Refining the Mountains and Rivers

by Stayrr

While the blue light blossoms, the insignificant struggle at the bottom. He grasps the opportunity to change his fate and embarks on an unprecedented path… I will control my destiny, not Heaven! Perhaps he is naïve, or perhaps, is the start of a new epic journey!

5. 129

Refining the Mountains and Rivers #Chapter 129 – Grandmaster Goldrune, Who Fell Down - Read Refining the Mountains and Rivers Chapter 129 – Grandmaster Goldrune, Who Fell Down Online - All Page - Novel Bin

Chapter 129 – Grandmaster Goldrune, Who Fell Down

The sea race woman's eyes widened. She took a deep breath to steady herself but couldn't stop the shock that spread through her heart. She squeezed out a smile and said, "Guest, are you sure that you want to pay…300,000?"

Qin Yu placed a storage bag on the table. "It's in here. I'll sign."

The consultant began to drip with beads of sweat. He hurriedly said, "Guest, please wait a moment; this payment amount is too high, so we need to ask for permission."

"Of course."

The consultant relaxed. He glanced over at the woman.

The sea race woman immediately began to move. She took out a round glass-like cover and placed it over the jade box and red coral.

A faint light flashed and she picked up the cover. "Very good. There will be a reply soon."

…

Within the ninth floor of Sea Spirit Pavilion, in a peaceful chamber, several experienced sea spirit teachers were sitting and processing messages they received from below. Many of them were seated at a counter, judging the items sent up for appraisal so that they could determine the amount to charge as well as the agreement contract. On the table, a curtain of water flashed and another piece of information was sent up. The purple mark indicator caused the sea spirit teacher in charge to be more prudent. As he looked over the information, he soon frowned.

The image in the water curtain was extremely clear; one could see each and every corner of the red coral. There weren't any major problems with it. He considered it over and over again, and after deciding that there wasn't anything wrong, he scoffed inwardly. Some wealthy local idiot was actually willing to sign the Supreme Book just for an ordinary red coral.

Although this sort of thing didn't happen often, in the several months since the Supreme Handbook had been launched, it had indeed made a considerable amount of income for them in the capital city. On one hand, he praised the Chief Manager for knowing how to make money, and on the other hand he quickly approved the transaction. But as he did, he lifted an eyebrow, faintly thinking that something was missing from the message.

Shua –

Another message arrived. The sea spirit teacher quickly suppressed these thoughts and started to carefully review it.

Sea Spirit Pavilion treated its workers well. Since he was benefitting from them, he certainly had to be careful in everything he did.

….

The glass cover flashed with a green light. The sea race woman smiled. "It's been approved."

The process was simple. The quantity of spirit stones was checked and the contract agreement was reviewed. After signing, Qin Yu received a copy. He left behind the jade box and red coral and left.

The consultant quickly ran over to send Qin Yu out, a comforting smile on his face. He also told Qin Yu not to worry and that they would absolutely hasten his sea spirit treatment with the highest priority possible, and that a result would be obtained in three days. As he walked out of Sea Spirit Pavilion and watched the black-robed figure vanish from sight, he sighed inwardly. This mysterious person had been so decisive and firm. He had tossed down 300,000 spirit stones and left without even batting an eyelash.

Would there ever be a time when he could mix in with such a crowd of people? He calculated the possibilities in his heart, and soon discovered that there would never be a single chance in his entire life. He sighed in frustration as he told himself to forget about it. But soon, he pushed aside his sadness and walked back into Sea Spirit Pavilion, excited. Several of his colleagues saw his expression and cursed inwardly at him, their eyes turning red with envy.

One of the counters had been temporarily suspended from business. The sea race woman held the signed Supreme Book high, her chest wildly fluctuating as she looked at it. As she saw the consultant come back in, she quickly rose up. Her actions were loud and grating, and several guests nearby who were doing business immediately frowned in dissatisfaction.

A lobby manager hurried over to apologise. He stared daggers at the woman and dragged her to the back to scold her. "What are you doing? You are not a new worker here, so how can you still be so rash!" He straightened himself. "Just what is going on?"

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The sea race woman handed over the purple book, "Manager…"

The manager's eyes brightened. "Supreme Book, not bad, not bad, Little Li, you've made a considerable commission this month." He took the book and started flipping through it. He immediately froze, his eyes blinking and his expression turning serious. "A payment of 300,000 for a red coral?"

The consultant hurriedly said, "We didn't dare to decide this for ourselves. We asked for permission from above."

The manager relaxed. Since everything had passed inspection, this proved that nothing was wrong. He smiled and nodded, "That's good. Brat, you have a good future ahead of you. Keep working hard and one day you'll be able to climb to where I'm at."

The consultant smiled. "Everything is because of manager's skill and leadership."

The manager smirked with satisfaction. After giving a bit of advice, he took the Supreme Book and walked away. This sort of massive contract needed to be specially archived in preparation for future audits. The jade box and red coral were quickly sent to the upper levels where the true sea spirit teachers would be able to carefully diagnose it and treat it. No matter how valuable it actually was, after Qin Yu sighed the Supreme Book and paid 300,000 spirit stones, its worth was placed at that point.

The sea race woman returned to her counter. She put away the busy sign, and then treated all guests with perfect manners and poise. This was because the meat pie that fell from the skies could disappear at any moment.

Thinking of the black-robed figure and his youthful voice, the woman gently stroked her thigh, secretly regretting that she didn't try hooking that giant fish herself. Otherwise, she was confident that as long as she had a single night, she could make sure that that giant fish was lost in her depths, never to return.

….

Right now, Big Fish Qin Yu was walking down the street, completely unaware that some sea race woman had marked him as a target of love and was wildly ravaging him in some imaginary bed.

He casually found an inn and paid for a room for three days. After sending away the servant, he sat down in meditation. If things happened quickly, he might have to welcome guests from Sea Spirit Pavilion tomorrow.

…

As Grandmaster Goldrune saw the jade box, his eyes brightened. He lifted the cover a little, and as he smelled the fragrance of top tier nutrient liquids, his expression immediately turned earnest. A bit of happiness lit up his face. He had been in Sea Spirit Pavilion for half a year now, and after effortlessly putting in his strength and time, he had proven his own worth. This was the first precious spirit plant that Sea Spirit Pavilion had handed to him, and he certainly had to try his best to display his peak skills.

He took several deep breaths, composing his thoughts. Then, Grandmaster Goldrune fully opened the jade box. But in the next moment, his complexion darkened and blue veins popped up on his forehead.

Where was the most basic amount of trust between people? Where was the precious spirit plant?

Clenching his teeth, he picked up the introductory jade slip. Detailed information about the sea spirit was listed within. As the first line entered his eyes: Red Coral [ordinary, he immediately felt his heart shatter to pieces as he started to curse out loud.

Just which bastard had used such a precious jade box, such valuable nutrient fluid, and had even been so abnormal as to sign the Supreme Book, just for the sake of an ordinary common red coral! And, the most important part was that he had been tricked into being entirely enthusiastic about this task, and he had even been incomparably sincere about his work!

Tossing down the jade box, Grandmaster Goldrune paced up and down through the work room. It was only when he managed to suppress the anger brewing in his heart that he stood in front of the work table once more. His eyes were calm and focused. Controlling one's temper was a skill that any high level sea spirit teacher needed to master.

In a short period of time, he was able to go from a completely enraged state to a perfectly composed state. Grandmaster Goldrune secretly applauded his own professionalism. His gaze fell down on the red coral. He originally excelled in treating coral spirit plants, and soon he figured out just what problems this coral had.

Excessive nutrition led to malnutrition. An overabundance of care led to a poor level of care. Moreover, this type of top level nutrient fluid far surpassed the absorption limits of the red coral. It had to be known that sometimes, too much nourishment actually led to injuries. Combined together with malnutrition, this led to the current exhausted condition of the coral. As for the traces of pest markings on the surface, as long as these problems were solved and some appropriate nutrient fluids were provided, it would soon be growing well.

He flourished his hand and wrote down a detailed treatment plan, step by step. After looking over it and making sure that nothing was wrong, he rang a bell. An assistant soon came in. With a few commands, the assistant left with the red coral. A high level sea spirit teacher's time was precious, and it was natural for an assistant to deal with simple matters like this. Of course, in order to be chosen as an assistant to a high level sea spirit teacher, one had to have the abilities of a middle level sea spirit teacher. In other words, they were more than competent enough to handle these things.

Grandmaster Goldrune dove into the work he had put down. He had been treating this Seasnake Grass for ten days and it was finally showing signs of improvement. However, a part of the roots were still withered, so he needed to consolidate the treatment plan a bit.

Just as he was lost deep in thought and about to come up with a clue, someone knocked on his door. His thoughts immediately became jumbled.

Grandmaster Goldrune called in the person with a gloomy face. He wiped away his scattered hair, completely intent on reprimanding whoever came in. If it weren't for the fact that the person who entered was his most favored assistant, he definitely wouldn't have allowed things to end here. It had to be known that the number of people who wanted to become an assistant to a high level sea spirit teacher of Sea Spirit Pavilion could line up from here all the way to the city gates.

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"Assistant Xia, you know that I heavily dislike being interrupted during moments of contemplation. So, just what is it that you are bothering me for?"

Assistant Xia had a dreary expression. "Teacher, something is wrong with that red coral. You should come and take a look yourself."

Being called teacher was simply a polite term of respect; it had nothing to do with the relationship of master and disciple.

Grandmaster Goldrune was startled. As he thought of the events from a moment ago, his face clouded over. "I already wrote a clear and detailed list of instructions. All you needed to do was follow them to the word. Can you not even handle something so simple?"

Assistant Xia bitterly smiled. "I only dared to interrupt you because I had no other means. It is now in very poor condition. Teacher, it is best if you hurry up a little."

Grandmaster Goldrune coldly snorted. He quickly hurried out. He didn't care about an ordinary red coral, but if it died it would affect his rating. Moreover, what the other party signed was the Supreme Book. According to the contract, if he failed he would need to pay for a fifth of the losses.

Outside his work room was a large workshop. Over a dozen assistants were present. Normally, they would be busy working, but at this moment they were all gathered around a work table, their complexions ugly as if they had eaten flies.

"Teacher has arrived!"

Everyone hurriedly drew back, lowering their heads in deference.

Grandmaster Goldrune coldly coughed, not caring to scold them. He walked in front of the work table and looked down. The red coral was placed in ordinary nutrient fluid, and the specifications were exactly in the range he had prescribed. But at this time, the red coral was incomparably listless and dull. Grandmaster Goldrune frowned. He reached out a hand and placed it on the red coral. After several breaths of time, his face darkened. This red coral was emitting a death aura; it could no longer be saved.

Pa –

He slapped the work table. "Just who did this? Do you have no idea how to follow instructions? I clearly diagnosed the condition, so how could an accident occur?"

An assistant trembled and stepped forwards. "Teacher, I followed the treatment you prescribed completely. There is phantom image monitoring that can verify my words."

Assistant Xia vaguely nodded. This indicated that he had examined the situation and knew this to be true.

Grandmaster Goldrune's complexion became even gloomier. If the red coral died because of his instructions, wasn't that the same as saying that his level was very low, so low that he couldn't cure an ordinary red coral? But now, the more he spoke the more face he would lose. "Treat this red coral as if it has died. Send out a report and have Sea Spirit Pavilion process it."

He turned and left.

Assistant Xia's eyes widened. "Teacher, you won't try to revive it?"

Grandmaster Goldrune wished that he could smash open this assistant's face. Didn't he already shame himself enough? This was only an ordinary red coral; what need was there to save it?

Facing the ferocious eyes of Grandmaster Goldrune, Assistant Xia weakly said, "Teacher, the other party signed the Supreme Book…"

Grandmaster Goldrune clenched his teeth. "It's fine to compensate him. The funds I have left in the work room should be enough!" Just as his voice fell, the eyes of the assistants lit up, filled with worship and admiration.

Grandmaster Goldrune was truly worthy of being a high level sea spirit teacher. He didn't even bat an eyelash at paying such a steep compensation sum.

But as Assistant Xia looked at Grandmaster Goldrune's eyes which seemed to tell him to shut up or he would eat him alive, he could only put on a sobbing expression and say, "It's not enough."

Grandmaster Goldrune was stunned. It was only then that he recalled that when he was diagnosing the red coral, he hadn't paid any attention to how much the payment amount had been.

Looking at Assistant Xia's complexion, unease began to rise up in his heart. "How much was the initial payment amount?"

"300,000."

Thump –

Grandmaster Goldrune's eyes rolled back into his head as he toppled to the ground!

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Chapter 130 – But I can

A payment of 300,000...

According to the agreement signed in the Supreme Manual, Sea Spirit Pavilion would have to compensate three million spirit stones. It wasn't that they couldn't afford this, but once they paid, this was no different from acknowledging that Sea Spirit Pavilion was at fault. Sea Spirit Pavilion's upright and honorable reputation had allowed them to constantly develop these past years, but while they did so, many people had begun to eye them, and all sorts of moves were being made in the shadows. These people would absolutely not let go of such a prime opportunity. They would inevitably spread propaganda recklessly to attack Sea Spirit Pavilion's reputation. This sort of invisible loss was the most terrifying of all.

The chief manager was surnamed Wu. No one knew his true name. His normally warm and kind expression was dark and gloomy. If he had the qualifications to oversee the capital city's branch division, it was natural that he had an extremely high status within Sea Spirit Pavilion's overall hierarchy. While he stood at the peak of the wave, there were countless people targeting him from below. Each one of those people was waiting for him to make a mistake so that they could take advantage of him while he was down.

The Supreme Book had been proposed by Chief Manager Wu. After the idea had been discussed at headquarters, it had been agreed that it would first be implemented in the capital city's branch division. The feedback for the last several months had been good. Creating profits was one thing, but the most important aspect was that it increased their renown and faith and was something that Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire could not control, allowing Sea Spirit Pavilion to obtain an even higher reputation.

Headquarters had begun to consider promoting the Supreme Book through various large cities in the sea region. If this were to smoothly succeed, then Chief Manager Wu's fame would rise precipitously and his position would be impregnable. But, at such a critical moment, a dramatic mistake had occurred with the Supreme Book. It was already a great testament to his training and poise that he was able to sit down while suppressing his anger.

"Could it be that someone deliberately set up a trap and led us into it?" A branch division manager frowned as he spoke. It was clear that everyone had considered this possibility already. She looked forwards. As the second in command of the branch division, it was her responsibility to fully investigate this matter. Her name was Clearwood and she came from a mysterious background. In fact, many of the other sea race managers didn't know where she came from. But, after arriving at the capital city branch division over a year ago, Clearwood had used her incredible skills and methods to obtain everyone's approval.

"I've already personally questioned the people involved in this. The guest didn't mention the Supreme Book on his own initiative, rather, it was the counter worker who introduced it after considering the possible commission, and it was the guest who chose the payment amount. Because the payment amount was too high, the worker confirmed with the ninth floor to make sure it was acceptable. However, because she was too nervous, she forgot to attach the amount involved and after the ninth floor examined the object and didn't perceive anything wrong, they signed it as passing."

Clearwood's voice was cold, just like her expression. "On the other hand, I urgently gathered five high level sea spirit teachers to work together and diagnose the red coral. It was determined that nothing was done to tamper with it. It was dying under normal conditions through having its life depleted, and it was only barely managing to live on with the powerful potency of the high quality nutrient fluid. The rest of the symptoms were only a sign of its weakness. When the sea spirit teacher initially in charge was diagnosing, he didn't discover that replacing the nutrient fluid with a lower quality version would lead to the death of the red coral."

Closing the text in her hand, she looked around at everyone. She faintly said, "In summary, I judge that this matter is a coincidence completely caused by neglect of the staff."

Everyone looked at each other with blank dismay. The vast majority of them had conspiracy theories and plots racing through their thoughts, but now they finally discovered that this problem was entirely their own fault. Even though they didn't want to believe it, the truth was placed right in front of them. If they tried to pretend that it didn't happen, their skin simply wasn't thick enough to do that. Moreover, if this matter were to be exposed, the reputation that Sea Spirit Pavilion had garnered over the years would be utterly ruined.

Chief Manager Wu glanced at everyone and said, "Clearwoood was in charge of investigating this matter. Since this is a mistake of my capital city branch division, there is no need to discuss it further." He paused, and everyone could feel how heavy his words were. "Right now, what we need to do is figure out how to solve this while minimizing the possible fallout."

An awkward silence followed.

Everyone knew that Chief Manager Wu was in a critical period right now, and this was no trifling matter. If someone used this as a pretext to move against him, it would be good if he could keep his position within the capital city branch division. But after that, he wouldn't be able to take another step upwards. Because this matter was so important, no one dared to speak out; the consequences were too serious.

Chief Manager Wu frowned. He began to call out names, "General Affairs Manager Shen, you are always wise and crafty. Let's hear your thoughts."

General Affairs Manager Shen secretly complained about this, but he remained calm on the surface. He coughed and pushed up the crystal glasses lying on his nose, saying, "I'm sorry, it's a bit embarrassing but I must urgently use the restroom."

Chief Manager Wu said without expression, "Then go."

General Affairs Manager Shen rose up, nodded, pushed up the door, and left.

Looking around, everyone had their heads down. Chief Manager Wu sighed, knowing that none of them had a good plan. Of course, even if they did, no one would be willing to say it out loud. The several managers present all had complex backgrounds that represented a variety of special interest groups. In fact, some of them might even be hoping for him to fail.

"If you want to control the fallout as much as possible, then the key will be the guest. As long as he is willing to settle this matter quietly, then there will be a chance for us to resolve matters amicably and with the smallest amount of trouble." As the cold voice rang out, Chief Manager Wu's eyes flashed with surprise. He never thought that the first one to say something voluntarily would be Clearwood. It was a bit surprising, because if an accident happened, Clearwood was next in line to replace him. Chief Manager Wu always held a bit of fear towards her, but he never thought she would be so open-minded and gracious. He sighed inwardly.

As long as a knife didn't appear at his back, Chief Manager Wu had some assurance that he would be able to overcome this hurdle. He sucked in a deep breath, "What does Manager Clearwood suggest?"

Clearwood lightly said, "I've already sent some people to investigate and look through the image monitors at the capital city's streets. As long as he isn't deliberately hiding from us, we should be able to find him."

The hearts of several managers who held their heads down like ostriches skipped a beat. They didn't know what this mysterious Clearwood was thinking of that she would actually let go of such a prime opportunity, and not just that, but even help on her own initiative. Could there be some hidden feelings involved? As soon as several people thought this, they felt their hearts shake. They originally had some minor plots they wanted to hatch, but now they didn't dare to try them anymore.

What nonsense. Once the second and first in command joined forces, anyone that jumped out first would immediately be cut down.

Chief Manager Wu's heart relaxed. He sent her a thankful look, and nodded, saying, "Manager Clearwood's words have really opened my mind. Since this is the case, let us wait for further news."

Besides the General Affairs Manager Shen who had supposedly gone to pee, no one else could leave, meaning that no one else could go out and try to interfere. As they all sensed Chief Manager Wu's icy gaze, all of them sat down respectfully, sighing in their hearts. It seemed that they wouldn't be able to benefit from this incident. They also cursed in their hearts. Just what was this Clearwood woman trying to do?

Sea Spirit Pavilion made full use of their prestige and power. Good news soon came back. The guest was staying in an inn and hadn't taken a step out yet.

Chief Manager Wu stood up. He looked around. "Everyone, this matter involves not just me, but also the reputation of the entire capital city branch division. So, I ask that everyone follow me for a visit."

It was obvious that he wanted to completely crush the possibility of anyone making moves in the shadows. Moreover, there was an implicit threat in his words, saying that if he were to suffer, no one else would be better off.

Several high level figures forced a smile and nodded.

Moments later, an inconspicuous carriage drove out from Sea Spirit Pavilion. After meandering around in circles several times and making sure that no one was following, the carriage snuck into the flow of people and disappeared.

When Qin Yu heard the young servant knock on his door and say that some people wanted to see him, a trace of astonishment flashed in his eyes. He hadn't thought that Sea Spirit Pavilion would respond so quickly.

"I understand. Allow them in."

Several breaths of time later, there was a knock on his door. It was clear that by the time the young servant responded, they had already arrived.

Qin Yu said, "Please enter."

With Chief Manager Wu at the head, six people walked into the room. Even the peeing General Affairs Manager Shen had been dragged over. Seeing Qin Yu so calm, Chief Manager Wu's heart shrank, and the smile in his eyes turned a bit colder. "It seems that our guest knew we would come?"

Qin Yu didn't immediately reply. He gestured, "Please sit." The room he reserved was extremely large. There was a spacious living room and the chairs of woven seaweed were wide and spacious. Chief Manager Wu stormed over and fearlessly took a seat. Since this other party didn't deny it, that was already an answer.

"You all have come for the red coral, right?"

A manager responded with an icy look. "If so, then you acknowledge that you deliberately trapped us?"

Chief Manager Wu lifted a hand. "Just what do you plan on doing?"

A serene voice came from beneath the black robes. "That red coral, did you bring it here?"

Clearwood turned a hand and took out the jade box. She had an indifferent expression.

Qin Yu lifted a hand and the jade box fell in front of him with grace and ease.

Chief Manager Wu's eyes shrank.

To move objects through space. This was something that even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could do and wasn't considered anything at all. But, what was strange was that not even a bit of aura came from Qin Yu while he did so.

This sort of wonderfully skilled control of strength was something only the truly powerful could accomplish.

Qin Yu opened the jade box, revealing the nearly dead coral within. "I presume that you all have already assigned someone to carefully investigate the coral, and perhaps have even looked over it yourself? Then, I only have one question. Does Sea Spirit Pavilion have the means to revive it?"

As this question entered the ears of those present, it was simply openly taunting them. If they had a method to revive it, why would they all come here!? The complexions of several managers darkened as they all had looks as if they wanted to eat Qin Yu alive.

Chief Manager Wu said, "Why do you ask something you already know?"

Qin Yu smiled. He stroked the red coral. "Because I can."

These words came without explanation, leaving several people stunned. But as they remembered the earlier conversation, their complexions changed. They looked at Qin Yu, their gazes incomparably sharp as if they could pierce through his body with looks alone.

Chief Manager Wu took a deep breath, "Just what do you want?"

Qin Yu stood up and gestured. "Tomorrow at this time, I ask that you all come visit again. At that time, I will explain everything."

Clearwood suddenly said. "Alright. Then we'll bother you tomorrow."

Chief Manager Wu had a thoughtful expression. He looked deeply at Qin Yu. "Then, we won't bother you anymore."

Everyone left the inn and boarded the carriage. After driving out a long way, a manager suddenly sneered. "Everyone, you don't all really believe that this person can revive the red coral, right?"

General Affairs Manager Shen shook his head, "I've personally looked into it; its life vitality has indeed been exhausted through natural means, and unless there are some heaven-defying treasures extending its lifespan, the coral will die. Moreover, just how rare and precious are these kinds of heaven-defying treasures? Even if this person has something like that, he would be insane to use it on the coral."

The meaning behind his words was that he didn't believe Qin Yu.

Clearwood lightly said, "It's only a day after all, so why not wait?"

The atmosphere turned a little bit colder.

Chief Manager Wu said, "Order people to blockade the inn. Until tomorrow, do not let even a fly escape. I want to take a good look and see just what trick that black-robed guest will try to play tomorrow."

With everyone involved temporarily isolated and with timely handling of affairs, the incident with the Supreme Book hadn't yet spread out.

Everything calmed down for the moment.

But, when the coral changed from dark blue to red, this sense of calm was suddenly broken.

Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire held a joint conference, clearly stating that an incident occurred with Sea Spirit Pavilion's new Supreme Book and that they attempted to cover the truth. Not just that, but they had placed the guest under house arrest and had locked away all essential evidence.

As Chief Manager Wu looked at everything occurring from an imaging mirror and saw the two solemn and respectful expressions of his enemies, he smashed his favorite teapot to the ground, his face as hard as iron.

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Chapter 131 – Leon

The chief manager was sent into a thunderous rage. Sea Spirit Pavilion launched a massive internal investigation and soon locked onto the source of the news. But, the two middle level managers had clearly expected this earlier, and before the flames of retribution reached them they had already vanished without a trace. A bounty was soon placed on them, and unless they never made another public appearance in their lives, they wouldn't be able to escape the fate of eventually being hunted down.

But even if the culprits were caught and chopped into a thousand pieces, this wouldn't help fix the situation at all. Beneath the gloating gazes of many people, Chief Manager Wu boarded the carriage and hurried straight to Qin Yu. Since the news had already been exposed, there was no point in trying to further conceal things. However, even though Chief Manager Wu was prepared earlier, his heart still shrank when he got off the carriage and saw the sight before him.

The people of the capital city were renowned for being brazen and bold; they never feared any event, only that it wasn't lively enough. They wore their pride on their faces and always had an inexplicable sense of arrogance when facing outsiders. Their bones were filled with the desire for gossip. Now, with the three main sea spirit organizations fighting and Sea Spirit Pavilion caught up in such a scandal, how could they miss out on such an explosive scene? As soon as Chief Manager Wu appeared, it was unknown who started first, but the crowds were soon booing and jeering out loud.

With a glance around, the Sea Spirit Pavilion cultivators that were blocking the inn sent out several people. They pushed into the crowd without notice, and with a few pained grunts, the main troublemakers fell to the ground and were soon dragged out.

Chief Manager Wu had a calm expression. He lifted a hand. "Everyone!" His words contained his cultivation. They rung in everyone's ears, causing a curtain of silence to momentarily fall over the crowd.

"Concerning the rumors that are harming Sea Spirit Pavilion, we will surely investigate them and we will never forgive rumormongers. This matter isn't as everyone thinks. If you all have time, then wait here for a moment. I will soon give everyone an explanation." He turned, and through a path opened by his guards, he entered the inn.

After a moment, Chief Manager Wu spoke a few words and pushed open Qin Yu's door. He sat down at a table, a cup of tea before him, and said, "I have already waited a day, yet this is what has happened so far. Even if it has nothing to do with you, you should still give me an explanation."

Qin Yu took out a jade box and passed it over.

Chief Manager Wu picked it up and opened it. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed together. Although there weren't any changes in his expression, his eyes rapidly shrank, indicating his rapidly shifting state of mind.

After a long time, he took a deep breath and place the jade box down. He quietly said, "And just what does mister intend with this?"

Qin Yu smiled. "I would like to find work with Sea Spirit Pavilion."

...

An hour later, Chief Manger Wu stepped out of the inn, a bright and breezy smile on his face. He pulled the black-robed figure close to him in a familiar gesture and said, "Everyone, this person here is the owner of the red coral. I have asked him to personally announce the final results of this matter."

Qin Yu lightly said, "Everyone. The red coral has already recovered."

Chief Manager Wu clapped his hands. "As a leading figure of the industry, Sea Spirit Pavilion possesses the most powerful background and strength. I ask that you all believe us, and not be blinded or fooled by those with ulterior motives. From beginning to end, Sea Spirit Pavilion's Supreme Book has never failed. It was only that the treatment required a bit more time."

"Don't believe them everyone!" A crab monster leapt out from the crowd, his face full of contempt and ridicule. "With Sea Spirit Pavilion's methods, it is far too easy for them to find someone to masquerade as the original owner. I have a marking of the red coral in my hands. Since you said it has already been cured, do you dare to take it out to compare? And don't ask me how I obtained this mark. In this world, there are still some righteous sea race members who have the courage to stand up to evil!"

Chief Manager Wu coldly sneered. Since this fellow dared to jump out, he was likely already prepared to die. He didn't respond to the crab monster. He cupped his hands together and said, "Mister Ning, since this person wants to see the red coral, please take it out. This is a good chance to prove the good name of my Sea Spirit Pavilion in front of the great citizens of the capital city!"

The crab monster who leapt out was immediately stunned. This...the script didn't seem right...it was fine if he panicked, it was fine if he was angered out of shame, it was fine if he immediately tried to kill him...no matter what it was, the crab monster had a contingency plan ready. But, how could this fellow just directly agree like that? Such strength and calm...could it be that he was skilled at concealing his emotions so that no one could see through them? No, something was wrong. Someone as sharp as Chief Manager Wu wouldn't make such a suggestion unless he had full faith in the outcome.

Could it be that the red coral really was fine? Was this entire incident a plot from Sea Spirit Pavilion from beginning to end? A cold sweat began to drip down his head. It wasn't that he feared death, because the person behind him had already suggested a high enough price. But if his death was completely meaningless, then he feared all those promises would become nothing but a dream.

Qin Yu turned his hand. With a bright flash, the jade box appeared. He opened it to reveal a red coral lying peacefully within.

Chief Manager Wu coldly sneered. "Who has the mark? Take it out."

The crab monster paled. But with things having come to this point, he could no longer retreat. He clenched his teeth and crumbled a jade slip in his hands. A mark appeared above his head; it was the phantom of the red coral. This mark was a unique method utilized by sea spirit teachers. Its use was to verify the status of sea spirits in order to prevent fraudulent switches and replacements being made. The method of proof was simple: as long as the mark approached the true object, it would emit light.

Hum –

With a cry, light gushed out from the mark, sprinkling onto the crowd. The crab monster's expression was like dying embers.

The crowd was whipped up into an uproar. No one thought that the propagandized Sea Spirit Pavilion scandal was in actuality completely false from beginning to end. The crowd was suddenly angered from being deceived. At the same time, several dozen cultivators scattered all throughout the crowd had extremely ugly complexions. They lowered their heads as if listening to instructions and then turned to leave.

Chief Manager Wu cupped his hands together and loudly said, "Everyone, citizens of the capital city, in full public view today, the reputation of my Sea Spirit Pavilion has been cleansed of all lies. Everyone here can stand as witness. In the future, if someone dares to mention this matter again, I ask that you all speak up for my Sea Spirit Pavilion. I will be deeply grateful."

These words were well said. In particular, they lifted the audience so that they all had a better impression of Sea Spirit Pavilion. To gain the will of the people with just a few words, Chief Manager Wu truly kept up to his reputation as someone who was able to oversee the capital city's branch division.

But, his true strengths weren't limited to just this.

There was a sudden change in pace. In a lowered tone, he said, "Sea Spirit Pavilion has been established in the capital city for many years. While there is competition with our fellow colleagues, we have always held each other in high esteem, and have striven to improve our skills and services together in mutual harmony so that all sides can win. We have never had any thoughts of plotting against others. But this time, I have been left bitterly disappointed. Sea Spirit Pavilion will not stir up trouble on our own initiative, but this doesn't mean we are afraid of wading into the fray. I hope that all of our fellow colleagues that were involved will give us an explanation for this as soon as possible."

With a mere 'fellow colleagues involved', everyone knew that the ones being named were actually Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire. There was a faint demeaning tone applied to them. The crowd immediately began to applaud, and there were also many people that also cursed out loud. Anger spread out like an unstoppable tide, and soon, in a single day, the reputation that Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire had built up throughout the years was destroyed.

Of course, those that started cursing and cheering were all people that had been planted by Sea Spirit Pavilion. None of them forgot to do their job. Chief Manager Wu was clearly eager to give the other two sea spirit influences a taste of their own medicine.

The incident ended as soon as it occurred. Sea Spirit Pavilion came out without a single loss while Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire both suffered heavy losses. The future could be called endlessly beautiful. Chief Manager Wu's reputation rose to new heights and all the other managers bowed in congratulations even as they secretly lamented his luck.

In this situation, Chief Manager Wu informed them all that he had directly hired a new high level sea spirit teacher. Although this violated some rules, no one dared to step forwards to voice their opposition.

Thus, in Sea Spirit Pavilion, there was another person called Ning Qin.

...

Yesterday had been a busy day, and he had even needed to work overtime. He was mentally worn out, but even when the coral began to turn dark blue, Leon still couldn't fall asleep. He rose up and rubbed his eyes, bitterly smiling as he stretched his sore back. Then, he pushed open the door and walked out. In the past several days, a scandal had struck Sea Spirit Pavilion. Although the danger had been resolved and a beautiful counterattack made, after an internal investigation, it was found that the reason the two middle level managers were able to smoothly obtain the red coral mark was also because they had the help of several assistant sea spirit teachers.

Perhaps these people didn't know why the two middle managers had asked for the red coral mark, but in the end the result was the same. These bad luck fellows hadn't appeared in a long time, and perhaps they might never appear again. At the same time, Sea Spirit Pavilion strengthened their management and oversight of assistant sea spirit teachers. This was because they discovered that even though these people only held small roles, they actually possessed a great potential for destruction.

Leon had lived a hard life these past days. He had worked himself to the bone in fear that his position would be eliminated. Becoming a genuine sea spirit teacher was his singular dream from childhood until now, as well as his dying father's greatest hopes. Moreover, his job at Sea Spirit Pavilion was his family's only source of income. With his mother sick and him also needing to take care of his little brother, he couldn't afford to lose his job.

He hoped that he could overcome this ordeal.

As he was lost in thought, he heard several coughs from the rear courtyard followed by low whispers. Leon frowned. His mother's condition had always been poor, and she still wasn't sleeping right now.

He hurried to the rear courtyard. Although he called this the rear courtyard, it was actually only a small space that had been split off from the main courtyard. Several low level sea monsters that weren't able to take human form were being kept here. Among them was Leon's little brother, a beautiful underwater koi. Right now, he was lying in his mother's arms, staring at him with large and pure eyes.

His mother was still young, but her hair had already gone gray. Her rough hands gently stroked the koi fish's scales. "Lyon, your big brother is working very hard, and he's already doing the best he can. But, he hasn't managed to gather the funds needed to bring you to the Manifestation Pond. I hid your age from him, and said that next year is the deadline, but in truth, it is tomorrow. Please, don't blame mama, mama cannot push your big brother too hard. He is still a child, so how can he withstand so much pressure? But if you want to blame someone, just blame mama. Mama is useless and has no skills. Don't blame your father either. For his entire life, he did the best he could for all of us..."

Leon didn't hear the words that followed. He covered his mouth so that he wouldn't make any sobbing sounds, and then returned to the front courtyard as tears started to flow down his eyes.

The Manifestation Pond was the only altar that had the qualifications to be established in the city. After paying a fee, it could help a sea monster complete their manifestation and obtain human form. This sort of manifestation would exhaust a considerable amount of monster strength within a sea monster, and for the rest of their life they could only be an ordinary sea monster, never able to leave the city.

But for many low level sea monsters, this was the only chance they had to ever take human form.

The reason Leon was able to take human form was all because of his father's life pension. And now it was Lyon's turn...but once one's age surpassed a certain limit, the Manifestation Pond would no longer work on them. Without accident, Lyon would only be able to keep his true form.

And, the capital city had a limit to the number of low level sea monsters that could stay. In other words, once Lyon wasn't able to manifest into human form, it wouldn't be long before he was forced out.

Lyon, his lovable little brother, was so young and small. He had lived in the capital city his entire life, so how could he possibly adapt to the terrifying conditions outside?

If he left the capital there was only a single path left to him – death.

Leon clenched his teeth, firming his heart. No matter what, he couldn't stare helplessly on and allow his little brother to die. There was still one day remaining. He definitely had to make something happen!

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Chapter 132 – Dismissed

As usual, Leon left an hour early. When he greeted his mother, he did so with a calm expression, not revealing anything at all. With the many arduous years he had lived before, it gave his sunny and youthful teenage smile a bit of strength and toughness too.

He walked to Sea Spirit Pavilion. As he looked up at the Nine Layer Building, a look of longing flashed in his eyes. With a deep breath, he entered and changed into his clothes. After carefully tidying up his appearance in front of a mirror, he started to sweep and clean the work room.

Out of Lord Grindstone's seven assistants, he was the one that most lacked a foundation. Ordinarily, he handled most miscellaneous matters in order to appear as if he were doing work. After the basic cleanup was finished, it was almost work time. His colleagues began to arrive one after another, nodding at him and taking their seats.

In these past years, they had already become accustomed to Leon's cleaning, even thinking that it was a habit. In any case, to them, he was just an urchin from a lowly background who lacked any great future, so there was no need to be cautious with him.

The final one to arrive was a petite young sea race girl. She had several fine patterns that decorated her face, indicating that her true form was that of a deep sea clam. She belonged to the upper level races of the capital city. With her beautiful looks as well as her exuberant aura, she was a beacon of dazzling youthfulness.

Several colleagues rose up together to chat and joke with her, clearly trying to get closer to her. The girl greeted them and then slapped Leon's shoulder. "Hey, what are you looking so distracted there for? If Lord Grindstone sees you like this, you won't be any happier."

Leon squeezed out a smile. "I'm fine, it's about time to start work. Qingqing, you should begin." As he spoke, he unconsciously looked towards the entrance.

Qingqing frowned. "Are you waiting for someone?"

"Mm." Leon nodded, a bit absent-minded.

The girl was suddenly worried. The low level sea races always liked to settle marriage early so that their children could breed the next generation.

Could it be that…this blockhead Leon…

Before she could think further, Leon suddenly stepped forwards. Qingqing subconsciously screamed, "Don't go!" Her voice was sharp and grating, shocking everyone in the workroom. They never imagined that the normally gentle and kind girl actually had such a side to her.

Grindstone coughed in reproval. "It's about time for work to begin, so what are you all shouting for? Hurry up and begin!"

As she discovered that Leon was waiting for Lord Grindstone, Qingqing spit out her tongue. She lowered her head and quickly returned to her work table. But as she did so, she pricked her ears up. Just what was that blockhead trying to do? Did he want to flatter Lord Grindstone and prove his loyalty? Haha, she had taught him so many times, but had her lectures had any effect?

Grindstone turned around. "What are you standing here for?" Although he was still speaking in reproval, the attitude was vastly different than when he was speaking to Qingqing, as if he were already sick of Leon's presence.

Leon subconsciously shrunk back. He braced himself and said, "Lord Grindstone, I have something to ask you. Is it possible that…"

Grindstone frowned. His eyes flashed. He said, "Come in with me." He pushed open the door. At the same time, the six other assistant sea spirit teachers outside were left surprised. Since when did Leon develop such courage? He actually dared to ask to speak alone? Really, even after a few days, one might have changed for the better.

Qingqing beamed with joy, thinking that this blockhead had finally begun to bloom. If he could obtain Lord Grindstone's recognition, and if she were to help him out, then perhaps he could become a middle level sea spirit teacher in around five more years. At that time, he would have the qualifications to discuss marriage with her father. Although there would still be a gap, as long as they insisted and her mother helped them, then her father would surely agree!

She blushed. Hah, perhaps she was thinking of things too far in advance.

This dumb blockhead, it had been almost two years yet he didn't seem to have noticed anything. As she thought of this, she cried in her heart. When it came to matters of the heart, did she really have to move things along all by herself? But as she was lost in thought, a loud roar suddenly awoke her from her trance. She looked up at Lord Grindstone's workroom.

The door was violently pushed open. Lord Grindstone's complexion was dark and dreary. He coldly said, "Do you want me to repeat myself? Leon, you are dismissed! Immediately leave these premises!"

Leon was left in a stunned haze. He opened his mouth to say something, but chose to turn and leave.

"What are you looking at? If you keep thinking about unrealistic things all day long, you'll end up just like him!" Lord Grindstone slammed the door shut. He sat back down in his comfortable chair. The scowl quickly faded from his face. He picked up a sea shell and said, "Connect me to number 177."

A connection was soon made. A woman's light and graceful voice responded on the other end. "Who is this?"

Lord Grindstone smiled brightly. "Madame Qing, how are you doing? I am Sea Spirit Pavilion's Grindstone. I have handled the matter we spoke about previously."

The woman on the other end chirped up in satisfaction. "I've troubled Lord Grindstone. If there is a chance in the future, then please come to my family's residence to have some tea."

"Of course, of course, if there is a chance I will definitely come pay a visit." After a few more words, he placed the sea shell back on the table. The smile on his face widened.

Leon was a good assistant; even the picky and discerning Lord Grindstone had to acknowledge this. Leon could even be called his most competent assistant. But, so what if he was? He was nothing but a low level sea spirit teacher with no background, so how could he possibly form relations with Noble Court Avenue's Qing Family? Sacrificing him wasn't a pity at all.

Moreover, it was Leon that had given him the opportunity to dismiss him, otherwise he would have found it hard to look for a reason. Lord Grindstone sighed comfortably. Everything had gone perfectly.

…

Leon walked out through the staff hallway. With his grim, pale face and his assistant sea spirit teacher clothing, it was easy to imagine just what had happened to him. In these last several days, there were far too many people who had suffered the same fate as Leon. His colleagues swept their eyes over him, thinking he was another bad luck ghost caught in the friction.

There was the sound of running footsteps. Then, Qingqing blocked his way. She had an anxious expression as she said, "What did you say to Lord Grindstone? Why would he dismiss you like that!"

Leon bitterly smiled. "I asked Lord Grindstone if he could advance me half a year of wages ahead of time, but he refused. He said that my thoughts were too fanciful and that I was no longer able to continue working as a competent assistant with my attitude."

Qingqing's eyes widened. "Just because of that? Why would he do that!? Come back with me, we are going to talk to him and make sure that he gives you a good explanation!"

Leon grabbed her hand. "No, I don't want to drag you into this."

Qingqing vehemently said, "You blockhead, do you really think I'm scared? At the very worst I'll just look for a new place to work!"

Leon blushed. "Qingqing…"

"What is it that you want to say? Leon, you are my friend. If you are in trouble, just tell me; I will do everything in my power to help you."

Leon flushed red. He hesitated for a long time and then said in a small voice. "If possible, I would like to borrow some money from you. It's not a small amount, but I can promise you that I will write you a note and I will slowly repay you in the future."

Qingqing gave him a hard look. "I will help you. How much do you need?"

"Ah!" Leon's eyes widened a bit in disbelief. She hadn't even asked him any questions before agreeing to help him.

He knew that she had a good family background and perhaps money was just a trifling matter to her, but even so, his heart was filled with gratitude.

As he was about to speak, the gentle voice of a woman rang out, bringing with it a bit of scolding but also a bit of doting. "Qingqing, you need to earnestly work your job, so why are you playing outside here?"

Qingqing was surprised. "Mother, why are you here?" She didn't know why, but as she looked at the flustered Leon, her face blushed red.

The woman wore simple clothes and only had a few simple accessories on. Even so, her calm and steady demeanor exuded the charm of a noble woman. She smiled, "What about it? You work at Sea Spirit Pavilion, so your mother can't come and take a look?"

"No, that's not what I meant!"

"Alright, alright, you are working right now, so you shouldn't stay here too long, otherwise others will begin to question why our Qing Family's daughter has such a poor upbringing. Go back to work; I have already heard everything you said, so I will help finish it for you." She blinked at her daughter as she spoke, maintaining a kind expression. There was a bit of playfulness in her words.

Receiving her mother's hidden message, although Qingqing wasn't fully at ease, as she thought of the current situation she really couldn't just stand here awkwardly. She nodded and agreed. Before she left, she reminded Leon to not worry, and that things would definitely be resolved.

Seeing this, Madame Qing sighed inwardly, thought she didn't reveal her thoughts on her face. She smiled, "Leon, right? Qingqing has spoken of you. Come, have a meal with aunty."

Countless eyes of surprise and envy watched the two leave Sea Spirit Pavilion and mount the luxurious carriage waiting outside. The outside of the carriage appeared opulent and grand, but it was the inside that was truly magnificent. Leon has worked at Sea Spirit Pavilion so he had a certain degree of judgment. He casually looked around and even some of the small things swept away in a corner were so expensive that he would never be able to afford them if he worked his entire life.

Madame Qing bid him sit down. She poured a cup of tea and casually spoke some small talk. For instance, some noble madam she had eaten a meal with, or some high level banquets she had attended. Her tone was gentle and clear, and as Leon listened he felt as if he were fully immersed in her stories, making him feel even more awkward and out of his depth.

Because if they didn't speak about a common topic they both knew about, he had no idea how to contribute to the conversation. He could only sit back and smile.

Soon, the carriage stopped deep in an alley. There was a common-looking gate, but waiting at the gate was the manager in celebratory robes. As the manager saw Madame Qing, he respectfully bowed and greeted her, welcoming her with all smiles. As he swept his eyes over Leon, his sharp and ruthless eyes immediately judged his level. But, he didn't show these thoughts and nodded and smiled at him just the same.

The outside seemed common but it was another world within. There was a vast connected area inside, and each place to eat at was a tall and beautiful mansion.

