“This place is concluded. Farewell!”
Ling Xiao had no wish to linger here too long. Otherwise, if Yun Ya saw through his true identity, that would be most unfortunate.
“This junior shall see you off!”
Yun Ya hurried after him.
She was now convinced this ghost-masked man was a master alchemist of the highest order. Just how strong she did not know, but absolutely far stronger than Sun Shang.
Ling Xiao did not stop her from following. Only when they reached the door did he deploy his movement technique and vanish in an instant into the alleyway.
“Boss, that fellow’s voice sounds young. His build does not seem like an alchemist’s either. Are you certain you have not misjudged?”
The man who had received Ling Xiao earlier came out and asked in puzzlement.
“Your eyesight is still too poor. If I am not mistaken, he is in disguise. That is not his true form.”
Yun Ya shook her head: “To judge if one is an alchemist, one looks not at the exterior but at the strength of their soul force. This person’s is absolutely stronger than that of the Divine Hand Heavenly Venerable Sun Shang.”
“Boss, those Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills are fine things indeed. Have you never thought to refine them yourself? With your abilities, it should not be difficult.”
The man said further.
At these words, Yun Ya’s face turned icy in an instant: “Slap your own mouth!”
“Slap!”
The man truly struck himself across the cheek.
Only then did Yun Ya say: “You must understand that alchemists are never to be offended lightly. What is more, this is one whose depths we do not even know. If we rouse his ire, we shall come to grief! Do not forget, even a wretch like Sun Shang can make an auction house no less than ours vanish utterly from the Heavenly Dragon Continent. Let alone that senior.”
“This subordinate knows his error. But what if that senior were willing to sell the formula for the Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills?”
“Useless. I have analysed it closely. That Heavenly Spirit Divine Pill not only incorporates a special medicinal ingredient in most exquisite measure, but employs a special flame in its refinement.”
Yun Ya sighed: “Adding that ingredient, I might yet manage. But I lack the means to command that special flame.”
“What! Even Your Highness the Princess cannot?”
“Cannot!”
Yun Ya shook her head: “So now you understand why I must curry favour with him so assiduously? One cannot afford to offend such a person. But if we can become friends, our Heavenly Dragon Auction House will grow stronger than at present.”
“This subordinate understands.”
…
Returning to the Clear Void Academy, Ling Xiao went straight to his dwelling.
It was a solitary chamber.
In the Clear Void Academy, each had their own separate quarters. This made it far easier for martial artists to cultivate without disturbance.
After all, every martial artist held some small secrets of their own. To house them all together would be most troublesome.
Ling Xiao took out a portion of the medicinal ingredients he had just bought from the storage ring. He was about to refine new Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills when suddenly he sensed a shadow flit past the window.
“Who is there?”
“Come with me. There is good fortune!”
That voice Ling Xiao recognised clearly. It belonged to the stranger he had met at the auction house.
The very one who had spent twenty million lower-grade spirit stones to buy the lower-grade Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills he refined.
After a slight hesitation, he put the ingredients back into the storage ring, pushed open the door, and gave chase.
One who could intrude into the Clear Void Academy could not possibly be weak.
To pursue was surely to court danger.
But Ling Xiao felt this person harboured no ill will towards him. He chose to trust his judgement.
He chased all the way, yet even with his movement technique, he could only follow at a distance. Closing the gap seemed utterly impossible.
This left Ling Xiao most astonished.
He, who had comprehended the Rationale of Light, was swift beyond measure. Even a half-step Yin-Yang Realm martial artist might not outpace him.
Yet this person could do so with ease. The reason he had not been shaken off was simply that the other showed mercy.
Only when they reached beyond the bounds of the Clear Void Academy did the man halt. He laughed heartily: “My benefactor’s speed is truly formidable.”
“General!”
Ling Xiao looked closely and started in fright.
This was no other than Ji Ning.
Was Ji Ning not in Northern Desert City? How had he returned to the imperial city?
The matter was in truth not complex at all.
After learning Ling Xiao’s true identity from Hong Qi, Ji Ning could no longer stay put. He feared someone might do Ling Xiao harm. Thus he donned a disguise and came to the imperial city, meaning to protect Ling Xiao in secret.
Passing by the Heavenly Dragon Auction House, he overheard talk of Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills up for auction inside. At once he entered and used his lifetime’s savings to buy those one hundred Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills.
It was just that Ling Xiao knew nothing of this yet.
“If my benefactor does not mind, may we address each other by given names?”
Ji Ning said with a smile: “Brother Ling Xiao!”
“Brother Ji Ning!”
“Hahaha, good, good!”
Ji Ning burst into delighted laughter at once: “This time I sought you out for no other purpose than to bring you a fine gift.”
With that, he took from his storage ring the gourd that held the Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills.
Seeing this familiar gourd, Ling Xiao first felt a wry smile in his heart.
After all the fuss, he had unwittingly fleeced Ji Ning.
But at once he felt moved too.
Ji Ning had spent so many lower-grade spirit stones on these Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills for his sake?
“Brother, what is this?”
He asked in puzzlement.
“Lower-grade Heavenly Spirit Divine Pills. Twice as effective as lower-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills!”
Ji Ning laughed.
“No, this gift is far too precious. One receives no reward without merit. This little brother dares not accept.”
Ling Xiao shook his head hastily.
“Indeed, the thing is costly. It cost me twenty million lower-grade spirit stones to obtain. If Brother Ling refuses it, then I shall destroy it!”
Ji Ning’s expression was most earnest.
“Brother, what do you mean by this?”
Ling Xiao’s heart filled with confusion.
If it was to repay a debt of gratitude, was Ji Ning not going too far?
“Brother Ling, spare your needless questions. Once your strength grows a touch more, I shall tell you of your origins. In a word, for you, I, Ji Ning, would cast away my head and spill hot blood without a second thought.”
Ji Ning said most seriously.
Ling Xiao sighed. He did not understand why Ji Ning said this, but he accepted the sentiment.
He would simply repay it in kind some day.
“Very well, I accept the gift. But brother, though you disguise yourself and bide in the imperial city for now without discovery, once the imperial house learns of it, you shall be in danger.”
Ling Xiao said most sincerely: “You had best return to Northern Desert City at once. I am in no peril.”
“You speak of no peril, yet in a month’s time, do you truly have the means to defeat that Blood Skull?”
Ji Ning said anxiously: “You, oh you. How can you be so rash? What can a month change? At the least, you ought to drag the time out to a year or more.”
