"Tsk, tsk, tsk. So that's how it is. Brother Wang Ping, this luck of yours is truly extraordinary. The senior Black Shark Drifter might not even have initiated a trade with anyone for a few years. I never expected that Brother Wang Ping would actually be able to get such a chance. This luck is truly enviable!"
On Black Stone Mountain, Gu Feng was even more surprised to find out that Wang Ping's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, and that he had used a type of spiritual incense to exchange for elixirs with the "Black Shark Drifter." At the same time, he was also extremely envious of his luck.
Just as he had said, the "Black Shark Drifter" rarely fancied the treasures obtained by Qi Refinement cultivators on the island, and he rarely made a move on them either.
When Wang Ping was still in the third level of the Qi Refinement realm, he had the opportunity to make a deal with the "Black Shark Drifter." Such an opportunity and luck were truly extraordinary.
As for why he did not suspect that Wang Ping was lying to him, it was because other than the fact that this was a reasonable explanation, Wang Ping had broken through from the third level of the Qi Refinement realm to the fourth level in just a little over a year's time—there was no other reason for this. Otherwise, he would not have been so surprised at the start.
"I'm just really lucky, that's all. Big Brother Gu, you're the truly enviable one here. You're at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, so you should be ranked in the top twenty among all the itinerant cultivators on Golden Pearl Island, right?"
Speaking up to this point, Wang Ping was also looking at Gu Feng with a face full of envy as he sighed. "In a few years, Big Brother Gu will probably enter the late-stage of the Qi Refinement realm, standing on the same level with seniors like Wanderer Gu and Granny He!"
These words seemed to have tickled Gu Feng's fancy, and a proud smile instantly appeared on his face.
He immediately waved his hand and said, "You flatter me, you praise me too much. Brother Wang Ping is killing me with such flattery. How can I, Gu, have such an ability to do that? I've only cultivated for a few years. How can I be compared to Wanderer Turtle, Granny He, and the other seniors who have cultivated for seventy to eighty years? Don't say such words again in the future, or I'll become a joke!"
How could Wang Ping not understand the hidden meaning behind these seemingly modest words?
He immediately fished for good words that suited his intentions and praised Gu Feng fiercely, causing the smile on the latter's face to not fade. The words "Brother Wang Ping" became "Brother Wang."
After chatting with Wang Ping for a while, Gu Feng looked at Wang Ping, who was already at the fourth level of Qi Refinement. Suddenly, with a stir of the heart, he seemed to have thought of something important.
Suddenly, he cupped his hands towards the few cultivators who were chatting with Wang Ping and said, "Sorry for disturbing you. I have something to discuss with Brother Wang alone. Please forgive me."
Wang Ping was also very surprised by Gu Feng's abrupt words. He immediately cast a puzzled look at Gu Feng.
When the cultivators, who had only known Wang Ping for a short while, heard Gu Feng's words and saw the two of them chatting joyfully a while ago, they naturally had no reason to object. They politely exchanged a few words and gave the two some privacy to talk.
"Brother Wang, please don't take offense. This matter is truly too important. This Gu cannot be careless about it."
Gu Feng seemed to know what Wang Ping was thinking. He looked at Wang Ping with a serious expression and explained before explaining in detail.
It turned out that ever since Gu Feng advanced to the seventh level of the Qi Refinement realm, as Wang Ping had predicted, he had formed a fixed demon-hunting party with a few other seventh and eighth level Qi Refinement cultivators, specializing in hunting demon beasts of higher grades which were further away from the Golden Pearl Island.
More than two months ago, their team had once again set out on a long voyage to hunt in the sea, seven to eight hundred miles away from Golden Pearl Island.
Never had they imagined that during this hunt, because of a storm's occurrence, they would accidentally discover an island that they hadn't known about before. On the island, they had also discovered the abode of a senior cultivator that was protected by an array formation and a demon beast living there.
The demon beast on the island was ferocious. Although Gu Feng and his team were powerful, they were still not strong enough to kill the demon beast and explore the cave abode of the senior cultivator.
As such, after a few more failed attempts, they noted down the location of the island and returned to Golden Pearl Island.
He planned to gather more people for the next trip. Once he had absolute confidence, he would go back to the island to kill the demon beast.
Now that Gu Feng mentioned this matter to Wang Ping, he wanted to get Wang Ping to join him.
Of course, what he valued was not Wang Ping's cultivation level and strength, but the "Illusory Body Technique" that Wang Ping had mastered.
According to what he said, the demon beast had an extremely powerful innate spell that could destroy a defensive spell like the "Rippling Water Shield" in one strike.
The reason why they had failed was that the innate spell of the demon beast was too powerful. After their defensive spell was broken, they didn't dare to risk their lives to continue fighting.
That was why Gu Feng had called Wang Ping over. He wanted Wang Ping to use the "Illusory Body Technique" to create an illusory water doppelganger to counter the demon beast's innate spell and create an opportunity for them to kill the demon beast.
"As long as Brother Wang can help us kill that demon beast, regardless of what we gain from this trip, we will give you a piece of low-grade tier-1 demon beast material. I guarantee that you'll not make this trip in vain. What do you think?"
Gu Feng looked at Wang Ping with a solemn expression, offering what he thought was a very "fair" price.
Under normal circumstances, a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refinement would at most earn only two or three pieces of low-grade demon beast materials within a year.
First, it was not easy to hunt demon beasts suitable for fourth level Qi Refinement cultivators, and second, it was impossible for a single person to keep all the gains for himself when hunting demon beasts together with others.
Now, as long as Wang Ping came with them, he would be able to obtain a piece of low-grade tier-1 demon beast material. In Gu Feng's opinion, he was definitely taking care of Wang Ping.
If it weren't for the fact that Wang Ping had a glib tongue and had praised him to his heart's content, coupled with the fact that Wang Ping's "Illusory Body Technique" was indeed unique, Gu Feng definitely wouldn't have allowed Wang Ping, a fourth level Qi Refinement cultivator who had only recently advanced to this level, to join this operation.
However, what he did not know was that Wang Ping actually did not care much about a mere piece of low-grade tier-1 demon beast material anymore.
After more than a year, the Golden-Striped Prawns that Wang Ping reared were not far from reaching adulthood. They would be ready for harvest in another year, at most.
Furthermore, with Xiao Feng's assistance and the help of the Meteor Fire-Snake Dart, Wang Ping could already hunt many low-grade tier-1 demon beasts by himself. There was no need for him to form a team, hunt demon beasts, and receive an equal distribution of the loot.
Even so, Wang Ping could not reject Gu Feng's invitation.
Yes, it was not that he did not want to reject it, it was that he could not!
After Gu Feng had said this, Wang Ping knew that there was no way he could refuse.
If he refused, Gu Feng would do anything to keep this a secret.
Perhaps Gu Feng had not intended to do so. Perhaps he really wanted to give him something good.
However, after Gu Feng said this much, Wang Ping had no other choice.
This was the cruelty of the cultivation world!
This was the misery of the weak!
As a result, after a short period of silence, Wang Ping suddenly cupped his fists at Gu Feng gratefully and said, "Since Brother Gu is willing to guide me, how can I not be willing? I'll thank Brother Gu in advance."