Elder Yan miscalculated; arriving here yesterday yielded nothing, as they simply refused to buy what he was selling, despite his long explanations. In the end, he figured out Ah Can’s petty tricks and, in a fit of rage, confined him to his room.

If Ah Can were present, he might have known White and could have secured the Earth Spirit Grass. But Ah Can wasn't here, and the Elder only knew of White by name—there are countless people with the same name.

Furthermore, his mind was occupied by curses aimed at Dunlun, so he paid no attention to what they were saying. Elder Yan was an old friend of Jun Wunian, and White did not know him either.

Thus, although the two parties met, they remained strangers to each other. White and Cam sat in the reception hall, observing the awkward Elder Yan, and felt it inappropriate to interrupt, as they were, after all, guests themselves.

“Dunlun, please reconsider; I truly need the Earth Spirit Grass to save a life!” Elder Yan finally couldn't help but press on. “Elder Yan, I have guests.

Can we discuss this later?” Nortonlun Si said, ushering Elder Yan back toward his quarters. Elder Yan refused to leave, anxious.

“Life is at stake! If we delay further, it might be too late.

If he weren't using (Míngsī - Meditation/Contemplation) to sustain his life, he would have died long ago!” It must be said that Elder Yan took his patient's condition very seriously. “It’s just one person.

Does death not happen every day? Lives are practically worthless now!” Nortonlun Si retorted.

Elder Yan was so enraged his nose was practically smoking. However, as a physician who accepted a patient, how could he possibly let that person die under his care?

“The person I need to save is not simple. He was struck by…” Elder Yan was about to explain that Chen Feng was injured by the “Heretical God,” but Nortonlun Si waved his hand, cutting him off: “We’ll talk about that later!” If he had been allowed to finish, the words would certainly have caught the attention of White and Cam.

Yet, nothing was revealed! “My two old friends, why have you come here today?” Nortonlun Si turned his attention to Cam and White.

Cam replied, “Of course, we came to see you!” Nortonlun Si laughed heartily, “I heard you were dispirited after that incident. I thought I might never see you again, but I didn't expect you to show up!” As he spoke, his sincerity was evident; he truly seemed to regard Cam as a friend.

“I’m quite ashamed. To tell the truth, you were implicated in that affair.

I truly apologize!” Cam admitted. “Why say such a thing?

You didn’t forget me, did you? If it hadn't been for you, I would have died then, let alone managed to save all those ancient medicinal herbs I painstakingly collected!” Nortonlun Si said with a smile.

Hearing this, White glanced at Cam, thinking this kid had kept something from him! Cam smiled.

“That’s all in the past. I’ve followed a new boss and work with White for him now.

Are you interested in cooperating with us again?” Nortonlun Si smiled. “I trust working with you.

Go ahead and tell me!” Cam said, “We still want all the previous medicinal herbs, but this time we don’t have cash. I hope you can bear with us?” “Whether there’s cash or not doesn't matter; you wouldn't default on me anyway!” Nortonlun Si responded cheerfully.

“That’s not what I mean. I mean trading goods for goods—we exchange things for your herbs,” Cam quickly explained when he saw the misunderstanding.

“Trading goods for goods? What do you have to trade with me?

If it’s armor or weaponry, I don’t need it,” Nortonlun Si joked. “Haha, even if we had armor or weapons that you wanted, we couldn’t give them to you!” Cam laughed, then glanced at Elder Yan.

Nortonlun Si immediately understood and said, “Elder Yan is a physician who seeks no involvement with worldly affairs, and his medical skills are superb. Although Cam and I often bicker, we are not outsiders, so there’s no harm in speaking freely!” Elder Yan felt a little better hearing this.

However, he didn't realize Nortonlun Si’s intention was simple: a ‘recluse’ and ‘one who avoids worldly affairs’ naturally wouldn't care about armies, warriors, or business matters, so hearing anything wouldn't cause much trouble. Cam understood the meaning and smiled.

“We want to exchange this item. What do you think?” With that, he pulled out a perfect crystal from his robes.

“A perfect crystal!” Nortonlun Si swallowed. “We do a huge business...

Do you have this many perfect crystals?” Cam smiled, reached into his pocket, and produced dozens, placing them side-by-side on the table. “Are these enough?” Nortonlun Si’s eyes immediately lit up with joy.

“Perfect crystals for medicinal herbs, the most fitting exchange! Excellent, the deal is done!” He then clapped hands with Cam.

“I need a quantity for two hundred thousand people!” Cam stated. The 【】 (Héngsǎo Tiānyá - Sweeping Across the Horizon) legion had expanded over the past month, now reaching two hundred thousand members, though the majority were Gold Armored Warriors, with relatively fewer experts at the (Míng Zūn - Nether Venerable) and (Míng Shèng - Nether Saint) levels.

