"As I am allowed to compete as well, you will be fighting from my side. Even though it's baffling as to how you managed to walk two of the most tiring and difficult paths, after winning, you can get both the Brown Dacite and the Sap Water…."
"So, you don't need to worry about me going back on my word. You will be working for it yourself. In return for providing you with these two, I will be free. It will benefit us both equally…"
Yue Qing spoke. She didn't move her face around like normal people do to observe a person's body language.
Yang Zhai looked at her for a while, thinking of something.
"Still… I can't just jump into all of this without knowing anyone. The game you are asking me to play is not simple and is filled with too much and involves too many…"
Even though I can observe everything and then move accordingly, I can't just easily agree with her.
"Don't you think with every round I win, I will be offending a high-end place… I don't even know you, let alone others…"
Those involved cities, domains, clans, sects, cults, and even whole continents.
"With all this, what do you expect me to do? No one, not even a rank 8 cultivator would do it. On top of that, I am alone and have no backing. Even the rank 7 Brown Dacite and the Sap Water won't do."
Yang Zhai said.
"... How about this? I have many weaknesses. Being unable to see is my first weakness. Even though I can sense essence, I can't truly sense non-living things, like how I ended up bumping into the wooden stool just a while ago, so, even you can kill me right now. Also, people think that sensing essence makes up for my blindness, but no, it gives me a headache…"
"Others can't sense this, but there are millions, no, infinite extremely tiny living forms in the air. How do you think this feels? I sense those things all the time, it gives me a headache so terrible that it feels like death."
I see what she's getting at. People of this world truly can't sense this and don't know, but as I am from the earth, I know what she is talking about: Yang Zhai reflected.
"During battles, anyone can confuse me by just releasing more living beings in the air. I hope this is enough to know me. Also, nobody else knows about my weaknesses besides me…"
"As for backing, you don't have to worry. Those so-called righteous people care a lot about their reputation and wouldn't fall so low as to chase a mere mortal. As for the demonic cultivators, they can attack you even if you do nothing. I am sure you know all this…"
"You said even rank 7 Brown Dacite and the Sap Water are not enough to convince you into fighting for me. Even though I am sure you're just bluffing, how about this? In about a few days from now, an auction will be held here in Eroh Domain. How about I help you obtain one item of your choice? I hope this is enough. And don't worry, the auction will start before the competition ends, so there's no need to fear me going back on my word,"
Yue Qing was worried when she heard Yang Zhai and her voice became a little slightly desperate.
Any item from the auction? Now that's interesting: Yang Zhai thought and stated,
"Fine, I will go to this competition. When is it being held?"
"Sigh… the competition will start the day after tomorrow. As for tomorrow, you will accompany me to see my father, I will tell you the reason tomorrow as to why. However, if you leave a good impression on him, you might obtain his backing."
Yue Qing sighed after listening to Yang Zhai and relaxed a bit.
"If that is all, I will be leaving then. I will be here tomorrow," Yang Zhai said and was about to leave.
"Be sure to appear at tomorrow evening,"
…..
Yang Zhai had already traveled about three miles away from Yue Qing's residence when he was approached by a person wearing a veil on their face and covering their body completely with a cloak.
"Can we talk?" The person asked. Their voice seemed to be of a man.
"And you might be…" Yang Zhai increased his distance from the person and prepared for an attack.
"I have a deal for you, how about we discuss it somewhere private?"
Yang Zhai didn't say anything.
"Don't be afraid. Here, look, I am Yue Qing's brother. I heard from my people that she was looking for a certain Mastery Path cultivator in the few previous days, so, it was you."
He removed his veil and revealed his face to Yang Zhai.
He had deep, black hair. His eyes were also deep black, just like an abyss. He was thin and had an eagle-shaped nose.
"If you are still not satisfied, let's go to a tavern filled with people, will that be enough." The man said.
He seemed to be in his mid-twenties.
"Fine, lead the way,"
After being silent for a while, he finally agreed.
…..
Inside a bustling tavern,
In the corner of the inn, two people sat discussing something.
"What do you say? It's not a bad deal, right? I will give you three times more than what Yue Qing is giving you, and you just have to back down, nothing else."
His name was Lei Yong, and he was Yue Qing's older brother.
"Well… Yue Qing will be helping me get two auction items, will you get me six? If so, I am willing to back down." Yang Zhai said.
"Really… then forget it. How about only two items? Buying six items will leave me with nothing."
"No, how about five?" Yang Zhai bargained.
She is not just buying me an auction item, but also helping me get the Brown Dacite and the Sap Water. Of course, I will need this much to compensate for that and benefit on top of that, Yang Zhai contemplated.
"Three, and that too below rank 7, and that is final," Lei Yong said.
"Four, nothing less than this would do, and I can go for anything I want for two items and two below rank 7," Yang Zhai argued.
Even though the competition was about to begin and the auction still had more than ten days to begin, they still bargained. The matter of guarantee and everything else could be decided if the deal was made.
"Sigh… that's not possible. Buying even a single item might cost me everything. What if the bid goes to a number for rank 7 or rank 8 items that I can't handle? You are asking for two? That's not possible. How about just one? No more than that and that's final."
Lei Yong stated.
"No, let's forget about it…" After saying this, Yang Zhai stood up and left.
The Brown Dacite and the Sap Water were both rank 7 and were things that he needed and wanted. This person here was only buying one item of his choice which was also being done by Yue Qing. As for the other three, those were below rank 7. On top of that, Yue Qing was desperate for his help, meaning she couldn't betray him, but that wasn't the case for Lei Yong.
"He is really foolish. Does he think that he can win this competition? I was just helping him and he was being too greedy. He is merely a rank 4 cultivator. I am sure even rank 5 Mastery Path cultivators will be involved in this competition… Yue Qing is really foolish." Lei Yong muttered as he looked at Yang Zhai walk away.
"Let's see how this competition goes. I have a feeling something interesting will happen..."
!|!*****!*****!|!