After leading them in, the manager apologized and excused himself. There were naturally others who led them into a great hall to drink tea. All sorts of delicate dishes were brought out, each one exuding a delicious aroma, carried in by beautiful maids. Leon unconsciously stared at the maids, curious how they managed to walk quietly in and out.

Madame Qing smiled. "Please, sit."

Leon vowed that never in his life had he eaten such delicious food before. On the large round table, it was just the two of them. Madame Qing didn't say anything, only quietly smiling at him as he wolfed down food. Even though he tried to hold himself back, he unconsciously ate his fill. He burped and immediately revealed an embarrassed look.

Madame Qing smiled and laid down her chopsticks. "Have you eaten your fill? There is still some soup coming in."

Leon waved his hand. "It's too much. I can't drink it."

"If you can't drink it then let's pack it up so you can bring it back and let your family have a taste. The bill has already been paid, so it's a waste to not eat it."

Leon hesitated for a moment and nodded.

Madame Qing smiled. She placed a card down on the table. The card was white and flashed with a pale luster. Leon recognized this card. It was an anonymous consumer spirit card. It was guaranteed by the royal family as well as various large financial institutes. One could bring this card in to any valid location and exchange it for 5000 spirit stones.

"Aunty heard your words with Qingqing. Accept this card. It should be able to resolve your troubles."

Leon was excited. "Thank you madame, thank you madame! I will write you a promise note and make sure I repay you as soon as possible!"

Madame Qing shook her head. "I don't need any promise note. Leon, I hope that you can calmly listen to what I'm about to say, and wait until I am finished."

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Chapter 133 – Help Him A Little

"Qingqing is our family's only daughter. Not only does she have to worry about her own happiness, but the entire fate of our family, our rise or our decline, all lies on her shoulders. The futures of several thousand people will be defined by her alone. So because of this reason, no matter how much her father and I love her and dote on her, there are some matters in which we cannot allow her to do as she wants.

"Leon, I didn't oppose you in the beginning, nor did I look down upon you. But, from the moment you were born, you haven't lived in the same world. For instance, everything that I spoke to you about as we ate here, that is something very normal for Qingqing, but it is something you have never experienced. You and I share no common topics to speak of, and the same is true with Qingqing. Even if you really managed to come together in the end, that might not bring you two happiness.

"So, the reason that I came looking for you today is because I hope you will accept these spirit stones and leave Qingqing. Because although she might be puzzled and hurt at the start, believe me, she will soon recover, and she will have a glorious future awaiting her."

Leon lowered his head. From the moment that Madame Qing first started speaking, his complexion began to turn increasingly pale, and now there wasn't the least bit of red. "Madame, you've misunderstood, me and Qingqing…miss is only a friend to me, there is nothing else between us."

Madame Qing sincerely said, "Perhaps I misread the situation, but you can just consider me as a mother who spoils her child too much and has overreacted. Leon, can you promise aunty? That you will leave Qingqing?"

Leon was silent for a long time. He slowly stood up. "Madame, I will disappear, but I cannot receive this card."

Madame Qing frowned. She thought that he still hadn't given up and her gentle voice took on a bit more indifference. "Leon, do you know how much it cost to eat this meal? The card I gave you is only enough for three of these meals. With three meals a day, do you really think Qingqing and you will be able to last a long time? Take it. It might be able to help you with your troubles and help those you need to help. After all, you need to live not just for your sake, but also the sake of your family."

Leon stiffened. His eyes were red and his body trembled. He picked up the card.

Madame Qing warmly smiled. "Come, let's return to Sea Spirit Pavilion. As a good friend, you should bid your farewells before you leave. Of course, Leon, I believe you are a smart boy and won't hurt Qingqing, right?"

Leon's ears buzzed. He subconsciously nodded and followed behind Madame Qing like someone who had lost their soul. By the time he finally regained his senses, he could already see Sea Spirit Pavilion's Nine Layer Building in the distance. A beautiful figure was pacing back and forth in front of the building, occasionally kicking at the ground.

Madame Qing reclined in her seat. "Go, tell Qingqing that you must leave, and that once you become an outstanding person in the future, you will come back to look for her…consider this as leaving her one final beautiful memory."

…

Sometime before –

When Madame Qing brought Leon away with her, Grindstone returned to his workshop. Leon was driven away and several sea race youths chuckled to each other, but in the next moment they revealed a bit of sorrow. Because they had lost their free cleaner, from now on they would have to divvy up the cleaning assignments.

Several people had just finished their current task and were crowding together, arguing about who would work with Qingqing. But suddenly, the doors to the workshop opened and a young man with meticulously combed hair appeared.

"Where is Grindstone? I cannot connect to his spirit shell. There is something important I must speak to him about." The youth's tone was calm and carried with it the standard haughtiness of the capital city. Although they didn't know his status, the high tier identity card on his front and his powerful aura was more than enough to shock the several low level sea spirit teachers here.

"Please wait here a moment. We will immediately inform teacher."

There was a knock on the door. Grindstone frowned and put on an appearance as if he were busy and couldn't be bothered right now. He growled, "What is it?"

A young man nodded. "Grindstone, I am looking for you."

As Grindstone saw who it was, a brilliant smile lit up his face. He never thought that today would be his lucky day. Not only had he managed to curry favor with Noble Court Avenue's powerful Qing Family, but in the blink of an eye he now welcomed Chief Manager Wu's first confidential secretary, the first director. If there was something so important that he would personally arrive, was it to announce that his application from last month to be a high level sea spirit teacher was approved?

Thinking of this, Grindstone's fingers shivered!

"Director Jin, please enter, please enter. I just managed to obtain some good tea, so I ask Director Jin to try some with me."

Director Jin remained expressionless. "There is no need to drink tea. I came here today on official business. In your workshop there is a sea spirit teacher named Leon. He's been reassigned to work somewhere else. Tell him to come with me." He swept his eyes around. As he saw their stunned faces, he frowned. "Did he not come to work today? Then, can you tell me where Leon's registered address is?"

It seemed he wanted to go and search for him!

Grindstone began to sweat. "Director Jin, can I ask about Leon's work reassignment…?"

Director Jin furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't need to know the specifics. But, this reassignment was personally signed by the chief manager. You had best hurry up, because I need to go back to report."

The chief manager personally signed an order? One didn't need to be a genius to know that this was extremely unusual. Grindstone's complexion paled and he squeezed out a smile. "Leon is my most favored assistant, but since this is the chief manager's order, I will definitely release him. But, he was sent by me on a task. I ask that Director Jin first return, and once he returns, I will personally bring him over."

Director Jin's eyes flashed. He clearly realized that something was off. But, this other party was a middle level sea spirit teacher who had high chances of being promoted to a high level sea spirit teacher in the future, so he should still give him some degree of face. "I see. Then, I'll have to bother Lord Grindstone with this. Please find him as soon as possible and don't delay too long."

Grindstone nodded again and again. It was only when Director Jin's figure disappeared that his smile instantly vanished. He grabbed onto the closest assistant and roared in panic, "Where is Leon!?"

"He…he…he left!"

"Who said he could leave!? You piece of trash, go out and look for him, all of you go and look for him! You have to find him no matter what!"

Rustle –

Five assistants immediately ran out.

Grindstone's complexion was grim and uncertain. After a moment, he stamped his feet and rushed out himself. But no matter how much he searched, he couldn't find Leon. Lord Grindstone personally raced towards the address that Leon was registered at, and while the address wasn't wrong, he wasn't there.

After scurrying about for an hour in a profuse sweat, Grindstone found Director Jin and shook as he told him the truth.

Director Jin coldly said, "You can personally explain this to the chief manager." He rose up and quickly walked several steps to the chief manager's studio, where he gently knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Director Jin lowered his head. He said in a soft voice, "Chief manager, Leon was dismissed this morning."

Chief Manager Wu's eyebrows leapt up. He glanced at a black-robed figure.

Qin Yu frowned. He thought for a moment and then slowly asked, "Do you know why he was dismissed?"

Director Jin replied, "I don't know the exact reasons, but Grindstone is waiting just outside the door. Do you want him to come in?"

Chief Manager Wu nodded. "Bring him in."

Director Jin turned and left. Soon, Grindstone entered. He was a bit startled to see another person in the studio. He respectfully bowed and said, "Greetings, chief manager."

Chief Manager Wu said, "Grindstone, what is the reason you dismissed Leon for?"

Grindstone was already prepared for this. "Reporting to chief manager, Leon is half-hearted, his work is sloppy, and on his best days he makes numerous confused mistakes. This morning, he asked me to pay him half a year's salary ahead of time. I refused him and his reply was extremely rude, so I dismissed him."

"You lie." A sharp gaze shot out from beneath the black robe.

Grindstone froze. He clenched his teeth. "Who are you? How dare you slander me like this!?"

Qin Yu didn't even glance at him. He said, "Chief manager, the personality of a person is something his colleagues would know best. Perhaps you might want to investigate this."

Grindstone was shocked and angered at the same time. Just who was this person that they dared to speak so casually to the chief manager!? And, just what sort of status did the chief manager possess that he would care so much for a low level sea spirit teacher? But in the next moment, Chief Manager Wu's words left him falling into an icy lake. "Grindstone, you should be aware that as long as I issue an order to investigate the situation, I will absolutely discover the truth."

Grindstone struggled inwardly, but he immediately breathed out a dejected breath. He knew that arguing obstinately would only make things worse for him. "It was Madame Qing's intent. She wanted me to look for a chance to drive out Leon…" Then, he stated the current circumstances around Leon, Qingqing, and Noble Court Avenue's Qing Family.

Chief Manager Wu had an ugly complexion. Of course, he tried to disguise it as indifference. If it weren't for Qin Yu, he simply wouldn't care about a low level sea spirit teacher.

"Leave. Concerning this matter, I will order others to continue investigating. You can wait for the final result!"

Grindstone opened his mouth but in the end he didn't say anything. He put on a long face and left.

Director Jin entered the studio. "Chief manager, Leon has been found."

"Where is he?"

Director Jing pushed open the window. The view from the ninth floor was amazing, and one could clearly see the entire Double Yang Main Street and even a corner of the distant royal palace.

Qin Yu rose up and walked to the window. He saw a young man and woman standing in front of Nine Layer Building. The girl was excitedly speaking, and Leon was slowly shaking his head, a bitter smile on his face. Qin Yu's eyes shifted. He could see a luxurious carriage close by.

He had just wanted to help Leon out, but he never thought he would come across such a sappy dog-blood and realistic story about star-crossed lovers.

Chief Manager Wu walked nearby. He looked down, a thoughtful look on his face.

Qin Yu helplessly muttered, "This kid Leon, I have no idea what sort of shock he's received that he would just bid his farewells like this. What a stupid boy."

Chief Manager Wu's eyes flashed. "From such a distance, mister can hear what they are saying?"

Qin Yu said, "It's not much. My senses are just a bit sharper than normal." His words were light and casual. Chief Manager Wu smiled and didn't press the matter, but his thoughts were racing.

Nine Layer Building was an extremely tall structure. If someone could hear two people whispering from such a distance, then one's senses couldn't be described as 'a bit sharper than normal'. Amongst the sea races, those that possessed heightened senses were all powerful bloodline clans. While he still didn't know Ning Qin's origins, this vastly narrowed the possibilities.

As for the surname Ning, this was rare in the sea region. It should be part of a disguise.

This Ning Qin was incomparably mysterious and unfathomably deep. But, this boy Leon should be a crack in his disguise. Perhaps he would be able to look up Ning Qin's background through this boy. Of course, this was something that had to be carried on in absolute secrecy so that no one would find out. Unconsciously, Chief Manager Wu became much more cautious in his heart.

Qin Yu suddenly said, "I just arrived in the capital city so I'm not too clear about how things work here. Chief manager, is there any way you can help him a little?"

Chief Manager Wu's thoughts changed. He laughed, "Mister Ning, please rest assured. Although Sea Spirit Pavilion doesn't dare say it's at the pinnacle of the capital, it isn't a problem to move several residences from Noble Court Avenue."

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Chapter 134 – Save the World

Chapter 134 – Save the World

...

...

...

Leon was bidding his farewells to Qingqing. He wasn't a true blockhead; at the very least, he could sense the feelings coming from this girl in front of him and that she actually liked him a little. But, he was self-aware of his humble origins, and because of the gap that existed between them, he didn't dare to express his feelings. Instead he could only pretend to not know. However, today should be the last time that he saw her. His heart ached, but he resisted the urge to cry. He reached out and pulled her into his chest.

Not too far away, two slender sea mantis youths were watching with narrowed eyes. They frowned, and the air became slightly colder. They glanced towards the carriage.

Madame Qing was watching all of this with a calm expression. "It's understandable for the young to be a bit impulsive. Take this as their final farewell. But, remember to observe him for some time afterwards. If he makes any more moves after this, then handle him at your own discretion."

A steward was standing outside the carriage. He wore long robes that were clean and straight. He respectfully nodded.

Leon took a deep breath, as if trying to remember the scent of this girl forever. He let go and turned away, prepared to leave, but just as he did, a chaotic sound rose up from behind him.

Outside the main entrance of the Nine Layer Building, countless people poured out. The consultants and receptionists that were greeting guests were stunned for a moment before revealing an excited expression. Chief Manager Wu stepped out, nodding towards the guests, his face full of smiles.

He was the supervisor of Sea Spirit Pavilion's capital city branch division, and even though he was in the capital city where there were numerous high level figures, he was still a great and lofty figure. But at this time, the one who attracted even more looks was the fearless black-robed figure standing beside him. He stood on par with Chief Manager Wu, and although he was shrouded in his robes, his confident pose and demeanor indicated that he was undoubtedly a grand figure.

Leon had a dazed look. Looking at the crowds of people, he was left stunned. Qingqing quickly responded. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away. But before the two could leave, Director Jin had already arrived in front of him. He said in a soft voice, "Leon, right? Please wait a moment. The chief manager has an announcement he wants to make concerning your job."

These words directly knocked Leon to the floor. He had already been dismissed by Lord Grindstone, so what job could he possibly have? Moreover, it even alarmed someone like the chief manager?

Qingqing's mouth fell open. Pleasant surprise lit up her eyes. No matter how she looked at things, this commotion wasn't something bad at all. If it weren't for Leon's completely bewildered appearance, she would have asked just what this blockhead had done that he would cause such a stir.

Chief Manager Wu stopped. His smile became increasingly warm. "Leon, is it? I announce on behalf of the capital city branch division that everything that happened earlier today was merely a misunderstanding. If you want, you may join Mister Ning's work team." As he spoke, he looked around. "Here today, I will simultaneously announce an important new event. Sea Spirit Pavilion has obtained a new high level sea spirit teacher today, Mister Ning."

Although high level sea spirit teachers were distinguished individuals, that still wasn't enough qualifications to have someone like Chief Manager Wu announce their hiring. If so, then there was only one explanation: Mister Ning was incredibly strong, and only by doing this could his status and position be shown due deference.

Innumerable eyes revealed awe, and as they fell on Leon's body they turned to deep envy and even resentment. Countless windows opened in Nine Layer Building. Sea spirit teachers thrust out their heads and looked at Leon with utter astonishment. They roared out in their hearts – Why, why did Mister Ning take a liking towards this boy? Whether it is in strength or status, we all completely crush that damn boy!

Within Grindstone's workshop, the mouths of several assistants dropped open, so wide that they could plug a giant turtle egg into them.

Direction Jin appropriately reminded, "Leon, if you want, you can bow to your teacher." After a moment, he couldn't help but reveal a bit of envy. "In Mister Ning's workshop, you are his first assistant."

Whoosh –

At this time, the crowd truly erupted.

By convention, within every high level sea spirit teacher's workshop, the first assistant was a role of absolute trust and faith, a subordinate whose status was above all others' and was given the role of managing the other assistant sea spirit teachers. And, if the first assistant didn't have a teacher, they would automatically become the disciple of the high level sea spirit teacher. In other words, they would become a genuine disciple who was taught techniques.

If the eyes that were looking at Leon before were only burning hot, they now they were like blazing magma, wishing that they could burn him to ashes and bury him in the ground. This brat, could his ancestors have saved the world? Otherwise, when such a massive meat pie fell down from the heavens, why would it fall in between his lips?

What about us? There is still us!

As for whether or not you already have a teacher? Hey, if you left your brain at home, hurry up and get it! Even if you had a teacher, you had best make sure you don't have one now!

Qingqing tugged at the stunned Leon with some effort. "Leon, what are you standing here like an idiot for? Hurry up and bow to Mister Ning." The surprise had come too quickly for her to process and her mind was still in a haze. But, there was one thing she was sure of: Leon wouldn't have to leave anymore.

Leon's lips trembled. He fell to the floor. "Di...disciple greets teacher..."

A calm voice sounded out from beneath the black robe. "Rise."

Leon's head veered up. His face was filled with shock. But, the black-robed figure's expression left him swallowing his words.

Chief Manager Wu saw all of this in his eyes. It affirmed his earlier guess that there was definitely some previous connection between Leon and Mister Ning.

In the distance, Madame Qing let the curtains fall. She said, "Let's leave."

The steward drove the carriage away. The nearby guards quickly surrounded them.

Sitting within the carriage, Madame Qing had a calm expression. But, there were wild waves tumbling in the depths of her heart. She had already thoroughly investigated Leon and knew he didn't have any background at all, so what did the actions of Sea Spirit Pavilion mean today? Could they be reacting to the Qing Family's interference in Sea Spirit Pavilion?

She had already learned what had happened to Grindstone by now.

But something was wrong...with Chief Manager Wu's status and power, even if he wasn't satisfied with them, he still wouldn't use such a direct method to shame their Qing Family.

If so, then the reason most likely originated from that Mister Ning?

Madame Qing rubbed her temples. She didn't like this feeling of things suddenly spiraling out of her control. But no matter how unhappy she was, she could only suppress her thoughts for the time being. Since her Qing Family had the qualifications to move into Noble Court Avenue, they naturally had a tyrannical strength and they also had some inkling of information into Sea Spirit Pavilion's background.

So, she could only slowly investigate the situation before making further plans.

Later that night, the Qing Family held a family reunion banquet that only high level members were able to attend. An invitation was sent to Chief Manager Wu's office, but he refused on grounds of being too busy and sent someone in his place to deliver a message. The contents were simple. Concerning the matter of Leon, that was an internal job reassignment of Sea Spirit Pavilion. It was a normal business event that wasn't aimed at the Qing Family at all.

Madame Qing and her husband were left helpless. If they really believed these words then they would be fools.

But, this was something that happened later, not now.

At this time, Leon bid his farewells to an incomparably excited Qingqing and followed Mister Ning into Sea Spirit Pavilion. The normally proud and overly arrogant female staff members had all stepped to the side and had lowered their heads in respect. Along the way, Leon actually received many heated gazes. But at this time, he was completely flustered and didn't notice them at all.

The newly built workshop was decorated with brand new appliances. The work table emitted the light scent of glue; it had clearly never been used before.

Closing the door and opening the isolating array formation, Qin Yu lifted the hood of his black robe. He smiled. "Hello, Leon."

Leon's eyes widened. "Big Brother Ning, it's really you! You...you...you...!" He looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"I said that we might see each other soon again, and we did." Qin Yu laughed. "What's there to be so surprised about? Sea spirits might grow in the sea, but they are still spiritual creations of the world. In essence, they are no different from spiritual plants of the land. In the world of humans I am an alchemist, so I also have some attainments in taking care of spiritual plants. It wasn't too difficult to change professions to being a sea spirit teacher."

If anyone else were to hear this explanation, they definitely would have snorted in derision. Yes, Qin Yu wasn't mistaken. In essence, sea spirits were no different from spiritual plants of the land, but if there really was no difference, how about they grab an alchemist and have them take care of a sea spirit?

However, Leon came from a low level sea race family background, and it was a lucky coincidence that he managed to become a sea spirit teacher. He was blinded by his own ignorance so he thought that what Qin Yu said was actually quite reasonable.

"So it's like that." Leon revealed a worried look. "Big Brother Ning, if they discover your identity, things will become really troublesome." One didn't need to be a genius to know what would happen if it were discovered that a human cultivator had camouflaged themselves as a sea race member, and a distinguished high level sea spirit teacher at that. Those sea race members that held extremely hostile thoughts towards humans would explode into a frenzy!

Qin Yu shook his head. "I know, but a problem has occurred in my cultivation. I need some treasures so I have no other choice but to do this." He earnestly asked. "Leon, are you willing to help me?"

Leon blurted out, "Of course I am willing to help Big Brother Ning. But..."

Qin Yu laughed. "Silly kid, do you really think that I might be plotting something in the sea race capital city? That is no different from seeking my own death. I'm not a fool."

Leon immediately relaxed. "That's good then. I was scared that Big Brother Ning might end up harming the capital city's citizens in the end." He had a relieved expression.

What a pure and naïve boy. He immediately trusted someone with just a few lies. If he continued on like this, wouldn't he be conned endlessly in the future? Qin Yu shook his head and smiled, breathing a sigh of relief.

It was too noticeable for a high level sea spirit teacher to walk around by themselves. He needed a sea race member on his side in order to not arouse suspicion. He originally only planned on helping Leon a little and improving his current living conditions as repayment for his earlier kindness, but as he looked down from the top of Nine Layer Building and saw the scene before, he decided to change his plans.

Of course, helping Leon was still Qin Yu's goal. But as he saw the happily smiling sea race youth, he secretly thought to himself that it would be best if he didn't reveal his identity before leaving the capital city in order to not implicate him.

"Big Brother Ning, I really have to thank you today. If you hadn't helped me, I...in short, I'm really thankful!" Leon profusely thanked Qin Yu.

Qin Yu laughed, "That girl you were talking to, who is she?"

Leon blushed. "She...her name is Qingqing. She is the young miss of Noble Court Avenue's Qing Family. But she is very kind and good and doesn't have the arrogance of a noble." As he spoke of her, his eyes brightened. But as he thought of Madame Qing's words today, his complexion rapidly dimmed.

Qin Yu sat down. "Come, tell me everything that happened today."

Leon wavered for a moment. Then, with a bit of embarrassment, he reiterated everything that occurred. He smiled in self-ridicule. "Big Brother Ning, in truth I didn't need Madame Qing to remind me of anything. I am well aware of my own status, and I know that it is impossible for me and Qingqing to end up together. If I can stay here and watch her from afar sometimes, I will be more than satisfied."

Qin Yu thought for a moment. He took out a black card. "No matter what happens, first you go and return the Qing Family's spirit stones. If you have an urgent need for money, I will give it to you."

Leon's eyes shined. He had felt guilty about taking Madame Qing's card, so he would love to return it. He gratefully said, "Big Brother Ning, consider this as me borrowing from you. I will slowly pay you back with my work later. But I don't need this much. 3000...no, 2000 spirit stones is enough."

Qin Yu laughed. "Take it. If you can't spend it all then just take it as me giving you an advance on your salary ahead of time. I know that your mother isn't doing well and that courtyard you are renting isn't good for taking care of the elderly. Let's end things here today; you can go home from work early and come back tomorrow."

Leon's face was flushed red. His lips shivered. In the end, he deeply bowed and left.

Pulling his hood back down, he watched from the window as Leon left with a half-happy and half-dazed face, his heart at ease. It wasn't that he suspected Leon, but this place was simply too dangerous so he had no choice but to be careful.

From this day on, as long as he could play the role of a wonderful sea spirit teacher, he would be able to earn what he needed from the pockets of the wealthy sea races.

Thinking of this, Qin Yu smiled.

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Chapter 135 – Skyspirit Sage

With the arrival of every high level sea spirit teacher, that meant the founding of an all new independent workshop. To the drifting mid-level sea spirit teachers who hadn't attached themselves to anyone yet, this represented a chance to soar into the heavens. Thus, on this day, within the entire Sea Spirit Pavilion, everyone was showing their peak skills and the entire place was jumping with enthusiasm.

One of the disciple spots had been taken away by some unknown boy, but according to rumors, Mister Ning hadn't brought any subordinates with him. In other words, all of his assistants would be chosen from Sea Spirit Pavilion. Not only did this mean that everyone had a higher chance of being selected, but they also had a chance of becoming a direct disciple of Mister Ning.

This was simply too wonderful!

The resource management department was suddenly jammed full of people. The supervisor was invited to multiple dinners and even the deputies with the smallest roles were coaxed and groveled to. For a time, everyone beamed with joy and drooled with greed, each one developing an extremely favorable impression towards Mister Ning.

Originally, they were thinking of using some subtle methods to draw out the selection process for a long time. In that way, they could maximize the benefits they could obtain. But when the first list of screened names was sent up, it was immediately sent back down. This caused the entire resource management department, from the supervisor to the lowliest staff member, to feel as if they had been slapped in the head.

If these people hadn't been chosen then that would be fine. After all, they could simply send over a new list and there was no end to the waves of middle level sea spirit teachers that were waving their spirit stone cards around. But, no matter what they did, Mister Ning's reply was that…he didn't need anyone!

The supervisor was left feeling ill to his stomach. He had already accepted all the bribes and offers, so now that this new sea spirit teacher was using this move, wouldn't this just completely ruin him? Moreover, which high level sea spirit teacher didn't have one or two dozen assistants on hand? Otherwise, they would be fully occupied dealing with the random trivial daily necessities.

So wouldn't it be best to just not make a fuss?

The supervisor hesitated over and over, and finally he drew up another list of names. He clenched his teeth and added a number of strong middle level sea spirit teachers. He was drawing back a little here and letting this matter cool down first. He sent someone over to deliver the new list, thinking that this time it would be satisfactory. However, before he could even finish his thoughts, his subordinate was sent scurrying back with a distressed look. It seemed that he hadn't even been able to get past the door.

With this, the news couldn't be suppressed any longer. All of the middle level sea spirit teachers that had been jumping with joy just now were suddenly frozen in shock, their eyes flying wide open. Did this mean that there was no need for assistants? If the new sea spirit teacher didn't recruit anyone, how would he get work done!? And, they had already handed so many benefits over to the supervisor! He had eaten his meal, taken what he wanted, and then he had wiped his mouth and treated it as if nothing had happened! What sort of joke was this!?

The resource management department was left shamefaced. All of those people who were just smiling and flattering them yesterday were suddenly glaring at them with grim faces, their eyes full of evil thoughts.

And seeing that no one could come up with an explanation, this matter wouldn't be considered over yet!

The supervisor had taken a great deal of benefits, but now an accident had occurred. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to carefully draw up a third list of names, and then he went looking for Chief Manager Wu's secretary.

"Director Jin, this list has every outstanding middle level sea spirit teacher that we could find. If Mister Ning is still dissatisfied with this, then there is nothing I can do!"

Looking at the nearly crying supervisor, Director Jin took the name list and entered the chief manager's office. Soon, the door opened and the chief manager stepped out.

"You go back first. I will speak to Mister Ning about this matter."

The supervisor was overjoyed. He bowed repeatedly and excused himself. But, as he thought of having to return all the benefits he received, and even having to give back a little extra just in case, he felt his heart, liver, spleen, and the rest of his organs twist and ache.

A good number of people saw this occur and thought that Mister Ning had extremely fierce and magnificent methods. With just a few simple moves, he had caused the conceited and arrogant resource management department to flip over onto their backs. Of course, there were even more people that sneered in their heart, cursing at the overly greedy resource management department. They wanted to take sole possession of the massive amount of benefits, so it was no wonder that Mister Ning had grown angry with them.

Chief Manager Wu's thinking was similar to theirs. He thought that Qin Yu was taking this opportunity to establish his position, and once he did he would finally choose some assistants.

Along the way, he bumped into Clearwood. As she heard that he was headed to see Qin Yu, her eyes brightened and she joined him.

After the most recent scandal, Chief Manager Wu's attitude towards Clearwood had undergone a tremendous change. The two nodded and chatted with each other before arriving at the workshops on the seventh floor. As Chief Manager Wu saw the array formation shining at the entrance, he frowned. Thinking about it, he hadn't yet given Qin Yu any tasks. He knocked on the door.

Soon, the array formation's runes extinguished and the thick door swung open. Leon, dressed in brand new robes, opened the door in a flustered panic. He hastily bowed, saying, "Greetings, chief manager, Manager Clearwood."

Chief Manager Wu nodded. "What is Mister Ning doing?"

"Is that the chief manager? Please enter." A calm voice echoed out, followed by the faint fragrance of tea.

Chief Manager Wu's eyebrows shot up. As he stepped into the workshop, the sight he saw left him bitterly smiling. A black-robed figure was sitting with his back to him. Steam floated up and water boiled. The scent of tea filled the room. The work table that Sea Spirit Pavilion had spent an extravagant amount of money on hadn't even been used once, but was actually being used as a table to boil tea?

Clearwood frowned. A bit of cold flashed deep in her eyes. Just as she was about to say something, she was stopped by Chief Manager Wu. Chief Manager Wu walked over and took a seat. "Mister seems to be in high spirits."

Clearwood put on an icy face and didn't say anything.

Qin Yu waved his hand and produced another tea set. He raised his teacup high, as if signaling for everyone to taste it, and then said, "I was just a bit bored so my hands were slightly itchy for a moment. I hope no one minds."

"The work table is where sea spirits are worked with. To each and every sea spirit teacher, it is a sacred place of great dignity and solemnity. Doesn't Mister Ning think it is a bit too disrespectful to use it to make tea?" Clearwood's eyes were sharp and there wasn't any warmth to her voice.

Chief Manager Wu pretended as if he didn't hear anything.

Qin Yu took a sip of tea, his expression light. "In my eyes, a work table is nothing but a platform. Respect towards sea spirits should originate from the heart and not be something that is merely shown on the surface. If every sea spirit teacher could focus on what is in their hearts and not pay attention to only what is on the surface, then there wouldn't be such a shortage of high level sea spirit teachers."

These words seemed quite grand and pompous, and even seemed as if they were teaching a lesson. Clearwood's complexion became even colder. She was about to rebut him but Chief Manager Wu coughed and interrupted her. "Mister Ning's words contained a trace of truth. But, the reason we came here was for proper business."

He slyly smiled and laid down a folder. "The resource management department supervisor is about to cry because of you. If you wanted to establish your reputation, you've done more than enough. After this I will go back and give him a big red envelope, so just open this and choose some names from within. Rest assured, I have already looked through the list. All of these people are highly skilled and none of them will drag you down."

Qin Yu shook his head. "No need." Before Chief Manager Wu could respond, he continued, "Since you came here, I will also clarify some matters with you. My legacy of inheritance doesn't need help from anyone. Leon is only helping me deal with some miscellaneous matters, so I definitely do not need more people to come."

Chief Manager Wu's eyes flashed. "And I wonder where mister originates from…?"

Qin Yu lightly said. "It's difficult for me to say. If chief manager finds this unacceptable, then I would rather leave." Of course, these words were just a front. He had spent a great deal of effort to come here and was just about to arrive at the harvest, so why would he leave?

The key was that these words showed his attitude.

Chief Manager Wu was an understanding man. He immediately laughed and stated that Sea Spirit Pavilion wasn't in the habit of investigating the origins of their workers before changing the topic. Since Qin Yu really didn't need any more assistants, Chief Manager Wu merely spoke some more small talk, and after the atmosphere returned to normal, he rose up and bid his farewells.

Clearwood coldly squinted at Qin Yu before swiveling away. While she had skills, she also had a considerable temper.

Leon bowed and delivered them out. As they left, the door slammed shut and the array formation lit up once more.

Seeing Clearwood's ugly complexion, Chief Manager Wu put on a thoughtful expression. He said to her, "Manager Clearwood, perhaps our Sea Spirit Pavilion really dug up a treasure this time. I read through many ancient texts before, and in some records, I read about a line of sea spirit teachers that pursued the path of practicing everything, and everything must be done by their own hands."

He paused for a moment. As he saw Clearwood's puzzled expression, he smirked a little. "If I say things like that, you might not be able to think of it. But, if I tell you their name, you will know. These sea spirit teachers are called Skyspirit Sages, and they have always lived in seclusion, not caring for the outside world. In the records, it stated that even if they were to step into the outside world, they would still hide their status. Because of that, even now no one knows just who the Skyspirit Sages are, what their background is, or what race they originate from."

Clearwood was stunned. "Skyspirit Sage!"

Chief Manager Wu's eyes brightened. "Reviving that coral represents an extraordinary level of skill. Moreover, he appeared alone in the capital city, he hides his appearance, and he also doesn't need assistants. While these might be flukes, if you add them all up, it's far too much of a coincidence!"

Clearwood's eyes shook. She fell deep into thought and finally said, "Should we try to find some way to determine his identity?"

Chief Manager Wu turned and looked at her. "In the rumors it is said that Skyspirit Sages possess an unknown strength and are capable of healing all sea spirits. If Mister Ning is one, he will definitely have such an ability."

Clearwood's eyes brightened. "Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire will not sit idle as they suffer. I received some information that they will make some small movements to harm our reputation."

Chief Manager Wu smiled. "It looks like Mister Ning will be busy soon."

….

They had used the resources they had set up so many years ago, and just as they thought they had obtained the weakness of Sea Spirit Pavilion, in the end they fell into a trap and ruined themselves instead.

Things certainly wouldn't end here!

Whether it was to make up for their losses or to try and regain some face, the high level figures of Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire held a conference, and after preparing for several days, they finally made their move.

13 precious sea spirits flowed into Sea Spirit Pavilion through different channels, each one accompanied by a request to sign the Supreme Book. They all paid 100,000 spirit stones in advance. With two sea spirit influences collaborating, the strength of their attack far surpassed the imagination. Even Sea Spirit Pavilion was unable to reject them. After a brief standoff, they could only accept the transaction.

For a time, all the high level sea spirit teachers were placed in a crisis, They busily inspected the sea spirits and then bitterly cursed out loud. These precious sea spirits had been tampered with. Searching for the problem wouldn't be easy, let alone finding a way to heal them.

The entirety of Sea Spirit Pavilion was armed for battle. All the high level sea spirit teachers laid down their current work and clenched their teeth as they focused on this critical mission. All three of the sea spirit influences were used to plots being hatched in secret, and many of these sea spirit teachers had experienced them. But, the attack that came this time was far too fierce.

Six high level sea spirit teachers held a meeting. They butted heads and quarreled until the entire group was left in a mess. As they diagnosed the 13 precious sea spirit plants, countless questions arose, and, the key problem was that none of their opinions were unified and some even clashed with each other. No one was able to convince the other parties, and thus no one could produce a treatment plan.

Goldrune violently argued with someone. Just as the other person was on the losing side, he suddenly rose up, his face red, and said, "You couldn't even cure the red coral, so what qualifications do you have to argue with me!?"

To Grandmaster Goldrune, these words were a fatal blow that struck at his wound 100,000 times over. He took a heavy breath and nearly fainted. Then, he clenched his teeth and stormed away!

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Chapter 136 – Faint Again

"Enough!" Clearwood had a cold expression. "Is there a grandmaster who is confident that they can rely on their own methods to cure the 13 sea spirits?"

The scene immediately fell quiet.

The grandmasters gazed at the ground, deep in thought, or perhaps they looked at the sky, wondering, but no matter what, they didn't make eye contact with her. How ridiculous. While they were fierce, none of them were fierce enough that they could guarantee absolute success. In particular, with Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire both conspiring together, who knew what sort of disgusting and dastardly methods they utilized!

Grandmaster Goldrune panted in indignation. "Why would you sign a contract that defines a limit of three days? This is just causing a mess! If we had enough time, we could slowly feel our way forwards and we would definitely be able to find the cure!"

The meeting room door was shoved open. Chief Manager Wu appeared, his face expressionless. "I was the one who signed the contract."

Grandmaster Goldrune was immediately left in an awkward position. He coughed and lowered his head, as if he weren't the one who had said those words just now.

The man he had been arguing with before revealed a disdainful look.

Chief Manager Wu moved to the side. He gestured, "Mister Ning, please."

Grandmaster Goldrune's ears pricked up. His head veered up and as he saw the black-robed figure, he clenched his jaws.

This bastard!

If it weren't for this man, then he would never have fallen to such a state where he was mocked by everyone!

That's right. You cured the red coral, but so what? That thing was his to begin with, so who knew what tricks he had used on it? Goldrune simply had no idea why Chief Manager Wu would invite this fellow into Sea Spirit Pavilion. Instead, it would have been better to hunt down and ruin this fellow!

Beneath the black robe, Qin Yu arched an eyebrow. He didn't know why this white-faced chubby man would have such a great grudge against him.

No, that wasn't right, this was simply overwhelming resentment!

Chief Manager Wu coughed. "This is Grandmaster Goldrune. He was the grandmaster who originally diagnosed the red coral and discovered there was an issue with it."

These words were absolutely to save face.

Even so, Goldrune's cheeks flushed red and his animosity boiled over!

It was intentional, it was definitely intentional! This fellow was taking advantage of the chief manager to publicly slap him!

Endure, I will endure this!

I cannot be fooled by him. If I really started a conflict here, I would become a complete laughingstock!

Qin Yu revealed an understanding look. So, this fellow was the original hapless bad-luck stepping stone. Well, perhaps that might be too unreasonable. After all, Grandmaster Goldrune had completely ruined his reputation in order to pave the road for him to enter Sea Spirit Pavilion.

But this seemed like…the truth!

If Grandmaster Goldrune were to know of Qin Yu's thoughts, he would definitely fall unconscious and foam at the mouth. Thus, sometimes one's good intentions should be to remain silent.

Qin Yu stepped in front of the table. He made a motion of looking around at the 13 sea spirit plants placed on it.

However, to Grandmaster Goldrune, his good intentions simply seemed like open and naked disregard!

If he didn't hold his breath, he would have already fainted or stormed away!

This surnamed Ning fellow, are you really so amazing? Then let me see just what you can do!

The 13 sea spirits are here. How many can you save?

Grandmaster Goldrune's heart itched. He saw the black-robed figure straighten himself and say, "No problem, just send everything to my workshop."

Everyone within the meeting room was left dumbfounded. Even the other grandmasters who had no grudges or gratitude with Qin Yu had ugly complexions. This person has casually lowered his head, and without even verifying what sort or species of sea spirits these were, had the confidence that he could treat them? Just what sort of joke was this? Moreover, doing this was too careless. To be more plain, did this new Ning fellow really think they were all useless side characters? This insult could not be endured!

Grandmaster Goldrune was the first to speak up. "Grandmaster Ning, do you know where these 13 sea spirits come from? Or what sort of contract was signed? With such an irresponsible attitude, if a problem occurs, who will take responsibility for it? Don't forget what your surname is just because you had a moment of glory!"

Qin Yu lightly said, "Although I don't know much, at the very least it should be more than Grandmaster Goldrune, so I ask that you don't worry about me. Moreover, my surname is Ning." He turned and walked out, "Chief manager, a great deal of time has been wasted already. If you want me to help, please hurry things up."

"Arrogant!"

"We were diagnosing!"

"Wasting time? You actually said we were wasting time!?"

"Surname Ning, don't be too rampant!"

Facing a common enemy, Goldrune completely forget his previous unhappiness and even the humiliating words. He huddled close to those near him and said, "Chief Manager Wu, you should think things over carefully. If you are dragged down by others, you might never recover!"

Qin Yu stopped. He turned and looked around. "Everyone, would you all like to make a bet with me?"

Goldrune smiled in anger. "If you can heal the 13 sea spirits within three days, then I will present you my own head in front of everyone!"

Qin Yu shook his head. "I have no interest in Grandmaster Goldrune's head. Let's change the bet into spirit stones instead. How does 500,000 sound?"

Speaking of spirit stones, Grandmaster Goldrune felt all his organs twitch. Due to the Red Coral Incident, he had been forced to pay an entire 600,000 spirit stones in damages!

600,000 spirit stones, just how many years of labor had it taken to save that many? As he thought of this black robed figure pocketing it all his eyes turned red with rage!

"I will bet a million spirit stones!" Grandmaster Goldrune roared.

"What daring heroic spirit Brother Goldrune! Chief Manager Wu, I am not deliberately trying to stir up trouble, but this Ning fellow is far too arrogant. I will bet 500,000 spirit stones!"

"Me too!"

"I will also join in!"

In the blink of an eye, six high level sea spirit teachers made a total bet of 3.5 million spirit stones.

Clearwood had an icy expression. Looking at this red-faced crowd of angry fellows, just where had their training gone and what kind of scum had they devolved into? She wished she could choke them all to death. But as she glanced at Qin Yu who had provoked all of this, she found him even more displeasing to the eyes. If looks could kill, he would have been cut into dozens of pieces already.

Qin Yu smiled. "Chief Manager Wu, please be a witness to this."

Chief Manager Wu bitterly smiled and nodded.

For some unknown reason, after the two walked far away, Grandmaster Goldrune suddenly trembled and felt an inexplicable sorrow towards his own money bags. But soon, he chased away these thoughts and told himself not to be frightened like this.

He took a deep breath. The anger in his eyes soon flashed with a ray of joy. The 600,000 spirit stones he had lost would soon return, and he would gain another 400,000. Thinking of this, his spirits were lifted.

…..

News of Mister Ning accepting the work of 13 sea spirits soon spread throughout the entire Sea Spirit Pavilion through unknown channels. Although it was unknown who did it, it was likely related to the six grandmasters. Of course, concerning those that spoke about this reckless and irresponsible gamble, all of them were well known characters. Even though they were banding together to cross this difficult moment, they still cared about their reputation.

One day passed. Then another day passed.

Everything was quiet and tranquil.

The door to the workshop didn't open even once. No one knew how far things had gotten.

Several spirit shell calls were received by Leon. As he faced tentative questions from all sides, he helplessly explained that he was also in the dark.

In the blink of an eye, the last day arrived.

On the seventh floor, in a corridor outside the workshops, Chief Manager Wu and Clearwood were sitting down, facing each other. The atmosphere was thick, so dense that it could be cut apart. This floor still had the workshops of two other high level sea spirit teachers. Their assistants would often pass by, but as they sensed the heavy atmosphere, they quickly bowed and scurried away. Many times they couldn't but turn around with anxious gazes.

Although they had suffered the angry scolding of their teachers these past two days, and also heard about the conceited arrogance of Mister Ning, none of them hoped that Sea Spirit Pavilion would fail.

In the silence, Clearwood couldn't help but ask, "Can he really do it?"

Chief Manager Wu said, "I don't know."

Clearwood had an anxious expression. "Do you think you might have taken too great a risk this time? If….even if we disregard Sea Spirit Pavilion's reputation, just the compensation is more than enough to bankrupt our capital city branch division."

Chief Manager Wu narrowed his eyes. "In three days, my Sea Spirit Pavilion is to heal 13 sea spirits, each one with a compensation guarantee of 20 times the initial cost. They bet that their methods are good enough, while I bet that my sight is sharp enough. If we win this battle, the three pillar situation within the capital city will be broken, and our Sea Spirit Pavilion will truly ascend to the top.

"I can back down, but I don't want to."

Clearwood revealed a look of admiration. She said in a low voice, "There's only an hour left."

Before she finished speaking, a spirit shell hanging on her chest suddenly rang out. Chief Manager Wu's eyes brightened.

On the other hand, a faintly weary voice said, "They're ready, come pick them up."

Shua –

The call hung up.

Chief Manager Wu lay down the spirit shell. All the pores on his body seemed to open up together as sweat poured down his body, drenching his robes and pasting his hair to his forehead. He looked incredibly distressed.

Clearwood smiled like a blooming flower. "Congratulations!"

Chief Manager Wu wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I originally wanted to collapse. It seems I really overestimated how long I could maintain my composure for just now. Manager Clearwood must have found it funny. But come, let's go and inspect them first."

The workshop's array formation runes faded away. Leon held one of the sea race's storage shell in his hands. "Teacher said that everything is inside. Please accept and verify it."

Chief Manager Wu received the storage shell and probed with his divine sense. After several breaths of time, he took a deep breath and passed it to Clearwood. He picked up a spirit shell. "Connect me to number 287."

A connection was made. The sound of breathing from the other end could be heard.

"They're ready, come pick them up."

These were Qin Yu's words just now repeated verbatim.

Bang –

There was a loud explosion. It could be imagined that the spirit shell on the other end had burst into pieces. Moreover, before the call ended, Chief Manager could hear something heavy falling to the ground on the other side. He couldn't suppress the joy in his heart anymore and heartily laughed towards the heavens.

