Zhang Xuan felt deep regret.
To him, every single middle-tier spirit stone was an extraordinarily valuable commodity… However, to that Envoy Liu Xuan, given how powerful she was and that she came from the headquarters, it could very well be no different from spare change!
It was a pity that when Zhao Ya left, Zhang Xuan was a little overwhelmed by self-reproach. On top of that, his pride also didn’t allow him to lower his head-he didn’t want others to think that he was selling his student off for spirit stones… But still, he couldn’t help but feel that it was a great pity given his current plight.
Even if not for his student… he could request for spirit stones just by offering the other party pointers!
There was no flaw which was beyond the heavens. Through the Library of Heaven’s Path, Zhang Xuan was confident that he would be able to offer invaluable advice to the other party on her cultivation and receive some compensation in exchange.
With this compensation, his cultivation from there onward would be smooth-sailing. He wouldn’t have to worry about the lack in resources anymore. His students would also be entitled to the best training resources as well…
But to miss the opportunity by like that…
“Forget it, there’s no use crying over spilt milk…”
Knowing that it would be difficult for him to meet another expert of Envoy Liu Xuan’s caliber once more, Zhang Xuan decided to let the matter go. He then turned to Pavilion Master Kang and asked, “Pavilion master, may I know who possesses the most middle-tier spirit stones in Myriad Kingdom City?”
“Middle-tier spirit stones?”
Pavilion Master Kang was taken aback. “These items are cultivation necessities. Every prestigious clan would at least have one or two in their possession… But if you’re talking about who possesses the most middle-tier spirit stones, it could only be those powers who have traveled here to participate in the Master Teacher Tournament!”
“Powers?” Zhang Xuan was perplexed.
Pavilion Master Kang contemplated for a moment before saying, “Indeed. The Myriad Kingdom Alliance is considered weak even among its own tier. As such, the quantity of middle-tier spirit stones it can obtain from Huanyu Empire is severely limited. On the other hand, the Fleeting Cloud Sect, White Helios Sect, and Spiraling Cosmos Sect, due to their overwhelming strength and the backing of half 5-star master teachers, obtained the most middle-tier spirit stones each time. While it would be difficult for me to even take out three of them, their pavilion masters or sect leaders would be able to easily take out a dozen or even more!”
“So many?”
Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up.
If he could obtain a dozen or so, he would surely be able to reach Transcendent Mortal 3-dan Yin-Yang realm pinnacle easily. Complementing such strength with his soul cultivation, he would be a match for even Transcendent Mortal 5-dan experts.
Cupping his lower jaw, Zhang Xuan thought, ‘It seems like I must find an opportunity to plunder some from them…’
Looking at the other party’s expression, the edges of Pavilion Master Kang’s lips twitched.
Those are powerful sects and empires! It is already a huge blessing that they aren’t plundering from us, and yet, you still hope to steal spirit stones from them?
“Cough cough. Zhang shi, the minimum cultivation required for a half 5-star master teacher is the Consonant Spirit realm. Such experts possess astounding strength that we can’t hope to match up to. Furthermore… our Myriad Kingdom Alliance can’t be said to be in friendly relations with them…”
Afraid that this fellow might really do something insane, Pavilion Master Kang couldn’t help but advise him from the side.
In the Consonant Spirit realm, through the nurturing of one’s soul and its harmonization with the flesh, one’s fighting prowess would be multiplied.
It is one thing for them to not cause trouble in Myriad Kingdom City, and yet, you still dare to set your gaze on their spirit stones… Aren’t you just looking for trouble?
“Don’t worry, I won’t go overboard!”
Zhang Xuan nodded his head before falling into deep thought.
It would be clearly impossible for him to steal the spirit stones from them. While his cultivation did advance greatly recently, he was still a way off from being able to match a Consonant Spirit realm cultivator.
If he were to utilize all of his means, he might still be able to match a Consonant Spirit realm primary stage cultivator. However, against an intermediate stage or even higher, the only course of action he could take was to escape as far as he could.
From Pavilion Master Kang’s words, it seemed like these sects had plenty of Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage and advanced stage cultivators.
