Chapter 134: Invitation To Chu-Jiang (1)
Hm? Where did he go?
Branch Master Ma stood frozen in the secluded alleyway, his nerves on edge. Just a moment ago, Wu Yuan was beside him. But he had vanished in the blink of an eye.
So, this is a Grandmaster? No wonder there are barely any stories about them in the world.
He was a high-ranking expert on the Human Rankings, yet even he had no clue which direction Wu Yuan had taken off in, much less an ordinary person.
And this was just a Grandmaster. What about the legendary Heavenly Rankers? As long as they didn't start a large-scale battle, mortals wouldn't be able to detect them at all if they wished to remain hidden.
I wonder if the two Grandmasters will come to blows. Branch Master Ma scanned his surroundings.
Id better hide for now, I should really learn from my Senior Uncle.
Right! Back at the branch, I informed Senior Uncle that Grandmaster Shadow Blade had arrived. He explicitly instructed me to go on and greet him first, saying he would follow shortly. So why hasn't he arrived?
He set me up again!
Atop a building, Wu Yuan and the tall figure cloaked in black stood several dozen meters apart. They could close the gap in an instant, yet neither side showed any sign of fear.
"Li Yan?" Wu Yuan pored over the Land Rankings in his mind. There was no such name. Clearly, it was an alias. No one would state their real name in the Pleiades Guild.
"Shadow Blade is just a code name the Starcom Consortium gave me. You might as well call me Thousand Mountains," Wu Yuan said indifferently, "Besides, how strong did you imagine me to be?"
"Haha! Then I will call you Thousand Mountains." The towering figure in black robes laughed, "Its quite a surprise that you actually came to meet me. Your courage exceeds my expectations."
"And not to mention, you sensed my presence from hundreds of meters away without me revealing myself. Your perception is truly terrifying, even stronger than mine. The rumors, they are indeed true." The towering figure in the black robe said.
Wu Yuan responded with a silent smile. Courage? Perception?
To be honest, Wu Yuan did hesitate to meet him. But having traversed countless li over mountains and across rivers, and achieving complete mastery over the second level of Environmental Mastery, his concerns had lessened significantly.
The only thing he feared about visiting the Pleiades Guild was being ambushed by several Grandmaster experts. There was a potential risk of death.
But firstly, the Pleiades Guild had no reason to help Great Jin trap him. 100 million silver taels? That wasn't enough! Secondly, how many Grandmaster experts could the Pleiades Guild truly muster?
Most importantly, Wu Yuan had faith in his own abilities. His soul sense was quite powerful to begin with, and now with the breakthrough in his skill level, his perception of the surrounding environment had grown even stronger. Grandmaster experts could forget about ambushing him.
According to Wu Yuan's perception, the only Grandmaster expert within several li was the one standing before him.
"What rumors?" Wu Yuan asked calmly.
"The rumors that your skill level can match a Great Grandmaster, that youve reached the second level of Harmony of Man and Nature, Integration." The towering figure in the black robe chuckled, "I was somewhat skeptical before, thinking that Chen Luo, that fool, was just fabricating stories to evade punishment. But now, it seems they hold some truth."
Wu Yuan remained composed. The Harmony of Man and Nature was also divided into several levels? Integration seemed to refer to the second level of Environmental Mastery, as well as the skill level of a Great Grandmaster. As far as Wu Yuan knew, only the top ten in the Land Rankings were called Great Grandmasters.
"Li Yan, I've completed the task. Where's the item?" Wu Yuan's gaze fell on the imposing figure in black, a glint of frost flashing in his eyes. "Don't tell me you didn't bring it." If he didn't, a fight would break out right there and then.
"Don't worry. The reason our Pleiades Guild can remain hidden in the shadows across the world is due to our reputation of trustworthiness." Li Yan replied with a slight smile.
With a flip of his hand, a jade vial appeared in his palm.
Whoosh! Like a stream of light, the jade vial shot toward Wu Yuan. The force imbued in it was nothing short of terrifying, but Wu Yuan caught it steadily. This was a test to see if Wu Yuan would falter or show fear.
Trust? That only applied when one had a powerful enough bargaining chip! Their unspoken intentions were clear.
