Chapter 467: Just Name Your Price

Hearing this, the Lord of Dawn found himself agreeing completely; the words had spoken right to his heart. "Excellent! Captain Zhou truly lives up to his reputation as the premier God Hunter in these parts!

"Yan Ming, do you hear? You need to learn a thing or two from Captain Zhou from now on!"

Yan Ming gnashed his teeth in secret resentment, practically swallowing them, but kept a fawning smile plastered across his face. "Your Lordship is absolutely right. This subordinate will definitely learn from Captain Zhou in the future."

After the two exchanged superficial pleasantries for a while, the Lord of Dawn finally revealed his true purpose.

"Captain Zhou, this Saint Lord is highly interested in these Divine Ruins. Could you describe them in detail? Naturally, I won't shortchange you on the payment. Given the losses Dawn's Blade suffered, this Saint Lord will also provide corresponding compensation."

"And what about this Bronze Incense Burner..." Su Mu gestured toward the Bronze Incense Burner sitting on the table.

The Lord of Dawn chuckled, pushing the Bronze Incense Burner across the table. "Since Captain Zhou found this item, it naturally belongs to you. This Saint Lord is not one to forcefully seize what belongs to others."

Su Mu smiled faintly, thinking to himself that the Lord of Dawn was quite the actor, a completely different person from before.

He stowed away the Bronze Incense Burner and began recounting Zhou Qiong's experiences within the Divine Ruins. Having already learned the details from Chu Ying, he wasn't worried about his cover slipping.

As he spoke, the Lord of Dawn listened intently, assuming the posture of a gracious ruler consulting a wise subordinate.

When the Lord of Dawn heard the mention of blood-red thorns, his eyes flickered imperceptibly.

"Blood-red thorns?"

"What? Is there something wrong with the blood-red thorns?"

The Lord of Dawn shot a meaningful glance at Yan Ming. Catching the hint immediately, Yan Ming bowed and withdrew, stepping outside the garden to stand guard.

"To tell you the truth, this Saint Lord just detected the aura of the Merciful Holy Mother of Myriad Blossoms on the Bronze Incense Burner. Someone must have come into contact with the Holy Mother before they were reduced to incense ash.

"Now, hearing your account of the blood-red thorns, this Saint Lord is eighty percent certain that two Divine Corpses exist within those Divine Ruins. The first is the Fallen Sin Maitreya, and the second is... the very entity this Saint Lord has been searching for, the Merciful Holy Mother of Myriad Blossoms!"

"Oh?" Su Mu feigned surprise. "Then congratulations are in order."

The Lord of Dawn offered a bitter smile. "Save your congratulations. Finding the Merciful Holy Mother of Myriad Blossoms is certainly a good thing, but the problem is that this isn't a single Divine Ruin. It's a dual Divine Ruin, and the difficulty involved...

"Ah, I almost forgot. As a God Hunter, Captain Zhou naturally understands the Divine Ruins far better than I do. I am merely displaying axe work before Lu Ban."

Su Mu stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes. "A dual Divine Ruin is indeed a thorny problem, but based on my experience, it's not entirely without a solution."

The Lord of Dawn stared blankly, genuinely surprised that Zhou Qiong actually knew a way to handle a dual Divine Ruin. Had he underestimated the man?

"And what might Captain Zhou's method be...?"

Su Mu's expression turned grave. "The method is... simply not going inside."

The Lord of Dawn: "..."

"So what if a dual Divine Ruin is dangerous? As long as I don't go in, is it going to run out and kill me?"

The Lord of Dawn: "..."

Beneath his wide sleeves, his fists clenched tight enough for the veins to bulge.

"Captain Zhou jests. Now that the Divine Puzzle is right before my eyes, this Saint Lord must investigate it, even if it means risking my life."

"Then I wish you the best of luck." Su Mu cupped his fists, downed the rest of his tea in a single gulp, and made to leave.

The Lord of Dawn hurriedly stepped forward to block him. "Please stay, Captain Zhou. This Saint Lord has one more presumptuous request. I hope you will accompany me and enter the Divine Ruins once more. I am confident that with you leading the way, this expedition will meet with instant success!

