Dragon's Origin

Chapter 517: The Elders' Dilemma (Part 2)

The two Great Elders certainly wouldn't know if other families had approached, but was it possible? Absolutely!

The two families had been inside for over a year, almost exhausting their resources. If Wang Sheng hadn't provided some supplies this time, the experts from both families might have starved to death.

This was what the two returning team leaders said, and their words likely contained resentment towards their families for abandoning them for over a year.

However, the two Great Elders had their own unspoken difficulties! Did they not want to obtain the peerless treasures immediately? Did they not want to try transporting supplies themselves? It was simply impossible!

Not to mention the Shi and Gan families, which family hadn't sent people into the core of the Thousand Absolutes Ground? But only one in ten came back alive, and even those only wandered around the outer core, not daring to go deep. As for those who entered the inner core, they disappeared completely, swallowed by the ice and snow or devoured by demonic beasts.

The Shi and Gan families alone had lost at least four experts in the mid to late stages of the Legendary realm. There was no choice; the true peak Legendary experts had all gone with Wang Sheng to excavate. Not to mention manpower, even the supplies that were lost were countless.

Wang Sheng was physically weak during that time, recuperating in the capital. Who could force Wang Sheng to enter the core area of the Thousand Absolutes Ground again? Wang Sheng had gone in before while mapping, but he didn't inform them, and they didn't catch up, did they?

Now, time was truly running out, very urgently, and both families knew this. Because of this, both families were immensely grateful for the sudden emergence of Baoqing Yu Tang, praying countless times in their hearts that Baoqing Yu Tang could hold on for a while longer, make a bigger fuss, and preferably attract the attention of other families.

As a result, the Xia and Qiu families were definitely held back. The Tang and Feng families bordered the Mountain Yue area, so they also had to be careful, and their energy was also diverted. Now, the only ones who might take the opportunity to make a move were the Song and Dai families, and possibly the royal family.

Judging from Wang Sheng's relationship with these families, the Dai family could be ignored, but the Song family and the royal family both had very good relationships with Wang Sheng. If they really made a request, Wang Sheng really wouldn't be able to refuse.

"Lord Changsheng, if anyone else comes to you, tell them to find our two families." The Great Elder of the Shi family had to adopt this attitude. Was he going to let Wang Sheng bear this pressure?

"No matter what conditions they offer, our two families will offer the same conditions, each a share." The Great Elder of the Gan family was equally decisive, immediately raising the stakes: "As long as Lord Changsheng makes another trip."

"Alright!" Wang Sheng answered exceptionally crisply, without any hesitation: "It's just a matter of taking a group of people in, taking a batch of supplies in, and returning in less than half a month. It's easy to say."

With the attitude and benefits of the two families, Wang Sheng could definitely give them half a month, no problem at all. As for why it was half a month, it was because after entering the glacier basin, that giant bear could save everyone at least half a month.

"Lord Changsheng, let's not mince words. Today, let's be frank with Lord Changsheng." The Great Elder of the Gan family saw that Wang Sheng didn't take the initiative to mention anything else, and there was no way to delay any longer. If they wasted another half a month, there would be even less chance for the peerless treasures.

"Those two pets of the Duke's, I heard their sense of smell is very good, able to find things under the ice?" The Great Elder of the Gan family pointed to the two snow rats on Wang Sheng's back and asked Wang Sheng.

"That's natural!" Wang Sheng replied proudly: "Last time, they even helped me find a good thing inside. Deeper than the ice caves your people dug."

The two team leaders certainly knew that Wang Sheng had entered their tunnels, otherwise how would the formation have been triggered? They were not surprised by this!

"Duke, how about this, we borrow the Duke's two pets to help us find the peerless treasures?" The Great Elder of the Shi family followed closely behind the Great Elder of the Gan family, stating the matter clearly.

"I don't object, as long as you pay a sufficient price." Wang Sheng smiled, not refusing, but smiling and asking: "I'm just curious, even if you want to find the peerless treasures, there must be a scent, right? What scent do you want the snow rats to smell for?"

Hearing Wang Sheng's immediate agreement, the two Great Elders were instantly overjoyed, automatically filtering out the five words "sufficient price" that Wang Sheng said. Asking Wang Sheng to do something was never without a price. Since Wang Sheng had nodded, it was just a matter of piling up various chips!

"We have our own clues about the scent, Duke doesn't need to worry." The Great Elder of the Shi family first answered Wang Sheng's second question, then turned to ask: "I wonder what price we need to pay to borrow them?"

Although the others didn't ask, they were all eagerly watching and waiting for Wang Sheng's answer.

"If you had mentioned it a year ago when you first went in, it would have been simple, 50 million gold coins would have been enough." Wang Sheng smiled and replied to everyone: "However, times have changed. If you want to borrow them now..." Wang Sheng paused for a moment before continuing: "Ten times, 500 million gold coins!"

"500 million gold coins? Why don't you just rob us?" There were only six people present: the two Great Elders, the two elders in charge of the camp, and the two team leaders. The one who spoke was the team leader from the Shi family.

"It doesn't matter, if you don't think it's appropriate, then don't do it, I won't force you." Wang Sheng didn't care about the other party's tone, simply explaining: "I don't care. If the deal doesn't go through, we can still be friends. We can cooperate again next time."

At this moment, the six people present wished they could immediately capture Wang Sheng and then coerce him into helping. However, they could only think about it; no one dared to act rashly. Outside the camp, a large black mass of man-eating ants surrounded the camp, blocking every possible exit. If they acted at this moment, everyone in the camp would be buried in the ants' bellies the next moment.

Everyone understood that, as Wang Sheng said, times had changed. Now was the time when they were running out of time. It would be strange if Wang Sheng, this treacherous merchant, helped at a normal price. It was not surprising at all that he proposed a price of 500 million gold coins.

The problem was that no one in either family knew what was inside the peerless treasures. It was hard to say whether it was worth 500 million gold coins. Were they really going to use a price of 500 million gold coins to exchange for a chance to cooperate with Wang Sheng, and in the end only dig out something worth less than 100 million gold coins? Wouldn't that be a huge loss?

"Duke is joking." The Great Elder of the Gan family came out to smooth things over, smiling casually: "It's not certain whether the things inside are worth 500 million!"

"Then let's change the way of cooperation." Wang Sheng was waiting for him to say this, immediately interjecting.