AZI Volume 4 Chapter 36

"Ah…?"

"…?"

In response to Long Hua's words, both Bai Wen and Zhen Huai have a dumbfounded look on their faces, as they respectively ask—

"Lao Long, you're… Joking, right?"

"Perfect mastery on all five elements?"

Pressing a finger to his temple, as if dealing with a headache, Long Hua sighs, and replies—

"I'm serious."

Narrowing his eyes, Long Hua looks intently at Zhen Huai, to which, the latter asks—

"…Wait, why are you looking at me for?"

"Zhen-laoban, you're a merchant, right? You need to be able to deliver on the wants of your customers."

Setting his cup of tea down, Zhen Huai answers—

"Long-xiong, where do you think—I can hope to acquire the power of the five elements from?"

"Doesn't have to be all at once, don't you have any magic treasures that are filled with one of the five elements' powers?"

"I…-"

Heaving a heavy sigh, Zhen Huai says—

"Such treasures don't appear very often. At most, I can keep an eye out for you, but I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"I can wait; not like I'm in a rush. …Yet."

With a mischievous smile on his face, Bai Wen says—

"If it's magic treasures that you want, there's plenty to be found in this world, Lao Long."

"Where?"

"A weapon spirit's true form is considered a magic treasure, no?"

"…So, you're telling me to go on a Sinner hunt?"

Towards Bai Wen's suggestion, Long Hua raises an eye. If he's able to just safely leave this world after causing a massacre, this suggestion wouldn't be off the table.

Maintaining his smile, Bai Wen replies—

"If that's what you're into. Jokes aside, the ruins will definitely be your best bet—at least, until the necropolis opens."

"Necropolis?"

"I'll fill you in on the details of that later; it's definitely not something you'd want to miss out on."

Dismissing the matter for the time being, Bai Wen moves the topic along, and adds—

"Even now, there are fully Apotheosized weapon spirits inside of those ruins. Some of them could have originated from a reset, which occurred more than 100,000 years ago—making them much more powerful than your average Apotheosized weapon spirit. If you managed to subdue them, you'll be able to refine them, and have them act as one of your five elemental sources."

Narrowing his eyes, Long Hua asks—

"Lao Bai, is there actually a specific term that your side would use to call these Apotheosized weapon spirits?"

"We just refer to that state as "Weapon Spirit True Body." Apotheosis, is what the Sinners are calling it, but I guess, it's more a means to inflate their own ego? Between partial and full Apotheosis, there's no difference in terminology. However, hmm… I suppose, full is used to describe a genuine berserk state that's constantly active? If anything, we tend to consider that to be a weapon spirit's proper appearance, because the weapons that are obtained from subduing them under that state tend to be more refined."

"I see. Well, back on topic, I didn't encounter any of those 100,000-year-old weapon spirits this time around."

Retrieving a cup, Bai Wen pours himself some tea, and replies—

"May be encountered, but cannot be begged for. As rare as a Qilin's horn and a phoenix's plume. Fate, is a whimsical mistress; you never know when you'd be able to have a fortunate encounter."

"So, you're saying my luck is shit?"

Taking a sip of the tea, Bai Wen looks at Long Hua with an expression of amazement, and answers—

"Hardly, Lao Long, if anything, do you have any rights to ask that—after being able to advance an entire realm just by going on a single trip? Would you really consider that bad luck? If you did, there's plenty of peerless talents in the Everlasting Spirit Realm, who would have a bone to pick with you."

Hearing this, Long Hua can't help but recall the term "Chosen Child of the Heaven," that the Tai Xuan Emperor had mentioned.

"I see your point, Lao Bai."

Taking out a pile of papers that are tied together with a rubber band, Long Hua sets it onto the stone table, and looks to Zhen Huai, while stating—

"Payment in spirit stones, or rare metals and minerals. Also, I want to purchase some spirit herbs as well. The kinds I want are also attached to the package."

"…Long-xiong, what's wrong with you today?"

Seeing the parchment pile that is at least one and a half inches in thickness, Zhen Huai looks as if he had seen a ghost.

Drawing the pile over with a hand gesture, Zhen Huai looks through the parchments with an expression of doubt, while thinking—

(Don't tell me he's planning to sell me more Lone Dog Incantation-like nonsense again… Uh?)

Although there are indeed a few more Tranquil Heart Incantation type nonsense among the pile, the contents are mostly decent and noteworthy.

"…"

Pouring himself a cup of tea, Long Hua waits for Zhen Huai to finish browsing through the parchments. Most of the things that he had included weren't cultivation methods or divine arts of great value to him, mostly stuff that he had acquired by chance during his previous life.

Eventually, Zhen Huai lifts his head away from the parchments, and asks—

"How much rare metals and minerals are you looking for?"

A transaction this large—in spirit stones alone, would be rather difficult to perform even for Zhen Huai; hence, being able to pay in rare metals and minerals is quite welcomed.

Setting the teacup down, Long Hua answers—

"As much as possible. More so than spirit stones. Also, know any place in this world that has more of them?"

"You need that much?"

Thinking of a long-time client of his, who goes by the surname of Zhou, but isn't Zhou Chen, Zhen Huai can't help but frown on the inside, while Long Hua replies—

"Gear supplier related."

"…?"

Blinking his eyes, Zhen Huai is rather curious as to what kind of gear Long Hua is talking about. However, understanding that trade secrets aren't easily exposed, the former can only reply—

"I'll look through my inventory later. It will take some time to gather everything. Do you want to pick it up a portion at a time, or all at once?"

"All at once."

Replying with a nod, Zhen Huai says—

"Very well. As for where you can acquire more rare metals and minerals… Well, you want legal means, or illegal means?"

"Hmm. Legal means will probably require money that I don't have, so let's hear the illegal means first."

Scratching his cheek, Zhen Huai replies—

"…There's a restaurant, which also acts as an auction house—within the third ward of GC012. It's also where the ruins excavation rights are to be auctioned off in a week's time."

Knowing exactly which restaurant Zhen Huai is talking about, Bai Wen can't help but look towards the former with an odd eye.

"Lao Zhen, you…?"

"The name of that restaurant is the Lán Sī Restaurant."

Following Zhen Huai's answer, Bai Wen turns to Long Hua, and says—

"Lao Long, if you plan to rob that restaurant's storage area—my advice to you is to run the moment you see its proprietress, she's no slouch."

"Hm?"

"You'll know when you see her."

Ignoring the puzzled look on Long Hua's face, Zhen Huai adds—

"I'm somewhat hesitant to recommend this route as well, but it's without a doubt your best bet. Since there's already an auction scheduled, there'll be plenty of organizations sending in items of value to that restaurant for the event. They tend to come in by the truck load; as for how you can find those trucks, well… Apologies, but I don't feel like offending the proprietress, so do the research yourself."

Noticing how the two are behaving, Long Hua can't help but frown, and asks Bai Wen—

"Is this person also a Ling Yuan family clansman?"

"That's… Hmm. I guess, she counts as one? But she's a bit too free-willed, and doesn't take orders from them. Regardless, just be careful around the person."

Keeping this in mind, Long Hua looks to Tian Cheng, who is seated to his right.

Turning to Long Hua, Tian Cheng says—

"I'll look into it later. Legal means wise, it isn't impossible. I did grab a few treasures from the ruins' treasury when I had the chance."

"Nice."

Hearing this, Long Hua smiles, and somewhat regrets not having done the same when he had the chance.