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--- Chapter 124 ---
The rumor of Soul-Recovering Medicine started to appear in the Central Plains. A medicine that could completely recover one's soul and spirit when used, something that even Half-Saint Experts wanted.
Even though no one knows who started this rumor, some people confirmed its validity and discovered an auction house held by the Heavenly Gathering Clan.
Heavenly Gathering Clan is the branch of the well-known Heavenly Slaying Sect, making the negative rumor disappear. This sect wasn't part of the major factions but had enough reputation and power to enter the top thirty.
Even then, many people immediately dug for more information.
But they couldn't find anything.
The medicine appeared and was "mysteriously." stored in the Heavenly Gathering Clan. Of course, when higher power asked the origin of such a powerful thing, the Heavenly Gathering Clan told them it came from a Secret Realm.
As for where does the Secret Realm locate, no one knows.
There are so many Secret Realms in this world. Eight Ancient Clans and other powerful factions have them, so it's not weird for Heavenly Gathering Clan to have one.
After the Acting Leader of the Black-Corner Region received an order to spread information about Soul Recovery Medicine, he circulated his subordinates and began amassing rumors.
One mouth to another, the rumor formed into a cluster mess of spiderwebs.
That cunning old fox launched Baek Ain's 1st scheme and fanned information with the power of the Black Corner Region's Intelligence, causing a storm in the Central Plains in just two weeks.
The scheme is so deep that people who plunge their feet into the matter can't do anything about it. So, they couldn't possibly trace everything back to the Black-Corner Region.
The second scheme is to use a decently strong but neutral faction in the Central Plains. Yao Ming used the 10th Party Organization to transfer the Soul Recovering medicine, which cut off the connection between the Heavenly Gathering Clan and Black Corner Region.
That's ten layers of a puzzle coupled with complex traps and diversions.
The third scheme is to bait Xiao Yan. And If possible, Baek Ain also wanted the person who supported him or the Irregular to come out.
Baek Ain knew his plan wasn't perfect. After all, He doesn't know just how powerful Xiao Yan's Ally(the Irregular) was.
But here is where Xiao Yan's big mouth comes in handy.
It's unreliable, but Baek Ain believed Xiao Yan would start or jump into a problem because he was the protagonist of this world.
There would be hundreds, if not more, factions in the incoming auction for the Soul Recovering Medicine. The more, the merrier.
The suspicion will get drawn to the seemingly background-less young man who bid against powerhouses of Central Plains. At the end of the auction, Xiao Yan will make a lot of enemies. A Lot of Enemies!
Since Xiao Yan is desperate to recover his teacher's soul, he should have attended this auction and won the medicine. He doesn't have a choice because such treasure is rare to appear.
After reading Black-Corner Region's Information Bank, only two similar treasures appeared over ten thousand years. That speaks a lot about this world's situation.
Oh well, Baek Ain only has to wait and watch pawns fighting against each other. It would be nice if Hall of Souls Members got killed in this event so Baek Ain's quest became easier.
...
...
Baek Ain meditated inside a clay tower and released an absurd amount of Golden Flame. Even though Baek Ain reached 5-Star Dou Venerate one week ago, his strength wasn't enough to fight a group of Half-Saint Experts.
One Half-Saint Expert isn't a problem.
But if there are more than three, he would get overwhelmed. Baek Ain could run away effortlessly unless the enemy is a Saint Realm Expert.
There aren't many Half-Saint Experts in this world, and more so for the Saint Realm Experts.
Still, Baek Ain wanted to increase his power quickly.
And the fastest way to do that is by mastering the Record of Burning World. He has grasped the 8th Stage: Blazing Sunray, as it was similar to the 5th Stage: Golden Annihilation, and just more complex.
Baek Ain gets the hang of the 9th Stage: Illusory Realm Domain because this technique mixes Golden Crow's Flame and Soul Force, forming a soul-striking domain.
