The Attack of the Wastrel

Though Gu Lingzhi had said that, there were no signs of internal struggle on her face. She had the exact same demeanor as when she opened that window, a slight smile on her face the entire time. She asked Mei Ying once again, “Elder Mei, what do you need? I’ll get it for you.”

Many people would remember for a long time to come, how Gu Lingzhi had leaned against the window smiling, not forgetting her promise to Mei Ying.

Mei Ying was touched beyond words as he turned back abruptly to look at Su Ruo. He grabbed her aged and wrinkled hands in his own, and was about to tell Gu Lingzhi what he wanted when…

“Hold on,” a voice interrupted. It was Hua Qingcheng, who was wearing a dirtied black robe. His face was full of grime as he looked at Gu Lingzhi with a desperate expression in his eyes. With a shaky voice, he asked, “By any chance, is there any Huanyang Grass in the main palace? If you can help me get some, I… I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life!”

The crowd erupted in frenzied discussions. Even a few Martial Sages and Demigods looked at Hua Qingcheng with a shocked expression.

Those who were in the same generation of Martial Artists as Hua Qingcheng would know that he was just as talented as Mei Ying back then. If it was not for what had happened to his fiancée which made him lose all his focus on cultivation and live in seclusion, he would have become a Demigod by now.

What was he talking about now? The Huanyang Grass? It was rumored that it was the only kind of Spiritual Medicine that could bring a dead person back to life. They could only grow under very specific circumstances – it required the condensation of the dying breaths of countless numbers of True Gods. As long as a dead person’s body had been preserved wholly, the Huanyang Grass could bring the dead person back to life. It was the rarest and most precious object in the world. The only other objects that could compare were things that could defy fate that had already been dictated by the heavens.

With the Huanyang Grass, it was almost as if a person could have two chances at life.

Gu Lingzhi had to weigh the pros and cons of exchanging the Huanyang Grass for protection by a Martial Sage that had the capacity to become a Demigod.

At first, Hua Qingcheng knew that Gu Lingzhi had Rong Yuan to protect her and did not need the protection of a Martial Sage like him, which was why he did not bother making an offer to begin with. However, when he saw that Gu Lingzhi was a selfless person, he got his hopes up and decided to request for the Huanyang Grass.

Ever since the woman that he loved died on their wedding day, he had put her in an ice coffin to preserve her body. He was waiting for the day where he would die so that he could accompany her in death. However, now that the Sacred Lands were open once again, he could not help but start to get his hopes up again.

This was where the Spirit Tribe Leader used to reside! Maybe there would be a tuft of Huanyang Grass here.

“If Lady Gu thinks that it’s not worth it, I am willing to promise that within ten years, I will become a Demigod!”

How dare he suggest the possibility of becoming a Demigod within ten years? He’s overestimating himself. The expression on Hua Qingcheng’s face at that moment helped Gu Lingzhi understand how he had managed to attract many girls in the past.

“Elder Hua, you…” Gu Lingzhi trailed off.

On the seventh level, there were not just one tuft of Huanyang Grass, but two!

“Give it to him,” Rong Yuan interrupted. “If there’s such a powerful person to protect you, I’ll be more at ease.”

In order to ensure Hua Qingcheng’s sincerity, as long as they could get him to swear on the heavens, he would be forced to fulfill his promises. If Hua Qingcheng ever wanted to harm Gu Lingzhi, he would get punished by the Heavens.

“But what about Elder Mei?”

“I’m here too, aren’t I?” Rong Yuan blinked at her, pointing a thumb at himself.

According to what they had discussed earlier, only Gu Lingzhi had to show her face to the crowd. If no one knew that Rong Yuan was at the seventh level, then no one would know that Gu Lingzhi and Rong Yuan had sneaked a treasure for themselves – which meant that no one would covet over it. However, Hua Qingcheng’s offer had indeed moved both of them.

It would save Gu Lingzhi a lot of trouble if she had a bodyguard who was a Martial Sage. For Rong Yuan, it was indeed worth it. Gu Lingzhi and Rong Yuan had asked about the Huanyang Grass the moment they saw it on one of the cabinets. Liu Yiyan had told them that out of the two tufts of Huanyang Grass that was available in the main palace, one of them had been cultivated by the Spirit Tribe’s Leader in his own Inheritance Space’s Spiritual Essence Spring. He had spent ten years growing it.

If she could regrow another one of her own, then using one in exchange for the protection of a Martial Sage was definitely worth it!

As Rong Yuan stood behind the window, no one from below could see what was happening on the seventh level. To them, it seemed like Gu Lingzhi was talking to herself.

