Chapter 617: All Spat Out
Soon after, Zi Di told Fei She of the situation in detail.
Fei She replied, “So, so that’s how it is.”
He felt delighted to witness a comeuppance, “A traitor like Jiu Jin is more infuriating, our merchant alliance subsidized him and helped him become an Alchemy Guild Elder. But in the end, he was the first to stab us and swipe most of our property.”
Zi Di smiled, but her eyes were leaking with cold intentions, “It is understandable. After all, he and the Wisteria Merchant Alliance don’t have an emotional base, only collaboration and exploitation.”
Fei She sighed, “The merchant alliance’s arrangement on Ice Sculpture Island was too impetuous, the recruited associates were actually allocated level zero authority.”
“This was not the old president’s style. He was forced to do that, for the situation at the time was getting more urgent and he had to hasten arrangements.”
“I didn’t expect he would place the Wisteria Cache in the Ten Millenia Ice Lake.”
“It was a wonderful plan, unfortunately, this generation’s Ice Sculpture King employed a long term stratagem that began since he took the throne. Due to the magic formation on the lake bottom, we are forced to open the Wisteria Cache as soon as possible.”
“There is also Yuan Ci, I didn’t expect that old fellow to not be dead and always managing to stay hidden.”
“Humph, he surprisingly wanted to secretly open the cache…”
Fei She loathed Yuan Ci’s display of disloyalty.
Lord President, what should I do next?”
“With me and you, we have four level zero secret orders. There is also Jiu Jin who was forced to sign a contract with us and can be considered partially on our side.”
“If that happens, we already have 5 level zero secret orders, that is enough to open the Wisteria Cache.”
Zi Di nodded, “It will depend on how the situation develops.”
“After all, Yuan Ci is the only one who knows where the Wisteria Cache is.”
“This time our luck is pretty good that Jiu Jin decided to drop in to visit. After today’s negotiation, we have established many advantages, and the Wisteria Cache has great prospects for the future.”
Fei She looked worried again, “Although Elder Jiu Jin has been secretly suppressed by us, he is not the only elder in the Alchemy Guild.”
“It can even be said that he doesn’t have much clout in the guild.”
“Lord President, the Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s alchemy technology is a standout on the Main Plane, this country’s alchemy guild is very strong and cannot be treated lightly.”
Zi Di glanced at Fei She, knowing the unspoken implication from experience, “You are worried about the betting agreement?”
“That’s right.” Fei She nodded, sincerely admonishing, “Lord President, why did you want to take the risk, Jiu Jin has already been captured by us, we can force him to sign a more dependable and secure contract.”
Zi Di laughed softly, explaining, “I actually considered doing that, but after careful thought, I still think having the outer appearance of a betting agreement is more appropriate.”
“For one, this is the result of our negotiation with Jiu Jin, and not the final outcome. Jiu Jin still needs to petition for it at the Alchemy Guild.”
“Second, we need to treasure the gains of this victory. If the agreement was more inclined towards us and it brings about Jiu Jin being fired from the Alchemy Guild, it will be more devastating for us.”
“Finally, only through the form of a betting agreement can we get more and better benefits from the Alchemy Guild. The profits are usually relative to risk, right?”
That sentence greatly reduced Fei She’s worry, but it wasn’t completely gone, “Even if it is a betting agreement, the Alchemy Guild might not agree to it.”
“No, I am rather certain they will accept it.” Zi Di nevertheless smiled confidently, “Don’t forget, this isn’t the Sheng Ming Empire, it is the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.”
Fei She was startled, then soon saw the light, “I understand, it is the dueling ambience here!”
The Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s territory was surrounded by islands, and their ancestors came from the Frost Continent. That history and the geography here formed a unique country culture.
The Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s citizens felt strongly about, watched, and participated in duels.
The alchemists here fundamentally also harbored those trends. These deep cultural genes existed in their hearts and couldn’t be altered.
A bet was actually another form of dueling.
The Alchemy Guild’s magicians were arrogant and self-important, if they refused, they would subconsciously feel shame.
They were almost certain to agree to it!
“The Alchemy Guild wanting to recruit us divulges that they have scorn for us.”
“They would never think we have War Merchant’s legacy on us. Our chances of winning this bet is over 90%.”
“This is a very good opportunity for us to deal with an incomparably strong competitor like the Alchemy Guild.”
When Zi Di said that her eyes became sharp, “There will inevitably be a day when I will make these people return all of the things they’ve taken from us!”
“Lord President…” For a moment, Fei She saw the old president’s shadow in Zi Di.
Dueling Divine Domain.
Tranquil Hill.
Bing Xiao, the human ringleader, Lan Zao, and the other Bayonet Gang members were watching a battle.
The battle was between a bearman and a humanoid modified by alchemy.
The bearman was strong and sturdy, and his face had a cross shaped scar, it was Xiong Ju.
The humanoid modified by alchemy was Spring Boxer.
The two were silver level fighters, and their battle had reached their fiercest moment.
