AZI Volume 5 Chapter 21

"Ancestor, you came as well?"

"Hm?"

Taken by surprise to see Chen Lan being the first person to greet him after coming in, Long Hua raises an eye.

"…"

Looking Chen Lan up and down, Long Hua remarks—

"Judging by that fawning expression on your face, you got something to ask of me? Ah… That flute that I brought from the auction, I heard that it came from you."

"That's…?"

Placing a hand onto Chen Lan's shoulder, Long Hua says—

"I expect you to give me a share of whatever you make off this excavation afterwards."

"Uh…"

"Hm? Not willing?"

"…I guess, there's no problems with that…?"

Coerced into saying this, Chen Lan cries on the inside, to which, Long Hua removes his hand from the former's shoulder, and says—

"Hmm, little descendant can't seem to take a joke it seems. How dull…"

Towards this remark, Chen Lan thought—

(…Can anything that comes out of the ancestor's mouth be a joke?)

"Now, about what you wanted to ask me…"

Slightly embarrassed by the matter, Chen Lan clears his throat, and says—

"It's not me that has a favor to ask, it's…"

Pausing his words, Chen Lan looks to the dispirited Wang Yongning, who is walking over.

Turning his attention to Wang Yongning, Long Hua asks—

"So? Knock-off Immortal, something happened? Your love life went south, or did you just realize how off your appearance is in modern society?"

"…"

Under normal circumstances, Wang Yongning would definitely say a few words back by now; however, as the beggar in this negotiation, he cannot possibly hope to put on a strong front, hence—

"I…"

Clearing his throat, Wang Yongning draws in a deep breath of air.

Off to the side, everyone in the Ashen River Hall—who had already been informed of the matter, can't help but shake their heads.

Exhaling his held breath, Wang Yongning says—

"Sir Long, we're all men here, you…- You know what happened back at the restaurant."

"Oh?"

With a look of amusement on his face at being addressed as "Sir Long," Long Hua takes the calabash that is bound to his belt for a sip.

His current attire isn't too different from what he had worn for the first ruins excavation—being a white dress shirt over a pair of dark hiking trousers. The backpack is no longer necessary, since almost everyone has a storage device this time around.

"Ai…"

Lowering the calabash, Long Hua says—

"The rule of my place is—if you want something, you need to pay for it."

"How much?"

"NWDs have no value to me. I want…"

Contemplating for a bit, Long Hua doesn't know how he should describe a magic treasure to a weapon spirit—other than to tell the latter to forfeit their life.

Taking a few steps forward, Tian Cheng says—

"My master wants items with a long history in exchange for a healing pill."

Snapping his fingers towards Tian Cheng's input, Long Hua says—

"Right, exactly what my maid said."

"Items with a long history? Hmm…"

As Wang Yongning contemplates the matter, Chen Lan—who is off to the side, currently has his eyes narrowed in thought.

(Rule of my place? Is ancestor just saying this, or…?)

"…"

Watching the exchange, Shao Tianming approaches with a frown on his face, and asks—

"Surnamed Long, are you talking about artifacts?"

"Hm? I might know them as something else, so explain your definition of an artifact."

"Basically, stuff like the Ripper and the contract book."

"Oh?"

Seeing the smile on Long Hua's face in response to his examples, Shao Tianming turns to Wang Yongning, and says—

"Yongning, that pill might be valuable, but it's only a consumable, it can't possibly compare to an artifact in value."

"That's…"

"Ai…"

Towards Shao Tianming's attempt to persuade Wang Yongning to give up, Long Hua sighs, and remarks—

"Surnamed Shao, you won't understand the pain that this man is currently going through. He hasn't gotten married yet, and he hasn't fathered a child yet. He has a dream to retire while being surrounded by grandchildren to tend to his every need."

"…"

Towards Long Hua's explanation that couldn't be more logical, Shao Tianming is a bit speechless, while the former continues to say—

"With his usual getup, I'm actually tempted to change his nickname from knock-off Immortal to Eunuch Wang."

"…"

Ignoring the look on Shao Tianming's face, Long Hua turns to Wang Yongning, who is still thinking, and asks—

"How about this then? Since it was my wife who ended your bloodline, I'm willing to take rare metals and minerals as well."

Just as Chen Lan comes to realize the meaning of Long Hua's previous words, both Shao Tianming and himself widen their eyes.

"Ancestor has a wife?"

"Your wife?"

Clearing his throat, Long Hua says—

"Call me Long-laoban, Lan Si Restaurant's proprietor."

"…"

"…!"

Being the first to recover from this news, which struck them like a bolt of lightning, Chen Lan takes out a stack of cash from his storage pouch, and shoves it at Shao Tianming, while saying—

"Boss, that job you mentioned before, I give up."

If Long Hua is his ancestor, then Wu Xiao—who is the former's wife is also considered to be Chen Lan's ancestor now.

"...…"

Glancing between Long Hua and Chen Lan—

"…Ai."

Shao Tianming shakes his head with a sigh, and takes the money back.

"Rare metals and minerals, how about this then?"

"Hm?"

As Wang Yongning takes out a metal ore that is a deep shade of purple, Long Hua examines it with his divine senses—discovering a pale blue stone of some kind beneath its outer shell.

"Hmm."

Taking the ore off Wang Yongning's hand, Long Hua feels its weight, while thinking—

(It is a rare metal, as for the name… Doesn't come to mind. Whatever.)

Storing the ore away, Long Hua clears his throat—signaling to the Tai Xuan Emperor that he wishes to purchase a healing pill for 400 exchange points.

(Done.)

Reaching into his storage pouch, Long Hua takes the pill out, and tosses it to Wang Yongning, who swallows it immediately.

And as his body temperature rises, Wang Yongning lets out a low grunt, prior to shouting—

"I'm back as a man!"

Seeing how excited Wang Yongning is, Shao Tianming says—

"…Congratulations, I guess?"

Turning to Long Hua with a light of curiosity in his eyes, Shao Tianming asks—

"Sur-… Long-laoban, how much are you willing to sell those pills for—if I pay in shield talismans?"

Chuckling coldly, Long Hua replies—

"Surnamed Shao, you think those pills grow on trees or something?"

Walking pass Shao Tianming, Long Hua adds—

"Drink warm water daily, and maintain a healthy body, while keeping a positive outlook towards the morrow, instead of being so overtly reliant on some drugs for health."

Ignoring the odd look on Shao Tianming's face, Long Hua head towards the warship.