"Hmm, not bad." Wu Yuan uncorked the vial, allowing a wave of sweet fragrance to waft out. He scanned the contents - roughly 50 drops. Wu Yuan trusted the Pleiades Guild not to play tricks in this regard.
"Li Yan." Wu Yuan tucked the jade vial into his clothing, his voice low, "You've been waiting here for a month or two, expending a good deal of time to meet me. I suspect it's not just to deliver this Ancient Immortal Dew."
If the Pleiades Guild had no other business with him, nor intended to fall out with Wu Yuan, they could have just handed the treasure to Branch Master Ma or Mo Gou.
"Naturally, there's something else," Li Yan nodded. "I'll get straight to the point. Thousand Mountains, do you possess a Chu-Jiang Token?"
"I do." Wu Yuan said honestly. In the past, he didn't reveal due to a lack of strength. Now? What harm was there in admitting it?
The Cloudstride Sect and Yuanhu Villa had both boldly seized their opportunities to snatch it from him, seemingly unafraid of exposure. This implied that whatever benefit it was that the Chu-Jiang Token granted, it could be fully protected with a Grandmaster's strength.
"Alright, I believe you," Li Yan nodded. "Then I'll be straightforward. I want to invite you, an affiliate assassin of the Pleiades Guild, to join me and the Pleiades Guild experts in exploring the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm next August."
"Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm?" Wu Yuan laughed, "Why should I join hands with your Pleiades Guild? I have the Chu-Jiang Token, can't I go there myself?"
How was the Chu-Jiang Token used, and what was the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm? In reality, Wu Yuan was totally clueless.
But this didn't prevent him from drawing deductions from Li Yan's words. Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm? Judging by the name, it was likely a spatial immortal relic related to the Chu-Jiang Empire. The Chu-Jiang Token? It was most likely the key to gaining access to the relic. Or perhaps a medium, certificate, or the like, within the immortal realm.
Wu Yuan's words were a gamble based on his speculations, wagering that his guess was correct in order to extract more information.
"You know the location of the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm?" A hint of astonishment laced Li Yan's voice.
From this reply, Wu Yuan knew that he had made the right guess. The Chu-Jiang Token was likely the key or medium for entering and exiting the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm.
"Do you really think only your Pleiades Guild would know?" Wu Yuan scoffed, "Dont forget, Im from the Jiang Continent."
The Chu and Jiang Continents were former territories of the Chu-Jiang Empire.
"Hmm." Li Yan's gaze deepened as he observed Wu Yuan.
He knew the location of the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm? That was a closely guarded secret of the Chu-Jiang royal family!
He couldn't help but wonder which major power Wu Yuan belonged to. The survivors of the Chu-Jiang Empire's royal family? The Cloudstride Sect?
The thought of Wu Yuan's conflict with Great Jin also crossed Li Yan's mind. He could also be from one of the top sects that had been destroyed by the empire.
"Thousand Mountains, since you're aware, I'll be straightforward," Li Yan said quietly. "One Chu-Jiang Token allows one Grandmaster and two ordinary martial artists to enter. So, I'd like you to take two Pleiades Guild Savant experts with you."
"Take others?" Wu Yuan replied indifferently, "What's in it for me?"
"50 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew or other treasures of equivalent value per person," Li Yan didn't beat around the bush. "Once inside, I hope you can protect them as much as possible. Of course, if you encounter danger, prioritize your safety.
Wu Yuan's expression didn't change. 50 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew? That was 100 drops for two people. If converted into silver, it would be worth millions of silver taels. All that just to bring them in?
Li Yan's words hinted at dangers lurking in the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm that could threaten the lives of Grandmaster experts. The greater the potential benefits, the greater the risks they were willing to take. There were definitely many treasures lying in wait within the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm.
"Li Yan, are you underestimating me or do you believe I don't understand the value of a spot in Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm?" Wu Yuan asked coldly. Indeed, he didn't understand.
"Shadow Blade, name your price," Li Yan remained unfazed.
"200 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew," Wu Yuan stated calmly.
"No problem." Li Yan nodded.
"...Plus a second-grade divine armor," Wu Yuan continued in a relaxed tone. Noticing how easily Li Yan agreed to his conditions, he realized he had underpriced and quickly raised his demands on the spot.
