“One billion low-grade spirit stones!”
Ling Xiao could not help sticking out his tongue. This Divine Phoenix Academy was truly wealthy, casually offering a billion low-grade spirit stones for herbs. He wondered just how rich they were.
“Indeed, that amount is probably all of Divine Phoenix Academy’s current liquid funds. After all, spirit stones cannot all be used for transactions. Most are needed for cultivation, array maintenance, and such. If you really seize those herbs, the academy will not recover its vitality for years.”
Yun Ya smiled.
“Besides Feng Ming Wanzhong, are there any other experts in the escort team?”
Ling Xiao asked again.
“Besides Feng Ming Wanzhong, there are two Cave Heaven realm warriors, both around the fifth cave heaven. The rest are Celestial realm warriors of varying strength.”
Yun Ya replied.
This Tianlong Auction House appeared merely an auction venue, but it dealt in much more, including intelligence and assassins!
“How many spirit stones for a Yin-Yang realm assassin?”
Ling Xiao asked.
“What? Young master wants to hire an assassin?”
Yun Ya asked, surprised.
“Is that not allowed?”
“Of course it is. The fee varies depending on the task.”
Yun Ya replied.
“Just need to hold back Feng Ming Wanzhong.”
Ling Xiao thought and said.
“That is simple. One thousand high-grade spirit stones, or one mortal-grade spirit weapon.”
Yun Ya smiled.
“Quite exorbitant. Do you know how precious a thousand high-grade spirit stones are?” Ling Xiao gave a wry smile.
He weighed if the deal was worthwhile.
“Of course, if young master prefers not to pay stones or a weapon, owe us a favour or refine a yellow-grade pill. That works too.”
Yun Ya said with a smile.
This princess truly knew business.
Owing a favour was something Ling Xiao would avoid, unsure how to repay later.
Refining a pill was worth considering.
“What pill does Your Highness need?”
Ling Xiao asked.
“One Heaven-Breaking Pill, perfect grade. We provide materials, but you must refine it.”
Yun Ya replied.
“Hiss~~! Heaven-Breaking Pill. You dare dream big, and perfect grade? Even yellow-grade alchemists lack such certainty. Probably only profound-grade alchemists could manage.”
Ling Xiao drew a cold breath.
The Heaven-Breaking Pill broke Cave Heaven realm limits to advance to Yin-Yang realm. Materials were extremely precious. Though Ling Xiao knew how to refine it, with his current strength, he could not gather them.
Success rate was far from certain.
Better pills demanded higher skill.
“Cannot do it?” Yun Ya asked, disappointed.
“I can, but need at least two sets of materials, or success is unlikely.”
“Only two sets?”
Yun Ya was surprised instead. They had sought many alchemists for the Heaven-Breaking Pill, including profound-grade ones from White Tiger Continent, who demanded at least ten sets.
Ling Xiao asking for two was unbelievable.
“Ahem, make it three. I guarantee success.”
Ling Xiao, sensing he asked too little, added one.
“We have five sets total, collected with great effort over a long time. All yours. One Heaven-Breaking Pill suffices.”
Yun Ya thought and said.
“No problem. But can you complete my plan first? Refining this pill takes time. Once Feng Ming Wanzhong returns to the imperial city, the chance is gone.”
Ling Xiao said.
“Naturally. Our assassin is ready anytime. Code name ‘Scorpion’. He follows once you act.”
Yun Ya smiled.
She feared no breach. First, she trusted Ling Xiao’s character after many dealings.
Second, if he reneged, Tianlong Auction House would make him regret it.
Though she feared the expert behind Ling Xiao, that did not mean the auction house did.
At most, respect.
If faces were torn, they could make Ling Xiao vanish silently.
“Good. Let us go now.”
Ling Xiao stored the materials in his storage ring and left Tianlong Auction House.
Moments later, a black shadow followed.
“Scorpion, remember: protect Ling Xiao first, fulfil his request second.”
“Understood!”
Watching Scorpion leave, Yun Ya sighed lightly. “Ling Xiao, Ling Xiao, are you truly just a sixteen-year-old boy? Your methods make even me concede. Poor Feng Ming Wanzhong, vice-dean of Divine Phoenix Academy, yet doomed en route!”
Scorpion’s strength alone could not kill Feng Ming Wanzhong, but with cunning Ling Xiao, perhaps.
…
Torrential rain.
On muddy roads, several carriages advanced with difficulty.
Drivers, wrapped in thick raincoats, occasionally cursed irritably.
Carriages creaked, seeming ready to fall apart.
Feng Ming Wanzhong led at the front. Rain could not approach within a foot of him.
His feet hovered a foot above ground, untouched by dirt.
As Divine Phoenix Academy vice-dean and Ice Phoenix clan expert, he lived pampered, served in all things, needing only to cultivate.
But this wretched weather and road soured his mood.
“Damn Qingxu Academy, damn little beast Ling Xiao! When I return, I will not spare you!”
Feng Ming Wanzhong cursed, growing more irritated.
Five in the team had storage rings, each holding some herbs, but too many herbs meant these immortal-grade treasure rings held limited capacity.
Hence over a dozen carriages loaded with herbs.
Carriages pressed on. Feng Ming Wanzhong closed eyes, trying cultivation to calm anger.
But as he relaxed, a huge boom and escort warriors’ screams came from behind.
He whipped around.
A black-clothed figure, wrapped head to toe like a dumpling.
Clearly intending no identity reveal.
From aura, a professional assassin!