As for the 10th Stage: Nine Suns Heaven's Fury, Baek Ain theoretically needed to reach the Middle Stage of the Half-Saint Realm and summon enough Golden Crow's Flame to activate it.
That's just for one attack, so he'd get wasted after.
A bitter smile appeared on Baek Ain's face because he was stuck. After reaching Half-Saint Realm, he should create 9 Tier Pills to aid his cultivation.
The problem with 9 Tier Pills is that Baek Ain couldn't make them with a 100% success rate. Yes, he barely reached a 5% success rate when making the Soul-Recovering Medicine Pill to start this plan.
He still has the Half-Step Saint's Essence from the Fallen Orchid Sect's rewards, but this thing dried fast. He used a third of it to become 5-Star Dou Venerate.
There is another method to increase Baek Ain's cultivation, and that is to use Behemoth Paradise's Resources. And crippled months of progression, so it's a big no-no. Baek Ain wouldn't do it anyway because Behemoth Paradise's Growth is his best foundation.
Behemoth Paradise's fast-paced growth is the reason for Baek Ain's confidence, so he wouldn't dare use this scheme without it.
"9th... Success." Baek Ain whispered while manifesting another technique from the Record of the Burning World. However, unlike the original, this stage has been manipulated to be more suited for Baek Ain.
Thirty meters radius domain stretched from Baek Ain as its source, releasing extreme heat and sharpness. Thousand, if not ten thousand, blades appeared and spurted from the ground, burning with a golden flame.
"Ain, can you release more flame!" Cai Lin's voice echoed.
"The furnace is becoming cold!"
Baek Ain let out a helpless laugh because his training was "actually." used by Cai Lin as Refining Chance. As a refiner master herself, she wants to create magical artifacts and weapons.
It's understandable.
Cai Lin has been fighting with bare hands all this time.
So, in the following four hours, Baek Ain cultivated the Record of Burning World and allowed Cai Lin to finish her artifact.
"Done~!" Cai Lin excitedly yelled. There are six hairpins before his eyes, shining with dim lights. Each represented the color of rainbows, except for the red color.
Red is Cai Lin's favorite color. And Baek Ain created an artifact with such color and matched it with her six hairpins. Now it was a complete set.
Baek Ain walked out of the furnace and jumped to the top, pulling a red hairpin with a snake carving. "Here, as I promised." He said with a smile.
Cai Lin was delighted as she dropped her blood into the six other hairpins and handed them to Baek Ain.
Baek Ain waved his hand and created a spiritual connection between the artifacts and Cai Lin, pushing them to Half-Saint Artifacts. This set of hairpins' worth alone is similar to a kingdom in the Central Plains.
The amount of treasures used is just that much.
Ancient Refiner is not a cheap profession.
[Seven-Colored Serpent Hairpins]
[Type: Artifacts/Weapons]
[Grade: SSS]
[Description: A Half-Saint Weapon created by using tons of resources and the divine flame of Myriad Behemoth Sage Physique's Wielder, inheriting the later ability to control five elements, albeit way more inferior. Seven-Colored Serpent Hair Pins also possessed Mystical Abilities that have yet to get revealed]
"Put them on my hair." Cai Lin demanded with pouting lips.
Baek Ain chuckled and styled Cai Lin's silky black hair, placing the seven hairpins like peacock tails. Her beauty enhanced even more.
Looking at his masterful creation, Baek Ain nodded in satisfaction.
"Let's visit the Beast Tribes tomorrow."
"We have been staying in the Black-Corner Region for two weeks. That's one month in Behemoth Paradise, so Yafei and Yi Xian are probably mad at me."
Cai Lin hugged Baek Ain's arm and replied, "Okay."
Lan Rou appeared a minute later, bringing them the news that the auction in the Heavenly Gathering Clan had started.
Baek Ain glanced at the vast horizon as he had sent several Fire Shadow's Envoys to observe the auction. Things are going to become bloody soon in the Central Plains.