But while Zhang Xuan couldn’t fight them squarely, hoodwinking them shouldn’t be a problem.
Back then, in Tianxuan Kingdom, when his pockets were completely empty, and his cultivation was low, didn’t he still manage to convince innumerable experts to bow down willingly to Yang shi?
“Seems like I have to find a way to get to them and offer them guidance or cure their illnesses so as to earn some middle-tier spirit stones…”
Zhao Ya’s departure had given him a drive like never before.
If he was sufficiently strong, he would be able to easily obtain the cultivation resources his students needed-there would be no need for his own students to follow behind others!
In the end, it all boiled down to him being weak.
Without sufficient strength, everything else was just empty talk.
Thus, his priority at hand was to gather as many middle-tier spirit stones as possible and raise his cultivation.
…
While Zhang Xuan was planning to sweep away the spirit stones of those sects and empires, Sect Leader Luo Huang and Luo Xuan arrived at the Sea Gazing Gazebo.
“Sect Leader Luo, why are you here too?”
Before they could walk into the tavern, they heard a surprised exclaim. Turning around, they saw a middle-aged man standing not too far away.
It was the leader of White Helios Sect, Bai Kaizhi.
A Consonant Spirit realm advanced stage expert, half 5-star master teacher.
“Sect Leader Bai, you’re here too!” Having guessed this much, Sect Leader Luo Huang wasn’t surprised in the least. On the contrary, he chuckled softly.
“You were the one who sent the letter to me?” Seeing the other party’s confident expression, Sect Leader Bai was perplexed.
“I am not so bored as to waste my time with this. If I really managed to obtain news of Kong shi’s relic, I would have surely claimed it for my own already. Do you think I would waste my words with you?” Sect Leader Luo Huang shook his head. “Most probably, we aren’t the only ones that he contacted. I wonder who is the mastermind behind this matter. In any case, let’s head in first!”
“Un!” Sect Leader Bai was stunned for a moment before comprehending the situation. He nodded his head, and the duo walked into the tavern side-by-side.
As soon as they walked in, they immediately saw several familiar silhouettes. Of the twenty-seven powers that came to Myriad Kingdom City, fourteen were gathered here!
Furthermore, the mastermind clearly did his homework. These fourteen powers were ranked at the front among the twenty-eight powers in the region.
Asking around, they realized that everyone that had gathered here had received the same letter that spoke of Kong shi’s relic. To Sect Leader Luo Huang’s disappointment, no one seemed to know any more than that. The mastermind who sent the letters to the all of them and the relic mentioned within the card remained a mystery to everyone.
“Could this be a hoax?” Someone expressed their doubt.
“Unlikely. Even though we aren’t based in Myriad Kingdom City, given our combined influence, it would just be a matter of time before we catch onto the traces of that person!”
A sect leader harrumphed. “Thus, it’s impossible unless… he’s tired of living!”
Given how even the Lin Clan from the Tianwu Kingdom could easily bring out search tools such as the Seeking Mouse, it wouldn’t be too hard for powerful influences like them to trace down a person.
The only reason why they hadn’t done so was because they didn’t wish to take any risks-after all, Kong shi relic was at stake here.
“That’s true. Let’s continue waiting then!”
Finding those words logical, the crowd decided to wait a while longer.
Those that had gathered here were all master teachers, and even the weakest of them was at 4-star pinnacle. Patience was one thing that they didn’t lack.
“Greetings. I am the one who gathered all of you here today!”
Soon, a deep voice echoed, and a one-armed elder walked into the tavern.
Ding Hong didn’t try to conceal anything at all; an appearance of an elder in his sixties, a cultivation of Zhizun realm, and a face that looked incredibly ragged. With a look, one could easily tell that he had suffered grievous injuries and had yet to recover from them.
Everyone turned their eyes over.
They thought that a person who dared to gather all of them here would have to be at least a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle expert or even higher… To think that it would only be an insignificant Zhizun realm cultivator. Everyone couldn’t help but frown.
“Pardon me for inviting all of you here so abruptly. Just as what was written in the card, I’m here to offer you news on… Kong shi’s relic!”
