How to offend people (1)

Tie Nse had sent a secret message for Old Iba to meet him in Hammer City, the stronghold of the Hammer Gate, a gate under the control of the Jade Phoenix alliance. Tie Nse sat in a small room drinking tea when a familiar figure appeared inside. Seeing Old Iba's form, Tie Nse locked the space to prevent any sound from getting out.

"You sure took your time," Tie Nse said.

Old Iba walked around the small room and paused by the window to peer out into the slightly drunk city below, "You sure know how to choose a place. The jade phoenix alliance are keeping an eye out for you," he said, taking a seat before Tie Nse.

"Yes, I heard you told them about the heavenly tribulation. You sure have guts. Do you still think you are qualified to see him after selling me out? What if you give out his location to them again?" Tie Nse glanced at the short man before him.

"Lady Mi appeared on her own when you left. I didn't call her," Old Iba snorted.

"But you called those old men from my alliance!" Tie Nse frowned.

"Are you angrier that Lady Mi knows about your disciple's odd tribulation or that those old men from your alliance were close to catching you?" Old Iba guessed the latter. This old thing was more worried about getting caught and forced back to the heaven alliance than how popular his disciple had become.

"Do you want to know about the ingredients for the pill or not?" Old Iba asked.

"What do you need?" Tie Nse asked and Old Iba handed him a jade slip. Old Iba expected Tie Nse to gasp as he looked at the list but was very disappointed when he maintained his calm.

"The Taphen root. It will act as a net to triple the effects of the tribulation. I figured you would still think of a way to go all out," Tie Nse said.

"You did say if possible. Let's be clear, the success of this pill is barely twenty percent. The ingredients are precious. Even if we are still able to find them, the success rate is still below twenty percent,"

"I see," Tie Nse said solemnly.

"You want to use the fragment of a saint-level artefact to cause an eternity effect. Even if the tribulation could not be held for eternity, it should be able to make it stay longer than it wants to," Tie Nse said.

"You could just borrow your alliance's saint-level artefact. That would solve the problem," Old Iba said.

"I have no intention of going to those old men. What about phoenix tears?" Tie Nse asked.

"Well... I was not really thinking of phoenix tears, but... even though it is lower than a saint-level artefact, the phoenix tears properties are better for this pill. Phoenix tears will have the property of eternity in it," Old Iba said. The phoenix was a great bird that was reborn in fire and ash. The property of eternity is Edged into the Phoenix genes. But, isn't this just wishful thinking? How will they get the tears?

"The only people with phoenix tears are..." Old Iba started to say then paused. His eyes rounded out into big globes as he stared at Tie Nse in shock.

"Ya! Have you gone mad?!" Old Iba exclaimed."Are Phoenix Tears better for this or not? Will it not increase the strength of this pill?" Tie Nse asked casually.

"You planned this from the beginning, didn't you? You already knew that an element of eternity would be necessary for this pill. You thought it through!" Old Iba exclaimed.

"You are very smart," Tie Nse said as though complimenting a child.

"Don't tell me, that is why we are here? I should have known. Why would you ask to meet in Hammer City? A stronghold of the hammer gate. the same gate rule by the Jade Phoenix alliance! Do you think you do not have enough problems?" Old Iba felt as though his brain had fried. This old thing had finally lost his mind. Doing this is the same as declaring war upon the Jade Phoenix alliance.

"Just outside this hammer city is the Hammer Gate fort. At the gate tower, at the centre of the fort is where the phoenix tears are kept. Where else do you expect us to get phoenix tears?" Tie Nse asked.

"You are mad, you know that? You prefer to offend the entire Jade Phoenix alliance than go to your heaven alliance and talk to those old men. You prefer to cause a war than be caught by your alliance and forced to do your job as patriarch,"

"Are you coming or not?" Tie Nse asked casually.

"Me? This is your disciple! Why would I help you bring trouble for my pill cottage?" Old Iba was officially angry.

"Are you afraid? If you don't come, I will pay you for your services and not allow you to see my disciple breakthrough," Tie Nse said in a sing-song manner. This angered Old Iba further. But he wanted so badly to be part of trapping heavenly tribulation. It was a challenge. An adventure.

"Fine. But, we must not get caught," Old Iba gave up.

"Old wrinkle, cheer up. The ingredient list you just compiled means we will have to offend a lot of people," Tie Nse got up and changed his appearance. Old Iba did the same.

"An alliance patriarch and the cottage master, robbing like common thieves... after all my years of struggle to stand at the pinnacle, I am still robbing like a powerless sapling... all the face this old man had has been burnt off," Old Iba cried before they both vanished.