The conversation between the two was something Wang Shouzhe could no longer listen to. He immediately took a step forward to stand in front of his ancestor, cupping his hands toward Steward Zhong and saying, "Elder Zhong, we are here to do business, so we ask Elder to proceed according to the rules." With that, Wang Shouzhe handed the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield over to Steward Zhong for appraisal. "Yes, yes. Business is about following the rules." Steward Zhong was obviously a little absent-minded, appraising the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield while probing Wang Shouzhe, "Young man, what is your relation to Senior Sister Longyan?" "Replying to Elder, my name is Wang Shouzhe, I am the Clan Leader of the small clan in Ping’an Town of Changning Guard, and Ancestor Longyan is my Ancestral Grandmother." Wang Shouzhe did not hide this fact but instead replied politely. The ancestor could be unkind to him, but Wang Shouzhe as a junior could not afford to do so. Moreover, it was evident that Steward Zhong had already recognized Ancestor Longyan. In the Academy, he did not dare to inquire recklessly due to the rules, and later thought that Ancestor Longyan had passed away, so naturally, he couldn’t go around probing. Now, with the status and influence of the Zhong Family, it wouldn’t be difficult to find out. Even though Ancestor Longyan was quite low-key, her fame and influence outside were relatively small. Upon hearing that they both carried the surname Wang and that she was his Ancestral Grandmother, Steward Zhong suddenly let out a strange, rippling laugh, as if he were in the midst of a beautiful dream. "Why are you laughing?" In Ancestor Longyan’s eyes above the veil, cold light flickered. Steward Zhong’s laugh abruptly stopped, and he quickly lowered his head, pretentiously continuing to appraise, "This defensive spiritual artifact, Turtle Scale Treasure Shield, was personally refined by the Binglan Ascendant of Purple Mansion Academy, naturally of superior quality. However, it appears this spirit artifact has been damaged before, not repaired in time, requiring at least a ten percent deduction..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a chill on his back, realizing it was Ancestor Longyan’s gaze coldly smiling at him. He felt a shiver for no reason and quickly changed his tune, "Such minor damage, Steward Zhong can have an Artifact Refining Master repair it. No need for deduction, no need for deduction. The final appraisal of this spirit treasure should be around thirty-one, no, thirty-two thousand Qian Gold. Is the esteemed guest looking to consign it or do you wish for us to take it directly?" Hearing the implication in his words, Wang Shouzhe also estimated the price. Ancestor Longyan’s Turtle Scale Treasure Shield, due to previous damage, should be realistically appraised at around twenty-seven to twenty-eight thousand Qian Gold. If consigned, it would hardly exceed thirty thousand Qian Gold. Moreover, as the black market host, they would need to charge a five percent venue fee, which means a fee of fifteen hundred Qian Gold. Just as he was about to speak, Ancestor Longyan said coldly, "Purchase it at thirty thousand. With your Zhong Family’s Artifact Refining Master’s repair, there’s still some profit to be made. Consider it as me, Wang Longyan, owing you a favor." "Senior Sister Longyan, I can..." Upon hearing that there was a favor from the Goddess, Steward Zhong was just about to further express his willingness. "No need!" Ancestor Longyan interrupted him coldly, "If I, Wang Longyan, wasn’t truly helpless, I would never owe anyone a favor. If you pay the loss out of your own pocket, then the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield will not be sold." "Yes, yes, Senior Sister Longyan, as you say." Steward Zhong nodded repeatedly without dignity, feeling regret in his heart. Although doing so would cost him personally, having Senior Sister Longyan owe more favors was something he dreamed of. The parties agreed that the Golden Sand Black Market would purchase the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield for thirty thousand Qian Gold. Steward Zhong, having a rare chance to get things done for the Goddess in his heart, immediately scurried off to handle the paperwork. With his direct lineage position in the Zhong Family and Spirit Platform Realm cultivation, this matter was already a foregone conclusion. Taking advantage of this gap, Wang Shouzhe and Ancestor Longyan began to discuss how to use the money. Ancestor Longyan initially intended to buy a Tier Five Spirit Pill, the Celestial Spirit Pill, for Wang Shouzhe, and then preserve it carefully. This pill is a highly sought-after, rare spirit pill, the best auxiliary spirit pill for those at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm to break through to the Spirit Platform Realm, significantly increasing the success rate. This spirit pill is also one of the spirit pills that all major Black Tortoise clans dream of obtaining. With it, it would be possible to add a Spirit Platform Realm ancestor to the clan. However, it is a Tier Five pill, extremely difficult to refine, requiring many expensive Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. Each time it appears, it is sold in auction form, with the price often reaching between thirty-two and thirty-five thousand Qian Gold, much more expensive than typical spirit artifacts. For most clans, this is an astronomical figure. Even those with successful industries might take several decades of accumulation to afford it. And even with a Celestial Spirit Pill, there’s no guarantee the clan will certainly produce a Spirit Platform Realm ancestor. Just like the Sixth Granduncle Wang Xiaohan, who had high hopes placed in him, once used a Celestial Spirit Pill to break through to the Spirit Platform Realm and failed, resulting in him being dejected and feeling guilty for letting down the