Xiong Ju was using a silver level broadsword and attacked violently, his battle skill usage was very skilled, and his wrestling technique was even more ruthless and efficient.
Spring Boxer wasn’t using his customary hands, rather he was wielding a silver level whip.
Battle skill – Quick Lash.
Battle skill – Augment Whip.
Battle skill – Curved Whip Sweep.
…
Spring Boxer repeatedly used whip type battle skills to form shadows of whips that filled the entire sky in a prestigious offensive.
“He’s just like Gang Leader Teng Dong Lang.” The human ringleader sighed.
Spring Boxer absorbed many of Teng Dong Lang’s memories, and he gained a deep mastery of these battle skills from nothing.
Although he was mainly recuperating in Tranquil Hill, his battle strength had improved a lot.
This was the charm of Tranquil Hill’s inheritance.
“It’s no wonder Bing Xiao and Spring Boxer wanted to bury duelists on Tranquil Hill by any means necessary.” The human ringleader’s eyes flashed.
He was a spy and had the important duty of scouting out information on Tranquil Hill.
Nowadays, after living on Tranquil Hill for many days, he had gathered much first-hand information on the place.
But he couldn’t leave.
Therefore, this information could not be delivered.
Lan Zao and he were the same, likewise spies, but Lan Zao was working hard moreso for the dragoman youngster.
He was spying on Tranquil Hill to help the dragonman youngster find a way to resurrect Zi Di and Cang Xu.
Reality changed far faster than plans did.
Lan Zao was unaware the dragonman youngster already knew the Resurrection spell.
He was closely watching the battle unfold, “Spring Boxer is very strong, if it was before, Xiong Ju wouldn’t be his match.
“But now, Xiong Ju has also lived on Tranquil Hill for many days, his strength has also improved quickly!”
Xiong Ju was a fanatic of the Dueling God!
He rigorously kept to dueling rules and abided by dueling philosophies. At the time, during his duel with the dragonman youngster, he was unwilling to abide with the demon hybrid ringleader’s interference.
As Spring Boxer recuperated, Xiong Ju’s strength was also changing every day.
He trained here and constantly received divine enlightenment that gave him all kinds of battle experience from his forebearers.
Previously, Lan Zao could fight Xiong Ju for a bit as their sparring partner. But as time passed, the gap between Lan Zao and Xiong Ju gradually increased and Lan Zao could no longer be his sparring partner.
“Becoming a Dueling God fanatic comes with substantial gains.”
“But it’s a pity, no matter what I do, I cannot completely believe in the Dueling God.”
Lan Zao felt very regretful.
Faith was not something a person could deepen through wishing it to be so.
On the one hand, using gains as a lure had their limits. Using gains as a lure to increase conviction had many big systemic problems.
On the other hand, Lan Zao was a foreigner and was unlike Xiong Ju who was wholly indigenous and had been immersed in a dueling ambience since childhood. Lan Zao had come here to conspire and scheme. Naturally, he was wary of the Bayonet Gang remnants and this divine domain.
Thus, the estrangements in his heart caused him to be unable to effectively improve his belief in the Dueling God.
In short, it is very hard for people to truly deceive themselves!
Suddenly, Xiong Ju growled and used a battle skill to close the distance between him and Spring Boxer.
Xiong Ju waved the broadsword and constantly attacked.
Spring Boxer retreated again and again, until finally, he was forced to abandon the whip and use the fists he was most familiar with to fight Xiong Ju in close quarters.
Although he had received Teng Dong Lang’s memories and battle experience, he hadn’t adapted to them much.
Spring Boxer had gotten a lot, but his fighting strength hadn’t improved significantly.
Looking at Xiong Ju, it was utterly different.
Because his belief was deep, was constantly training, and had received divine enlightenment, inheriting battle experience from his precursors.
These inheritances all had a clear objective, they were based on Xiong Ju’s own battle style, methods, and skills, among other things.
Like Lan Zao practicing Air Cannon, who had obtained some experience from others about this battle skill from others.
Spring Boxer had started from scratch while Xiong Ju was reinforcing himself.
Therefore, in close quarters combat, Spring Boxer immediately became visibly fatigued and fell into a disadvantage.
“Ok.” Bing Xiao promptly shouted at them to stop, “Xiao Tan’s condition isn’t good, and still needs to recuperate. This is just practice and sparring, continuing to fight is going too far.”
In the past, Spring Boxer would have been delighted to keep battling, even losing didn’t matter to him.
But now, after absorbing Teng Dong Lang’s memories, Spring Boxer could deliberate his position. In the future, he would become the Bayonet Gang Leader, and if he was defeated by Xiong Ju, his prestige would be greatly damaged, thereby destabilizing the cohesion of the entire Bayonet Gang.
Therefore, Spring Boxer stopped without delay.
“Not going to fight?” Xiong Ju wished to continue battling.
Then at that moment, several loud sounds could be heard on the hill.
The Bayonet Gang remnants followed the noise and saw shadows flying and fiercely fighting above Tranquil Hill.
“What’s going on?”
“It seems there is an enemy attack?!”