Author Note: Chapter 1000! What a milestone. I never thought I would reach here the way I have. You have all been… awesome readers. I really don't know how to say it otherwise. There have been a few bad apples here and there. Regardless, the GRAND majority of you have been one of the most supportive reader base I've ever seen. The feedback, theories, questions. All of it has been incredible. Thanks a lot from the bottom of my heart. And, as always, remember to tell me your thoughts. I try to read all of your comments~. Hahaha. Anyway, I leave you with the novel chapter now. Have fun, dears, like always. <3.
P.S.: Also, special thanks to the main proofreaders, @Sarah and @Ayan, and the sometimes extra helpers, @Dante, @CaeraDenoir, and @Kaszty. (And yes, "Ayanduin"'s name is a little thanks to the proofreader for his incredible work. Hahaha. Oh, speaking of this, there was a reader who asked me if Ayan had any influence on the plot; they were worried about it. I will answer as I did to them. They have as much influence as all of you dears have; they are just one of the readers. The plot is thought, written, and published all by me. The proofreaders correct my sometimes awful grammar since I am a bit dyslexic~, hehehe. Much love!)
***********************************************************
Ayanduin looked around the room and smiled. "This is quite a nice room, Gu Chen."
His tone was filled with familiarity; it was clear that this was not the first time that Ayanduin had been in this room.
Lord Gu spoke dismissively, sitting back on his chair. "Sadly, you could probably buy all of this a few times over with your current wealth, right?"
Ayanduin raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Perhaps. Speaking of which, you are not much different. If you went out of the city more often, you might've made your wish come true."
Walking around the table with Money, Ayanduin looked at Yasenia and smirked. "Lady Yasenia, we meet again."
Lord Gu blinked. "Oh? You two have already met each other?"
"Lord Ayanduin. It is great to see you again." Yasenia smiled softly. However, inside, she was thinking about what Kali said. 'Isn't Ayanduin supposed to be acting distant? What's with this friendly greeting? I hope this man doesn't try to play tricks.'
Ayanduin answered Gu Chen while comfortably sitting by Kali's side with Money. "Well, I do know them because they've been to Little M's shop before. Not only that, she became my client not long ago. It's difficult to forget someone as peculiar as her, don't you think so?"
Lord Gu hummed, crossing his arms. "I guess so." Then, he asked. "What do you want? Why would you visit me at this time?"
Ayanduin pondered. "I want a few things, some related to Little M, others related to you. Well, it is not very important, I can wait. Please continue the conversation, and then we can talk."
Gu Chen snorted. "Do you think we can continue the conversation with you here? It is not something that anyone can listen to."
The merchant laughed. "Come on, Little Gu. don't be that distant with your master. Didn't I teach you almost everything you know in the past? To be honest, it is quite ruthless of you to target Little M when she is your martial little sister."
Everyone in the room was surprised, including Gu Chen's wives. Their surprise indicated that this matter was probably something only Gu Chen and Ayanduin knew.
After hearing his words, Gu Chen frowned deeply and glared at Ayanduin. "You dare speak about that? Wasn't it you who disowned me? What right do you have to mention that kind of past or relationship now? Everything between us died that day you threw me out!"
Ayanduin nodded. "Right. So you said. You also said that your objective would always be to become better than me at everything and overshadow me. That, when nothing is left in what I am superior to you, you would take your revenge."
His tone was light and filled with a tinge of amusement, clearly not taking him seriously. Gu Chen squinted and said. "I am better than you at almost everything, Ayanduin. The only thing you have over me is Cultivation Level and wealth."
Ayanduin laughed a bit. "Well, catching up on the cultivation level is impossible for you. After all, with our world how it is, breaking through is basically impossible for us. You were the last person who actually managed to become an Undying Monarch all those years ago. I remember quite clearly how hard you fought against the tribulation."
Gu Chen snorted. "The Heavens didn't want another Undying Monarch, so they were quite harsh. Sadly for them, I could manage to prevail, and because of the Tribulation's harshness, my strength is excellent enough that I can match you in combat."
Looking at Gu Chen with the same easy-going expression, Ayanduin didn't deny it. "You are strong, that's for sure. Still, you lack combat experience. Don't think that our little spars were enough for you to test my depths. If I really wanted you dead, you wouldn't have reached your current heights."
Gu Chen didn't deny it. Instead, he asked back. "That's what I don't understand. You clearly disowned me, and you should've done so out of rancor for something I committed in the past. Yet, you seem to have never really given up on me. Old man, what are you thinking?"
Ayanduin picked one of the wine cups and swirled it elegantly, looking at the blurring reflection on the red substance. "Well… Why not be honest for today…" Ayanduin sighed, taking a sip.
"Look, Little Gu-."
"Don't call me that, Ayanduin." Gu Chen almost growled it out. "That nickname died that day."
Ayanduin blinked and smiled sadly. "Well, you are right. Relationships that were severed are the hardest to patch. You can put an ointment on and try to heal it, but the scars always remain." He placed the cup down and cleared his throat. "Enough sentimentalism. Gu Chen, you've already managed to complete your objective."
Gu Chen blinked and asked, confused. "Huh?"
Ayanduin shrugged. "I lost my spatial ring and almost a third of my wealth with it."
Gu Chen barked a laugh. "Stop joking around. The ring you are wearing now is the one you always wear."
Ayanduin rolled his eyes. "If you really think I don't have more than one identical ring, then I taught you wrongly!"
