Zhao Ya’s interest was greatly piqued.
Just this alone was worth all the ticket price.
It was even more valuable than what he obtained from the Python God Sect.
Beside him, Liu Yujiao observed his expression, and seeing the delighted curiosity on Zhao Ya’s face, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
To be honest, she had been feeling uneasy all this time.
Although this Jade Scroll had been a sacred object passed down in the tribe for years, its specific use had long been forgotten, and even the High Priest didn’t know what it was for, only offering it out of habit.
At that time, she decided to present it as a token of gratitude to Zhao Ya, as well as to build a connection.
But she really wasn’t sure if it would be useful or if it would satisfy Zhao Ya.
What if he wasn’t interested? All her planning would have been in vain.
Fortunately, Zhao Ya’s reaction allowed Liu Yujiao to breathe a long sigh of relief.
Then Zhao Ya looked up, gazing at Liu Yujiao, and said, "I’ll take this item, so... what do you want?"
Zhao Ya was well aware.
Liu Yujiao offering this treasure out of the blue wasn’t simply out of gratitude; she must have had a request.
Sure enough, upon hearing Zhao Ya’s question, Liu Yujiao and the other women exchanged glances and suddenly knelt down together.
Only Liu Yuhuan stood there confused for a moment before hesitantly kneeling down as well.
Zhao Ya frowned, "If you have something to say, say it. Why kneel all the time?"
Liu Yujiao didn’t stand up but solemnly said, "My lord, we do have a request and hope you can agree."
"Go ahead, I’ll see if I can help." Zhao Ya didn’t directly agree but left some room for negotiation.
"For you, this is a piece of cake, and you’re sure to accomplish it."
At this point, Liu Yujiao showed a sorrowful expression.
"My lord, you’ve seen the condition of our Profound Fox Tribe. It’s practically non-existent now. We are beyond saving, but Yuhuan cannot die. She is the last hope of our tribe, and I hope you can take her away from here."
Hearing this, Liu Yuhuan trembled all over and looked at Liu Yujiao in disbelief.
"Sister..."
"Don’t speak; this is for your own good!" Liu Yujiao uncharacteristically scolded Liu Yuhuan, then looked imploringly at Zhao Ya.
Not only her but the other women also had eager faces.
Zhao Ya pondered in silence for a long while before suddenly saying, "This indeed isn’t difficult, but I have two things to ask first."
"Please go ahead!"
"Liu Yuhuan isn’t really your sister, is she? What is her true identity?" Zhao Ya asked calmly.
"So you’ve already noticed. I’ll be honest; she’s not my real sister, but as for her real identity..."
Liu Yujiao paused for a moment and then said, "She’s actually the next High Priest of our Profound Fox Tribe."
"Oh? The next priest?" Zhao Ya asked with some surprise.
"Yes, the selection of the High Priest in our tribe is quite special. When the current Priest reaches old age, a newborn with exceptional gifts would emerge in the tribe. Upon birth, they show extraordinary traits, destined to be the next High Priest."
"And Yuhuan is the next High Priest!"
Hearing Liu Yujiao’s words, Zhao Ya came to a realization.
The selection process for the High Priest of the Profound Fox Tribe seemed very much like the reincarnated spiritual child in Tibetan Buddhism!
The difference being that the reincarnated spiritual child in Tibetan Buddhism often involved various interests, whereas this process in the Profound Fox Tribe was actually existent!
Liu Yujiao feared Zhao Ya wouldn’t believe, so she further explained, "All previous High Priests of our tribe were female and resembled each other closely. Yuhuan might still be young and not too obvious, but I’m sure, my lord, you’ve noticed some resemblance."
Zhao Ya nodded.
Indeed, the first time he saw Liu Yuhuan, he felt she had a unique appearance, somewhat fox-like seductive.
So this is the reason.
"Second question: considering her importance, aren’t you afraid something might go wrong if you leave her to me?" Zhao Ya inquired.
Liu Yujiao gave a bitter laugh, "What could be worse than us being captured by the Python God Sect for sacrifice?"
"Our Profound Fox Tribe is effectively finished, and we are all already tarnished individuals, so our lives and deaths don’t really matter!"
"But it’s different for Yuhuan. She’s young and carries the bloodline of the Profound Fox, so she musn’t be lost in these vast mountains and forests. So, my lord..."
Liu Yujiao once more looked at Zhao Ya with a pleading face, "Take her away, leave this place. Even living as an ordinary person outside is better than a life of solitude here!"
The other women also pleaded together.
As for Liu Yuhuan, she was already in tears.
But faced with their pleas, Zhao Ya suddenly shook his head.
"I’m sorry, I cannot take her."
Liu Yujiao’s heart sank into despair, asking with disbelief, "Why?"
"Because I have my own matters to attend to, and having a little girl with me will be inconvenient."
At this, before Liu Yujiao could argue, Zhao Ya continued explaining.
"However, I do have another solution. Not only can she leave these mountains, but your people could find a place to stand. If developed well, you might even restore your tribe’s former glory."
"What solution?" Liu Yujiao was taken aback, and her eyes lit up.
No one truly wished to live in despair and end life like this.
It’s just that Liu Yujiao was compelled by circumstances before.
Now, hearing that Zhao Ya had another solution naturally ignited hope within her.
"Do you know about the Mechanical Sect?" Zhao Ya asked in return.
"Of course, it is a renowned sect beyond the world. How could we not know of it?" Liu Yujiao replied.
"Fortunately, I’m well-acquainted with the people from the Mechanical Sect, so if you settle near their base, with their help, no one should dare trouble you."
Liu Yujiao’s eyes grew even brighter.
If Zhao Ya stated was true, this would be an excellent solution.
However, would the Mechanical Sect truly be willing to accept them?
Zhao Ya merely smiled slightly, "Rest assured, others might not manage this, but with me involved, it’s no issue."
Zhao Ya wasn’t boasting.
Given his current relationship with the Mechanical Sect, getting them to accept a group of helpless women wasn’t a difficult task.
Upon these words, Liu Yujiao and the others were overjoyed.
Liu Yujiao felt increasingly lucky about her initial decision.
Although the Jade Canon was precious, the tribe’s destruction rendered it just a stone.
It would be better to give it away to gain a valuable opportunity.
By that time, it was late. Though Zhao Ya had no issues, these women, having just begun recovering from their ailments and traveled for so long, were too exhausted to travel at night.
So the group decided to set up camp in a corner of the highland.
After setting up the cooking, Zhao Ya straightforwardly refused Liu Yujiao’s indication for someone to keep him company and returned to his tent to rest.
The women were all worn out and quickly fell asleep.
Sitting in his tent, Zhao Ya organized the spoils he obtained from the Python God Sect.
He was amazed at what he discovered.
The items he found in the main hall alone were of significant value, but the most important were the Snake Gallbladder Meat Field and the complete snake skin.
Zhao Ya picked up the Snake Gall and examined it under the lamp. Despite the day’s rush, it showed no sign of wilting and seemed even more vibrant.
The snake skin was the same, smooth and silky to touch, with an excellent texture.
More importantly, it could withstand Zhao Ya’s forceful pull.
Considering Zhao Ya’s strength, sufficient to tear steel apart, the snake skin’s ability to withstand and not deform showed its incredible resilience.
Yet even these items weren’t as valuable as the Jade Canon they gained last.
Though its value wasn’t apparent yet, Zhao Ya’s intuition told him it was extremely important.