"Rest assured, money is not an issue. Just name your price!"

"No matter how much money you offer, a man needs to be alive to spend it. I know the dangers of a dual Divine Ruin better than anyone. I was lucky enough to make it out alive this time, but next time might be a different story."

The Lord of Dawn's face darkened. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to force Zhou Qiong's hand. He needed an obedient guide, not one harboring a grudge.

Once inside the Divine Ruins, if Zhou Qiong deliberately caused trouble and cost him the Divine Corpse of the Merciful Holy Mother of Myriad Blossoms, it would be too late for regrets.

"Captain Zhou, rest assured. Since this Saint Lord is inviting you into the Divine Ruins, I will naturally guarantee your safety. Furthermore, I intend to invite the Lord of Primal Desolation to accompany us. With two Saint Lords taking action, coupled with your wealth of experience, braving this dual Divine Ruin is more than possible!"

Su Mu looked deeply conflicted. "Traveling alongside two Saint Lords is naturally an excellent prospect, it's just..."

"Captain Zhou, do not hesitate. This Saint Lord is determined to succeed on this expedition to the Divine Ruins. If you agree, I will be eternally grateful. Should I manage to complete my Divine Puzzle this time, I wouldn't be opposed to personally hunting down a Divine Corpse for you in the future!"

Su Mu knew the time was ripe, so he put on a reluctant front and agreed. "Since that's the case, I suppose I can accompany you. However, after emerging from the Divine Ruins this time, my severe injuries have yet to heal. I still need..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, the Lord of Dawn flipped his palm, producing a Silver Ring.

"This spatial Artifact contains Transcendent materials this Saint Lord has hoarded for many years. Please use them freely, Captain Zhou. Recovering from your injuries is the top priority."

Su Mu accepted the Silver Ring without a shred of modesty, though he feigned hesitation as he spoke again. "With these Transcendent materials, my injuries won't be an issue. However, the Divine Ruins are treacherous, and my own strength is severely lacking. If I could have a few divine taboo objects for self-defense, then..."

Murderous intent roiled in the Lord of Dawn's heart, but he forced a hearty, generous expression. "A mere divine taboo object or two? Consider them yours, Captain Zhou."

With a grand wave of his hand, two divine taboo objects materialized on the table.

A black umbrella and a pale bone fan.

The moment these two divine taboo objects appeared, two terrifying auras of divine power instantly swept through the room.

A soft halo of light emanated from the Lord of Dawn, firmly suppressing the oppressive divine auras.

He picked up the black umbrella to introduce it. "The Dark Night Umbrella. It channels the divine power of the dark night and possesses unparalleled defense. When opened, not only can it block a full-force strike from a Saint Lord, but it also allows the user to meld into the darkness."

He set down the Dark Night Umbrella and picked up the bone fan. "The Netherbone Fan. It conjures the winds of the netherworld and possesses unparalleled offensive might. This wind doesn't merely corrode the physical body; it can scatter a person's very soul.

"With these two divine taboo objects protecting you, Captain Zhou, I guarantee you will remain safe and sound."

Watching Su Mu casually snatch up the two divine taboo objects, the Lord of Dawn's heart bled. These were his personal treasures! However, the heartache only lasted a moment. He had already made up his mind: the instant Su Mu outlived his usefulness, he would slaughter the man. Then, naturally, the treasures would return to their rightful owner.

Su Mu inspected the two divine taboo objects—one for offense, one for defense—and then posed a very crucial question. "What happens if I use the Netherbone Fan to attack the Dark Night Umbrella?"

The Lord of Dawn: "..."

After a stunned silence, he forced out an incredibly strained smile, looking like his facade was on the verge of shattering. "That... is something this Saint Lord has genuinely never tried. These two treasures have already been gifted to you, Captain Zhou, so you can test them yourself once you return.

"Though I strongly suggest against trying it just yet. If you were to damage either one of them, the loss would far outweigh the gain."

Seeing Su Mu open his mouth to speak again, the Lord of Dawn hurriedly cut him off. "Captain Zhou's injuries have yet to heal. You should prioritize your recovery. This Saint Lord must go contact the Lord of Primal Desolation now, so I won't keep you any longer."