Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Yaomu Daoren!” The Deputy General Manager sighed. “He was a rare absolute strong man, who met his demise in the Desolate Evil Jungle for some unknown reason.”
As Su Yu heard this, he thought… It really was him! That means that the account in the handbook was real! Then, what is the significance of the 200 grains of golden sand?
Although Su Yu could recognize all of the words on the golden sand, he had failed to connect them to form a complete passage. No matter how many different patterns he tried to arrange them in, it was as if those words on the golden sand were merely a portion of a greater whole. It just seemed like something was missing.
“You just have to get a basic grasp of these. There’s no need to delve any deeper. Now, I’m going to tell you about the actual contents of the sacrificial offering,” the Deputy General Manager said. “In the past, the sacrificial offering was purely about offering sacrifices. But, ever since the influences of the Central Prefecture invaded Tianya City, things changed.”
He continued, “In a great war that happened 100 years ago, Tianya City was devastated overnight. After that, both sides had a ceasefire and the inner city was rebuilt. But, the Heavenly Knife Region, which neighbored the Blessed and Heavenly Lands, was reluctant to end the conflict, so it destroyed the inner city. Feeling helpless, the Red Blood Palace and the Purple Cloud Palace held negotiations with the Heavenly Knife Region Master.”
The Deputy General Manager shook his head, then said, “Finally, they came to a consensus that stipulated that the Heavenly Knife Region Master would never attack Tianya City again. In exchange for this assurance, the Heavenly Knife Region would gain the right to enter Tianya City to run businesses.”
He paused for a moment, then said, “This is where the sacrificial offering comes in, as each year, whichever party contributes the most to the offering will get control of the shops. And, of course, these shops will be distributed to them from the industries of the 18 factions of the Blessed and Heavenly Lands.”
He smiled, then said, “After all, our Blessed and Heavenly Lands are quite a small place, while the Heavenly Knife Region has the Central Prefecture as its backer. Thus, it is full of great talents, among which they found two top-notch experts with vast knowledge about Mu words.”
He blinked, then added, “Hence, the Heavenly Knife Region gets permission to open certain shops every year. As you can see now, half of the shops in Tianya City are under the Heavenly Knife Region’s control.”
He then concluded, “So, I hope that you can do your best in the sacrificial offering this year. I don’t expect you to defeat the two top-notch experts. I only hope that you can hinder them for some time. Most importantly, please don’t let us lose in an undignified manner.”
Su Yu had doubts about this before, as he had always wondered why the industries of the Central Prefecture had eroded so fast. He now had the answer!
“I’ll surely do my very best. May I ask… Am I the only one from the Red Blood Palace who will be taking part in the offering?” Su Yu inquired.
The Deputy General Manager laughed. “Of course you won’t be alone! There’s someone else!”
“Who?” Su Yu asked.
“I can’t tell you right now. The earlier this person’s identity is known, the more dangerous it is. Last year, a Mu words expert from the Red Blood Palace was assassinated by the Central Prefecture because his identity was exposed!” the Deputy General Manager said.
Su Yu’s heart sank as he realized the danger he was putting himself in. Before participating in the sacrificial offering, his identity could be kept secret. But, as to what happened to him after that, he had to wonder if he would suffer the same fate as the previous Mu words expert!
As if reading Su Yu’s mind and picking up on his worries, the Deputy General Manager smiled and said, “Don’t worry… I’ll send someone to escort you back to the faction. Also, although the sacrificial offering will place you in great danger, it will certainly bring you great benefits!”
He went on to explain, “During the offering, pure energy will come out from the Desolate Evil Jungle. As an expert in Mu words, you’ll be the first to receive the showering of this energy, which can greatly benefit your cultivation!”
Su Yu pondered this for a moment, then nodded. But, he still had to wonder… How could such benefits to my cultivation compare to my own personal safety?
Even if Su Yu returned to the faction alive, he would still be watched by the powerful influences of the Central Prefecture, which meant that he would still be in danger. He simply felt that this sacrificial offering was a little too risky for him.
However, he wasn’t planning to break his promise, as the secret that was hidden in the 200 golden sand grains of Yaomu Daoren could be extremely shocking. Anyway, he had to make a trip to the Desolate Evil Jungle regardless.
