Chapter 135 - 134: Gathering - Exchange
Chapter 135 - 134: Gathering - Exchange
Long Chen slightly frowned as he inspected Wei Wuyin. In his heart, he was deeply surprised at Wei Wuyin's means and possessions. Were the rumors true? Did he come across a legendary hidden cache of a former powerhouse? Since the events at the wedding, where he threatened to take the entire city with him, he had caused numerous elites to investigate his background.
It wasn't just him. There were numerous figures from all over the continent that had investigated Wei Wuyin. He was a thirty-seven year old Godlord who mysteriously disappeared. There were some whispers that he was a Lord Alchemist, a few whispers that he had cultivated at a now-destroyed sect, the Eden Earth Sect, and that he possessed a miraculous cultivation treasure.
These were all details that could be gleaned from his appearance, background, and recent achievements. Him discovering a legendary cache of a powerhouse, including his legacy, could explain many things.
When Long Chen's thoughts reached this point, he unconsciously rubbed the unassuming black ring on his finger. "It seems I'm not the only one who obtained a legacy…"
"Ah?" He abruptly started as he glanced at the ring. "He could've obtained his legacy?" Long Chen quietly muttered to himself, as if he was speaking to himself. When he seemed to have received a reply, he looked at Wei Wuyin with a tad bit more vigilance than before. "The Divine King...hm…"
Ming Shufeng calmly watched all this, her eyes resting on Wei Wuyin. This man was a Blessed, just like Long Chen, and he seemed to have attainments and achievements just like Long Chen. In fact, their backing was very similar.
Long Chen was born to a lowly clan. He was considered to have been a waste, his talent horrendous and unfortunate. To put it into perspective, if the average person took a year to refine an essence stone, then he would take ten years. Subsequently, he was abandoned by his sect and entered a sect as a lowly worker disciple.
Spontaneously, he started to abruptly rise through the ranks of cultivations and met many obstacles. He killed his way to his current position, and overcame all. He met beauties, fortune, and experienced the vestiges of life. He had something to protect and pursued the peak of the cultivation path.
Wei Wuyin was born to a lowly clan. He was loved, but the clan's fate was unfortunate. After running away due to a scandal, he hid quietly within the Scarlet Solaris Sect's protective umbrella as an honorary disciple. He developed, killed, and schemed his way to the top.
After all was said and done, the revenge for his clan was swift and without mercy. Many died horrifically that day, painfully and inhumanely.
She couldn't determine either of their fates, but she preferred the vicious to enemies, kind to friends Long Chen over Wei Wuyin. Moreover, Lin Ziyan was her best friend. As a seer, the best means to rise was to climb atop the backs and fortune of those Blessed individuals, acting as their guide from the shadows.
However, if she had to choose, she didn't want to pick either. If she stayed with Wei Wuyin, she would never be able to support him due to his inconsistent fate. As for Long Chen, he had an unique charisma that essentially attracted the opposite sex. She had nearly fallen for him herself. As a woman, she was not immune to his charms.
It was nearly scary. So her goal was to ride this fortune upwards and then seek another.
Her goal was the Astral Core Realm. When her cultivation reaches that point, the clarity of her predictions and visions will increase, and so will her opportunities.
"If I had a Spirit Ton Elixir," Wu Baozhai softly bit her lips. The Spirit Ton Elixir could increase her cultivation and thus her chance to overcome the examination to enter the sect. If she could succeed in her breakthrough and become a Godlord, she felt certain she could pass and face any obstacle.
Her thoughts weren't unique. Lian Yu had similar thoughts. They were both at the Seventh Phase of the Qi Condensation Realm, Sublime Qi, and had exceptional talents. A Spirit Ton Elixir would give them at least a ninety percent chance of success! Even if it was of the lowest grade.
So their emotions were bitter as they watched Su Mei carelessly gulp it down simply to repair her spirit.
Step.
Wu Baozhai took a step forward. Her eyes gleamed with determination. Unlike Long Chen of Na Xinyi, she didn't hold any hatred towards Wei Wuyin. In fact, he helped save her brother, Prince Zhen. Furthermore, from Prince Zhen, she learned that he was exceptionally powerful. In a single strike, he claimed the life of Hu Jiwei, a Mortal Godking and third strongest expert in the entire country.
A Godlord achieving this feat is incredible! One could clearly see that Long Chen couldn't handle her father, and even lost to him, but fortune shined upon him as he comprehended dual intents at the most critical moment.
So, she walked away from Long Chen's ground and approached Wei Wuyin. Lian Yu, Na Xinyi, Long Chen, and Lin Ziyan were startled by her actions. Long Chen moved to instinctively stop her, as Wei Wuyin was his enemy, but a flash of past memory caused him to cease. Wu Baozhai was her own woman, and she wasn't unintelligent nor wilful. If she decided to take action, she had considered it from every angle and firmed up her determination to see it through.
