Chapter 359 - 331: The Changes in Great Yong
All that blood, boiled dry, yielded only seven drops of Silver Blood.
"So this is Silver Blood?" Qin Ziwen gazed at the seven drops in the pot, swirling it gently.
The silver droplets rolled around inside like mercury.
Mogu said, "You can touch it with your bare hands."
Qin Ziwen poured the contents of the pot into his hand.
The silver droplets landed in his palm, unexpectedly heavy, like iron beads.
He gave one a squeeze. It was somewhat elastic and felt warm and smooth to the touch.
Qin Ziwen said, intrigued, "Interesting."
He used Insight.
[Level 3 Marvel] Silver Blood (Minute) (A bloodline-type Marvel that can enhance one’s life source after being processed via a special method.)
’So the Silver Blood is a Level 3 Marvel.’
’The quantity is just a little small, though.’
’Judging by the description, its effect must be just as Mogu said. It needs to be processed through a special method, which I assume means cooking.’
’The only shame is that this Silver Blood doesn’t count as an Aquatic Marvel.’
Qin Ziwen didn’t quite understand.
’In his mind, there should at least be some connection between blood and water. Why wouldn’t a Marvel refined from blood count as aquatic?’
...
North side of the Gated Community, fourth floor of the academic building.
The Traveler’s Tea House.
As the Gated Community continued to develop, the value of the Traveler’s Tea House had gradually diminished.
Many new buildings had been constructed within the Gated Community, allowing for the internal production of most daily necessities, such as cloth, ironware, and pottery.
Furthermore, the merchants encountered at the Traveler’s Tea House were random, and because of a ban enacted by the Great Yong, most goods like ironware couldn’t be procured.
Over time, the building’s value progressively declined, serving more as a channel for information than anything else.
𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Of course, with an unknown number of worlds separating the Gated Community from the Great Yong, any information gathered was of little use.
Thus, while the Qin Alliance kept the Traveler’s Tea House operational, its importance had dropped several tiers.
Inside the simple teahouse structure, which was itself placed within a room, a group of merchants carrying shoulder poles walked in.
Upon entering, they observed their surroundings. The abrupt change in environment made it clear this was no ordinary teahouse. The cleverer ones among them guessed this might be the very place spoken of in legends.
After scanning the room, a hidden, vicious glint flashed in the eyes of a few members of the group.
The Qin Alliance member stationed by the window tapped the table and asked lazily, "Customers, what can I get for you?"
The merchants didn’t answer, instead exchanging a look.
One of the guards behind them silently drew a blade.
Seeing this, the stationed member scoffed. He used a pole to shove open the window and shouted, "We’ve got customers to greet!"
Footsteps echoed from the hallway, and a group of Qin Alliance members holding crossbows rushed in. They raised their weapons and formed a line.
Any ill intent the merchants might have harbored vanished in an instant.
...
"My Lord, there was a small conflict at the Traveler’s Tea House just now. A group of merchants came in intending to plunder, but they’ve all been taken care of," Jia Liangcai reported as he arrived.
After hearing the report, Qin Ziwen noted the significant change. "These merchants are a lot bolder than before."
Jia Liangcai said, "I hear the Court is levying exorbitant taxes. The northern grasslands have been conquered, and uprisings are breaking out all over the Great Yong. The land is ablaze with the fires of war. Most merchants still traveling the roads these days are either up to no good or backed by powerful factions."
Qin Ziwen grew thoughtful. ’From the sound of it, the Great Yong is showing all the signs of a dynasty in its final years.’
’If this continues, will the Great Yong’s ruling house be overthrown and replaced by a new dynasty?’
’I’m witnessing a dynasty’s decline into chaos, yet I’m just a passerby, taking my Home from one world to the next, completely detached from it all.’
"My Lord, that caravan was selling grain. There’s been a drought in Youzhou, on top of the war, so the price of grain keeps rising. They were on their way to Youzhou with over a dozen carts of unmilled grain to sell, but we’ve confiscated it all."
"Unmilled grain... that’s unhusked rice, if I remember correctly."
Jia Liangcai replied, "Yes, my Lord. The husks make the grains last longer in storage, protecting them from mold and making them better for long-distance transport. Most large-scale trade uses unmilled grain. Plus, the husks add to the weight on the scales. Refined grain is typically only purchased by the wealthy."
"This is perfect. Old Wei is preparing new farmland, so this batch of rice can be planted right away. Once we scale up production, we’ll be able to eat rice and noodles regularly." Qin Ziwen was delighted. Though he ate his fill of meat every day, he hadn’t had any staple grains in a long time and sorely missed them.
When Wei Zhaohua heard the news, he rushed over. His eyes lit up at the sight of the bags of unhusked rice.
He immediately promised he would make sure this batch of rice was planted properly.
...
Meanwhile, the Fishman Leader, having returned to the Fishman Tribe, went to a temple in the eastern part of their territory.
Unlike the Deep Sea Temple, this Temple was located to the southeast of the tribe’s main settlement, mostly hidden within a dense cluster of coral.
The Temple’s exterior was dilapidated, its surface pitted and uneven, with moss growing in the cracks between the stones.
Inside the Temple, an old Fishman with a massive frame but shriveled skin was reclining on a stone chair. Unlike other Fishmen, this one’s head was somewhat flat, with the sides of his skull extending outward, making him look a bit like a hammerhead shark.
His eyelids drooped, and his murky, whitish eyes were half-closed. Hearing the disturbance in the water, the old Fishman turned his head toward the Temple entrance.
The Fishman Leader stood straight before him, then bowed. "Elder, I need the tribe’s records—the map of the interior of Black Mountain to the west."
The old Fishman’s eyelids lifted. His voice was ancient. "You help that human so diligently. Aren’t you afraid of repeating my mistakes?"
"Old Patriarch, I trust my instincts," the Fishman Leader said with confidence.
The old Fishman Race Leader was silent for a long moment. He knew of the current leader’s talent. "Don’t put too much faith in your abilities. Humans are fickle. They may be your friends today, but they could become your enemies tomorrow."
"Qin isn’t like that." The Fishman Leader shook his head. He had been to Qin’s Home and had seen how he treated the other members of the Fishman Race. He would only trust what he had seen with his own eyes.
The old Fishman Race Leader looked up, his murky, whitish eyes staring at the ceiling. After a long pause, he said slowly, "You’re so much like I was."
The Fishman Leader replied, "That’s why you chose me as your successor."
The old Fishman Race Leader said, "I, too, once led humans deep into Black Mountain. I know a path, and I know that what they seek is there. But you must remember this: once you’re inside, do not linger. Get what you came for and leave immediately."
With that, he bent down and fumbled around the back of the stone chair beneath him. A moment later, he produced a stone tablet.
His fingers traced the patterns on the tablet’s surface before the old Fishman Race Leader finally handed it to the Fishman Leader. "Go on. I hope you will not follow in my footsteps. And I hope your judgment proves better than mine."
...
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