"Hahahaha!"

Clearwood held the storage shell, her eyes smiling as if she had picked up a treasure trove.

Not too far away, several wandering assistant sea spirit teachers saw the ecstatic looks of the two. They were shocked as if a bolt of lightning struck their heads and came out from their feet. They turned and started to scream together.

"Success! Mister Ning succeeded!"

Waves of wild joy spread out, reverberating throughout the entire Sea Spirit Pavilion. But, the assistants were left puzzled; just why did their teachers have such constipated expressions, as if they were crying while smiling?

Soon after, an ambulance rushed towards Sea Spirit Pavilion, because Grandmaster Goldrune had fainted again.

….

In a residence within the capital city.

The crimson red coral crimson indicated that it was noontime, when the temperature was the highest. But right now, there was actually a cold chill percolating around two people.

They had taken this golden chance to make a move, and had almost completed their mission. But before they knew it, not only had they failed, but their identities had almost been exposed.

A sea race man in luxurious black clothes spoke in a cold tone, "Go. Look up everything you can about this Mister Ning!"

Another sea race man cupped his hands and quickly departed.

…

Some time afterwards, great, dark waves spread throughout the capital city. The ordinary citizens didn't know why, but Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire suddenly suspended business as they were undergoing a restructuring. This became the most discussed topic throughout all the teatimes of the capital city, and countless rumors wildly spread out.

Sea Spirit Pavilion took this opportunity to launch a flurry of activity. There were promotions, rebates, discounts – all sorts of things that whipped everyone up into a frenzy, giving them vastly overwhelming momentum. Those that observed carefully saw that during this flurry of events, there were actually many high ranking citizens of the capital city that sent flower baskets to express their congratulations and as a vague way to apologize for what happened before.

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Chapter 137 – Spotlight of One

Compared with that, the minor internal changes occurring within Sea Spirit Pavilion weren't able to arouse any interest. For instance, the two high level sea spirit teachers that had been forced out of the seventh floor. Although they vehemently objected initially, after entering Chief Manager Wu's office, both of them suddenly quieted down and then publicly vowed to continue their work in earnest.

In the words of Chief Manager Wu, if any one of them could earn 10 million spirit stones at once, then they too would be given this treatment. No matter how thick their skin was, they still couldn't stand up against such an attack!

From then on, Sea Spirit Pavilion's seventh floor gained a new and distinctive feature – Mister Ning. When sea spirit teachers looked at him, their gazes were filled with awe and respect.

At this time, Mister Ning's workroom was empty and the fragrance of fresh tea was overflowing from the table. Chief Manager Wu smiled and laid down a storage shell. "This is just a minor token of appreciation on my part, I ask that mister accept it."

Clearwood's expression was calm, as if there had never been anything that irritated her before.

Qin Yu didn't refuse. He probed it with his divine sense. Even though he knew Sea Spirit Pavilion had earned a ridiculous amount, he was still shocked by what he saw inside. He hesitated for several breaths of time and then said, "Chief manager is quite generous."

Chief Manager Wu's smile widened. After the previous matter, he now fully believed in the incident of the Skyspirit Sage. He sent a report to headquarters while simultaneously making a big decision to try and have Qin Yu stay. Since he made that decision, he certainly had to show just how much he valued Qin Yu.

Spirit stones…6 million!

With the 13 sea spirits, the Supreme Book had been signed for each of them. There was a total advance payment 1.3 million spirit stones, and if they were fully cured and treated within three days, there would be an additional payment made of 20 times the original advance, for a total of another 26 million. All in all, there was a gain of 27.3 million, and of that amount, 20% had been handed over to Qin Yu as a gift. To try and win someone over with such a heavy hand, even Clearwood had been shaken.

But, it was clear that she hadn't objected.

"This is what mister earned and deserves. After all, if you had failed, you would have to follow me in running away." The rarely humorous Chief Manager Wu joked. He stood up and cupped his hands together. "I would like to thank mister again for joining me in taking on such a great and dangerous endeavor. In the future, I'm sure that mister will hold the seat of honor within Sea Spirit Pavilion."

Qin Yu sighed inwardly. Chief Manger Wu indeed knew how to win over others. To gift someone 6 million spirit stones, how could anyone not be moved. Unfortunately, he himself was only a fake member of the sea race and he was destined to not stay too long at Sea Spirit Pavilion, so he could only say that the chief manager's efforts were doomed to fail.

Qin Yu nodded, not saying too much about it. He placed the storage shell back down and said, "Recently, there's been a hindrance to my cultivation and I need some treasures that can strengthen the soul. I'll have to bother chief manager with helping me complete the exchange. Moreover, if possible, instead of receiving this as payment in the future, it would be best if I could be paid with such treasures first."

Chief Manager Wu quietly praised Qin Yu's calm demeanor; he was truly worthy of being the lineage of the Skyspirit Sage! Even the gift he had carefully prepared hadn't been able to move him. But, he didn't worry because there would definitely be more chances in the future. As for treasures to strengthen the soul, all sea spirit teachers had high requirements in terms of the soul, so he didn't suspect anything about this request at all. He took back the storage shell and smiled, "No problem. My Sea Spirit Pavilion purchases all sorts of things that can strengthen the soul throughout the year. We will exchange them at the base price for mister."

Clearwood suddenly spoke up. "Mister Ning, in view of your particular situation, Sea Spirit Pavilion has produced a special edition of the Supreme Book. The lower amount that it can be signed at is at 100,000, and the earnings received will be split equally with you. Moreover, if there is an accident, you will only need to pay 30% of the losses. If mister is willing, then from today on, we can comprehensively offer this special edition Supreme Book to all 379 large cities within the sea region and to over 50 million customers.

"Of course, in order to ensure you can rest, we have set a maximum limit of 50 orders per month. Does mister have any objections?"

Qin Yu happily said, "As long as I can be paid in soul-strengthening treasures then I have no issues with it."

Chief Manager Wu smiled and deep ambitions and dreams burst free in his heart. Perhaps he would be able to lead the capital city branch division to unimaginable heights.

"That's right. It should be clear just who won the bet between me and the six other grandmasters. Is it about time they paid up?"

Chief Manager Wu's smile stiffened. "3.5 million spirit stones is not a small amount. The several Grandmasters will need some time to raise that much. How about…"

Qin Yu interrupted, "It's fine as long as they fulfill their debt. Then, I'll have to ask chief manager to take care of this matter."

Chief Manager Wu bitterly smiled. He knew that this fellow wouldn't be gracious and forgive their debts. He could only mourn silently for the six grandmasters. Like this, everything they earned throughout the years with their blood and sweat would disappear. In particular, Grandmaster Goldrune. Chief Manager Wu prayed that he wouldn't have to live out the rest of his life in debt.

…

As soon as Sea Spirit Pavilion's special edition Supreme Book was released, it stirred up an immense wave within the world of sea spirits. The eyes of countless practitioners popped open. A minimum of 100,000 and a compensation rate twenty times over…this caused every one of them to waver. Even the top ten most respected Purple Card sea spirit teachers wouldn't necessarily sign such an agreement. Had the capital city's Sea Spirit Pavilion branch division gone insane? Or was there something they could rely on?

There were those who knew the truth, for instance, the higher ups of Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire who had closed down their business for restructuring. Right now, as they looked at Sea Spirit Pavilion their eyes were burning hot. If it wasn't for Sea Spirit Pavilion's deep background as well as the fact that they were an independently operated business, then they would have immediately brandished their spirit stone cards and recklessly bought up as many shares of Sea Spirit Pavilion that they could.

And soon, the special edition Supreme Book had its first customer – the mother of the royal palace's chief guard captain.

She held a venerated status and was once said to have been the wet nurse of His Majesty. She was a respected old lady who had a reputation within the sea spirit world, and this was because she possessed a 3000 year old small-leaf wisteria. This sort of treasure gathered spiritual energy and grew increasingly strong with every year. It could create a tide of spiritual strength from thin air and it was greatly beneficial to one's cultivation. The best evidence of this was the several outstanding descendants that had been produced from the household of the chief guard captain.

Once, someone had put forth an offer of 10 million spirit stones but their offer had been rejected without any hesitation. One could see just how precious it was! However, around ten years ago, the small-leaf wisteria seemed to have encountered some troubles. Ever since then, it had been seen coming in and out of various sea spirit institutions, but its situation still hadn't been brought under control.

It was unknown whether she placed too many hopes within the small-leaf wisteria or whether it was because she was ruthless enough to want to use it to make a last bit of money, but after Sea Spirit Pavilion had determined that they would take this business transaction, the old lady put down an advance payment of a million spirit stones, with an insurance policy of 20 million if Sea Spirit Pavilion failed.

Perhaps it was because someone was secretly fanning the flames in the shadows, but in an extremely short period of time, news of this spread throughout the entire capital city. Countless eyes started to converge upon Sea Spirit Pavilion. All of them wanted to know what the final result would be, and whether Sea Spirit Pavilion would fly up into the skies or come crashing down to the ground!

Five days later, the small-leaf wisteria was returned to its owner. Everything proceeded in secret and no one knew the exact details of the situation. However, servants within the chief guard captain's manor said that the thin spiritual tides of the small-leaf wisteria had been restored to their peak, and it was even several degrees stronger than it had been previously. Afterwards, the chief guard captain personally visited to express his gratitude to Chief Manager Wu. News of the generous gifts caused an absolute explosion in the situation.

The second Supreme Book special edition, the third, the fourth…in a mere three days, the 50 order monthly limit had been reached. With numerous difficult and stubborn illnesses being cured one after another, Sea Spirit Pavilion's Mister Ning broke into the world of sea spirit teachers, with no one able to share the spotlight with him for some time.

No one could estimate how many spirit stones Sea Spirit Pavilion earned in this feeding frenzy, but from Chief Manager Wu's wide smile and his two shiny canines, one could imagine how astonishing those profits must have been. And, half of this terrifying profit was exchanged for soul strengthening treasures that were continuously being sent to the tightly shut workroom on the seventh floor.

The night was dark. Leon sat at a work table, carefully processing a coral in nutrient fluid. After a long time, he straightened up and looked at the coral that was slowly regaining its vitality. He stretched his arms and smiled. If he had never treated a sea spirit by himself, then even he would never know that he possessed such a formidable talent. Perhaps it wouldn't be much longer before he could apply to the middle level sea spirit teacher examination.

He turned around and glanced at the tightly closed workroom door, his face full of admiration. His teacher hadn't emerged for over a month, and the spiritual plants that had been treated were all sent out through a small array formation. Even his powerful teacher was diligently working inside, so what reasons did he have to slack off?

Leon rubbed his eyes and shook off the weariness. He took out an ancient shell manuscript and probed it with his divine sense. Although his teacher hadn't actually taught him anything, he had opened up the authority of a high level sea spirit teacher to him, allowing him to freely peruse through the ancient texts of Sea Spirit Pavilion and learn as much as he wanted. To Leon, this was an unimaginable stroke of luck, and when he had unwittingly revealed this to others, their looks of jealousy were sharp enough to kill.

There was also Lyon. He was already a handsome young fellow with a gentle grace and demeanor and he was currently learning to adapt to his human form. Under many envious eyes, they moved away from that small and cramped courtyard, and from that day on, his mother's sickness miraculously began to improve. She was now undergoing the best treatment possible, and perhaps it wouldn't be too long before she was fully healed.

And all of this was granted to him by his teacher.

Sometimes, Leon would quietly look up and thank the heavens that such a person had appeared in his life. Not only had his destiny changed, allowing him to pursue his dreams, but he was also given the chance to chase after the person he loved. Qinqing frequently met up with him but Madame Qing hadn't appeared again nor had any mysterious strangers tried to stop him on the road from work for a little chat. Could the explanation for this be because Madame Qing had tacitly, or at least temporarily, agreed to their relationship?

Leon didn't know what was happening. He could only try his best to improve himself and try to keep this dream-like illusion forever in his arms.

Within the workroom, Qin Yu was sitting cross-legged, absorbing a blue amber-like treasure in his hand. Faint traces of pale golden energy slowly seeped through his orifices and fused into his soul. He felt as if he were immersed in a hot spring as he slowly grew stronger at a steady speed.

Below his feet, above his head, and all around him, there were signs of the solid array formations built into the workroom. And above them, there were also the signs of a slightly messy array formation spinning.

On a work table not far away, the little blue lamp hung in midair. A foot of sea blue light bloomed from it, covering three sea spirits as well as the Soul Mushroom.

Refining the five-element spiritual objects allowed Qin Yu to realize just how necessary a powerful soul force was, and during this time as he was constantly refining these treasures and increasing his soul force, he also began to realize the advantages of a formidable soul. His senses became sharper and he was able to control his magic power with more fluid ease. It was as if he could thoroughly sense every inch of his mortal body.

Although there wasn't any overall change to his strength, if the current Qin Yu were to explode with all his power, he would be over 10% stronger than before! One couldn't underestimate this 10% either. If it were layered atop Qin Yu's ninth level Golden Core cultivation as well as the physical strength of the Demon Body, this could be called an astonishing increase.

The use of the Soul Mushroom was made clear a long time ago. Qin Yu hoped it would soon mature and reach the level of a Partner Soul.

Kacha –

With a faint sound, Qin Yu absorbed the last several faint strands of pale golden energy. He opened his eyes and looked at the fragments in his hand, a helpless expression growing on his features.

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Chapter 138 – Sea Spirit Baptism

The soul was the most mysterious part of a cultivator. Even now, there was no one that was able to fully understand the secrets of it, and enhancing it was quite difficult.

This sea marrow crystal had a value surpassing 200,000 spirit stones and had been fully absorbed in less than half a day. Luckily, with this exorbitant usage of resources, the increase of his soul force was that much faster. He flipped his hand and produced a jade box. Taking out a palm-sized purple flower, he swallowed it up, closed his eyes, and began to refine it.

Perhaps if he continued at this speed, he might be able to refine the third of the five-element spiritual objects in several more days.

Five days later.

Qin Yu opened his eyes and a flash of divine light erupted from his pupils. With a flick of his sleeves, the Fleeting Flame Furnace appeared. Metal, water, wood, fire, earth – since he had started with refining the water-element spiritual object, then he should follow the path of mutual constraint and support recorded within the Five Element Sword Diagram. If so, the next thing he needed to refine was the fire element spiritual object.

The top of the furnace popped open and a sphere of red light flew out. It appeared as if it wanted to run away but then it seemed to sense something. It paused for a moment and hovered in front of Qin Yu. Its burning aura caused the surrounding temperature to rapidly increase, and this was only the natural emanations of its heat. If it were to blow up then the entire Sea Spirit Pavilion would be reduced to ashes!

Qin Yu lifted his hand. Magic power rushed out from his palm, quickly turning into a furnace. The red sphere of light let out a whistle and flew into it on its own initiative.

Qin Yu's eyes brightened.

The five elements all originated from the same source, thus they possessed an overwhelming instinct to fuse together as one. Perhaps the fusing of the five elements that was listed in the appendix of the Five Element Sword Diagram really did exist.

As soon as this thought appeared, Qin Yu pushed it away. He closed his eyes and refined with all his strength.

...

The world was blazing red and dreadfully high temperatures wreaked havoc all around. All that could be seen was churning magma and air distorted within the fiery heat. This was a world of fire and magma, a world buried beneath the earth that hadn't had any contact with the surface for billions and trillions of years. This stability lasted for countless years. Then, one day, there was a great change in the world. A massive impact struck the world and a horrifying strength pierced through the plates of the earth. Magma instantly flowed out through the gap, eventually terrifying through the ground and turning into a destructive plume that tore into the skies. In the blink of an eye, strength capable of destroying the heavens and earth erupted. Following the crack in the earth, a crystal wrapped in magma that had been still for endless years was sent tumbling through the horizon. Flames followed behind it, swallowing all forests. Wherever it went, all life was annihilated, with only death and destruction left behind.

Qin Yu's complexion turned red and steam rose up from all over his body. The reinforced ground that was able to withstand all sorts of extreme environments was suddenly scorched black. The furnace in Qin Yu's hand gently trembled and then magic power scattered outwards before fusing into his body.

His dantian sea suddenly became far brighter. A palm-sized crystal with sixteen sides appeared. Red light tumbled on its surface, making it seem like a small sun. It resonated with the lotus seed and willow branch, finally achieving a measure of synchronization with Qin Yu's aura.

He had completed refining the fire-element spiritual object.

Shua –

Qin Yu opened his eyes. After a brief moment of dizziness, brightness grew in his eyes. He carefully probed himself. A smile began to appear on the corners of his lips. Indeed, after his soul became stronger he could contain more memories and the effects they had on him were much smaller.

After refining the third spiritual object, he was now another step further on his road. Qin Yu swallowed a pill and began to restore his losses.

Originally, he wanted to continue refining treasures to strengthen his soul force, but he soon received two pieces of news and couldn't help but pause his cultivation.

The first – because Sea Spirit Pavilion had recently begun a massive purchase of soul strengthening treasures, the scarcity had led to a sharp increase in price. It seemed as if some force were meddling behind the scenes to cause the price to surge by over two times in a short period of time. If they were to continue purchasing in this environment, not only would it be a far higher cost, but those with dark intentions would continue to push up the price. After Chief Manager Wu investigated the situation, he recommended to suspend purchases for some time until the market stabilized. Or, they could use the network of Sea Spirit Pavilion to make purchases from other sea race cities.

Qin Yu nodded in understanding upon hearing this. He asked the chief manager to borrow the connections of Sea Spirit Pavilion to make more purchases. Of course, this required additional expenses and there was also a period of time needed for shipment to the capital city.

As for the second piece of news, it was neither good nor bad. Every ten years in the sea region, a large-scale sea spirit teacher competition would be held. The champion of this event would be given the opportunity to challenge the position of the ten great Purple Cards, and winning would allow the victor to take up one of the ten positions and become one of the incomparably revered Purple Card sea spirit teachers.

If this was just a title and a bit of reputation, Qin Yu would have never considered this at all. But, the key point of the issue was that a new Purple Card sea spirit teacher would be given a chance to obtain a sea spirit baptism. This was an ancient ritual and the cost of activating it required a minimum of ten million spirit stones. But, one couldn't assume it was precious because of the monetary cost alone. There were countless sea spirit teachers willing to brandish their spirit stone cards, but no matter how much they paid, they would never be given the chance to obtain a sea spirit baptism.

This was an ancient ritual only opened for Purple Card sea spirit teachers. It could enhance the abilities of a sea spirit teacher, and according to the private investigation of Sea Spirit Pavilion, it was found that it had a particularly great effect in enhancing one's soul.

Looking at the satisfied smile plastered over Chief Manager Wu's face, Qin Yu thought that these final words were especially meant for him to hear. And, he was well aware that Chief Manager Wu definitely wouldn't joke around with something so serious. The sea spirit baptism definitely had the ability to strengthen his soul. Of course, there was a risk that he would be exposed. He silently glanced through the introductory rules of the competition.

"How about it? Has mister carefully considered whether or not you would like to attend this competition?" Chief Manager Wu smiled. "According to tradition, our Sea Spirit Pavilion has a single quota for someone to enter the finals directly."

Qin Yu's eyes brightened. "Directly enter the finals?"

Chief Manager Wu winningly smiled. "That's right. If mister decides to participate, then I will handle everything else. You will only need to attend the final competition, and if you win, you will be given the chance to challenge for the Purple Card. It won't take too long and there is also the reward of the sea spirit baptism to consider." He continued sincerely, "At the very least, I believe that mister shouldn't miss out on such a chance."

"Very well, I agree."

Chief Manager Wu's eyes lit up. "Then, mister should rest well. I will come a few days before the competition begins and inform you." He said and quickly departed.

Qin Yu leaned down on a sofa. He could guess why Chief Manager Wu was trying so hard to have him participate in this competition, but he also couldn't help but admit that to him, this sea spirit baptism was indeed incredibly tempting.

And, the most important reason was that Qin Yu had glanced through the general outline of the competition. Sea spirit teachers would compete in a sealed environment where outsiders wouldn't be able to observe.

If this weren't so, then even if the chance to undergo the sea spirit baptism was directly offered to him, he still wouldn't want to mess with it. He rubbed his forehead. When he competed he definitely needed to be more careful and not reveal his identity.

After refining the final soul strengthening treasure in his storage ring, Qin Yu suddenly thought of something. A quick memory flashed through his mind and he flipped over his hand, producing a transparent bead. Dark fog swirled within it. It contained a massive amount of absorbed soul force.

This was the soul bead that he had obtained in the Netherworld Realm after using the Skythunder Bamboo to kill a high level specter. Looking at it further, Qin Yu regretted that he hadn't been more patient. If he had, he could have lured several more high level specters to gather up and he wouldn't need to worry so much now.

Qin Yu had already carefully examined the soul force within the soul bead; he could directly absorb it. But just as he was about to begin, he suddenly discovered there was something else that was extremely interested in it.

It was currently daytime and the little blue lamp had been put away. The Soul Mushroom was put side by side with the two other sea spirit plants. At this moment, the gray mushroom gently shivered. This was an extremely minor vibration. If one didn't have sharp eyesight and also closely observed it, it would have been impossible to notice.

Qin Yu was surprised to discover this. He placed the soul bead near the mushroom, and once he did, the fog swirling within began to wildly tumble.

Pa –

The soul bead shattered. Qin Yu felt an instinctual pull in his soul, but he forcefully suppressed this desire and watched as the Soul Mushroom locked onto the soul force and completely absorbed it. After a moment, a trace of blue appeared on the surface of the Soul Mushroom. In several breaths of time, it rapidly spread over, turning the entire mushroom blue.

This faint blue color was like the first traces of spring after a deep and dark winter. It represented birth and the beginning of vitality.

Blue...one hundred years!

Qin Yu was overjoyed. He never thought that a single soul bead could actually help the Soul Mushroom overcome that key step in its transformation. Although the accumulated light from the little blue lamp had definitely played a role, it was impossible to deny just how amazing the effects of the soul bead were.

He regretted once again that he hadn't killed several more high level specters...and once he recalled the words that the old turtle had told him after leaving the Netherworld Sea Region, even if he knew about the use of the soul beads, he still didn't dare to return.

Whatever, whatever...since things had gotten to this point, fretting over it any more was meaningless. He comforted himself and put the Soul Mushroom away. Then, Qin Yu sat down and gathered his thoughts.

He took out some pills and swallowed them.

He couldn't continue refining treasures to strengthen his soul, but he could still cultivate. It would be a shame to waste any bit of time he had, and while the effects of Star Pills were much weaker in enhancing the soul, there would always be an effect in accumulating a little bit at a time.

As Leon continued admiring his teacher, Qin Yu also continued his seclusion. During this time, the sea spirit teacher competition swept throughout the entire world of the sea races, drawing in all their attention like a surging torrent. For a period of time, it was the uncontested topic to talk about. From the capital city to the most remote sea race tribes, from the high level figures to the commoners, everyone heatedly discussed this event.

The ten great Purple Card sea spirit teachers were the most mentioned figures. When people spoke of them, their eyes would be filled with awe and reverence.

There were only ten Purple Cards, and each one was said to be the embodiment of sea spirits in the world, divine travelers that walked amongst mortals. The 'sea spirits' mentioned here wasn't referring to spiritual plants and objects but to the invisible will that encompassed the entire sea region. It was the sea that gave birth to the sea races. It was the sea that gave them a place to reproduce and live, and it was the sea that gave them the right to survive and live in prosperity.

As incarnations of the sea spirits, it was natural that they would possess revered statuses. In some ancient and remote sea race tribes, these Purple Cards were respected even more than the ruler within the capital city's royal palace.

All sea spirit teachers, no matter how great their talent was, no matter if they were strong or weak, would attend the competition with pride. This was because attending the competition represented the dream that they all chased after, as well as being a way to express their hard work and struggle to the invisible sea spirits to gain their favor and perhaps obtain a greater strength.

A vast, large-scale preliminary competition was held. After ten days of consecutive competition and layers upon layers of elimination, each competition area was repeatedly reduced to the top ten participants. These ten participants were able to compete in the next intermediate stage. Public interest sharply rose during the intermediate stage. More and more sea spirit teachers rose up amongst the new generation, each one of them displaying their skills and abilities with zest.

Various sea spirit influences, tribes, noble families, and many others dispatched observers to watch the competition with wide eyes. Even if the participants failed, this didn't necessarily matter because there was always a chance that a rich contract would be delivered to them in the next moment. This great competition that swept through the sea region was designed to give sea spirit teachers a chance for them to show off and make a name for themselves. Of course, this didn't conflict with their reverent thoughts, because in the eyes of the sea spirit teachers, this chance was granted to them by the sea spirits.

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Chapter 139 – The Finals

Half a month later, the intermediate stage finished. 170 sea spirit teachers were chosen from the 17 great competition zones. They all obtained the qualifications to enter the capital city and participate in the finals. Out of these 170 people, almost every single one was a high level sea spirit teacher possessing formidable strength, and even before they had stepped into the capital city they had already drawn a great deal of attention to themselves.

As they rode great seabed whales that had been especially arranged for this competition towards the capital city, Chief Manager Wu was currently knocking on the door to a workroom on the seventh floor. He smiled and informed Qin Yu that the competition would soon begin.

"Mister Ning, please follow me, there is an honored guest that has already been waiting for you for a long time." Chief Manger Wu waved his hand.

Entering a studio within Nine Layer Building, Qin Yu could clearly see the purple robes that this person wore as well as the purple card hanging from their waist. He instantly understood their status. This was the highest and strongest existence amongst sea spirit teachers – a Purple Card sea spirit teacher! He had neatly combed silver-like hair and his warm eyes were deep and profound. Although this person was looking Qin Yu up and down, he didn't feel annoyed at all.

Chief Manager Wu bowed, "Old Sea, this is Mister Ning." He turned and said, "Mister Ning, Old Sea is ranked seventh amongst the ten great Purple Cards. He is the Exalted of my Sea Spirit Pavilion. He came especially to explain to you the specific process and details of the competition."

This was obviously an excuse.

Qin Yu sensed that Old Sea's inquisitive eyes looking over him seemed to hide a bit of excitement. He maintained his composure and cupped his hands together. "Greetings, Old Sea."

Old Sea waved his hand. "Although I haven't seen your strength, I have handled the small-leaf wisteria from the chief guard captain's manor before. At the time the costs were too high and I had other important matters to handle, so I declined to treat it. Since you cured it, that proves you and I can treat each other as those from the same generation." He switched the topic, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "I've heard that Mister Ning's background is that of the Skyspirit Sage lineage. I'm wondering if there is any veracity to those claims?"

Qin Yu's thoughts raced. He calmly said, "What if it is? And what if it isn't? In the end aren't we all sea spirit teachers, and isn't our goal to treat and cure all sea spirit lives?"

Old Sea suddenly hopped up in excitement. "Yes, yes, it is exactly like this. You still uphold the most traditional beliefs." His expression suddenly became much warmer and intimate. He laughed, "Mister Ning might not know, but the reason I can have my current achievements all originates from the Skyspirit Sage lineage."

Qin Yu didn't know what else to say. He had casually made up some stories, but he never thought that there would be such a situation. He decided to not say anything further at all. Since this old man had already decided on his status, then he would simply push him along the way.

And as Qin Yu thought, Old Sea suddenly slapped his forehead. "I forgot that you can never reveal your status in the outside world. Don't worry, I vow that I won't reveal anything about you at all." He swept his eyes around.

Chief Manager Wu hurriedly bowed. "Old Sea, don't worry, I am a very reliable person."

Old Sea waved his hand. "It's fine as long as you understand. Don't continue being an eyesore and deal with your own business. I will personally entertain Mister Ning myself." With these words, Qin Yu was thoroughly placed as his equal.

In the eyes of the common sea race citizens, the ten great Purple Cards were the most powerful existences amongst sea spirit teachers. But, these powerful figures were well aware that there were always lineage inheritances much stronger than themselves. For instance, the Skyspirit Sages. These were legendary fables passed down amongst all sea spirit teachers!

They sat down in their seats and Old Sea began to jovially speak. "With Mister Ning's strength, I won't say too much. I will only caution you about some matters of the competition."

Loud and open, Old Sea continued speaking. The originally confusing sea spirit teacher competition began to turn crystal clear in Qin Yu's mind. The conversation continued for two hours. Qin Yu gained a favorable impression towards this gentle and smiling old man. He could only apologize inwardly for having to deceive him.

"Alright, if I speak any more I think you might begin to find me tiresome. I also have some matters I need to deal with, so I won't bother you much longer." Old Sea took out a jade box. "I heard Little Wu mention that you were looking for soul strengthening treasures. Some time ago, I obtained a 3000 year old sea blue bellvine flower. Consider this a meeting gift."

Qin Yu waved his hand. "This is far too precious. I cannot accept it."

Old Sea smiled. "Mister Ning shouldn't be too old. Even if we can speak like contemporaries, I can still be considered on the level of a big brother. If so, how could you reject my gift? If you feel like you are taking advantage of me, then after you win the competition just make sure you can reserve some time to chat with me. During these past years I've gained some new experiences, but I find it difficult to speak to anyone about them."

He patted Qin Yu's shoulder and turned to leave.

Qin Yu glanced at the jade box on the table and wryly smiled. If Old Sea really wanted to have a long discussion with him, then at that time he really might see through his disguise. However, this 3000 year old sea blue bellvine flower was indeed a rare item. He had previously refined one that was 1300 year old and worth 300,000 spirit stones.

This one…it was worth over 1 million spirit stones at least!

It was a generous gift.

Qin Yu placed it in his storage ring, thinking. He knit his eyebrows together, thinking about how he could dispel Old Sea's thoughts of looking for him for a talk.

…

In order to ensure an equal and fair competition, all of the sea spirit teachers coming from far away were given three full days to rest and recover so that the long trips to the capital city wouldn't affect their condition.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. During this time period, 20 luxurious coral buildings were raised up in the grand Prosperity Square in front of the royal palace, an area normally used to hold ceremonies. Giant opulent pearls lit up the space, shining with brilliant splendor. In the competition, there were 170 people who had been selected from the preliminary and intermediate stage. Besides them there were also ten others recommended from various influences – Qin Yu was one of these individuals. Of course, this didn't leave others unhappy, because if one had the qualifications to be recommended, that meant they had to be at least a famous sea spirit teacher with absolute strength in their domain.

On the day of the competition, the entire capital city came out. The incredible number of sea race people gathered into a giant torrent that came from all round. The temporarily created grandstand viewing platforms were covered with people and the light of the array formations constantly twisted. The dozens of sea race people responsible for maintaining the array formations started to sweat as they barely managed to keep them running and avoid the fate of the grandstands coming crashing down.

And these were only the people that were capable of purchasing an admission ticket. There were far more people that couldn't find a ticket and could only gather outside the square. Luckily, the organizers were already experienced with these. Massive shells dozens of feet wide floated in the air. When the competition started, these shells would activate and broadcast the competition in real time.

The business-minded individuals had already taken up spots in advance. Various signs dotted the crowds and the merchants rubbed their hands together, ready to gather a tremendous profit today.

A long caravan of carriages came strolling out from Sea Spirit Pavilion. A massive amount of guards followed as they passed the empty streets towards Prosperity Square.

Within a luxuriously decorated carriage, Qin Yu sat down cross-legged. Chief Manager Wu sat across from him, a glum and hesitant expression crossing his face. He opened his mouth again and again, and finally said, "Mister Ning, I know that I shouldn't say anything to affect your condition right now, but if it is possible, I hope that you can gain the qualifications to obtain the Purple Card status."

Qin Yu opened his eyes. "What happened?"

Chief Manager Wu quietly said, "Old Sea went out for business yesterday, but he was ambushed outside the capital city. His injuries are quite heavy."

Qin Yu was startled. At the juncture of the finals, Old Sea suddenly suffered a sneak attack. This was clearly related to the competition and the Purple Card. It was no wonder that Chief Manager Wu was so worried. "With Old Sea's condition, can't he ask the organizers to refuse any challengers or at least delay them?"

Chief Manager Wu bitterly smiled. "It's impossible. The sea spirit baptism ceremony can only be activated at a specific time. After the selection is made, it cannot be changed. In the past, there have also been cases of Purple Card sea spirit teachers being ambushed and then challenged…Old Sea was cautious, but he must have never thought that…" Chief Manager Wu was angry. It was clear that there were more matters related to Old Sea being ambushed.

Qin Yu fell silent for several breaths of time. He nodded. "I will give my best."

Chief Manager Wu cupped his hands together and deeply bowed. "Then, I will have to leave everything to Mister Ning!"

They drove to the edge of Prosperity Square, and then following a reserved passageway, directly entered within. As a place used to conduct ceremonies, Prosperity Square was incredibly large. The 20 coral buildings only occupied less than half the available area. There were many carriages parked inside, but those that were able to do so were all high ranking people within the capital city.

For instance, Noble Court Avenue's Qing Family.

Three carriages were parked side by side. Although their number was a bit smaller than those around them, the luxuriousness of the carriages was still there, and in the eyes of the onlookers, they exuded a formidable presence. But, only the Qing Family knew that ever since their old ancestor died, their situation had worsened with every year. Those people that used to warmly welcome them now only gave them a light greeting before turning around and doing other things. With the Qing Family members assembled together, they seemed to be gathered by an invisible net of social status, isolated from the circle of top families in the capital city.

Madame Qing tightly gripped her husband's hand and maintained her graceful appearance, allowing him to feel a bit better. Even so, he kept his eyes lowered.

Qingqing stood to the side, seemingly not having yet sensed her family's troubles. She stood on her tiptoes, aimlessly looking for something.

Madame Qing's eyes flashed. She softly said, "Qingqing, is Leon also coming?"

Qingqing blushed. She looked up at her father and nodded, "Yes, he said that Mister Ning would bring him along today."

The Qing Family Patriarch coldly snorted. "Qingqing, you are already a young woman. You should handle your affairs with a bit more discretion. Don't be so close to those you shouldn't be near."

Madame Qing pulled her husband back. "That's enough. You know that Qingqing has grown up. She can make her own decisions and it's always good for her to make more friends." As she spoke, she patted her daughter, "I think I saw the carriages of Sea Spirit Pavilion entering. I know you are bored here, so why don't you go and look for Leon. Remember to return before the competition ends."

Qingqing cheerfully cried out in joy. Then, giving her father a dissatisfied glance, she turned and ran away.

The Qing Family Patriarch frowned. "Wife, how can you allow your daughter's temper to continue like this? Not just anyone can be my Qing Family's son in law."

Madame Qing smiled and patted his hand. "You can think of it like this instead. Leon is Mister Ning's disciple, and if he was brought to this event today, it is clear that he is held in high regard. During this grand competition, there are many people looking forwards to Mister Ning's performance. If he can pass through the dragon gate then in the future Leon might have a different status from what he is today."

The Qing Family Patriarch's expression changed. "Do you believe that Mister Ning has such a possibility?"

Madame Qing shook her head. "I'm just a little woman, so how could I understand these things? I just think that Mister Ning has a chance, so why don't we step back and watch for a while. If he does succeed, then Qingqing being together with Leon will be the same as our Qing Family having a powerful ally outside Noble Court Avenue."

Sea Spirit Pavilion's nine carriages drove into the square and moved into a neat formation. The organizing staff was already respectfully waiting for them and helping them park.

Leon was the first to leap down from the carriages. He swept his eyes around and was immediately shocked – there were so many people! It was true that there were many people in the capital city but he couldn't recall a time where so many of them had gathered in the same place. Even though he rode in the very last carriage, those sitting within were also high level sea spirit teachers. As these people stepped down from the carriage they began to identify themselves and chat amongst themselves. Leon scratched his head, a bit awkward and confused for the moment.

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Chapter 140 – Compete for the Sea Spirit

"Leon!"

Hearing this voice, Leon's face lit up with joy. He looked up to see a young sea race girl running towards him, a happy smile on her face.

"Qingqing, how come you're here?"

"Humph! Are you saying I can't come? Think about it yourself. Ever since you became Mister Ning's disciple, how many times have you met up with me? Fine, if you don't want to see me then I'll just leave and consider it over with!"

Leon quickly reached out to hold her back. He sputtered out many words of praise and only then was Miss Qingqing 'barely willing' to stay behind. Still, she couldn't help but smile a little.

The two of them were together, quietly chatting in whispers. At this time, a loud bell rang throughout Prosperity Square. Following the source of the sound, one could see that it had been caused by a dark mottled bell hanging at the entrance to the royal palace.

No one knew what sort of treasure the bell was or when it had been hung there. It seemed as if it had always been there for as long as the capital city had existed.

The sounds of the bell flooded out, deep and resonant. The entire capital city could clearly hear this; it represented that the finals were about to begin and the sea spirit teacher contestants were about to appear.

The doors of carriages opened up. Chief Manager Wu stepped out first, followed by Qin Yu. Then, a number of sea spirit teachers of other branch divisions came out from the other carriages who were also participating in the finals. Counting Qin Yu, there was a total of 11 people.

Out of 170 spots, Sea Spirit Pavilion had seized ten of them. From this it could be seen just how incredibly strong they were. Amongst them were many sea spirit teachers who had participated in the competition before, and because of their own snooty sense of seniority, they didn't have any good impressions of Qin Yu. If it was true that you could enter the finals based upon your own abilities, why did you need a spot given to you? Each one of them walked to the center of the square, giving a small nod of acknowledgement towards Chief Manager Wu. As for Qin Yu, they ignored him.

Raucous and deafening shouts came hurtling in from all directions. The festive atmosphere left one's heart racing and their minds thrilled.

Qin Yu looked around. His gaze fell on Leon and Qingqing. After a moment of thought, he smiled and beckoned them over.

Leon trotted over. Qingqing hesitated for a moment and followed behind.

"Leon, this is Miss Qingqing?"

Qingqing bowed. "Greetings, Mister Ning."

Qin Yu smiled and nodded. He flipped his hand, producing a pair of Seasky Wings. This was a treasure that originated from a sea monster that lived in the lowest depths of the sea, places that were difficult to survive in. This sort of creature was born with low intelligence and it was extremely difficult for them to undergo metamorphosis and transform into an adult. But once they did, they could be hunted down and their wings could be refined into a powerful treasure like these Seasky Wings.

This was the last resort that Grandmaster Goldrune had taken out in order to settle his debt. It was said that he had helplessly taken it out, and when he did it he had fainted once more. Because of that, people gave him the new nickname of the Fainting Grandmaster.

"You are Leon's friend and can be considered my junior. Consider this a first meeting gift and accept it."

Qingqing's mouth fell open a little. As she looked at the palm-sized wings sparkling with a halo of light, she found that she really did like it. But, she knew it was too precious so she shook her head again and again. "Grandmaster Ning, this is far too precious. I cannot accept it."

Qin Yu passed it to Leon. "How can I possibly take back the things I gift away? Find a way to have Miss Qingqing accept it, otherwise you will not be forgiven."

He turned and left.

Although the Seasky Wings possessed strong defensive properties, only the sea races were capable of utilizing it. Moreover, no one would ever sell such a rare treasure unless they were forced to. Qin Yu figured that he might as well gift it away and consider it as helping this brat Leon a little. After all, Leon was his very first apprentice and he couldn't allow him to lose face in front of the Qing Family.

Chief Manager Wu wryly smiled. Just what was he thinking of right now that he still had the mind to help push his apprentice's relationship along? But as Chief Manager Wu thought about it some more, he relaxed. If Qin Yu was in such a casual mood, then this was definite proof of his confidence.

Leon lifted the Seasky Wings, his face shaking with excitement. He could approximately guess why his teacher had done this and was even more grateful.

Qingqing quietly said, "Is it really a gift for me?"

Leon hesitated for a bit and nodded. "Teacher would never go back on what he says. If you really don't want it then I will find a way to return it."

Qingqing grabbed it in her hands. She stroked it, liking it more and more. "Well, at least let me have a look first. So this is what the so-called most beautiful magic tool is like."

Looking at her ecstatic expression, Leon's smile became blinding.

In the distance, the Qing Family Patriarch's lips twitched. "Seasky Wings? Am I seeing things?"

Madame Qing nodded. "You aren't."

The Qing Family Patriarch gnashed his teeth as if he had a toothache. "This Mister Ning is really quite generous. Even I haven't been so good to my daughter."

Madame Qing widened her eyes at him. "We cannot accept this gift!"

The Qing Family Patriarch smiled. "It is disrespectful behavior to publicly reject the gift of a high level spirit teacher. We can accept it first, and...well, it won't be too late to return it in the future."

Madame Qing thought for a moment and found that this was the best way to not affect her daughter's reputation. She nodded and didn't speak much more.

"To all respected sea spirit teachers, you have all been given a number representing your identity. In a while, we will randomly assign locations, and please enter your assigned area according to the result."

A sound echoed through the square. The ground gently shivered as a pure white altar rose up from its depths. It was cut from jade and decorated with countless images and diagrams, full of thousands and millions of sea monsters. From outside and inside the square, countless sea race members fell to their knees, prostrating themselves before this altar. This was an altar to the sea spirits, and in the legends it was said to be able to communicate with them.

A sea race priest flew up to the altar. His feet were bare and he had a deeply pious and incomparably devoted look on his face. With a flick of his sleeves, 20 sea spirits appeared on the altar trays. As he flew back, there was a humming sound as each sea spirit tray rose up and hung above the altar.

Shua –

Shua –

Beams of light shot out from the altar, falling onto the void. The numerous beams formed air bubbles, each one with runes that flowed on their surface.

If one possessed the abilities to enter the finals, then besides the most outstanding individuals who had passed through layers of tests, there were also the candidates recommended from various influences. Each one of them was a master and there was no need to test their foundation.

Thus, the overall process of the finals could be called simple and even quite crude. There were 20 trays floating above the altar. Whoever could grab a tray would be able to attempt to open it. There was a time limit of a day, and if one failed, then the tray would automatically fly back to the altar where the other sea spirit teachers could attempt to snatch it. Of course, 'grabbing' the trays didn't mean to fight and slaughter each other, but was a contest of soul force.

"To all respected sea spirit teachers, the competition begins now!"

As the voice fell, there was the sound of splitting air. If one could become a high level sea spirit teacher, that meant the strength of their soul had to be at least at the Golden Core realm. Thus, high level sea spirit teachers didn't possess a low cultivation.

The black-robed figure immediately locked onto the number in his hands. 67!

Shua –

Qin Yu stepped forth, his movements as fast as lightning as he left a series of afterimages in his wake. There was a series of cries from all around the square. It was clear that many people had noticed his astonishing speed. In the aftermath, the eyes of several sea spirit teachers changed and filled with fear.

To expose his strength – this was one of the small tips that Old Sea had given him a few days ago. It would cause his competitors to fear him so that they wouldn't dare to fight against him. And, now it seemed that Old Sea had been correct; the effect was quite good.

As he touched the air bubble, water flowed around him, allowing him to freely enter. The runes on the air bubble began to sparkle, shining with a brilliant light that shined down upon the snow-white altar where it was reflected, lighting up the entire area.

Qin Yu suddenly frowned. With a cold snort, his powerful divine sense howled out, piercing through the divine sense that raced towards his left side and ruthlessly crashing into it. There was a faint buzz in Qin Yu's ears. With how powerful his soul had grown recently, the impact still left his eyebrows arching up a little, followed by a slight tenseness. It could be seen from this just how powerful his opponent had been.

Someone coughed out in pain. It was clear that the person who tried to sneak attack him had suffered a loss in that collision of divine senses. Qin Yu took a deep breath and quickly stabilized his soul. Without further delay, his divine sense rushed out once more, turning into a giant invisible hand that grasped out towards the trays on the altar.

Currently, there were over a hundred divine senses interweaving all around the area of the altar. If one entered within they would feel oppression from all sides. If one's divine sense was a bit weak then they would be blown back before they could even hope to approach a tray.

Now and then, a pained cry would ring out, indicating that someone suffered disaster. When one's soul had been damaged too much, the air bubble wrapping around them would contract and isolate the sea spirit teacher to protect them. Of course, this was no different from losing the competition.

Qin Yu's divine sense had been hardened to an incredible degree. He forcefully pushed open a channel and locked onto a tray. The sea spirit on this tray was a purple flower with a jade-like appearance and lights that danced on its surface. Before he had arrived, two other formidable divine senses had chased off the other divine senses and were now engaged in an intense competition for control over the tray. The tray trembled, sometimes moving left, sometimes moving right. It was obvious that the two sea spirit teachers were evenly matched and neither one could take the advantage any time soon.