To put it simply, he had no way to change her will without forcefully keeping her beside him. If he did that, it would be the moment he lost her.
Wei Wuyin eyed this black-haired beauty with a voluptuous figure and noble air befitting a princess. Her eyes were clear, calm, and firm. She radiated no ill-intent in any manner, be it aura, gaze, or body language, so he allowed her to freely approach.
As he saw her fully and close-up, he realized that Long Chen truly had a type. His eyes swept each of these women and noted their impressive, proud twin mounds. If anything, Long Chen had good taste.
With a nod, he felt a wisp of respect in his heart. In fact, he can't remember being with a woman as well-endowed as any of these women, and this made him somewhat ashamed. Perhaps it was due to his status and cultivation being too low, but he was utterly unable to meet such top-tier, well-developed women in his life.
When she arrived a few feet from Wei Wuyin, she swept her glance briefly on the sleeping crane with a brilliant golden beak and snow-white feathers. It was quite an exquisitely beautiful beast. She pushed a few loose strands of her hair to the side and said, "Greetings, Godlord Wei. I'm Wu Baozhai, Third Princess of the Wu Country." An innate grace and noble air was exuded with each syllable and gesture of introduction.
She truly lived up to her high-born origins.
Eyes lit, Wei Wuyin coolly replied, "It seems your word-of-mouth reputation fails to live up to you. Such injustice." His words flowed smoothly as he complimented her with a smile.
Wu Baozhai's eyes were inevitably drawn to that smile. It was but a simple smile, but those pearly white rows of teeth, the lifted corners of his lips, and those radiant silver eyes had an ungodly attractive appeal. Her heart went aflutter for a brief moment, and even her breathing sped up slightly.
Only now that she was but a few feet from this man did she realize his fatal attractive features and unearthly handsomeness that went beyond reason. Even her body reacted naturally, heating up and performing the normal bodily reaction when aroused.
Her gaze became embarrassed as she, unbefitting of a princess, averted her gaze. Only then could she regain her sense of self, cursing her own lack of will. It took all her willpower to muster up a smile and face him.
Wei Wuyin's heart birthed a wisp of admiration. This woman was something else. He chuckled inwardly as he said, "You know, I'm not certain your friends will be happy that you've approached me. They may even take it as you siding with the enemy."
Just as he said those words, he felt a glaring pressure from afar. Na Xinyi was staring daggers and flames at him. Those eyes seemed to wish to rip him limb from limb without mercy. This woman truly can't appreciate his kindness. Did he not save her?
He inwardly shook his head.
Wu Baozhai calmly replied, "You're underestimating them. They aren't so petty, and my actions aren't theirs to dictate."
"Oh?" Wei Wuyin couldn't help but give Wu Baozhai a few more points of likeability.
"Actually, I'm quite curious how you obtained a bottle of Spirit Ton Elixir. If you don't mind me asking." Wu Baozhai stated her purpose.
Wei Wuyin coolly asked, "If I told you I made it, would you believe me?" Many knew that his current age was thirty-seven, and while some might have looked into the rumors of his discipleship in the Eden Earth Sect. The sect was in ruins and he went by another name there. Due to his status and potential, his identity was mostly kept secret and only a few people and alchemists knew of him. The only reason the rumor would happen is due to leaks from those seeking to sabotage him.
After all, he was nearly assassinated in the Eden Earth Sect. If it wasn't for his mortal body that was refined by top-tier energies and a high cultivation, even if it was sealed, he would've been killed.
However, that didn't stop the numerous scoffs and internal thoughts throwing Wei Wuyin's declaration into the trash. A thirty-seven year old Godlord was believable. There have been countless geniuses, and many of the Astral Core Realm experts of today had reached that achievement.
In fact, Long Chen was five years younger, and that ten year old Godking little girl was even younger. While innate cultivation talent was a possibility, the Dao of Alchemy was fundamentally different.
The only true talent a person could have towards it was affinity for alchemical energies, and that didn't help much. The Dao of Alchemy was vast with four unique categories, and countless branches of methods and paths to take. Simply put, it was monstrously difficult.
Only an Alchemic Natal Soul could alleviate these difficulties, and that meant subjecting oneself to life without combat potential.
Even Wu Baozhai frowned slightly. She was truly unable to accept that answer in her heart, but her expression swiftly returned to normal. She knew that Wei Wuyin was an irregularity, so she stuffed the potential of truth down her throat and swallowed it.
"If you said that, then I'll believe it."
"Then, I'll say it: I made it." Wei Wuyin declared with a smile.
"..." The crowd went silent, except for one person. Qin Feng had brought some youthful talents from his sect and was quietly in the corner, watching everything. He didn't bother engaging with Wei Wuyin, and merely wanted to lay low. Since Wu Jiao directly turned everyone besides him into bloody mist, he felt unable to calm his heart of the possibility that Wu Jiao would come back to get a 100% kill rate.
