Chapter 117: Seeking the Essence of the Black Dragon

Zhang Pu’s strength had not fully recovered. Yet, facing a formidable adversary, he understood that if the battle continued, Old Ge would suffer losses. Previously, during the fight against Wulong, although Lin Hongbin appeared injured, he had not suffered as severe a setback as Zhang Pu did after using the Sun and Moon Technique. That was why Lin Hongbin still seemed so fierce now.

Though Lin Hongbin was brave, Zhang Pu was confident he still had means to overpower him, relying at most on some of Old Ge’s power. Meanwhile, Lin Hongbin, ever vigilant in battle, immediately caught sight of Zhang Pu’s eyes, which had now fully opened.

In those eyes, Lin Hongbin saw a flame, reminiscent of the fiery orb Zhang Pu summoned when fighting Wulong. Was this man some kind of sorcerer, even more formidable than the others? In a flash of thought, a small fireball surged toward Lin Hongbin.

In that instant, Zhang Pu abandoned the Sun and Moon Technique and instead wielded fire elemental spiritual power.

“You…” Lin Hongbin was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Leave—” Zhang Pu replied coldly.

By then, he had already risen, radiating an aura similar to when he had previously overwhelmed Wulong. At least, that was how Lin Hongbin perceived it in that moment.

Though somewhat irritated by Zhang Pu’s tone, Lin Hongbin recognized that Zhang Pu had joined the fray against him. With the ghostly shadow by his side, Lin Hongbin felt utterly outmatched; even facing Zhang Pu alone gave him a headache, having witnessed firsthand how Zhang Pu had completely surpassed him during the battle with Wulong.

It seemed Zhang Pu had this matter well in hand today.

“Until we meet again—”

Knowing retreat was the wisest stratagem, Lin Hongbin decisively uttered those words and swiftly fled the cave.

Zhang Pu naturally did not pursue him. He was well aware of his current bodily condition.

What followed astonished Zheng Lan: Zhang Pu was actually allied with the ghostly shadow. Yet Zhang Pu appeared uninterested in explaining the details to her, and some things, he felt, were either impossible or unnecessary to divulge.

He simply told Zheng Lan: The ghostly shadow, Old Ge, is a good man.

Then, Zhang Pu straightforwardly laid things out to her: now that Lin Hongbin had left, she was free. If she wished to leave, she could.

His words were calm; even after rescuing Zheng Lan twice, including during the battle with Wulong, Zhang Pu felt no debt or obligation from her.

This, however, oddly made Zheng Lan feel somewhat embarrassed.

Moreover, she was reluctant to leave on her own. It was not just fear of wandering alone in such a desolate mountain; she also feared Lin Hongbin might not have truly gone far, perhaps lurking nearby, waiting for her to be alone again to ambush her.

Given this, how could Zheng Lan dare to depart alone?

Being intelligent, she sensed the danger and promptly expressed gratitude to Zhang Pu for saving her life. She insisted on leaving together with him.

Zhang Pu appeared indifferent, his expression cold, almost detached.

This stirred frustration within Zheng Lan: here she was, a noble lady with beauty, status, and wealth—many young men had sought to win her favor but failed. Yet this inexperienced youth was now putting on airs. How utterly unreasonable!

Still, though displeased, Zheng Lan recognized she was under someone else’s protection and that it was wise to suppress her haughty attitude.

Zhang Pu, of course, understood her inner turmoil perfectly but said nothing. He thought to himself that if she continued with such arrogance, he might have to find ways to temper her spirit—if fate brought them together again.

After leaving the cave, Zhang Pu seemed preoccupied and barely engaged with Zheng Lan.

She, feeling a bit guilty, found it awkward to strike up conversation.

Yet Zhang Pu noticed Zheng Lan’s eyes constantly, whether consciously or unconsciously, trying to glimpse the essence he had obtained from Wulong.

Was she coveting this treasure? Zhang Pu mused.

But he immediately felt disdainful: if Zheng Lan dared harbor such improper thoughts, she would be courting death.

Naturally, Zheng Lan had some self-awareness.

Zhang Pu was profoundly inscrutable to her, and Old Ge’s ghost hovering nearby only added to her fear.

Still, the essence of Wulong held an irresistible allure for her.

At last, summoning courage, Zheng Lan spoke hesitantly—stammering and faltering, a manner uncharacteristic of her usual poise.

She proposed to buy the essence of Wulong from Zhang Pu, candidly stating it would be extremely useful to her family.

Though she did not elaborate on how, she expressed willingness to pay a high price.

A high price? For Zhang Pu, who had been obsessively seeking funds for his cultivation, the offer struck a chord.

Though firmly resolved not to sell this precious treasure—no matter the price—he found himself curious about what “high price” Zheng Lan might propose.

He had heard of her wealth and the renown of her family even overseas during their journey.

Thus, Zhang Pu, somewhat tempted, asked what price she was prepared to offer.

“One million,” Zheng Lan responded.

Given the hardship of the battle with Wulong still vivid in her mind, she dared not name a low price, treating the transaction almost like an auction.

She thought this offer fair for someone like Zhang Pu, who appeared so plainly dressed and rustic. Perhaps she momentarily forgot he was a master, her obsession with the essence clouding her judgment.

She did not expect Zhang Pu to snort in derision upon hearing “one million.”

Puzzled, she turned to him, soon realizing he found her offer too low.

This was the essence of Wulong! She reminded herself and resolved to raise her bid.