Chapter 37: Dividing the Spoils

As Ou Xiaolu and Zhong Kui were tidying up, the eldest brother’s slender-waisted hound emerged once again from the void, and with a wide yawn, spat out the eldest brother’s head.

Even without a body, the eldest brother could still speak. “This body’s quality isn’t too bad. So, what good things have you acquired?”

“See for yourself. I’m going to examine this,” Ou Xiaolu said, gesturing to the items in Zhong Kui’s hands. According to their agreement, Ou Xiaolu had first pick for the spiritual vein fragment; only if there were surplus would he have a share of the other items.

Zhong Kui had only three items in his possession. Ou Xiaolu guessed there wouldn’t be enough to go around.

At that moment, a highly technological-looking portal opened, and the former Archbishop stepped through casually. Following behind was the boy with his newly acquired body. As soon as they entered, they nodded toward Ou Xiaolu. The former Archbishop moved straight to the deep pit, beginning his own research there. The boy took out several fragments and started assembling them on the ground. Ou Xiaolu glanced over and realized these were pieces of Mad Caesar’s final graffiti; now, however, the graffiti appeared pixelated, as if pieced together from various gemstones, shimmering with green light.

With both the former Archbishop and the boy present, Zhong Kui naturally set down the three items he had just acquired. The former Archbishop, who had been researching at the pit, walked over, glanced at the four items on the ground, and at the eldest brother’s solitary head, then said, “You choose first.”

The eldest brother didn’t respond immediately; instead, he looked to the boy. Although Ou Xiaolu had assembled the team, he had already taken what he wanted. Thus, the boy—the recruiter—now wielded authority.

The boy nodded, understanding the eldest brother’s situation. Losing a head was trivial, since it wasn’t his true body. If the vessel perished, so be it. But at the critical moment, the eldest brother had deployed his divine eye—a decisive move.

Therefore, letting the eldest brother choose first was the most reasonable option.

Seeing that no one objected, the eldest brother gazed at the axe. “I want this axe. Could you deliver it to my shrine?”

The boy nodded, for him, delivering an item was hardly a matter.

With the boy’s agreement, the eldest brother smiled. “Send the potion too. This body can’t hold out any longer. I’ll take my leave now.”

After speaking, the eldest brother closed his eyes. His head turned to yellow sand, scattered by a gust of wind, leaving only stark white bones behind.

The boy then looked at Zhong Kui. “You used an origin strike just now, right? You choose next.”

Zhong Kui eyed the three remaining items, hesitated, and turned to Ou Xiaolu. “Where’s my folding fan?”

Ou Xiaolu immediately understood his choice. He produced the folding fan Zhong Kui used for ghost-catching but didn’t hand it over.

Zhong Kui pointed at the pixelated graffiti on the ground. “When I say ‘collect,’ open the fan.”

Ou Xiaolu nodded, preparing the fan. Zhong Kui released his five ghosts, who began circling the pixelated graffiti.

As they moved, the graffiti gradually transformed, taking on the style of ink wash painting. Only the twin-headed vulture retained its former appearance.

Slowly, the ink-wash vulture took flight. At that instant, Zhong Kui grabbed one of its heads and shouted, “Collect!”

Ou Xiaolu immediately opened the fan, and the twin-headed vulture dissolved into black ink dots, flying into the fan.

Ou Xiaolu flipped the fan over and saw the ghost-catching illustration had changed—two tiny birds appeared beside Zhong Kui, resembling vultures but slightly different.

Zhong Kui was quite pleased with this change. Ou Xiaolu also noticed that the [Zhong Kui’s Ghost-Catching Fan] now had two new expert-level slots, indicating that Zhong Kui’s choice had turned out well.

The former Archbishop and the boy exchanged a glance. The Archbishop pointed at the heart. “I’ll take this.”

The boy nodded. “I feel that the car key suits my taste.”

Thus, the four items were divided among them. The former Archbishop returned to the pit, staring into it, pondering something.

The boy was surprised by this and went over to look but found nothing amiss below.

The former Archbishop then turned to Ou Xiaolu. “Does this earth vein space serve any purpose for you?”

Ou Xiaolu blinked. “What do you mean? Can this space be preserved?”

“Are you joking?” The former Archbishop laughed. “How could this place not be preserved? If it were destroyed, the entire campus would collapse.”

Only then did Ou Xiaolu realize; he shook his head, unsure what else to say.

The Archbishop caught on. “Did you never consider the possibility of using an earth vein space?”

Ou Xiaolu nodded awkwardly. Both the Archbishop and the boy burst out laughing.

The boy explained that such earth vein spaces were much like caves, and could be utilized. His own laboratories and research centers were built this way; officially, the research center was inside a cliff, but in reality, it was an earth vein space.

The former Archbishop had one as well, though he obtained it by unconventional means and it was smaller.

The eldest brother also possessed one, but it wasn’t entirely his; it served as the residence for the Brotherhood.

The Archbishop had assumed Ou Xiaolu wanted this earth vein space, but clearly, Ou Xiaolu hadn’t considered it.

After listening, Ou Xiaolu was tempted, but just as he was about to speak, a thought occurred to him:

He had no money!

Despite his claim to have earned six hundred thousand dollars in three days at Xinxiang, compared to the Archbishop and the boy, who had been wealthy for over a century, he was nothing but a pauper.

Developing an earth vein space required much more than a modest sum. Ou Xiaolu estimated his funds would not suffice even to build a stable portal.

He raised his hand, lowered it, raised it again, then finally said, “I’ll sell this place to you.”