Chapter 61: Ten Catties Of Etherstone
"Wu Yuan? I will kill him, he must die!" Endless killing intent welled up in the eyes of the robust man in bronze armor.
Luo Beixiong was a high-ranking member of the Wingborne Sect, wielding authority over a vast territory and leading an entire province's military force. His reputation for brutality preceded him. Merely uttering his name in Luohuang Province sent a shiver down the spines of countless land bandits and water thieves.
But even the fiercest of individuals had a soft spot buried in the depths of their hearts. Years ago, his parents passed away, leaving Luo Beixiong and his younger sister to rely on each other for survival. They endured constant humiliation, and their clan turned a blind eye to their plight. Through relentless training and incredible martial arts talent, his strength increased by leaps and bounds. He climbed the ranks of the Wingborne Sect, eventually breaking through to the second grade. Eventually, he took charge of the clan and became a sect elder. His fiery temper drove him to eradicate all his past enemies.
Yet, after years of intense training and battles, an illness plagued him, rendering him unable to father children. Hence, his greatest affection was reserved for his beloved sister's sole offspring before her death, Luo Fu. The reason he was also surnamed Luo was because Luo Beixiong had requested a name change, planning to nurture this only nephew as his successor.
And Luo Fu did not disappoint. He trained diligently from childhood, and became a first-rate Adept just past his 30th birthday, with a promising future ahead. Yet he died while carrying out an ordinary sect mission?
"Luo Fu, your uncle vows to avenge you. I will get to the bottom of this. Not just Wu Yuan, everyone involved will meet their demise." Luo Beixiong’s wrath knew no limits. The loss of his carefully nurtured successor caused him immense anguish and even drove him to the brink of insanity.
Observing this, the messenger's heart turned sank. He knew of Luo Fu's status within the Luo family and how much Luo Beixiong valued this nephew of his. As the harbinger of this bad news, he might just be crushed to death by Luo Beixiong in his anger.
Such bad luck! The custodian must have assigned me this task because I’ve fallen out of favor. If I survive and return from this ordeal, I must treat the custodian well. The messenger longed to flee, but dared not move an inch!
"Ah! Arghhh!" In a fit of fury, Luo Beixiong unleashed yet another kick, obliterating the screen behind him into countless fragments with a deafening crash. By this point, the entire hall resembled the aftermath of a battle.
"Chief, the peak master has arrived." An urgent voice called out from outside, followed by a burly man sprinting in.
"The peak master?" Luo Beixiong turned his head.
Before the burly man could fully enter the hall, a phantom-like figure darted across the spacious courtyard, appearing in the messy hall.
He was lean, with slightly bulging eyes and a face that suggested he was about 60 years old. He wore a loose white robe that didn't quite fit and looked as if a gust of wind could blow him over, yet he exuded an undeniable sturdiness. Compared to the extremely robust Luo Beixiong, the elderly man in the white robe seemed feeble, but his presence quieted the raging Luo Beixiong.
"Peak Master!" Luo Beixiong contained his fury, bowing his head slightly. The messenger by his side promptly paid his respects as well.
"You may leave now." The white-robed old man spoke with a strong voice and a steady pace, lacking any semblance of frailty.
"Yes, Peak Master." The messenger looked as if he had been granted a great pardon. He knew he was finally saved. Meanwhile, the burly man remained bowed at the entrance, not daring to approach further.
"Beixiong." The old man in white robes addressed him with a gentle gaze, "I am aware of what happened to that youngster, Luo Fu."
"I hope Peak Master can redress my grievances." Luo Beixiong gritted his teeth as a hint of red filled his eyes.
"I have already ordered an investigation into this matter and will provide you with an explanation." The white-robed old man spoke softly, "However, it will be confined to our sect. You cannot trespass into the Cloudstride Sect's territory. We cannot afford to incite a major dispute between our sects."
"Peak Master!" Luo Beixiong could scarcely believe his own ears. The peak master who had always shown support for him was now asking him to abandon his quest for vengeance?