clan. It’s understandable for Wang Xiaohan to have such thoughts. The resources to cultivate him to the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, along with that Celestial Spirit Pill, were all amassed by the clan selling off many family assets in Changning Guard, so the failure to break through caused tremendous loss to the clan. However, Wang Shouzhe rejected Ancestor Longyan’s proposal, as he had no immediate need for it, and such funds stagnating would not be beneficial. Instead, he suggested purchasing a Tier Three Spirit Pill, the Creation Pill, to heal her severely damaged five visceral organs. Her injuries had been dragged out for too long, and each year of delay risked causing irreparable outcomes. With her now capable of refining Yin Poison, it was the optimal time to treat her injuries. "Ancestor," Wang Shouzhe said earnestly, "Putting everything else aside, restoring your injuries as soon as possible is most advantageous for the clan. Without your protection, no matter how well my Wang Race develops, it would still be seen by others as an easy target." Ancestor Longyan pondered for a moment and finally agreed. Shouzhe’s suggestion was the most appropriate for the current situation. The previous plan to purchase the Celestial Spirit Pill was due to the fear that after her death, the Wang Race would be unable to obtain it. Now, with the threat of death removed, the situation naturally changed. Quickly, Wang Shouzhe used the pen, ink, and paper in the private room to discuss and prepare a list with Ancestor Longyan. Minor Primordial Cultivation Pill, 300 pieces; Tier Two Pill Peiyuan Pill, 100 pieces; Tier Three Pill Creation Pill, 20 pieces; Spirit Stone, 10 pieces; Small Five Elements Array Banner, one set. Total cost is approximately thirty thousand Qian Gold. Among them, the Minor Primordial Cultivation Pill is specifically stored and used in conjunction with clan contribution points. Especially for the younger generation of the clan, it is the best time for cultivation. If they miss this age, later resources will be hard to compensate. Wang Shouzhe never wants to see those younger siblings having to spend several extra months honing their realm due to the lack of a Minor Primordial Cultivation Pill, ultimately falling behind others in cultivation. As for the Peiyuan Pill, it is prepared for Wang Shouzhe, Ancestor Longyan, and Old Master Wang Xiaohan. Especially Wang Xiaohan, who became depressed after failing to reach Spirit Platform Realm, focusing solely on the clan industry Xingsheng Farm, which is certainly a huge waste. It is still timely, and with the resources like Peiyuan Pills, he can gradually return to the peak of Qi Refining Realm and prepare to strike for Spirit Platform Realm. Having only one Spirit Platform Realm ancestor in the clan often results in unmanageable situations, which is certainly a loss. Wang Shouzhe himself also wants to speed up his cultivation progress, using Minor Primordial Cultivation Pill for regular cultivation and relying on Peiyuan Pill to break through at crucial moments. After all, according to the original plan, he was prepared to reach the peak of Qi Refining Realm by nearly forty before attempting to enter Spirit Platform Realm. With Wang Shouzhe’s mindset as a transmigrator, how could he endure such snail-paced progress? Even if it means being extravagant and wasting some resources, he must quickly strike for Spirit Platform Realm. As for the Small Five Elements Array, it is naturally a gift for Lua Xiaoxiao. Spending Ancestor Mingsheng’s five hundred Qian Gold on the Purple Crystal Spirit Beehive was wasteful; however, Lua Xiaoxiao has a talent for being an Array Master, thus this basic array is suitable for her learning. When Steward Zhong returned to the private room and saw the list Wang Shouzhe provided, he was startled. Could it be that the Wang Family is a large Black Tortoise Clan, needing such a vast amount of resources? "Elder Zhong, does your market have any concealing breath-type treasures for sale? The price shouldn’t be too high, ideally under a thousand gold." Wang Shouzhe inquired. Steward Zhong pondered slightly and said, "There’s a Little Spirit Treasure—Concealing Breath Jade Pendant, but it can only hide non-explosive states of Qi Refining Realm cultivation and can’t fool a Spirit Platform Realm cultivator. The price isn’t too high, just about a thousand Qian Gold." "Sufficient for use." Wang Shouzhe was slightly pleased, "Include it in the list." He planned to explode his cultivation speed soon. He definitely doesn’t want his cultivation state exposed to miscellaneous people all the time. "The esteemed guest requires quite a few items." Steward Zhong appeared troubled, "I need one to two days to gather everything." "No problem, let’s sign an agreement between us." Wang Shouzhe quickly let Steward Zhong experience the mood of Steward Qiaan back then. This purchase agreement was meticulous, accounting for all imaginable loopholes. With Steward Zhong handling things, Wang Shouzhe and others no longer needed to wait here and returned to the inn overnight. He sat cross-legged on the bed, meditated, and after several hours slowly opened his eyes, marking noticeably significant progress. At this point, Wang Shouzhe’s heart finally calmed down. This Hundred Islands Guard journey truly stirred up waves and was quite tumultuous. First discovered Yin Sha Sect’s outer disciple, then Ancestor Longyan encountered a former academy junior. Any mishandling could result in severe crises. Fortunately, both matters turned crisis into safety, turning disadvantages into advantages. Especially with Yin Sha Sect’s Yin Sha Transformation Technique for outer disciples, it was useless to others but extremely fitting for the ancestor. However, despite the benefits, Wang Shouzhe decided to remain low-key after returning and secretly develop his strength. This mystical world is too dangerous; reckless wandering could lead to losing one’s life.