Gu Chen's smile faded, and he looked at Ayanduin for a few seconds. "I still don't believe you. You losing your ring? It is more likely that this world would instantaneously combust and explode before that happened!"
Ayanduin shrugged. "Well, while it is true that I didn't lose it randomly, I still lost thirty percent of my wealth."
Gu Chen wanted to deny it again, but Ayanduin said. "I swear on my name."
Gu Chen stopped and looked at Ayanduin, baffled. "Huh? How? I don't understand. Who is strong enough to force you to lose almost a third of your wealth?"
Ayanduin raised his eyebrow. "Well, that doesn't matter much. What matters is that you are now the wealthiest, for real—no need to lie about it anymore. Oh, and you are probably stronger than me. After all, I have contracted quite a tricky illness that I can't heal easily. A fight at full power would only aggravate it."
Gu Chen rubbed his temples, not knowing how to take this information in. "This is ridiculous. That's not the way I wanted to beat you."
Ayanduin tilted his head. "What do you mean? You are eager enough that you even targeted Little M, no?"
Gu Chen glared at him and almost snarled. "That's because if you didn't care about that woman as your disciple, what does it matter? I spent a few punny Epoch Cores to get her; what are those in front of you? You can flick each and every one of those to another world if you want to!"
Ayanduin paused and was confused. "Didn't you want to kidnap her?"
"Oh Heavens…" Gu Chen almost facepalmed. "If you don't take care of her and allow me to kidnap her, I would rather take care of her myself! Money has a lot of potential to be wasted by a master who doesn't care!"
Gu Chen's wives nodded sagely, thinking those thoughts were more in character with their husband. Meanwhile, Money was baffled. She didn't know that her senior brother was actually one of the Four City Kings and that he actually cared for her.
At the side, Yasenia listened to the conversation with glittering eyes. 'This is so interesting!'
If it had been appropriate, she would've taken out something to snack on while listening. Kali used her four tails to hide Yasenia's wagging tail, her eyes looking at Yasenia with a pampering and helpless expression. 'Silly girl, your tail is wagging. Control yourself.'
Ayanduin looked at Gu Chen strangely for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. He came here with the intention of truly severing their connection by confronting him for Kali and Yasenia. However, things were developing in a direction that he was not expecting.
Gu Chen waved his hand, defeated. "You know what, whatever." He looked at Yasenia and asked. "This old man might be stubborn and stupid, but he has a good heart. We can continue the conversation in his presence. Perhaps he knows something about it too, after all."
Yasenia laughed, her eyes crinkling with a mischievous smile. "To tell you the truth, Lord Gu Chen. The item I wanted was from Lord Ayanduin." Gu Chen and his wives looked at Yasenia, baffled, and the dragoness added. "Oh, the reason he lost so many of his treasures is because he inappropriately messed with me, so I decided to steal… AHEM, borrow everything he had in his ring except a few things."
Gu Chen looked at Yasenia as if she were a strange, chaotic substance unidentified by the heavens themselves. Then, he looked at Ayanduin and asked, disbelieving. "Did an Epoch Core junior scam you of your treasures? Are you getting senile, old man?"
Ayanduin rolled his eyes. "If you were in my situation, you might've walked out of that room naked! At least I managed to conserve a bit of my dignity!"
Kali snorted. "If you weren't that greedy, you would've walked out with your dignity AND your treasures. You got what you deserved. You are lucky that we don't really have a way to kill you without involving many more people."
With all the puzzle pieces slowly fitting together, everyone in the room understood the situation they were in.
Therefore, Yasenia commented. "Well, for you to know, Ayanduin, I was about to explain things about spiritual cultivation and other paths to Lord Gu Chen."
Ayanduin complained. "Hey. Why is he 'Lord,' but I am just 'Ayanduin'? I am still your senior!"
"Ah." Yasenia blinked and smiled. "You are right. I almost forgot. You need to do something about your aura and attitude, Lord Ayanduin."
Gu Chen snorted with a smile. "She is right. You look like a random young man, to be honest. Did trying to meld in the crowd for so many years become an actual trait? I remember you being a bit more imposing."
Ayanduin sighed. "Juniors are so disrespectful nowadays. Lady Valeria, please scold them."
Valeria, who had been calmly sipping tea and listening to this whole time, blinked and looked over. "Why are you asking me? If you want them to treat you like a senior, you can't ask me to tell them. Act like one."
Gu Chen looked at Valeria with surprise. The fact that Ayanduin called her like that meant that this woman was anything but simple. It was impossible to miss her, as she was like a magnified Yasenia body-wise. Her aura was much different, feeling gentle and soothing instead of domineering and alluring. Still, because she had been silent, Gu Chen decided to ignore her.
Valeria presented herself. "It seems that I should present myself." She placed down the teacup by leaning downward, and then she stood up. Even Gu Chen and Ayanduin felt somewhat intimidated when Valeria stopped hiding her deep and profound ancient aura. "I go by the name of Valeria right now, and Kali is my master. I am the Nature Spirit Queen, a spirit. Nice to meet you "
Ayanduin muttered. "No wonder you have that vibe. You are probably older than me!"
Valeria sat down and snorted. "Rude. I am still in the prime of my health."
After that, the conversation flowed with ease, and Yasenia explained a few superficial things about cultivation, sometimes turning to Valeria for help in more specific matters that she had doubts about.
By the end of the conversation, Gu Chen and Ayanduin were clearly interested in forming a partnership with Yasenia. Yasenia noticed, and her mind started to create a plan. 'Hm~, perhaps I can come back with a few more things than I expected.'