The arrival of Qin Yu's divine sense instantly drew the attention of the two sea spirit teachers.

"Out of the way!"

This was a roar of divine sense. It shook through the soul, and those that were weak would be directly shaken and wounded. Without a word, his divine sense swept out like a wave, forming a fist that smashed and thundered into the minds of the other two sea spirit teachers.

Bang –

His body shook a bit. As for the other divine sense, it burst apart like a piece of ice.

"Ahh!" A miserable cry sounded out from nearby. It was clear that this other sea spirit teacher wasn't too far away.

The other divine sense clearly didn't expect that Qin Yu would be so fierce. After a brief hesitation, they quickly retreated. He had seen what happened to his original opponent and didn't think he could fight against Qin Yu. If he retreated now, there would be more chances for him, and if he were to be seriously injured here, the finals would essentially be over for him.

Hu –

Boundless divine sense swept out, wrapping around the tray and rapidly pulling it back.

Chief Manager Wu smiled. Mister Ning had been buying soul strengthening treasures all this time, so it wasn't a surprise that his soul was extremely strong. Without an accident, he would soon be able to seize the tray.

As long as the tray reached his hands, then with Mister Ning's strength he could easily win.

But at this time, Chief Manager Wu could clearly see Mister Ning frown. The flying tray suddenly came to a stop as it swung above the altar. Chief Manager Wu's heart skipped a bit and he rose up in alert. As time passed and Mister Ning was unable to defeat his opponent, a gloomy expression started to appear on his face.

In competing for a tray, the most dreadful opponent was the type of sea spirit teacher who stood by the side and recklessly moved to grab onto a tray. They waited for an opening, causing the situation to become chaotic and dangerous. If someone were careless and if their soul wasn't strong enough, there was the chance that their attempt would fail or they would even be pushed away.

Leon gripped his fists, his face full of worry. What he worried over was his teacher's true identity. If Qin Yu were exposed in the competition, a great deal of trouble would soon follow behind.

Chief Manager Wu could sense Leon's anxiousness and his heart shrank. A foreboding feeling swelled up within him. Could Leon know something?

Mister Ning was recklessly purchasing soul treasures. These could be used to strengthen the soul, but there was also a chance that they could be used to...heal from a wound!

As soon as this thought appeared, Chief Manager Wu paled!

He had researched all the contestants in the competition. Out of the 11 people brought here by Sea Spirit Pavilion, only Mister Ning had a chance of taking first place and earning the qualifications to become a Purple Card challenger. If he failed, Old Sea would be in danger!

But with things having come this far, it was useless to be surprised or angry. He could only hope that his assumption was correct and that Mister Ning would be able to turn the tide.

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Chapter 141 – Sequentially Wasting Two People

Chief Manager Wu was overthinking the situation, but the reality was that Qin Yu was indeed in a very difficult position. As he struggled against someone else's divine sense, his complexion began to darken.

When he first reached the edge of the altar, a powerhouse had tried to sneak attack him. He hadn't thought too much about this, because this was something that Old Sea had told him about ahead of time. There were those that would try to suppress their competitors and although this was a relatively small number, it occurred in every competition and didn't count as violating the rules.

This was a competition for sea spirits, and since it was a competition, everyone was willing to go to the extreme. All that mattered was the result, not the process.

But now, as his divine sense was wrapped around the tray and he was pulling it close to him, two beams of divine sense leapt out at him, leaving him puzzled. Out of these two divine senses, he was a little bit familiar with one; it was the person who had sneak attacked him at the start. As for the other one, although it was a bit weak, it carried with it an extreme yin chill; it seemed that person cultivated some mysterious technique. As their divine senses collided it caused some hindrance to his own; this was a tricky situation.

If these two people had joined forces to wrest away the tray, then he wouldn't care much about it. But, these two people completely disregarded the tray and focused on attacking his divine sense, as if their sole purpose was to bring him down.

If it wasn't for Qin Yu's soul being as powerful as it was, it would have already been heavily damaged beneath the attacks of these two people and he would have had no choice but to withdraw from the competition.

Qin Yu's thoughts raced. He first thought of Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire. These two mighty sea spirit influences had suffered great losses because of him, so retaliation could explain this situation. But as he recalled how Old Sea had been ambushed by others, it didn't take him much longer to guess what happened.

Some people must have thought he would get in their way so they wanted to eliminate him ahead of time!

Qin Yu's eyes flashed with a cold light. The divine sense that wrapped around the tray suddenly scattered. The other competing sea spirit teachers were overjoyed. They thought that Qin Yu had been tired out and had no choice but to drop it, so each one of them sent threads of divine sense to quickly wrap around it.

In the blink of an eye, seven or eight rays of divine sense collided, twisting together and shakily pulling away the tray. For a time, no one could take the upper hand and seize it, but there was a tacit understanding that they would bring it as far away from Qin Yu as possible.

The two attacking divine senses paused for a moment as if they never thought that Qin Yu would just give up on the tray like this. In the next moment a cold chill began to rise up.

The altar trays were special treasures. They could resist the pressure from powerful divine senses without damaging the sea spirit within, and dragging them around consumed a great deal of energy.

In addition with the other sea spirit teachers who had taken the opening to struggle with him, Qin Yu was investing too much strength into grappling with it. At this time, letting go of the tray was the same as freeing himself.

Bang –

Boundless divine sense surged out like a tide, ruthlessly racing towards the two attacking divine senses. The previously wounded person was struck first. As the two tyrannical divine senses smashed into each other, there was a low and deep creek in the void, a sound that spread clearly throughout Prosperity Square. Countless sea race members dropped their jaws and sucked in a breath of cold air.

For one's divine sense to shake space, that was a sign of strength possessed only by Nascent Souls – it represented the sublimation of virtual to reality. But now, the collision of two divine senses was able to produce such a result. Could it be that their souls were so strong that they reached the edge of the Nascent Soul realm!?

Countless eyes swerved towards the source of the sound and soon locked onto the two opposing sides. A black-robed figure was standing calm and still, his aura slowly and steadily rising all around him. Not too far away was a skinny old man that was spitting out mouthfuls of blood, his face deathly pale.

This black-robed figure recently had an unrivalled spotlight in the capital city, and almost everyone instantly recognized him – he was the current chief sea spirit teacher of Sea Spirit Pavilion.

They all sighed inwardly. Grandmaster Ning was truly worthy of his fame. If he had such fierce abilities it was also natural for his soul to be incredibly strong. They looked at the vomiting old man with pity, thinking that he deserved this for managing to provoke that person.

As they were sighing for him, they saw the old man's eyes pop open. The old man struggled so hard that the tiny blood vessels in his eyes burst open, instantly turning his eyes bloodshot. This was the sign that he was galvanizing his soul to the extreme. The onlookers were shocked scared. This was only a competition and not a life or death battle, so was there a reason to go all out like this?

The crushed divine sense immediately reformed and rushed towards Qin Yu once more. It ignored Qin Yu's wild barrage and stubbornly hung onto him. At the same time, a chilling divine sense struck out like an icy snake, maliciously stabbing into Qin Yu's divine sense. An extreme icy aura poured in without end; it was actually able to use Qin Yu's divine sense as a tunnel to invade his main body.

Kacha –

Kacha –

A layer of black ice rapidly spread on the surface of the black robe. Even from far away, one could feel the horrifying ice cold aura emanating from it.

Chief Manager Wu angrily shouted, "Murder! This is murder! Open murder! Where are the organizers!? I demand an immediate pause to the competition!" With his eyesight he could see that besides the skinny old man, there was also another sea spirit teacher that was wildly attacking Qin Yu.

This sort of situation would absolutely never appear in a normal competition. As he thought about Old Sea's injuries he could no longer contain his rage and started to wave his arms and roar!

One of the competition staff responsible for maintaining order saw the ruckus and hurried over. They urged this honored guest to calm down, but after being sprayed with a mouthful of spit, they were frightened white and raced to report the situation through a spirit shell.

Outside the field, the audience began to notice what was occurring. Loud boos spread like a tsunami until it swept over the entire square. But, with the competition having come this far, there were already sea spirit teachers that had gone all out and managed to seize a tray. If they were to stop here, there would definitely be those that opposed.

So at this time, the competition committee members began to quarrel with each other and no one could come to a decision to pause the match.

Chief Manager Wu clenched his jaws and stomped over to the committee members. There were thunderous roars and it was clear that a violent conflict had begun.

The scene turned chaotic for a moment.

Qin Yu opened his eyes beneath his black robes. Feeling the cold growing in his soul, his eyes darkened. This was no longer attempting to stop him, but trying to heavily wound him and even kill him. No matter who was pulling the strings behind the scenes, they had now succeeded in angering Qin Yu.

Within his dantian sea, the 16-sided crystal suddenly burst out with blazing light, like a sun rising from the earth. Qin Yu's eyes turned crimson. They weren't bloodshot, but were like tumbling waves of blood, an immense combustion of flames!

"Ahh!"

Not too far away, a young and delicate-looking sea spirit teacher screamed out miserably, his entire face filled with fear.

Hu –

Burning hot flames burst out from his head. These were not true flames but a manifestation of being grilled alive; the killing might behind them was even more horrifying.

The sea spirit teacher was instantly charred red. The air bubble wrapping around him fiercely contracted and extinguished the flames. The committee members responded quickly. Someone immediately ran over to drag him away, but as they touched his body their hands were burnt and they pulled themselves back in pain.

The medical station wasn't too far away. The healer was experienced, but after seeing the sea spirit teacher's burnt appearance, he couldn't help but feel a tingle creep up their scalp. He put on a pair of safety gloves and after a brief inspection, sighed with sympathy. He waved to have the sea spirit teacher lifted away.

No matter how gruesomely injured the mortal body was, as long as one paid a high enough price it could be cured. But, the terrifying damage was the damage to the soul; it was like an eggplant roasted in a fire that had completely withered away. It would be hard to tell whether this person's mind would be intact in the future, much less him still being a sea spirit teacher.

This person had been utterly crippled.

The skinny old man was horrified. He fiercely retracted his divine sense, wanting to separate it from Qin Yu's rampage.

But, it was already too late to retreat.

Boundless divine sense divided into several paths, each one carrying a burning hot heat. They were like several invisible sabers that sliced and crushed the old man's divine sense.

Puff –

The skinny old man spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

The competition staff didn't have a moment to rest. They hurried over to drag the old man away. After the healer inspected him, he found that the old man's situation was a little bit better than the last case, but this person would have to live out the rest of their remaining life suffering the pain of their soul burning away before they died from the agonizing torture.

Thinking about it this way, the young man might be better off in suffering less.

Pa –

Black ice shattered on the black robes. Qin Yu's gaze swerved around, looking down at all others like a tiger sitting atop a hill.

Wherever his eyes turned, people would gulp. The divine senses competing for the tray had all drawn back.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qin Yu pulled the tray until it slowly flew into his hands.

No one dared to compete with him!

The nearby sea spirit teachers cried out in woe. Holy shit, who the hell was this fellow that he would be so ruthless? This was only a competition, so was there a need to completely cripple someone?

From afar, one could hear countless breaths of relief. People were overjoyed that they didn't run into this ruthless man. Damn, this was too depressing. Just like that, two high level sea spirit teachers had been wasted!

Let alone the participating sea spirit teachers, even the onlookers were stunned silly. Everyone that had been booing over Qin Yu being ambushed suddenly shut up as they realized they had been mistaken. With such a ferocious fellow, anyone that tried to provoke him was simply asking to die.

With the tray in hand, the air bubble automatically floated down and delivered Qin Yu to the edge of the altar. But just as he took a few steps, a group of competition staff rushed over in a hurry.

An old turtle man was at the front. Sweat dripped down his face and although he occasionally wiped it with a towel, he still couldn't keep up with how much he was sweating. The originally dignified and regal robes of the competition staff were already pasted to his body and he looked to be in an extremely distressed state.

"Wait, don't go yet!"

A group of sea race people surrounded him.

Qin Yu turned around, his voice cold and low. "What is it?"

The old turtle man's voice caught in his throat. Everyone had seen what had happened just now. Although he had been a bit cruel, his actions were absolutely in self-defense. But, the reality was that the situation was too bad. Throughout all the years that the sea spirit teacher competition had been held, besides the first few chaotic times as well as when it had changed from the capital city, there had never been other times when two high level sea spirit teachers had been crippled. If they didn't issue some sort of punishment now, wouldn't everyone act like that in the future? If that happened, how could they continue holding the competition?

The old turtle man's eyes turned. He said, "Sea spirit teacher, you are suspected of using banned treasures in the competition and causing serious injuries to others. I ask that you momentarily suspend yourself from the competition and come back with us for an investigation."

Before Qin Yu could even respond, a chair came flying through the air and smashing into the old turtle man's head. Luckily, the old turtle man's reflexes were fast enough that his head shrank into his shell, otherwise he absolutely would have been bloodied.

Chief Manager Wu brought the sea spirit teachers of Sea Spirit Pavilion with him as he raced over, shouting curses all the while. "Investigate? Why don't you investigate your face! If you want to investigate go and investigate those two garbage sea spirit teachers and find out who is making them attack Mister Ning!"

Before the exasperated old turtle man could even take his head back out, Chief Manager Wu continued to roar, "Mister Ning is now tired and in poor condition! If your actions cause him to suffer any problems in the following competition, I guarantee that all of you will be done for! Just wait for the summons of my Sea Spirit Pavilion! Believe me, if I don't bankrupt you and make you live out the rest of your lives begging on the ground, I will never give up!"

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Chapter 142 – Oversleep

The old turtle staff member immediately paled and more sweat streamed down his face. "Chief Manager Wu, this is a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. This is our responsibility and we must clearly investigate the incident."

"You do need to investigate. You need to find out just what sort of person would actually have the gall to recklessly attack my Sea Spirit Pavilion's chief sea spirit teacher in plain public sight. Mister Goodra, you need to open your eyes wide and remember just what day it is today. Not only is this a provocation against Sea Spirit Pavilion but this action in itself is the greatest affront to the sea spirits!" Chief Manager Wu scowled. Then, he turned and eyed Qin Yu. "Mister Ning, you only have a day to treat this sea spirit, so please don't delay yourself any further. Allow me to handle this matter."

Staff member Goodra wanted to say something but was immediately sent scurrying back by a series of loud and angry shouts. "Let's go! I want to find the other committee staff members and ask them to take responsibility for this!"

The pitiful staff member Goodra was dragged away by Chief Manager Wu. He staggered along, and even when he tried to dispute anything he was immediately crushed into pieces by another series of shouts.

20 coral houses were prepared for the sea spirit teachers who had managed to seize one of the trays. Their entrances were guarded by staff members, and as they saw Qin Yu walk over, they glanced at each other with helpless faces.

The icy eyes shining beneath the black robes made their decision for them. The two sea race members drew back in shock, making sure that their heads were lowered. Although they were paid a high wage, it wasn't enough for them to risk their lives.

Qin Yu stepped in. With a flick of his sleeve, the door slammed shut, isolating all aura outside. This sort of coral house was carved from a giant coral base, and because of the unique material quality, it was excellent for array formations. It was able to block out any spying eyes and was specifically prepared to protect the privacy of these high level sea spirit teachers.

Old Sea had told him that these coral houses had been thoroughly inspected before they were brought out for use, so there shouldn't be any problems with them. Still, Qin Yu carefully scanned it with his divine sense. After determining that there weren't any problems, he took out a black stone. This was a special stone called a Silence Stone by the sea races. It could completely block out all sound and senses within a range of 10 feet so that nothing would be leaked.

After finishing this, Qin Yu sat down. He casually laid down the round tray in his hands, took out some pills, swallowed them, and closed his eyes to cultivate.

That was right. The ruthless and brutal Qin Yu who had sequentially wasted two high level sea spirit teachers beneath the gazes of countless people was currently cultivating.

The reason was simple. It was currently daytime and the little blue lamp was sleeping…

At this time, the competition outside was raging on like an inferno. Sea spirits were taken away one after another, and as there were fewer and fewer trays, the competition became increasingly intense. Two hours later, over 20 sea spirit teachers had been forced to withdraw from the competition because they had suffered heavy soul injuries. The sea spirit teachers who managed to seize a tray were too busy to think of resting. They swallowed some pills that mostly served to suppress their injuries and then they vividly buried themselves in their work.

Chief Manager Wu was like a crane amongst chickens. He stood at the end of a round meeting table like a hero battling numerous rivals as he was engaged in a fierce argument with the competition committee members. Even so, he didn't seem to be at any disadvantage at all. Still, the back of his robes was matted with sweat. Though he was sneering and cursing, it could be seen just how great a pressure he had to bear.

The sea spirit teacher competition committee represented an incredible strength, and even with his status it was straining for him to deal with them. Fortunately, it was fact that Qin Yu was acting in self-defense, so even if his methods were a bit violent, it could pass as a reasonable excuse.

In the fiery ruckus, soothing music suddenly rang out from Chief Manager Wu's robes. He reached into his chest, pulling out a spirit shell and placing it near his ear. A look of respect immediately lit up his features.

In unison, the committee members that didn't want to give up on this matter and wanted to make Qin Yu into an example, suddenly lowered their voices. With Chief Manager Wu's status, if someone could make him have such an appearance, then it might only be that noble lady in Sega City who left the capital 70 years ago.

"Yes, I understand, I was just explaining the situation to the committee members. Yes, of course, please wait a moment." Chief Manager Wu looked up. "Chairman Xu, my family's mistress would like to speak with you."

Chairman Xu's eyebrows leapt up. He calmly received the spirit shell and then took several steps away. As he spoke with the most honored and noble lady in the sea region, his voice was quiet and low. There were some occasional chuckles and it was clear they were having a good talk.

After a moment, the conversation ended and he passed back the spirit shell. Chairman Xu returned to his seat and said, "Everyone, we are currently in the finals and in order to guarantee that the competition remains fair, how about we temporarily put this matter to the side and discuss the investigation again once everything has ended?"

Many committee members cursed inwardly. Once the competition ended the committee would also disband, so how could there be an investigation? They glanced at each other with helpless looks. And just as they expected, soon afterwards a number of neutral committee members expressed their support for Chairman Xu. The ones who had previously spoken against Qin Yu fell silent.

Seeing that nothing could be done, several committee members grimaced and lowered their heads, not saying a word.

Chief Manager Wu silently praised his mistress in his heart. Although she hadn't been in the capital city for many years, her prestige and fame still remained. With a mere spirit shell call, the entire situation had turned around. He cupped his hands together and coldly bid his farewells. His face darkened and he barked out orders, causing some Sea Spirit Pavilion cultivators to hurry away.

Even his mistress had been alarmed and had no choice but to intervene herself. It seemed that the one who planned all of this was a considerably strong character. If so, then it was obvious that their goal was a Purple Card sea spirit teacher. Only such a great harvest could drive such a powerful character to become enemies with Sea Spirit Pavilion.

He looked towards the coral house that Qin Yu was in and took a deep breath. Right now, he could only place all his hopes in Mister Ning. If he won, then this matter could be slowly investigated. But if he failed and Old Sea lost his position, that would set off a cascade reaction that would truly make things troublesome.

Time slowly passed. The first sea spirit teacher to cure their sea spirit emerged from their coral house after nearly six hours, taking away the first spot to enter the next round.

Afterwards, every now and then, another sea spirit teacher would appear. If they came out early, that meant they already succeeded. As for the others, they were still hard at work.

Qin Yu wasn't amongst these people.

Not only did this shock Chief Manager Wu, but it even went beyond the expectations of most people.

The special edition Supreme Book had caused Grandmaster Ning's reputation to reach far and wide. There were even those fans of his who said that he was the number one sea spirit teacher beneath the Purple Cards.

But now, six of the 20 available spots had been taken and the so-called number one beneath the Purple Cards had yet to make his appearance. It seemed he had encountered some problems during the treatment, or perhaps...during his fight where he crippled the two high level sea spirit teachers, he had been injured in the battle.

There were more people inclined to believe the latter reasoning.

After all, killing two sea pigs would require a considerable effort, much less two high level sea spirit teachers with formidable souls. Amongst the humans, there was an old saying that striking the enemy 1000 times would make one suffer 800 times also. It seemed there was some truth behind this.

Chief Manager Wu's complexion darkened. The temperature around him began to chill, so cold that ice seemed to form around his body. The entire group from Sea Spirit Pavilion quieted down.

Qingqing watched anxiously. While she tried not to overthink the situation, she knew the relationship between Grandmister Ning and Leon, and knew that Leon would rise or fall with his teacher. If Grandmaster Ning became a Purple Card then her mother wouldn't meddle in her relationship with Leon, and in fact would actively encourage her. But if this didn't happen, the opposite might occur. While she was young and na?ve, that didn't mean she was stupid; she was well aware of the consequences.

Her eyes swerved to the side…

Leon was actually completely relaxed!

Having known him for so long there was no way she would be wrong. Right now he was daydreaming, and a very deep dream at that. His eyes were glossed over and his mouth hung open a little, occasionally moving as he spoke to himself.

Qingqing instantly sucked in a deep breath. She lifted her leg and mercilessly stamped down on his foot!

Leon leapt up into the air, howling as he grabbed his foot. He looked completely aggrieved. He had no idea how he had offended this young lady that she had actually stamped his foot.

In the quiet environment, this shout was particularly clear and loud. Everyone from Sea Spirit Pavilion instantly looked over. As they saw a young man and woman seeming to have a little quarrel, they couldn't help but twitch their lips.

Qingqing's face flushed red. She lowered her head in embarrassment. Still, she couldn't help but give Leon one ruthless glare, blaming this blockhead for causing her to lose face.

Chief Manager Wu had an ugly complexion. As Mister Ning's disciple and at such a critical time, not only did he seem utterly indifferent but he even had the mindset to play around; it was just ridiculous. He wanted to speak up and scold the young man but he suddenly had a change of mind. He softened his voice and said, "Leon, Mister Ning still hasn't come out. Aren't you worried?"

Qingqing's heart tightened. She looked up at him.

Leon had a blank look. He looked at a nearby coral as it turned murky blue and quietly said, "So it's almost been a full day. No wonder I felt so tired…"

Qingqing clenched her teeth as she saw Chief Manager Wu's ill expression. "If Mister Ning doesn't come out soon, he will fail."

Leon scratched his head. "It shouldn't be like that. With teacher's strength, it should be easy for him to deal with this competition." He glanced towards the coral house. "Chief manager, how about sending someone to knock on the door? Perhaps teacher has overslept."

Overslept…

Was this fellow really Mister Ning's disciple!?

After not seeing him for a short period of time, when did he start to tease people!

Chief Manager Wu gnashed his teeth. As more time passed, he couldn't help it anymore. He stamped his feet and moved towards the coral house. In any case, the time limit was almost up and even if Mister Ning was defeated, he still wanted to know what the problem had been.

The two staff guarding the entrance paled as they saw Chief Manager Wu approached. They hesitated, not daring to stop him. They had seen how Mister Goodra had been beaten up black and blue, and if this man had the guts to punch a committee member, there was no need to mention mere workers like themselves. And besides, to mess with this man was to mess with the entirety of Sea Spirit Pavilion; they decided to just follow him along.

Standing in front of the door, Chief Manager Wu took a deep breath. Then, he loudly knocked!

In truth, Qin Yu was quite famous right now. He was the most honored sea spirit teacher of Sea Spirit Pavilion's capital city branch division, the person for which a special edition Supreme Book had been exclusively made, and even someone who possessed such a strong soul that he was able to demolish two high level sea spirit teachers in a contest of strength. Thus, more and more eyes turned his way as the time passed. Everyone wondered – how could such a fierce and tyrannical figure inexplicably lose like this?

As Chief Manager Wu knocked on the door, this curiosity had reached the peak. Almost the entire audience of people was watching him, waiting to see what happened next.

But there was no response. Could he have fainted?

Just as Chief Manager Wu lifted his hand to knock once more, there was a light swishing sound as the coral door opened from within. A black-robed figure appeared. He stretched his waist, seeming to yawn. "Chief manager, what a coincidence; you knocked at almost the exact time that I set my alarm for." As Qin Yu spoke, he lifted a shell in his hand, one that was called a Time Shell.

This sort of shell formed a natural alarm clock after pouring a bit of magic power within. Once it used up its magic power, it would emit a loud sound. One could control the time delay through the amount of magic power they inserted.

At this time, everyone watching was left completely dazed.

Even someone as smart and calm as Chief Manager Wu dropped his jaw. He stuttered, "Mister Ning, you…you were really sleeping…"

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Chapter 143 – Dangerous

Qin Yu nodded as if it were a matter-of-course. "I only needed a moment to complete the treatment. It was too boring so I decided to take this chance and have a little nap. You should remember that I was ambushed by others just now. I did suffer a minor injury, so I decided I might as well use this time to restore myself."

Of course, this was all a lie. The reason he hadn't appeared until now was because he had to wait until night arrived before the little blue lamp was able to be of use. Back at Sea Spirit Pavilion, Leon had once asked him the same question on behalf of customers who urgently needed their sea spirits treated and were left worrying through the day, and Qin Yu had used this response. Now, he was conveniently using it once more.

Leon brightened up as if he knew all this time. He happily said, "I told everyone that teacher must have overslept. I always urge teacher to rest more and earlier so that he doesn't tire himself out."

The surrounding Sea Spirit Pavilion cultivators all had strange expressions twisting their faces. Young fellow, is this really the point that you should be focusing on? Why did all of them feel an urge to punch this boy in the face all of a sudden? What, did someone think they were envious? Haha! They weren't, they weren't envious at all! Of course they weren't? Hah, hah…but why did their hearts hurt so much!

Grandmaster Ning, how come you don't look at us? Whether it is in status or intelligence, we completely crush this boy Leon!

Chief Manager Wu was someone who had survived numerous storms in his life. With his great will and control, he slowly lifted his dropped jaw. After a brief daze, he got back to business. "Ah, that's right, it's about time. Mister Ning, how about we hand over the sea spirit first?"

Qin Yu rubbed his forehead. "I'm still a bit groggy from sleeping. How about you ask the committee staff to come over?"

The reality was that they had already arrived, it was just that they were hesitating in approaching. One of these people had crippled two high level sea spirit teachers and the other had beaten up committee member Goodra and cursed him in front of everyone. Both of these fellows were violent and fierce, so who knew whether they would start punching if the result wasn't good? Approaching too soon was just far too dangerous.

Seeing a smiling Chief Manager Wu beckon him, the staff member whined inwardly. He hurriedly walked over, "Congratulations, it seems that Grandmaster Ning has successfully completed the treatment."

Chief Manager Wu said with restraint, "The sea spirit is here. I'll have to trouble you all too inspect it."

"Of course, of course." The staff member waved his hand and people immediately received the sea spirit. They placed it on a square jade plate. Countless tiny runes started to shine on its surface, covering the tray and sea spirit in a dim halo of light.

In one of the previous competitions there had been a sea spirit teacher who had used special forbidden medicines to make the sea spirit glow with vitality and cover up any flaws. He had moved onto the next round and achieved decent results. When the truth came out, a storm was set off. Even though the sea spirit teacher involved was heavily punished, he continued proclaiming his innocence and saying he was framed. As a result, the competition committee of that year was only able to passively react and there were even sea spirit teachers who began to call into question the fairness of the competition.

In order to prevent something similar from ever happening again, the competition committee had this custom examination treasure specifically made for this event; it could accurately sense the composition of medicines. While there hadn't been any sea spirit teachers that had tried to cheat this way in the last few hundred years, it was still preserved as a tradition.

The square jade plate glowed with a gentle light, without any fluctuations. The staff member smiled and said, "There aren't any problems. Chief manager, you may bring Grandmaster Ning to rest."

After the staff member left, Chief Manager Wu bitterly smiled. He quietly said, "Mister Ning, you really gave me a fright this time. Please don't do this to me again in the future."

Qin Yu nodded, not speaking much. While using the excuse of sleeping was convenient, it seemed to be a bit over-the-line for this situation. And sure enough, as he looked around he could see strange glances directed at him, as well as looks of…awe.

One of the Sea Spirit Pavilion sea spirit teachers that participated in the match suddenly trembled, his beard shaking like a tree in a storm. It looked as if he would fall on his back at any moment. Before this, he had been one of the more obvious and rude people who wouldn't deign to spare Qin Yu a glance. This old fellow's strength was decent enough, but his luck was too poor. He ran into a powerful enemy while he competed for a sea spirit and after several back and forths, was severely wounded and had no choice but to withdraw from the competition.

At this time, as he saw Qin Yu walking over, his face paled. He swayed back and forth, pretending as if he had fainted in the chaos. Luckily, someone rushed over and brought him away for treatment. There was just nothing else he could do. He couldn't afford to offend Qin Yu and he was too ashamed to go over and allow himself to be mocked. He might as well pretend to faint so that he could temporarily avoid the limelight.

Chief Manager Wu walked along, all smiles. His gestures revealed his confidence and joy. But, just after he boarded the carriage with Qin Yu and the door closed behind them, his face darkened and he said, "Grandmaster Ning, are you really not injured?"

Qin Yu shook his head. "I'm fine." His eyes flashed. "It seems that chief manager already knows what is happening."

Chief Manager Wu coldly said, "I'm not blind. It looks like someone is eyeing Old Sea's Purple Card position. What gall!"

Qin Yu remained calm. This wasn't too hard an assumption to make. He said, "Perhaps you might be able to find something out from those two sea spirit teachers."

Chief Manager Wu nodded. "I've already sent people. There is also the competition committee…hehe, if it weren't for some deliberate inside arrangement, how could those two people have possibly been lucky enough to be positioned right next to Mister Ning? When I was shouting at them just then, I looked around and locked down a probable target, and I've also sent some people to investigate him."

Qin Yu furrowed his eyebrows together. "Will there be any problems from injuring others? And, what about the sea spirit that was handed back to the staff?"

Chief Manager Wu coldly sneered. "It's been dealt with. No one will bring up this matter again until the competition is over, and by the time the competition is over, the committee will be useless. If they want to continue any investigation then they need to pass through the doors of my Sea Spirit Pavilion first! As for the sea spirit, I have already left behind a mark on it. I believe they won't do anything to it, otherwise the reputation of the committee will be completely ruined."

He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Mister Ning, I won't hide this from you. The one eyeing Old Sea's position is likely to be a powerful figure. When I mentioned that the matter of injuring those two had been dealt with, that was because my mistress personally called in from Sega City, otherwise this definitely would have become an issue."

"Is chief manager saying that I am now in a dangerous position?"

"Yes!" Chief Manager Wu stoically said. "In order for this other party to arrange all of this, who knows just how much time and effort they must have spent. Old Sea has fallen for their trap, now you are the only barrier left in their way. If I was in their position, I would not allow my plans to fail like this. I would decide to remove you from the equation."

Qin Yu lightly said, "Since chief manager is being so open and honest with me, there must be some methods you have so I can feel peace of mind."

Chief Manager Wu's eyes brightened. "That's right. I ask Mister Ning to rest assured. I guarantee upon my name that no matter who this other party is, they can give up any ideas of harming you." His eyes hardened. "Many people are curious just what background my Sea Spirit Pavilion has that we can develop to this scale in a mere hundred years. But, they will soon find out."

A day passed. Out of the 20 sea spirits, seven had been cured. Eventually, 13 sea spirit teachers wearily left their coral houses and handed over their sea spirits.

They were placed back on the altar. The second round of fierce competition began.

In this round, six sea spirits were healed.

The third round was incomparably brutal. Nearly every several breaths of time there was a sea spirit teacher that would spit out blood. The air bubble protecting them would retract around them, forcing them out of the battle.

Finally, almost half of the remaining sea spirit teachers were wounded and the seven sea spirits were brought into coral houses.

In normal times, after three rounds of competition, the 20 people headed to the next round should have been decided. But perhaps because some sea spirit teachers were too heavily wounded or perhaps they had used up too much of their soul force – no matter what the reason was – by the time the third day ended, there were still some sea spirits placed back on the altar.

The reason that the success rate was higher in normal times was because normally speaking, after the 20 sea spirits were taken away and treated, the ones that failed would sell the information related to their sea spirits in the upper circles. As long as one was willing to pay a certain price they could obtain information about the sea spirit they wanted to treat, and thus the success rate of treatment was usually higher after every round.

There were still failures in the third round. This might have been because some sea spirit teachers didn't manage to buy the information they needed, or perhaps it was because of something else.

The fourth round began.

Even with Qin Yu's standard, he was still shocked by how ruthless this round was. He thought he was lucky to have been brutal enough to obtain a spot in the first round, otherwise if he were to end up in the fourth round, even he didn't have full faith he could emerge unscathed.

A sea spirit teacher had an overjoyed expression. Just as he was about to obtain the last sea spirit, his body suddenly tensed up and his eyeballs popped out of his head. He spat a mouthful of blood and fainted to the floor. In that instant he had withstood the wild barrage of over a dozen divine senses. In the crazy onslaught, he was already lucky enough to be able to save his own life.

And this was only an ordinary sight in the brutal battlefield.

High level sea spirit teachers were wounded one after another and were forced to leave. The remaining ones had blood red eyes boiling over with rage. Slowly, the scene began to spiral out of control, leaving the committee staff sweating in panic. If there were severe injuries and casualties, then the next great sea spirit teacher competition would be affected; it might even be cancelled by His Majesty.

At this time, the committee staff quickly responded and offered a solution.

The final sea spirit would be obtained by whoever had the strongest and purest soul force. After debating over it for some time, the panting sea spirit teachers accepted this proposal.

The committee staff urgently borrowed a soul testing treasure from the royal palace and brought it to the square. The remaining sea spirit teachers that could still move all struggled back to test their ability. Even the old sea spirit teacher from Sea Spirit Pavilion that had 'fainted' upon seeing Qin Yu suddenly rose up and ran over upon hearing the announcement. As he leapt up from his bed, several caretakers couldn't help but stare at him with disgusted looks.

In the end, the one who won was a cowardly sea spirit teacher who thought he lacked strength and so hadn't competed in the brutal fourth round. He managed to win by the tiniest sliver, and looking at his smile that reached his eyes, it could be seen that he was shocked senseless by his victory.

The committee staff had already made an emergency change in the rules. If a fifth round were to occur, then the situation would really spin out of control. This was especially true because they had been forced to borrow a special soul testing treasure and had received a harshly worded reprimand from His Majesty.

Thus, the clearly weak and ordinary sea spirit teacher only used half a day to 'cure' the last sea spirit. After careful inspection, the committee staff announced that there weren't any problems with it. As for whether or not there really was a problem, only they knew.

There was a sea spirit teacher who was upset enough that he raised an objection. He had been placed in second during the soul test and had just barely been eliminated. However, what happened was that he was pronounced as trying to sabotage the competition by the committee staff and forcefully expelled, and also banned from competing for the next 30 years. After that, everything calmed down.

At this point, the 20 people advancing to the next round were announced.

Chairman Xu spoke up, his voice echoing through the square. "Right now, we will have the altar make a final judgment upon the 20 sea spirits. The top two competitors will face off against each other to determine just who has the qualifications to challenge for the Purple Card."

Hum –

The white jade altar erupted with light.

The 20 trays were all summoned forth, instantly flying from the hands of the committee staff and soaring towards the altar.

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Chapter 144 – Black Riders

The altar was the same as the bell that hung outside the royal palace. Both were artifacts dating back to ancient times and both had unimaginable uses. For instance, the altar was able to reflect the quality of spirits. The 20 sea spirits that were chosen for the competition were carefully selected; they were all of the same rank and the difficulty of treating them was also the same.

When the 20 trays entered the range of the altar, they all simultaneously began to emit a pale light, just like the altar itself. This proved that the 20 sea spirits had already been restored to normalcy. As time passed, the light that the trays emitted also began to change.

Several trays began to glow with an increasingly rich color. The white light burned away to slowly reveal a deep blue. This proved that for these several trays, the quality of sea spirit had surpassed the normal level and were now considered excellent.

A formidable sea spirit teacher could not only treat the wounds and sicknesses of sea spirits, but also help them increase their strength. Of course, only a small portion of sea spirit teachers could accomplish this and they were considered amongst the peak existences of sea spirit teachers.

There were differences in how deep the blue lights were, and in normal situations, the final two contestants would be chosen from these sea spirits. But at this time, countless sea race members cried out in alarm.

Counting both inside and outside of Prosperity Square, there were almost a million sea race citizens gathered. As they cried out together, their collective gasps were like a billowing clap of thunder that reverberated through the world.

Beneath the gaze of countless shocked eyes, a touch of purple suddenly appeared on one of the extremely deep blue trays. It was like a drop of purple ink that fell into water and rapidly dispersed outwards. This purple light was incredibly faint and pale amongst the deep blue, but even so, it was noble and extraordinary, as high and lofty as the clouds overlooking the earth.

This was because this color represented an entirely different level!

The sea races revered the color purple. This purple light indicated that not only did the sea spirit increase in strength, but it had made a qualitative breakthrough.

A change in quality represented a change in its essential nature.

With a sublimation in nature, that represented a whole new leap in quality.

This sea spirit had exceeded its original level, surpassing all the other as it reached all new heights.

The sea spirit teacher competition had been held many times before, but there were actually very few times when this color purple would appear. And from those several times, the overwhelming majority of those sea spirit teachers had gone on to defeat the Purple Card sea spirit teachers they chose, becoming new legends in their own right!

In other words, the one who cured this sea spirit had an extremely high chance of becoming a new Purple Card!

Countless eyes gathered towards a corner of Prosperity Square. There were seven or eight carriages stopped there, and those carriages were now swamped with people. Each one of those people was a high ranking individual of the capital city and they were now praising and congratulating freely, all of them with looks of awe and respect.

A Purple Card did not even have to bow upon entering the royal palace. They were genuinely great existences of the sea region, powerful masters that stood high above all others.

The Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing pushed into the crowd, wanting to join in on the inner circles that were offering their congratulations. But, before they could approach, the cold eyes that landed on them made them stop in their tracks.

The Qing Family Patriarch revealed a look of anger, but he was held back by Madame Qing. That graceful woman continued to maintain a calm expression with an unassailable smile. They absolutely could not leave because even if they stood here, in the eyes of the commoners they were still one of the top elite families of the capital city.

In the middle carriage, a young man sat down cross-legged. He frowned upon hearing the noise and chaos outside.

A fat old man sat across from him, stroking his beard and smiling. "They are congratulating you. Young Master Jin, you are even more powerful than before. You should definitely be victorious this time."

The young man faintly replied, "I know."

Calm and restrained, this was confidence!

The fat old man smiled, an expectant look in his eyes. Once they successfully passed this round, the plan that their family had prepared for all these years could continue.

But suddenly, an even louder clamor sounded out from beyond the carriage. Those high ranking citizens of the capital city all gasped again, their jaws dropping open as dumbfounded expressions crossed their faces.

On the altar, another tray gushed out with purple light. It complemented the precious Purple Soul Flower within, making it seem even more dazzling.

Up until now, there had never been a situation in the competition where two purple lights reflected against each other. The audience was stirred into a frenzy, and their cheers seemed to tear through the waters and into the skies.

First they had seen Mister Ning sequentially cripple two high level sea spirit teachers and had also seen Chief Manager Wu smash committee member Goodra with a chair. Now, they were able to witness two purple lights bloom one after another.

It was worth it! The price of their tickets was worth it!

There were people outside who were too cheap to purchase tickets or were too late in doing so. They didn't expect the people on the grandstands to leap onto their feet and roar. Without seeing it through their own eyes, they would miss out on a topic to brag about for the rest of their lives.

Chief Manager Wu's tense expression suddenly broke into smiles. As he looked at the calm and tranquil Qin Yu across from him, he couldn't help but burst out in admiration.

This was true confidence!

As he recalled how his nervous expression just now must have been noticed, he revealed an awkward look. But, he soon calmed down. As long as Qin Yu could win, then let alone turning himself into a joke, he was willing to do even more shameful things.

Qingqing was ecstatic. She hugged Leon and laughed and cheered. Only by doing this could she release all the pent up joy in her heart.

Leon clumsily responded to all the congratulations around him. He watched as the previously arrogant sea spirit teachers suddenly tried to be much closer to him, as if they couldn't wait to drag him to the side and pledge brotherhood.

The Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing suddenly discovered that they were surrounded by people. Those high ranking capital city nobles that had warned them away with their eyes before were now smiling at them and greeting them. They apologized for their disrespectful actions just now, and the atmosphere seemed incomparably peaceful.

In just a short moment, a great number of invitations were extended to the two of them. Their hearts shook with joy and they smiled as they exchanged greetings.

Someone asked how Miss Qingqing was doing at Sea Spirit Pavilion, and commented that she seemed to be in a very good relationship with Mister Leon.

The Qing Family Patriarch looked at his daughter that was happily hugging Leon, and his eyes twitched. He originally wanted to blurt out that this was all nonsense, but apart from feeling a bit sour in his heart, he didn't feel any anger at all.

Mister Leon? Heh, these high ranking nobles didn't seem to care about any sense of face at all. Just a little before this they had been referring to the boy as someone who had managed to step into some dogshit luck.

Madame Qing calmly responded. She said that her daughter was only work friends with Grandmaster Ning's disciple, and while they had a good relationship, it wasn't anything too special.

The upper circles favored this type of vague and meandering speech. The clearer they spoke the more unclear they wanted to be. And sure enough, the envy in their eyes became even thicker.

In the middle carriage, the young sea spirit teacher paled. "Mister Ning…how is he still alive?"

The fat old man bitterly smiled. "We've already sent people to deal with him, but it seems we have underestimated his strength. The two high level sea spirit teachers we spent so much time raising have already died."

That was right, they had both died, and the fat old man had personally ordered their deaths. This was because only the dead could keep secrets. Even his master didn't want to directly face that respected lady in Sega City.

The young sea spirit teacher clenched his teeth. "Kill him. I don't want to see him again!"

The fat old man hesitated and then nodded in agreement. He sighed inwardly. What happened in the competition had already stirred up attention. Once Mister Ning died suspiciously, it would surely set off a massive storm. There was even a chance that the plans his master had arranged over all these years might be exposed and destroyed.

But with things having come this far, it was no longer possible to retreat. He recalled the instructions his master had left him and his face darkened. He lightly rapped the carriage door and the four guards standing outside simultaneously moved into formation. Powerful auras erupted from all of them, blocking all outside interference.

The fat old man pulled out a spirit shell. Then, he calmly said, "Move from the shadows. Eliminate all obstacles no matter the price."

He placed the spirit shell back in his chest and warmly smiled. "Young Master Jin, the matter has been handled."

The young sea spirit teacher humphed. He closed his eyes in meditation.

The two traces of purple light left the entire competition committee shaken. They all paled, unsure of what to do.

The results spoke for themselves and there was no one willing to argue anything else. After a brief time, Chairman Xu announced the results: Safesea City's Jing Guanjin and Sea Spirit Pavilion's Mister Ning were tied for first. Three days from now, a match would be held that would determine the champion of the sea spirit teacher competition.

Leon and Qingqing bid their farewells. After stepping onto the carriage, Sea Spirit Pavilion's slowly sailed out the square.

The cheers of countless sea race citizens were like a tide as they chased after the caravan, all of them shouting out praise and expressing their reverence.

But as the caravan drove out from the square and turned onto the main road leading back to Sea Spirit Pavilion, the tall building windows on both sides of the street were suddenly smashed open. 20 black-clothed figures leapt out, their bodies emanating a terrifying smell of blood.

In a few short breaths of time, the guards of Sea Spirit Pavilion suffered heavy losses. The 20 assassins were like ghosts, rapidly flitting towards Qin Yu's carriage. This sight shocked all the sea race citizens that had been following the caravan. Young ladies screeched out loud as they were pulled away.

The entire crowd was in upheaval as if a riot had broken out.

After the changing of the throne, it had been many years since there had been such a public assassination attempt on the streets. Some elderly sea race citizens shivered as if they were reliving those bloody years.

In the carriage, Chief Manager Wu had a cold look. He didn't reveal anything even as his guards died.

Qin Yu opened his eyes. "You were waiting for them?"

Chief Manager Wu nodded. "Ever since Old Sea was wounded, it was impossible for there to be any following calm. Since Mister Ning has revealed enough strength to pose a threat to their plans, it is only natural that they would try to eliminate you." His gaze turned even icier. "While I did make plans, they were only there as a last measure. I never imagined they would try to kill you in public view."

