnetic field was extraordinarily complex and could interfere with human brainwaves.
Not to mention ordinary people—even Apprentice Beast Tamers who entered Bewitching Gorge would be affected and struggle to distinguish direction.
If not for a Professional Beast Tamer from the Crimson Chamber of Commerce accidentally stumbling into the area and inadvertently discovering the existence of the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine, it was unknown how much longer it would have remained hidden.
Aside from the gorge’s inherently dangerous environment, it was also home to a large number of high-tier Ferocious Beasts.
The most dangerous among them was the Hunting Spider Queen.
This Ferocious Beast was similar to the Army Ant Queen Zhou Ming had slain in the Cloud Mist Basin. Not only could it breed vast numbers of ordinary Hunting Demon Spiders, but it also possessed complete control over the spider swarm.
As for the specifics of the Hunting Demon Spider, Zhou Ming obtained detailed information upon reviewing the materials.
Low-tier Hunting Demon Spiders were about one meter in size, while high-tier ones were twice as large.
Their exoskeletal armor was as hard as alloy. They moved with exceptional agility and could conceal their own aura.
Moreover, the most troublesome ability of the Hunting Demon Spider was its capacity to spray extremely adhesive and resilient spider silk to entangle prey.
High-level Hunting Demon Spiders even possessed an innate talent for manipulating earth-element energy particles.
One could say that within Bewitching Gorge, the Hunting Demon Spider was the undisputed overlord. Few Ferocious Beasts dared provoke it.
Combined with the inherent dangers of entering the Endless Forest Sea, this was why the Crimson Chamber of Commerce had yet to obtain the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone.
“Though somewhat dangerous, as long as there is no Lord-level Ferocious Beast, it is still worth the risk.”
After reviewing the intelligence provided by the Crimson Chamber of Commerce, Zhou Ming judged that he was capable of dealing with the Hunting Demon Spiders.
If it had been before he entered Tamu World, facing a perilous place like Bewitching Gorge would have meant a near-certain death risk for him.
However, after obtaining the inheritance of the Hydra Rune School and the research left behind by the Tower’s Master, and integrating that knowledge into his own system, his strength had increased by several degrees.
Putting away the materials, Zhou Ming decided to rest at the hotel for the day and set out early the next morning for the Endless Forest Sea.
Once he acquired the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone needed to construct the ritual altar, the process of his advancement to Transcendent Master would officially begin.