When Golden Finger Meets Salted Fish

Jiang Mo was momentarily shocked by the news of the dragon bones, even feeling as if the "stone" beneath her feet had suddenly become hot.

Fortunately, she hadn't transmigrated here overnight. Though absorbing spiritual energy from someone else's remains felt a bit uncomfortable, the cultivation world had always used spirit beasts and demonic beasts as materials—were dragon bones really any different from other spirit beast bones?

Having successfully convinced herself, Jiang Mo returned to her normal mindset and shifted her focus back to the matter at hand. Looking at the Dragon's Blood Grass growing from the bone crevices and recalling her Senior Sister's attitude, she knew this herb must be exceptionally precious. Although the dragon bones were more useful to her personally, abandoning the Dragon's Blood Grass seemed wasteful. But she truly couldn't afford two game bags!

The poor little tiger once again felt the helplessness of being controlled by poverty.

She looked at the dragon bones beneath her feet, then at the budding Dragon's Blood Grass, and negotiated with the system: "System, this Dragon's Blood Grass is growing on the dragon bones, why can't they be collected together?"

The system looked at her with exasperation, with an attitude of "host, don't be unreasonable," and analyzed seriously: "Bones are bones, grass is grass. They're two completely different things, so how could they be put in the same bag?"

Jiang Mo was speechless. She paced back and forth on the dragon bones, glancing at her meager points balance. Finally, with great reluctance, she asked the system: "Then can you collect the dragon bones and leave the Dragon's Blood Grass?" She added with emphasis: "Don't damage the root system of the Dragon's Blood Grass—leave it completely intact."

"Precise operation, of course possible," the system readily agreed, then immediately threw cold water on her: "But host, I don't think this will work. Spirit herbs in this cultivation world are different from the flowers you used to grow. The higher the grade of the spirit herb, the harder it is to transplant. This Dragon's Blood Grass contains abundant vitality and spiritual energy, suggesting a very high grade. If removed from its original growing environment, it probably won't survive."

Jiang Mo froze, immediately annoyed: "Then why did you say to put them in separate bags? Wouldn't the result be the same?"

The system insisted: "Of course not! Items collected by the system can be released exactly as they were collected, guaranteed to be identical in every way. Time and state are suspended while preserved by the system."

Jiang Mo then asked: "What if they're both collected by the system, one placed in a game bag and one in storage space?"

Without thinking, the system replied: "Both are under system management, just in different ways, so the effect is naturally the same."

The little white tiger immediately brightened, stomping firmly on the dragon bones with one paw, excitedly deciding: "Alright, I'll buy one game bag and one cubic meter of space, a total of 5,100 points. Deduct it."

The system paused, completely surprised by the host's approach—it had thought she would abandon the Dragon's Blood Grass. Though the herb wasn't mature yet and harvesting it now would be wasteful, after this incident, the host would certainly realize the importance of points again. Then she might become more diligent, allowing the system to repay its loan earlier... After accompanying such a lazy host for so long, the main system had already sent messages demanding repayment of the first loan!

Unfortunately, the host was too clever; the system's plan died before it could be voiced. So it reluctantly helped her open the game bag and storage space, earning that tiny commission.

After a series of operations, the system said listlessly: "Host, everything is ready. You can collect items anytime."

With the problem solved, the little white tiger immediately brightened. However, she didn't miss the system's change in attitude and wondered why her system baby had become so materialistic.

Perhaps it had recently been bored and taken a part-time job as a shopping mall guide to earn commissions?

The little white tiger's thoughts wandered as she relaxed, collecting the dragon bones beneath her feet while inwardly teasing the system.

As the dragon bones that had occupied the entire lake bottom disappeared, a surge of undercurrents suddenly rose in the lake. The little white tiger, caught off guard, was tossed around several times by these currents, like accidentally entering a running washing machine and being spun dizzy. If she had surfaced at that moment, she would have seen the entire lake water level drop significantly.

Fortunately, Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin had already left the lake with You Yi and his companion. The surrounding spirit beasts, intimidated by the Silver-scaled Black Python's pressure, didn't dare approach the lake, so no one had yet noticed this unusual activity.

Just as the dizzy little white tiger regained her footing, before she could recover from the vertigo, she heard the system burst into tears with a "woof" in her consciousness: "Host, you need to complete tasks and earn points! The main system is urging me to repay my loan..."

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Yun Qingyue and the others who had left were naturally unaware of the changes at the lake bottom.

Encountering Senior Brother You Yi and his Junior Sister was unexpected, but they had already explored the lake bottom situation and were temporarily at a loss. Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin exchanged glances, both deciding not to let the pair get involved, so they directly led them to find Su Hao and the others.

You Yi likely knew the two had been hiding underwater for a reason, but having just been rescued by them and with Junior Sister Ruan Le in poor condition, he naturally had no intention of pressing the matter. Carrying the unconscious Ruan Le, he followed the two, moving swiftly. Before long, they heard earth-shattering battle sounds in the distance, and he paused, asking: "What's happening? Are Senior Brother Su Hao and the others fighting enemies?"

Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin were forthright: "Our senior brothers are dealing with a Silver-scaled Black Python. There may be danger ahead. Since Senior Brother You Yi and Junior Sister Ruan Le are injured, please wait here for a moment. Junior Brother Tan Xin and I will go help first."