"This is not a command from me," the white-robed elderly man sighed lightly, "I understand the agony in your heart. I blame myself for the death of young Luo Fu as well. But this was a command from the grand abbot."
"The grand abbot?" Luo Beixiong’s eyes widened. Unlike the Cloudstride Sect, the Wingborne Sect oversaw seven provinces, which were divided among three peaks for cross-governance. They did not have a sect leader.
Most sect affairs were resolved through a consensus among the three peak masters, whose statuses were slightly higher than that of the hall masters of the Cloudstride Sect. And above the three peak masters were the grand abbots, all of whom were Land Rankers!
"The Cloudstride Sect and our Wingborne Sect have had a longstanding grudge, but neither of us has the ability to annihilate the other." The white-robed elder shook his head slightly, "The world is changing. Great Jin harbors ambitions to unify the world and has the power to do so. The Cloudstride Sect is the first line of defense against the eastward advancement of Great Jin."
"If the Cloudstride Sect were to fall, only the shallowly rooted Baijiang Kingdom would remain. How long can they remain standing?" The white-robed elderly man looked at Luo Beixiong, "At that time, Great Jin's armies will march straight to the Dong Continent, and the first to bear the brunt will be our Wingborne Sect."
Luo Beixiong’s mind reeled. The Great Jin Empire? It was an immense force that made any power in the world quiver. No one could resist it alone.
"Life-and-death battles among first-rate Adepts are permissible by most powers as long as they are conducted out of the public eye," the white-robed elder calmly said, "But if you, a commander of a province and a Savant expert, were to launch an assault on the Cloudstride Sect’s territory, how do you expect the Cloudstride Sect to take this lying down?"
"I fear Grandmaster Yu would not hesitate to brandish the Moontide Divine Sword and storm our sect in retaliation!" The white-robed elder shook his head.
Luo Beixiong's pupils contracted slightly. Grandmaster Yu? She was a Great Grandmaster renowned throughout the world, a martial artist who could truly seize an enemy general's head among millions of soldiers.
"So, we should just let Luo Fu die in vain?" Luo Beixiong asked, his voice filled with indignation.
"Foolish!" The white-robed elder glanced at him and shook his head, "The grand abbot merely stated that you cannot personally confront the Cloudstride Sect or mobilize our forces to escalate the conflict."
"But when did he forbid you from seeking revenge?"
Luo Beixiong's eyes lit up in understanding.
"Very well." The elderly man in white said, "I came as soon as I could, just to remind you not to underestimate yourself. As I get older, you'll have the chance to become the next peak master. Although it's a shame about Luo Fu, you can still find and train young successors within the Luo family. Given your age, it's not too late."
"Beixiong is grateful for your teachings." Luo Beixiong said, bowing his head in silence.
The elderly man in white nodded. He knew Luo Beixiong was not truly convinced, suppressing his anger deep within himself, but what of it?
In the absence of the ability to reverse the situation, one must yield to it!
The shared topmost priority among the eight sects of Dong Continent was to ensure that the Cloudstride Sect was not destroyed by the Great Jin Empire. A first-rate Adept was slain? A trivial matter!
"I have other matters to attend to. I shall take my leave." the elder in white announced, drifting out of the hall in a single step. His departure was as silent as a whisper.
"Farewell, Peak Master." The burly man at the door bowed respectfully, not lifting his head until half an incense's time had passed. Afterward, he strode into the hall with purposeful steps.
"Chieftain." The burly man bowed to Luo Beixiong.
"Luo Jiang, I need you to do something for me." Luo Beixiong's voice was icy.
"What are your instructions, Chieftain?" The burly man asked.
"Visit the Ninedeaths Circle and the Pleiades Guild, and inquire about their prices to assassinate Wu Yuan, a special recruitment disciple of the Cloudstride Sect." Luo Beixiong ordered.
"Now?" The burly man was taken aback. "Chieftain, these two large organizations will likely charge exorbitant prices."
