371 The Black-Line Star Listing (1/2)

Three faceted blue crystals lay quietly at the bottom of the spring, which was where the intense energy fluctuations were coming from. Chen Mu carefully picked them out of the hot spring and looked at them closely. They had a standard faceted shape and were completely free of impurities, like pure sapphire. The biggest was about the size of a fingernail, and the smallest was the size of a soybean.

But it was those little bits of crystal that had been disseminating such intense energy fluctuations. He could only imagine what level of energy density they contained!

The three blue crystals weren't among the materials Chen Mu was familiar with. Even so, he knew he had found a treasure. Materials that could be used to make cards had the common characteristic that they had to be compatible with energy. The three crystals contained a terrifying amount of energy and must have had an outrageous energy compatibility.

He swept the bottom of the spring with his perception, and there were no more blue crystals.

Then, just as Chen Mu was about to leave, he reconsidered and picked up a stick to stir the sediment at the bottom of the spring. As he was stirring it, he perceived a bout of energy fluctuation. Chen Mu was thrilled, knowing there were still some blue crystals at the bottom of the spring.

Sure enough, he found two more soybean-sized blue crystals.

Chen Mu's gaze was drawn by the black sediment on the bottom of the spring. When he had just stirred it, the water hadn't turned at all turbid but remained as clear as before. The sediment was like a viscous colloid, very distinct from the spring water. No matter how much Chen Mu stirred it, the black mud wouldn't mix with the water.

Thinking about how he hadn't detected the least bit of energy fluctuation from the blue crystals in the black sediment, Chen Mu's curiosity was aroused again. He used the Hundred Changes to carve the stick in his hands into a shovel shape and dug out some of the black mud. It had no smell. Chen Mu put one of the blue crystals into the black mud.

A look of joy floated onto his face. Sure enough, the powerful energy fluctuations he had just felt completely disappeared! The black mud could indeed shield energy fluctuations. Chen Mu had found treasure. Without hesitating, he put each blue crystal in a thick layer of black mud, and all of the energy fluctuations completely disappeared.

Interesting! Chen Mu looked entranced. He knew the blue crystal was certainly something good, but its incredibly powerful energy fluctuations might make him a perceptible target even from a long way off. Chen Mu didn't want to lose his life because of the blue crystals. But the thing he was most worried about had been solved by the black mud, which made him crazed with joy.

He dipped his fingers into a little of the black mud, which felt delicate in his hands. Chen Mu immediately determined that the black mud was also valuable. He cut off a section of a branch the thickness of an arm and hollowed it out into a barrel, filling it with a tube of the black mud. He then carefully sealed it. He didn't know what sort of properties it might have, but just its ability to shield energy fluctuations was enough to get his interest. He intended to take that bit of black mud back with him to research it fully.

After finishing that, Chen Mu left the spring with no reluctance.

Not long after he left, a cold-looking card artisan appeared with dozens of men beside the corpse of Mo Ta. The corpses in front of them filled that gang of card artisans with surprise.

* * *

Flying for about five straight hours, Chen Mu finally stopped. He opened the Thousand Kilometer.

Seeing Chen Mu safe and sound, Bogner and Xi Ping both breathed sighs of relief.

”Are you all right, Boss? What just happened?” Bogner's gaze was sharp. Chen Mu looked haggard, as though he had just undergone a bitter struggle.

Chen Mu gave a brief account of the battle, which left Bogner and Xi Ping aghast.

Bogner kept saying, ”Shall we transfer over some men? Should we have Xiaobo go? Or tell Wei-ah?”

Chen Mu shook his head. ”No need. By the time they get here, it won't have been any use to send them.” Who knew how far from the snow silkworm ravine his current position was? It wouldn't be so near to Zargan, either, so it would be no different than looking for a fish hook in the ocean to find a person in the vast forests.

Suddenly thinking of something, Chen Mu pulled out the stack of silver cards and said to Bogner, ”Can you help me find out what these cards actually are?” Seeing the dazed look on the two of them, he slapped his head and said, ”Right. Call Brenton over. He should know.”

Brenton came over after just a moment. ”You're looking for me, Boss?” He looked excited, thinking Chen Mu had a job for him. He had been idle ever since joining the team. Apart from training his perception, there was nothing for him to do. Although he'd gotten a good deal, he wanted the chance to prove his worth.

”Do you know what these cards are, Brenton?” Chen Mu waved the silver cards he had taken from the bodies of the gang of card artisans.

After a moment looking them over, Brenton looked frightened. ”The black-line silver-inscribed cards. It's a black-line silver-inscribed card!”

Bogner and Xi Ping looked at one another with serious gazes, and Bogner asked, ”What is a black-line silver-inscribed card, Brenton?”