“You can rest for a day at the headquarters. After tomorrow, you’ll be brought to the secret gathering spot to get to know the rest of the experts in Mu words from the Blessed and Heavenly Lands. You’ll need to strive hard to develop a rapport with them, as you will be competing with the two experts from the Central Prefecture during the sacrificial offering,” the Deputy General Manager said.
There are Mu words experts from other factions? Su Yu thought as he nodded.
After a day passed by, the Deputy General Manager brought Su Yu to the basement of the nine-story attic, where a mysterious hidden spell had been activated in secret.
“This is the evacuation spell that was created by the headquarters to protect us from certain dangers. Do not tell the others about it,” the Deputy General Manager reminded Su Yu, while activating the spell.
A surge of vertigo swept over Su Yu all of a sudden, and when Su Yu opened his eyes again, he found himself far away from Tianya City, having appeared in a deserted field!
“Come with me!” With a roll of the Deputy General Manager’s huge sleeve, a strong yet gentle wind swept Su Yu off his feet.
An hour later, at the border of a wasteland, in a stone jungle.
Right when the Deputy General Manager arrived, several beams of shocking energy radiated out from the insignificant stone jungle. Upon closer observation, it could be seen that they were all late-stage Divine Masters of the seventh-grade Almighty, just like the Deputy General Manager!
“It’s me!” the Deputy General Manager bellowed, while emitting his own energy.
Only then did the energies in the stone jungle gradually weaken, and several figures flew out from the stone jungle. Among these figures were men and women, and the old and the young.
“Old Monster Wu, what took you so long to come here?” a red-headed, big-eared bald monk asked in a hoarse voice.
So, the Deputy General Manager’s surname is Wu! Su Yu thought upon hearing this.
“Pardon me for the delay, I was taking care of some important matters.” The Deputy General Manager smiled and greeted them with cupped hands.
The red-headed, big-eared monk glanced at Su Yu. “This is the new Mu words expert you found? He seems to be okay, but I just don’t know if he has the skills. He better not be an encumbrance to the Purple Cloud Palace!”
The monk was none other than the captain from the Purple Cloud Palace. His implied meaning was that Su Yu looked fairy-like and celestial, and also seemed to have a good temperament, but he was unsure if Su Yu was truly knowledgeable enough for these purposes.
“Did I ever make a wrong choice when choosing people before? Let’s talk inside. Let him interact with the other experts of Mu words and get familiar with them, thus achieving a friendly camaraderie as early as possible,” the Deputy General Manager said.
Su Yu was then brought into the stone jungle. It was at this time that he discovered that there was another world inside of it, which was decorated ornately and had been fixed by spells, thus making it soundproof and resistant to the vibration of Vital Energy! All of these things made it hard for the outside world to observe the happenings that were going on inside it.
As Su Yu surveyed the place, he marveled in wonder… Wow! They really went to great lengths to protect the rare experts of Mu words here!
“Shopkeeper Su, you finally came!” A burst of generous laughter poured into his ears at that moment.
When Su Yu turned his head to look, a familiar old figure entered his line of vision. He was surprised to see Master Gao! “Master Gao, why are you… Is… The other expert of Red Blood Palace Master Gao?”
This person was indeed the chief auctioneer of the Red Blood Palace Auction House, Master Gao! He was renowned for his immense knowledge, and even All Creation Old Monsters would seek his advice. He was also very honorable throughout Tianya City.
“I should’ve known it would be Master Gao!” Su Yu exclaimed. After all, Master Gao was very knowledgeable, so it was no wonder that he was familiar with Mu words.
Master Gao smiled amiably and said, “I only found out yesterday that the other Mu word expert who was recommended by the Deputy General Manager is none other than Shopkeeper Su! The Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid you brought was like a boon that had been bestowed by the Heavens to the martial artists of Tianya City.”
“Oh? He’s the Shopkeeper Su who sold the Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid?” an onlooker in the crowd expressed his surprise.
“Haha, I thought… Who could it be? It turns out that it’s Shopkeeper Su, who swam naked in broad daylight and bullied women!” Another speaker snarled.
Su Yu immediately lifted his gaze to look at the speakers and saw two middle-aged men. The one on the left was clad in a loose orange robe and was staring at Su Yu in surprise. His cultivation was at the level of a first-grade Almighty!
The other middle-aged man was clad in a black shirt. His face was red and he was smiling in a mocking manner. His cultivation had reached the level of a second-grade Almighty!
