024: Roch

024: Roch

Zemirah finished taking the ones she wanted from the loot and handed back the space ring.

"I got what I wanted, here you go." 

The young man smiled and didn't check what she took. "Lady Zemirah should take a rest. I'll ask my subordinates to arrange for the flying ship to quickly cross the river."

"Then many thanks, young master." Zemirah cupped her fist. Just as she turned around to go back to her cabin, she remembered something.

"It may be presumptuous of me, but dare I ask the young master for his name?" Zemirah stared at the white-robed man and said.

"Hmm?" The young man obviously didn't expect her to suddenly ask this.

Zemirah smiled and explained, "Since the young master knows my name, I think it would only be fair to tell me yours."

The young man thought for a moment before laughing a little and answered, "Well, you're right. You can call this young master... Roch."

Zemirah stared at his black eyes, dark as ink, trying to see if he was lying before nodding in satisfaction. "I'll go first, Lord Roch."

She didn't turn back this time and headed straight to her cabin. She can already feel the tiredness spreading on her body. Today was quite a lot for her, a simple trip turned into a slaughter.

After using a cleaning talisman on herself to remove the bloodstains and dust accumulated when fighting, Zemirah sat on her bed and turned to look at her gains.

Besides the ones that are on Verona, Zemirah happily counted the things she got from the Foundation Building realm enemies.

She didn't take any artifacts since they were mostly made for Demonic Cultivators, making them useless for her. The spiritual plants are not urgently needed since she's not an alchemist and Riya doesn't need Grade 2 spiritual plants.

The most precious is the spiritual stones, totaling a hundred. She took half of the spiritual stones in the loot.

Most are some materials like spiritual ores, silk, wood, and beast blood. 

"Sia, let me see their details." Zemirah started with the spiritual ores she thought looked good.

[Name]: [Silvermoon Rock] [Item]: Spiritual Ore

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Uncommon – Low Stage – Grade 2

[Introduction]: A rare ore mined in the depths of Crescent Moon Mountain. Mainly used by forgers to make weapon artifacts with blades to increase the sharpness.

It was a silver rock that shines especially bright when the moon shines. It can absorb spiritual energy 300% more with the help of the moon.

[Name]: [Obsidian Jade Stone] [Item]: Spiritual Ore

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Uncommon – Peak Stage – Grade 1

[Introduction]: A beautiful ore that held a little bit of night power. It can be turned into a wonderful artifact in the hands of a skillful forger.

[Name]: [Golden Lakestone] [Item]: Spiritual Ore

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Uncommon – Peak Stage – Grade 1

[Introduction]: A stone that can increase a spring's eye level with low probability.

Then there was the beautiful silk that Zemirah was delighted to see.

[Name]: [Crimson Blood Worm Silk] [Item]: Spiritual Silk

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Rare – Low Stage – Grade 2

[Introduction]: A beautiful silk that can be crafted into a clothing artifact, skills related to blood energy can be activated.

[Name]: [BrightMoon Eye Spider Silk] [Item]: Spiritual Silk

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Outstanding – Peak Stage – Grade 1

[Introduction]: A silk rich in moon energy, if made into an artifact skills related to moon energy can be activated. 

[Name]: [Glowing Night Mahogany Wood] [Item]: Spiritual Wood

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Rare – Peak Stage – Grade 2

[Introduction]: A very rare wood from a Glowing Night Tree tat only grows deep in the Dark Forest. Anyone who owns it can receive a different kind but pleasant surprise when made into an artifact.

Then the beast's blood.

[Name]: [Ancient Night Wolf Blood] [Item]: Beast Blood

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Supreme – Peak Stage – Grade 2 

[Introduction]: ??

Then a spiritual tree she took a fancy, the [Dream Mist Blossom Tree].

[Name]: [Dream Mist Blossom Tree] [Item]: Spiritual Tree

[Quality|Stage|Grade]: Rare – Peak Stage – Grade 1

[Introduction]: A spiritual plant known for its enchanting beauty and illusionary skills.

Lastly, cultivation books are not easy to acquire, they are not as rare as cultivation techniques but are very useful.

[Daoist Uckerfay – The Profound Control of Spiritual Energy] 

[Daoist Camellia Joy – The Professions Power]

[Complete Map of Bright Light Dynasty]

Seeing the loot she got, Zemirah sighed and said to Sia, "No wonder many cultivators like kill and plunder. Money really comes easily in this business."

[Ding! Host earn more than them by just giving gifts] 

Zemirah can imagine Sia rolling her eyes at her words, making her giggle in amusement. "Well, you're right. Besides, there is only one Supreme quality from all the materials. I seem to understand the preciousness of high-quality items."

Zemirah stored away the items and started cultivating to restore her spiritual energy. The high-intensity battle earlier was also reviewed in her mind again and again. Picking out the useful and useless parts to enrich her combat experience.

It took an hour before Zemirah ended her cultivation. She felt her cultivation rose rapidly, maybe in a month, she could advance to the Peak-Stage of Energy Refinement realm. 

"Let's go out and see Verona." She fixed herself first before going out. 

Verona has been busy cleaning up the mess after the battle. Aside her being understaffed since half of the ship's staff died from the ambush, she also needed to fix the damaged parts of the flying ship from. There is also the need to give an explanation to her passengers.

From the original fifty passengers, 18 people died. It was a heavy casualty that may result in her having a bad reputation once this history gets out.

Although Verona has no control over the ambushed that happened, being the one who unluckily bumped into this incident is fatal to her future.

After all, who would want to ride a ship that was once unluckily ambushed by demonic cultivators and demonic beasts?

What if that incident happened to them too?

That is why Verona needs to carefully plan her next move. 