The Silver-scaled Black Python was water-attributed, and You Yi, quick-witted, immediately associated it with the lake they had left. He blinked but said nothing, merely nodding: "My Junior Sister and I can't be of help now, so we won't hinder you." With that, he settled on the crown of a towering tree, laying Ruan Le down flat and sitting cross-legged himself: "We'll wait here. May you all achieve victory."

Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin bid him farewell, offering two bottles of healing medicinal pills before heading off without looking back to help Su Hao and the others.

Su Hao's group was indeed in a difficult situation. For the past quarter hour, the Silver-scaled Black Python had been frenzied, determined to return to the lake regardless of its injuries. They had barely managed to temporarily restrain it using formations when, a few breaths ago, something unknown happened, making it even more crazed. It now struggled violently, and even the formation began to collapse.

When Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin arrived, they saw that nearly half the formation's binding ropes on the Silver-scaled Black Python had snapped. The python had injured itself extensively during its struggles but didn't care, with half its head already free from the formation.

Seeing this, Tan Xin was greatly alarmed and immediately threw out his white jade prayer beads, hoping to delay it.

When Su Hao and the others saw the two appear, their expressions changed dramatically—they had originally agreed that once Yun Qingyue and Tan Xin had obtained what they sought, they would retreat as far as possible to avoid being pursued by the freed Silver-scaled Black Python. But now what was happening? The Silver-scaled Black Python was still berserk, yet they had come? Neither of them was reckless by nature; had something unexpected occurred at the lake?!

The struggling Silver-scaled Black Python glanced at the two, sensing the dragon energy not yet fully absorbed within them, and became even more agitated. But simultaneously, it could sense that the dragon energy on them was very minimal—they couldn't be the true thieves who had disturbed the dragon bones.

The Silver-scaled Black Python, which usually never weighed pros and cons, was extremely clear-headed now. These human cultivators before it were certainly annoying, but what truly mattered were the Dragon's Blood Grass and dragon bones at the lake bottom. They were its opportunity to transform into a dragon—compared to this, its current anger held no significance! So its cold vertical pupils merely gave the two a frigid glance, memorizing everyone's aura, while it continued its desperate struggle to break free and return to its lair.

Yun Qingyue didn't intend to stop it. Seeing the Silver-scaled Black Python's frenzy, she called to everyone: "Senior Brother, let it leave?"

Hearing this, everyone, including the Silver-scaled Black Python, paused. The latter, detecting the formation's momentary weakening, immediately exerted all its strength in one struggle and indeed broke free. Before anyone could react, the Silver-scaled Black Python had darted away.

A thunderous boom accompanied by dust clouds receded into the distance—the Silver-scaled Black Python moved faster on land than flying through the air.

Su Hao and the others instinctively stepped forward to pursue but quickly stopped, turning to look at Yun Qingyue: "Junior Sister Yun, what exactly happened? Did someone arrive and steal the prize after we lured away the Silver-scaled Black Python?"

Yun Qingyue shook her head: "No, we found what was at the lake bottom, but couldn't retrieve it immediately."

Hearing this, Bei Luo looked in the direction the Silver-scaled Black Python had left, immediately becoming anxious: "Then we should have figured something out! Why did you come here? Now the Silver-scaled Black Python has returned—do we still have a chance to lure it away a second time?!"

Su Hao remained composed, raising his hand to stop Bei Luo's words, looking around Yun Qingyue: "Jianbing isn't here. Did she stay at the lake bottom?" With Jianbing there, the Silver-scaled Black Python's return was useless. But they had agreed not to rely on Jianbing's help, and now with things having developed to this point, something unexpected must have occurred: "So what exactly was at the lake bottom?"

Yun Qingyue looked at Su Hao, then at Tan Ming, and uttered a name: "Ninth-grade Dragon's Blood Grass." She paused: "And a dragon skeleton."

Upon hearing this, there was a collective sharp intake of breath. Now everyone finally understood why the Silver-scaled Black Python was so strange—it had absorbed dragon energy from the dragon bones, allowing it to grow to such a size before reaching adulthood.

A fervent light immediately appeared in everyone's eyes—dragon bones that could grow ninth-grade Dragon's Blood Grass must belong to a true dragon. True dragons were over a hundred zhang long, and even a single dragon bone could benefit someone immensely. Even if they couldn't obtain the entire skeleton, getting just a scale or claw would be extremely profitable, not to mention a ninth-grade Dragon's Blood Grass!

Everyone's burning gazes turned back to the two. Having spent so much time going to the lake bottom and discovering these treasures, they must have obtained something. The two were reliable and hadn't concealed anything, suggesting they had no intention of keeping the benefits to themselves.

This time, Tan Xin stepped forward voluntarily to explain: "Senior Brothers, Sister Yun and this humble monk returned empty-handed. The residual dragon might on the bones prevented our approach, and attacks were rebounded. It was precisely because we had no solution that we came to seek everyone's counsel."

A monk wouldn't lie, and hearing this, no one doubted the Buddhist disciple's words, though they felt immensely disappointed.

Su Hao lightly coughed and asked: "What about Jianbing? Didn't she help?"

Yun Qingyue slightly pressed her lips together and answered: "Jianbing can touch the dragon bones, but she's too small to move them."

Hearing this, everyone was speechless, unable to laugh even if they wanted to.