Before the transaction, he had already gained a deep understanding of this Mirror of the Heart through the information Gu Yueyuan publicly displayed on the trading channel.

Therefore, the moment he received the exquisite brocade box, before he even had time to open it, the Marvel section of his attribute panel displayed the relevant information.

[Mirror of the Heart] (Gray Inferior Marvel, Damaged): A product of an alien civilization that used spiritual power as its primary means of combat. It can be charged once a day. After charging is complete, gazing into the mirror for a period of time provides a soul-nourishing effect, though this is currently only effective for Apprentice Tier professionals. Most of this Marvel's effects have been destroyed by an unknown power and require repair.

After receiving the clear notification from his attribute panel, Fang Zhou gently opened the brocade box and took out the Mirror of the Heart.

The Mirror of the Heart had an ancient and mysterious appearance. Its edges were slightly worn, giving it a sense of age and history.

The frame was made of an unknown material that was cool and unyielding to the touch, its surface covered with fine cracks.

The silvery sheen on the mirror's surface had dimmed, but a faint, reflected glow was still visible at certain angles.

The back of the Mirror of the Heart was engraved with intricate patterns.

These patterns intertwined to form a peculiar design, resembling an ancient map.

Fang Zhou gently touched these patterns and felt a subtle vibration, which seemed to resonate with his soul.

Every time his finger traced the patterns, a faint force would be transmitted from the Mirror of the Heart, sending a tremor through him, as if he could directly touch the depths of his very soul.

Fang Zhou gently caressed the aged, mottled exterior of the Mirror of the Heart, solidifying his determination to claim this rare Soul Nourishment Marvel.

Meanwhile, Gu Yueyuan tightly gripped the Fierce Ant Queen's Life Crystal that Fang Zhou had handed him, his other hand forming a complex series of gestures.

A dim, gray light gathered at his fingertips, eventually converging into a stable beam.

He directed this beam of light onto the Life Crystal.

The light penetrated the crystal, revealing its internal structure.

Inside the Life Crystal, the phantom image of a Fierce Ant Queen flashed past—an illusion that was as fleeting as it was real.

Gu Yueyuan keenly caught this momentary change, a glint of joy flashing in his eyes.

Through his unique Magic, Gu Yueyuan confirmed that this Life Crystal was, just as Fang Zhou had claimed, purified from the Magic Crystal of an exceptionally rare Apprentice-level Fierce Ant Queen.

He knew that such Life Crystals were extremely rare, as only a very small number of Fierce Ant Queens could leave behind a pure Magic Crystal upon death.

This type of Magic Crystal needed to undergo a special process to be transformed into the even more precious Life Crystal.

And this was exactly what many Professionals who relied on the cultivation of insect-type demons dreamed of acquiring.

After confirming that Fang Zhou's claim was true, Gu Yueyuan raised his head decisively and said without hesitation, "Junior Brother Fang Zhou, I have to have this Ant Queen's Magic Crystal. Name your price."

Fang Zhou was already prepared with a clear plan in mind, so he responded directly, "Why don't we make a trade? A nearly pristine Ant Queen's Magic Crystal in exchange for the Mirror of the Heart in your hands—which, despite being severely damaged, is still invaluable. I believe such an exchange is fair and reasonable."

Hearing this, Gu Yueyuan nodded slightly, raising no objections to the price. He readily agreed to the proposal. "Deal."

Afterward, Fang Zhou and Gu Yueyuan signed the barter agreement on the trading channel through their personal terminals. Once their signatures were affixed to the electronic agreement, the transaction Fang Zhou had long awaited was finally complete.

After completing the transaction, Gu Yueyuan's impassive expression seemed to relax considerably.

He carefully put away the Ant Queen's Magic Crystal, let out a soft breath, and then said slowly, "Junior Brother Fang Zhou, I've heard of your achievements. Setting aside your heroic performance in Cave No. 1, the fact that you alone hold the top spot on the historical speed-run leaderboard for the Middle Rank Horn Demon Outpost Simulation Battlefield is an accomplishment that proves my strength doesn't compare to yours, even among those of the same rank."

"I know you have quite a few materials from insect-type demons. If you're willing, how about showing them to me? As long as they're suitable, I'm willing to buy them. Whether we barter or trade using contribution points, I guarantee you'll be satisfied with the price."

Fang Zhou nodded slightly. It seems Gu Yueyuan, as the No. 1 Seed of the second-year students, really did gain a lot from his previous missions. Only with such a foundation could he so confidently promise a price that would satisfy me. But that makes sense. After all, Gu Yueyuan is already a Black Iron Tier Professional, a whole major tier higher than me. In terms of strength, resource acquisition, and the accumulation of contribution points, he far surpasses the average Apprentice Tier Professional. Gu Yueyuan is clearly well aware of his own status and strength.

Regardless of Gu Yueyuan's thoughts, encountering such a generous buyer was a rare opportunity Fang Zhou had no intention of missing.

He wasted no time in taking out one precious item after another from his Space Storage Capsule. These were all valuable materials collected from various insect-type demons.

Fierce Ant Queen glands.

Fierce Ant eggs.

A Fierce Mosquito's blood-sucking proboscis.

A Fierce Bee's hive and the honey within.

Fang Zhou's harvest was so abundant that it astonished even Gu Yueyuan, a lower-rank Black Iron Professional who specialized in exploring Insect Nests.

He quickly took stock of the items Fang Zhou displayed, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "These demon materials are excellent quality, and I like them a lot. Even though they're Apprentice-level materials, I can still make use of them. Junior Brother Fang Zhou, what are your terms?"

As one of the top second-year Seed Students, Gu Yueyuan naturally possessed many resources that were extremely valuable to Fang Zhou.

Therefore, Fang Zhou was not content with a simple transaction for contribution points; he hoped to obtain the resources he needed from Gu Yueyuan through a trade.

However, Fang Zhou understood that these scattered insect-type demon materials alone might not be enough to secure what he wanted.

After a moment's thought, he once again took out something even more precious from his Space Storage Capsule. It was the Frog Drum he had seized from the swarm of Demon Swamp Frogs in Cave No. 1.

In addition, Fang Zhou took out a Skill Book he had compiled himself. This Skill Book recorded the Mental Shock Skill, which he had comprehended from the Ant Queen's Magic Crystal.

The addition of these new items significantly increased the value of the trade, causing Gu Yueyuan's gaze to burn with even greater intensity.

Fang Zhou presented the two precious resources to Gu Yueyuan, his tone filled with sincerity. "Senior Brother Gu, please take a look. This Frog Drum is a Marvel seized from the leader of the Demon Swamp Frogs. It has a luring effect on common insect-type demons found in swamps, capable of either gathering or repelling them.

"And this 'Mental Shock' Skill Book is the result of an insight I had during the Purification of the Ant Queen's Magic Crystal. These two items might be helpful to you."

Upon hearing Fang Zhou's words, a rare look of shock broke through Gu Yueyuan's usually impassive poker face.

He carefully accepted the Frog Drum and the 'Mental Shock' Skill Book from Fang Zhou, then activated his special ability as an Insect Nest Walker to carefully study the two precious items.

Before long, he realized the extraordinary significance these two resources held for him.

"Junior Brother Fang Zhou, you've really done me a huge favor," Gu Yueyuan said, making no effort to hide his delight.

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