"A few primeval stones are nothing compared to my dignity! I won't bow to anyone… and I won't give them my stones!"
Jian Long said it with forced confidence, raising his head like an unyielding hero—
Even though, deep down, he clearly understood the losses he had suffered… and knew he had made a mistake.
But he simply wasn't willing to admit it.
So he clung to those empty slogans… like a drowning man clutching at straw.
Zhou Quan looked at him with a mocking gaze before replying mercilessly:
"What dignity are you talking about? Aren't you the same person who was begging me this morning… and begging the caravan leader just to let you join?"
He paused, then added with a sharp smile:
"Or does your dignity run on a part-time schedule? Turning on and off depending on the situation?"
Jian Long's expression froze for a moment, then he quickly recovered:
"That was a life-or-death situation! There's no shame in that!"
Then he narrowed his eyes and counterattacked:
"And you? Isn't your daily job to greet the caravan leader, bow to him… and maybe even kiss his feet?"
Zhou Quan's eyebrows shot up instantly, his anger flaring:
"Watch your tone! I'm older than you!"
Then he added in an offended voice:
"And where did you get these ridiculous rumors from, you monkey? I'm a respectable worker in this caravan—I don't do such things!"
Jian Long smiled provocatively, having found an opening:
"Oh? Then why are you so angry?"
He tilted his head slightly and continued with clear mockery:
"Is it because what I said hit the mark?"
The argument continued the entire way, the two of them exchanging mockery and insults without pause, as if each had found in the other the perfect outlet for everything bottled up inside.
"At least I don't live off other people's scraps!"
"And at least I don't sell my dignity for a place in the caravan!"
And so, they did not stop… until they finally arrived at the shop.
It was a gigantic frog, painted in a bright orange color, with strange red lines running across its body. Its size was slightly larger than a bull, but what truly drew attention… was its mouth.
When it opened fully—
it became wider than its own body.
Wide enough that two grown men could walk into it side by side without any difficulty.
Jian Long paused for a moment, staring at it.
"…We're going inside its mouth?"
"What did you expect? A wooden door and decorations? Get in and stop complaining."
Zhou Quan shoved him from behind without waiting.
The moment they entered—
Jian Long's eyes widened slightly.
The inside… was another world.
The space was far larger than its exterior appearance suggested, as if one were inside a medium-sized house, perhaps even a little bigger.
At the heart of the place—
nearly twenty massive pillars rose from the floor to the ceiling, each with a radius of about one meter.
But they were not ordinary pillars.
They were divided into perfectly arranged hexagonal cells—
making them resemble giant honeycombs.
Inside these compartments, various materials were stored:
Most of them contained Gu worm food and refinement materials—the most commonly requested items within the caravan.
As for the Gu worms themselves…
they were kept in a smaller number of compartments.
While Jian Long was observing the place in amazement, immersed in its strange details—
a voice came from behind them:
"How can I help you?"
They both turned.
The speaker was a man in his late thirties, with clear signs of receding hair on his head. His face carried an unmistakable arrogance, along with a look of disdain he didn't even bother to hide.
His tone was condescending—
as if the people in front of him were nothing more than trash he wanted to get rid of.
And yet…
only the aura of a Rank one Gu Master emanated from him.
"Ah, Mr. Fang Leng, we came today to exchange some Gu worms, my brother and I—"
But Zhou Quan didn't get to finish.
Fang Leng interrupted him with a cold smile:
"No need for introductions."
Then he tilted his head slightly, staring at Jian Long with a strange look:
"Brother Jian Long… the genius with A-grade aptitude."
His lips curled into a malicious smile, revealing his teeth.
"I know him well."
Zhou Quan immediately tensed.
He swallowed slowly, realizing the problem.
He knew very well that Fang Leng—due to possessing only D-grade aptitude—harbored deep resentment toward the talented.
That was why he had intended to hide Jian Long's true identity as much as possible…
But clearly—
that was no longer an option.
"Alright, without wasting any time… show me the Gu worms you want to exchange."
Fang Leng said it in a condescending tone, as if he were speaking to a group of beggars rather than customers.
Jian Long cast a quick glance at Zhou Quan, who gave him a subtle nod.
At that, he extended his hand and revealed the Gu worms he intended to trade—
Lightning Moon Gu and Earth Heart Gu.
His reasoning was clear.
As for Lightning Moon Gu, despite its power, he was unable to feed it. Sooner or later, it would die in his possession, making it better to exchange it before it was too late.
As for Earth Heart Gu…
although it was an investigation-type Gu, it simply did not suit him. It could not detect living beings and only revealed terrain—
making it nearly useless in combat.
As for the Metal Spear Gu…
its name passed through his mind for a moment.
He knew it would make sense to exchange it as well.
But—
for some reason he could not explain…
he felt a strange connection to it.
As if an invisible thread bound their fates together.
And so…
he could not bring himself to part with it.
Fang Leng looked at the two Gu worms that Jian Long had presented, his gaze slowly sweeping over them, like an expert appraising goods… or a butcher selecting a cut of meat.
Then he said indifferently:
"As for the Earth Heart Gu… it's worth 300 primeval stones."
After that, he shifted his gaze to the Lightning Moon Gu.
The signs of withering were obvious—its body was dull, its movements sluggish. The effects of hunger could not be hidden.
A faint smile appeared on Fang Leng's face as he said:
"As for this one… it's worth 70 primeval stones."
He paused briefly, then added as if he were doing him a favor:
"Adding the two together… you can barely afford a Rank one Gu."
"What?!!"
Jian Long exploded in anger, his voice rising uncontrollably:
"Do you take me for a fool?! How could any Gu in this world be worth only 70 primeval stones?!"
It was true that he had lived his life as a mortal…
but he wasn't completely ignorant.
He knew the basics of the market.
Rank one Gu worms typically ranged from 200 to 600 primeval stones—
and some rare ones could even reach 1200.
In this world…
Gu worms were never cheap.
And certainly—
there was no such thing as a Gu worth only 70 stones.