Chapter 888 - Underworld Warhorse

Both Scribes and Tech Priests would’ve been considered rare and almost useless professions in the Ten Thousand Nations Territory, but here, they were controlled and had structure.

Long Chen did know a little about Alchemists as Situ Yi was one. Alchemists could combine spiritual herbs, refine them with core fire, and then follow a recipe to make various pills. Some of the pills required only common ingredients but granted the user incredible power.

“Alchemists are almost as popular as Tech Priests. In Scarlet Water City alone, there are dozens of Alchemists and Scribes. The stronger ones are treated as guests by the mayor. He gives them a lot of Emperor Crystals every year for them to stay here. However, the Heavenly Fortune Pill is not something they could make here. Rumor has it that the Scarlet Water Association obtained it from someone who was unaware of its true value.”

Long Chen’s eyes were glimmering with curiosity because he wanted to know what the Heavenly Fortune Pill did when even Zhao Kongming was interested in it.

“Wan’er, what is a Heavenly Fortune Pill?”

“The Heavenly Fortune Pill is a medicine that’s extremely hard to manufacture. Only Alchemists at the Ninth Heavenly Martial Stage can make it, and even then, they can only produce lower-quality ones.

“The lower-quality ones contain a little bit of the Alchemist’s understanding of the Heavenly Martial Realm. Someone at the Ninth Earthly Martial Stage can advance into the Heavenly Martial Realm with ease after consuming it, and someone at the First Heavenly Martial Stage can reach the Second Heavenly Martial Stage. Beyond that, those at the Third Heavenly Martial Stage would only find themselves understanding the Heavenly Martial Realm a bit more after eating it.

“I think Jun’er’s master intends to give it to someone else. It might be valuable, but it's useless for us at this point.”

Long Chen nodded. “Then how much is a single Heavenly Fortune Pill?”

“I... I’m not sure. Probably a few thousand Emperor Crystals? But no one would dare to bid against an Underworld Soldier. I’m certain that he will buy it for just a couple hundred Emperor Crystals.”

Long Chen nodded.

It was late into the night by the time she finished her explanation. Even though she didn’t want to leave, she had no choice. She needed to head back to her tribe tomorrow.

Long Chen reassured her. “I will send you back to your tribe tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Big Brother Long Chen.” Xiong Wan’er was touched.

Long Chen slowly sorted out the information in his mind after she left.

“A Heavenly Fortune Pill can save me a year’s worth of cultivation time, but I only have Royal Crystals. Where can I find Emperor Crystals?”

Long Chen felt the pain of not having money.

Xiong Wan’er told him that the auction would be held in ten days. Where would he find a thousand Emperor Crystals within that time frame?

He needed to grow strong as fast as he possibly could. He had readied himself to purchase the Heavenly Fortune Pill after learning about it.

Zhao Kongming had already said that he would follow the rules of the auction. Since his intention was to give it to someone else, he would probably give up on it if the price exceeded his expectations. Long Chen would then outbid Zhao Kongming. The others dared not do it, but he did.

Also, Long Chen was never reluctant to spend a lot of money when it was needed.

I don’t have much time. I need to reach the Divine Martial Realm and get to the Swordsoul Territory as soon as I can. I need to advance through the Heavenly Martial Realm as fast as possible.

Long Chen opened the window and stared at the starry night.

“Hold on. Little Cat, the six demons were only at the Category Nine Emperor-tier. How can they pass through the Fragmented Starfield?”

Maybe the demon race had their own way of traversing it without needing to be at the Divine Martial Realm!

In that case, Long Chen would have more time for himself.

He had swore to Ling Xi that he would find her in ten years, and two years had passed. He didn’t have enough time.

“Demons at the Category Nine Emperor-tier have incredibly strong physical bodies, so they are barely strong enough to pass through the Fragmented Starfield. The Divine Martial Realm is the minimum requirement for humans.”

Little Cat’s words made Long Chen sad.

“Don’t even think about doing it at the Ninth Heavenly Martial Stage. There are no shortcuts in this world. Also, if you go before you enter the Divine Martial Realm, you will only embarrass yourself in the Swordsoul Territory.”

“Little Cat, I never thought you would give me such good advice even though you look so flippant at times.”

