Ch183 – Delivering the News
Lin Xuanzhi just replied calmly when he was faced with Soul Bead's question, “Because he doesn't know how to ascend ah. If you're willing to give Ah Hen a manual for ascension, he'll ascend for you to see soon enough.”
Soul Bead, “…”
This p.r.i.c.ks his heart so f.u.c.king bad. He decided to just sleep quietly.
Youngsters nowadays were too much; they're always coveting his precious manuals whenever they open their mouths, and he would be tricked into giving them away if he were just the slightest bit careless.
He can't afford to, he can't afford to.
After one night, Yan Tianhen smoothly advanced to the first layer of his Foundation Stage.
Not only did he not feel tired, but he even felt quite energetic. If he were given another pill furnace right now, he would still be able to fight for another hundred years excitedly.
This excitement lasted until he went up the mountains and saw Duan Yuyang.
Duan Yuyang scrutinised Yan Tianhen, who had successfully reached his Foundation Stage, from head to toe, then said with a complicated tone, “Looks like that huge uproar you caused last night wasn't a mere rumour. It was true?”
Yan Tianhen nodded, then lamented, “I didn't know that my furnace would blow up and cause such a huge commotion. I've always been used to keeping a low-profile.”
Duan Yuyang comforted, “Ah Hen's really amazing. I always knew that you would become a real alchemist sooner or later.”
When he mentioned this, Yan Tianhen bitterly scrunched up his small face, “I don't want to be an alchemist anymore.”
“Why?” Duan Yuyang was puzzled.
“Because it costs money ah.” Yan Tianhen started counting with his fingers and grieved as if his heart was being stabbed with a knife. He sucked in a breath of cold air, “Exploding the furnace was 40,000 gold, repairing the room costs 2,000 gold, cost of the materials were our family contribution points which was worth at least 200 gold…and my Ge even stuffed the medicinal pill into my mouth in the end. I'm not the least bit happy at all for the
Duan Yuyang was instantly overjoyed. “Let it be ba, why don't you think about how many people can't even get a Foundation Stage pill no matter how hard they wish for one? And think properly about whether or not reaching your Foundation Stage or money is more important.”
Yan Tianhen thought for a bit, “Earning money is still more important.
Duan Yuyang almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Can you have a little more ambition, Didi?!” Duan Yuyang said sadly, “Reaching the Foundation Stage means that you'll live to be 200-years-old, and your strength would have improved by a large margin. With so much time, you will be able to do whatever you want and refine as many pills as you want!”
Yan Tianhen felt like Duan Yuyang strangely made sense, and the thorn in his heart that resulted from suffering losses was naturally banished.
The craftsmen had already taken their places on stage.
Looking at them, there were a total of 25 craftsmen in two rows, and all of them were dressed in bright and beautiful attire. Craftsmen all had particularly unique interests; they liked hanging amazing-looking magic treasures on their clothes as accessories that could both act as offensive, defensive and auxiliary equipment and show off their status.
Not only did Yan Tianhen notice this, but even Duan Yuyang could tell too.
Duan Yuyang couldn't help but click his tongue. “Doesn't your Dage look a bit too shabby? I wouldn't be able to tell without this comparison, but now I understand why you're so insistent on earning money.”
Yan Tianhen's heart ached in an instant and he felt depressed. “Yeah, we're too poor. We already spent 2,000 gold on repairing the room today, and apparently the inn's boss had even given us a discount.”
Although the boss said that he didn't want anything, Lin Xuanzhi had forcibly stuffed the money into his hands.
Yan Tianhen trembled a lot as he calculated. He estimated that they only had a few pieces of gold in total left right now.
Once Duan Yuyang heard that, he glanced at Yan Tianhen. “If you say that Lin Xuanzhi is poor, I can believe that. But you dare say you're poor?”
If he casually sold just any one of the equipment he adorned from head to toe, he would be able to earn a large sum.
Yan Tianhen felt even more sad at once. He sighed, “What should I do? My Dage really treats me too well. He left all the good equipment for me, if he isn't able to save up enough money to get a wife, what should we do?”
Duan Yuyang almost choked on his saliva. He coughed for half a day and stared at Yan Tianhen speechlessly. “You're actually concerned about the problem of your Dage getting a wife? I won't talk about the others, but just based on your Dage's face, his status, and his capabilities, wouldn't he be able to get a wife in just minutes?”
“What do you know?” Yan Tianhen glanced at Duan Yuyang and continued to worry, “Cultivators nowadays with a bit of background and capabilities are particularly arrogant and realistic. If my Dage has no money and ends up as a broke craftsmen, a lot of people will look down on him for sure.”
Duan Yuyang didn't know what to say for a moment. Wasn't Yan Tianhen worrying too much in vain?
“Rest a.s.sured. Even if your Ge has nothing, he will be able to find a wife for you.” Duan Yuyang said.
“That's hard to say.” Yan Tianhen sighed again, “Look at Han Yuran for example. Wasn't it because he looked down on my Ge that he ran away with Yuan Tianwen?”
Duan Yuyang, “…”
They were talking all fine and dandy, so why did he have to mention those two annoying people?
Yan Tianhen suddenly remembered something that he had almost forgotten, so he took out a medicinal pill bottle from his storage bag and handed it to Duan Yuyang. “Yuyang Gege, this is a medicinal pill I'm giving to you. It can clean the impurities in one's body, and is particularly good to use.”
Duan Yuyang took the bottle and looked at it, his eyelids twitching slightly, “Where did you get this from?”
