Ning Tao looked in another direction. That technological magic tool in the shape of a crystal ball was undamaged from the battle earlier on. However, for some reason, the holographic projection corresponding with the Apocalypse smart.w.a.tch had completely vanished, and the ball had also lost its glow. It looked like a device that was created by some mad scientist in an attempt to make contact with aliens.

Silvermoon Cherry's “body” was still present, lying quietly in a pool of blood. Yet, not far away from it was a green patch of gra.s.s. A ray of sunlight shone on it, and wild flowers were blooming.

Ning Tao walked over, then opened the small medicine chest and took out the ordinary prescription slip that had Bai Sheng's eyes wrapped in it. He placed them beside Silvermoon Cherry, then said softly, “Um, I don't know what to call you. I'll just call you Senior. Senior had nurtured Bai Sheng and opened his eyes, but he harmed you instead. I can imagine how regretful and painful it was for you. I've killed Bai Sheng today, so you may now rest in peace.”

Silvermoon Cherry did not respond at all. It was impossible for it to respond.

Yet Ning Tao continued speaking to himself. “Bai Sheng had said before his death that he had regretted harming you despite being raised by you. He had dug out his own eyes and made me bring them to you to atone for his mistakes. He asked for your forgiveness. You may decide whether or not you want to forgive him.”

Footsteps came from behind him, along with Tang Zixian's voice. “What are you mumbling about over there?”

Ning Tao did not turn to look at her, but continued to say, “Senior, the dead has already pa.s.sed on. Since you no longer reside in this block of wood, how about giving it to me, and I'll make use of it in the most meaningful way, giving it purpose.”

He had said it louder on purpose, then reached out quietly to knock on the Silvermoon Cherry.

“Ding!”

The Silvermoon Cherry made a pleasant sound, which resembled the blowing sound on a silver plate.

Ning Tao said excitedly, “Ah! Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior, for granting it to me!”

“Wait!” Tang Zixian came to Ning Tao's side and stared fixedly at Ning Tao's face from above. “Ning Tao, are you trying to monopolize this Spiritual Timber?”

With an innocent expression, Ning Tao shrugged. “You heard it just now. Senior Silvermoon Cherry has already agreed to it. I can't possibly reject the elder's gesture of sincerity, right?”

Tang Zixian instantly turned to look at the Silvermoon Cherry, which was laid on the ground. “Senior, I'll cremate your body for you. If you agree to it, make a sound.” With that, she reached out to knock on the Silvermoon Cherry.

“Ding!”

The Silvermoon Cherry made a sound, which resembled the blowing on a silver plate as well.

Tang Zixian said, “Look, Senior Silvermoon Cherry has agreed to let me cremate its body. You can't possibly be planning to rob the body, right?”

Ning Tao: “…”

“Where's Bai Sheng?” Tang Zixian stared right at Ning Tao. Her two eyes were jet black like two beautiful lakes, but these lakes seemed to be hiding needles that could readily p.r.i.c.k anyone.

Ning Tao did not conceal the truth. “He's dead. Those things on the ground are his eyeb.a.l.l.s. You can verify it personally if you don't believe me.”

Tang Zixin glanced at the two eyeb.a.l.l.s, which were placed on the ordinary prescription slip, and obviously had no interest to verify them. She said, “Do you admit that Bai Sheng was killed by both of us?”

Ning Tao nodded. “I admit it, but I contributed more than you did.”

“But I've contributed after all, so shouldn't the loot be distributed equally?”

Ning Tao nodded. “It should be distributed, but I should get more than you.”

“You…” Tang Zixian was instantly enraged.

Ning Tao smiled. “Then it's decided. I'll take two-thirds of the Silvermoon Cherry and you'll take one-third. I'll take two-thirds of the Soul-devouring Urn's fragments, and you'll have one-third.”

“You can take all of the Soul-devouring Urn fragments, but the Silvermoon Cherry goes to me,” Tang Zixian said.

Ning Tao glanced at the Soul-devouring Urn fragments strewn across the ground, and understood immediately. “Every single piece of that evil magic tool had been soaked with blood and possessed by resentful souls. Any ordinary person would fall gravely ill with just one touch of it, and could even die. Even you would be uncomfortable touching it, right? Yet you want me to have such an evil and ominous thing? Tell me, what ill intentions are you harboring?”

Tang Zixian seemed to be feeling slightly guilty, as she avoided Ning Tao's eyes.

Ning Tao said, “But, if I do not take any risks, who else is going to? How about this, the Soul-devouring Urn fragments go to me. We'll each get half of the Silvermoon Cherry. If you don't agree to it, then all the Soul-devouring Urn fragments go to you and I'll take the Silvermoon Cherry.”

He was the go-between of good and evil, so did any ominous items that he was not able to touch exist? Not even mentioning the Soul-devouring Urn, which was ranked number 10 on the list of top evil tools, even if it were the evil magic tool ranked first on the list, it would be no problem for him to touch it, even until it was worn off.

Tang Zixian hesitated, but agreed after all. She did know what would happen to Ning Tao when he touched the Soul-devouring Urn fragments, but she had felt uncomfortable when she touched it earlier on. Let alone giving some to her, she would certainly not want the entire thing.

“Then what should we do with it?” Tang Zixian said, pointing at the well-preserved technological magic tool.

