Chapter 66: Official Business

Having obtained the metal-eating bug, Iron Cliff stored it in the bug pouch. Su Chen had just decided to give it to him.

After cleaning everything up, they left the mining cave together.

Compared to ten days prior, the number of people in the Halcyon Gorge had significantly decreased.

The amount of starsilver ore continued to decrease. Many people left in disappointment, unable to find anything.

Black Hand’s store business also began declining. What made him most helpless was that a competitor had constructed a new shop where he had planned on constructing his originally. The two of them didn’t see eye-to-eye, and they most likely would fight sooner or later.

Su Chen brought Iron Cliff and stealthily left. Once again, he entered the familiar forest, beginning to take the long way home.

Because there were still four days left, Su Chen was not in a hurry. He took his time wandering around, hunting other Vicious Beasts to the best of his ability.

When he was alone, he was already able to come and go as he pleased. Now that he had Iron Cliff and the metal-eating bug, he didn’t have to worry about anything even though the metal-eating bug was unpredictable.

Because this place was quite deep in the forest, they encountered a low-tier Vicious Beast very quickly.

The two of them combined easily took care of it.

Iron Cliff was just about to skin the beast when Su Chen stopped him and said, “Do as I tell you. Reach your finger out and put it here...... No, a little bit lower. Right, okay, don’t move, now activate your Dartfrog Absorption Technique and focus your attention on this point. Imagine yourself inhaling here. Inhale...... Keep inhaling...... Keep inhaling!”

The Origin Energy dot of light finally slowly entered Iron Cliff’s body.

This was what Su Chen meant when he said that he would raise Iron Cliff’s cultivation speed. His eye’s ability to see Origin Energy could help him see Origin Energy, which naturally meant that he could also help others.

After ten or so days of instruction and practice, Iron Cliff was already somewhat proficient in the Dartfrog Absorption Technique. However, his speed in absorbing that Origin Energy dot was still roughly half as quick as Su Chen.

Su Chen knew that this was because the Cliff Race did not have an inherent affinity for Origin Energy, and their ability to conduct it was also bad. Based on what he saw, Su Chen estimated that this difference was roughly twice that.

If their perception was only half that of humans, and their Origin Energy sense and absorption were also only half that of humans, no wonder it was so difficult for the Cliff Race to cultivate.

However, Su Chen did not give up. He continued to give Iron Cliff pointers, as well as continuing his own absorption of Origin Energy.

Because he was also focused on giving Iron Cliff pointers, Su Chen’s own absorption rate had slightly decreased, losing roughly two dots. However, this was only temporary.

In the following days, he would help Iron Cliff absorb Origin Energy every time he killed a Vicious Beast. Although Iron Cliff’s perception was somewhat slow, he was not an idiot, and he cooperated with Su Chen well. As long as Su Chen pointed somewhere, Iron Cliff would reach his hand out to that place. Although he could not see them, he loyally followed Su Chen’s pointers to absorb and cultivate.

The benefits were immediate. No matter how slow he was, Iron Cliff discovered that his own cultivation base had rapidly increased. He originally was only in the seventh layer of Body Tempering, but now he was in the eighth layer of Body Tempering already.

This made Iron Cliff extremely excited.

“This is a secret. Only you and I can know about this, got it?” Su Chen told him.

Iron Cliff nodded his head. “Even if Iron Cliff dies, I will definitely not reveal this.”

“Very good.” Su Chen pounded his chest.

They could only do so much.

Four days later, Su Chen brought Iron Cliff and exited the Scarlet Mountain Range.

This time, he wasn’t late.

The two underlings from the Su Clan responsible for receiving Su Chen were all dazed when they saw the large-bodied person exit with him.

How could they not be shocked? A blind Young Master entered the Scarlet Mountain Range twice and had actually returned alive twice.

Su Chen didn’t pay them any attention. Before he returned, he had already told Iron Cliff about his identity and his eyes, so he didn’t need to remind Iron Cliff of anything. He mounted the carriage that had been waiting for him. However, when Iron Cliff got on the carriage, it visibly trembled under the weight. Four horses were actually unable to pull it at first. The carriage driver had to whip the horses repeatedly before they began to move, leaving the two underlings speechless. They thought to themselves that Fourth Young Master must have relied on this brawny person to survive in the Scarlet Mountain Range.

Although Su Chen offered no explanation, people would always search for an answer that they believed in the most.

The carriage first went to the True Jade Pavilion. Upon arriving before the tower, he saw Li Shu and Tang Zhen talking about something together. When they saw Su Chen arrived, they were dazed at first. Then, upon seeing Iron Cliff, Li Shu instantly realized something and hurried up to support him as he said, “Young Master, careful below you. It’s difficult for you to see; let this little one support you.”

One had to admit that Iron Cliff was far inferior to Li Shu in terms of adaptability.

Li Shu helped him into the room, and Tang Zhen sent all the others away. The three of them sat down except for Iron Cliff, who stood behind Su Chen.

Tang Zhen had heard Li Shu talk about Iron Cliff before, so he was not too surprised.

After conversing for a bit, everyone began to talk about what had happened in the previous few days, explaining the circumstances to one another.

After Li Shu had arrived at the True Jade Pavilion, Tang Zhen had a discussion with him and realized that this person was very quick-witted as well as a fast learner. Thus, he had begun to teach Li Shu a few things about inspecting antiques. Li Shu had also told Tang Zhen about what Su Chen was doing in the gorge, and Tang Zhen was full of praise.

