Since the "Black Shark Drifter" had come out of seclusion, Wang Ping naturally had no more reason to stay on Black Stone Mountain.
As such, although Lin Xiao'e was extremely reluctant to part with him, Wang Ping gritted his teeth as he left in tears.
He knew very well that, to leave now, was a good thing for both him and Lin Xiao'e.
Partings had always been sad. But Wang Ping was already used to living in solitude, so his sadness didn't last long.
After leaving Black Stone Mountain, he rushed back to White Sand City without stopping for a break. In just eight days, he had safely returned to his courtyard on White Gull Mountain.
Due to the fact that he hadn't returned for several months and that Xiao Feng wasn't there watching over the house, the vegetables in the courtyard had either withered or had been eaten by birds, mountain rats, and other animals. In addition, a layer of fallen leaves had piled up in the courtyard.
When Wang Ping saw this, he immediately released Xiao Feng, who had been staying in the "Heaven and Earth Shell" for a few months and was about to fall sick. Then, he got it to help him clear the fallen leaves and branches in the courtyard, while also looking after the big fat bird which he named "Bai Yu."
As for himself, he was hiding in his room to check the reward that "Black Shark Drifter" had given him before he left.
In order to thank Wang Ping for bringing him Lin Xiao'e, a disciple with a thunder-elemental spiritual core constitution, the "Black Shark Drifter" had given him a generous bunch of rewards that would invoke everyone's envy.
These items included a storage bag with three-feet storage space, two bottles containing a total of ten 'Water Concentration Pills' that could be used to advance the cultivation of a Qi Refinement Stage cultivator, one 'Poison Cleansing Pill' that could relieve many poisons, and a "Blood Coagulation Pill" that could stop bleeding and heal injuries quickly.
There was also one spiritual talisman that could release a high-grade tier-1 fire-type offensive spell, the "Exploding Flame Fireball," two spiritual talismans that could release a mid-grade tier-1 water-type defensive spell, the "Rippling Water Shield," and fifty low-grade spiritual stones.
As Wang Ping's knowledge of them was shallow, he lacked sufficient information to make comparisons and was unable to estimate the value of the items that the "Black Shark Drifter" had rewarded him with.
However, he knew very well that if news of him possessing these items were to spread, it would definitely bring him great trouble, even the danger of death.
Thus, not long after he had left Black Stone Mountain, he put the storage pouch, which was originally hanging on his body, away inside the "Heaven and Earth Shell", not daring to take it out again en route.
It was only now that he had returned to his own cultivation ground and had Xiao Feng on guard outside that he dared to take these items out again to examine them.
Apart from Dharma artifacts, Wang Ping knew very little about elixirs and talismans.
For example, because elixirs all had different effects, their values could not be measured by their rank. Therefore, cultivators could not categorize them in the same way as Dharma artifacts.
However, generally speaking, the most valuable elixirs were those that could revive the dead after consumption. They could allow cultivators to sustain their lives under lethal situations and recover from fatal injuries.
The second most valuable was the "Breakthrough Pill," which could help cultivators make a breakthrough to a certain major or minor realm.
Then, there were elixirs that could improve one's Dharma power and cultivation, such as the 'Water Concentration Pills' That Wang Ping had obtained.
As for spiritual talismans, cultivators would divide them into first-grade, high-grade, and middle-grade spirit talismans according to the grade of the spells they could release.
From these aspects, the items that the "Black Shark Drifter" had rewarded Wang Ping were definitely of the highest quality.
"Although Senior Black Shark Drifter has always been generous to the itinerant cultivators on the island, I have never heard of him giving a reward as rich as this."
"It seems that the rarity and value of a thunder-elemental spiritual core constitution is far greater than I imagined!"
"But if that is the case, wouldn't my kindness of sending Xiao'e to become a disciple of the Black Shark Drifter, turn into an act of selling her for glory?"
When he thought of this, Wang Ping looked at the treasures in front of him again. The joy on his face faded.
After staring at the treasures blankly for a while, he smiled and raised his hand to pat his forehead, before shaking his head and laughing.
"Wang Ping, Wang Ping, you are really young. Let's not talk about the fact that your original intention was not to sell the girl for glory. Even if it was, letting Xiao'e cultivate by the senior Black Shark Drifter's side will ensure that you will never lack any Dharma artifacts, elixirs, or spiritual talismans in the future. Isn't this far better than keeping her as a maidservant by your side and making her suffer? Is there any father or brother who would be unwilling to do that?"
Wang Ping deeply empathized with the hard work the itinerant cultivators on Golden Pearl Island needed to put in to survive.
Under such circumstances where resources were scarce and the exploitation and oppression of the "Golden Pearl Li Clan" were rampant, itinerant cultivators who wanted to purchase a Dharma artifact for themselves or a spirit pill to aid in their cultivation breakthroughs had to put their lives on the line to fight demon beasts, and not just once.
Even with the wonderful "Heaven and Earth Shell" in his hands, it was impossible for him to change this situation. At most, it would allow him to accumulate those materials more easily than others, allowing him to reduce the number of times he needed to fight those formidable demon beasts.
Therefore, if he could become a disciple of a middle-stage Foundation Establishment expert like the "Black Shark Drifter," in Wang Ping's opinion, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous fortune, since it was the best way to escape the exploitation and oppression of the "Golden Pearl Li Clan."
Furthermore, the "Black Shark Drifter '' had been on Golden Pearl Island for several decades, and he had maintained a good reputation all the while. In the past few months of interaction, other than being a little arrogant and cold, there was nothing much to nitpick about him.
After Wang Ping had thought all of this through, his mood was lifted. With his conscience clear, he put all the treasures before him away into the "Heaven and Earth Shell."
As the storage bag was too eye-catching, he did not intend to take it out for use. Among the dozens of itinerant cultivators on the Golden Pearl Island, only a handful of them possessed it. It was definitely not something an early-stage Qi Refinement cultivator like him could carry around.
Therefore, in the end, he placed only the talisman that could release a middle-grade defensive spell, "Rippling Water Shield," in his pocket. This way, it would be convenient for him to take it out during emergencies.
After checking the items and putting them away, Wang Ping went out to clean the courtyard.
In the courtyard, Xiao Feng was picking up the fallen branches and tossing them into the woodshed.
Bai Yu, who had white feathers growing on its body, followed Xiao Feng's lead. It opened its mouth to pick up a smaller branch. It flapped its wings as it stuck to Xiao Feng's side closely like a duckling.
A wolf and a bird. Together, they looked strangely harmonious and natural.