Chapter 190 – Trouble
Chapter 190 - Trouble
"Thanks to Fellow Han's good intentions, but I have decided on this matter," Liu Ming unhurriedly replied.
"Since you really want to learn alchemy with me, it is not impossible. But I will require you to follow three rules of mine!" Fan Baizi coldly said, furrowing his brows for a moment after glancing at the unprovoked Liu Ming.
“Fellow, do not hesitate to tell me, I shall lend an ear." Liu Ming responded composedly.
"First, even though, I, Fan Baizi am not the greatest alchemist in the Da Xuan Kingdom, I believe I am not inferior to the alchemy masters specially trained by the five sects. So if you want to learn alchemy from me, this Gold Essence Resting Dirt is not enough." Fan Baizi stared intently at Liu Ming.
"Since one piece is not enough, then what if I add this piece? This combined is all that I have." Liu Ming raised the tip of his brow, flicked his sleeve, and suddenly a smaller piece of Gold Essence Resting Dirt flew out.
"You really had more golden Resting Dirt! These two added together is about five ounces. This is barely enough for the cost of learning alchemy. Second, the art of alchemy is profoundly incomparable and your status is special. Even though you are learning alchemy techniques from me, you are still a friend of the same generation as mine. I will only guide you for three years, how much you learn is all up to your talent.” Fan Baizi said seriously.
“I originally meant to only learn for a couple of years so three years of time is enough. However, I have one request, Fellow Fan must use a Heart Oath to swear that you won’t leave any tricks hidden when teaching me.” Liu Ming’s eyes flashed as he replied seriously.
"Fine, no problem. I have a reputation, I will not do any dishonorable acts in that aspect. Third, learning alchemy is an extremely material-consuming activity, while you are learning alchemy here, the required things are provided but they have to be paid for in Spirit Stones at market price. One word of advice, to become a real alchemist, immense practice is absolutely necessary, even to the extent in some respects that it is more important than natural talent. Even if you had exceptional natural talent in alchemy, it will only allow you to waste fewer pill materials in the end.
Therefore, the amount of Spirit Stones will be extremely high. It's best to be mentally prepared. If you feel like there is no problem with the aforementioned three rules, from this day, you can come here for five days a month. I will specially take out half a day each day to instruct you in alchemy." Fan Baizi said with a straight face.
"Only five days a month, is this not too few.“ Hearing this, Liu Ming hesitated momentarily for the first time.
"I usually have to study alchemy and refine pills, being able to take out the five days is already my limit. If you do not agree, I have no choices." Fan Baizi said, shaking his head.
"Okay, five days it is. Then Fellow Fan and I have settled on this." After his expressions had changed a bit, Liu Ming spat out his reply in one breath.
"Very good. As long as you have natural talent in alchemy and financial resources to support your training, with these three years, I believe that it is enough to get the basics of alchemy." At that moment, Fan Baizi finally leaked a smile as he put away the Gold Essence Resting Dirt with a wave of his hand.
For the rest of the time, the white-robed old man naturally did not bother with Liu Ming as he warned Liu Ming with a few sentences to not reveal the matter about the Golden Essence Resting Dirt and let him leave.
After the time it takes to eat a meal, Liu Ming and Qian Chao exited Fan Baizi's cave entrance; they directly ignored everyone's look from the wood pavilion as they went down the mountain.
Of course, before that, this Hundred Spirit House owner was quite stunned when he heard that Fan Baizi actually accepted Liu Ming’s request to teach him alchemy. After a good while, the gaze he gave Liu Ming became strange.
Like this, the two returned to the Qian House. As soon as they arrived, Qian Chao gathered all of the alchemists immediately and started examining the Blood Boil Pill that he brought back.
When Liu Ming returned to his house, he immediately began secluding cultivation.
In the next two days, he did not leave his house and seemed as if he would keep cultivating until the auction started.
However, on the third day, Elder Mian and Qian Chao came to his house with serious faces.
“What, the carriage team escorting the items for the auction is stuck about a hundred miles away?” Liu Ming asked back with shock.
“Among the group that is escorting the auction items, there is not only a team of Shadow Guards from the Third Marquis, there are also two guests from the branch Hundred Spirit House and also two more guests that I sent out to help the escorting. With four Spirit Apostles, I thought that there would be no trouble but I could not have thought that the opposition would actually find a stronger team and has forced my team to be stranded. Right now, they are utilizing a flag formation that was meant to be one of the auction items to barely defend against attacks of the other party. If it weren’t for one of the guests having nurtured a Spirit Bee that sneaked out to give us news, we would not even know that they were stranded. There is no doubt that this is an action of the Gathering Wealth Building’s Owner Mu.” Elder Mian said with a dark face.
