C16 Universe Bag

"So many elixirs, and most of them are of the Profound Rank, both Low and Middle Levels! Plus, there's a hefty sum of silver taels. Fantastic." Ling Yunfan couldn't help but marvel as he opened the chest to find the medicinal herbs and silver taels inside. There were roughly two hundred thousand taels, and a significant number of Profound Rank elixirs, though they appeared to be limited to two varieties: those for cultivation and those for restoring spiritual force.

While searching for additional treasures, Ling Yunfan's eyes fell upon a fist-sized cloth pouch adorned with peculiar patterns that made it look quite unremarkable.

Recognizing the pouch, Ling Yunfan knew it to be a Universe Bag. Its color was faint, indicating it was of the lowest grade, but even so, a Universe Bag of this level could hold the contents of half a small room. Once bound by a drop of blood, the owner could retrieve items at will. Unless the bond was forcibly broken, the contents remained secure from others.

Despite its convenience, a Universe Bag was not something just anyone could possess. The price was steep; even a low-grade bag could cost upwards of a million silver taels. And purchasing one was a matter of luck, as they were rarely found in ordinary shops and typically auctioned in the larger cities.

Ling Yunfan recalled how his father, Ling Tianba, had once aspired to acquire a low-grade Universe Bag, but the prohibitive cost had ultimately forced him to abandon the idea.

"I can't believe my luck, to have stumbled upon such a treasure. You're exactly what I've been missing!" Ling Yunfan exclaimed, his voice tinged with excitement as he clutched the Universe Bag.

Without a second thought, he bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall into the bag to establish the ownership contract.

Once the blood mingled with the bag, Ling Yunfan opened it and proceeded to transfer all the silver taels and spirit medicines from the red chest into the bag.

Buzz!

The box, once brimming with silver and elixirs, was now eerily empty, its contents having vanished into the Universe Bag.

After a brief respite, Ling Yunfan stepped out of his tent and set the corpses of the fallen Celestial Wolf Mercenary Group ablaze with torches. With that task completed, he made his way to the location where he had stored the materials from the demonic beasts he had hunted earlier.

In just five days, the entire Swallow Azure City was abuzz with the news that the Celestial Wolf Mercenary Group had been annihilated on a hunting expedition. The lack of eyewitnesses to Ling Yunfan's clash with the group meant details were scarce, leading many to speculate that the mercenaries had fallen prey to a more formidable demonic beast.

Yet, those in the know harbored suspicions of foul play, believing the group had been slaughtered by an individual.

"With the Family Great Competition only four days away, has Yunfan not yet returned?" Ling Hong inquired with concern, seated in the Ling family's grand residence, addressing Ling Tianba.

"Rest assured, Fann will return. Shouldn't you be focusing on your cultivation to enhance your strength?" Ling Tianba responded, reassuringly, before posing a question of his own.

Ling Hong smiled and nodded, "Yes, though I haven't achieved a breakthrough to Body Refining Level Nine, my strength is nearly there. The breakthrough will come when it's time. Some things can't be rushed; it's best to let nature take its course. I've decided to spend the remaining time unwinding, which might even aid my cultivation."

"In that case, why not join me for a game of chess?" suggested Ling Tianba, gesturing to the black and white pieces arrayed on the table before him.

"Absolutely, I've missed playing chess with you, Uncle Tianba," Ling Hong replied with enthusiasm, accepting the invitation.

And so, they settled into a game of chess within the walls of the residence.

......

"People are so unpredictable. After last time, I find it hard to trust anyone, except for those few worthy of my trust," Ling Yunfan mused to himself while voraciously devouring a deliciously roasted fish by a campfire in a secluded meadow.

Anyone stumbling upon this scene might mistake Ling Yunfan for a creature rather than a man, given the ferocity of his appetite. He was not just eating the fish with gusto; he was consuming them at an astonishing rate. In the briefest of moments, he had polished off two palm-sized fish. Initially, there were six such fish roasting over the fire, but now, only the last one remained clutched in his hand.

Even Ling Yunfan himself began to wonder if he might be the reincarnation of some malevolent spirit, given his voracious appetite. When he had arrived to roast fish, he was only slightly peckish, yet now he had devoured what was meant to be three days' worth of provisions.

With the last roasted fish polished off, Ling Yunfan patted his belly contentedly, finally sated.

"It's time to head back," he mused, extinguishing the fire. "I'll sell these materials for some silver, settle my debts, and then enjoy a few days of rest at home." With that, he made his way down the mountain, his pace quickened by the fact that he didn't have to lug his belongings thanks to his Universe Bag.

Upon reaching the shop where he had previously purchased the Cold Water Sword, the shopkeeper greeted him warmly. "Young Master Yunfan, please enjoy some tea."

"Thank you for the tea," Ling Yunfan replied, setting the cup aside for the moment. "I'm here to clear my debt with you." He proceeded to extract this month's haul of demonic beast materials and silver from his Universe Bag, laying them out before the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper was visibly astounded by the silver and the valuable materials from Rank One and Rank Two demonic beasts that Ling Yunfan retrieved from his bag, standing there dumbfounded for quite some time.

Seeing the shopkeeper's astonishment, Ling Yunfan couldn't help but smile. "There you have it, Manager. That's three hundred thousand taels of silver in total. I'm selling you all these demonic beast materials. Just deduct the remaining hundred thousand taels from the sale."

The shopkeeper sprang into action, securing the silver and meticulously calculating the value of the materials at the counter. It was a considerable amount, and it took him a while to tally everything up.

Finally, with a beaming smile, the shopkeeper approached Ling Yunfan, holding a bag of silver. "Young Master Yunfan, after calculating the value of the demonic beast materials you've sold, it comes to two hundred thousand taels of silver. Here is your one hundred thousand taels."

Ling Yunfan nodded in acknowledgment, stowing the silver in his Universe Bag. He drained the cup of tea that had been waiting for him and then took his leave.

"I'm eagerly anticipating our battle at the Clan Competition, Ling Xuan!" Ling Yunfan mused with a touch of excitement on his journey back to the Ling family estate.