"Holy shit, what the hell is this?"
Li Tianming's eyes went wide as he stared at the fist-sized red crystal in front of him, and he blurted out a curse without thinking.
After taking it from Qin Siyang's hand, he examined it carefully for a long time, his eyeballs almost pressed against the surface of the crystal.
Only then did he look at Qin Siyang blankly, "Little Qin, this is…"
"Crimson Crystal."
"Th… this… a fist-sized Crimson Crystal? That really exists?"
Qin Siyang could not help but laugh, "Old Li, you're something else. You didn't even know whether this thing existed, and you still dared to make it a required material for your research?"
Li Tianming held the Crimson Crystal in his hands, unable to put it down, his eyes burning with excitement, "You think I wanted to? Of course it's because among all known materials, there's nothing that can replace the Crimson Crystal!"
Then he shook his head and sighed, "I really never thought I would see a Crimson Crystal this size! At the very least, not now! Not at this moment! Not just a little over half a year after meeting you! And already see it!"
"Little Qin, how did you get this Crimson Crystal? Don't tell me you have some kind of God-Taming sequence and raised a Pooled Begonia?"
"It's from that time I went out with you and ran into it."
"Huh?", Li Tianming froze on the spot, "How did you pull that off?"
Qin Siyang told him about the person lying in ambush for him inside the Pooled Begonia.
When Li Tianming heard that Qin Siyang had obtained a whole bag of Crimson Crystals, he did not show much reaction.
The material he needed was already in hand. He had no interest in the other surplus treasures Qin Siyang possessed.
He knew that since Qin Siyang brought it up, it meant that as long as he needed it, Qin Siyang would hand it over directly. [T/N: Why? he has a whole sequence regiment to support! Why's he dumb at the critical time?]
At the same time, Li Tianming did not ask why Qin Siyang was only telling him now about something that happened half a year ago.
When he learned the identity of the ambusher Qin Siyang had discovered, his attention was fully drawn.
"You're saying the person hiding inside the Pooled Begonia to ambush you was Ji Ping?"
"Judging from the photo on the tiger badge, the face is almost identical. I also found a few of his videos online and looked at him from different angles. It's the same person. Of course, if he's like Yamamoto Taro and Yamamoto Jiro and has a twin brother to fake it, then I wouldn't know."
"It should be him," Li Tianming's expression seemed to be recalling something, "I remember last month when Chang Da went to South Pillar University for academic exchange, he didn't see Ji Ping. People at South Pillar said Ji Ping hadn't shown up in the safe zone for months. No one knew what he was busy with."
"Who would've thought you'd end up killing him inside the Pooled Begonia? That really is a death with no body found, no one the wiser. Even if someone knew he was collecting Crimson Crystals in there, they wouldn't be able to trace it back to you."
"If someone knew, they would've come to me already," Qin Siyang lay on the sofa and yawned, "I've shown quite a few Crimson Crystals before and after. No one has asked me about Ji Ping. That means he was the quiet type who makes money in silence."
"Too bad, compared to me, he wasn't smart enough."
"Little Qin, I really don't understand why your luck is always so unbelievably good! It's like the whole world revolves around you!"
Qin Siyang smiled, "Maybe in this world, I'm the main character?"
Li Tianming laughed, "The main character? You do look like one. Usually the main character is an orphan."
"Old Li, let's share the contract on this Crimson Crystal."
"Alright."
"Old Li, I've got a knife. I'll draw your blood."
"Get lost! I'll do it myself! Last time you said you'd help me contract the Crimson Crystal, and you stabbed straight through my palm. I still have a scar."
"Tsk! Look at you being so stingy! I'm giving you a fist-sized Crimson Crystal, and you won't even let me slash you once?"
"You admit you were going to slash me with a knife? I don't need your help!"
After signing the shared contract, Li Tianming put away the Crimson Crystal and looked at Qin Siyang, "Now, all that's left is Yellow Silver Star Ore."
Qin Siyang knew Li Tianming was hinting at him and could only shake his head, "If I had Yellow Silver Star Ore, I would've given it to you together with the Crimson Crystal. I really don't have any."
"But Old Li, I think the Blue Water Glazed Star Ore might give you some inspiration. That could be a starting point."
Li Tianming nodded, "You're right. We've already found some uses for Blue Water Glazed Star Ore. Its prospects and value definitely can't be underestimated. But we still haven't discovered what connection it has with Blue Water Glazed Ore."
"If you haven't discovered it, then go discover it again."
"What you said makes a lot of sense."
Qin Siyang curled his lips, "It's not like I have any other way. There's not even a single clue. How are we supposed to look? By the way, Hu Chan told me that Zhong Dingming might know something. Old Li, do you have any plans?"
"Plans? Go cause trouble for Professor Zhong?", Li Tianming waved his hand, "Because of the Yellow Silver Star Ore, his wife left him, his children are gone, his family is ruined."
"Even if Professor Zhong really knows something, the fact that he hasn't spoken despite so much pressure means he doesn't want to say it. Professor Zhong is famous for being stubborn. If he doesn't want to talk, even killing him won't make him speak."
"Besides, Professor Zhong is highly respected and has helped many juniors. I've also received his guidance. When Guo Jiuxiao framed me and even President Han Shuo didn't speak up, he stood on my side and spoke for me. Aside from Old Zhang and a few others, he's one of the very few professors I truly respect."
Then he looked at Qin Siyang seriously, "Little Qin, I hope you don't set your sights on Professor Zhong either."
Qin Siyang frowned, "But your research needs…"
"But if it means harming Professor Zhong, who has shown me kindness, I absolutely won't agree."
Qin Siyang hardened his heart, "Old Li, Zhong Dingming may have shown you kindness, but he hasn't shown me any."
"Little Qin! If I can't find Yellow Silver Star Ore and end up being toyed to death by Guo Jiuxiao, then that's just my bad luck and lack of strength! At worst, I'll start over in the next life!"
"If killing Zhong Dingming today lets me defeat Guo Jiuxiao, then tomorrow I'll kill you and seize your treasure to defeat the next mortal enemy."
"Benefits gained by repaying kindness with hatred, I, Li Tianming, have no fate to enjoy!"
"Little Qin! I'm begging you about this!"
With Li Tianming speaking to this extent, Qin Siyang could only nod helplessly, "Fine, I get it. I won't go looking for trouble with Zhong Dingming. But I will talk to him about this, like negotiating conditions. If he's willing to accept my terms and tell me the secret of Yellow Silver Star Ore, you shouldn't have a problem with that, right?" [T/N: WHY? WHY? WHY?]
"That's fine."
"Alright then. I'm heading back. I'll bring you the Lava Crocodile and Ice Crystal Giant Moth materials tomorrow. Also, tell me before you go far away. I'll pick up and drop off Li Pengfei from school."
"Little Qin, don't you need to prepare resources for advancement after starting the path of believers? As for taking care of Little Fei, I can have someone else do it."
Li Tianming knew Qin Siyang had a way to increase his sequence level without taking sequence potions. The two of them had long understood this without saying it outright.
Qin Siyang said, "If you could really find someone else to help, you wouldn't be asking an eighteen-year-old orphan to look after your son."
Li Tianming smiled awkwardly and said nothing more.
"And I also need to think about the price you told me about becoming a believer of a god."
"Invincible against people, yet suppressed by the strongest god? That doesn't sound like the best answer."
After saying that, Qin Siyang waved at Li Tianming and turned to leave.
"Old Li, remember to come back early."
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