He reached out and made a gesture.

Rumble –

The earth shook. The chaotic crowd was shoved to the side. Countless people cried out in misery as they fell to the ground. But just as they were about to curse at whoever had pushed them, they glanced back and shut up upon seeing the fully armored warriors who had done so. These warriors rode tall and mighty seahorses and were completely wrapped in armor. Their appearance left everyone shivering with a cold sweat.

The royal family had whale monster guards, and this was of the signs of their strength and status. But, their strongest defensive force was recognized as the royal black riders. This was a mystical force. No one knew who controlled them and no one knew where they were stationed or even how many members they had.

Their most famous battle occurred during the changing of the throne. 3000 black riders rode straight into the capital city, encircled the old royal family, and slaughtered seven of their top masters. Although they had suffered severe losses during that time, the black riders established themselves as an unsurpassed battle force.

Thus, even though the black riders hadn't appeared in the world for a long time, their legends still circulated through the capital city.

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Chapter 145 – Assassination

The crowd fell to an eerie quiet. Countless people watched on with open mouths as this current of black riders swarmed out like waves from hell, surging from all directions and surrounding the assassins.

Without any command, the black riders suddenly divided into 20 small groups. Each group had three black riders that surrounded an assassin, and their black dragon spears came stabbing out in unison.

The seemingly unstoppable assassins fell into a brutal life and death struggle. In the face of the black riders, their exquisite assassination skills were useless. They tried to flee but they were desperately blocked.

The black riders bled and the assassins died.

The sharp tang of blood filled the street. Faintly, people recalled the capital city in the past; the black riders had also fought like this.

Puff –

The last assassin was simultaneously pierced by seven dragon spears. Horrifying strength ravaged his body and ripped apart his insides.

The assassin's eyes widened, filled with regret. And just like that, he died.

There was no mercy granted. This was because these were all excellent assassins, and if they dared to attack publicly in the capital city, then they must have already been prepared to die. Even if considerable effort was expended to capture them, the only thing they would receive was a body killed by poison. With the black riders' ruthless and direct methods, they decided to simply kill off all enemies in the simplest and easiest way.

At one end of the street, atop a tall building, a fat old man gently shivered. A few drops of dirty tears dripped out from the corners of his eyes.

He was heartbroken!

It had taken him dozens of years of arduous labor to slowly raise this assassin squad, but just now, almost half of them had been lost.

Moreover, he could only stare helplessly on as they all died and he wasn't able to save them at all.

Black riders! Damn it all, they had actually sent out black riders!

It was no wonder his master feared that noble lady in Sega City so much; she actually wielded control over such a horrifying power. What could the ruler of the royal palace be thinking? After mounting the throne, he actually let her control such a vital strength of the royal family.

But now, it was useless to think upon these things any further. His incorrect judgment had led to the death of many of his assassins, and this also meant that it was no longer possible to directly erase this obstacle. This was because the black riders were considered the most formidable defensive force in the sea region, and up until now there had been no one who had ever broken through them.

The fat old man turned and walked away. While he wasn't worried that people would discover him and suspect him, he was pressed for time and had many other things to handle.

Peace returned to the street. The 60 black riders arranged themselves into a line. Some of them were injured and blood flowed thick from their black armor, but even so, their backs were straight and tall and the black dragon spears in their hands didn't tremble in the least.

As the surviving guards looked on in awe, the black riders took over their duties and slowly circled around the caravan as it returned to Sea Spirit Pavilion. On this day, the appearance of the black riders inevitably solved the puzzle for many people about what the true background of Sea Spirit Pavilion was, and when they did, their minds shivered with shock.

Qin Yu looked out at the calmly riding black riders. They moved in complete unison, including the rhythmic sounds of their mounts and even their breathing.

This sort of well-trained sea race army was unimaginably strong. He even suspected that as long as there were enough black riders, even Nascent Souls would be trampled over. Compared with these people, the cultivator alliance army fighting in the Southern Empire seemed like nothing but a ragtag bunch of misfits.

There didn't need to be too many. If 5000 black riders rode onto the mainland, they could completely crush both the demonic and righteous sides. Perhaps only the supreme royal family of the sea region had the chance of controlling such a dreadful strength.

Chief Manager Wu was full of praise. "The black riders are one of the strongest forces in the sea region. Their appearance is enough to guarantee that Mister Ning will never come to harm." His eyes were filled with desire. There was no one in the world that wouldn't want to control such a force.

But besides the royal family, there were only a small minority of formidable tribes who had the abilities to set up such an amazing fighting force; the other sea race influences could completely forget about it. It wasn't that they weren't allowed to, but simply that they weren't able to afford it. To create an army that was entirely made up of powerful sea race members, the total cost of doing this would be astronomical!

They smoothly arrived at Sea Spirit Pavilion. Then, the black riders dispersed, vanishing from sight. But no one doubted that if Sea Spirit Pavilion was attacked, they would appear as soon as possible.

Chief Manager Wu stepped down from the carriage, his eyes solemn. "The black riders can protect from any frontal attacks. As for what follows, I guarantee that Mister Ning will be completely safe."

….

Old Chao was in charge of Sea Spirit Pavilion's cafeteria. He had worked there studiously for dozens of years, and because of his sincere attitude, skillful cooking abilities, and open and honest smile, he was well-liked by the employees of Sea Spirit Pavilion, and was considered a relatively popular figure.

An order came down from above to have him cook a nutritious medicinal meal. He considered himself an experienced individual who had seen many things, but even he was shocked by the materials given to him to cook the meal. Disregarding the other materials, just some of the soul-nourishing materials were so valuable that they could be sold at auction.

Old Chao gathered his wits. He scrubbed his hands, changed into new clothes, and then tidied himself up. It was only then that he started to carefully process the materials and cook the meals under the watchful gaze of several guards. Good materials needed to be handled by a skilled chef. Only by controlling the degree of heat and time could one properly stimulate the properties of the materials without making them too difficult to absorb.

Washing, cleaning, cutting, chopping, the materials were prepared and placed into a 30 year old soup cauldron, and then water was poured in. Old Chao looked at the several guards around him and revealed an awkward expression. Which chef didn't have their own unique skills? And most of these were passed down from generation to generation. They weren't even willing to allow their children to look, much less spread these secrets to outsiders.

The guard captain smiled, "Old Chao, we all know your rules here. We'll turn around and you cook a bit faster, alright?"

Old Chao nodded again in thanks. Once the guards turned around he began to blend in the soup and various other ingredients. His actions were smooth like passing clouds and flowing rivers, and after a time, he smiled, "Good." He lifted a hand and poured in some cooking wine. As the fire deepened over time, a rich fragrance began to spread out.

Several guards gulped. The guard captain chuckled and scolded them. You bastards really shouldn't have any thoughts about this. Just smelling something like this is your luck, so wake up!

Old Chao smiled as he cooked. Two hours later, the medicinal soup was ready. He lifted the pot and inspected its color. As he smelled it, he nodded. This was just right. But, it needed to be drunk while hot, otherwise the medicinal efficacy would fade away.

The guard captain waved his hand and someone immediately took out a new food box and placed the medicinal soup inside. He smiled, "Old Chao, let's have a drink tonight. I will prepare the materials and you can cook them."

Seeing Old Chao nod, the other guards wanted to join in on the fun but were quickly rebuked. They carried the food box and walked away in a hurry. After they left, Old Chao started to clean up the mess. And once he was finished, he vanished through the rear door where trash was taken out. From that day, Old Chao never returned. Listening to others, it was said that he decided to retire.

That night, the guard captain died a violent death in his home. It was natural that no one would mention dining together again.

…

Business at Sea Spirit Pavilion carried on. Perhaps it was because of Mister Ning, but everything seemed far busier than normal. So many guests arrived that the consultants didn't even have a chance to rest their feet.

A family of three customers walked in. The lady and her daughter were quite beautiful and the melon-like husband received many envious gazes. While he was gracious about this, from time to time he would vigilantly sweep his eyes around, glaring back at the heated gazes directed towards them like a dog protecting its food.

A consultant stepped forwards to welcome them. They chatted happily before heading over to a counter to register. Just as the exchange was going to be finished, the beautiful mother blushed red and whispered something in a low voice. The consultant smiled and motioned with her hands.

The man looked at her, unhappy. He was too busy to stay so he could only nod with a bit of resentment and advise her to return as soon as possible.

Humans needed to answer the call of nature and so did the sea races; this was even true for a beautiful young wife. As she walked forwards, she swayed from side to side, drawing the gaze of a consultant. Their eyes bumped into each other several times and the young woman blushed red. A look of anticipation crossed her face, leaving the consultant panting within.

She arrived at the washroom. Yes, that was right – the sea races also called it a washroom, a very elegant and clean name. The young woman eyed the handsome consultant one last time before walking in.

15 minutes, 30 minutes…

The consultant waited for a long time but the beautiful woman didn't come back out. As for the melon-like man, he seemed to complete all his matters, so he took his daughter and left early.

…

For the sea races that had taken human form, the truth was that they weren't any different from humans. They ate, drank, slept, and produced a great deal of trash. With so many people gathered in the capital city, taking care of general hygiene was a vital task. Thus, beneath the massive capital city, there was a vast series of sewage pipes that led to a distant trench. This was to ensure that the capital city and the surrounding environment wouldn't be affected.

Every day, there was a massive number of workers who would enter temporarily closed sewage pipes. They would clean and repair the inside to maintain them.

A group of workers responsible for cleaning the sewage pipes walked in. As they stepped into the dark, one could hear their laughs from afar, as if someone had said a very bold joke.

The workers gradually vanished within. As they walked deeper, they began to split up, scattering towards their respective work areas. Six workers separated themselves from the group and after a moment, fell silent. They turned off the lighting equipment on their heads, looking like a bunch of mice scurrying in the dark. Then, carefully, they opened a sealed gate that normally wasn't opened, and walked in.

…

Qin Yu was sleeping quite well.

Ever since entering the sea race capital city, he had always been tense about his environment. But now that he was certain there were people protecting him, he was able to relax a little.

He slept without dreams. When his eyes opened again, he was full of energy as if he had been completely cleansed. His strengthened soul seemed even clearer than before.

This was the way to relax.

As for the following match…was that even something he needed to consider?

Leon hurriedly stood up and bowed at his teacher. He hesitated and said, "Teacher, about the Skysea Wings…"

Qin Yu waved his hand dismissively. "I already said I would give it to you two. Just accept it."

Leon was filled with gratitude. "Thank you, teacher!"

Qin Yu walked to the tea set placed on the worktable and lit the fire. Qin Yu began to boil the tea as Leon respectfully stood to the side.

Leon knew that while his teacher was boiling tea, he was also calming his mind and wouldn't like to be disturbed.

But they were still interrupted by a knock. Leon quickly walked over to the door to reveal a slightly weary Chief Manager Wu. As he saw Qin Yu boiling some tea, he forced out a smile. "Mister Ning, you seem to be enjoying yourself!"

Qin Yu smiled. "Chief manager, you arrived just in time. Come, sit down."

Chief Manager Wu took out a food box. "This is some medicinal soup. Have a taste, it is good for your health." He watched Qin Yu pour tea and shook his head helplessly. "Mister Ning, you should know that in order for this soup to be brewed, from purchasing the supplies until it was cooked and sent here, seven people have died. Not only did a long-time food supplier of my Sea Spirit Pavilion die, but also some guards and even the chef who cooked my favorite dishes."

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Chapter 146 – Sound Shell Network Station

The voice from beneath the black robe was calm. "Chief manager still hasn't found any clues?"

"We have, but when the suspect dies any clues we have usually come to a dead end. If there is something we can investigate, it is most likely the 20 assassins that tried to kill you on the street. Perhaps the person manipulating things behind the scenes also knows how bad it looks to try and kill you publicly like that, but they will need to give an account of their actions, even if it is only to keep the mouths of others from flapping." Chief Manager Wu's complexion turned ugly. "Mister Ning, do you know where our clues finally led us to? It is an escort company within the capital city, one that relies on orders from Sea Spirit Pavilion to earn a profit. That's right, it is the own business of our Sea Spirit Pavilion!"

To look up the source of the assassins and find that they were coming from his own house, it was no surprise that Chief Manager Wu was so angry.

Qin Yu shook his head. "It looks like whoever wants to kill me is extremely meticulous."

Chief Manager Wu quietly said, "Mister Ning, rest assured that with the black riders outside, no one would dare to come in. As long as you stay here, I can personally guarantee that no one will ever manage to harm you."

Time was unpredictable. Sometimes it was unbearably long and sometimes it rushed like a raging river, passing by in an instant.

On the third day.

Sea Spirit Pavilion looked no different than any other day, but the internal defenses were on the highest alert possible. Even the sewer pipes deep undergrounded were being guarded against any foul scent. But, the countless methods that had been used in the past two days seemed to have vanished without a trace. As the Sea Spirit Pavilion guards saw everything remain calm and uneventful even at noon, they all glanced at each other with confusion. Could the other party have given up?

Chief Manager Wu coldly sneered. He strengthened their defenses, believing this was a plan from their enemies to lower their guards. Until the finals ended, they could not lower their vigilance in the least.

But on this day, there were no more assassination attempts. Instead, a guest came requesting to visit Mister Ning.

Chief Manager Wu personally handled this. It was unknown what the other party said, but he had an incredibly grim complexion. He roared several times and pulled out a spirit shell. After a short conversation he hung up and took a deep breath. "I will go and ask Grandmaster Ning. You had best guarantee that there are no problems."

The visitor was bald with a large belly, just like a happy buddha-like figure. His small eyes were calm and nonchalant. Since he was willing to come here, he clearly didn't care about such threats. He cupped his hands together and said, "I will have to trouble chief manager over this."

Chief Manger Wu left in a huff. He soon arrived on the seventh floor and knocked on the door.

Leon opened the door before respectfully moving to the side.

Qin Yu wasn't cultivating. While Sea Spirit Pavilion had tight defenses, it was always best to be careful. He glanced over, a light flashing in his eyes. "Chief manager, is there a problem?"

Chief Manager Wu opened his mouth, a bit unsure of what to say. He bitterly smiled. "Mister Ning, I came here to invite you to see a guest."

Qin Yu furrowed his eyebrows.

Chief Manager Wu quickly explained, "Someone has a Sea Spirit Card that my master issued in the past. I ask that Mister Ning please come and visit the holder of the Sea Spirit Card. The Sea Spirit Card is a special token that my master sent out at the founding of Sea Spirit Pavilion as thanks for all the help received. With this special token, one can ask Sea Spirit Pavilion to agree to certain conditions.

"These past years, the Sea Spirit Cards have been taken back one after another. I never imagined that this other party would have managed to obtain one for themselves, and my master cannot walk back on her promise. But, I can agree to give Mister Ning 3 million spirit stones as compensation. The black riders will also follow you and I myself will bring masters along too. As long as i'm present, mister will not come to any harm at all."

Qin Yu raised his eyebrows. After a brief moment of thought, he said, "Very well, I agree." He was also quite curious as to who wanted to kill him.

Chief Manager Wu apologetically said, "No matter what, this is my Sea Spirit Pavilion wronging Mister Ning. Hah, please wait a moment, I will immediately arrange everything."

Qin Yu thought for a moment before calling Leon over and giving him several orders. Leon nodded and left, soon returning with a black box.

Chief Manager Wu returned. "Mister Ning, please."

There was no loud show or burst of chaos. On the other side of the door were only four people. They waited there, their faces stern and humorless. Each of them carried two narrow long swords on their back, and just by passing near them one's body would feel pain, as if these people were somehow covered with sharp, invisible thorns.

"Since there are spies in our guards here, we cannot allow them to protect you anymore. These four sea mantis swordsmen all come from Sega City; you can fully trust them." Chief Manager Wu explained.

They stepped onto the carriage. After departing, the black riders slowly gathered around them.

Following the carriage, the group slowly made their way down the street. This conspicuous group instantly attracted countless eyes. They immediately guessed who was in the carriage and were startled. It was a dangerous time to leave the safety of Sea Spirit Pavilion and yet this person actually dared to venture outside.

Arriving at Foursea Hall, the carriage came to a stop and the black riders dispersed, each one keeping an eye on their surroundings. Chief Manager Wu stepped down first. He looked around and only after a moment did he step back and allow Qin Yu to come out.

A fat and bald man greeted them, a joyful smile on his face. "My master is overjoyed that Mister Ning could make an appearance. He is currently waiting in the banquet hall. Please, come with me."

Several of the black riders split off to follow along. Chief Manager Wu and the four sea mantis swordsmen walked into Foursea Hall. The staff within smiled, not caring too much about this. It was only upon entering a reserved room and seeing the similarly silent black riders waiting that Chief Manager Wu's pupils shrank.

"Little Wu, I was the one who extended the invitation. I have some words to speak alone with Mister Ning, so how about you wait outside." An elderly voice sounded out from within.

Chief Manager Wu revealed a bitter expression. He respectfully bowed and said, "Yes, I understand." He turned towards Qin Yu, his eyes unreadable and said, "Mister Ning, please rest assured that since it is this gentleman who invited you here, you need not worry about your safety. I will be waiting for you outside."

Qin Yu's eyes flashed. He pushed open the doors and entered.

The reserved room was extremely big, the table was giant, and there were many, many dishes.

Steam wafted into the air. Fragrance filled the senses.

Two chairs were laid out, facing each other.

The one sitting across the table was an old man in embroidered robes. His eyes were clear and insightful, as if they could see directly into the hearts of others. As he saw Qin Yu enter, he smiled and said, "Mister Ning, please take a seat. Come and taste these dishes that I prepared. The chef is one I borrowed from His Majesty; I hope that it can suit your tastes."

Simple and easy, this was a way of showing utter superiority.

Qin Yu didn't refuse. He sat down, picked up some utensils and started to eat. The flavor of the dishes was actually quite good. As the thin slices of meat entered his mouth, their aroma flew straight into his heart.

The old man had several beautiful scales on his forehead. Unfortunately, Qin Yu wasn't too familiar with the various sea races, so he couldn't guess who this old man was. At this time he was a bit curious, and a bit of appreciation glinted in his eyes.

The two didn't speak a single word. In the reserved room, there was only the sound of chewing and swallowing. The old man didn't seem to have a good appetite; after a while, he placed down his bowl and chopsticks. He looked at Qin Yu rapidly eating food and sighed with envy, but didn't urge him to finish any faster.

Ever since he had achieved the Demon Body, Qin Yu's appetite was many times above that of his previous state. The table was left a mess as most of the food ended up in Qin Yu's mouth. He washed it down with tea and then comfortably said, "Thank you for the hospitality."

The old man smiled. "To eat is luck. When I was young, I ate even more than you did. But what a pity, I have grown a little old. Even if I wanted to eat that much, it is a bit difficult for me. So you know, young people should lead a comfortable life like this so they don't regret it later. For instance, don't be a pitiful old man like me."

Qin Yu didn't know what tricks the old man was trying to play, so he merely smiled in response.

"Mister Ning is young and promising, so why do you want to waste your golden years in this vain and ridiculous capital city? Why not go sailing through the sea with this old man and play for a bit? My shark ship has just been completed and it is ready for its maiden voyage. Any sort of delicious food or fun game can be found on board. Also, I have a treasure room built within that carries the majority of the items I've collected in my life. If Mister Ning wants to visit, you can freely choose a few items from inside."

Qin Yu lightly replied, "I thank you for your good intentions. If you aren't in a hurry, then you can wait a few days for me. Once the sea spirit competition ends, perhaps I will agree."

The old man shook his head. "This matter cannot wait. The ship launches today, a good day."

Qin Yu responded, "Then I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you."

The old man frowned. "Mister Ning doesn't want to further consider this?"

Qin Yu stood up. "No."

Once Qin Yu reached the entrance, he paused upon hearing the old man once more. "Mister Ning, you are very young so you shouldn't recklessly rush any decision. There are all sorts of valuable items in my collection, even things that can strengthen the soul. I'm sure that it will be more than enough to satisfy you."

Qin Yu didn't even glance back. "Treasures are good, but my word is heavier. Since I made a previous agreement, I can only refuse."

He pushed open the door.

The bald and fat man suddenly rushed forwards, growling, "Grandmaster Ning, I thought you were a smart man so I never expected you to make such a stupid choice. I am very disappointed!"

Qin Yu glanced at him. "And who are you?"

The fat man's breath caught in his throat and his face turned even uglier. "Do you think that just because the grandmaster said some kind words to you, you can stand atop the highest heavens? How could Young Master Jin…" He suddenly stopped talking as he realized he said something he shouldn't have. He clenched his teeth, "Surname Ning, this was your final chance. Don't blame me for reminding you!"

Chief Manager Wu had a worried expression. He paced back and forth not too far away. As he heard the door open he hurried over, and as he saw this scene unfolding before him, he coldly said, "Steward Wang, just what are you doing?"

It was clear that he recognized this person.

Steward Wang sneered and turned to leave.

Chief Manager Wu started to speak but hesitated.

Qin Yu said, "Let's go."

They left Foursea Hall and the carriage quietly drove down the road. Before Chief Manager Wu could say anything, Qin Yu suddenly said, "Chief manager, do you happen to know anyone at a sound shell network station?"

Chief Manager Wu was stunned. He couldn't follow his train of thought and simply nodded.

The carriage changed directions.

…

Later, Qin Yu came out from a small sound shell network station, accompanied by black riders on both sides. Just now, there had been another suicidal strike on their carriage. Chief Manager Wu had a grim expression as he was interrogating someone they managed to catch after a great deal of effort.

"Mister Ning, let's hurry and return!" Before he could ask Qin Yu what he had done, the sharp-eyed Chief Manager Wu suddenly realized that several black riders who were normally expressionless were suddenly looking at Qin Yu a bit peculiarly.

"Mm, let's go."

Mounting the carriage, it wasn't long before there was a long knock. Director Jin opened the window and pushed in a sound shell while looking at Qin Yu with shock.

Chief Manager Wu started it. After a moment of static, this well-crafted sound shell started to broadcast a clear audio signal.

The words within were fine and nothing seemed out of place. But after Steward Wang left, the words he roared out left one piecing together everything.

Young Master Jin….

Everyone knew that one of the sea spirit teachers who was still in the race to challenge for a Purple Card was named Jing Guanjin.

The network station message continued:

"This is an audio message sent out by our network station upon the deepest fear of death. According to our sound experts, the Grandmaster Ning spoken of in the audio is the Sea Spirit Pavilion's Mister Ning. It is hard to imagine just who dares to ruthlessly threaten a high level spirit teacher that is participating in such a grand and illustrious competition, and just what sort of diabolical story lies behind it all. This station will continue reporting on this broadcast for you…"

The radio announcer's voice in the sound shell droned on in a solemn tone. As for Chief Manager Wu, all he heard was a buzzing in his ears…

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Chapter 147 – The Power of Inspection

When people reached a high enough level of status, a certain degree of tacit understanding would be formed between them; these were the so-called 'unspoken rules'. There had been numerous assassination attempts at Sea Spirit Pavilion the last two days, but the outside world knew nothing about them and the traces of their occurrence had been quietly erased. This was a manifestation of these 'unspoken rules'. Everyone at that level had to abide by them; if they didn't and if they tried to break these conventions, they would be recklessly pushed back by everyone at that class level and would eventually disappear or be destroyed.

For instance, what Qin Yu had done.

Although it was unknown what the outside situation was, one didn't need to be a genius to understand that once all these behind-the-scenes conspiracies were exposed, it would inevitably stir up a giant storm. The sound shell network station that had taken the risk of releasing this news had easily accomplished their purpose; they had become the hottest channel to listen to and there was no one who hadn't heard of them.

"Mister…Mister Ning...you…" Chief Manager Wu babbled on, unsure of what to say.

Qin Yu lightly said, "I am very angry."

With a single sentence, all of Chief Manager Wu's complaints were blocked. He thought about how Qin Yu came from the Skyspirit lineage which was isolated from the outside world and it seemed understandable that he would do something like this which destroyed all the established rules.

With a bitter smile, Chief Manager Wu picked up a spirit shell and made several calls. He hoped to suppress the story, but he clearly underestimated just how nosy the people in the capital city were. With such a massive story being exposed, it instantly became the most talked about topic in the capital city.

The situation had blown out of control!

As the old man in embroidered robes stepped out of Foursea Hall, a subordinate came up and reported the new development to him. He bitterly smiled; he never imagined that the young man would play such a card.

Steward Wang stamped his feet and shivered with rage. Although the sound shell network station hadn't listed any names besides him and Qin Yu, which high level figures in the capital city didn't know who they were?

If they mishandled what happened next, it would be a tremendous loss of face!

The old man waved his hand, interrupting Steward Wang's tirade of revenge. "Enough. I've already done what I can, and I will consider this as repaying a past favor. No matter what happens next, this matter no longer has anything to do with me. Pass down the order: the shark ship will depart ahead of time to avoid the spotlight."

Steward Wang didn't give up. "Master, are we just ending things like this? This will be a stain upon your honor!"

The old man's expression was faint. "Wang Gui, you've followed me ever since you were a child, and I believe that I have never treated you unfairly. You have also saved up a considerable amount in the capital city these years. Take those things back and return them, and do not ever mention this again."

Steward Wang complied in a cold sweat.

The carriage soared straight to the wharf. The old man looked out the window with an absent expression. It had been many years since such a character appeared in the capital city. This Mister Ning was truly a bold and interesting person. He really wanted to know just how this game would play out in the end.

A massive ship was anchored at the wharf. It was constructed using the skeleton of a great shark as the foundation. It created a massive shadow in its wake, its aura bold and overwhelming.

"Master, where shall we go?" The captain respectfully asked.

The old man smiled. "Since we have no guest onboard, there's no need to make up an excuse. Let's begin hunting." He glanced back at the capital city one last time before stepping onto the ship.

The shark ship soon began to move. It quietly pushed through the waters before vanishing from sight.

Chief Manager Wu soon obtained news of this. He wiped the cold sweat from his face and let out a long breath of relief. If the old gentleman didn't blame them then it would be much easier to deal with everything. He took the initiative to accept an interview and explain the situation. Mister Ning had been attacked multiple times in the last three days and repeatedly encountered dangerous situations. He argued for Qin Yu and tried to guide public opinion to their side.

Since things had come this far, there was no way to suppress it any further. He might as well seize this change to launch an attack on their enemy instead. Perhaps this Young Master Jin had a poor personality and would be affected by all the criticism. If so, then Mister Ning's chances of winning would be much higher.

Like this, all doubts and suspicions gathered on Jing Guanjin. As he was almost universally detested, someone finally stood up to speak for him.

Chief Manager Wu had expected this. After all, no matter how much his enemy tried to wash himself clean, what happened was a fact. But, he never imagined that the one to make a move next would be such a heavyweight character.

The one he drew out was the third ranked of the ten great Purple Cards, Grandmaster Wu Zetian, a man renowned for being horrifically cynical and dangerously irritable. He personally came out and denounced Sea Spirit Pavilion as being vile and shameless, and attempting to harm his disciple Jing Guanjin with malicious intent in mind.

It was like a star fell into the sea, causing a dreadful storm. All of the people who were repudiating Jing Guanjin in the capital city suddenly fell silent. The ten great Purple Cards were existences that danced amongst the highest clouds in heaven, and in the eyes of the ordinary sea races, they were legendary and unsurpassed characters. With Grandmaster Wu Zetian personally coming to Jing Guanjin's defense, this became the strongest proof of his innocence.

For a time, rumors rose from all directions and wild conspiracy theories were flung about. Sea Spirit Pavilion was transformed from a persecuted victim to a despicable villain who was willing to do anything to win. Although there were already numerous theories, the appearance of Grandmaster Wu Zetian caused countless nosy individuals to fan the flames of conspiracy.

And it was when everyone was focused on this matter that Grandmaster Wu Zetian accepted an interview in the capital city. He spoke out once more, "The ten great Purple Card sea spirit teachers represent incarnations of the sea spirits in the world. Not only does one need to have superior skills, but they also require a noble character. In view of the actions of the sea spirit teacher surnamed Ning from Sea Spirit Pavilion, I have obtained the consent of two other Purple Cards to exercise the power of inspection."

The media flew into a frenzy as if they had all gone insane at once. This news spread throughout the entire capital city at the fastest speed. Newspapers, sound shell networks, video channels, all sorts of media spread out the image of Grandmaster Wu Zetian's cold eyes and his solemn voice.

There were those people who didn't know what this news meant. They were mocked ruthlessly before numerous people explained the situation to them. The so-called power of inspection was a test given to new Purple Card sea spirit teachers by established Purple Card sea spirit teachers. It required three Purple Cards to uniformly agree, and the inspection would be led by the leader.

In other words, if Qin Yu really obtained the qualifications to challenge for the Purple Card and succeeded, then he would be personally tested by Grandmaster Wu Zetian. If he lost, he would lose his status as a Purple Card.

A Purple Card sea spirit teacher possessed a venerated status and they had a great influence upon the sea races. Behind their birth and rise were countless contests and tests. To start the power of inspection was the equivalent of smashing someone into the dust so that they never rose up again. It was an act of ultimate endless enmity. It had only happened twice in history. As a consequence, top influences had vanished into thin air and powerful families with deep legacies had become mortal enemies, their hatred extending even until now!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian succeeded in stealing the limelight and all eyes were turned to him. The damning audio recording soon disappeared, and the small sound shell network station that first played it was bought out the next day with a large amount of money. All people involved were bribed with more money and it seemed as if nothing had happened.

Chief Manager Wu was left in a nervous sweat. He had investigated but never thought that Jing Guanjin had hidden himself so deeply so that no one knew he was the disciple of Grandmaster Wu Zetian. Although Grandmaster Wu Zetian was ranked third amongst the Purple Cards, it was said this was only because his temper was far too impatient and irritable; in truth, he was no weaker than the first two Purple Cards.

It could be said that Grandmaster Wu Zetian represented the peak of all sea spirit teachers in the sea region! Even if Mister Ning came from the lineage of Skyspirit Sages, he was still young, so how could he possibly be Grandmaster Wu Zetian's opponent?

To be honest, the true problem that Chief Manager Wu worried over was what Mister Ning would do facing a competition where it was impossible to have any harvests. Just what would he do? On one hand he wouldn't gain anything at all and would become Grandmaster Wu Zetian's enemy. On the other hand, it was clear he could earn rich rewards for choosing another path.

And his worries weren't baseless. Someone approached the Qing Family and through Qingqing to Leon, sent a message: if Mister Ning were to withdraw now, he would receive compensation of 30 million spirit stones.

This was an incredible amount. Considering the current situation, it was a truly sincere offer.

When Chief Manager Wu rushed over, Qin Yu was drinking tea. During these two days of idleness he had come to like relaxing in this manner. Seeing Chief Manager Wu's anxious appearance, Qin Yu said, "Chief manager, please rest assured that since I made a promise to you, I will not renege on my words. I will try my best in the competition."

Chief Manager Wu gratefully smiled. He thought about it for several breaths of time and then clenched his teeth, saying, "Mister Ning, do not worry. As long as you can help Old Sea and defend his status as a Purple Card, my Sea Spirit Pavilion will give you enough compensation."

He took out a spirit shell and left, making a call to Sega City.

Chief Manager Wu returned after a moment. He took out a storage shell, "Mister Ning, my master was informed of your decision and is extremely thankful to you. There are 10 million spirit stones in here, and regardless of whether you win or lose in tomorrow's finals, this is yours. And, if Old Sea is safe, we will gift you another 20 million spirit stones."

Qin Yu didn't refuse. After all, in the eyes of outsiders this was something he deserved. In his mind though, he never placed Wu Zetian in his eyes.

So what if he was the third ranked Purple Card? With the little blue lamp in his hand, he could completely disregard anyone when it came to sea spirit plants!

And to start the power of inspection?

Qin Yu's eyes flashed with a cold light. Perhaps I won't give you that chance!

…

Prosperity Square, the final match.

In a carriage, a fat old man anxiously said, "Young Master Jing, it seems that Sea Spirit Pavilion has offered the other party enormous benefits, so only then would he refuse so strongly. Do you have full confidence in your victory today?"

Jing Guanjin was fully confident. "Father has already poured the rest of the Skyspirit power into my body. Today's competition is mine to win!"

The fat old man calmed down. He warned, "Even so, it would be best if you put your whole-hearted effort into winning. This matter is simply far too important."

"I know what I need to do!"

Beneath the royal palace, the sound of a bell rang out.

Jing Guanjin coldly sneered. He pushed open the door and stepped down from the carriage.

Not too far away, the carriage from Sea Spirit Pavilion opened and a black-robed figure emerged. Their eyes met each other.

Like sharp needles meeting, they could feel the chill in the air.

Jing Guanjin was tall and straight, his looks delicate and handsome. His cold and callous appearance enhanced his bearing, making him seem like a dragon amongst men.

In comparison, the black-robed Qin Yu seemed somewhat suspicious, as if he were hiding something.

Perhaps all intelligent races couldn't help but subconsciously judge others based on their appearance. Because of this, countless noble ladies and young charming misses screamed out in joy upon seeing Jing Guanjin, their cries seeming to empower him, their cheers filling his ears.

The two of them moved towards the altar together. Two large coral houses were placed on the square with a white-robed and barefooted priest standing in front.

In a voice that only the two of them could hear, Jing Guanjin coldly said, "Mister Ning, anyone that becomes my enemy will not have a good end. I guarantee that you appearing here today will be the greatest mistake of your life!"

Qin Yu suddenly paused. With everyone's eyes on him, he took out a black wooden box from his chest. He opened it and the words that were spoken replayed themselves. The recording box had clearly been tuned to play back words louder, and the fine quality of it left the enhanced sound undistorted. Jing Guanjin's words were revealed to the public.

Qin Yu closed the recording box and lightly said, "I've already made a recording once, so how come you couldn't remember it? Moreover, please match your character with your appearance. If you want to say something then do so openly and honestly."

He left behind a Jing Guanjin that was gasping and shivering with rage and stepped forwards.

The cheers of countless young ladies and misses suddenly stopped. At this moment, the glorious and radiant image they had built up in their hearts had come crashing down!

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Chapter 148 – Suspicious

The parties watching the final competition from all over felt their lips twitch. This Grandmaster Ning loved recording others to the point of obsession. As for Jing Guanjin, he was simply a completely useless piece of trash. Even though he knew that his opponent liked to play cards that defied all common sense, he still delivered himself up for ridicule.

This was a struggle that involved the qualifications to challenge one of the Purple Cards. Thus, all ten Purple Cards had arrived to observe this match. They were situated in a hall within the royal palace, watching through an array formation that was synced with the square.

Old Sea's complexion was pale and wan; it was hard for him to cover up his weariness. He looked at the projection and saw Qin Yu walking up the altar. A light smile lit up his face. "For some people, what does it matter if they use all the tricks up their sleeve? In the end they'll be humiliated."

Although his voice wasn't too loud, it was just loud enough that everyone in the hall could clearly hear him.

Wu Zetian's complexion sank, his eyes dark and sharp. "What is the meaning of playing some small tricks to win an argument? If you really want to compete, what matters is your own strength!"

Old Sea had a faint expression. "This is only a small humiliation; what follows will be a great humiliation. So, that's why I said that some people will be humiliated eventually. My apologies, I seem to have become a bit too talkative after being injured. I hope that no one is offended."

The Purple Cards all had strange expressions. At such an important time, how could the atmosphere be like this?

Grandmaster Wu Zetian opened his mouth to respond but he was interrupted. "That's enough. The match will soon begin."

In the light projection, Jing Guanjin and Qin Yu stepped onto the altar.

The white-robed and barefoot priest said, "The two coral houses have been fully prepared. In order to ensure fairness, the altar will monitor both sides; I hope that you do not use anything you shouldn't. Moreover, the time allotted for the match is two days. You may freely use this time as you wish."

As he spoke, he flew away.

Jing Guanjin coldly snorted. He moved towards the left coral house.

Qin Yu stepped to the right.

Upon entering the coral house, he carefully probed around. After making sure there wasn't a problem, he took out the Silence Stone. His complexion immediately turned glum. This was because he wasn't sure whether or not the existence of the little blue lamp could be detected by the altar.

The ten great Purple Cards had no way of finding out what was occurring within the coral houses. But, the two sea spirits had already absorbed a specialized sensing nutrient fluid. By using the power of a treasure and special methods, one could remotely sense the changes occurring to the sea spirits.

At the start, there were no changes to the two sea spirits. This was normal procedure. After all, sea spirit teachers were not gods, and no matter how formidable they were, they still needed a period of time to inspect the sea spirit plants.

One hour later, fluctuations in the strength of one of the sea spirits began to appear. After a short pause, it started to rise at a slow pace. This indicated that the problems of the sea spirit were being solved.

It was Jing Guanjin.

The Purple Cards watched with dignified expressions. If these people were able to bloom from the countless sea spirit teachers, then there simply wasn't any need to argue about their strength. Moreover, with their careful observational abilities and rich experience, they could approximately judge the strength of the healer. This was vital to the challenge ahead.

After all, theoretically speaking, any of the 10 Purple Cards could be challenged. And of course, just as this thought appeared in their minds, their eyes inadvertently swept over Old Sea. They glanced at him with sympathy and also a dark sense of relief.

Old Sea didn't have any expression, but he cursed all of these Purple Cards in his heart. That was right, he was viciously cursing them in his heart. Purple Card sea spirit teachers had a brilliantly blinding halo, but that was only something that had been attached to them by the outside world. In reality, they were ordinary sea race citizens and they also had their own joy and hate, their wants and desires.

For instance, Grandmaster Wu Zetian. At this time he was stroking his beard and smiling, his aggressive demeanor fully satisfied. Occasionally he would glance to the side with a cold glint shining in his eyes.

Jing Guanjin was of a high and noble birth, and he possessed mind-boggling talent to be a sea spirit teacher. After teaching him with care and patience, he was absolutely a top figure amongst all high level sea spirit teachers. In addition to that, in order to ensure that he would emerge victorious no matter what, that mighty person had poured his strength into Jing Guanjin's body. Even Wu Zetian eyed this strength with overwhelming envy, so how could Jing Guanjin lose here?

Time slowly passed. Jing Guanjin progressed quickly and smoothly, and soon he had figured out the problem with the sea spirit and was now beginning to enhance its strength. But it was at this time that something occurred, a sight that left the observing sea spirit teachers shaken.

The light around the sensing treasure turned increasingly bright. This was an indication that the strength of the sea spirit was rising. This was something they could also accomplish, but what shocked them was that this enhancement of the sea spirit didn't stop. Moreover, it was continuing at a horrifying pace like it had no intention of slowing down.

For example, if a sea spirit was considered to have 100 points of strength, increasing it to 110 was simple. But increasing it to 120 would be more difficult. And as the sea spirit became stronger, it would become increasingly challenging.

Such a stable rate of enhancement meant that Jing Guanjin possessed formidable skills. He intended to control the rate of strengthening, and the Purple Card sea spirit teachers knew exactly what this meant – he wanted to promote the sea spirit to the next level!

This was the only reason he would need to maintain such a stable speed and establish a firm foundation for the transformation of the sea spirit. A number of Purple Cards were startled. They were all aware of the rank of sea spirit used in this competition, and even if they personally tried, it would be hard to promote a sea spirit of that caliber to the next level.

This Jing Guanjin could be called immensely confident!

A smoldering heat burned from deep within Grandmaster Wu Zetian's eyes. The reason he agreed to teach Jing Guanjin was because he had taken a liking to his talent and also because that mighty figure had promised to grant him a strength he had only ever dreamed of. If he could obtain it, then he could become the most powerful sea spirit teacher in the sea region. The other Purple Cards wouldn't even come close to comparing to him.

Of course, being able to push Sea Lingdao out of the ten Purple Cards was another driving force behind his decision. Hatred had formed between these two old men many years ago. Rumors said that it had involved a woman, but no one knew the exact details and no one dared to openly gossip either.

Old Sea saw Wu Zetian's gaze and coldly sneered before closing his eyes. Secretly, he was feeling a little anxious inside. Little friend Ning, little friend Ning, you cannot disappoint this old man!

To be a Purple Card or not be a Purple Card wasn't as simple as it seemed. Once he inherited the position, there were essential responsibilities he had been forced to bear. If he were to lose the Purple Card…well, no matter how much he tried to maintain his calm, he still couldn't help but feel a bit of panic.

But at this time, Old Sea's prayers didn't come true. Jing Guanjin's results surpassed all expectations. The sensing treasure that indicated the quality of the sea spirit was already emitting a dazzling light. Yet near it, the other sensing treasure seemed gray and lifeless. From the start until now, it hadn't revealed the slightest change.

This left the Purple Cards increasingly perplexed.

Today's competition had truly opened their eyes. One person had started with an incredibly potent opening, but the other person seemed to have given up and hadn't even made a move yet.

Mm? Could he have really given up?

Grandmaster Wu Zetian received the congratulations of many other Purple Cards. Some of them looked at him enviously. Their relationships weren't too poor to begin with, and with Old Sea being the sacrificial lamb today, they didn't need to worry about being chosen. All of them knew just who Jing Guanjin would challenge.

Master and disciple would both become Purple Cards; just how magnificent was this scene? Upon reaching the level of a Purple Card, being able to find an outstanding descendent that they could pass their legacy onto was also something to be jealous of.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian was incomparably modest. But no matter how he tried to hide it, everyone could sense a smugness hidden behind his smile. He glanced at Old Sea, thinking that even though the two of them had fought for so many years, in the end he would be the one to emerge victorious!

Beneath Old Wu's stare, Old Sea couldn't hide his anxiousness any longer. He coldly stood up and left, taking out a spirit shell from his chest.

When Chief Manager Wu heard the news, he was scared silly. The first thought that popped into his mind was whether or not Mister Ning had fallen asleep. But, he knew this was impossible. Mister Ning knew how crucial this competition was, so how come he hadn't made a move yet?

Suddenly, Chief Manager Wu stiffened. He recalled how the old gentleman had left, seemingly without blaming them at all…had Mister Ning already agreed to the conditions and was acting everything out afterwards?

Once this thought formed, he could no longer suppress it. He paled, sweat dripping down his forehead.

Clearwood frowned. She had disappeared several days ago and it was unknown just what she had been doing all this time. "Chief manager, what is it?"

Chief Manager Wu hurriedly reiterated what Old Sea had told him and vaguely mentioned his own speculations. Of course, he spoke in a low voice so that only the two of them heard him.

Clearwood's complexion changed and she seemed to become even more nervous than Chief Manager Wu. The two of them urgently discussed the situation while sending someone to find Leon.

Chief Manager Wu coughed, "Leon, these past three days, has there been anything unusual about Grandmaster Ning? For instance, has he seemed to hesitate or something?"

Leon thought carefully and shook his head. "No. Teacher has been quite normal."

Chief Manager Wu cursed himself. Even he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, so how could a hairless baby boy like Leon possibly know anything.

Clearwood took a deep breath. She waved for Leon to leave.

Leon took several steps and suddenly swiveled around. He cupped his hands together and said, "Chief manager, Manager Clearwood, although I don't know what has happened, teacher is worthy of your trust. He will definitely win!"

He bowed after speaking and walked away.

Chief Manager Wu's complexion was dark and gloomy. He quietly said, "With things having come this far, we can only choose to trust him."

Clearwood turned and walked away.

"Manager Clearwood?"

"Even if we choose to trust him, we still need to complete plans for the worst possible outcome." Clearwood didn't turn back. "I certainly hope I won't need to use what I have prepared, but if Mister Ning has betrayed us, he will definitely pay the price for his actions."

At this time, the heavily suspected Grandmaster Ning certainly wasn't sleeping. He was sitting in the coral house, his face full of worried distress. The sudden change in rules to the match had left him cursing his luck.

The little blue lamp was his great secret and he would have to give up on this competition rather than reveal it. But, the problem right now was if he admitted defeat without doing anything, just what would Sea Spirit Pavilion do? While he didn't know that the icy Manager Clearwood had already made preparations, it didn't take much to guess this.

He was afraid that Sea Spirit Pavilion would really flip over in anger. Thinking of this, Qin Yu couldn't help but shake his head. It turned out that sometimes the most unexpected little thing could lead to a dire crisis.

He thought about it all day. It was only when the time-sensing coral in the corner of the room turned a faint blue that Qin Yu bitterly smiled.

