Martial Peak

Chapter 847, Old Man Du’s Guests

Inside the Alchemist Guild, seeing Yang Kai for the first time in years, Mi Na was quite happy.

However, when she remembered all the worry he had caused Old Man Du, Mi Na couldn’t help feeling somewhat resentful too. For this guy, she felt she had run back and forth to Soaring Heaven Sect so many times the hills in-between had gotten flatter.

“That’s why I came over to see you all,” Yang Kai smiled.

“Hmph, seems you still have some conscience left!” Mi Na snorted as she swept her eyes over him, suddenly thinking of something as she did, “Wait, the one who just asked Wu’er for Alchemy… wouldn’t be you, right?”

“En, it was me,” Yang Kai nodded.

Mi Na patted the chest and breathed a sigh of relief, “So it was you, good, I thought that it was some no good pervert eyeing Wu’er and planned on teaching him a lesson.”

Yang Kai just laughed, “It seemed like she needed some materials to practice with so I gave her some… Since when was there such a little girl here, I’ve never seen her before.”

Hearing this, Mi Na’s expression became somewhat gloomy as she quickly checked to make sure Wu’er had left before whispering, “Old Man Du and I picked her up on our way back… such a poor girl.”

“Picked up on your way back?” Yang Kai is stunned.

“En, on our way back here from Floating Clouds City, we passed by a village that had been attacked by a pack of Monster Beasts. Everyone in the village was dead except her. We found her alone and crying amongst the ruins and didn’t have the heart to just leave her so we brought her back with us to Grand Boulder City. When we found her, she was less than ten years old. She was incredibly thin and had lost the ability to speak, seemingly quite traumatized… It was only after caring for her for a few years that she turned into her current appearance, running around all day long with energy to spare. Haa… such a handful.”

Yang Kai smiled warmly and commented, “You really picked up a good seedling.”

“En!” Mi Na’s beautiful eyes shimmered, “Old Man Du was also quite surprised at Wu’er’s aptitude for Alchemy. When we brought her back, she hadn’t even begun cultivating, yet now she’s already reached the True Element Boundary Ninth Stage and her Alchemy level has recently broken through to the Mysterious Grade Low-Rank. Honestly, as her Senior Sister, I feel quite pressured. If I don’t work hard, that little girl will overtake me in a flash.”

Yang Kai chuckled at this, “It’ll be years before that happens.”

“I’m afraid it won’t take very long though…” Mi Na smiled bitterly, “I’m only a Spirit Grade Low-Rank Alchemist, only one grade higher than Wu’er, with how fast that little girl is growing, she’ll probably surpass me within ten years.”

Saying so, Mi Na suddenly looked at Yang Kai curiously and asked, “What about you? Have you been able to progress beyond the Spirit Grade Top-Rank?”

“Well, a little,” Yang Kai scratched his cheek, not daring to tell Mi Na the truth for fear of discouraging her.

“Fine fine, seeing you like this, it’s obvious you’re already able to refine Saint Pills. This girl is just a common mortal, I shouldn’t be trying to compare myself with you two freaks!” Mi Na grumbled in frustration, but in the next instant smiled, “Enough about that. Come with me, if Old Man Du knew you came back, he’d no doubt be very happy.”

Yang Kai gently nodded before following Mi Na into the Alchemist Guild.

Before they had gone far though, Yang Kai expression changed as he asked, “Is Old Man Du entertaining guests?”

Yang Kai could sense the auras of several individuals inside Old Man Du’s room as well as hear some light laughter. One of these auras belong to Du Wan while the others all possessed Transcendent Realm cultivations.

“En,” Mi Na responded, “They just arrived today actually.”

“Then I can wait.”

“No…” Mi Na smiled meaningfully, “I think those few guests will also want to see you.”

Yang Kai was momentarily stunned but quickly realized, “They couldn’t be the few I met back in Floating Clouds City?”

“Not bad!” Mi Na grinned as the two arrived in front of Du Wan’s room, calling out in the next moment, “Old Man Du, another guest has come to see you.”

The laughter and the conversation inside came to an abrupt halt as Du Wan immediately said, “Let him come back another time, today this old master won’t be seeing other guests.”

“Are you sure about that, Old Man Du? If that’s the case, then I’ll show him out,” Mi Na asked as she winked mischievously towards Yang Kai.

“Why you little…” Du Wan’s helplessly sighed before asking, “Who is it? From the sounds of it he must be a very important guest.”

Not waiting for Mi Na to answer, Yang Kai called out, “Old Man Du, it’s me, Yang Kai!”

“Yang Kai?” Du Wan’s called out in surprise, a series of footsteps ringing out in the next instant and the door soon flying open, revealing Du Wan’s expectant face. After seeing Yang Kai, a look of pleasant surprise filled Old Man Du’s expression as he shouted “It’s you!”

Yang Kai smiled and nodded.

“Come in, come in!” Du Wan enthusiastically greeted Yang Kai, “It’s good that you’re back.”

“Haha, after wandering around outside for a while I just recently returned to the Sect where I heard that Old Man Du had asked Mi Na to travel to Soaring Heaven Sect several times to inquire about this Junior’s wellbeing. For all Old Man Du’s concern, Junior is very grateful,” Yang Kai said seriously.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, you are a member of my Alchemist Guild Branch. I am its Manager, naturally I should pay attention to your wellbeing,” Du Wan shamelessly smiled and said, “You came at just the right time actually, this old man was just talking about you with several old friends.”