Su Chen also told the two of them about his encounters after discovering the mining cave. Upon hearing that Su Chen had experienced such an adventure, Tang Zhen and Li Shu were also shocked.

When he found out that Su Chen had obtained an ancient Arcana sheepskin scroll, Tang Zhen pulled it out hurriedly to take a look at it. As soon as he glanced at it, he began to shout with excitement, “Ancient Rare Scroll! This is actually an Ancient Rare Scroll! I never expected that something from tens of thousands of years ago would still be completely preserved until now. The Arcana Kingdom truly was extraordinary. This is an extremely rare item!”

If it weren’t for the fact that it still had some practical usage, Tang Zhen probably would have taken it right then and there.

As for translating the Arcana script, Tang Zhen said that in cultivation small mistakes could be fatal, so in order to ensure his accuracy he would need to cross-reference with other materials. Su Chen had no issues with Tang Zhen’s caution. “Because of certain reasons, I might be able to obtain a few ancient Arcana techniques in the future. Thus, in my free time I will continue to learn the Arcana script with head storekeeper in the future. However, this is not too pressing; right now, what matters the most is this.”

As he spoke, he took out the starsilver essence.

Upon seeing the starsilver essence, Tang Zhen and Li Shu jumped to their feet in excitement.

Starsilver alone was already an extremely precious metal. Starsilver essence could be considered a treasure.

If Su Chen were to sell such a large chunk, he would have more than enough money to buy a few strips in Northface City.

However, Tang Zhen knew Su Chen’s ambition could not be satisfied merely by riches, so he said, “Does Young Master want to exchange them for cultivation resources?”

Speaking with intelligent people was effortless. Su Chen nodded his head and said, “I will always use my money to increase my combat prowess one way or another. Some of this money will be used to buy other metals, while the rest will be exchanged for Origin Stones.”

“Do you not need a few spiritual herbs or medicines that can increase your cultivation base?” Tang Zhen said with surprise.

Su Chen shook his head.

With the Origin Energy dots of light, he could raise his cultivation just by battling. Thus, he didn’t really need too many spiritual herbs or medicines.

Origin Stones were not the same. Not only were they currency, but they could also help one replenish Origin Energy. And Origin Energy was precisely what was required when cultivating Origin Skills.

If one wanted to really control an Origin Skill, one would need to constantly activate and practice it. Origin Energy was only a restricting condition for practicing. One Origin Stone was equivalent to a day’s worth of Origin Energy infusion by a Qi Drawing Realm Origin Qi Scholar. Put another way, it was roughly equal to the amount of Origin Energy that a Qi Drawing Realm cultivator could use in a single day.

Thus, every Origin Stone was equivalent to saving a day’s worth of time. Su Chen’s previous attempts at cultivation had consumed a few Origin Stones, but at the time he had too little money, so his cultivation was limited. Now that he had money, naturally he would use it to its fullest extent.

Because of the Origin Energy dots, Su Chen had decided to use his riches to increase his combat prowess, and his combat prowess to increase his cultivation base.

Apart from this, he would also need to buy Origin Skills and Origin Tools, so he still needed Origin Stones. He would not only sell the starsilver essence but also all the immortal herbs that he had taken from Wolf Blade.

As for the metals, he was purchasing them to perform some experiments on the metal-eating bug to see if it could convert all kinds of metals into essence.

When Tang Zhen heard this, he stroked his beard as he said, “Wanting to sell so much starsilver essence for Origin Stones only might be impossible in Northface City. Even if it is possible, the price might be severely decreased.”

With larger quantities, the price would naturally decrease. This was also normal.

Su Chen asked, “Then head storekeeper means......”

“If you want to sell it for a good price, you will need to go to the Flying Immortal Palace.”

Northface City was a part of the Three Mountains Region, and the Flying Immortal Palace was the capital of the Three Mountains Regions. If Northface City was like a child in a rural town, then the Flying Immortal Palace was a prince from a rich, wealthy family living in the city. The difference between the two was so great that they simply could not be compared.

Only there would Su Chen be able to sell his starsilver essence for a good price.

Afterwards, the four of them began to discuss a few other matters. Of course, the main people coming up with ideas was still Su Chen and Tang Zhen. Li Shu was still new and didn’t have the authority to make many decisions, while Iron Cliff didn’t even need to be considered. His role was just to listen.

“So it’s decided. In a few days I will personally go to the Flying Immortal Palace. Li Shu, it’s up to you to scout out the area for me. I’ve just returned, so I will hurry home to see my mother. Let’s call it a day,” Su Chen said as he stood up.

Tang Zhen and Li Shu personally sent Su Chen out the door.

As he watched Su Chen leave, Tang Zhen slowly said, “Young Master has truly grown up.”

“That’s right,” Li Shu sighed. “Who would have expected that the mysterious, decisive, and vicious Demon Face would actually be the Su Clan’s blind Young Master, a person who is not even sixteen years old yet.”

Tang Zhen raised his head to look at the sky. “After this year, he will be officially sixteen.”

“The Su Clan’s next end-of-year competition is about to come, right?” Li Shu asked.

They looked at each other, then both suddenly began to laugh.

Apparently, Su Keji had paid quite a heavy price in an attempt to help his son gain the victory this time.

In reality, winning at this point didn’t have much meaning anymore. After all, this was the last end-of-year competition before the Hidden Dragon Institute began accepting students. However, to Su Keji, winning was no longer about obtaining the Verdant Wood Essence.

This was also to vent some of his anger.

Even if it was just to defeat Su Chen, to teach him a lesson, Su Keji must win in order to get revenge for the great harm that had come to his son, Su Qian.