Recently he had been refining soul strengthening treasures to enhance his soul. And as his soul was strengthened, shouldn't he be more intelligent than before? But, why did he feel as if he had become stupider? That's right, he couldn't take the little blue lamp out as it might be detected by the altar, but if he didn't take it out, that would be more than fine!

He picked up the jade box that was placed atop the spacious work table. It was filled with top quality nutrient fluid and emitted a light fragrance. A seven-leaf herb lay inside, its roots gently swaying, as if he had its own consciousness.

As he held the jade box, there was a flash of light and it vanished from sight.

Qin Yu focused his senses. If there was anything strange he would immediately take out the jade box.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths –

The altar remained peacefully silent.

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Chapter 149 – Can I Eat That?

Jing Guanjin exposed his formidable abilities. As the time-sensing corals emitted a hazy blue light, the extremely potent power that the magic tool emitted finally stopped and fell into a long silence.

The Purple Cards didn't relax. Instead, the look in their eyes became increasingly complex. This was because they knew that Jing Guanjin's skills didn't end just here. Once he rested, he would complete the promotion of the sea spirit to the next level.

In just a single day, all of the preparations had been completed and at a speed faster than anyone had expected. Sure enough, there were those amongst the younger generation that possessed outstanding talent. The coming waves would eventually crash into the beach and replace the old sand!

Up until now, the other sea spirit had yet to show any change. In fact, the light around its sensing treasure seemed to darken with time and become increasingly dire.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian's smile widened. He had used assassins in the streets, countless other secret methods, and even paid a tremendous price to have that old shark help in secret, but each attempt had ended in failure and he had even been struck back by a completely unconventional trick.

But now, it seemed that this other party had finally bowed in compromise. And the reason? It must have been because of himself! It seemed that when he mentioned starting the power of inspection, his words had frightened that so-called Mister Ning silly.

This left Grandmaster Wu Zetian's heart filled with disdain and even more self-satisfied. He glanced to the side and couldn't hold back his words any longer. "Old Sea, has your Sea Spirit Pavilion's Mister Ning fallen asleep? Unfortunately, the altar is sealed away so that no one can enter. If no one wakes him up, I'm afraid that he will lose. Once that happens, if anyone were to be humiliated, I fear they might be left miserable."

Old Sea paled.

When it came to arguing, there had never been anyone who surpassed him. His status had grown over the years and as he grew older, it became rare for him to personally admonish anyone. But if anyone were to mention the man known as Curse God Lingdao in the past, who wouldn't shiver in their boots? He thought back to that one year where he alone had faced off against 37 sea spirit teachers, and in that great war of words nine previously arrogant people had to be carried away on stretchers. Even now, no one had surpassed that accomplishment.

But at this time, he was truly left speechless. He knew that the more he spoke the more face he would lose, so he simply closed his eyes and pretended he didn't hear anything. His expression was calm and his back was straight, but his heart was falling. Even someone from the Skyspirit Sage lineage would purposely lose in a competition? It seemed the world as he knew it had completely changed. Or, perhaps he had grown too old and it was time to give up his position.

At this time, an unexpected sound startled him from his thoughts.

Old Sea's eyes flashed open. He saw the dim light of the sensing treasure, a treasure he had wanted to smash apart just now, emit a faint trace of bright light.

His heart was stirred to excitement. You brat, you finally began!

At this time, the sensing treasure started to hum and buzz, almost as if it were crying.

Old Sea was shocked, but joy immediately lit up his face. This sort of situation would only appear when the sea spirit was accepting a powerful infusion of energy.

He cried out deep in his heart. All of those sorrowful and depressing thoughts he had were immediately crushed to pieces. Old Sea suddenly felt that this world was incredibly beautiful.

In particular, he loved Wu Zetian's murky and somber expression. He lightly coughed.

"You know, there are some people that never change in this world, no matter how many years pass. They still have that same old wild and overly arrogant temper and like to draw early conclusions no matter how ridiculous they are. You would think that after being humiliated so many times before that they would remember, but they seem to keep forgetting." Old Sea sat down in his chair and leaned back comfortably. "This competition is far from over!"

Everyone here was smart enough to know that Sea Lingdao was intentionally putting on a calm and almost flippant act. But, they were too busy to bother with him because a question was running through their minds. The rapid infusion of energy was enough to cause the sensing treasure to hum and cry; just what had Sea Spirit Pavilion's Mister Ning done?

Wu Zetian's complexion darkened. He watched with a cold expression as the sensing treasure gradually lit up. This proved that everything he assumed before had been a joke. It would be difficult for even the ten great Purple Cards to pour in so much energy so quickly. Perhaps the boy had been making preparations during his long silence.

Yes, there were indeed some unique and isolated sea spirit teacher inheritances that possessed unbelievably wonderful techniques. Wu Zetian had once seen one before. After days of preparations, one was able to inject a special type of energy into a sea spirit within a short period of time, achieving the effect of healing and promoting it.

It seemed that this Mister Ning was also skilled in something similar. That was right, it had to be something like this!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian settled on this thought.

If one had never heard of this secret technique then they were sure to be incomparably shocked. But, if one knew the specifics then they wouldn't consider it anything at all. He glanced at Old Sea and sneered inwardly. Just you wait, this secret technique cannot continue much longer! Perhaps it might only last a short while longer. No matter what it was, it wouldn't be able to compare to his student, Jing Guanjin.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian's calm demeanor left the other Purple Cards surprised. They thought that he would be flustered at this time. Could he have another hidden card in his hand, or was there another reason?

Time quietly passed.

A quarter hour.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian shuffled about in his chair. He thought that this Ning fellow had a bit of skill.

One hour.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian coughed, a bit of caution rising in his eyes.

Two hours.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian's face darkened.

Four hours.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian couldn't take it anymore.

No, it was more accurate to say that within this hall, all ten Purple Cards couldn't contain themselves.

Hum –

Hum –

The sensing treasure continued to cry out!

They could also achieve this sort of horrifying infusion of high intensity energy. But, none of them were capable of continuing for four whole hours without interruption!

No one could!

But the reality was right in front of their eyes.

They all looked at Old Sea with inquisitive eyes. As they saw his calm posture, they all began to speculate in their hearts.

It seemed that this old fellow Sea Lingdao knew the reason for this.

There were some Purple Cards that were on good terms with him. They tried to probe him but were met with laughs and waved off. Seeing that he had no intention of speaking about it, they could only suppress their thoughts, no matter how curious they were.

As for Old Sea, as he saw the surprised looks of those around him, he couldn't help but feel exhilarated and amazed. This was truly worthy of the Skyspirit Sage lineage; it was unimaginably powerful.

It was unknown how much time passed, but the sensing treasure suddenly stopped humming. Wu Zetian hurriedly looked over and with a cough, his complexion became even uglier. The energy fluctuations representing Qin Yu's sea spirit had actually surpassed those of Jing Guanjin. Even if it was only by a little, it was enough to shake his mind.

No one noticed that in a corner of the room, a time-sensing coral had turned a pale red.

With a dismal look, Wu Zetian lifted a finger beneath his robes and gently tapped a spirit shell.

…

Jing Guanjin opened his eyes and took out a spirit shell from his chest. This specially refined spirit shell didn't possess the ability to converse with others, and in addition to some other preparations, it was able to avoid the monitoring of the altar.

At this time, the spirit shell was shaking. It emitted a 'tap tap tap', as if an invisible finger was gently striking it.

Jing Guanjin's complexion turned ugly. He never thought that the spirit shell he hid in his chest would actually start moving. This meant that his opponent's performance was better than his own.

Damn it all!

Jing Guanjin took a deep breath and revealed a serious and dignified expression. It seems that his father's worries had been justified and this Ning fellow was indeed difficult to deal with.

But, so what?

With the Skyspirit power in his hand, he could still fight even if he faced the ten great Purple Cards!

That was right, the so-called Skyspirit power was the strength of the Skyspirit Sage that Old Sea spoke of. Unfortunately, the one who possessed it was not Qin Yu but Jing Guanjin. Of course, Jing Guanjin didn't originate from the family lineage of the Skyspirit Sages. Rather, he had a good father who had used some particularly cruel and bloody methods to obtain this strength.

While this competition could be called a battle between Jing Guanjin and Qin Yu, the truth was that it should be called a battle between the Skyspirit power and the little blue lamp instead!

With a flick of his sleeves, the shining jade-like sea spirit in front of Jing Guanjin suddenly rose into the air. A finger fell. As his fingertip touched the sea spirit, faint and pale traces of white power were poured into it without end. The branches and leaves of the sea spirit swung about as if they were cheering and its fluctuations of energy rapidly rose.

Like this, the sensing treasure connected to Jing Guanjin's sea spirit became even brighter and more dazzling. In just a moment, it caught up to Qin Yu and took the lead once more.

He was about to promote the sea spirit to the next rank!

…

The sea region was incomparably vast. Its total area far surpassed the surface land and it contained countless incredible treasures. As the royal family that ruled over it all, they were naturally the richest family in the entire sea.

Thus, it was natural for the royal palace to be luxurious.

Warm and exquisite jade paved the floor. Discs floated in the air, serving as lamps, illuminating artistic jade carvings all around. Every inch of this hall exuded opulence and prestige. A large throne faced north to south and was carved with a massive dragon circling it. The material was deep purple and it resembled both wood and metal.

There was a figure sitting on the dragon throne. He wore finger-clawed dragon robes and an emperor's crown above his head. His face was plain and prestigious, indifferent to any anger. Though he sat entirely still, the potential of the world seemed to converge upon his body. He was the ruler of the sea races and dominated the endless sea region, controlling the billions and trillions of lives below him. He was the master of this royal palace and the most mighty and influential person between the heavens and earth.

Without any exception!

"How goes the competition?"

"Your Majesty, both sides are still struggling against each other. Victory and defeat cannot be decided just yet."

The sea race ruler's eyes shined. "Oh, that is a bit strange."

No one knew what he meant by 'strange'.

If His Majesty didn't speak, no one dared to say anything else. After several breaths of silence, the sea race ruler waved his hand. "It's no problem, let it be. How fares the investigation into the Netherworld Sea Region that I assigned you?"

"There have indeed been some changes in the Netherworld Sea Region, however we don't know the exact situation right now. But, Old Shark has set out early to begin the hunt. Hopefully he can bring back clearer information on the situation."

"Mm. Concerning this, inform me as soon as you learn anything. Do not delay."

"Yes."

"And where is mister right now?" The sea race ruler suddenly asked.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Old Turtle left a message saying that the weather has become cold, so he has gone into hibernation."

The sea race ruler chuckled. With Old Turtle's cultivation, if he went hibernating because it was too cold then perhaps the entire sea might have frozen into a block of ice already. This reason was a bit too half-hearted. He helplessly said, "He must be feeling leisurely. Push things back for me so he can relax." He waved his hand, "Fall back. This Solitude wishes to be alone."

If the sea race ruler wanted to be alone, no one would be bold enough to ask him who needed to be alone. It was just that up until now, there hadn't even been a shadow of a person within the large and empty grand hall. It was unknown who he was speaking with and who he wanted to fall back.

The hall quieted down. The man sitting on the dragon chair remained as stiff and straight as before, as if he had merged into one being with it; as if he were one with the entire hall.

It was like he had been sitting here for countless years, and he would continue sitting here until the end of time.

…

Ding –

With a low and clear ring, the light atop the sensing treasure began to gather unto itself and turn a faint light purple.

This meant that the promotion of the sea spirit had been completed!

In the coral house, Jing Guanjin's complexion was pale but a sneer hung at the corner of his lips. With the Skyspirit power in my hands, who dares to fight with me!?

Mister Ning?

What is that? Is that something I can eat?

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Chapter 150 – A Sad Story

Currently, the inedible Qin Yu was refining the 3000 year old sea blue bellvine flower that Old Sea had gifted to him. The medicinal efficacy was truly incredible! Perhaps he had misjudged its value earlier. If he really wanted to trade it, even 2 million spirit stones might not be enough.

Pa –

The last bit of blue color vanished from the bellvine flower. The petals wilted and withered until it eventually disintegrated into dust.

Qin Yu put the dust away. Before he left the capital city, he couldn't leave behind any suspicious hints.

For instance, this dust.

He silently calculated the time; night would arrive soon. Qin Yu contemplated the situation and took out the seven-leaf herb. He was deciding whether or not to allow it to continue bathing beneath the sea blue light for another night.

When it came to sea spirits, the little blue lamp had an unimaginably powerful ability to enhance them!

This was something Qin Yu knew of before he even entered Sea Spirit Pavilion.

If the little blue lamp's effect of accelerating the growth of spirit plants was considered one, then its ability to strengthen sea spirits was at least 10.

That's right, this was a completely unreasonable ability!

Thinking about it over and over, Qin Yu decided to let the seven-leaf herb stay in the storage bag for another night. After all, that cold and overly arrogant Jing Guanjin was still Grandmaster Wu Zetian's disciple, so it was best to be a bit more careful. Qin Yu could imagine a situation where he was full of confidence but was instead utterly humiliated in the end, and he didn't hope for this to occur to him.

He turned his hand and took out a soul-strengthening treasure that Chief Manager Wu had purchased from another great city in the sea region. Qin Yu closed his eyes and started to refine it. Another night was almost enough time to improve his soul force further; he couldn't let this time go to waste.

But what he didn't know was just how this decision he made would force our cold and overly arrogant friend Jing Guanjin into a dead end, and what sort of tragic fate he would eventually suffer.

A completely self-confident man who mocked his opponent for biting off more than he could chew, but in reality the man who was being mocked was actually closing his eyes and diligently refining treasures.

If anyone saw this scene, they definitely wouldn't be able to help but laugh because this situation was truly ludicrous.

But the following story was awfully sad –

Night arrived. The time-sensing coral followed its instincts that had developed over hundreds of millions of years. An enzyme started a reaction within, creating a transformation. Soon, the last traces of red turned into blue.

Following this, within the storage ring, a foot of sea blue light quietly bloomed.

And in a hall within the royal palace where the ten great Purple Cards were, the sensing treasure connected to Qin Yu's sea spirit began to wildly hum as if it were caught in a storm.

That's right, such an intense and consistent infusion of energy could only be described as caught in a storm.

The clever Grandmaster Wu Zetian had already learnt his lesson and he maintained a calm demeanor without any reckless boasting or taunting at all. Even so, as he listened to the loud buzzing sound, he still felt fear and apprehension rise within him.

Damn it all! Just who was this Ning fellow that he was so hard to deal with!?

His eyes widened. He stubbornly glared at the sensing treasure as its light became increasingly bright and rich, and the speed…the speed also seemed faster than yesterday's.

This simply defied all common sense!

When it came to enhancing a sea spirit's energy, as it grew stronger it became increasingly difficult. But what Grandmaster Wu Zetian didn't know was that the seven-leaf herb had already adapted to the little blue lamp's strength yesterday, so it was able to absorb even more energy today and advance even faster.

Suddenly, the humming of the sensing treasure came to a stop. Then, in front of shocked eyes, the light quietly gathered in on itself, turning into a light purple.

It had broken through.

Without any preparations and without needing to gather energy for an all-out attempt, the haphazard infusion of energy had pushed the sea spirit to a higher level.

This style left the Purple Cards sucking in a deep breath.

This junior was vicious!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian seemed to choke on himself. He violently coughed and hacked, his loud coughs and shaking covering his actions.

Within the sleeve of his robes, he rapidly tapped the spirit shell.

Jing Guanjin sat cross-legged on the floor. Even after resting for a long time, his face was still deathly pale. In the end, what he had been given wasn't his own. In order to activate the Skyspirit energy, he had to consume a massive amount of his own strength.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed open. He pulled out a spirit shell and listened to the fast tapping sounds it produced. His face filled with shocked anger.

His first thought was – this is impossible!

He had galvanized the Skyspirit energy to force the sea spirit to advance to another level of quality in two days. Just what did that Ning fellow have that could accomplish this?

But, the loud and increasingly rapid tapping sounds clearly reminded him that this was reality. Wu Zetian would never play around with him like this.

He ruthlessly struck the spirit shell. Far away in the royal palace, Grandmaster Wu Zetian seemed to feel his disciple's anger, so he stopped tapping.

Jing Guanjin took a deep breath and calmed his thoughts. He placed the spirit shell on a table nearby. After some time, his composure had been restored and his posture was tall and straight yet again.

You want to fight with me? Surname Ning, you are far too presumptuous!

Bang –

Vast and boundless monster energy raced through his body. The Skyspirit energy within his dantian was spurred on as it began to slowly flow through his meridians, passing through his fingertips and into the sea spirit. He could clearly sense that as the Skyspirit energy entered it, the sea spirit cheered in joy and grew increasingly strong.

With each breath of time, it grew stronger!

Two hours later, Jing Guanjin felt dizziness cloud his mind. He lifted a hand and tapped the spirit shell four times.

Tap tap tap tap –

This was a question – what was the situation like now?

Soon, there was a response.

Tap tap –

Two times.

This meant…that it wasn't good.

Jing Guanjin narrowed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. He clenched his teeth and forcibly dispelled his dizziness.

Surname Ning, you are indeed hard to cope with. But even if you have a hundred methods in your hands, you will still lose today!

Skyspirit power, continue pouring in for me – never stop!

Rumble –

Monstrous energy galloped through his body.

Another 2 hours passed –

Tap tap tap tap –

Tap tap –

It still wasn't good!

The sixth hour.

Jing Guanjin was paper-white and his eyes had turned a faint red.

The eighth hour.

Jing Guanjin wobbled. He grabbed the work table with both hands, desperately holding on.

He had no choice but to bet everything he had. He knew that his father had numerous children and the only reason he held any regard for him was because of today's events. If he could smoothly accomplish his mission then he would undoubtedly reap all the attention and affection of his father. He would be destined to climb to the summit of the highest clouds in the future.

But if he were defeated…

The preparations had been made for a long time and an incredible price had been paid. Even the precious Skyspirit power had been granted to him.

Jing Guanjin didn't dare to imagine the consequences of failure.

So, he could only go all-out!

Ten hours.

Jing Guanjin's shivering fingers tapped the spirit shell. His hair was a mess and his eyes were bloodshot. His elegant robes were matted with sweat and he leaned against the work table, barely managing to stand up.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian soon responded.

Tap tap –

Not good.

Tap tap tap tap –

Hurry up.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap –

This boy is stronger than you!

Jing Guanjin spat out a mouthful of blood. He toppled onto the worktable and his forehead smashed into the spirit shell. He was already unconscious. Luckily, he didn't feel the pain of his forehead being struck and left bleeding, and he slumped to the ground.

Within the palace, the spirit shell in Grandmaster Wu Zetian's hand nearly leapt up. He violently coughed once more to cover the sound, his heart shocked by the sudden response.

Looking at how much strength was placed in striking the spirit shell, Jing Guanjin's situation should be good. Although he might have temporarily fallen behind, there was a chance he would overtake his opponent.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian looked up and frowned. The sensing treasure connected to Jing Guanjin was silent right now. His thoughts raced and he was left overjoyed. Could Jing Guanjin be hiding some other hidden card?

That's right, this must be what was happening. If he had stopped right now, then he must be saving his energy…for the final stretch!

He was indeed worthy of being that mighty figure's most cherished descendant. His formidable strength was truly startling. If Jing Guanjin hadn't met a freak like that Ning fellow, he would have already won. In fact, he wouldn't have even needed to have people ambush Sea Lingdao. With Jing Guanjin's strength, he could have seized a Purple Card himself.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian sat straight and steady. He waited for his disciple to turn the tides in the final critical moments and shock all the old fogies watching. He looked around every now and then. Although he didn't reveal an expression, he sneered inwardly. Just wait and see – this competition isn't over yet!

There were two Purple Cards that were on good terms with Wu Zetian. They had received an immense amount of benefits from him and had authorized him to use the power of inspection. Right now, they couldn't help but be curious.

"Brother Wu, your disciple hasn't moved in a long time. Is everything alright?"

Wu Zetian's complexion was inscrutable. "Don't worry, Jing Guanjin is fine."

His disciple had struck the spirit shell so hard that he could clearly feel his firm resolve and power from this distance. He surely had to be in good spirits.

More time passed.

"Brother Wu, there still isn't any movement."

"Don't worry."

"Cough cough…Brother Wu, it's almost daytime."

"Don't worry."

"Brother Wu, the competition will end soon."

"Don't worry."

"Brother Wu, the competition has ended."

"What…nonsense!"

Grandmaster Wu Zetian stamped his feet. "It was almost afternoon when the match began two days ago. There should still be four hours, so how could it have possibly ended!?"

Although they were on good terms, everyone here was a Purple Card sea spirit teacher and were dignified characters. They certainly didn't like being scolded in public. The man said, "His Majesty personally passed down the other. He said that if the competition continues on, people will die…"

The message had been delivered a moment ago. Because Grandmaster Wu Zetian's attention was completely focused, he hadn't noticed this. He was left in a daze.

The other Purple Cards looked at him with especially strange expressions.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian suddenly regained his thoughts. He stood up and rushed out.

His Majesty had said that people would die if the competition continued. He was clearly referring to the two competitors.

And Jing Guanjin already hadn't made any movements for a long time…

He rushed out of the royal palace and out of the palace gates. Beneath the bell that had stood there for countless years, Wu Zetian watched what was happening with a deeply pained look. He watched as his proud and confident disciple was lifted onto a stretcher and brought down the altar.

Jing Guanjin's robes were almost completely soaked in blood. That dazzling red ignited a flame in Grandmaster Wu Zetian's chest, fed with rage and anger.

"Who was it!? Who did it!? Who injured my disciple! With so many people watching, you dare to injure someone in the finals of the great competition! Your courage is higher than the heavens!"

The grandmaster's roars attracted countless eyes. The audience that had been waiting patiently for two days were immediately sent into a frenzy. They all shouted out their support for the grandmaster and demanded that the committee give them an explanation.

The competition committee soon responded. Just as Grandmaster Wu Zetian's roar faded away, a number of committee members appeared with awkward expressions. The one leading them was committee member Goodra. There was no other way about it. Everyone knew that the turtle race possessed powerful defensive abilities, so of course he had been given the task of explaining. If he was beaten up, at least he could protect himself.

After the others from the committee gave their greetings, including the stoic Chairman Xu, committee member Goodra shrunk down his head and said, "Grandmaster Wu, I ask you to please be patient. We have already investigated the injury and have verified that no one attacked him. Rather, he…struck himself."

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Chapter 151 – You, Today

Just as he finished speaking he was immediately drowned out by Grandmaster Wu Zetian's roars. "Struck himself? Are you trying to say that in this competition, Jing Guanjin gave himself a heavy wound without any reason at all? Are you saying that a noble Golden Core realm master would slip like this?"

The grandmaster's eyes were cold and dark, as if he would eat anyone who stepped in his way. "I don't care just what sort of bribes you received. I will definitely investigate this matter. Anyone who dares to cover up the perpetrator will be my enemy!"

Committee member Goodra was pushed to the point of tears. He was someone who had a bit of status, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to become one of the committee members in something so important as the great sea spirit teacher competition.

But in terms of wealth, status, or strength, he was nothing but a speck of dust to a Purple Card sea spirit teacher. A casual flick of the finger could grind him to bits.

"Grandmaster Wu, no matter how much courage I have I would never dare to lie to you. Jing Guanjin really did hit himself…"

Bang –

Before he could finish speaking, committee member Goodra was sent soaring backwards. His thick shell crashed into the hard surface of Prosperity Square, producing a series of sparks as he skidded along the ground.

Crack –

Following that, in the thick and protective shell that the turtle race was famous for, countless small cracks begin to appear as they spread out like a web. This horrified the other committee members, leaving them pale white. All of them gulped. Each of them thanked the heavens that they hadn't been the one to speak, otherwise they feared they wouldn't be alive right now.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian's anger soared to the heavens. "Where is Chairman Xu? He must give me an explanation!"

After Goodra had been sent flying away, the intelligent Chairman Xu finally came up with an explanation.

He produced a health examination proving that Jing Guanjin had overdrawn his strength, as well as proof that his blood loss had come from a singular impact of external force.

Besides these things, there were no other injuries.

Chairman Xu held up a bloodstained spirit shell that was clearly of high quality and solemnly said, "Grandmaster Wu, we have made a comparison. The wound on Jing Guanjin's forehead completely matches the shape of this spirit shell. Moreover, the competition was carried out upon the altar and everything occurred in a completely sealed area. I have personally inspected the spells and found that there isn't a problem with them.

"So, I ask that Grandmaster Wu take a look…"

Wu Zetian was shocked silly. As he thought of Jing Guanjin's last response, the powerful strike that had been filled with confidence and vigor, he realized that it hadn't been a finger tap at all, but a smash from the forehead!

This difference was rather large…

His face darkened as if it would rain soon. After a long moment of silence, Grandmaster Wu grabbed the spirit shell, clenched his jaws, and then crushed it to powder. He turned and left.

A committee member squeaked out, "That is evidence..."

Chairman Xu interrupted him. "That's enough. It can be understood that Grandmaster Wu was momentarily overcome with anger. It's fine as long as we can explain it."

That spirit shell was just far too volatile!

Once others learned of it, it would surely raise up a storm. He didn't want to bring trouble upon himself so he had deliberately brought it here so that someone else could destroy it for him.

What happened was just what he hoped for.

It was unknown whether or not Jing Guanjin would live. It was already clear what the result of the competition was. Grandmaster Wu Zetian was brimming with a furious rage. His heart, liver, lungs, kidney, every organ in his body seemed to burn with anger. In this state, the cheers that entered his ears were especially grating and hateful. He looked up. As expected, it was people from Sea Spirit Pavilion.

A black-robed figure was being surrounded by a crowd of people and congratulated.

What an eyesore of a scene!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian's complexion became even uglier. He walked away.

Chief Manager Wu was ecstatic. At the same time, he was also ashamed of the previous suspicions he had. He swept his eyes around and immediately tensed up.

"Greetings, Grandmaster Wu!"

For the chief manager of Sea Spirit Pavilion to give such a respectful greeting to someone named Grandmaster Wu, there was of course only one such person in the world.

The cheers quieted down and they all lowered their heads in greeting. Seeing this person's purple robes and the Purple Card at his waist, they all felt anxious within.

After all, this figure that existed on the highest heavens was Jing Guanjin's teacher. And, he had many negative opinions of their Sea Spirit Pavilion.

He shouldn't have come to pick an argument, right?

And as they thought, Grandmaster Wu didn't disappoint anyone at all. He sneered and glared at Qin Yu. "I don't know what sort of methods you used to win, but I will surely investigate this. You had best make sure I don't grab ahold of any weakness of yours!"

To maintain a constant high influx of energy for several hours on end, this was something that even a Purple Card couldn't accomplish. Yet, this Ning fellow had done all of that and seemed completely relaxed at the moment. If someone had said that there wasn't some sort of trick involved, Wu Zetian wouldn't believe it even if he were beaten to death.

And even if there hadn't been any problems, with his status, this Ning fellow could only eat the insult and be suspected by others. Though this might not do anything, Wu Zetian could still feel a bit more comfortable in his heart.

It wasn't that Wu Zetian was bored, but because he was suffocating on rage and anger. If he didn't vent some of it, he feared he would choke to death on his fury. Only he knew what Jing Guanjin's defeat meant and what he had lost because of it.

The Skyspirit power!

This was a dream he had chased after for countless years. It had been so close to becoming reality, but all of a sudden it had become an empty illusion. Wu Zetian already believed that he was being very civilized and self-controlled to maintain his sanity and not tear this mysterious black-robed little boy to shreds.

Just what kind of status did the ten Purple Cards possess? To the common seafolk, they were like living gods.

Thus, when Grandmaster Wu Zetian appeared with a gloomy face, the audience had earnestly quieted down. Even those who were overjoyed to see a frivolous young master like Jing Guanjin suffer had restrained themselves. Their silence was a show of respect towards Grandmaster Wu.

The audience was too far away from Grandmaster Wu, so they shouldn't have been able hear him. But, this final competition was too important and multiple spells had been put in place in case anyone tried to interfere with the match. Later on, inspectors would find that one of the sea spirit priests had upped the power of a sound amplifying array. It was unknown whether it was because his hand or slipped or not, but it had activated at this exact time.

Thus, everyone could hear Grandmaster Wu Zetian's voice clearly echoing through Prosperity Square.

In an instant, everyone's eyes gathered on him.

Wu Zetian was startled, as if he didn't expect his voice to spread out. But, he soon composed himself.

With his status, he didn't need to care about such things. Rather, the more people heard him, the more that Ning fellow would be shamed.

His heart felt a trace of joy.

Chief Manger Wu squeezed out a smile. He took a step forwards. "Grandmaster Wu, you must have mistaken something. Mister Ning…"

Wu Zetian said without expression, "Just what are you? When I am speaking, do you think you can interrupt?"

Chief Manager Wu flushed red. He drew in several deep breaths, his smile becoming even more forced.

Yes, even in the face of relentless taunting, he still maintained his smile.

This person was still the third ranked of the ten Purple Cards. Even if he knew that this person was hostile to Sea Spirit Pavilion, he still didn't dare to provoke him.

This was an instinctual awe and reverence that the countless sea races of the sea region held towards the Purple Cards, a feeling that was produced from their inheritance over the endless years.

Chief Manager Wu was a member of the sea races. So even if he had a high status, he was also no exception.

Leon was infuriated for his teacher and his eyes popped open in anger. But even so, he could only suppress all his thoughts in his heart.

Everyone from Sea Spirit Pavilion bowed their heads with fear and panic.

But there was an exception here. This person wasn't one of the sea races so he indeed didn't care about the Purple Card sea teachers. He stood tall with his hands held behind his back, possessing an unparalleled iciness and disdain. Facing this person, the proud Grandmaster Wu Zetian seemed as if he had been struck by a rock.

Qin Yu lightly said, "Chief manager, may I ask who this person in front of you is?"

Chief Manager Wu was stunned silly. Old Sea had personally visited Qin Yu, so he should be well aware of what Grandmaster Wu's clothes and accessories meant. In addition to this person's aura and how he had referenced him, how could he possibly not recognize who he was?

His first thought was that Mister Ning was also angry so he wanted to be unruly again.

He began to panic. To insult a Purple Card in front of so many people was an extremely grave matter. But there were some words that shouldn't be said. He turned and gave Qin Yu a meaningful look. "Mister Ning, this is the third ranked Purple Card, Grandmaster Wu Zetian. You absolutely cannot be disrespectful to him."

The hidden meaning was: Brother, please don't make this mess any bigger. Just hurry and lower your head!

Qin Yu nodded, seeming to suddenly understand. "So it was Grandmaster Wu. Luckily the chief manager reminded me of who you are, otherwise I would have thought you were an ignorant old fool who has no sense of etiquette. I was just about to curse you out." He cupped a hand across his chest as he spoke. "Grandmaster Wu, I don't really understand what you said just now, but it doesn't matter much. However, shouldn't you be hurrying over to check up on Jing Guanjin? How come you're here wasting our time?"

Chief Manager Wu covered his face and groaned. He knew it would be like this!

The entirety of Prosperity Square fell into a deathly silence. All of the seafolk stared with wide eyes, disbelief clouding their expressions. All of their gazes sent the same message: how dare you!

But asking if he dared to or not no longer mattered. After all, this person had already done it, so of course he dared to.

An ignorant old fool who has no sense of etiquette…

I don't really understand what you said just now, but it doesn't matter much…

How come you're here wasting our time…

These words seemed calm and measured, but there were too many barbs contained within. And, it was that calm and measured tone which signaled that he simply didn't place this person in his eyes.

Since when had anyone dared to provoke him like this!?

Grandmaster Wu Zetian suddenly calmed down. He said, "Mister Ning, you have truly angered me."

Hearing these words, the countless seafolk fell into a cold sweat. An electric current seemed to pass over their bodies, leaving them shivering inside.

Following that, besides the Sea Spirit Pavilion people who were paper-white, everyone else's eyes brightened.

They seemed to have already expected that a lively scene would occur. At the very least, Mister Ning who had offended a Purple Card would be punished. No matter what it was, everyone thought his final outcome would be sad.

In fact, even those from Sea Spirit Pavilion were thinking this. It was just that although the seafolk had guessed the beginning, they were able to guess the end. Everything they expected seemed to have reversed, from north to south, from east to west.

Because at this time, Qin Yu also calmly responded.

"Grandmaster Wu, you have already angered me long ago."

What did this mean?

Just what did this mean?

To say such ruthless words in the face of a Purple Card?

Following this, the audience learned that Qin Yu not only dared to speak such ruthless words, but even dared to put them in action.

He turned around and looked at Chairman Xu, who had been standing and watching for a long time but had no desire to get involved. "Have the results of the competition come out yet?"

Chairman Xu frowned. He thought that Qin Yu wanted to use this to humiliate Grandmaster Wu, and immediately regretted standing so close to the front. But, he couldn't avoid the situation. He could only maintain his composure and say in a low voice, "According to the final judgment, Mister Ning, you have won the competition."

You won, he lost.

But he didn't mention Jing Guanjin's name; he still needed to be a bit tactful. He hoped that Grandmaster Wu would be a bit open-minded and wouldn't bear a grudge because of this.

Qin Yu didn't know of Chairman Xu's worries and also his vivid desire to flee the scene. He continued to ask, "So in other words, I already possess the rights to challenge a Purple Card."

"That is correct. In half a month, you may choose the time…"

Qin Yu interrupted him. "No need!" He lifted a hand and pointed a finger. "You old thing, this young master has found you an eyesore for a long time already. I choose you and I choose today!"

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Chapter 152 – Cultivating the Lotus Seed

Whether it was competing against Jing Guanjing or challenging a Purple Card, it wasn't any different to Qin Yu…after all, he believed he would win in the end. To become a Purple Card was an extraordinary event. Qin Yu had underestimated it before. The status and attention a Purple Card brought with it was enough to make him the focus of all attention.

Since he was going to win no matter what, he might as well act a bit lofty and arrogant and look down on everyone else in a disdainful manner. This was so that others wouldn't be suspicious of him once he became a Purple Card.

In simpler terms, he wanted to use this high-profile approach in order to add another layer of camouflage to his disguise. This was because a person who was using questionable methods definitely wouldn't do this.

Of course, him not liking Wu Zetian was also another one of the reasons.

The power of inspection, huh? My apologies…but I won't give you that chance!

If Prosperity Square had fallen silent when Qin Yu had taunted Wu Zetian, then right now one couldn't even hear any quiet gasps throughout the audience.

The seafolk seemed to have been shocked so deeply that they forgot to breathe. It lasted until someone wasn't able to hold it in, and once he took a deep breath, this created a chain reaction that tumbled down into a roaring avalanche.

Almost one million people sucked in a deep breath at once. With a loud rumble, it brought with it a dreadful momentum!

Chief Manager Wu choked on himself, gurgling sounds coming from deep in his throat. If someone like him who could hide his emotions so well was actually startled to such a degree, it could be imagined how shocked and panicked everyone else was.

For instance, Chairman Xu.

Chairman Xu was a high ranking man who stood amongst the peak of the capital city. He had close connections to the royal palace and in his life he had experienced countless twists and turns. He had even been alive and bore witness to the struggle of royal authority when the throne had been changed. Perhaps it was a bit exaggerated to say that the collapse of a mountain couldn't produce any reaction from him, but his calm serenity wasn't something that an average person could match.

At this time, he was left slack-jawed, his mouth hanging slightly open. Although he instinctively knew that this appearance was very ugly, he still couldn't form a thought of closing his mouth.

Old thing…

In the entire recorded history of the sea races, there might have never been a scene where a Purple Card was pointed at and challenged in such a matter. Of course, regardless of what today's outcome was, this would surely be an event recorded for posterity.

To be recorded in the annals of history in such a manner, it could be imagined just what Grandmaster Wu Zetian was feeling at this moment. If anger could really burn, then Old Wu would definitely be a sun, and amongst the hottest and brightest kind!

His face flushed red, purple, and finally blue, before reverting to normal. His eyes seemed as if they could devour others whole. "Junior, I guarantee that you will regret this!"

Qin Yu faintly said, "You pair of master and disciple are quite similar in attitude. You keep flapping your lips and spouting nonsense; how annoying."

Wu Zetian grinned in rage. "Good, very good! Chairman Xu, since this junior challenged me, then according to the rules I will come up with the topic."

Chairman Xu didn't know how to respond. "As it should be."

Wu Zetian flipped his hand and two lotus seeds appeared atop his palm. "These two lotus seeds are something I obtained long ago from a withered Blue Sea Lotus. The lotus itself had died before these two seeds could reach maturity, and they suffered tremendous inherent damage, leaving them extremely difficult to germinate. Then, the topic will be to cultivate these two lotus seeds."

Chairman Xu and the committee members personally inspected both lotus seeds. After determining that they were nearly identical, they also left behind a mark.

"There is no problem. Mister Ning, do you have any objections towards this topic?" In truth, these words were unnecessary. This was because it was a long established rule that the Purple Card sea spirit teacher would be the one to designate how the challenge was carried out. If there were any objections then that would be no different from forfeiting.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian didn't have an expression. "Junior, if you have any worries then I will allow you to choose from the two lotus seeds first." Old Wu was incredibly angry. Though he wished he could tear Qin Yu to shreds, he still maintained his reasoning.

Jing Guanjin possessed the Skyspirit power and yet he had been forced into such a miserable state. It was clear that this Ning fellow had some skills in treating and strengthening sea spirits.

Luckily, the work scope of sea spirit teachers was far more than that. For instance, cultivating something like these lotus seeds. There weren't many sea spirit teachers who specialized in cultivating sea spirits to begin with, because doing some required one to expend a tremendous amount of time and effort. The investment required compared to the harvests simply wasn't worth it at all. Besides a small minority of sea spirit teachers that loved this subject and thus had some skills in it, most ordinary sea spirit teachers only possessed the most basic skills.

And as it happened, because of some reasons long ago, Wu Zetian had been wildly obsessed with cultivating sea spirits for a period of time. Even afterwards he still couldn't let go of it.

When he became a Purple Card sea spirit teacher and gained wealth and status, those things were no longer shackles that held him down. He began to secretly study cultivating sea spirits and tried to further his research into enhancing them.

Because of this, Grandmaster Wu Zetian was fully confident in himself.

This junior wanted to challenge him?

This junior only had himself to blame!

Beneath his black robes, Qin Yu lightly said, "No need."

Chief Manager Wu wanted to speak but hesitated. With things having come this far, there was nowhere where he could intercede.

A bit of gratitude shined in Clearwood's eyes. Her lips moved as she quietly said, "You can do it!"

But even though she was the one who said these words, she still found them lacking in energy.

Since Wu Zetian had chosen the topic of cultivating sea spirits, he was definitely skilled in this specialized field. As for Qin Yu, he had never revealed any abilities in this aspect.

Leon flushed red. "Teacher, you will definitely win!"

Wu Zetian coldly sneered. He flicked his sleeves and walked away.

He didn't have any interest in speaking further. These people were nothing but frogs in a well, incapable of understanding how high up the heavens were. He would let the facts speak for themselves!

Qin Yu smiled and patted Leon's shoulder. "Wait for teacher to win. Then you'll need to try just a bit harder and you'll succeed in chasing after Miss Qingqing's hand."

He blinked an eye as he spoke.

Leon blushed red. He mumbled to himself, unsure of what he should say.

As everyone from Sea Spirit Pavilion saw he was still able to joke around with his student at such a time, they stared at each other, unsure if they should laugh or cry. Even so, they couldn't help but feel a secret admiration towards him.

Mister Ning was truly worthy of being Mister Ning! This courage wasn't something that the average man could compare with!

Unfortunately, something like courage didn't give someone strength…

From inside and outsider Prosperity Square, countless seafolk shouted in excitement. The match between Qin Yu and Jing Guanjin had been rather boring. In particular, that cold and overly arrogant Young Master Jin hadn't shown off any skills at all. Instead, he nearly fell to his own death. It was just disgraceful.

Luckily for them, Grandmaster Wu Zetian was about to make a move. He was a Purple Card sea spirit teacher, the living incarnation of the sea spirits in the world!

And really, Grandmaster Wu Zetian didn't disappoint them.

"Chairman Xu, as a Purple Card sea spirit teacher, not only should I further the faith or the sea spirits in the world, but I should also shoulder a corresponding responsibility. Thus, for this challenge, I will work in public view of all. I hope that in doing so I will be able to help some sea spirit teachers and give them some harvests."

The cheers shook the earth!

In the crowd, countless sea spirit teachers watching began to shake with excitement. Several of them started to cry copious tears.

To observe a Purple Card sea spirit teacher in action, just what sort of lucky chance was that!

Chairman Xu followed the flow. He first expressed his thanks on behalf of all the sea spirit teachers watching and then spoke several words of profound meaning, expressing how Wu Zetian was a role model for the younger generation. He glanced over at an attendant, who immediately left. He wanted the two lazy young bastards of his family who were living far too comfortable a life to hurry up over here!

A Purple Card sea spirit teacher personally showing off his skills was an opportunity hard to find even in a hundred years. Even if one couldn't learn anything, they could still brag to their friends in future conversation about how they had been able to observe Grandmaster Wu Zetian working!

A teacher of one day was still a teacher. Even if Grandmaster Wu Zetian didn't know who they were, it was fine as they themselves knew!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian restored his calm. He lifted his hand, looking entirely like a great expert, and the crowd fell silent. A cold light flashed in his eyes. "Junior, do you dare follow me and work in public view of all?"

Qin Yu shook his head.

Wu Zetian taunted, "Do you not dare?"

Qin Yu said, "Indeed I do not dare. This involves secret inheritances of my teacher's legacy. Although I am unworthy, I still cannot reveal them without being given permission first."

Wu Zetian had been poked apart once more. He coughed, hiding his disappointment. He was originally thinking that this young man would be overly proud and confident in himself and accept, but who knew that his goading would fail. In any case, his original intention had been to improve his image. As long as he could utterly demolish this junior, then all the humiliation he received would vanish into thin air.

And, his reputation might rise even more.

Wu Zetian flicked his sleeves. "Then let's begin."

Qin Yu said, "Wait."

Wu Zetian sneered. "Are you afraid?"

Qin Yu responded. "You decided what the topic is, and I will decide when the match begins."

Grandmaster Wu Zetian snorted.

Chairman Xu coughed. He said, "Mister Ning does possess this right. When would you like the competition to begin? And how long would you like it to last?"

Qin Yu said, "Since someone wants to work in the open, I should at least give him a chance to perform. The match duration will be three days. We can begin as soon as I take a brief rest."

Chairman Xu revealed some hesitation.

"Don't worry, I only need to rest for a day at most."

Chairman Xu nodded. "Good, then we will prepare the location first."

Grandmaster Wu Zetian chose to work on the altar. The highest quality worktable was quickly assembled and even the supporting tools were the latest and best models. Then, the cultivators that arranged the match began to lay down an isolating array formation to prevent any outside disturbance.

Of course, the isolating array formation only went in one direction. Grandmaster Wu Zetian's voice could pass outwards and those outside could clearly see him working in sharp detail.

Outside Prosperity Square, at the fervid request of the seafolk, the broadcasting array formation was aimed towards Grandmaster Wu Zetian. With permission from the royal palace, the transmission signal was expanded and sent all around the capital city.

Qin Yu chose to work below the altar. This was because he always felt a bit of discomfort working on the altar. There was no basis for this and there didn't seem to be anything wrong. Perhaps it was only a psychological trick.

The coral house was moved. The staffers bustled about, cleaning and rearranging.

Qin Yu turned and stepped onto a carriage. After a moment of hesitation, Chief Manager Wu chose not to follow. With things having come this far, then he might as well give Mister Ning more time to rest.

Who knew? Perhaps he might also win this challenge.

Thinking of this, Chief Manager Wu wryly smiled.

This was a truly infinitesimal hope!

Clearwood suddenly stepped forwards. She respectfully bowed, "Greetings, teacher."

Old Sea nodded. "You may rise."

Chief Manager Wu watched this happen and his heart shook as he finally understood Clearwood's background. No wonder she had vanished for several days; she had been taking care of Old Sea. He hurried over and bowed in greeting.

Old Sea waved his hand, dismissing those following him. "Where is little friend Ning?"

Clearwood said, "Mister Ning is currently resting in his carriage. Teacher, what do you think of this challenge?"