"I do not wish to delay a single moment longer," Luo Beixiong stated icily. "Their prices may be steep, but only they possess the necessary strength."
"The smaller agencies? Can they easily dispatch a Savant expert?" Luo Beixiong scoffed.
"I understand." The burly man nodded promptly, "I will head there immediately."
Luo Beixiong and other important figures at the provincial level might not be familiar with the intricacies of large underground organizations such as the Ninedeaths Circle or the Pleiades Guild, but they were well aware of the locations of certain branches.
When it came to these top-tier underground organizations, the world's major powers turned a blind eye to them as long as their actions were not too audacious. Where there was light, there also lurked darkness. It was impossible to completely eradicate all underground organizations!
Even the mighty Great Jin Empire could only ensure that the underground organizations within its boundaries kept a low profile, but total eradication was beyond their reach.
...
Two hours later.
"Chieftain!" Luo Jiang rushed into the hall, still dressed in his night gear, "I've obtained the quotes."
"Speak." Luo Beixiong commanded in a low voice.
"The Pleiades Guild is asking for three million silver taels." Luo Jiang reported somberly.
"Three million taels?" Luo Beixiong gnashed his teeth, "Has the Pleiades Guild gone mad? They’re demanding three million taels to assassinate a martial virtuoso?"
"Their justification is that even our first-rate Adepts from the Wingborne Sect failed to kill him and perished instead. They suspect that the Cloudstride Sect will deploy more experts to protect him." Luo Jiang explained helplessly, "Only a Savant expert stands a chance of success. Moreover, even if the assassination is successful, it could potentially provoke a violent retaliation from the Cloudstride Sect."
Luo Beixiong’s eyes flickered. Indeed, only a Savant expert could guarantee Wu Yuan’s death. Still, asking for three million taels was outrageous! Even someone as powerful as Luo Beixiong could not afford such a sum out of pocket.
"What about the Ninedeaths Circle?" Luo Beixiong asked.
"Their price is lower, but it's still two million silver taels," answered Luo Jiang.
"Too steep," Luo Beixiong shook his head. Whether three million or two million, both were far beyond his expectations. The most he was willing to spend was a million silver taels. He sought revenge, but not at any cost.
"However, the Ninedeaths Circle stated that they would be willing to take action for ten catties of etherstone," Luo Jiang added.
"Ten catties of etherstone?" Luo Beixiong's eyes narrowed slightly. This price was also outrageous, and in a way, such a quantity of the natural treasure was worth even more than two million silver taels. Yet, compared to that large sum of silver, it was easier for him to gather ten catties of etherstone.
...
Late at night, in the Radiant Hall of Southdream Martial Academy, Wu Yuan, who was practicing in the martial training room on the second floor, suddenly opened his eyes.
Has Gu Ji left?
During the past few days of travel, Wu Yuan had found time to consume the tenth Soul Condensing Pill, as well as practiced Visualization to strengthen his soul. With his incredible perception, he maintained an awareness of his surroundings at all times. It seemed that Gu Ji was protecting him along the journey, but in reality, Wu Yuan could clearly sense Gu Ji's presence, even detecting the subtleties of the man’s breathing.
Did he take advantage of the relative safety within the martial academy to send a report to East Cloudhill? Wu Yuan recalled that Gu Ji had previously mentioned the need to report the incidents along the journey to the sect. East Cloudhill was the core of the Cloudstride Sect in Southdream City.
There's no need to concern myself with Gu Ji’s activities. I should continue cultivating.
Wu Yuan's eyes held a glimmer of anticipation. I'm looking forward to seeing just how much of this blood-red mist my body can assimilate.
As he closed his eyes, most of his consciousness converged on his upper dantian lobe. From there, he began guiding strands of the blood-red mist out from the upper dantian lobe to the middle and lower dantian lobes, then gradually integrated them into his musculoskeletal system.
Wu Yuan's form once again underwent a miraculous evolution.
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