“No problem. I’ll have it all ready for you in three days!” Nortonlun Si said with a smile.

With the negotiation concluded, there was little more to discuss. At this point, Elder Yan could no longer hold back and anxiously stated, “Old Dunlun, if others can exchange perfect crystals with you, why can't I?

I only need herbs!” He pulled five perfect crystals from his pocket, placing them in his palm and demanding furiously, “What is the difference between my crystals and theirs? Aren’t they all perfect crystals?” Scholars who are deeply learned are often like children in daily life.

Elder Yan was an expert in healing and saving lives, but he sorely lacked insight into human nature. Seeing that Cam could trade perfect crystals for herbs while he could not enraged him completely.

Yet, he failed to realize that Cam was trading for ordinary herbs, whereas the item he wanted to exchange was a rare commodity! Some rare items cannot be valued by mere price!

However, the perfect crystals in his hand immediately drew the attention of White and Cam. There was a slight difference between perfect crystals manufactured using Dòuqì absorption and those refined through normal means, discernible upon close inspection.

The edges of the purple fire crystals remained distinct in the former, having undergone no visible change, but the refined ones were slightly deformed! This subtle change would likely be unknown to anyone outside the 【】 legion.

After all, manufacturing perfect crystals using Dòuqì absorption was unique; others had no way of knowing they could be produced this way, so how could they notice the difference? “Are those our crystals?” Cam whispered.

“Yes,” White confirmed. “How did our crystals end up in this man’s possession?

Looking at him, his cultivation seems very low!” Cam asked, puzzled. “Besides… he definitely isn’t one of ours!” “I find it strange too.

When we leave here, we’ll find some men to capture him and question him thoroughly,” White said. The method for refining perfect crystals was a core secret of the 【】 legion, and many lives had been taken to protect this secret.

Seeing Elder Yan produce five crystals so casually naturally made them highly attentive. Just then, a servant ran in breathlessly.

“My Lord… My Lord… Outside…” The servant could barely catch his breath. “What’s the rush?

Can’t you see I have guests?” Nortonlun Si snapped. “The… City Lord has brought troops and surrounded this place, saying he’s here to make arrests!” The servant’s face was tinged yellow with anxiety.

Nortonlun Si looked at White and Cam; his meaning was clear—the City Lord's actions must be connected to them. White offered no defense, merely wondering if that group from before (Ling Feng) had not only reached the City Lord’s manor but also brought their troops out.

But... how could they have moved so quickly?

And they shouldn't recognize the two of them, or they would have come earlier! Why wait until now?

However, the two had weathered storms before. What were the Ten Great Families compared to them?

If the formidable power of the Heretics couldn't deal with them, these families certainly couldn't. Thus, although puzzled, they weren't afraid.

They exchanged a look and sent a message out using a special method. If the opposition was targeting them, the area outside would certainly be sealed off, making escape impossible.

That would bring disaster upon 【】 (Yī Pǐn Táng - First Class Hall). It was better to wait here and react to whatever came.

Tap! Tap!

Tap! A group of people walked in from outside.

The leader, broad-browed and big-eyed, was none other than City Lord Hardingk. “Which one did you say it was?” Hardingk ignored Nortonlun Si, who had stepped forward to meet him, and turned to ask the person behind him.

This person was not Reyna but a guard in bronze armor. The guard surveyed the room and said, “That person isn’t here, but that person was with him!” He pointed toward Elder Yan.

“Right, arrest him!” Hardingk ordered without hesitation. “On what grounds are you arresting me?” Elder Yan hadn't grasped the situation before his arms were seized.

“On what grounds? Don’t you know?” Hardingk sneered.

“City Lord, what is this…” Nortonlun Si was also confused and asked anxiously. Though he hadn't agreed to Elder Yan’s exchange terms, the Elder was still his guest.

The City Lord arresting a guest without explanation required him to ask for a reason! Hardingk snorted and waved his hand.

The guard behind him immediately walked up to Elder Yan, patted him down for a long moment, and indeed pulled out five perfect crystals from his pocket. “He stole perfect crystals from our City Lord’s manor!” Hardingk declared shamelessly.

“This is the evidence!” This statement stunned not only Elder Yan but also White and Cam, who froze on the spot. Did the Aike family also possess the capability to produce such perfect crystals?

“What stealing? You're slandering me!” Elder Yan trembled with fury, struggling to speak.

Accusing a master-level figure like him of theft was worse than killing him! “Enough, take him away!” Hardingk shouted, just as he was about to escort Elder Yan away, he saw Ling Feng walking into the courtyard.

ps: I’ve put up a survey; please help fill it out... Also recommending a book, True God, which uses the cultivation system from Yang Shen—it's excellent!!

(To be continued. To know what happens next, please log onto www** for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!) First released