Ning Tao said, “Of course it's…”

However, before he could finish speaking, the spherical technological tool suddenly began glowing. In an instant, a holographic projection appeared in midair. An image of a rather large and tall individual donned in a gold-rimmed white robe, wearing a composed and proud expression with deep-set eyes, appeared in midair. The hovering holographic projection resembled a G.o.d descending upon this eerie s.p.a.ce.

It was Ning Tao's first time seeing this person, but he knew who he was.

He was the owner of the Black Fire Company, Nicholas Conway.

“Doctor Ning, I've imagined our meeting, but I never thought that we would meet here in this way.” Nicholas Conway's voice came from the spherical magic tool. He spoke in very fluent Mandarin, except that the voice was exceptionally low and eerie, as if someone was speaking with a piece of ice in their mouth.

Ning Tao's voice was also cold. “I'm right here. What do you want?”

Nicholas Conway said coolly, “Did you know why I wanted to work with Bai Sheng, and gave him this sort of magic tool, helped him earn money, and a.s.sisted him in starting his way of money plan?”

“Isn't it obvious? It's for the prescription of the Ancestor-seeking Elixir, isn't it? Bai Sheng had planted the Viper-like Insect on Zhu Hongqin and acquired the elixir prescription from her. Aren't you just eyeing the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription? It was why you've exhausted all means to invade the botanical garden of the Blueprint Biotechnology Company, converted and manipulated Liang Keming, and abducted Lin Qinghua. All only because of Lin Qinghua's elixir prescription. What else could you have possibly worked with Bai Sheng for?”

“You're very clever. Bai Sheng died in the hands of a worthy opponent.” After pausing for a moment, Nicholas Conway continued speaking, “I've learned from Bai Sheng that you've cultivated Ancestor-seeking Elixir before, and the elixirs you've cultivated are really good. That means you also have a part of the elixir prescription. Quote me a price? There is no meaning in all these battles anyway. I'm willing to give you what you want in exchange for your elixir prescription.”

Before Ning Tao could reply, Tang Zixian said sternly, “You can't give it to him!”

Nicholas Conway looked at Tang Zixian and said, “Your family's old man wouldn't even dare to speak to me like that. Aren't you afraid that I will annihilate the foreign branch of the Tang Sect?”

Tang Zixian huffed, “Hmpf! I may be able to close an eye to minor matters, but this is concerning morality, so there will be no room for compromising! If you wish to battle, then go ahead!”

Nicholas Conway's face was scarily solemn. If he were physically present here, he would undoubtedly have laid a hand on Tang Zixian. However, given that he had made an appearance through a technological magic tool, he only had one choice, which was to stare intensely.

Ning Tao said, “All right, I'm telling you now. I will not sell you the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription. h.e.l.l, I would not even sell you cold medicine. Also, I have a ledger that records your evildoings. I will appear before you one day to settle the accounts, and you'll pay.”

“Hahaha…” Nicholas Conway laughed.

Ning Tao and Tang Zixian stood together, looking blankly at the deified Nicholas Conway laughing away insanely in midair.

Suddenly, Nicholas Conway stopped laughing. “Since it's this way, then I shall no longer hold back. Killing you all is actually a very good choice.”

Ning Tao realized something and suddenly pulled his gun out, shooting at the spherical magic tool.

In an instant, the bullet from the pistol became suspended in midair and was spinning non-stop just when it was about to hit the spherical magic tool. It could not approach another millimeter.

Nicholas Conway's holographic projection disappeared, and just then, a blinding light was released from the spherical magic tool.

Ning Tao had started preparing the blood lock.

A voice suddenly came from somewhere. “Brother Ning, where are you? F*ck, what is this strong light? Is it a searchlight?”

It was Qing Zhui's voice.

Ning Tao charged in Qing Zhui's direction instantly, while yelling, “Go!”

Just then, even before Ning Tao's command, Tang Zixian had already started moving along, and had run in the direction of Qing Zhui's voice at an even faster speed than him.

What seemed like a very huge s.p.a.ce was in fact all imaginary and was not that s.p.a.cious. Qing Zhui dug a hole, and had nicely bypa.s.sed the boundaries of the imaginary s.p.a.ce. Just when she had emerged from the hole, she had been blinded by the intense light from the spherical magic tool and had therefore cursed uncontrollably.

Very quickly, Ning Tao had reached the side of the hole. “Qing Zhui, let's go, this place is about to explode! Quick!”

“Huh?” Qing Zhui exclaimed, then retreated downward.

With a Cloud Ladder Jump, Tang Zixian jumped right into the hole.

She seemed to be particularly gifted in the talent of escaping.

Ning Tao grew frustrated inside, and had also leaped forward, landing inside the hole. Just at the moment when he had entered the hole, his head had collided into a soft, ball-like thing. He then realized that he had knocked into Tang Zixian's certain body part. An odd expression appeared on his face.

And in that instant, both of Tang Zixian's legs clasped around his shoulders. Exerting force, she pulled him outward.

The person pulling was Qing Zhui, who was shocked when she had suddenly pulled two people out.

Once they were out of the ground, Ning Tao looked back and it was shrouded in a thick grey fog. Some trees and parts of the mountains were only partially visible, yet it was also very blurry.

This was Yinyue Mountain.

“Rumble!”

A loud and intense explosive sound suddenly came from among the fog…