Volume 1, Chapter 111 – Martial Gathering

“Young City Lord, if you have something to say, please speak plainly.” Shi Lan did not like circling around.

The Young City Lord smiled. “Come to think of it, Miss Shi still doesn’t know my name. I am Gu Deyuan. My father is the City Lord of Gufeng City.”

Shi Lan said nothing and waited for Gu Deyuan to continue.

“Forgive my rudeness, but the young lady shouldn’t yet have reached the blossoming age, should she?” Gu Deyuan asked solemnly.

Beside them, Wu Lingkong frowned. Who opened a conversation by asking a young woman’s age?

“Not yet.”

Shi Lan shook her head. She still had a month or so before she turned twenty, and she was four full years away from that so-called “age of blossoming.”

“I’ve heard that on your way here, you’ve been challenging famous clans and great martial families wherever you go. Is it to temper your martial path, or is there another reason?”

Seeing that Shi Lan seemed to be considering how to answer, Gu Deyuan waved his hand. “I’m being presumptuous. In truth, I have a favor to ask. Since Miss Shi was unwilling to visit my residence, then I shall come to you instead. There are too many people and too many eyes here. I must ask you to move to your inn so we can speak in detail.”

“Please.”

Seeing that Wang Ning and the others had finished dismantling the ironwood planks and stacking them, Shi Lan raised her hand to signal.

Gu Deyuan followed Shi Lan and the group back to the inn.

Once they entered the room, Shi Lan shut the door. Only she, Wu Lingkong, and Gu Deyuan were inside.

“Young City Lord, please speak frankly,” Shi Lan said.

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“I trust the young lady has at least heard of the Sky Thunder Hall?”

At first, the name sounded vaguely familiar to Shi Lan, but she quickly recalled it. Sky Thunder Hall was the largest power marked on her map, a fifth-grade force with a Myriad Phenomena Realm expert sitting in town.

Strictly speaking, they were already within Sky Thunder Hall’s sphere of influence.

“Your matter has to do with Sky Thunder Hall?”

“It’s a long story. I have three sons and one daughter. Two sons and the daughter are all married with families of their own. My youngest boy is only twelve this year.”

A trace of tenderness flashed in Gu Deyuan’s eyes. “Because of some misfortune while he was still in the womb, the boy suffered some damage and was born… incomplete. Compared to normal people, his mind is somewhat lacking.”

“Please get to the point, Young City Lord.” Shi Lan’s patience had never been great. She had no interest at all in Gu Deyuan’s domestic affairs.

“My apologies.”

A hint of embarrassment crossed Gu Deyuan’s face. “At the end of every year, the Sky Thunder Hall holds a martial gathering for all martial artists under thirty within tens of thousands of li around here.

“Martial artists meet and befriend one another through combat. Those who stand out, the outstanding among the outstanding, will receive rewards. I would like to invite Miss Shi to attend this martial gathering and help me obtain one item.”

“Young City Lord, we are burdened with important matters and truly do not have time to take part in such a gathering. I must ask your understanding.”

Shi Lan refused without hesitation. She had no time to attend some so-called martial meet.

“There is no need for the young lady to refuse so quickly. Hear me out first.”

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Gu Deyuan stood, his expression earnest. “Of course I would not have you go for nothing. Whether you succeed or not, I will present fifty thousand spirit crystals afterward, and it will not cost you much time.”

Fifty thousand…

Shi Lan was startled by his offer. Fifty thousand spirit crystals were enough to buy a decent mid-grade treasure artifact. An ordinary Earth Fiend Realm martial artist would not fetch that price.

And that was regardless of success or failure.

“Gufeng City is full of talented people. You shouldn’t be short of young experts to attend the gathering, right?” Shi Lan asked, though in truth she was already somewhat tempted.

“There are indeed many young experts in Gufeng City, but I need someone who can take first place in this martial gathering.”

After watching the arena all day, Gu Deyuan had a decent measure of Shi Lan’s strength. Ordinary Innate Realm Ninth Layer martial artists were no match for her at all.

With such strength, she could completely crush every martial artist under thirty in this region.

After all, under thirty, stepping into Innate Realm Seventh Layer already made one a one-in-ten-thousand genius. Those who reached Innate Realm Ninth Layer were extremely rare.

Gu Deyuan laid out the story as concisely as he could.

For some unknown reason, this year’s rewards for the Sky Thunder Hall’s martial gathering were far more precious than in previous years.

The prize for first place was a portion of Seven-Treasure Enlightening Jade Dew, made by extracting the essence of seven third-grade spiritual materials and combining them with countless rare auxiliary ingredients, all refined together in a single batch by several third-grade spirit alchemists.

Alchemists were ranked similarly to natural treasures, but with slight differences. Grades one to three were Spirit Alchemists, four to six were Treasure Alchemists, and seven were called Immortal Alchemists.

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Above seventh grade, one left the title of alchemist behind entirely and stepped into the imperial ranks of the pill path.

With multiple third-grade Spirit Alchemists working together and an immense number of precious materials consumed, the medicinal power of the Seven-Treasure Enlightening Jade Dew was no weaker than that of an ordinary fourth-grade treasure medicine.

The most valuable part of the Seven-Treasure Enlightening Jade Dew lay in those two characters “Enlightening Spirit.” It could improve a person’s so-called ethereal and elusive comprehension. In this respect, it even surpassed ordinary fourth-grade treasure medicines.

As for why Gu Deyuan sought this medicine, it was naturally to fight for a chance to mend his youngest son’s damaged mind.

“If all goes well, I will add another one hundred and fifty thousand spirit crystals afterward.”

Two hundred thousand spirit crystals in total. That was quite the grand gesture.

Unfortunately, even two hundred thousand spirit crystals paled in comparison to the Seven-Treasure Enlightening Jade Dew.

Ordinary third-grade spiritual materials could be worth tens of thousands of spirit crystals and still be unavailable. The Enlightening Jade Dew used seven such third-grade materials, not to mention the other rare auxiliary ingredients.

Two hundred thousand spirit crystals fell far, far short.

Seeing Shi Lan’s expression, Gu Deyuan sighed inwardly. How could he not know the gap in value between the two? But two hundred thousand spirit crystals were already his limit.

If he had enough wealth, he would have long since commissioned an alchemist to refine Enlightening Jade Dew himself.

“The participants in this gathering are all famed young talents from all over. If Miss Shi can cross hands with them, I’m sure it will be good for your own martial cultivation as well.”

Seeing Shi Lan remain silent, Gu Deyuan felt uneasy and hurriedly added this line.

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At those words, Shi Lan’s heart stirred. This martial gathering might be an excellent opportunity. If she could take first place among all the young experts within tens of thousands of li, her reputation would definitely leap up by a large margin.

“I must ask the Young City Lord to wait outside for a moment and allow the two of us to discuss.”

After a long silence, Shi Lan finally spoke.

Gu Deyuan nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

……

Outside, Gu Deyuan paced back and forth, his heart in turmoil. His youngest son’s congenital mental defect had always been his greatest worry. This martial gathering might be his only chance.

Creak.

Shi Lan opened the door and stepped out, looking at Gu Deyuan. “I want to keep half of the Enlightening Jade Dew, and I can stay here for at most three days.”

Gu Deyuan pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and agreed.

“In that case, I must ask Miss Shi to rest well. I will come again tomorrow.”

With that, Gu Deyuan turned and left. Time was short, and he still had arrangements to make.