“Then owner would like to….” Liu Ming’s eyes flashed as he asked Qian Chao.
“In case the Gathering Wealth Building is trying to divert our strengths, Elder Main must stay here to look after the warehouse. However, I have sent people to the Third Marquis’ House to borrow two personal bodyguards and a team of guards. I’m worried that this strength is not enough so I would love for sir to also go with them. No matter what method sir uses, as long as you can ensure the auction items, you will have done a great service to our house.” Qian Chao said preparedly.
“No problem as a guest of the Hundred Spirit House, I cannot stand by at such a time. When do I leave?” Liu Ming gave it a quick thought before he answered.
“It will take some time for the Third Marquis’ men to move but we don’t have that time to waste. Could Mister Qian leave first? The personal bodyguards and Shadow Guards will be right after you.” Qian Chao said with some anxiety.
“Alright, I’ll leave now.” Hearing this, Liu Ming nodded.
Seeing this, Qian Chao and Elder Mian were both overjoyed. Suddenly, a shadow flashed past and a small figure threw itself onto Liu Ming as it hugged the leg of Liu Ming.
“Uncle Ming!”
This was Qian Ruping who had a worried expression on her face.
“Relax, this is only a small matter. I’ll be right back. Be obedient and wait for me here.” Seeing this, Liu Ming patted the girl and smiled.
Perhaps it was due to the trust in Liu Ming but Qian Ruping bit her lip as she loosened her arms with reluctance.
“Nephew Ruping, be assured. Mister Qian is incredibly powerful and there will be others helping him this time. There definitely won’t be any problems.” Seeing this, Qian Chao quickly smiled as he said.
However, when Qian Ruping heard these words which basically had the same meaning as what Liu Ming had said, she instead looked the other way, ignoring Qian Chao.
Qian Chao could only smile awkwardly as he did not speak anymore.
With a laugh, Liu Ming gave a few words of instruction to the girl before asking about the location at which the carriage team was stuck at. Then, he left the house.
Fifteen minutes later, Liu Ming was seated on a black cloud and flying along some government path that led out of Xuanjing.
Although he had urged his Fa Li to the max, the speed of the black cloud was still much too slow for him.
Liu Ming sighed in his heart as he realized that he should really buy a Flying Totem or practice a Flying Technique that was a bit faster.
As he thought this, he grabbed a Glyph from and instantly, it turned into green dots that disappeared into the black cloud underneath him.
“Pu!”
The originally slow black cloud instantly raised its speed and shot forward.
With the use of this, Liu Ming felt a pang of pain and thought to himself that he would definitely ask Qian Chao for the price of this Godly Speed Glyph back.
After about an hour, he finally saw a couple of carriages that were full of items lying strewn on the government path. The goods that were spilling out were merely normal things such as porcelain and cloth. The horses for the carriages were cut in half and laid bleeding on the path too.
Seeing this, Liu Ming’s eyes focused as he made a single-handed sign and the black cloud under him immediately shot towards one side of the government path.
Liu Ming had only flown for barely a mile when a noise sounded among a rock pile below him. From within the pile, a red and yellow streak that were both about a foot long flew out and went straight for Liu Ming.
Liu Ming gave a cold snort as he waved his sleeve and a short cyan sword flashed before giving two slashes downwards.
“Pu, pu.” Two cyan Sword Qis came flying out and met the two streaks.
With a sound of an explosion, the two cyan Sword Qis were extinguished.
As for the two streaks, they tumbled backward and showed their true form. They were actually a red fork and yellow short blade.
“Not good, this person is high-level Spirit Apostle and he also has a Totem.”
There was a scream from the rock pile and shadows flashed. One gray and one white cloud flew into the sky and started running into different directions. They didn’t even care about their two Practitioner Weapons.
“Hmph, since you’ve come here, then don’t leave.”
Seeing this, a killing intent surfaced on Liu Ming’s face. With a flick of the Cyan Moon Sword, he sent out three cyan Sword Qis. At the same time, he made a hand sign with the other hand. When he waved his hand, five cyan Wind Blades flashed as they were shot out.
The two lost the color in their faces as one immediately took out a small shield to throw behind him as the other immediately crushed a Glyph, allowing white light to flood through his fingers.
The small shield grew into a shield that was about three feet tall while the white light formed a light cover that protected the person that used the Glyph.
In the next moment, the cyan Wind Blades all smashed again the shield.
With a crisp sound, the shield was sliced into a dozen pieces. The owner of the shield also gave a shout and was split into pieces by the Wind Blades.
At this time, the three cyan Sword Qis slashed onto the light cover and bursted the cover. A cold light immediately engulfed the person that was casting the Glyph.