Chapter 1729: Mirror Flower, Water Moon
Led by the black-robed cultivator, Zhang Ruochen, Ji Fanxin, and Xie Chengzi arrived at a forging pavilion within the great tomb.
This forging pavilion stood four stories tall, forged from ink-black metal. The floor, walls, and pillars were all inscribed with profound formation runes.
Moreover, black demonic mist billowed out through the gaps in the pavilion's windows.
A look of gravity appeared in Ji Fanxin's eyes. "As far as I know, this isn't the place where deposits are paid."
The black-robed cultivator said, "You are distinguished guests placing orders worth over one hundred million sacred stones. All information must be strictly concealed, so Elder Qi is receiving you personally."
With that, the black-robed cultivator turned to Zhang Ruochen, gesturing with his arm, and smiled, "Esteemed guest, please follow me in first."
Ji Fanxin's expression showed doubt. "We came together. Why can't we go in together?"
The black-robed cultivator clasped his hands slightly toward Ji Fanxin. "Apologies, but this is the rule of the Death God Temple. Any distinguished guest placing an order exceeding one hundred million sacred stones must be received individually."
Ji Fanxin had visited the Death God Temple no more than three times, so she wasn't particularly familiar with its rules.
Hearing the black-robed cultivator's explanation, she didn't want to break the Death God Temple's regulations and thus said nothing more.
Ji Fanxin secretly transmitted a message to Zhang Ruochen: "This is somewhat suspicious. Once you're inside, be extremely cautious."
"Thank you for the warning, Fairy."
Zhang Ruochen, bold with his skills, felt neither fear nor dread. He followed the black-robed cultivator toward the forging pavilion.
"Creak."
The black-robed cultivator did not enter the forging pavilion. He closed the pavilion door and stood upright outside, facing Ji Fanxin with an unruffled demeanor.
Inside the forging pavilion, sixteen man-high bronze lamps burned, like sixteen eyes floating in the demon-mist-filled space, eerily strange.
A faint fragrance drifted through the air.
Zhang Ruochen was familiar with that scent—it was the smell of Honghua Vine.
Even so, Zhang Ruochen immediately held his breath and sealed all his pores, exercising extreme caution.
After all, the Death God Temple was a top-tier assassin organization. Their expertise in poison was undoubtedly at its peak, so he had to be on guard.
Elder Qi sat cross-legged on a bed of Xuan Bing Sacred Jade. He took a deep breath through his nose and mouth, and all the demonic mist was drawn into his abdomen. It was as if his chest, abdomen, and internal organs formed a world capable of containing all things.
The space within the forging pavilion became brightly lit.
Elder Qi opened his eyes and laughed, "Just now, I heard Tiancheng report that someone had placed a massive order of 1.6 billion sacred stones. I thought it was one of the Ten Great Divine Heir Disciples of the Truth Divine Temple appearing, and I was quite uneasy. I never expected it to be a young talent."
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands behind his back. "Does Elder believe that only the Ten Great Divine Heir Disciples in this Truth Heaven Domain can come up with 1.6 billion sacred stones?"
"Haha! You're right. I underestimated you youngsters. You're richer than the next, and old fellows like me, who've lived over a thousand years, are just paupers in your presence." Elder Qi said with a wry smile.
Elder Qi was a remarkable figure. Just from the thick demonic mist that had billowed from his body earlier, one could guess his cultivation had reached at least the Seven-Step Saint King realm or higher.
Such old monsters were sometimes even more terrifying than the proud sons of heaven.
Elder Qi didn't seem like an assassin; he was quite genial. He smiled, "The sum of 1.6 billion sacred stones is enormous, so there are two payment methods."
"What are they?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Elder Qi said, "First, you pay the full 1.6 billion sacred stones at once. If you don't have that many sacred stones, you can use equivalent treasures to pay. If the person you want killed isn't dead within a year, the Death God Temple will refund the full amount."
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment. "And the second method?"
Elder Qi said, "Second, you pay a certain percentage as a deposit first. After our assassins kill your target, you pay the remaining sacred stones."
"What percentage for the deposit?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Elder Qi said, "At least ten percent."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Alright, I'll choose the second payment method."
Killing Shang Zihong, Gongzi Yan, Lian Xi, and Xun Ya was no easy task. Zhang Ruochen's main purpose in placing the order at the Death God Temple was to have their assassins cause enough trouble for these individuals to prevent them from focusing entirely on dealing with him.
Of course, if they could actually kill one or two of them, paying three to five hundred million sacred stones would be well worth it.
Under these circumstances, choosing the second payment method was natural.
Besides, Zhang Ruochen didn't have 1.6 billion sacred stones on him, and he certainly wasn't going to pawn the Golden Step Dragon Carriage again.
Elder Qi said, "Choosing the second payment method comes with certain conditions."
"What conditions?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Elder Qi said, "The Death God Temple must know your true identity and assess whether you can afford the remaining sacred stones."
"I see."
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment, then said, "I've heard the Death God Temple is renowned for its integrity and never leaks customer information."
