“Heh heh, that sounds interesting. We definitely have to go.”
Ling Xiao loved a good spectacle, and this alchemy convention involved the very thing he was best at. Who knew, he might even pick up something fun there.
“As long as you want to go, it’s settled. The Sin City alchemy convention is a grand event held only once every two years. The Black Crow Empire, the Divine Phoenix Empire, the Seven Martial Sect Islands, the Five Immortal Islands, all of them send people to participate. It would be a terrible shame to miss it.”
Yue Nu smiled and continued, “For an alchemist, exchanging knowledge with peers is extremely important. If you can achieve something notable at this convention, more and more people will grow wary of you in the future. It would be a waste not to make use of such an advantage…”
“Master, I’ve heard about it too. The Sin City alchemy convention attracts the attention of many major forces. Anyone who performs outstandingly will be noticed by these powers and invited to become a honoured guest. The treatment is so good it drives countless people mad with envy.”
Leng Mei added a comment.
Although she was young, she had actually travelled to far more places than Ling Xiao.
In the hazy corners of her memory, she seemed to recall having visited Sin City once before, though she had been too little at the time and could no longer remember clearly.
“Cooperating with some major powers is fine, but pledging allegiance is out of the question. I am the Celestial Emperor of the Celestial Empire. If I became someone else’s exclusive alchemist, I would have no freedom at all.”
Ling Xiao shook his head.
“You’re wrong about that. You know about Sun Shang, the Miraculous Hand Heavenly Venerable, whom we killed. He had a glorious past.”
Leng Mei said, “Sun Shang was the absolute dark horse of the thirty-first Sin City alchemy convention!
Before taking part in that convention, he was completely unknown and utterly destitute.
Yet once he achieved results there, the major forces quickly took notice of him. In the end he chose to become an imperial physician of the Holy Dynasty. At that time, Sun Shang was merely a low-grade yellow-tier alchemist.
His cultivation was also pitiful, only the First Cave Heaven realm.
However, backed by the Holy Dynasty and heavily nurtured, not only did his alchemist rank rise continuously until he became the strongest alchemist on both the Heavenly Dragon Continent and the Divine Phoenix Continent, but his cultivation also soared all the way to become a supreme expert of the Cave Heaven realm.
Before we killed him, he truly was a figure who could summon wind and rain.
Without the support of the Holy Dynasty, no matter how hard he worked on his own, he could never have reached such terrifying heights.”
“So Sun Shang actually had this kind of history.”
Ling Xiao had always assumed Sun Shang was born and raised on the Heavenly Dragon Continent and had never left it.
Yue Nu casually remarked, “Of course. Whether it’s cultivation or alchemy, both require enormous amounts of money.
Even someone with exceptional alchemical talent will struggle to achieve anything without a constant supply of ingredients.
Many genius warriors are held back in childhood. By the time they reach a certain age, they have lost their innate advantages and end up ordinary.
Alchemists need ingredients for every pill and medicine they make. If they spend all their time gathering materials, when will they ever have time to improve their skills?
If there is a wealthy backer providing materials, everything changes. They can focus entirely on alchemy without worrying about anything else.
The alchemy convention is really just a way for alchemists to find rich patrons who will support them. That’s what most of them think.”
“Heh heh, Sister Yue Nu, that really doesn’t apply to me.”
Ling Xiao possessed the Mountains and Rivers Martial Soul. Where others needed tens of thousands of the same herb to master a technique, he needed only one set.
He was only seventeen now, and he had truly begun studying alchemy less than two years ago, yet his current accomplishments were already no inferior to those of the Miraculous Hand Heavenly Venerable Sun Shang before his death.
Therefore, vast quantities of ingredients were only useful to him for actually refining pills; otherwise they meant little.
Moreover, he was now the Celestial Emperor of the Celestial Empire, backed by an entire empire. With Princess Yun Ya of the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company helping him, obtaining ingredients was far from impossible.
Speaking of ingredients reminded him of something.
One of the other reasons he had come to Sin City this time was to acquire as many medicinal ingredients as possible, then refine enough pills to raise the overall strength of the Shadow Assassins and the Divine Capital Guards.
That was just as important as the Imperial Jade Seal.
Although one should not become dependent on pills, refusing to use them at all was equally unacceptable.
“We’ve arrived at the Black Wind Tower!”
While the three of them chatted, they reached the entrance of the Black Wind Tower.
Looking up at the towering structure that pierced the clouds, so high that its top could not be seen, Ling Xiao could not help showing surprise.
This Black Wind Tower was no ordinary place.
The power behind it was probably even more extraordinary.
“Let’s go in and take a look. I want to see what is so special about the auction house reputed to be the strongest on the Divine Phoenix Continent.”
Ling Xiao had a strong feeling that he would definitely find the Imperial Jade Seal on this visit to Sin City.
That feeling grew even stronger the instant he stepped into the Black Wind Tower.
The three of them walked onto the pavement laid with bluestone, smooth and spotlessly clean, not a speck of debris in sight.
Under the hawk-like, piercing gazes of the Black Wind Tower guards, Ling Xiao and his companions entered the building.
Compared to the bustling atmosphere of Black Street, the interior of the Black Wind Tower was far quieter.
Even though there were many people, everyone kept their voices low and did not dare speak loudly.
From Black Street to the Black Wind Tower, only a single door separated them, yet the difference was like heaven and earth.
Inside the Black Wind Tower there was no biting cold wind; instead it felt very warm.
When Ling Xiao saw the layout of the hall, his eyes nearly lost control.
Every counter in the entire hall was uniformly made of crystal and gold. Not only beautiful, but extremely luxurious.
The Black Wind Tower also had guards, yet they wore plain clothes rather than special uniforms.
Still, Ling Xiao could tell from their expressions and eyes that these people definitely belonged to the Black Wind Tower.
The moment the three of them stepped inside, at least a hundred sharp gazes swept over them.
Only after a few moments did those uncomfortable, nerve-wracking stares gradually shift away.
“Tell me, who do you think is the real mastermind behind the Black Wind Tower? I refuse to believe it’s the Black Python family. Does the Black Python family really have the resources for something this grand?”
Ling Xiao stroked his chin, puzzled.
“The head of the Black Python family is the publicly acknowledged bandit king of Changle Immortal Island. With Changle Immortal Island backing him, not even the Black Crow Empire, the Divine Phoenix Empire, or Jade Wave Island would lightly provoke him. Master, you mustn’t underestimate him.”
Leng Mei reminded him.
In order to become the most capable assistant at Ling Xiao’s side, not merely a helper, Leng Mei had put in serious effort. During every spare moment from cultivation, she had studied huge amounts of material about Sin City.
Being able to explain all this now was no coincidence.