He knew that Wei Wuyin was a Lord Alchemist, and an efficient one too. At one time, he even thought he had an Alchemic Natal Soul. But, he knew the truth.
Wu Baozhai, without skipping a beat, asked: "If that's the case, do you have any for sale?"
"For an exceptional woman like yourself? Of course. And, I'm willing. However, taking your brother's history with me, how can I treat his little sister so heartlessly? After all, a single Spirit Ton Elixir is worth hundreds of thousands of essence stones; that is not a small price." When those words resounded, several cold wads of air were inhaled. These were split between two types of people, those who were shocked that Wei Wuyin would give a Spirit Ton Elixir for free and others who recalled the insane price tag of one.
That was right!
A single Spirit Ton Elixir, a top-tier, sixth-grade elixir was worth hundreds of thousands of essence stones! This was the reason why, despite the abysmal success rate and production time, alchemists never lacked money. Each product was expensive due to the low-yield and endless demand.
It was also why he felt cheated before. The market price that he sold to Qin Feng was archaic and flat. The true prices were far, far, far higher. Because there was no market price. They were just too rare. It could only be chanced upon, bartered with a leg and arm, but never priced.
Those prices were designed when pills were numerous, but that was long, long ago. That was during the King of Everlore Era, the first and only Mortal Sovereign Alchemist of the Myriad Yore Continent.
He withdrew a low-quality Spirit Ton Elixir stored in a clear bottle and grasped Wu Baozhao's hand. His movements were natural and without any speed, yet Wu Baozhai simply allowed her hand to be taken into his. He was startled by the softness, seemingly boneless hand of hers. It was soft like cotton and warm like the rays of the sun. He had never once felt that a woman's skin was so intoxicating.
It was only after she pulled her hand away and dazedly inspected the bottle. While her daze seemed to be caused by her disbelief in obtaining this elixir, in truth, she had tried to hide her blush as she similarly felt the miraculously firm yet oddly comforting.
Long Chen, watching from afar, felt an uncomfortable feeling emerge in his heart.
"It really is Spirit Ton Elixir!" Wu Baozhai exclaimed, looking at Wei Wuyin in shock. He actually had another? Did he truly make this? She couldn't help but observe his facial expression that seemed so casual, as if he had given away a pebble. Was he hoping to further their relationship by giving her this for free? Her heart quivered slightly.
For a brief, unintentional moment, she compared Wei Wuyin with Long Chen.
While Long Chen was five years younger, Wei Wuyin might be stronger, and if he was a Lord Alchemist at his age, he was also far more talented. They both cultivated the Haven Heart Qi Method, had exceptional combat strength, came from lowly backgrounds and worked their way up using their own means, and both stood here today as top-tier geniuses.
Yet…
She clutched the elixir bottle. She briefly turned around and saw Long Chen's frown. Her memories flashed of all their time together, including their relationship. While it had occurred in uneventful circumstances, the fact was that she and he had relations of a man and woman already. Perhaps it was because she didn't really have a choice that her mind wandered this way.
Taking a deep breath, she realized that she couldn't accept this gift for free. "I can't accept this. I'll pay you the appropriate amount."
Wei Wuyin nearly insisted but he stopped himself in the end. He nodded with a hearty laugh, "Fine. When you enter the sect as a disciple, you'll be able to pay me back. Until then, I'll be waiting." He knew that a Spirit Ton Elixir at the appropriate price was insanely high. Perhaps the Imperial Treasury would have to spend half its wealth to obtain it. Considering she was likely unable to access that, he would simply wait.
The gazes of every carried envious glints and jealousy. Many of them, men included, wished they were a beautiful woman and some women wished they were Wu Baozhai! Not only was she high-born, talented, and beautiful, but people essentially give her free shit!
"I-" Just as she was about to unwillingly accept this condition when she realized that her words were a tad bit hasty as she couldn't actually afford it at the proper price, Long Chen stepped forward and humphed. He tossed a storage ring towards Wei Wuyin.
Wei Wuyin calmly caught it, scanned it with his spiritual sense, and smiled. "It's been paid in full. The elixir is yours."
Long Chen had just tossed nearly a hundred thousand different types of elemental essence stones, more than enough to cover the cost of the elixir. While he wondered how Long Chen obtained so much extensive wealth, he swiftly deposited all of it to his three-layered ring.
What Long Chen didn't know, this had effectively severed a possible karmic tie with Wei Wuyin and Wu Baozhai. If his actions were a little late, Wu Baozhai's future might no longer be tied to just him. In that case, perhaps her feelings may truly undergo a shift!
While this occurred, four figures entered the gathering grounds.