Gu Lingzhi’s hesitation caused Hua Qingcheng to panic and his whole body was shaking. If Gu Lingzhi did not deny him immediately, it meant that the Huanyang Grass was indeed available on the seventh level! Desperate, Hua Qingcheng begged Mei Ying, “Elder Mei, won’t you do me a favor this time? Is there any treasure that you would like? In the future, I’ll definitely find it for you!”

The frenzied look on Hua Qingcheng’s face evoked the sympathy of Mei Ying. Though Mei Ying had never felt the pain of losing someone that he loved, he could completely understand what Hua Qingcheng was going through. If it were him that had the possibility of reviving someone that he loved, no matter how small the odds, he would give up everything he had. After a short internal struggle, Mei Ying nodded his head lightly.

“If the main palace truly has the Huanyang Grass and Gu Lingzhi is willing to give it to you, you can take it.”

Hua Qingcheng was overwhelmed with happiness as he engulfed Mei Ying in a hug and thanked him repeatedly.

Just as he was filled with hope, Gu Lingzhi’s words left him in despair once again, “I’m sorry, Elder Hua, but I cannot break my promise to Elder Mei. I cannot give you the Huanyang Grass.”

What? Gu Lingzhi had rejected yet another offer? From her words, did the main palace truly have the Huanyang Grass?

The crowd began to stir yet again.

If Gu Lingzhi could make it to the seventh level, why couldn’t they? There must be a secret behind this, one that they were not aware of. The scheming eyes of the elders held malicious intentions behind them as they glared at Gu Lingzhi.

When she finally fell from grace, she would finally know how stupid it had been for her to reject all their offers, they thought.

When Mei Ying recovered from the shock, he could not help but ask, “Lingzhi, have you gone mad? I said those words casually, it doesn’t matter whether I get the treasure or not. Look at Elder Hua, he’s been going through an emotional rollercoaster because of you. You…”

“Elder Mei,” Rong Yuan suddenly appeared from beside Gu Lingzhi and interrupted Mei Ying. He raised his eyebrows, “Lingzhi has gotten the treasure that you wanted, but there’s still me.”

Rong Yuan’s sudden appearance had put everyone in a daze.

It was shocking enough that Gu Lingzhi had made it to the seventh level, but even Rong Yuan had succeeded too.

While everyone else was taken aback, Tianfeng Jin and her friends were over the moon. It was not because both Gu Lingzhi and Rong Yuan had made it to the seventh level, but because they were safe and sound.

“You’re saying that you’d give the Huanyang Grass to me?” Hua Qingcheng’s voice trembled. Rong Yuan smiled and said, “Yes, Elder Hua, I’m willing to give it to you.”

Rong Yuan’s words made Hua Qingcheng’s tears roll down his face involuntarily. He looked to the heavens and sighed, before kneeling on the ground and kowtowed three times to Rong Yuan, “Thank you Master for your kindness. I, Hua Qingcheng, vow to be your loyal servant my entire life.”

Rong Yuan only smiled and said, “Elder Hua, your words are too kind. From now on, call me by my name.”

Yet, everyone that was present knew that Hua Qingcheng’s kowtow meant that he would forever be known as Rong Yuan’s servant.

Wasting no time, after Hua Qingcheng had stood up, Rong Yuan asked him whether he had brought the preserved body of his dead wife.

Though the Storage Ring could not store a person that was alive, a dead person was as good as an object and could thus be put into the Storage Ring.

After being asked about the woman that he loved, Hua Qingcheng was overjoyed and his voice immediately became gentler, “I always bring her around with me.”

“That’s good,” Rong Yuan replied, before asking Liu Yiyan if Hua Qingcheng could be let into the seventh level temporarily. After getting confirmation, Rong Yuan said to Hua Qingcheng, “Elder Hua, to prevent any complications in the process, you can enter the seventh level temporarily and leave after you’ve used the Huanyang Grass.”

Hua Qingcheng immediately understood what Rong Yuan meant. There were many other people who wanted the Huanyang Grass for themselves. Though he was one of the best Martial Sages, if a Demigod wanted the Huanyang Grass as well, he would not be able to keep it for himself.

“Alright, I’m going in!” Hua Qingcheng said as he flew to the seventh level. No one prevented him from going in, and he successfully entered through the window of the seventh level.

Pan Wuyang, another Martial Sage and even a Demigod followed in Hua Qingcheng’s footsteps and did the same, wanting to enter the seventh level of the main palace as well.

However, they did not even make it past the fourth level before being swatted back to the ground by a large invisible palm.

“Get lost! Without passing the test, don’t even think of getting in.”

Those words stung badly, as if they had been slapped on their face.