Chapter 1871: Chapter 1871 Everything Is On Track
Gradually, the Dark Legion dominated the region, capturing several major cities and establishing their bases.
After all, they had a plentiful supply of cannon fodder, so they were never short of defenders.
Upon returning to the army, Ye Liuyun ordered the expansion of a major city at the centre of the border battlefield and named it the Necropolis.
He then reached out to Mystique Mart to open up a branch at the border battlefield.
Among the surrendered soldiers, Ye Liuyun found some Elixir makers, Weapon refining masters, and Formation Masters, although their abilities were merely average.
Therefore, he asked Mystique Mart to recruit a few strong crews as their guides.
Ye Liuyun gathered many surrendered soldiers who had experience running inns, restaurants, or brothels, and set up various businesses to maintain the business operation of Necropolis.
Upon its return, Ye Liuyun’s clone took up his duties. Mainly in charge of providing the army with high-calibre soldiers and soldier training. To increase the Dark Legion’s power, he also released many Devil Beasts.
Yu Xiaofeng, He Lianxiu, and Xiao Yunfang each led a division, constantly attacking and capturing fortresses, and sent large amounts of resources and captive soldiers back to the Necropolis.
Seeing everything was on track, Ye Liuyun was finally reassured and decided to head to the Southern part of Regalty with Tong Xin.
The two of them planned to go to the Southern part of Regalty to qualify as an Elixir Maker and a Weapon refining Master. They would use this identity to gather intelligence for the army.
After Ye Liuyun left, the delegation from Mystique Mart, including several Elixir Makers, Weapon refining Masters, Formation Masters and martial practitioners who were tasked as the guards, arrived at the Necropolis
What the clone didn’t expect was that the team was led by Xuan Yuanling personally.
"Why has Mystique Mart sent you here?" The clone asked in surprise.
Xuan Yuanling, unable to recognize the clone of Ye Liuyun, took him for Ye Liuyun and replied, "Why can’t I come? Mystique Mart is about to open a new branch here!"
"You’re progressing so well now, and of course, we’ll have to pay attention and seize the initiative," she said.
The clone marvelled at her reply, "Mystique Mart sure has a keen nose."
"The clan has ordered me to follow your development from now on. Wherever your armies advance, I’ll establish a branch of Mystique Mart. It’s only fair to pay you back for conquering the markets for us. How about this? Mystique Mart will give you 20% of the profit we made in your territory," Xuan Yuanling suggested.
"You’ve planned everything out, what more can I say? I should thank you for holding such high hopes for me," the clone readily agreed.
Future resource exchanges and troop resupply would become considerably easier should they have closer ties to Mystique Mart.
Furthermore, the 20% profit from Mystique Mart would be enough to cover their city guards’ resource usage.
Xuan Yuanling laughed, "It’s not me who held such high hopes, but the clan. I don’t have high hopes for you."
She was in a jolly mood since she felt liberated from the limitations imposed by her clan after arriving at the border battleground.
Moreover, the situation in the Necropolis was much better than she had imagined with everything in order.
"Haha! That just proves that your clan has a good vision while you still need more practice!"
The clone joked with her cheerfully.
That way, things began to get on track with the clone in the Necropolis.
Ye Liuyun and Tong Xin were hurrying on their journey at full speed.
After they swept through the border battlefield, everything was much more peaceful than ever. They didn’t encounter much resistance along their journey.
Tong Xin had been growing his realm and refining weapons along the travel inside the cultivation space.
Ye Liuyun rode on his Long-tailed Glede, exterminating some smaller groups of scattered martial practitioners from time to time.
Ahead at the border, there was a mountain abundant with herbs, yet also strictly managed by the border guard forces.
Ye Liuyun planned to stealthily infiltrate the area to gather some herbs.
In line with his intention to join the Alchemist Alliance, having gained herbs at his disposal would make him look the part.
Even though he had gathered some herbs before, those that could not be planted had been traded away.
Recently, he had collected many alchemy recipes, mostly gathered from resources and defeated bandits.
Before he set off this time, he brought along numerous State Crystal and Spirit Crystal. However, he didn’t have a lot of herbs with him.
As Ye Liuyun released his Divine Sense to probe the situation, he discovered that somebody was recruiting bodyguards to enter the mountain and gather herbs.
Most likely, a powerful authority that had gained permission to enter.
"It would be better to join their troops to get access than to try to breach the border forces," Ye Liuyun muttered.
Upon this realization, Ye Liuyun immediately approached them.
The Lin family, who were well-known for their business in refining medicines in the South, was the clan who employed the bodyguards.
Moreover, the Lin family had a seventh-realm Grand Alchemist, Lin Luoyi, who held high prestige in the central region and was often hailed as the goddess among alchemists.
However, the martial practitioners hired as their guards were private contractors from the border battlefields. They wouldn’t care who hired them as long as they got paid for their labour.
Martial practitioners in this line of work were commonly referred to as mercenaries.
Ye Liuyun showed his realm as the intermediate fourth level, which was considered above average among these mercenaries. Because of this, he was instantly chosen.
The Lin family had brought with them a dozen disciples to collect medicinal herbs, including a fourth-level alchemist, Lin Xiyao.
They were supervised by a middle-aged martial practitioner from the Lin Family, Lin Zhian, whose cultivation was at the intermediary fifth level. He was an outer sect deacon of the Lin family and also the team leader for this trip.
Lin Zhian knew the situation at the border battlefield well, and he declared to Ye Liuyun and others that if they performed well, they could be employed as the Lin family’s outer sect disciples, earning a monthly stipend.
Such an offer was a huge temptation for these martial practitioners from the border battlefield. Many were from the mortal realm, and without family members left. They would naturally welcome the opportunity to rely on a major power protection.
Thus, many of them immediately made their stance clear that they would do their best to perform and strive to join the outer sect of the Lin family.
Ye Liuyun realised the Lin family was a powerful family after hearing him introduce himself and the situation of the Lin family.
"It wouldn’t be a bad idea to find a major power to settle down before venturing out to learn alchemy!" Ye Liuyun thought to himself.
He scanned the selected mercenaries, among them were four or five demon cultivators, their realms were hovering at the primary level of the fourth level, and only one advanced stage of the fourth level practitioner.
By logic, the cultivator of the fifth level would not be interested in joining such an expedition to earn income, and those of the third level would not be qualified to be hired by the Lin family.
As for the Lin family’s disciples, their strength was rather ordinary. Ye Liuyun’s Golden Phantom Eyes could see through them. Apart from Lin Xiyao, an alchemist whose virtuoso contained Fire of Pills, the rest did not have the fire attribute inside their virtuoso.
Moreover, these people did not seem to be very familiar with Lin Xiyao. Ye Liuyun assumed they were all outer sect disciples of the Lin family, they came for training with priority to protect Lin Xiyao.
Furthermore, Lin Zhian had articulated specifically that the duty of collecting medicinal herbs would be under Lin Xiyao’s instruction.
After hiring twenty or so mercenaries, Lin Zhian did not need any more. He briefed the rules to Ye Liuyun and the rest of the mercenaries before he led them into the mountain.
They smoothly passed two patrols and three guard posts after entering the mountain.
Every time they were stopped at a checkpoint, Lin Zhian had to present a permit to the post guards to gain access.