Just as expected, Li Yan slightly furrowed his brows, "Shadow Blade, you're asking for too much. A second-grade divine weapon isn't a third-grade one its exceedingly difficult to forge. One second-grade divine weapon can be traded for 100 catties of etherstone!"
"It's merely two Savant experts, not Grandmasters," Li Yan shook his head.
100 catties of etherstone? Wu Yuan's expression remained unchanged.
He obviously knew he was pricing aggressively. 200 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew were worth over twenty million silver taels.
As for the second-grade divine weapon? Third-grade divine weapons were generally wielded by Savant experts and worth over 100,000 silver taels, and could go as high as one million silver taels. But a second-grade divine weapon was typically wielded by a Grandmaster, and each one could reach a whopping ten million silver taels!
Moreover, it was not something one could easily buy with money. The number of factions capable of forging second-grade divine weapons in the world could be counted on two hands.
Many Grandmasters who lacked strong backing and were unwilling to engage in deadly battles might not even possess a second-grade divine weapon.
"Li Yan, if you're not willing, then forget it." Wu Yuan shrugged nonchalantly, "I can find other Savant experts to accompany me. Perhaps Ill be able to reap greater gains."
It was a provocation. However, Li Yan had no way to gauge Wu Yuan's true strength.
"Fine, I agree with your conditions." After a moment of silence, Li Yan slowly responded. "We'll meet at the Pleiades Guild branch in the Chu Continent, Lv City, on the 22nd of August next year. Then, we'll head to Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm together. At that time, I will hand over both the divine-grade weapon and Ancient Immortal Dew to you."
"I can wait for the divine-grade weapon, but I must have the Ancient Immortal Dew within five days, Wu Yuan replied with a smile. Otherwise, no deal!
"Thousand Mountains, you've crossed the line this time. Li Yan snapped, frustration mounting. What if you take the Ancient Immortal Dew and dont meet up with us, instead sneaking into the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm with other experts? How should I find you then?
Reputation and promises were worthless in the eyes of experts.
Fine, Wu Yuans voice was indifferent. I wont make it hard for you, but you must first give me 50 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew as a deposit. Surely the Pleiades Guild wont be troubled by such a tiny bit of treasure?
Li Yan hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. Alright.
With a swift motion, Li Yan flipped his palm and tossed another jade vial to Wu Yuan. It was almost identical to the one before.
Wu Yuan weighed it in his hand. Satisfied, he pocketed it: One more thing.
Shadow Blade! Li Yans voice rose several decibels, his eyes fixed on Wu Yuan. Dont push your luck.
"Relax, its a minor thing! Give me a copy of all the information you have on the Chu-Jiang Token and Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm, Wu Yuan said casually. Dont look at me like that, I simply wish to cross-reference it with what I know.
Exchange information for it. Li Yans voice was low.
Li Yan, you dont have a choice, Wu Yuan smirked. If you dont agree, I wont return the 50 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew I just got.
Li Yans eyes widened. He had figured it out from Wu Yuans reply. This man probably didnt have any detailed information about the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm at all. Hed been completely swindled!
"Dont worry," Wu Yuan chuckled, "You wont stand to lose anything."
A heavy silence hung in the air.
"Fine, Shadow Blade, I'll trust you," Li Yan stared intently at Wu Yuan, "Just be warned, if you betray me, you will regret it."
With that, Li Yan waved his hand, and another scroll flew towards Wu Yuan. Wu Yuan reached out and caught it.
"Dont forget, Shadow Blade. 22nd of August next year, in Lv City of the Chu Continent!" With those final words, Li Yan retreated several hundred meters, swiftly disappearing from Wu Yuan's sight.
He left so quickly, as if afraid I was going to devour him. Wu Yuan smirked.
Not bad. I've collected 100 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew on this trip.
Now, back to Cloudhill City. Wu Yuan quickly took off.
Several hours later, in a nearby alleyway, Branch Master Ma wore a troubled expression.
No updates yet? Has the exchange between Shadow Blade and the Grandmaster ended? How much longer do I have to wait?
From beginning to end, Wu Yuan and Li Yan completely disregarded Branch Master Mas existence. Uninformed and apprehensive, he dared not leave.
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