Su Yu was puzzled by the second man’s words especially, and he wondered… When did I ever swim naked and bully women?
He did not want to waste his energy explaining anything to them, so he quietly walked up to stand beside Master Gao. Besides, he needed to conserve his energy for the sacrificial offering.
“Shopkeeper Su, do you still have the Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid?” A gentle, pleasant, and familiar voice floated into Su Yu’s ears.
Su Yu was surprised to hear it, and when he opened his eyes to look in the direction that the voice came from, his pupils slightly constricted. But, he quickly regained his composure and asked calmly, “Yes. How much does Lady Lü want?”
The woman before him was none other than Lü Chuyi! She was also an expert of Mu words, who had been appointed to come here!
Recalling the first day that he had come to Tianya City, Su Yu remembered that he had seen her coming leaving the headquarters of the Purple Cloud Palace. At that time, he had wondered why Lü Chuyi had come all the way there, and as it turns out, it was actually because of the sacrificial offering!
Lü Chuyi laughed lightly, her smile resembling blossoming flowers. “I am surprised that Shopkeeper Su still remembers me.”
That day, at the door of the Bright Moon Householder’s mansion, Lü Chuyi had mistaken his figure for Su Yu. Hence, she had a deep impression of Su Yuxian.
“It is a great honor.” Su Yu did not even raise his head as he withdrew three vessels of the Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid and handed them to her before asking, “Is this enough?”
Lü Chuyi’s eyes shone and her pale face slightly reddened as she said, “I’ve been to the Tonglin Elixir Store, but it was a pity that I was too late. Thanks Shopkeeper Su for your generosity.”
She was about to take some crystals for payment out from her sleeve, when Su Yu asked, “Lady Lü, do you want these Heart Refining Mortal Liquid for yourself?”
Her cultivation had reached the Almighty level, so the effect of the Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid would be insignificant to her. In fact, not even a first-grade Almighty would be interested in its effects. So, Su Yu had to wonder… Why is she so delighted?
Lü Chuyi hesitated for a moment before answering, “Actually, it’s no secret… When I was training at the Mysterious Heavenly Divine Pavilion, my soul sustained some injuries. So, I need some supplements to restore my Soul Energy.”
Since the Incredible Elixir of the Almighty level that enhanced Soul Energy was even rarer than the Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid, it was hardly obtainable, even if one had the money for it. So, as she was feeling helpless, Lü Chuyi had chosen to buy the less effective Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid as a compromise.
“The Mysterious Heavenly Divine Pavilion?” Su Yu muttered, and as he was looking at Lü Chuyi, his heart ached unexpectedly.
Su Yu wondered… Wasn’t her soul injured because of the Soul Incarnation that occurred as a result of the blow that she took for me?
At that moment, a bright light shone on Su Yu’s palm again, while seven vessels of the Heart Refining Mortal Dust Liquid appeared. He then said, “The effect will be little with three vessels. Here… these 10 will be better for you.”
Lü Chuyi was delighted by this, and she exclaimed, “Ten vessels! Okay… The price is 110,000 crystals, right?”
“No need for payment, as these are my gifts to you.” Su Yu shook his head, then was getting ready to return to Master Gao’s side.
Lü Chuyi was slightly startled by him abruptly turning away from her, as well as the gift, and she looked at Su Yu strangely before calling out to him, “Shopkeeper Su, we’ve only met once! I can’t accept a gift worth 110,000 crystals from you!”
As she spoke, she insisted on handing the crystals back to Su Yu. Upon seeing this, Su Yu said lightly, “Out of your longing for that person… Just accept it.”
The outsiders wouldn’t have understood the meaning of Su Yu’s words, but Lü Chuyi shivered and could only stare at Su Yu. His words had clearly startled her.
What did he mean by that just now? Does he know that I mistook him for Su Yu? Or… Did he give me such a gift on a random whim? Lü Chuyi felt confused, and she pondered all of this until her head felt like it would explode. All the while, she stared at Su Yu, trying to discern something that from his expression that would give her any clue.
“Senior Sister Lü, just accept it since he has offered it to you. Haven’t you realized that he wants to curry favor with you?” the red-faced, black-shirted man asked. “He’s quite clever, buying your friendship with merely 110,000 crystals! Under normal circumstances, he couldn’t even get a look from you with 110,000 crystals!”