Little Cat was right. Long Chen was trying to rush it too much.

“Scram. I have my own dignity. How dare you call me flippant!”

Little Cat's furry body slipped out of the Primordial Realm. Even though his voice was horrible, his body was still cute.

Suddenly, Long Chen noticed that the Dream Demon’s body had undergone some changes.

He wasn’t certain what it was, but something had indeed changed. The Dream Demon was no longer the same.

“Did you notice?” Little Cat chuckled with pleasure.

“That you’ve changed?”

“Hehe. Thanks to my hard work, I’ve finally changed this body into one that has potential. I shall show you!”

Little Cat disappeared like a popped bubble the moment he finished his sentence.

There was absolutely no trace of his aura at all.

Long Chen had to use Sight to finally see that Little Cat was still in front of him.

With a whoosh, Little Cat appeared again.

“How is it? Incredible, right? Why don’t you start worshiping me?”

Long Chen was confused. “What’s going on?”

“That is a special technique called the Hidden Turtle Aura. It allows me to mask my aura completely. I can then use the Dream Demon’s innate technique to fool your eyes and make it seem like I’m invisible. That way, I am impossible to detect! Haha, with this modification, I can finally peep at the beautiful ladies taking a bath! Hahaha!”

“You lecherous cat ...” Long Chen smiled helplessly.

But Long Chen was happy because this meant that Little Cat could help him learn a lot of information. And if Little Cat encountered danger, Long Chen could summon him back immediately using the Primordial Dragon Talisman.

The Hidden Turtle Aura and the Dream Demon’s illusion techniques could indeed be used synergistically.

“Also, there’s bad news.”

“What is it?” Long Chen was worried.

“After my modification, I can finally fight against stronger opponents with the Dream Demon’s illusion techniques, but there’s a price. From today onwards, I need to consume a lot of spiritual herbs. Pills would be best, but I can accept Emperor Crystals at worst. I don’t mind as long as I can eat it.”

“You little rascal. You are just adding more work for me.” Long Chen punched Little Cat playfully.

Long Chen was extremely poor right now, and Little Cat was just adding an extra financial burden for him.

Little Cat suddenly said something strange. “Hey! We were just talking about spiritual herbs and Emperor Crystals. To think that someone is actually giving them to us for free.”

He then disappeared into the Primordial Realm. Long Chen’s eyes lit up because he saw a palm-sized bird flying towards him from outside the window.

Long Chen grabbed the bird to find that it was a Mech Bird. There were simple runes inscribed on it, and they glowed hazily under the moonlight.

In the middle of the Mech Bird’s chest was a warm ball of energy. Long Chen had a feeling that it was the energy source of the Mech Bird.

He crushed it into dust and let it completely disperse in the wind.

In Long Chen’s hand was a small piece of paper. Come out of Scarlet Water City alone if you dare. Five hundred meters away from the city gates.

It was clearly Liu Qing’er calling out Long Chen.

After Zhao Kongming’s request to not trouble Long Chen and the others, Liu Qing’er did not continue harassing them in public. But deep in her heart, she still resented Long Chen. She couldn’t believe that Long Chen would dare to point a spear at her neck!

“Liu Qing’er is from the Scarlet Water Association. I think they are the ones auctioning off the Heavenly Fortune Pill and organizing the auction. She must have a lot of money on her.”

That was why Little Cat had said that someone was sending them money late at night.

“Does Liu Qing’er really think that I would go out there?”

He would’ve ignored her if it wasn’t for the Heavenly Fortune Pill. She was probably just testing him and never thought that Long Chen would really go out.

In reality, after failing to kill Long Chen, Liu Qing’er had started to go mad. Qian Canglong chased her all the way out of Scarlet Water City. After calming her down and reassuring her, he finally appeased her anger.

They then messed around in the wilderness outside before Liu Qing’er remembered Long Chen again. She was still resentful and thought of using this method to try and lure him out.

“He’s not an idiot. Will he really come out here?” Qian Canglong was uncertain.

Liu Qing’er said, “You didn’t fight him, so you don’t know. He’s very arrogant. He was wary of your father and Zhao Kongming during the day, so he didn’t fight you. There’s no one here at night, so he will come here after I taunt him with the letter. Also, he doesn’t know that you are here!”