Old Sea coldly sneered. "Old Wu knows how to bear a grudge and is narrow-minded. It's good that little friend Ning chose him, otherwise even if he won, he would still be suppressed with the power of inspection. As for what the result will be…" He paused for a moment. "I certainly hope that little friend Ning will win, but when it comes to cultivating sea spirits, I have to admit that he might lack in skill in that aspect. Humph! That Old Wu is actually quite clever. I thought he would lose his mind in a fit of anger."

Chief Manager Wu forced a smile. "Old Sea, do you also not favor him?"

Old Sea didn't directly reply. "Concerning my matters, what is Sega City going to compensate him?"

The 'him' was naturally referring to Qin Yu.

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Chapter 153 – The Confident Grandmaster Wu

Chief Manager Wu explained the situation with the 30 million spirit stones.

Old Sea waved his hand. "That is far too petty. Tell Madame that little friend Ning is worthy of her investment. There will surely be a great repayment in the future." He paused for a moment then continued, "I heard that little friend Ning has been purchasing a massive number of soul strengthening items. Inform Madame that she can begin from there."

Chief Manager Wu respectfully bowed.

Clearwood signed inwardly. Since her teacher said this, this must mean that he didn't have much faith in the outcome of this challenge.

She had followed her teacher for many years, and she could approximate just what he was thinking.

A sea spirit teacher needed to slowly accumulate experience, and with this they would improve, growing stronger over time. While Mister Ning originated from a prominent background, he was simply far too young. If he possessed such mind-boggling abilities in strengthening sea spirits, then correspondingly his skills in other fields would be lesser.

Not only was his enemy far older but he was also the third ranked Purple Card. Even if Qin Yu originated from the Skyspirit Sage lineage, there didn't seem to be any plan that could ensure his victory.

When Qin Yu felt the dim red light completely scatter from the corals, he pushed open the door. Countless eyes swiveled to him, startling him for a moment.

The competition staff were already waiting to the side. They hurried forwards, and after confirming with Qin Yu, then hurried away.

The bell rang out, echoing through the square.

Let the challenge begin!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian's eyes flashed, a brilliant light exploding from his pupils. His robes fluttered about him, the Purple Card hanging from his waist on clear display. Whether it was appearance or momentum, everything was perfect.

Cheers surged like a tide!

He stood high above, his gaze regal and dignified. "Junior, I will teach you just what a Purple Card is!"

Qin Yu looked up, meeting his eyes. With a bored expression he said, "How mouthy."

How could such overwhelming words be met with such a ridiculous response? Countless seafolk thought that this was the greatest shame a Purple Card could receive. Grandmaster Wu Zetian should be frothing with anger…but why, why did he seem inexplicably happy?

Old Sea said with a helpless look. "Doing this will stir up public anger."

Qin Yu smiled. "I don't care."

Old Sea shook his head. "Brat, has anyone ever told you that your current actions make anyone want to punch you?"

"It's more than punching. I think Grandmaster Wu wishes he could eat me right now."

Old Sea laughed. "At least you are self-aware. Little friend Ning, this time you have offended him to death." He stopped laughing, "But, I like it." He took a step back and cupped his hands together. "I, Sea Lingdao, will always remember little friend Ning's graciousness today. If you have any problems in the future, then they are my problems too. I want to see just who dares to touch you."

These words weren't concealed at all. To speak them out loud in such a situation was the equivalent of giving Qin Yu the deepest vow.

In the future, anyone who wanted to harm him would be the enemy of Sea Lingdao!

Qin Yu smiled, "Thank you, Old Sea."

Qin Yu cupped his hands together and turned to leave.

Old Sea looked at Qin Yu's back and sighed. "It seems that you never planned on staying!"

Chief Manager Wu's complexion shifted. "Old Wu, you mean…"

"Little friend Ning is a smart fellow, so how could he not see what he is doing? Although his words and actions are aimed towards Wu Zetian today, in reality he is questioning the status of all Purple Cards. The ten Purple Cards themselves don't mean anything, but what stands behind them and represents them are nearly all the powerful influences in the sea region. Their status has been established over countless years, so how could they possibly be shaken by someone?"

Chief Manager Wu bitterly smiled. He finally understood that Mister Ning must have had the thought of leaving, so that was why he was able to act how he wanted today, based entirely on his heart and conscience.

His face was dark and dreary. Although it was unknown what he was thinking, a bit of hesitation lit his eyes.

Old Sea said, "You may inform Madame about this. She will make the right choice."

Chief Manager Wu lowered his head in shame. He nodded, no longer speaking.

In the coral house, Qin Yu sat down cross-legged. With a flick of his sleeve he received the Blue Sea Lotus seed into his storage ring. Within, the thumb-sized lamp started to bloom with light.

This light wasn't instant. Rather, it flowed like water, slowly spreading out. It circled around and around before finally covering a foot distance.

The Blue Sea Lotus seed gently trembled, seeming as if it were leaping with joy. It absorbed all the deep blue light it could, or perhaps it could be said the power hidden within the light.

One breath of time, two breaths, three breaths…time slowly passed. After an unknown period, markings began to appear on the surface of the lotus seed, twisting and winding like waves of water.

After determining that there wasn't a problem, Qin Yu withdrew his divine sense. He took out a soul-strengthening treasure and started to refine it. The 3000 year old bellvine flower that Old Sea had given him was far more effective that he thought. If it weren't for it being the wrong time right now, Qin Yu believed he could attempt to refine the fourth of the five-element spiritual objects. He thought of the sea spirit baptism and smiled. Perhaps it wouldn't be much longer before all five-element spiritual objects were gathered in his dantian sea!

On the altar –

Grandmaster Wu finally made his move. He revealed all the strength of a Purple Card, leaving nothing hidden. Every action and every movement was like a textbook. No, it could even be said to be more elegant and classic than a textbook. His actions were like passing clouds and flowing water, every single thing he did linking together just right.

The Blue Sea Lotus seed floated in the air, shrouded with circles of light. Grandmaster Wu brandished his hands, gently swinging them about.

Countless sea spirit teachers watched, intoxicated by the sight. They sighed inwardly over the great strength of a Purple Card, and while their minds were completely immersed, they lost track of time. As for the ordinary seafolk, while they couldn't understand Grandmaster Wu's actions, they still found his actions pleasing to the eyes.

As time passed, changes began to appear on the lotus seed. It seemed to grow, and the withered lotus seed started to fill out. Then, on its surface, beautiful markings appeared. With more and more appearing, they connected together into a single stretch. The sound of rustling waves appeared in the void.

This left countless seafolk crying out in astonishment.

Finally, Grandmaster Wu stopped and closed his eyes in meditation.

The quiet sea spirit teachers seemed to regain their senses, one at a time. Many of them were excited; it was clear they had obtained harvests. While they wanted to immediately leave and confirm their thoughts, they actually weren't willing to as none of them wanted to miss out on what happened next. A struggling expression appeared on their faces.

"Mister sea spirit teacher, why would Grandmaster Wu's lotus seed emit the sounds of waves?" A young miss from the capital city asked. She had a maid beside her, and looking at her clothing and jewelry, it was clear she came from a good background.

And of course, this young miss had a fresh and beautiful appearance, thus while the sea spirit teacher who had been disturbed did frown, he suppressed his anger and explained, "The Blue Sea Lotus isn't a particularly high ranking sea spirit, but when the lotus opens, the phantom of a blue sea will appear. Because of this reason, it is well known within the sea region and is considered a special type of precious sea spirit. This lotus seed was damaged during formation so it should be extremely difficult for it to take root and germinate. With Grandmaster Wu's exquisite skills, he was able to make up for the defect and sharply increase the strength contained within. The reason for the sound of waves to appear is because the strength from within the lotus seed is emanating outwards."

The sea spirit teacher's face was full of adoration and worship, "To make up for a birth defect like this isn't easy to begin with, but Grandmaster Wu was actually able to increase the strength it contains, even causing that strength to voluntarily dissipate. Such skills are extraordinary and simply unbelievable."

The surrounding people listened in a trace. Although they weren't clear on what was occurring, everyone tacitly understood that they had to have appearances that made it seem that they understood so that others wouldn't think they were useless. So, as the seafolk looked at the altar, their eyes were filled with an even deeper awe.

At the Sea Spirit Pavilion area, Old Sea watched with a dignified expression. He watched for a long time before finally sighed. Originally, he had a trace of hope in Qin Yu, but now he had thoroughly given up. Although he disdained Wu Zetian's character, he couldn't help but acknowledge that he was truly powerful. In the aspect of cultivating sea spirits, he had actually been hiding such shocking strength.

At the same time, he felt pity towards Qin Yu as well as a bit of guilt. If it weren't because of him then Qin Yu wouldn't have come up with nothing in the end. According to what Chief Manager Wu had told him, it seemed that Qin Yu hadn't had any interest in the sea spirit teacher competition to begin with. The only reason he chose to participate was because of the sea spirit baptism.

Sea Spirit Pavilion's compensation was managed by Sea Spirit Pavilion; it wasn't up to him to decide. Old Sea took a deep breath and then turned towards Clearwood. He whispered some words to her.

Clearwood nodded without hesitation.

"Aiya, I have wronged you. This thing is something I was planning on leaving to you." Old Sea said with a guilty look.

Clearwood shook her head. "Teacher speaks too seriously. This disciple has never paid attention to something like that."

Old Sea felt a bit more comforted in his heart. He thought that he would definitely need to find some good things in the future to compensate this smart and well-behaved disciple of his.

After resting for some time, Grandmaster Wu opened his eyes. His expression was serene. He completely disregarded all the eyes on him and continued to cultivate the lotus seed.

More smooth and simple movements, more entranced eyes.

One day passed.

The second day passed.

In the blink of an eye, it was the third day.

On the altar, Grandmaster Wu flicked his sleeves. The lotus seed in front of him trembled. The light that shrouded it all around suddenly reversed and flowed into it like a hundred rivers.

Hum –

Hum –

The lotus seed cried out, the sound of vast waves filling the air!

Grandmaster Wu lifted a hand and all sounds dispersed. The lotus seed slowly fell into a jade box. Though he looked a bit weary, a happy smile lifted the corners of his lips.

Perhaps it was because of his shock and anger, or perhaps it was because of his tumultuous mood, but his performance this time was a completely unprecedented display of his skills. The lotus seed in front of him didn't have any signs of its previously withered appearance. It was bright and full of light, as if carved from jade. Markings wove around it like fog above the sea, and it sparkled with dazzling translucence.

Grandmaster Wu sighed. As he looked up, his eyes seemed as bright as stars. He looked all around, utterly fearless and fully confident in himself. While the results for this challenge hadn't been revealed, he knew that he had won.

At the edge of his eyes, he found the figures of the other Purple Cards. They had laughed when he had been called an old thing, but now they all had solemn expressions and each one cupped their hands towards him in the distance.

Jing Guanjin might have lost, but he, Wu Zetian, would not!

The prestige of the Purple Cards existed atop the highest heavens. No one could question them.

Mister Ning?

What is that? Is that something he could eat?

…Indeed, to become master and disciple, their character and personality traits were extremely similar.

Even their thoughts were the same.

If Grandmaster Wu Zetian had known that his overly prideful disciple had the same thought as he did before being reduced to such a miserable state, then it was unknown whether or not he could have maintained his confidence.

Of course, there were no ifs in the world, so what was destined to happen would still follow quietly along a fixed path before erupting.

The committee quickly responded. Chairman Xu and the others were personally accompanied by a priest as they walked up the altar. They greeted Grandmaster Wu and then began their inspection. They took out their marking and contrasted it. After finding there was no problem, they all lit up with praise.

In order to have become committee members, forgetting all else, they still had good eyesight. This Blue Sea Lotus seed was now in a simply impeccable state. It was the top quality of all top quality.

"Congratulations Grandmaster Wu!"

"With Grandmaster Wu taking action, it is truly phenomenal!"

Congratulations filled the air and smiles bloomed like flowers on their faces. Although no one said anything specific, their meaning was clear.

They were optimistic of Grandmaster Wu's chances! Very, very, very optimistic!

None of them were blind and none of them were fools. Almost all the sea spirit teachers watching were shouting out praise in their hearts.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian, third ranked amongst the Purple Cards. He was truly deserving of this title!

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Chapter 154 – Would You Like To Make a Bet?

Old Sea fell silent, not saying a word. Chief Manager Wu had an ugly complexion and Clearwood watched with a bit of helplessness. They also thought that this would be the final result. When Wu Zetian had finished his task, this challenge was doomed.

Right now, there was still some time before the competition ended. But was there any need to wait? More than one person had this thought. Slowly, eyes began to gather towards the committee members.

Chairman Xu coughed, maintaining his calm. "The three day limit still hasn't arrived. Mister Ning may still continue. I believe that Grandmaster Wu wouldn't mind this."

Old Sea had stated that whoever dared target Mister Ning would be the same as kicking him. The ever-intelligent Chairman Xu didn't want to stir up any trouble for himself. In any case, what he said now was completely correct.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian had an indifferent look. With a look of grace and benevolent mercy, he faintly uttered, "It's fine. Give the junior some time."

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a yawn. The door to the coral house was pushed open and a black-robed figure stepped out. "As I thought, the older you are the slower you are. I slept for a long time but now I'm finally out."

At this time, many seafolk were left speechless. How could you always talk about sleeping like this? Moreover, to say that at such a time, do you think we will believe you? What hollow boasting! Many eyes turned cold and started to look at Qin Yu with contempt and gloating. As they saw Qin Yu's arrogant demeanor, they couldn't wait for him to cry.

In front of Grandmaster Wu, could you still take out your Blue Sea Lotus seed?

Hehe, they were really looking forward to it!

Boos reverberated like an endless tide.

A thought suddenly formed in Qin Yu's mind. His lips crooked and he lightly said, "It looks like many people aren't satisfied with me. Then, how about we make a bet?"

Chief Manager Wu covered his face. This stream of conscious thinking had made a return!

Just what time was it that he actually had the mind to say such things?

Beside him, Clearwood also had a shocked expression.

Old Sea asked a question. After obtaining a response, he shook his head and bitterly smiled. His thoughts couldn't help but begin racing.

This little friend Ning seemed to be quite confident in his words.

Chairman Xu lightly coughed. "Mister Ning, this doesn't seem to align with the rules."

Grandmaster Wu waved his hand. "It's no problem. I also want to know, just what sort of bet would Mister Ning like to make?"

"It's very simple. I think I will win, and those who don't believe me can bet on Old Wu. If I win, then all bets are mine. If I lose, then I will compensate accordingly." Qin Yu smiled. "Old Wu, would you like to make a bet too?"

Grandmaster Wu smiled, not seeming angry at all. In fact, his eyes were quite gentle. "Very well. Since a junior like you dares to open a bet, it would be unfair to you if I didn't join in."

He turned around and beckoned. Several people immediately flew forwards from the square and arrived at the altar.

"Calculate how much in assets I have and just how much money I have on hand." Grandmaster Wu Zetian was a Purple Card so it was natural for him to be incredibly rich. It came as no surprise that he had people who specially managed his finances.

Soon, the chief accountant replied, "Grandmaster, you have 75 million spirit stones you can use. If it isn't enough, we can find more capital."

Grandmaster Wu Zetian turned and faintly smiled. "Junior, did you hear that? Can you accept that amount?"

Whoosh –

From inside and outside Prosperity Square, there was an uproar!

75 million spirit stones would be a horrifying amount of wealth to anyone. Perhaps only the royal palace and peak sects and families would be able to produce such an amount.

The sea races were wealthy and loved gambling. It was one of the most popular pastimes in the capital city, and there were always many high rolling players.

But 75 million spirit stones...that was completely unprecedented!

Qin Yu smiled. "I'll accept, of course I'll accept. If Old Wu wants to give me money, how can I refuse?" His eyes turned around. "Then, is there anyone else that would like to join? Everyone else can also join in; I will accept all bets."

"Will you really accept all? Can we also join in?" An old man in the audience suddenly spoke up. He was surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women and had a large gem-adorned ring on his finger.

Qin Yu raised a finger. "Of course. I will accept every bet!"

"Then put down a million for me!" The old man was also quite interested. He pulled out a spirit stone card.

"I will also join in!"

"Record down 100 thousand for me!"

"50,000!"

"I'll also bet 30,000!"

The capital city never lacked the rich. Although there wasn't anyone who placed such a colossal bet, the amount of arms that thrust out and waved spirit stone cards was like a dense and dreadful jungle.

This was an almost guaranteed chance to win money! Of course no one wanted to miss out on it!

Grandmaster Wu grew increasingly happy with every additional bet. He seemed to already be imagining the horrifying lifetime of debt that Qin Yu would suffer with for the rest of his life. However, this still wasn't enough. His eyes brightened and his smile widened. "Junior, today's amount will be astronomical. How can you guarantee that you will be able to compensate everyone?"

Qin Yu nodded. "Old Wu is right. Since I opened the bet, I should at least give a guarantee."

But before he could continue speaking, Old Sea's voice sounded out. "I will act as a guarantor for little friend Ning."

Chief Manager Wu clenched his teeth. "My Sea Spirit Pavilion branch division will also act as guarantor for Grandmaster Ning!"

A fierce light flashed from deep within Grandmaster Wu Zetian's eyes. "Sea Lingdao along with Sea Spirit Pavilion is just enough. I also have a large dwelling within the capital city, with a market worth of 30 million spirit stones. I will lower it to 25 million for a total of 100 million. If I win, I want Sea Lingdao's eastern courtyard."

Old Sea lightly said, "Alright, I agree."

Grandmaster Wu Zetian was finally satisfied. "Everyone, you can place your trust in me. You can begin placing bets again. The seventh ranked Purple Card Sea Lingdao as well as Sea Spirit Pavilion are acting as guarantors for compensation!"

"I want to bet!"

"Hurry up and help me record 10,000 spirit stones!"

"I will also bet 10,000!"

Chief Manager Wu sucked in a deep breath. He ordered people to start collecting spirit stones. The capital city loved to gamble, thus tools to facilitate gambling were in ample supply. After paying spirit stones, specialized betting tickets would be drawn up. These betting tickets were specially refined and were quite expensive themselves. This was to ensure that no one could copy them.

The various sea spirit teachers that had temporarily been assigned to work as bookkeepers didn't have low standards to begin with, but as the more time passed, their faces slowly turned paper white. As they watched the bets continue pouring in, their bodies started to drip with a cold sweat. Soon, several horrifying bets were placed. The sea spirit teachers panicked and didn't dare to accept them before gaining authorization from Chief Manager Wu.

As Chief Manager Wu saw the betting amounts, his field of vision flashed black for a moment, but he steadied himself and remained calm. He clenched his teeth, saying, "Accept it, accept everything that comes!" Since he had stood out, it was impossible for him to hide. He began to cry bitterly in his heart. Old Sea, Old Sea, your gamble is too great this time, please save me!

An hour later, all of the bets had been received. As Chief Manager Wu saw the total amount, he felt the breath catch in his chest. When the sea spirit teacher responsible for recording was handed the account book, he glanced at it and immediately fainted. No one looked down on him. Rather, they felt a bit of envy. At the very least if he fainted he wouldn't need to be so scared anymore.

At this time, many sea spirit teachers couldn't help but all develop the same thought: perhaps it was time to consider changing jobs...

Chairman Xu watched all of this without expression. His silence carried with it a bit of helplessness, as if there were nothing he could do about the scene occurring all around him. No one knew that he had secretly told someone to bet half a million spirit stones just now. Of course, he had bet on Grandmaster Wu.

Chairman Xu coughed. "Grandmaster Wu, Mister Ning, if there are no objections, please take out your lotus seeds."

The entirety of Prosperity Square fell silent!

Everyone stretched out their necks and widened their eyes, keeping their gazes glued on the two.

This was no longer just a challenge against a Purple Card, but was also a heaven-shaking gambling event! It involved a mind-boggling figure, one that involved the vital interests and fortunes of countless seafolk!

Wu Zetian's lotus seed had already been examined. So, only Qin Yu's needed to be inspected. Seeing him nod in agreement, Chairman Wu waved his hand in invitation.

Qin Yu flipped his hand and took out a jade box. Everyone watched, their eyes wide like moons. In the next moment, everyone watching felt their hearts skip a beat. The seafolk who had made bets were all hopping with joy, and those who had hesitated were wracked with pain.

They saw the Blue Sea Lotus seed within the jade box. Although it was full and plump, the markings on it were quite simple and superficial, without any mysterious aura at all. At this time, as the committee inspected it, there was no phenomenon that occurred. No one could even hear the sounds of splashing water.

It was decided!

Countless sea spirit teachers also made their own judgment. They glanced at the black-robed figure, pity in their eyes. They thought that perhaps this Mister Ning would have to carry this debt on his shoulders even until the day he died.

How pitiful!

There were also sea spirit teachers that glanced at Old Sea and Chief Manager Wu. Old Sea was one of the ten great Purple Cards. With his lofty status, it was impossible for them to judge him. But Chief Manager Wu was another matter. Normally he was cautious and discreet, so how could he suddenly be so impulsive today?

This time, they feared that Sea Spirit Pavilion's capital city branch division might exchange for a new chief manager!

"Old Sea..." After being judged with the 'death penalty', Chief Manager Wu's face was deathly white.

Old Sea didn't have any expression. "Don't worry. I will clear you of responsibility for this matter."

It was just...as he thought of all the wealth he had accumulated over his lifetime and the courtyard he loved the most, the corners of his lips couldn't help but twitch.

Grandmaster Wu Zetian stood tall with his hands folded behind his back. His expression was serene and distant. Even facing such a great victory, he still maintained his composure. Countless seafolk quietly admired him. As they thought, a Grandmaster was a Grandmaster! Incredible!

To judge the quality of a seed, the most direct and powerful evidence was to have the seed germinate and grow, and then compare them.

The committee staff had already prepared nutrient fluid needed to hasten growth. The quality was exactly the same and it was placed on two worktables. What occurred on the projection screens next was sure to excite everyone. It was destined to be reviewed countless times in the future and be praised by innumerable people, so it had to be recorded in clarity.

Chairman Xu saw the lotus seeds and coughed. "Grandmaster Wu, Mister Ning, would you two like to go together, or...?"

On the stands, it was unknown who shouted out first. "Grandmaster Wu!"

Roars instantly followed like a surging tide!

Perhaps it was to thank Grandmaster Wu for helping them win so much money, but everyone cheered with all their heart. Their billowing voices seemed as if they would flip over the entire sea.

Chairman Xu was also in a very good mood. He didn't mind doing everyone a favor. Moreover, this was something that was suggested by the people, and he was only complying with public opinion.

"Grandmaster Wu, what do you think?"

Wu Zetian smiled. "Since everyone is so gracious, then allow this old man to embarrass himself first."

Everyone smiled. While the grandmaster was being kind, they feared that after this 'stone' was tossed out, there would be someone who wouldn't even have the face to take his turn.

The committee staff moved. They carefully took out the lotus seed and placed it in the nutrient fluid.

In the next moment, the nutrients within the jade box began to bubble like boiling water. The power contained within was absorbed by the lotus seed, and light crackling could be heard.

The lotus seed had broken out of its shell!

Tiny roots drilled out at a speed visible to the naked eye. It rapidly grew, extending outwards. At the same time, thin and young buds grew out, swaying about.

One leaf, two leaves, three leaves...

Countless seafolk watched, completely absorbed, watching all of this occur like a miracle...

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Chapter 155 – Do I Win?

The entire growth cycle of the Blue Sea Lotus seemed to have been shortened to this, all of it occurring in a dozen some breaths of time.

Grandmaster Wu had a light expression. He reminded, "Do you have more nutrients for the nutrient fluid?"

Everyone was startled. And sure enough, the originally pale blue nutrient fluid was now completely clear like pure water.

Chairman Xu waved his hand. Immediately, someone rushed up and poured in more nutrients.

But this wasn't enough!

Not too long after, the nutrients poured in were completely exhausted. Without needing Chairman Xu to remind them, someone ran up to add more.

Then a third time…

A fourth time…

Until the fifth time!

Everyone looked with shocked eyes at the Blue Sea Lotus atop the work table.

It had grown to the height of a person, and its leaves were vibrant and lush, verdant and gorgeous. The lotus leaves seemed to sway around, cheering, and the loud sound of crashing water resonated in the air. But at this time, the most amazing thing was not this, but the massive bulb between the circle of lotus leaves.

It moved, moved, moved, and finally began to slowly bloom. A deep blue color stretched out, like the sea level beneath an endless horizon. The tender and delicate petals gently shivered. Like this, atop the lotus flower, a soul-stirring scene occurred.

Like space distorting, like light twisting, like fog rolling, the phantom of a boundless blue sea appeared, with endless waves tumbling atop its surface. This sight was so realistic that everyone watching truly believed that this sea existed in the real world, and the Blue Sea Lotus's strength was only revealing a picture of it.

The Blue Sea Lotus – the lotus would open into a blue sea; this was what it was renowned for!

The lotus seed cracked open in a breath of time; lotus leaves appeared in a breath of time; the stem grew in a breath of time; the lotus flower bloomed in a breath of time…this was the first time anyone had seen or heard about such a scene.

There was a long silence. Then, it was broken by earthshaking cheers. Countless seafolk cried out Grandmaster Wu's name. They all wanted to express their highest respect and reverence for this living incarnation of the sea spirits in the world.

At this time, Wu Zetian was like the center of the world, accepting praise and attention from all! With a tranquil demeanor, he faintly smiled and nodded, thanking everyone. Because of this, the cheers grew louder, so loud that they could even be heard deep within the royal palace.

In that inconceivably luxurious hall, atop the dragon throne, the sea race ruler opened his eyes slowly, a thoughtful look deep within them.

"This Wu Zetian fellow, he has some strength. If he hasn't fallen too deeply, he may stand behind."

Though there was no one in the hall, a respectful voice still sounded back. "Yes, Your Majesty."

This performance had caught the attention of the sea race ruler and might have even changed his opinion of him; it could be imagined just what strength Wu Zetian had revealed at this moment. It was formidable to the point that everyone forgot this was a challenge, and made them all think this was his own individual performance.

But in the end, not everyone would forget this.

For instance, Chairman Xu.

After a moment, once Grandmaster Wu had received enough praise and adulation, he turned and said, "Mister Ning, it is your turn."

Grandmaster Wu put on an understanding expression. He raised his hands and pressed them down, causing the cheers to quickly fall silent. All eyes gathered on him.

"Junior, at this point you should know what regret is now."

The black-robed figure was silent. As everyone was thinking Qin Yu was paralyzed with fear, a cold sneer came from below his hood. "You old thing, you really speak too much!"

Whoosh –

Countless seafolk rose up in anger. They couldn't imagine that this person could still be so rampant at such a moment. Boos flooded out like a tide…followed by countless curses.

Beneath his black robe, Qin Yu's gaze was calm. He thought that if these people wanted to curse him, then they should go ahead and curse him. At the very least, it would give them some measure of comfort ahead of time. As he suddenly thought how his quick and smart move would earn him an immense amount of wealth, his mood soared and all of these curses and boos suddenly sounded cute and lovable.

Chairman Xu waved his hand. A staff member coldly snorted and tossed the lotus seed into the nutrient fluid, enraged that this person would dare to offend Grandmaster Wu so deeply. He wanted to see just what sort of expression Qin Yu would have after being defeated! Of course, this staff member had also placed a bet of 50,000 spirit stones; it was all of his savings that he had accumulated in these past years.

If he won, then not only could he solve his housing problem, but he could also buy a high quality carriage. His life would be perfect.

He didn't have the slightest bit of a favorable impression towards Qin Yu.

Unfortunately, the course of the world was not determined by likes and dislikes. So, when the lotus seed fell into nutrient fluid and suddenly erupted with a powerful absorbing strength, causing it all to bubble and seethe, this performance was the true reality.

That's right, don't rub your eyes! You thought this, so no matter how much you rub your eyes, it will still be true!

Thump –

Thump –

As if it had been starved for countless years, the lotus seed swallowed and swallowed, so fast and so much that it seemed as if it could devour mountains and seas and shake the earth.

Pa –

The lotus seed broke apart. It took root and began to germinate.

Everything seemed to replicate what happened a moment ago.

No…

There were sea spirit teachers with sharper senses and a more accurate grasp of time. As they contrasted what was happening to what had happened, their eyes flashed dark.

The growth speed of this lotus seed was actually a point quicker than Grandmaster Wu's lotus seed!

One sea spirit teacher who had bet 10,000 spirit stones suddenly felt as if a knife had pierced through his heart. He hurried to comfort himself.

This was only temporary, this was only temporary. This lotus seed would soon slow down.

Then, his eyes popped open and he stared stubbornly at the nutrient fluid and the Blue Sea Lotus growing within. His face grew increasingly white until there wasn't the slightest trace of red. A giant stone seemed to press down on his chest and breathing became increasingly difficult. Every time he took a breath, a cold chill spread through his body and into his bones, as if he would become a block of ice.

The Blue Sea Lotus continued to grow, grow, and grow.

The committee staff watched, seemingly frozen in shock. They completely forgot to pour in additional nutrient fluid. The black-robed figure reminded them, but in the end he could only personally pick up the bucket of nutrient fluid to the side and fill it himself.

"In this world, there are some people born with an unreasonable sense of self-confidence. And, I've always wanted to ask – why?" In the still quiet, this voice was especially grating to the ears. "You know, originally I didn't want to suggest a bet. After all, I have no enmity with those here nor do we share any injustice, so how could I just plunder your belongings? But, there are always some people who are just too irritating to the eyes. So, those who bet for me to lose are innocent and were simply dragged into this mess. I really must apologize."

Wu Zetian's complexion paled. He gnashed his teeth and roared, "Junior, don't be so rampant! You haven't won yet!"

Qin Yu stood tall. He turned around and looked straight ahead. "I will win."

Then, as if to confirm his words, the bud within the Sea Blue Lotus began to quietly bloom. A similar projection of a blue sea appeared in the void.

It roared, it raged, as if coldly laughing and mocking the cheers that came from the audience not too long ago.

In that moment, within Prosperity Square, countless people held their hands against their hearts. This wasn't because they were trying to act cute and lovable, but rather because their hearts were really breaking.

Their spirit stones!

Spirit stones…

They seemed to be drifting so far away…

Wu Zetian clenched his fists and his pupils shrank into dots. He tightened his jaws so hard that his teeth grinded together. He never imagined he would be forced back to this stage.

It was just like Jing Guanjin.

Stop!

Stop!

Stop for me!

The heavens seemed to hear Old Wu's roaring plea. After the lotus flower bloomed, the wildly growing Blue Sea Lotus slowly calmed down. Those people that were drowning seemed to have found a breath of fresh air. Wu Zetian gasped, feeling as if he had obtained a new lease on life.

He had never felt such tension and oppression. Just a little bit more and his Purple Card would have been taken away. The consequences of that were so terrifying that he didn't even want to imagine them.

Luckily, he had been a single point away from winning! With this, the result would be a tie.

Wu Zetian glared at the black-robed figure with venomous eyes. This junior was truly ruthless! Not only did he want to win his Purple Card, he also wanted to plunder his wealth!

That was 100 million spirit stones! Even his wealth would shrink massively!

Inside and outside of Prosperity Square, everyone sucked in a deep breath together, producing a loud rumbling once again.

This is what it feels like to survive a disaster…my purse has been saved…my spirit stones…

Countless seafolk had teary eyes. They all felt as if this world was truly wonderful!

Chief Manager Wu heavily clapped his hands, looking as if he couldn't wait to rush up. He repeated again and again, "Just a little bit more, just a little bit more!" As he thought of the massive amount of wealth that he had slowly gathered up in a storage shell, he felt as if his heart would explode!

Clearwood took a deep breath. "It's good he didn't lose!"

Old Sea laughed. "You're right, at least he didn't lose. Little friend Ning, little friend Ning, I never thought that you had hidden yourself so deeply. It seems I underestimated you!"

Chief Manager Wu scratched his head. "Hah, I'm so unwilling!"

Clearwood lightly said, "Think of what would have happened if you lost."

Chief Manager Wu was finally enlightened.

He had gone into this thinking he would be defeated. Then, if he didn't lose…that meant he won!

Chairman Xu's complexion shook. He looked deeply at Qin Yu. "Mister Ning, as it stands, you and Grandmaster Wu are even. Of course, we will immediately send out people to inspect the two Blue Sea Lotuses and decide which one is better."

In addition to his words, there was a bit more respect contained within them.

No matter where it was, powerhouses could earn respect. And in his opinion, Qin Yu was now strong enough to roam through the highest heavens.

The committee members looked at each other and each one made a decision in their hearts.

If Grandmaster Wu's Blue Sea Lotus was superior, they would judge him as winning. If it was about the same, they would call it a tie. In short, they couldn't judge him as having lost. What nonsense; who here hadn't been secretly thinking of earning a fortune? And although the committee members weren't poor themselves, who wanted to bow and hand over all their hard-earned white and shiny spirit stones?

A light voice came from beneath the black robes. "No need."

Grandmaster Wu's heart shrank. A grave foreboding feeling suddenly rose up in his heart. He saw the black-robed figure raise a finger and point towards the Blue Sea Lotus.

"I believe I have already won."

As his voice fell, the gorgeous lotus flower rapidly withered to reveal a seed pod. The blue sea floated in the void like mist as it slowly poured into the seed pod. Then, with a crack, the seed pod split open and a lotus seed slowly floated up. It sparkled with extraordinary brilliance, as if formed from the most exquisite jade in the world. As it floated in the air, a faint purple light sprinkled down from it.

This was because the lotus seed was purple.

Qin Yu raised a hand and waved at the lotus seed. After a brief hesitation, it flew into his hand.

This sight left countless seafolk utterly dumbfounded. A storm seemed to rise in the depths of their subconscious, rumbling and overwhelming their senses.

In the legends, the sea spirit was invisible and intangible; it was one with the sea. Because of its mercy, the sea races were born. In other words, the strongest ability of the sea spirit was to impart spiritual knowledge and develop spiritual wisdom.

The ten great Purple Cards were known as the incarnations of the sea spirit. But through the countless generations, there had been far more than a hundred of them. Even so, only the smallest number of them had been Spiritual Bestowers.

Each one of these was amongst the strongest powerhouses of the Purple Cards. They were said to be able to communicate with the sea spirit, and their status was a level higher than that of other Purple Cards.

In the records of history, it had been over a thousand years since a Purple Card sea spirit teacher had appeared who possessed the power of Spiritual Bestowment.

And today, in Prosperity Square, countless seafolk witnessed the birth of a Spiritual Bestower.

Qin Yu had no idea what sort of mess he had created. But as he looked at the pale expressions of Chairman Xu and Old Wu, he guessed that it wasn't bad.

Thus, he turned and asked in a soft tone. "Then, do I win?"

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Chapter 156 – Sea Spirit Baptism

Chief Manager Wu was a man with a deeply embedded sense of self-respect. He always chased after the image of being a calm person who possessed a thunderous aura. Normally, he treated people with gentle indifference. It was only after Qin Yu appeared that this exterior of his was repeatedly broken, the most visible manifestation being when he smashed committee member Goodra with a chair.

He had thought that was the most out-of-character he had ever been, but now, as he looked at the calm black-robed figure, great waves rose up and down in his heart. And as he recalled the massive amount of wealth involved in this challenge, he wasn't even able to take a breath. His legs softened and he slumped down on his rear, but he wasn't even aware of this occurring. His eyes were wide and he began to gasp in heaving breaths.

This wasn't fear; it was far from it. Rather, as he thought of the storage shell and the contents within, he felt overjoyed as if he were being pressed down on by a mountain of gold. The corners of his lips curled up, slightly open, and a bit of drool leaked out.

To the side, Manager Clearwood was completely unable to respond. The normally calm chief manager had already made a fool of himself. As she looked dazedly at that tall and straight black-robed figure, she didn't know why but her heart began to race, a completely unprecedented occurrence. She flushed red and quickly lowered her head. It was just that in her mind, Qin Yu's figure kept rolling around in her thoughts. It took her a great deal of effort before she was able to forcibly calm herself.

"Hahahaha!" Old Sea bellowed, laughing so hard that he triggered his injuries. He coughed and said, "Little friend Ning, little friend Ning, this game you played is just…" He thought for a time but couldn't find the right words to say. He could only vaguely follow with, "…Incredible!"

The countless seafolk were awakened by this laughter and their eyes subconsciously widened. What the old man said wasn't nonsense; this game involved at least 200 million spirit stones, a truly mind-boggling amount. But soon, they began to react as they remembered they were all involved in contributing to this massive amount. Their expressions suddenly broke down and they cried tearlessly.

There were those who had the courage to bet a tremendous amount, and perhaps it was because they were thinking of the miserable fates they were about to suffer, but their eyes rolled back into their heads and they fainted in the stands, immediately setting off a panic all around them.

There were certainly those that were filled with resentment, but after reflecting upon it, these seafolk would never dare to place any blame on Qin Yu. After all, he was a true Spiritual Bestower and in the future…no, right now, he could become a great figure that roamed amongst the highest heavens.

There was no way they could offend him. In fact, even in the future they couldn't casually mention the bets they made, otherwise other people would laugh at them and say that they were being disrespectful to Mister Ning. Still, this resentment had to be vented somewhere, so the seafolk suddenly remembered Mister Ning's words.

…Originally, I didn't want to suggest a bet. After all, I have no enmity with those here nor do we share any injustice, so how could I just plunder your belongings? But, there are always some people who are just too irritating to the eyes. So, those who bet for me to lose are innocent and were simply dragged into this mess. I really must apologize…

They were innocent, they had been dragged into this mess…

Countless seafolk were filled with indignant grief and anger!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian had a deathly pale face. He suddenly trembled as countless cold and merciless eyes gathered upon him, leaving him dripping with sweat. His mood was horrified and shocked, but most of all, he was in full disbelief, utterly unwilling. How could this junior Ning be a Spiritual Bestower? He wasn't that old! He clearly wasn't that old!

There must be a problem, there had to be a problem!

Grandmaster Wu Zetian screamed like a banshee, trying to grab the final straw of hope. His pale face flushed red. "You cheat! You cheat!" It was like he had gone insane. "That must be it, I will catch you and find out the truth!"

Shua –

A figure suddenly appeared, blocking Wu Zetian. Chairman Xu stood there, his back straight and steady. His complexion was cold and dignified. "Grandmaster Wu, please calm yourself."

But at this time, only Qin Yu existed in Wu Zetian's eyes. That black robe was like the pall of night covering the world, leaving his eyes bloodshot.

"Xu She, step back!" With a shout, he strode forwards.

Pity flashed in Chairman Xu's eyes before they immediately turned heartless. "Grandmaster Wu has lost his mind. Hold him down."

Shua –

Shua –

Over a dozen figures flashed out like bolts of lightning, followed by a thunderous roar. The previously proud and majestic Grandmaster Wu had now become a prisoner, struggling against his bindings and growling. His hair and clothes were loose and disordered, and his entire face was twisted with vicious abandon. Any grace and elegance he showed before had disappeared.

Chairman Xu spared him one last glance and turned around. He cupped his hands across his chest, "Mister Ning, I must apologize. Our mistake must have frightened you."

Without him needing to speak, a committee member forwards, carrying a Purple Card in both hands. He squeezed out an ugly smile through his stiff face, and it seemed as if he wanted to cry. 50,000 spirits stones had been lost and there was also the chance that he had offended Mister Ning this time. If he could cry, his sorrowful tears might turn into a river.

Chairman Xu glared over and hinted for the idiot to back out, lest he stir up unpleasant memories in Mister Ning. The other committee members also stood to the side, all of them respectfully bowing.

"This jade card should have been personally handed to you by Grandmaster Wu in an orderly procession of inheritance. But, Grandmaster Wu is not in a good situation right now so we can only do this in such a hasty and crude manner. It really is shameful.

"If Mister Ning doesn't mind, I can hold a grand meeting later and gather high ranking figures from all the great influences in order to correct Mister Ning's name."

Qin Yu received the jade card. He looked over at Wu Zetian who was glaring at him with incomparable hatred burning in his eyes. He shook his head and softly said, "It's fine, there is no need to cause any more problems. Moreover, take Wu Zetian away – don't make a mess."

Chairman Xu went with the flow. With his cautious thoughts, he certainly wouldn't ignore this point. But, he just couldn't understand Qin Yu's thoughts – did he want to embarrass Wu Zetian in front of everyone?

Looking at the calm figure beneath the black robe, Chairman Xu's heart filled with admiration. From the recording session to when Wu Zetian had spoken such harsh words during the interview, who could imagine today's result?

First was Jing Guanjin, followed by Wu Zetian. This pair of master and disciple could be called a formidable duo, but unfortunately for them, they had provoked someone that they shouldn't have provoked, thus they ended up in such a state.

Without a word, Mister Ning had stepped on this master and disciple. Not only did he leap up into the highest heavens, but he also carried away an incredible amount of wealth.

What was even more amazing was that with his current status and the words he had spoken before, he had almost completely removed himself from any sort of blame or resentment. After all, those that made bets had done so willingly. If they wanted to blame someone, they could only blame themselves and how blind they had been…or, they could blame Wu Zetian and Jing Guanjin.

Mister Ning's methods were truly meticulous and wonderful!

Old Xu sighed. He thought of the 500,000 spirit stones and his heart twitched. But in the end, he simply bitterly smiled. He would simply consider this an expensive lesson. The more important task at hand was to restore Mister Ning's impression of him. He cupped his hands across his chest and said with gusto, "From this day on, Mister Ning is the third ranked amongst the Purple Cards. Allow me to take advantage of this moment and be the first one to congratulate Mister Ning!"

He bowed deeply.

The other committee members cursed Old Xu inwardly for being two-faced. Still, they hurried behind and their flattery came out like a tide. Didn't they see how blindingly bright Chairman Xu's smile was? This was just how things were. Even if they lost so much money that they wanted to fall over themselves, they still had to smile, they still had to put everything into smiling!

Those from Sea Spirit Pavilion finally responded. They all hurried over. Old Sea walked in the front, his prestige and aura completely uplifted by Wu Zetian being carried away, and he didn't even spare him a glance. They had fought for a lifetime and today he had been able to witness that old thing fall into a deep pit; perhaps he might never be able to crawl out for the rest of his life.

It was true that Sea Lingdao was a bit disappointed he couldn't do it himself, but he was even more refreshed and ecstatic. And, he had to show his disdain, otherwise he would be too cheap compared to this young boy Ning.

"Old Sea!"

"Greetings, Old Sea!"

The committee members hurriedly bowed before drawing back.

Qin Yu smiled and cupped a hand across his chest. "Everyone, fortunately I didn't fail!" His gaze fell on Leon. "Brat, your teacher has already won. As for Miss Qingqing, this is the most I can do to help you."

With this joke, the atmosphere was restored to a casual and joyous state. The shocked people from Sea Spirit Pavilion all laughed along. However, as they looked at the blushing Leon, they couldn't help but feel envy in their hearts.

They certainly didn't dare to reveal their jealousy!

What utter nonsense. As Mister Ning's only and most valued disciple, Leon was destined to have a brilliant future. Everyone was tripping over themselves to be closer to him, so who would be dumb enough to provoke him?

After exchanging several words, Qin Yu turned around. "Chairman Xu, when can the sea spirit baptism begin?"

…

Deep within the royal palace, in that opulent hall, the Sea Sovereign had an expression of surprise. "Spiritual Bestower, this is quite unexpected."

He thought about it and the trace of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He calmly said, "It looks like someone is destined to sleep poorly tonight."

In the wide hall, a respectful voice sounded back. "Your Majesty, it is only that if things go this way, the plan will be disrupted."

The Sea Sovereign lightly said, "It's fine. Since they have the intent, even if they are suppressed for a moment, they will eventually come back out. But this Mister Ning…"

"Does Your Majesty wish to give him a try?"

The Sea Sovereign shook his head. "That junior cannot help this Solitude. Observe him first."

"Yes."

With a single word, countless pairs of hidden eyes fell on Qin Yu's body, recording his every move and action.

…

Chairman Xu was full of smiles. "Mister Ning is already one of the ten great Purple Cards. You only need to pour your energy into the identity card and you will be able to use the Purple Card to quicken the sympathy of the sea spirit and open the baptism." He quietly reminded, "During the sea spirit baptism, your own condition is important and will greatly affect how you attract the strength of the sea spirit. So if mister isn't in a particular hurry, you may open it up after resting."