Fortunately, the core members of her team are intact. She believes that they can manage to get through this hurdle this time.

After handling the mess, Verona finally manages to have free time after giving one last order to her subordinate.

It was at this time that Zemirah arrived.

Verona's cat eyes narrowed and a lazy smirk appeared on her lips, "Well, well. If it's not our Lady Zemirah whose so brave she dared to intervene in a battle above her realm."

Zemirah laughed at Verona's words. She found a sit opposite Verona and responded, "I only did that because I have the confidence. Otherwise, isn't it seeking death?"

Verona shook her head in awe, "I still feel amazed at how you helped greatly at that battle. Actually directly killing a Peak-Stage Foundation Building Realm Demonic Cultivator and trapping two Late-Stage realm Demonic Beasts and Demonic Cultivator."

Verona saw how Zemirah's fox eyes lit up in pride at her words.

Verona pondered for a moment before deciding to ask. "Your talisman…" 

Zemirah knew what she wanted to ask and didn't hide it as she answered, "Grade 2. Supreme Quality."

Verona sucked a deep breath after hearing the words uttered by Zemirah.

For people like her, who don't have any faction depending on, acquiring high-quality resources is as difficult as ascending to immortality.

Verona herself fares better than other iterant cultivators since she has an opportunity to own a flying ship and do this business. Others can only fight to the death or be slaved away by larger factions.

Verona also suffered humiliation at the hands of those big forces. Although they are just the lower rung of those forces, Verona deemed those people with disgust and hostility in her heart.

Only after meeting Zemirah did this disgust and hostility curbed. Now after getting along for a while, she noticed that this lady is not the same as the one she met in the past. Those cultivators whose arrogance seeped in their bones and disdain showed in their eyes.

Zemirah saw Verona being silent. She said after some consideration, "I can't sell Grade 2 talismans right now since I am just a Grade 1 talisman maker. But I can sell you Grade 1 Talisman up to Late-Stage with different qualities.

Verona was also thinking about how to tell Zemirah her desire to obtain a high-quality talisman when she heard this.

She exclaimed in surprise, "Really?"

Zemirah laughed and said, "Yeah, here's a little gift from me." She took out a wooden box made from mortal-grade spiritual wood.

Verona didn't refuse and accepted the gift she said. "Can I open it?" Verona asked since opening the gift in front of the giver is quite rude.

Zemirah didn't have that concept and nodded without hesitation, "Sure."

When Verona opened the wooden box, she was greeted with a pile of talismans.

Outstanding, Rare, and Supreme Quality Late-Stage Grade 1 talisman, each one in different types. Zemirah did this in consideration to show Verona that she has the capability and let her know what she has in store.

"So many?" Verona murmured, her eyes stuck on the Supreme-Quality talisman.

Verona never owned one but she has seen a Supreme-Quality Talisman being auctioned by a large force in Wintea City before. That talisman was in the top three finales, and many cultivators fought in the bidding to obtain it.

People understand that Supreme-Quality largely surpass their lower quality counterpart.

Some may even have miraculous results upon use according to the rumors she heard.

Verona believed this rumor after seeing Zemirah using a Grade 2 Supreme-Quality talisman to kill a Foundation Building realm demonic cultivator.

If it was a lower-quality talisman, the performance would not be as amazing as what Zemirah did. The activation will be slower, the power intensity will be lower and other aspects will be lower.

This is the reason why alchemists, talisman masters, forgers, and others who can make high-quality items are highly respected. Being proficient in one of these professions doesn't only need talent but also resources.

The masters are mostly attached to a certain force, since only there they can have sufficient resources. Besides, the larger factions will not let high-quality items slip into their hands. 

Some masters who didn't agree to be under these forces disappeared mysteriously. Everyone speculated that they were dealt with underhanded actions.

"This is too much for a gift –" Verona wanted the talismans badly but she knew that these things were too precious. She doesn't want to accept such a heavy gift just like that.

Zemirah saw Verona's refusal and held her hand, "Keep it. You are my friend now, so think of it as my sincerity in this friendship, okay?"

Verona was stunned.

Zemirah and Verona stared at each other's eyes.

One fox eyes, one cat eyes. 

Verona has already treated Zemirah as a friend before but at this moment, she changed her mind. Zemirah's position in her heart became a close friend. 

In the world of Azar, betrayal is common just to obtain resources and opportunities. One moment you are close brothers, the next moment you are enemies.

Sincerity with words is not to be taken seriously, but sincerity with words and actions can start a true friendship with trust. 

Right now, Verona treated Zemirah as such.

Verona gritted her teeth before nodding, "Okay, I'll accept this. But next time I'll pay, okay?"

Zemirah was happy that Verona accepted her gift and nodded happily, "Hmm-mm."

After that, they talked about the things that happened after the battle such as the aftermath of the flying ship, the passengers, and so on.

When Zemirah heard that so many people died, an uncomfortable feeling appeared in her heart. "What will happen next?"

"I'll entrust an organization to deliver the news to the deceased's family to claim the bodies, if no one came, we'll bury the bodies."

"What did the surviving passengers say?"

"Some people wanted to ask for compensation, while most just wanted to quickly arrive at our destination for fear of encountering another accident." Verona obviously had a headache mentioning the people who wanted compensation.

This group of people after lingering past death, started thinking how to take advantage of the situation. This is the norm for cultivators of Azar.

however, compensation can only be talked about by people on equal footing. Otherwise, no one would get anything from another.

This is the situation right now in front of Verona. She has higher cultivation than the people on the ship, most are at the Low and Mid-Stage of the Energy Refinement Realm. Against Verona who is at the Peak-Stage of the Energy Refinement realm, they have no chance at all.

"By the way, do you know the reason we were ambushed?"