As the two talked, they entered the guild’s back hall.

Inside a spacious room sat several figures with ages and temperaments similar to Du Wan’s, each of them stretching their necks as they looked over towards the door expectantly.

After the appearance of Yang Kai thought, all of them couldn’t help showing confused looks.

“Hey, Du Wan,” An old man with a rather uncouth attitude called out, “Something’s not quite right, he doesn’t look anything like the little boy from last time. Did you think my eyes had gone dim and memory had gone bad and thus brought some random kid here to deceive me?”

This old guy was quite rotund and sat directly on the floor like a giant lump, resting his whole body on a nearby wall. Just speaking a few words causing him to pant slightly.

“En… although his age seems about right and the voice is quite similar, his looks are completely different!” Another old man said as he caressed his long beard, sweeping his eyes up and down Yang Kai.

“Heh heh, you two dullards, don’t you remember Du Wan received a special artifact as payment for Alchemy several years ago that could explain all this?” A third person seemingly saw through everything at once and said smugly, “If I recall, that artifact is able to change the look and aura of a person.”

“Then… this is that little brat’s true appearance and what we saw back then was just a disguise?” A fourth old man proposed.

“Junior Yang Kai greets several Grandmasters,” Yang Kai smiled and cupped his fists.

“Come come, have a seat first,” Du Wan warmly motioned, “All of us are used to acting freely, there’s no need for you to act polite.”

Yang Kai glanced around and found that these Grandmasters were indeed casually relaxing. Instead of sitting on chairs around a table they were all sitting on the ground, probably because out of consideration for their overly obese member.

Not standing on ceremony, Yang Kai sat down next to Du Wan.

Four pairs of eyes gathered onto Yang Kai with great interest, causing the latter to laugh somewhat wryly.

Yang Kai still remembered how back in Floating Clouds City he had ‘received’ some treasures from these four people’s Universe Bags for winning first place in an Alchemy competition.

“Du Wan, you were certainly cautious enough, having this little boy wear that disguising artifact, no wonder no one has found him despite having his portrait and searching for many years,” One of the old men smiled, “So it was like this.”

“If I didn’t take precautions he would have been in trouble,” Du Wan smiled, “Although some clues pointed to Soaring Heaven Sect, with Chu Ling Xiao sitting over there, no one dares make any trouble.”

Yang Kai had condensed the medicinal liquid of the Thousand Year Demon Flower, so naturally there were many inquiring about his whereabouts in order to snatch this precious treasure from him.

“Were you so confident he would be the one to obtain the Thousand Year Demon Flower’s medicinal liquid?”

“I just thought it best for him to not reveal his identity in front of so many people,” Du Wan smiled, “Still, even I was quite surprised he was able to obtain the medicinal liquid of the Thousand Year Demon Flower, it was really quite amazing.”

Saying so, Du Wan suddenly said, “Right, Yang Kai, let me formally introduce them to you, this is the Manager of Shattered Star City Alchemist Guild branch, Hong Fang, a Saint Grade Low-Rank Alchemist!”

“Greetings Grandmaster Hong!” Yang Kai respectfully bowed.

“No need, no need!” Hong Fang caressed his beard and smiled, “It won’t take long before you reach the same level as me, being called Grandmaster by such a talent is troubling.”

Du Wan smiled and did not refute, next pointing to the fat sold man, “This is the Manager of Lightning Flash City Alchemist Guild, Chang Bao, also a Saint Grade Low-Rank Alchemist! En, Brother Chang indulges too much in food and drink, so his body has become like this. You should take heed not to indulge in such excess.”

Chang Bao immediately shot back, “Sampling the world’s delicacies is one of life’s greatest pursuits, Du Wan, you just don’t understand it.”

Du Wan ignored this comment and proceeded to point to another person, “This is the Manager of Three River City’s Alchemist Guild, Saint Grade Low-Rank Alchemist He Feng!”

Just after the introduction, He Feng smiled broadly and said, “Little boy, remember when I invited you to Three River City a few years ago yet you turned me down. Have you given the matter anymore thought?”

Saying so, he quickly tempted, “This old man has several beautiful granddaughters he can introduce you to. In fact, it doesn’t matter if you want them all as long as you agree to come to my Three River City’s Alchemist Guild.”

“Junior is grateful for all Grandmaster He’s concern, but this young one owes Old Man Du much grace so I must unfortunately refuse Grandmaster He’s kindness.”

He Feng narrowed his eyes and said, “Your courage is not small, no one has dared refuse this old master’s kindness before yet you’ve actually done so twice. Smelly brat, you’ve simply made this old master lose face!”

“Who told you to make a fool of yourself?” Du Wan laughed heartily, Yang Kai saying such words had obviously made him quite happy as he grinned from ear to ear, ignoring He Feng’s protest as he turned to the last person in the room, “Last but not least, this is Moon City Alchemist Guild’s manger, Kong Ruo Yu, also a Saint Grade Low-Rank Alchemist!”

Yang Kai respectfully bowed once more.

Top Alchemists and Artifact Refiners were normally male because most women’s natural physiques were milder and more temperate, unsuited to handling the high temperatures and flames required to perform Alchemy and Artifact Refining, but this Kong Ruo Yu had actually become a Saint Grade Low-Rank Alchemist, which showed that she had clearly worked harder and possessed greater aptitude than others. If she had been born a male, her achievements would probably be even higher.

(Silavin: They are talking about Yin and Yang here. Don’t get triggered. XD)