The other committee members nodded together. Even the miserable committee member Goodra leapt out of his bed after hearing of the great reversal in the challenge and how Wu Zetian had ended in a pitiful state. He hurried to join everyone else in laughing and celebrating. The doctors that had been treating him sighed; the turtle race possessed a truly tenacious vitality.

Right now, he stood in the crowd and smiled brightly. Whether it was good or bad, how could he miss this chance to become closer with Mister Ning?

Committee member Goodra observed everyone's mood. As he saw that dog Xu and Mister Ning's silence, his heart quickened. He grasped the chance to say, "In truth, you don't need to do that."

Seeing Mister Ning turn to him, committee member Goodra's smile widened. He said, "My family has some records that disprove the myth that resting will benefit one in absorbing the strength of the spirits. Rather, if the body has some loss, only then will there be an advantage in absorbing more."

Chairman Xu's face stiffened. He dimly said, "Committee member Goodra, the sea spirit baptism is an important event; do not speak recklessly."

Committee member Goodra sneered, "What I speak of is recorded research that my family has gathered over the years. Or, does Chairman Xu think that your family has a longer history than my family, and that your information is more accurate?"

These words left Chairman Xu paper-white.

On the side, the other committee members had strange expressions. Thinking about it, it was indeed hard to find a race in the sea region that lived longer than the turtles. These words were simply sharp and stinging to an amazing level. They didn't expect this old fellow Goodra to be able to play such a hand.

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Chapter 157 – Two Hours

Humph humph!

Committee member Goodra sneered inwardly. Dog Xu, did you seriously think I would forget how you pushed me to the front so that I got punched in the head? Mister Ning is right in front of us! Once I hug onto this giant thigh, there will be nothing you can do against me!

Qin Yu said, "If that's so, then let's begin today."

Eliminating Wu Zetian, taking the place of third ranked Purple Card, and simultaneously taking in a great deal of wealth from everyone, these actions had already drawn suspicion. Perhaps this attention might serve as a layer of protection, but if he delayed for too long he feared that other problems would begin to arise.

In simpler terms, Qin Yu had decided to flee. Of course, if he were to flee, he would do so in a casual and magnificent manner. With the status of a third ranked Purple Card, he could casually come up with a reason to leave the capital city.

After that…he would flee as far as he could!

So it was better to begin the sea spirit baptism as early as possible.

The tearful seafolk who lost a tremendous amount of wealth finally obtained some good news. Mister Ning wanted to open up the sea spirit baptism in Prosperity Square today.

The sea spirit baptism was focused on one person, but when the power of sea spirits came falling down from all over, a small amount of it was bound to dissipate outwards, allowing others to absorb it. Over the years, whenever a new Purple Card ascended and the sea spirit baptism arrived, there were always other people who had profited. Of course, the majority of Purple Cards made the choice to open the sea spirit baptism in private, only allowing a small number of people they were close to or other people with amazing status to participate and obtain the power of the sea spirits.

But as they thought about it, they began to realize just how many people were inside and outside of Prosperity Square, and this left them feeling helpless. Even if the power of sea spirits dissipated outwards, this amount would be divided amongst everyone. Still, it was better than nothing. So after everyone was happily surprised for a moment, they all held onto the thoughts of only watching for fun.

At the very least they would be able to personally witness the sea spirit baptism for themselves. In addition, they had seen the birth of a Spiritual Bestower, so this was enough for them to brag about for the rest of their lives.

It was only that the ticket price was truly, truly high…there were also some seafolk with red eyes. I'm not crying, it's just something got into my eyes. Look, I really am smiling, and I'm smiling so brightly.

Boohoohoo…

My spirit stones!

In the chaos, Qin Yu stepped onto the altar. Everyone quietly quieted down as all eyes filled with envy and awe gathered onto him. His expression was earnest and his footsteps were calm and strong. This left the four priests surprised, a bit of gratitude on their faces. They thought that while Mister Ning was arrogant and reckless in his actions, at least he felt suitable reverence towards the sea spirits.

But in reality, what filled Qin Yu's heart this time was dread and helplessness. He had always felt that there was something strange with this altar and he didn't want to approach it.

It was hard for the priests managing the sea spirit baptism to find someone willing to open it atop Prosperity Square. Only by undergoing the sea spirit baptism atop the altar was sufficient respect towards the sea spirits demonstrated.

Walking up the steps, the pure white altar was so smooth that one could clearly see their figure reflected in the stone. In the quiet, the sound of falling footsteps was particularly clear.

"Mister Ning, please pour your aura into the Purple Card. You can leave everything else to us." A priest lightly said. His expression was careless and light, with several points of regality.

Qin Yu cupped his hands together in thanks.

The priests were a very lofty and haughty group of people. They possessed an extremely high status and in some remote areas and in some of the tribes with long inheritances, they were considered the spiritual leaders of their people. However, due to the rise of royal power, they could only maintain their status in the capital city and other large cities, and could no longer be as imperious as they were before.

Qin Yu's courteous manners left the four priests obviously satisfied. Their smiles turned warmer and they whispered several words of prayer, such as wishing that the sea spirit would grant him shelter and so forth.

Qin Yu lifted his hand and carefully poured his energy into the Purple Card, keeping his expression calm. In truth, he was very anxious at this moment, because the sea spirit was a transcendent existence that the sea races believed in, and he was a true and genuine human. If the sea spirit really did have mystical powers then perhaps it would choose to strike him down to the ground in his most magnificent moment, leaving him in a pitiful state.

But the fact was that Qin Yu's guess was right. The so-called sea spirit really might exist, but it also might be a gigantic mass of energy that existed without subjective will. It smoothly revolved in an orderly manner, similar to something that existed under a strict set of rules, and wouldn't interfere with how the rules operated.

For instance, Qin Yu being a human and taking advantage of the loopholes in the rules. Or, it also might be that while the sea spirit realized this, it simply disdained to pay attention to him, to something so small and supremely insignificant.

So, the Purple Card began to tremble. It floated up from Qin Yu's hand, flying higher and higher until it hung above the altar.

The four priests had solemn and respectful eyes. They surrounded Qin Yu, moving in a strange series of steps. Sometimes they would shake their shoulders and sometimes they would tilt down and waggle, as if they were all participating in an ancient dance. Syllables echoed form their lips, sometimes short, sometimes deep, but without exception every one seemed ancient and boundless.

These syllables sounded simple, but when combined together with the ancient dance, they seemed to possess a strength that shook the hearts of the people. Countless seafolk watched with devotion, awe gushing out from their basest instincts. Some of those whose wills weren't as firm fell down in prostration before the altar.

Hum –

Hum –

A faint quaking spread out. It started weak and rapidly grew in strength. Tremors began to shake the earth, so much that ripples gradually appeared in the air.

Following this, the 'sky' above the altar seemed to become a circle of seawater that spun in a unique rhythm.

Qin Yu looked up. Within this rhythm, he could see motes of blue light fall down. He didn't know whether others could feel it, but the moment Qin Yu saw these motes of blue light appear, an earnest hope spread out from his body and soul.

This was the feeling of being left hungry for numerous years. If it weren't for his strong will, then he might not have been able to hold himself back and would have rushed into the air to devour them.

At some unknown time, the four priests had already stopped. With weary gazes, they looked at Qin Yu, a bit of appreciation in their eyes.

A priest smiled. "Mister Ning, please do not do anything so you don't affect the process of the sea spirit baptism. You only need to wait quietly for the power that the sea spirit will grant you, and it will automatically fuse into your body. Please receive the gift of the sea spirit, and we wish you good luck."

The four priests lowered their heads and bowed, offering their deepest reverent piety towards the sea spirit in the darkness. Then, they turned and flew away.

Even they didn't possess the qualifications to approach the sea spirit baptism. They were doomed to only help a single person open up an unsurpassed lucky chance, to allow that person to communicate with the sea spirit and obtain its gift.

In the rumors, it was said that the power of the sea spirit contained the will of the sea spirit. And by absorbing enough, one could obtain the protection of this will.

Perhaps this protection might be the sudden strengthening of the body, perhaps it might be an enhanced soul, or perhaps it was some supernatural power that didn't exist in this world.

When the priest had wished Qin Yu good luck, this was what he was referring to. But, he had managed many sea spirit baptisms and said these words just as many times. Yet, there had never been anyone who had truly obtained this lucky chance.

Beneath the altar, on the humble and calm face of the priest, an imperceptible trace of gloominess appeared. Could the master they had dedicated their life to really have fallen?

The first mote of blue light touched upon the black robe. Then, completely disregarding all barriers, it integrated into Qin Yu's body.

Qin Yu subconsciously closed his eyes. A feeling of weariness overcame him. He tried hard to maintain his consciousness but he soon fell into a half-asleep and half-waking state.

This was a wonderful feeling. It was like soaking in warm spring water with the waves gently moving up and down, leaving one completely relaxed.

Like this, Qin Yu fell asleep.

Because of this, in a situation where he was completely unaware, he would stir up waves that swept through the entire capital city, even affecting the entire sea region!

In the eyes of countless seafolk, the sleeping Qin Yu was slowly raised up, his body wrapped in countless motes of blue light. They gleefully poured into his body. The air resounded with vague sounds, similar to the chanting of the priests. But, these vague sounds were even more grand and awe-inspiring, carrying with them an unsurpassed dignity.

The four priests fell to their knees, their hearts and souls overflowing with admiration. Tears dripped down from their eyes.

At this moment, the sea spirit baptism had officially begun.

…

Old Sea's face was full of envy. "The sea spirit baptism, is it? What a pity, but it is impossible for me to obtain the favor of the sea spirit once more."

His careless comment left Chief Manager Wu and the others speechless. For better or worse, at least you experienced it once before, so why brag about it in front of us now!?

Clearwood said in a soft voice, "Teacher, I have never seen the sea spirit baptism. How is it carried out?"

A look of remembrance crossed Old Sea's face. "It was like I lived a dream. I experienced many things in the dream, but after waking up I didn't remember anything at all, only some faint memories. Of course, this is only my experience. It is said that the communication with the sea spirit is different for every person, and they will all have different encounters."

This was the equivalent of saying nothing. Many people felt even more perplexed.

Chief Manager Wu coughed lightly, "Old Sea, you should at least know how to judge how many harvests one obtained in the sea spirit baptism, right?"

Old Sea turned around, looking as if he hadn't thought of this question. He sighed and said, "Little Wu, you have so much experience, so how come you haven't regained your senses after all this time?" He raised a finger, "The harvests of the sea spirit baptism will certainly depend on how much time passes. The more time passes, the more harvests there will be."

Before Chief Manager Wu could be embarrassed, he continued saying, "One hour can be considered the standard. Two hours is considered extraordinary. In the past, I was only a quarter hour from achieving two hours. Amongst the Purple Cards at the time, my result was considered one of the better ones."

Clearwood pursed her lips. "Then teacher…how long do you think Mister Ning…how long can he last…?"

Everyone widened their eyes and pricked up their ears.

Old Sea fell silent for a moment before shaking his head. "I can't say. But little friend Ning often goes beyond our expectations. He should be able to surpass me and achieve at least two hours."

This was Old Sea's judgment, as well as the judgment of all those who had the qualifications of knowing about the sea spirit baptism. Two hours was already quite difficult.

But as time passed, some people couldn't sit still anymore. It was like pimples had grown on their butts as they moved back and forth.

One hour.

One and a half hours.

Almost two hours.

Two hours!

The 'sky' above the altar continued to flow at a steady pace. Countless motes of blue light continued to sprinkle down. It was like rain in autumn, continuing without end.

It continued.

Continued.

And still continued.

Thus, countless eyes looked towards the altar. As they saw the figure partly visible within the layers of blue light, they couldn't help but feel envy.

"He is truly worthy of being a Spiritual Bestower…" Countless sea spirit teachers sighed. But, what they didn't know was that this was only the beginning of their sighs.

This day was destined to be marked deep in the hearts of countless seafolk. It would be an event they would never forget, even until the day they died.

"Two hours…" Old Sea muttered to himself. He couldn't help but finally reveal a trace of envy deep within his eyes.

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Chapter 158 – The Way of a Freeloader

Clearwood noticed her teacher's reaction. Her heart stirred. "Teacher, are there extra harvests past two hours?"

Old Sea thought for a moment and smiled, "It's not much of a secret, so I don't mind telling you, but don't go casually spreading it." He continued, "The truth is that the sea spirit baptism is a gift granted from the sea spirit. This gift is dispersed in the strength of the sea spirit.

"Because it is dispersed, only by absorbing enough of the sea spirit's strength can you begin to piece together this strength, or at least piece together a part of it. Two hours is a boundary. After surpassing it, there is an incredibly high chance that one can obtain the gift granted by the sea spirit." While Old Sea's face seemed calm, he was actually overflowing with envy.

After two hours of absorption, Qin Yu's body and soul gradually began to weaken. It wasn't that he couldn't absorb more, but that a deep feeling of weariness welled up from deep in his instincts. He couldn't keep catching those blue motes of light.

For a simpler explanation, it was like a person that was very hungry but had chewed for so long that they couldn't open their mouth. Unless some people opened their lips and directly fed them food, they could only look on at the food, unable to do anything at all.

This was the limit.

Qin Yu's consciousness had yet to awaken, but the comfortable spring water-like feeling began to shake around him. He wanted to remain, but the shaking feeling grew stronger. Without accident, Qin Yu would soon wake up and his sea spirit baptism would come to an end.

But, before Qin Yu awoke, in a corner of Prosperity Square, several large decorative corals began to turn a deep dim blue.

Within his storage ring, the quiet little blue lamp emitted layers of blue light that spread out for a foot.

Then, everything changed.

In the 'sky' above the altar, extremely small changes appeared in its rhythm. Then, the speed at which the blue motes of light fell down began to accelerate.

At this time, if someone could open Qin Yu's storage ring, they would find that the vast majority of these blue motes of light would merge into it and fall into the foot of blue sea radiance. Thus, this quiet and pure blue, as if it were a foot of the deepest blue sea in the world, began to emit light ripples.

It was like a small pool that was taking in rain.

Since it was taking in rain, the surface of the pond would naturally rise. So, as time passed, the scope that it covered began to quietly expand past that one foot.

The vast majority of the sea spirit's strength was taken by the little blue lamp. However, a small portion was diverted away into Qin Yu's body.

And with this, just as was said before, while Qin Yu was too tired to open his mouth, there was actually food being fed to him.

His soul cheered and his body groaned with ecstasy.

Eat eat eat…

Using the road of a freeloader, he would walk all the way to the end!

The seafolk who didn't know that the main character had changed and gradually began to calm down, their faces becoming increasingly earnest. Even the calmest sea spirit teacher found their fingers trembling.

Three hours.

Four hours.

Old Sea mumbled, "How is this possible…"

This was his thought and also the innermost cry of countless sea spirit teachers.

Four hours. The sea spirit baptism had continued for an entire four hours!

Chairman Xu had a blank look. He wracked his memories and tried to recall the ancient texts. Had such a record ever existed in the history of the sea races? But, the crucial issue at hand was that even now, the sea spirit baptism didn't seem as if it would stop. Who knew how long it would last?

A complex light filled his eyes. Mister Ning, Mister Ning, may I ask just who you are and where you come from? Why does the sea spirit favor you so much? Certainly, this was an elegant use of words. If one had to be a bit cruder, it would be asking how this Ning fellow had accomplished this!

But before Old Xu could think it through, a committee member ran to his side. After a hurried whisper, Chairman Xu's face darkened and turned pale in the next moment. A flustered panic began to rise in his eyes.

He hesitated for a moment. He stamped his feet and ran over.

Old Sea frowned, "What's the problem?"

Chairman Xu anxiously said, "Reporting to Old Sea, we have just obtained news that the energy reserve used to maintain the sea spirit baptism will soon run out."

As a Purple Card who had personally crossed the sea spirit baptism himself, Old Sea knew exactly what this meant. He roared out loud, "What do you mean!?"

Chairman Xu cried without tears. In truth, the committee had made more than enough preparations. It was just that no one ever imagined there would be someone so abnormal that the sea spirit baptism would continue past four hours.

Old Sea took in a deep breath, his thoughts racing. "It absolutely cannot be allowed to stop. Whatever you need, I will instantly prepare it!"

Chairman Wu wiped a cold sweat off his forehead, expressing his thanks again and again. Just what was happening now? If the sea spirit baptism was actually interrupted because of insufficient preparations, then that was the same as severing Mister Ning's heaven-startling good fortune. This would be no different from a life-or-death blood grudge!

The committee staff were sent into a frenzied panic with everyone bustling around. No one noticed the four priests gazing at the altar and the looks of shock and wonder gradually rising in their eyes. They could faintly feel that there were changes occurring. But as they carefully sensed the situation, they couldn't find out the reason why and they were left perplexed.

Looking at the sea spirit strength that was rapidly pouring out and how it had continued for over four hours without end, the four priests had looks of disbelief etched on their features. Still, joyous surprise lit up their eyes. They glanced at each other and simultaneously lowered their heads to hide their expressions. It was just that their hearts and minds were tumbling all around!

The opening of the sea spirit baptism was not simple by any means. The preparation required was complex. Having sufficient spirit stones wasn't enough to replenish the energies needed. There were many treasures involved, and even with Old Sea's status it would be difficult for him to collect it all so soon.

As Chairman Xu was sweating all over, his face gradually turning whiter and whiter as he thought of the inevitable doom about to befall him, the doors to the royal palace opened and a carriage howled out.

His Majesty had taken action.

The royal palace's treasury was said to contain over half the wealth in the sea region. Although this might have been exaggerated, it was true that the amount of treasures contained within was second to none. Taking a mere moment was enough time to collect enough treasures to maintain the sea spirit baptism for another four hours. The spirit stones and other treasures piled up into a hill and were simultaneously poured out.

Letting out a deep breath of relief and making sure that the sea spirit baptism hadn't ended and there wasn't also any problem, Chairman Xu finally let out a sigh of relief. Only then did he discover that the back of his robes were entirely soaked in sweat.

Old Sea was speaking with a white-faced man. The other person had a luxurious image and his smile seemed kind. If this person could chat and laugh with Old Sea, his status was naturally not low.

"Soupman, this act of His Majesty…" Old Sea probed.

Soupman was called Soupman. Although his name was weird, it wasn't up to others to interfere with one's freedom of choice.

There were those of sufficient status who were able to recognize him. Before they even had time to be awed, they bowed, none of them daring to be the least bit disrespectful.

"His Majesty loves the talented. Lingdao, you should be well aware that a Spiritual Bestower, someone who hasn't appeared in a thousand years, and someone capable of spurring the sea spirit baptism to last for over two hours, well, regardless of what it is, they are more than worthy enough for His Majesty to take action." His smile was warm. "Don't worry, there aren't any problems."

Old Sea nodded and cupped his hands together in farewell. After taking several steps, a dignified light rose in his eyes.

"Teacher, who is he? Why were you so…?" Clearwood quietly asked.

"Why was I so respectful, right?" Old Sea wryly smiled. "He is an honored and distinguished man, and even His Majesty in the palace treats him politely. Moreover, with his age and rank, it is normal for me to lower my head to him in respect. Take a look, many people are already gathering around him."

Clearwood glanced over and indeed, that Soupman was surrounded by people. Even the other Purple Card sea spirit teachers had made an appearance.

Looking over them, the one with the lowest status amongst them was still one of the top ranked dignitaries in the capital city. Those previously haughty and prideful nobles were now smiling like a field of blooming flowers.

Clearwood was startled. She thought that this Soupman really was a peak character.

The Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing stood in the crowd. Even though they were also in the limelight, they didn't have any thoughts of going over. They merely stood to the side and smiled.

A light flashed in Soupman's eyes. He suddenly said, "Are those the descendants of Qing Jugong? I used to be old friends with Jugong. It's just that I've been too lazy these past years so I haven't been on walks out often."

Qing Jugong was the most important ancestor in the history of the Qing Family. He had single-handedly led a small family into the circles of the most powerful families of the capital city. Unfortunately, with his passing, no such character appeared in the Qing Family to replace him. After a few troubles, the Qing Family began to wane and whither. Up until now, the Qing Family had barely been able to maintain their strength, and their background was now severely lacking.

The Qing Family Patriarch was pleasantly surprised. He respectfully bowed. "I once heard Father mention that my grandfather was a close companion of Soupman. I never thought that this would actually be true."

The powerful figures around smiled but were actually cursing in their hearts. This Qing fellow really didn't care about face at all. Soupman had only said they were old friends, so calling them close companions was simply an attempt to make himself look better.

But no matter how much they cursed in their hearts, they couldn't reveal this at all. While the Qing Family wasn't anything at all, they managed to raise a good daughter. Her vision was sharp and correct and she managed to catch Mister Leon before he had grown. Leon had the status of being Mister Ning's only disciple and was close to him. His future was bound to be limitless.

They never thought that even someone like Soupman would begin to show good intentions towards the Qing Family. If the Qing Family held tightly onto Mister Ning's thigh, then perhaps they might rise again soon.

Madame Qing courteously smiled. Her gaze slowly went over the crowd and towards the altar. As she saw the figure wrapped in motes of blue light, she sighed inwardly.

He had actually succeeded…

In a daze, Leon's figure appeared in her mind. She seemed to be worrying over something, or even unhappy about something.

A trace of bitterness touched Madame Qing's smile, but she was even more calm and relaxed. She believed in her own judgment of others. That child was stubborn and block-headed, but he was true and sincere towards Qingqing. As long as this fact didn't change, she could naturally rectify his impression of her.

She swept her eyes around. Everyone laughed as if they were close and friendly, but the truth was that deep envy filled their hearts. Madame Qing straightened her back. If they thought that her daughter would give any of them even the tiniest chance, they might as well give up now.

After several more words, Soupman waved his hand. "The sea spirit baptism is still continuing. Having too many people together might disturb Mister Ning. Disperse yourselves first."

The powerful elites naturally bowed and drew back.

The Qing Family Patriarch was still flushed red with excitement. As he heard his wife whisper into his ears, a trace of hesitation colored his face.

"Wouldn't doing that be too hurried? I only fear that others will laugh at my Qing Family…"

Madame Qing lightly said. "If they laugh, they will be laughing because of envy. But if we are too slow because of that, I fear others will use certain methods to get ahead of us."

The Qing Family Patriarch's thoughts raced. As he thought about how the capital city's powerful elites operated, he determined that there was nothing they wouldn't do. He gently sighed. "Then let's do that."

Madame Qing patted his hand. "Don't worry, I will handle this matter. That child Leon has a decent character; he won't make anything difficult for us."

On this side, a few words seemed to settle an important matter. Not too far away, Old Sea looked at Soupman who was waiting beneath the altar with great interest. He mumbled to himself, "Hah, little friend Ning, little friend Ning, I really don't know if this is good or bad for you…"

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Chapter 159 – The Attention From the Royal Palace

Soupman's arrival caused a momentary stir. But soon everyone's attention turned back to the altar.

Gradually, many seafolk began to whisper to themselves. This Mister Ning, he could really keep going!

How could this be? Can't he be a normal person every now and then? How come he had to surpass everyone's expectations all the time!

Of course, their thoughts were a bit jealous.

And as everyone continued to watch with their heads held high and their necks perked up, their jealousy began to increase. Thinking about it, nearly three hours had passed.

Prosperity Square was utterly silent.

Perhaps the record had long since been broken.

Soupman's smile slowly darkened. True joy lit up the depths of his eyes, but there was even more urgency in them. So, at the sixth hour, when Chairman Xu braced himself to inform him that the energy reserves were nearly depleted once more, Soupman was in an incredibly good mood. He smiled and waved his hand for others to bring more supplies, not even bothering to ask why the speed of consumption was increasing.

As the supervisor of the royal palace's treasure, Soupman loved wealth. But, he had already become accustomed to seeing wealth, so what did it matter if he needed to consume tens or hundreds of millions of resources? After all, it was highly possible this Mister Ning was who he was looking for. Even if he couldn't determine it now, just a slight chance was more than enough.

Chairman Xu let out a long breath before he turned and hurried away. He could faintly guess the reason why Soupman had come here, so he worked even more earnestly than before. But in just half an hour, as he was watching the energy reserves falling even faster, he glanced to the side with stunned dread.

The man sent by Soupman gently frowned before straightening himself. "Soupman has instructed that if reserves are insufficient, supplies can be directly used."

Thus, the third batch of supplementary treasures were poured in.

Chairman Xu wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, his complexion paling. The amount of resources needed to supply the energy reserves for the ceremony three times left him mind in a blurry haze.

The great sea spirit teacher competition was owned by all organizers, thus all organizers had to contribute a corresponding amount of resources. The amount of wealth that the royal palace's treasury poured out would eventually need to be returned one day. Moreover, it could only be more, not less; there was already interest in borrowing. And, since it was His Majesty who had taken drastic measures to save them from disaster, repaying a small amount would be considered a dire insult…and in this aspect, that respected Soupman had an extremely well known reputation in this manner!

Chairman Xu calculated his total wealth and clenched his teeth again. In the end, he wasn't able to hold on, so when it came for the fourth time to supplement for energy for the ceremony, his legs caved in beneath him and the situation turned chaotic once more.

At this time, eight hours had passed.

…

Qin Yu felt as if he had rested for a long time. He was comfortable and satisfied, and his consciousness was faint and hazy. Originally, he didn't want to wake up, but in that instant, the warmth that wrapped around him was stabbed with an icy coldness. A sharp and dense aura locked onto him, passing into the depths of his heart and nearly freezing his soul.

It was like some dark existence had opened its eyes at that moment and had casually glanced at him.

Within the storage ring, the little blue lamp gently trembled. The blue sea trembled around it and an invisible aura spread out, covering Qin Yu.

Following that, the chill in the air suddenly dispersed.

…

Qin Yu's eyes opened, his gaze a bit vacant. Something seemed to struggle in his mind before blossoming.

Hum –

The void shivered. An image of the sea region appeared above his head, rolling out like waves, the islands dotting the sky like stars. It continued to spread until it occupied the entire space above the altar.

It was extremely real, so real that one could even see the capital city in this sea region image.

Countless seafolk cried out in shock as they watched this miracle!

A breeze came rolling along and the image of the sea region disappeared with it. Although it had been like an illusion, it had actually existed.

All eyes gathered towards the altar. As they saw the black-robed figure slowly being lowered down, endless envy and awe filled their hearts.

The gift of the sea spirit!

Mister Ning must have had a heaven-shaking harvest. This was the belief of all the seafolk.

But while Qin Yu was being envied by all, he was actually in a muddled state of mind. He carefully sensed the changes in his body, sensing, and sensing again…

That was right, this was the harvest he had received, the gift of the sea spirit.

A sea map!

It was that endless and boundless sea region map that had covered the void above him just now.

Qin Yu's lips twitched. He felt that this sea spirit was far too stingy and mean-spirited. He could only try to comfort himself with the positive side of things. For better or worse, at least he wouldn't need to worry about being lost in the future.

And maybe he could even sell this sea map later.

The purple jade card fell down from the air and Qin Yu reached up, unconsciously grabbing it. With a loud crack, numerous fissures spread through the jade card that represented the status of a Purple Card sea spirit teacher.

This…

The four priests flew down from the altar and bowed. "Congratulations Mister Ning for obtaining the great gift of the sea spirit." Their manners were still gentle and soft, but deep in their eyes, excitement brewed along with a touch of inexplicable closeness.

Qin Yu cupped his hands in return. As he stepped onto the ground and landed, there was a loud bang. Luckily the altar was made of extraordinary materials so it wasn't damaged at all. He awkwardly smiled, a bit embarrassed.

Of course, this was only what it looked like from the outside. In Qin Yu's heart, he was actually pleasantly surprised. The thoughts of the sea spirit being stingy had been flung far away. Although he hadn't carefully sensed just what it was, it appeared as if this harvest had surpassed his imagination!

A priest smiled reassuringly. "It's no problem. It is just that mister's strength has risen too quickly so you are unable to control it momentarily. Everything will be fine with a little time."

The priest was about to say something else, but many others flew forwards at this moment. He swallowed his words and turned to leave.

Old Sea was the first to come down. He glanced at the jade card in Qin Yu's hand and forced a smile. "Little friend Ning, today you really…leapt into the heavens with a single move!" His eyes were full of envy and admiration.

With a sea spirit baptism that had lasted almost 10 hours in addition to the sea map that had suddenly appeared, one didn't need to be a genius to know that Qin Yu must have obtained horrifying amounts of benefits. Hehe, didn't he see that even the jade card representing his status had been conveniently broken? Old Sea was well aware of just how solid the material was.

Qin Yu was puzzled. "What happened?"

Chief Manager Wu spoke up, stunned. He cautiously said, "Mis…mister…you don't know…?"

Qin Yu nodded.

The smiling seafolk who came forth to express their congratulations and try to be closer to Qin Yu suddenly felt their lips twitch. They thought that even though Qin Yu had caused such a stir, he didn't know anything about it at all. This was unbelievable!

At this time, someone opened their mouth. Countless words of flowery flattery gushed out, as if he were going to sing hymns of praise.

But just as the flattery began, the man was interrupted by a wave from Old Sea. "Enough. Everything else can be left for later. Little friend Ning needs to rest first." He tossed a side-eye at Qin Yu. Qin Yu's thoughts raced and he nodded. "I am slightly tired right now, and it's a bit difficult for me to move. I'll have to bother Old Sea with helping me." He cupped a hand across his chest to express his apologies towards all the smiling seafolk elites around him.

Mister Ning was tired and naturally no one dared to object. The reason they came forwards now was only to make their presence known and familiarize themselves with Qin Yu. None of them were really thinking of seizing this moment to develop further relations with Qin Yu. Traditionally speaking, they should let Mister Ning rest first and prepare a thick gift envelope before personally visiting to show their sincerity.

Old Sea flicked his sleeve and wrapped up Qin Yu. Although he was injured, his cultivation was more than enough to allow him to fly over the altar and into Sea Spirit Pavilion's carriage. Without stopping, the carriage raced out of the square.

It was unknown who was the first one to shout, "Congratulations, Honorable Ning!"

Then, more voices rang out like thunder.

"Congratulations, Honorable Ning!"

This was the respect that the seafolk gave to Qin Yu.

Those that lost more money in the bet had to shout even louder and with greater sincerity. This was to prove that they didn't care about it at all. Some sea spirit teachers started to leave the square and hurry outwards. They looked at the carriage as it faded away. They wondered: was Sea Spirit Pavilion still hiring?

In the bustling square, Soupman smiled as he watched the carriage leave. He didn't say anything, because he would eventually learn anything he wanted to know.

With a wave of his hand, he returned to the royal palace. He didn't report to His Majesty but instead strolled into the dwelling he had constructed in the treasury. He sat down comfortably and after thinking about the immense amount of wealth he had spent today, he frowned and said, "Tell someone to hurry up the competition committee. Make sure to ask them when they will return the spirit stones they owe us."

The unconscious Chairman Xu twitched, tears beginning to leak out from his eyes.

The carriage drove far away from the square, but one could still hear the sounds of 'congratulations'. Qin Yu lay down on a soft bed, trying not to move.

"Old Sea, it seems that I have done something remarkable again."

The corners of Sea Lingdao's eyes twitched. "You really don't know?"

"I don't know."

Old Sea was left speechless. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. Did you want to frighten this old man until he peed? He angrily waved his hand, a bit annoyed. "Just wait until someone else tells you. I am tired!"

Qin Yu coughed into his hand. "Old Sea, did I make you tired?"

Old Sea's eyes widened. "Brat, you don't know what's good or bad. Luckily I led you out immediately otherwise things would have become troublesome." As he spoke, he frowned and contemplated for a time, seeming a bit helpless. "But while you can avoid it for a while, you cannot evade it forever. It will come sooner or later."

Qin Yu's thoughts stirred. "What do you mean?"

Old Sea immediately described how Soupman had come and helped Qin Yu. As he spoke about that person, his words were cautious and discreet. "Your performance today was far too amazing; it is bound to arouse the interest and concern of others. There are some matters that I cannot speak too much of. Just remember that if they really come looking for you in the future, make sure you do not refuse."

His words were vague and ambiguous. But, it was exactly this that made things seem unusual. With Old Sea's status, if there were something that made him so discreet and it also involved that person in the royal palace, there had to be something else at work here.

Qin Yu furrowed his eyebrows together.

If he was a member of the sea races and his reputation drastically shot upwards, even earning him the attention of the royal palace, then he might be pleased with this or even looking forwards to it with intense anticipation.

But, the key point here was that he was a human, and that was the sea races' royal palace. Anyone could tell that the guards there were stern and strict and powerhouses existed like trees in a forest. Entering would be easy, but if he was careless and there was the slightest slipup, he would surely expose himself.

New complications just kept rising up!

If that person in the royal palace was paying attention to him, that meant from now on, his every action would be monitored. He didn't even have time to implement his plan of quietly leaving the capital city before it had turned to dust.

Qin Yu bitterly smiled. Indeed, in this world, gains and losses came together.

The carriage entered Sea Spirit Pavilion. The employees that stayed behind had already seen everything that happened through the phantom image projection and knew that Mister Ning had won. Exhilarating joy spread throughout Sea Spirit Pavilion, and the entire place was decorated in the shortest time possible.

When Qin Yu stepped down from the carriage, what he saw first were countless eyes full of awe. Some beautiful female seafolk batted their eyes at him, their gazes lingering on him.

At this time, he wasn't in the mood to pay attention to these things. He tossed down several quick words, hurried to his workshop, and closed the door.

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Chapter 160 – Rich Harvests

Leon's face was flushed red, and it remained this way even after a long time. Now that his teacher had left, he was the center of everyone's attention and was being congratulated and envied by all.

Qingqing clung tightly to his side, the white nape of her neck like a little proud swan. She used her vicious glare to scare away the women around her who had ill intentions.

Once the crowd dispersed a little, Qingqing grabbed Leon and pulled him to the side. She quietly asked, "Where's Mister Ning?" As she mentioned this name, she had an upbeat expression and there was even more respect and awe in her voice than there usually was. She had been informed by her mother about what had occurred and since she knew what status Mister Ning now possessed, it was natural for her to do this.

Leon wiped away his sweat. "Teacher went back to rest. He probably wants to further digest what he obtained from the sea spirit." As he spoke, he did so with deep reverence and worship. Still, he couldn't hide his growing pride.

Although he didn't think about it too much, his teacher was now the third ranked of the ten great Purple Cards, a legendary Spiritual Bestower, and also someone who had managed to spur the sea spirit baptism for almost ten hours. Even if he didn't want to, it was hard not to think about having such a teacher and be arrogant about it!

Qingqing bit her lips and whispered. "Leon, Mister Ning is now at the height of prestige and is bound to be a mighty figure in the future. From how some of these women are looking at you, I think they wish they could swallow you whole."

Leon blushed. He hurriedly waved his hand. "No, no, everyone is just congratulating teacher. It has nothing to do with me."

"Humph! You are well aware of whether or not it has any relation to you!"

Leon had a bitter expression. "Qingqing, just what do you want?"

"Great, now you are getting impatient towards me. I know that Mister Leon has high standards now so how could you possibly take a liking to a little girl like me!"

Leon almost cried. "Qingqing, that would never happen! Whatever you want is whatever I want, I have absolutely no opinion at all!"

Qingqing wrinkled her nose. "Is that the truth?"

Seeing her attitude soften, Leon immediately swore an oath. Sure, while he wasn't a true blockhead when it came to the relations between men and women, he was still a na?ve and pure boy who hadn't been taught by anyone how to deal with a girl's finishing move.

Qingqing smiled and her face blushed red. She quietly said, "My mother wants me to bring you home…" As she spoke, her voice became increasingly quiet.

"Ah!" Leon cried out loud and smiled in silly joy.

Qingqing chuckled as she rolled her eyes back. But, she was actually overjoyed in her heart. She suddenly felt this world become far wider and freer.

…

With his only disciple having obtained the necessary approval and soon about to win the beautiful girl he loved, Qin Yu was currently sitting down cross-legged in his workroom. Through the video and audio recordings being replayed over the shells, Qin Yu learned about what had occurred.

Old Sea had once mentioned the sea spirit baptism to him, thus Qin Yu's complexion was quite strange at this moment.

He was well aware of himself. Perhaps his soul was a bit more powerful and perhaps his body was a bit more powerful, and in a situation where the sea spirit didn't sense anything, it was really possible that the sea spirit baptism could continue longer.

But for it to last nearly ten hours…that was impossible!

At this time, as he was sitting down cross-legged, he frowned, losing himself in thought. He seemed to faintly recall some indistinct memories of what occurred during the sea spirit baptism.

He estimated that he reached his limit at a bit more than two hours. After all, while his consciousness was awake, there was still some awareness of his surroundings. And it was during this period of time that something unknown occurred, which allowed him to maintain that condition.

This was the reason why there had been such an exaggerated result.

Qin Yu fell silent for several breaths of time. He flipped his hand and a brilliant light flashed. The deep blue light in his palm was as peaceful as the deep sea. As he looked at it, his pupils suddenly shrank.

Qin Yu had always considered the little blue lamp as the fundamental basis for his current life. Thus, there was no need to explain just how much he valued it.

Now, it seemed as if…that foot of blue sea…had grown.

Qin Yu had a serious expression. He raised his hand and looked carefully. After a long time, he was finally sure that his judgment was correct.

It had indeed grown larger.

Now, the area that the blue light covered was probably the surrounding 1.2 feet.

There had been countless times when he had grieved and felt helpless over how the range of the little blue lamp was so small and narrow. But, he never expected that in a situation where he had been completely unprepared, things would change so suddenly.

It seemed as if the change in the sea spirit baptism had been caused by the little blue lamp.

Qin Yu fell silent for a long time, but slowly, a bit of relief began rising on his features. Although this had caused him to enter the attention of that person in the royal palace, making it difficult for him to leave, if he were to consider his own harvest as well as the changes in the little blue lamp…then it was all worth it! In particular, he had finally been able to determine that the little blue lamp's strength was in no way unchangeable.

It could grow.

This vaguely pointed a road for Qin Yu. Although there might not ever be a way for him to obtain the strength of the sea spirit again, there was still heavenly tribulation. The little blue lamp was able to swallow tribulation thunder, and this surely had a profound meaning behind it. Now, with the changes that had occurred in the little blue lamp, he might be able to face this matter head-on.

He temporarily pushed these thoughts to the side. He immediately thought of the sea map that the sea spirit had granted him, and revealed a helpless look. He was sure during the time when he felt that piercing cold and awakened, that had been a warning from the sea spirit. The little blue lamp's actions should have been discovered.

So, this sea map that he thought would allow him to never get lost again, had definitely been replaced…

Disappointment rose in his heart. After all, according to Old Sea, the gift of the sea spirit was often incredibly strong. However, his disappointment soon turned to joy. After all, even though he had been discovered cheating by the sea spirit and even though his status as a human might have been noticed, he was still alive and moving. This was already great!

After organizing his thoughts, Qin Yu closed his eyes in meditation and started to carefully sense just how many harvests he obtained during the sea spirit baptism.

An hour later, he opened his eyes. He tried to hold it in but finally laughed out loud. No wonder the sea spirit had warned him; it had been helpless to do anything else after being a target of the little blue lamp's insatiable greed. This harvest was indeed larger than he thought. No, it was even larger, far, far larger than he had hoped for!

His soul force had nearly doubled. It had already been quite powerful amongst the Golden Core level, but now it was somewhere comparable to between that and that of a common Nascent Soul. Every inch of flesh and blood of his mortal body had been tempered through the baptism, becoming more potent and tenacious. Not only had he fully mastered the strength he absorbed from the strange tumor monster, but his overall power had risen to a new level.

Qin Yu even believed that with his mortal bodily strength alone, he could directly face off against common mid and late Golden Core cultivators.

This time the risks had been worth it!

He suppressed any thoughts about the attention from the royal palace. Right now he impatiently wanted to control his growing strength. Then, with the intensity of his soul force, it should be possible for him to smoothly refine all of the five-element spiritual objects.

…

News of Mister Ning completely rolling over Wu Zetian and becoming the third ranked of the Purple Cards should have been an explosive event. But, with news of the sea spirit baptism continuing for almost ten hours and him being a Spiritual Bestower also spreading out, that news seemed a bit too ordinary.

Perhaps in the eyes of the countless sea races, today's Honorable Ning didn't need to brandish his status as a Purple Card. This was because he had surpassed the Purple Cards and was considered a higher level of being.

Sea Spirit Pavilion profited off of this. Countless sea spirit teachers flocked in like rabid swarms, all of them asking whether they could join. This set off a raging wave of hopefully job hopping. As for Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire, while they had once been in sharp opposition with Sea Spirit Pavilion, now they no longer had any strength to fight back. They lost almost half the strong sea spirit teachers in their employment and their prestige fell precipitously.

Correspondingly, Sea Spirit Pavilion's business blew up to a whole new level, and this was especially true with the capital city branch division. Countless seafolk waved their spirit cards around, all of them requesting to sign the special edition Supreme Book no matter how high the price was raised. Even a starting price of 300,000 did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm.

To use their words, if they could spend this money and form some tenuous relationship with Honorable Ning, that was something they could all brag about. Without any other way, Sea Spirit Pavilion could only accept the spirit stone cards of these frantically wailing people. Chief Manager Wu's expression was light and carefree as he laughed heartily within.

Who didn't like to earn money? Although he possessed a mind-boggling amount of wealth in his hands, this money belonged to Mister Ning, and he didn't dare to have any thoughts on it.

At that same time he secretly admired Mister Ning. Mister Ning was truly worldly. Even after returning he hadn't asked about the bet money and had just left it with him.

However, he really did need to find some method to give this wealth back to Mister Ning as soon as possible. Otherwise, he might stay like he was now, too scared to leave. Even when he casually strolled through Sea Spirit Pavilion, he did so with the four praying mantis swordsmen shadowing him. It was best to be careful. If there was an accident, he couldn't make up for it even if he sold himself!

He comfortably sat down in a chair and took a sip of tea. He sighed. He had fallen in love with Honorable Ning's preferences; it was truly a good way to relax.

He glanced up at the seventh floor. He thought of Honorable Ning's invitations and how high they had piled up. He had no idea when he would come out.

…

"Honorable Ning still hasn't come out?" Soupman faintly frowned.

The magnificent hall was packed with colors of purple and gold. There wasn't any sense of aesthetic beauty here and it even seemed a bit tacky.

But as long as one arrived here, they would be filled with awe. When would they be in the mood to judge how beautiful or ridiculous this hall looked?

Four black-robed figures knelt on the ground. Their auras were completely restrained. If one didn't see them with their own eyes, they wouldn't have thought anyone was there.

"Reporting to Soupman, we have investigated through various channels already. Ever since the sea spirit baptism, Honorable Ning has gone into seclusion and hadn't left. This was confirmed with Honorable Ning's disciple, Leon."

The four were completely motionless. It was hard to tell just who was the one speaking.

Soupman had a thoughtful look. "It seems that this time, Honorable Ning has quite the harvests…" He smiled and muttered to himself. "The more the better, the more the better…"

After several breaths of time he waved his hand. "You may all leave. Pay attention to news concerning Honorable Ning. I want to be immediately informed when he leaves his workroom."

"Yes, Soupman."

The four black-robed figures stood up and left. They didn't walk through the entrance but simply vanished from where they stood. It was unknown where they went.

…

Qingqing kicked the gravel, bored. She wondered out loud, "Just when is mister coming out of seclusion?"

Madame Qing sighed. "Is my family's little miss in such a hurry to be married? The humans really do have a good phrase that fits this. A daughter will always favor outsiders rather than their own!"

Qingqing never thought that her unintentional words would be heard by her mother. She blushed fiery red and stammered, "I…I never…"

"Then there is no need to be so anxious. You might as well accompany me and your father for a few more years. In any case, right now is the time for Leon to be building his future career. It isn't a good time to divert his attention to forming a new family." Madame Qing teased.

Qingqing stamped her feet. "Mother! You're laughing at me!"

Madame Qing hugged her daughter, her smile warm and calm. "Mother is happy for you. Just be patient. With Mister Ning helping to manage your wedding with Leon, your future road will be much easier to walk down. Qingqing, you judged well. Leon is a good child. I hope you will live happily later."

Qingqing blinked. "If I grab onto Leon then our Qing Family will have a great backer, right?"

Looking at her strange and funny daughter, Madame Qing tapped her forehead, "You!"

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