Stepping out of the Treasure Pill Pavilion, Zhang Ergou sprinted towards the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
Upon entering the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, he saw Wu Dafei dozing on a reclining chair. The pavilion wasn't as crowded as Zhang Ergou had imagined.
Presumably, the disciples who had won the Outer Sect Grand Competition had already prepared their necessary supplies.
Only he, a clueless novice, would have forgotten to stock up at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion if Lin Yueru hadn't reminded him.
"You're something else, kid. Not only did you come through that situation unscathed, but you even broke through unexpectedly. Should I say you're lucky, or that you have a tough life?"
Seeing it was Zhang Ergou, Wu Dafei, upon opening his eyes, couldn't help but sigh.
The scene from that day was still vivid in his mind. Wu Dafei felt that even he wouldn't have dared to risk taking a Bone Shattering Pill to fight.
"Heh heh, Senior Uncle, it was just luck," Zhang Ergou rubbed his nose with a sheepish grin. "Elder, I've come to buy some things. I'm entering the Wild Beast Forest tomorrow, so I need to be well-prepared."
After glancing around again and seeing no one else, Zhang Ergou suddenly lowered his voice.
"Elder, do you have any little tricks like knockout smoke?"
Wu Dafei stared at Zhang Ergou with his narrow eyes, "Always thinking of crooked ways."
The cold tone startled Zhang Ergou. Just as he was about to retreat, he heard Wu Dafei change his tune.
"Heh heh, but you've come to the right person, kid. When it comes to collections, no one in the entire outer sect of the Misty Sect can compare to me, Wu Dafei. There's nothing you can't find here that you can't imagine."
Seeing Wu Dafei's smug smile, Zhang Ergou grinned back slyly.
In the vast Myriad Treasures Pavilion, one old man and one young man, the two living treasures, burst into laughter.
"Here! See if this is enough. I've already prepared this for you, kid. I know you like these little gadgets." Saying that, Wu Dafei tossed a storage ring to Zhang Ergou.
"So much? Elder, what are these black balls?"
As soon as Zhang Ergou scanned the contents with his divine sense, he saw all sorts of small items, mostly knockout drugs and smoke.
But in a corner, some dark black balls were piled up, things he had never seen before.
"Haha, that's what I've been researching lately. It's a mixture of knockout smoke and drugs, with some other ingredients added..."
"Elder, just tell me what they do?" Zhang Ergou interrupted as he saw Wu Dafei about to launch into a long explanation.
"Ai! You unlucky brat, I've named this thing the Black Mist Egg, and it's extremely simple to use."
"When you encounter an opponent you can't defeat, you just need to take it out, put some strength into it, and throw it on the ground. The Black Mist Egg will shatter on impact, and the knockout drugs and smoke inside will disperse."
"Not only will it instantly blind the enemy, but prolonged inhalation of the smoke will directly lead to incapacitation. It's the ultimate tool for causing trouble."
The more Wu Dafei spoke, the brighter Zhang Ergou's eyes became. This was practically tailor-made for him.
If Wu Dafei weren't an old man, Zhang Ergou would have wanted to hug him tightly and give him a big kiss.
"Elder, your Black Mist Egg is good, but won't it be indiscriminate and knock me out too? Then what's the point?"
"Do you think I haven't considered that? See those white jade bottles next to the Black Mist Eggs? Those contain antidotes specifically to counter the Black Mist Egg's smoke and drugs."
"Just take them beforehand."
"Elder, you're also an alchemist? I've never heard anyone mention it?"
Zhang Ergou looked at Wu Dafei curiously. It was the first time he had heard of anyone in the Misty Sect other than Qiao Yanyun being an alchemist.
"Ahem! ...You brat, don't ask what you shouldn't!"
Wu Dafei coughed dryly, glared, and shouted.
"If you don't want to say, fine. Who cares to listen?" Zhang Ergou, afraid Wu Dafei would go back on his word, quickly pocketed the storage ring.
"Hey, hey, hey! I just let you look, who told you to put it away?" Wu Dafei became anxious when he saw Zhang Ergou pocket the ring.
"It's just spirit stones, is one hundred thousand spirit stones enough?" Once it was in Zhang Ergou's hands, he didn't want to return it. Such a great tool for causing trouble, why would he give it back?
"Are you trying to scrimp on me? My hard-earned research, and you think it's only worth that much?" Wu Dafei shot Zhang Ergou an exasperated glance.
Zhang Ergou sheepishly rubbed his nose, putting on a simple smile, "Elder, I spent a lot of spirit stones buying the puppet from you last time. I haven't had any income recently."
"You see, could you be lenient? Once I'm wealthy, I'll surely repay your kindness today for this gift."
"Get lost! Stop crying poverty to me. Others might not know you, but I know you well?" Wu Dafei grumbled, his beard bristling with anger.
"As an alchemist, how could you not have spirit stones? Are you trying to fool a ghost?"
"Alright, these are all my spirit stones. Elder, take a look, I'll give them all to you." Zhang Ergou reluctantly tossed a storage ring to Wu Dafei, containing seventeen to eighteen thousand spirit stones.
"That's more like it." After inspecting it, Wu Dafei's face showed a satisfied smile.
"What? Why are you still lingering here, kid? Waiting for me to feed you?" Seeing that Zhang Ergou had no intention of leaving, Wu Dafei narrowed his eyes again.
"Heh heh, Elder, do you have any ropes for tying people? The kind that can't be easily broken, and the more you struggle, the tighter they bind?"
Leaning closer to Wu Dafei, Zhang Ergou said slyly again.
"What mischief are you up to now?" A cold glint flashed, and Zhang Ergou immediately tensed up.
"But I don't care what you do, as long as there are enough spirit stones." With a change of tone, Wu Dafei returned to his usual demeanor.
This time, he was smarter. He didn't immediately produce what Zhang Ergou wanted, but waited for him to make an offer.
"Elder, just tell me how much you're willing to sell it for?" Zhang Ergou was overjoyed to hear there was a possibility.
"Twenty thousand spirit stones per rope. I won't ask for more. How many do you want?"
"That's a bit too expensive. Twenty thousand spirit stones per rope? If I want more, can you give me a discount?"
"Tch, how many can you possibly want?" Wu Dafei said dismissively, certain Zhang Ergou had no more money.
"Let's say about ten or so. How about it, Elder? If you can be cheaper, I'll take more!" Zhang Ergou tempted Wu Dafei like a little fox.
"What? Cough cough... Ten or so! What do you need so many Binding Immortal Ropes for? Are you going to hang yourself?"
"Heh heh, Elder, just tell me if you can be cheaper?"
"If you take twenty, I can give you a better price, fifteen thousand spirit stones per rope."
"One thousand per rope! I want thirty!"
"Alright, deal! Pay up!" Wu Dafei readily agreed.
Damn it, I've been ripped off again!
Zhang Ergou reluctantly handed over a storage ring, containing a full three hundred thousand spirit stones, which he had painstakingly plundered...