The previous incident where a newbie craftsman caused a stir with his Heavenly Artisan creations has already drawn enough attention. Currently, he just wants to reliably secure that golden ribbon he reserved, without providing others with an excuse to make a fuss.

Of course, under the premise of ensuring secrecy, he wouldn't mind taking on a bit of private work with everyone undercover against the association... but isn't it time to negotiate the price properly?

This is destined to be a long-drawn negotiation.

Yet, after a brief moment of contemplation, Ji Jue looked up and said, "Send them the bounties and news from the Desert Market. Tell them that if they can handle it, everything's negotiable."

"Alright."

Isis responded, "The first batch of compiled information is already on your desk. Unfortunately, there aren't any decisive clues or evidence."

Ji Jue picked up the thin few sheets of paper, with sparse large characters that couldn't even fill a page.

It's all just rumors and hearsay.

On certain years, months, and days, a suspected target appeared somewhere, with no beginning or end. Occasionally, there's a photo, but it's unclear...

Yet, to gather these few sheets of paper, Ji Jue had already spent over four million, and the initial investment isn't the end of it. In the future, if he wants to continuously collect related information, the investment will only get more outrageous.

Not just the Desert Market; the Security Bureau, Taiyi Ring Association, Tianping Commerce, and even various read-in ethernal gatherings also received the same bounty from Ji Jue.

Unfortunately, up till now, truly useful clues have been very scarce.

The target of the bounty is only one—[Wolf]!

In his own workshop's name, Ji Jue posted a bounty for capturing and collecting Mutated Wolves. The newer, the better. The higher the Rank, the better, and the only requirement is that it must be alive.

The reason is simple, for research purposes!

Don't ask why; our Ashes are just like that.

Everyone is already accustomed to strange and bizarre bounties posted by craftsmen in pursuits of research, so no one questions his motives. Moreover, evil outsiders are to be exterminated by everyone, so what's wrong if I utilize them as resources?!

This shows that I'm kind, right?

If any Mutated Wolves hold a grudge for this and target me, the better!

The materials will come to me on their own!

But in truth, what Ji Jue really wants...is not just the wolves but one of the leaders of the White Deer Demon's organization [Wolf Nest]—the trace of Corroded Scale·Shekri.

No way around it, this guy is just too good at running.

In the Crack Realm, after that guy, as a representer of the Seeder, messed around here and there, he managed to slip away unnoticed amidst everyone's oversight. His ability to escape is indeed astonishing.

However, even if he escaped, he won't end well either way.

Entangled by the Mutant Laws of the Tower, even if he doesn't die, he'll lose half his life. Moreover, even a little trace of the Chixiao aftermath sticking to him is enough to trouble him for years.

Besides, Ji Jue feels he must thank Shekri's swift escape.

If not for Shekri, where would he start to look for the Seeder's clues?

After being discharged from the hospital in Xinxing, he already went to the Security Bureau using the guise of research, reviewing all the Federation's information on wolves over the years, focusing on the pertinent records.

Only then did he discover that before Shekri became the Seeder's running dog, he had already made his mark when the White Country hadn't yet fallen.

However, back then, he was a priest of the White Country, a follower of the White Lord, an important member of the White Country's sacrificial group. After the previous generation's Sacrificial King acted desperately and pushed all priests into Mutated Transformation, causing endless disaster, he vanished as well.

Everyone thought he was dead, but when he reappeared, he had become a genuine wolf and even earned the evil foolish title of 'corroded scales.'

In the current wolf leaders' group, he is the most publicly active. For decades, he has been everywhere, connecting with the four corners, using countless aliases and disguises, having organized several large-scale malicious events and post-event investigations can often only trace a scant trace back to him.

Up to now, just the accumulated bounties on him exceed over ten billion, yet so far, no one has had the chance to claim it.

He is too cautious.

Even among the wolves, he is among the most cautious and secretive.

Moreover, no wolf would write their identity on their forehead.

As a result, even facing Ji Jue's bounty, even the White Deer Hunting Finger didn't have a better solution.

"It's hard to deal with, traveling packs of wolves are troublesome, but lone wolves are even thornier."

Receiving Ji Jue's request, An Neng on the other end of the call was sighing, "Wolves don't show up until they open their mouths, they hide tightly at the slightest sign of trouble.

Especially since you want to catch them alive, it's even more difficult, you can only rely on luck."

"No worries, I can wait."

"Let's see if you can wait it out, don't worry, we'll notify you if there's any news."

Even after An Neng hung up, there was no news coming through.

Seemingly indefinite.

Besides the news about wolves, Ji Jue is also keeping an eye on information regarding the Usurper, but he can only wait passively for word or follow the crowd to buy some shared intelligence.

After all, as the temple event ended recently, the whole world is frantically looking for the whereabouts of the Heirloom Seal. As a craftsman who has nothing to do with the temple, apart from paying attention usually, Ji Jue is really unsuitable for initiating any noticeable moves.

Ultimately, it's the channels for official news, to be precise, the ones craftsman Ji Jue can openly access, that are still heavily restricted.

If he really wants to gather some truly useful information, he might have to revive his old trade and make the Evil Cult great again!

"Hiss..."

Ji Jue's eyes twitched involuntarily, taking a sharp breath.

Whenever he thinks about this idea, his leg always gives him an extremely familiar phantom pain.

That's PTSD for you.

What about being at the Rebirth Rank?

Even when the teacher is about to break your leg, you can't escape!

He just finished leveling up, the style isn't yet pretentious enough, can't have Ye Xian drag him back for another round of Spiritual Defense Class...

The Evil Cult's matters have to be postponed for now.

Just like the Heirloom Seal.

No news is good news, it's best if it never exists at all, that would be the best.

After all, some things, no matter how clear they are in your heart, or how many hypotheses you have, are always difficult to express in words.

Just like Ye Xian never questioning why Ji Jue seems strange and fiery to the point of smoking, Ji Jue also didn't ask how he escaped after falling into the Vortex, or why when he woke up, his face was covered in shoe prints?

Since Ye Xian didn't mention a word, Ji Jue didn't want to ask much either.

The troubles he already has are plenty, why seek more trouble? Besides, you've only eaten a few dishes yet, why are you so nosy?

After all, as a student, he has done what he should.

Even if the teacher tries to stop it, what's necessary must be done regardless of the consequences.

Thus, the mentor and student relationship remains usual, as if nothing has happened.

To avoid getting involved again, and given his already exposured status, he originally wanted to lie low, following Ye Chun's lead to be idle for a while, and along the way, settle into the Nine Forms.

But unexpectedly, the advancement to Rebirth was so smooth.

Therefore, new problems arose and are now laid before him again...

"Blessing, huh."

Ji Jue sighed, looking at the memorandum he had just turned a page on.

[Earth bears the sea], [Heavenly Movement], [All Things Self-transform].

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