“Someone else gave it to me. Don't ask about who gave it to me, I won't tell you anyway.” Yan Tianhen made a shutting up gesture. He thought about it for a bit, then pretended to say casually, “Oh yeah, have you heard? Yuan Tianwen has been in quite a miserable condition lately.”
Duan Yuyang's eyelids twitched. “How miserable can he be? Every day he has people serving him good food and drinks, and he relies on his servant for all his eating, drinking and s.h.i.+tting, he's living a much better life than you– don't forget, he's rich, you're poor.”
Yan Tianhen, “…”
What happened to the talk about how money wasn't as important as one's cultivation?
Although he felt like he had suffered quite a blow, Yan Tianhen was insistent on doing his work after accepting money, so he said, “Yuan Tianwen's cultivation level dropped by one layer.”
“Oh.” Duan Yuyang only replied with one word.
Yan Tianhen was stunned. “Why is your reaction so mild?”
Duan Yuyang uttered a hng, then said as if he had grasped everything in his hands, “His Dad told you, right?”
Yan Tianhen shut up and refused to answer that question.
“That must be it.” Duan Yuyang continued by himself, “You think I don't know? With the outlandish arts Yuan Tianwen cultivates, it won't be long before his cultivation falls, and after it falls, it would be even more stable and quick when he advances afterwards. It's no big deal.”
Yan Tianhen's eyes widened in shock. “There's such a cultivation art?”
“There's even the 'Yuan' word inscribed on the bottom of this bottle of yours, do you think I'm stupid?” Duan Yuyang continued saying sadly, “You were bribed with just this little…at least ask for more ah!”
“There is more ah.” Yan Tianhen felt very wronged. He's not that easy to bribe, okay?
“What else is there?” Duan Yuyang asked.
“Forged stones.” Yan Tianhen said, “Primary-level, top-grade, 100 of them.”
Duan Yuyang, “…”
He only realised now how terrifyingly rich Su Mo is!
Duan Yuyang fell silent.
Yan Tianhen waited for a while before asking, “Yuyang Gege, what are you thinking about? If you don't want to hear about Yuan Tianwen, I won't talk about him anymore in the future and, no matter how many benefits they offer me in the future, I won't accept them either.”
“It's stupid to not accept benefits that others deliver right to your doorstep, okay?” Duan Yuyang knocked on Yan Tianhen's head. He stroked his chin and thought, bribe then bribe ba, no one's a saint anyway. Even he was moved after hearing about 100 top-grade primary-level forged stones, let alone Yan Tianhen.
Duan Yuyang sighed, “I just suddenly realised something.”
“What is it?” Yan Tianhen rubbed his head and asked.
“Why so many people are so desperate to marry into influential families, it's because they would be able to save on a hundred years of struggling in just minutes!” Duan Yuyang said ruefully.
“…” Yan Tianhen said worriedly, “Yuyang Gege, don't tell me you want to marry into an influential family too ba? You can't be corrupted by money!”
Duan Yuyang glanced at him askance. “Marry, your a.s.s. Your Yuyang Gege was also born into an influential family and is someone who has seen the world. I won't think much of this small bribe he offered.”
Yan Tianhen patted his chest and let out a prolonged breath. “I'm relieved then.”
Duan Yuyang mulled it over. “But if they were to give a little more…”
Yan Tianhen's eyes widened as he stared at Duan Yuyang.
Duan Yuyang smiled. “I still wouldn't think much of it. I'm a man of integrity.”
Yan Tianhen always felt like Duan Yuyang was indirectly trying to say that he has no integrity.
On the stage, although the compet.i.tion was about to start, Lin Xuanzhi's gaze would always calmly and leisurely drift over to Yan Tianhen's side. In other people's eyes, he seemed to be very much at ease.
Out of the 25 people there, the Bai family accounted for 8 of the partic.i.p.ants, which was one third of the total.
Bai Susu was also among them. She glared at Lin Xuanzhi angrily and thought to herself that if it wasn't because of Lin Xuanzhi, two of her cousins wouldn't have been punished by Young Master Bai and be unable to join the compet.i.tion today.
Baili Yunshan was secretly excited. This was his first time partic.i.p.ating in this kind of craftsmen compet.i.tion, and he couldn't wait to show his skills.
Baili Yunshan stood next to Lin Xuanzhi. He whistled at Lin Xuanzhi to attract his attention.
Lin Xuanzhi looked at Baili Yunshan, using his gaze to ask 'what's the matter?'
Baili Yunshan half-covered his mouth and whispered, “The one opposite you keeps glaring at you, be careful!”
The compet.i.tion venue for craftsmen was divided into two rows; there was a cattail ha.s.sock behind each craftsman. They weren't too far or near one another either, the s.p.a.ce they had was just perfect for them to not disturb one another during crafting.
Opposite Lin Xuanzhi stood a young man dressed in a sapphire blue craftsman robe. This person would look at Lin Xuanzhi once in awhile with a cold glint in his gaze.
Lin Xuanzhi cast a glance at him, then said to Baili Yunshan, “Thanks for the reminder.”
Baili Yunshan whispered, “Who's that? Do you know him?”
“I don't, but I know his name.” Lin Xuanzhi said, “He's part of the Bai family, called Bai Honghu.”
Editor's Little Commentary:
Only LXZ was dressed plainly among all the marriage candidates, but it only had his celestial beauty stand out even more, outs.h.i.+ning all the others and making their lavish ornaments look gaudy and ostentatious… :p