Ding Hong surveyed the crowd as he said those words.
He knew that there was no disguise he could don nor lie he could spout that would fool a half 5-star master teacher. Since that was the case, he might as well come out clean. In any case, with the secret he held, he need not fear being silenced.
“Kong shi’s relic? Before you go on any further, I would you to take note of who you are standing before. If there’s any falsehood in your words, I believe little has to be said of your plight!”
Flinging his sleeves, Sect Leader Luo Huang harrumphed.
“I understand, and I can assure you that there are no lies in my words… The relic I am speaking of refers to Kong shi’s handwritten letter!” Ding Hong clasped his fist and reported.
“Kong shi’s handwritten letter?”
Everyone jolted in shock.
There were many incredible weapons among Kong shi’s relic, but to a master teacher, there was nothing that could be more valuable than his handwritten letter.
Such letters usually harnessed the essence, spirit, and soul of the writer. By studying the characters in it often, one’s Soul Depth could rise quickly. No treasure could possibly rival that.
“Indeed. Back then, the ancestor of a small clan once saved the life of Sage Min, and in gratitude to that small clan, Kong shi personally wrote a letter to them. Ever since then, the letter had been passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom,” Ding Hong said.
“Sage Min?”
“You mean one of the 72 Sages of Kong shi’s disciples?”
“He’s one of the founder of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and very few know not of his name! If what you said is true, the value of that handwritten letter is indeed priceless!”
“Putting everything aside, if one were to seek Sage Min’s descendants with that letter in hand, the latter would surely honor one as an esteemed guest…”
“Indeed…’
Hearing those words, everyone’s breathing hastened.
Of Kong shi’s three thousand known disciples, the most formidable of them were known as the 72 Sages. As one of the 72 Sages, Sage Min had participated in the founding of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and he was honored by all master teachers for such.
To have saved such a person and obtained Kong shi’s handwritten letter…
Disregarding the value of the handwritten letter in itself, just the story behind it would make countless experts wrestle with one another over it.
Suppressing his hastened breathing, Sect Leader Luo Huang lifted his head and asked, “Alright, what are your conditions?”
Hearing those words, everyone in the room fell silent.
Indeed. Since the other party went through so much effort to gather all of them here, surely, he must have his own motives. In fact, they would feel unnerved if he didn’t.
“Sect Leader Luo is indeed a candid person!”
Ding Hong chuckled lightly. “My conditions are simple. Firstly, I wish to become the alliance head of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. Secondly, I want my cultivation to reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle! Last but not least, I want you to kill a person for me. Don’t worry, the strength of this person isn’t too high-just a Transcendent Mortal 2-dan primary stage cultivator. Whoever promises me these three matters, I’ll tell you the whereabouts of Kong shi’s relic.”
“The alliance head of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance is supported by the Myriad Kingdom City Master Teacher Pavilion. Even though I can’t interfere in the matters of Myriad Kingdom Alliance directly, Pavilion Master Kang should still defer to me on this matter. After all, changing an alliance head wouldn’t harm the foundations of the empire. It shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve this,” Sect Leader Luo Huang said. “As for your cultivation, as long as you follow my guidance strictly, there’s an eighty percent chance that you can reach Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle… As for the assassination, I can agree to it too.”
“Sect Leader Luo, there’s no need to be so hasty. We possess the capability to do as much as well. I believe no one here intends to give up on Kong shi’s relic!”
“Indeed. This friend here, on top of becoming the alliance head of Myriad Kingdom Alliance, our Spiraling Cosmos Sect can make you an honorary elder. You’ll be entitled to equivalent privileges as them!”
“Our Frigid Gale Sect also agrees to your conditions. On top of that, we can offer you five middle-tier spirit stones and fifteen Transcendent Mortal 2-dan female disciples…”
…
An uproar immediately burst within the Sea Gazing Gazebo.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/16177506
Zhao Ya’s side story.
This is from the author’s WeChat. There are other side stories too, but I think this is the only one written by the author, so I’ll translate only this one.
