Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Success

After a careful introduction, Song Chi felt a bit nervous at the bottom of his heart. It wasn’t that he cared about the gazes around him, but he was intently watching the one-armed alien behind the booth, waiting for its response.

These few items were not easily put together; if the alien didn’t agree to the trade, he really wouldn’t be able to offer any other items that met the conditions at the moment.

It’s not that these items were particularly precious; once back in Jiangyuan City, as long as he had Floating Land Origin and Credit Points, he could buy as many as he wanted. They were nowhere comparable to the Purple Quality Starry Sea Oddity, but the key was that these were the only suitable items Song Chi currently had.

He had prepared them specifically for the last exploration of the Alien Star Domain to be safe, or else he wouldn’t have even had these to offer.

If he could temporarily leave the Zhu Tian Ruins Market, everything would be so simple. Just getting a second-hand military-grade energy shield or something would solve all problems once and for all. Once equipped with a military-grade energy shield, one wouldn’t only be safe from First Rank species, even attacks from Second Rank energy levels could be resisted several times.

But the problem was that he couldn’t leave right now. If chaos broke out in the Ruins Market, not to mention Purple Relics, even the profits he had already secured were likely to be swept away.

As for why he didn’t let the Fire Peony Soldier Figurine accompany him as a bodyguard, it’s not that he didn’t want to, but that he couldn’t.

First: As mentioned before, the Fire Peony Soldier Figurine could not venture far from him, its summoner.

Second: Even if it could, it wouldn’t be able to pass through the illusory portal at the entrance to the Ruins Market. Only the alien species that entered through these portals could return the same way. Others couldn’t pass through these portals, and even with the Fire Peony Soldier Figurine’s First Rank strength, it exceeded the Spatial Gate’s current limitation of only allowing Zero Rank species to pass.

The one-armed alien looked hesitant, somewhat tempted but still seemingly feeling that it wasn’t quite safe enough.

Just relying on these three items wouldn’t ensure its safety from the First Rank Moruo Clan in the outside world.

Seeing this, Song Chi simply took out two blue-tubed potions.

“This is an Advanced Genetic Potion and an Advanced Body Tempering Potion. If you manage to reach the peak of Zero Rank, taking both of these potions together will increase the chance of advancing to First Rank.”

Seeing a hint of skepticism in the alien’s eyes, Song Chi continued.

“Both of these potions were recently bought from the genetic potion store; their effects are guaranteed.”

Having said this, the illusory golden dragon above the sky let out a long cry, as if responding to his words.

That still wasn’t enough. Song Chi added one last sentence, and it was this sentence that finally prompted the one-armed alien in front of him to make a decision.

“If you’re still unwilling, then forget it. This is all I can offer right now.”

After that, the one-armed alien finally nodded in agreement, but it added one final condition.

“Okay, but you’ll have to fully supply the specialized batteries for this combat robot and the Advanced Exoskeleton Armor.”

Snap!

Song Chi snapped his fingers.

“No problem, I’ve got plenty of intermediate energy batteries in my pack.”

With that, he pulled out dozens of matching intermediate energy batteries from his backpack.

…

After successfully acquiring the “Brain-Eating Race’s Supreme Brain” Purple Relic, the subsequent trading process returned to dullness, with no new oddities appearing. Half an hour before the end of the Ruins Market, Song Chi began the same procedure as last time.

He set up a stall on his own, exchanging Zero Rank Floating Land Origin for First Rank Floating Land Origin.

This time luck wasn’t great; he had only 210 strands of First Rank Floating Land Origin in total, nearly a hundred less than last time.

Song Chi could only console himself that after this time things should improve.

After this, the Zhu Tian Ruins Market would upgrade from Zero Rank to First Rank. Subsequently, First Rank alien civilizations would enter and exit the marketplace, and the circulation of First Rank Floating Land Origin in the marketplace should gradually increase.

Aside from the First Rank Floating Land Origin, with other resources purchased at a difference in price, the total value exceeded nine thousand strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin.

Upon really calculating it, the gain from Zero Rank Floating Land Origin this time actually surpassed last time. It seemed that the empty return from the last Alien Star Domain exploration didn’t affect this Ruins Market trade.

However, that wasn’t really the case. The reason only over 8,000 strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin were calculated last time was first because over 1,000 strands were converted into First Rank Floating Land Origin, and secondly because of the six Deep Water Clam Pearls and the drop of Mermaid’s Tear that had already been given to his mother the day before; neither of these was included in the calculation.

This time, the Purple Relic “Brain-Eating Race’s Supreme Brain” was obtained in exchange for items originally not for sale: Advanced Exoskeleton Armor, First Rank combat robots, energy grenades, two intermediate body tempering potions. Since these items were not procured with prepared capital, naturally they couldn’t be included in this trade’s earnings.

Comparing both instances, it wasn’t hard to conclude that the returns from this trade were at least several thousand strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin fewer than last time, and this was the final result of the unsuccessful exploration of the Alien Star Domain.

Regarding this, Song Chi felt a bit regrettable, but he didn’t dwell on it too much. As soon as all alien species had left and the Ruins Market trade officially came to an end, he quickly opened the property panel of the Zhu Tian Ruins Market.

With the end of this trade, all conditions for the Ruins Market’s ascension had been met, and he couldn’t wait to upgrade the Zhu Tian Ruins Market to First Rank.

[Conditions met. Do you wish to spend 200 strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin to upgrade the Ruins Market Level to lv10?]

“Confirm!”

With the word “confirm,” the 200 strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin floating in front of him suddenly dissipated, merging into the marketplace space, followed by an intense trembling of the entire Zhu Tian Ruins Market.

If someone from the outside void were to look in at that moment, they would see the Zhu Tian Ruins Market turning into a dazzling sphere of light, exceptionally eye-catching in the pitch-black void.

…

In a place extremely distant from the Zhu Tian Ruins Market, in the nearly eternal silence of the void, a series of creatures with blue-black bodies, spiral horns on their heads, and dark wings on their backs roamed through terrifying void storms.

The Void Gangwinds that seemed so terrifying in Song Chi’s eyes, these creatures, less than two meters tall and completely unknown, roamed and weaved through as if the winds were non-existent, unaffected in the slightest.

Just then, this group of creatures with red eyes and an aura of violence turned sharply and looked to the side. In that direction, a faint light had just flashed and disappeared.

The light was fleeting but, in this silent void, it was extremely noticeable.