"Correct. That is the foundation of the Death God Temple's existence." Elder Qi said.
Zhang Ruochen removed his mask, and his form and features shifted back to his true appearance. "The identity of Zhang Ruochen, Divine Envoy of the Guanghan Realm—should that be enough to cover 1.6 billion sacred stones?"
Elder Qi's old eyes narrowed sharply. "So it's the famous Heir of Time and Space. No wonder you could boldly place an order of 1.6 billion. Please wait a moment, Young Master Ruochen, while I review your information and make an assessment."
Elder Qi produced a magic cube, pouring a surge of demonic energy into it. Dense lines of text flew out from the cube and entered Elder Qi's eyes.
After a moment, a smile appeared on Elder Qi's face. "So, Young Master Ruochen is also the Crown Prince of the Kunlun Realm's Holy Bright Central Empire, with two Great Saint-level experts under your command and in control of a world. With such resources, paying 1.6 billion sacred stones is certainly no problem."
"It seems the Death God Temple's intelligence is quite thorough."
Zhang Ruochen knew that the two Great Saints Elder Qi referred to were the two guardian divine beasts of the Dragon-Protecting Pavilion. They had appeared during the attack on the Moon Worship Demon Sect.
"As an assassin organization, gathering intelligence is the top priority. If Young Master Ruochen wishes to purchase information, you could also cooperate with us."
After saying this, Elder Qi added, "However, the sum of 1.6 billion sacred stones is truly enormous. I must verify Young Master Ruochen's identity to prevent anyone from using transformation techniques to slip through."
"How do you verify it?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Elder Qi said, "I only need to collect a drop of your sacred blood. No matter how one transforms, their blood ultimately cannot be altered."
"Whoosh."
From the stone wall behind Elder Qi, a tall, slender woman emerged. Her body was semi-transparent, like a humanoid mass of water. Yet Zhang Ruochen could genuinely sense life force emanating from her.
The tall, slender woman held a tray.
On the tray lay a silver dagger and a cup.
The woman's face gradually solidified, as if forged from metal. "Young Master, please."
Zhang Ruochen grabbed the dagger and was about to cut his finger when he suddenly thought of something. For safety's sake, he placed the dagger back on the tray.
"Chi."
He drew his right finger across his left index finger, and a shallow blood mark appeared.
"Drip."
A drop of blood fell into the cup.
At that moment, Zhang Ruochen clearly felt a sharp pain emanating from the wound on his finger.
It was normal to feel pain when cutting the skin.
But Zhang Ruochen noticed that the pain from his finger was slightly stronger than it should be for a simple cut.
That was highly abnormal!
Zhang Ruochen's expression shifted. He quickly activated his cultivation technique, trying to seal the three meridians in his left arm.
The tall, slender woman standing opposite him suddenly became murderous. Her body contracted, condensing into a silver sword that thrust straight toward Zhang Ruochen's brow.
Zhang Ruochen's reaction speed was extreme. He kicked off with both legs and shot backward like lightning.
"Bang."
His body failed to crash through the forging pavilion's door. Instead, a vast array of formation runes appeared on the door, forming layers of sacred energy waves that sent him flying forward.
Just as he was about to collide with the silver sword, Zhang Ruochen's form vanished, teleporting to a corner of the forging pavilion.
Elder Qi retrieved the silver sword into his hand, stood up, and smiled amicably. "It's rare to find a cultivator as young and cautious as you. The moment you entered the forging pavilion, you held your breath and sealed your pores, rendering the sixteen lamps of Corpse Fragrance Demon Gu I lit useless."
"Just now, I coated the dagger with a rare poison. If you had used it to cut your skin, you would have fallen dead instantly. But you didn't use the dagger—quite disappointing."
"However, no matter how cautious you are, before someone determined to kill you, there will always be a moment of oversight."
Zhang Ruochen realized his entire left arm had gone numb and was becoming increasingly transparent. His skin seemed to vanish, revealing his blood vessels, meridians, sacred meridians, and bones.
The numbing sensation was still spreading throughout his body.
He had been poisoned!
"What... what is this? What did you do?"
Zhang Ruochen quickly activated the "Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture" to suppress the mysterious poison within him.
Elder Qi walked step by step toward Zhang Ruochen, his smile cold and triumphant. "It's useless. The poison you've been hit with is the Death God Temple's unique toxin, Mirror Flower, Water Moon."
"Mirror flower, water moon—the former is tasteless, the latter formless."
"Even if Mirror Flower, Water Moon floats before you, beings below the Great Saint realm could never detect it. So, the moment you cut your skin, Mirror Flower, Water Moon silently penetrated the protective sacred energy you had released and invaded your body."
"Can you feel your body growing numb, slowly losing sensation?"
"Look at your arm—isn't it becoming transparent? Heh heh. Soon, your entire body, including your consciousness and sacred soul, will become semi-transparent, like a flower in a mirror, a moon on water."
"Of course, even in a semi-transparent state, you still have some value. Refining you into my Water Moon Sword will enhance the sword spirit's power and raise the sword's grade."