Section 20: The Immortal Pouch King’s Proposal
By Gu Zhenren
2013-02-09
It was truly unexpected that the Immortal Pouch King would seek out Chu Yun himself.
“Lord Land Whale King is a King level expert. I don’t need to elaborate on his strength. The East Sea Faction he leads is formidable. They have never developed within the island countries of Xingzhou, but instead roam the vast deep seas, fighting to hone their skills. They are a battle-hardened elite force. No one can truly gauge their real strength. However, in recent years, they have gradually earned the title of the foremost Wanderer force,” the Immortal Pouch King spoke eloquently.
“If Lord Immortal Pouch King were to intervene, what would be the price for me?” Chu Yun inquired.
He had already realized that his relationship with the Immortal Pouch King was not close. In fact, they had only met once in the Dragon Gate World. Such warmth from the other party must have an ulterior motive.
“It’s a small matter, a small matter.” Seeing Chu Yun’s understanding, the Immortal Pouch King couldn’t help but praise him inwardly. “I’ve heard you possess three Upper grade Immortal Pouches. If you were to cede them to me, I would do my utmost to block Land Whale King for you.”
He revealed his objective: he had set his sights on the three Upper grade Immortal Pouches Chu Yun possessed.
Chu Yun was startled, then a memory surfaced in his mind.
In his previous life, the Immortal Pouch King seemed to have had a period where he obsessively collected Upper grade Immortal Pouches throughout Xingzhou, as if researching something. The Immortal Pouch King was recognized as the foremost pouch-making Master in Xingzhou, evident from his King title.
At that time, many factions, respecting the King’s status, either traded their Immortal Pouches to the Immortal Pouch King or lent them to him temporarily, seeking to gain his favor.
Just as the world eagerly awaited the results of the Immortal Pouch King’s research, news suddenly broke of his violent death. The world was in an uproar, and all the Monster Tamers involved suffered heavy losses and lamented their misfortune.
In retrospect, during the great era of his past life, new Kings emerged while old Kings fell. Many deaths were suspicious. The Immortal Pouch King was a prime example.
This succession of old and new, the intense reshuffling of powers, led to the demise of countless established powerhouses, while simultaneously presenting numerous opportunities for newcomers. Xingzhou’s history, amidst such turmoil, witnessed an era brimming with hegemons and epic events.
Recalling this, Chu Yun found it rather amusing that in this life, the Immortal Pouch King had set his sights on him.
It was understandable. Although Chu Yun was only a Marquis level expert, he possessed three Upper grade Immortal Pouches. This quantity would make even ordinary King level experts pale in comparison. It was no wonder the Immortal Pouch King had sought him out.
“Upper grade Immortal Pouches are treasures with no market price. Lord Immortal Pouch King, don’t you think this request is a bit excessive?” Before Chu Yun could speak, the Sleeping Old Man, who stood beside him, interjected.
The Immortal Pouch King couldn’t help but glance at the Sleeping Old Man. His initially indifferent gaze suddenly became serious. “Ah, so it’s you, Sleeping Old Man. I failed to recognize you just now.”
His attitude shifted, and his tone became polite.
The Sleeping Old Man was one of the four great Abacus Masters of the current era, skilled in calculation and deduction. Although he lived in seclusion, his reputation was well-known among the higher echelons of Monster Tamers. Even King level experts like the Immortal Pouch King might seek help from an Abacus Master like the Sleeping Old Man someday, hence the change in his tone.
The Sleeping Old Man smiled. Knowing why the Immortal Pouch King hadn’t recognized him, he explained, “This old man has joined the Shu Family and serves under the Young Island Master.”
The Immortal Pouch King was taken aback.
He knew the Sleeping Old Man’s nature: indifferent to Kings and Marquises, proud in the face of nobility. He also understood the precarious position of Abacus Masters, who required the protection of luck and drew more attention from heaven and earth the more famous they became. Yet, this young man, Chu Yun, had recruited him, and he seemed to serve willingly and respectfully.
The way the Sleeping Old Man had been following behind Chu Yun, with his head bowed, made it difficult for the Immortal Pouch King to reconcile his appearance with his true identity. Hence, his hasty glance had missed the recognition.
“What kind of divine pills or stratagems did this brat use to make even a genius like the Sleeping Old Man pledge his life to him?” The Immortal Pouch King couldn’t help but cast a deep glance at Chu Yun, a sense of unease suddenly rising within him.
He had planned to approach Chu Yun for a transaction, taking advantage of the situation with Land Whale King. Chu Yun would sell the Upper grade Immortal Pouches, and he would then assist in blocking Land Whale King. He was initially quite confident about this deal.
However, after encountering the Wine King, his ten-tenths confidence immediately dropped by five-tenths. Upon discovering the Sleeping Old Man’s true identity, his remaining five-tenths confidence dwindled to just three.
As expected, the Immortal Pouch King then heard Chu Yun speak, “We both know the preciousness of Upper grade Immortal Pouches. Lord Immortal Pouch King, your proposal makes me both tempted and troubled. I must keep at least one Upper grade Immortal Pouch for the Star Sea Dragon Palace. As for the other two, I can consider selling them to you. However, I need some time to think about this matter. Please grant me some time.”
Upon hearing this, the Immortal Pouch King’s face lit up with joy. “Certainly, certainly. In fact, I can offer other treasures in exchange. How much time do you approximately need to give me an answer?”
Chu Yun gently shook his head. He actually had no intention of making this deal. All three Upper grade Immortal Pouches were extremely valuable, and he didn’t want to part with any of them. However, a direct refusal would likely make the Immortal Pouch King harbor other intentions. After all, a deal was no longer possible.
It was terrifying to have a King level expert harboring ill intentions. If the Immortal Pouch King were to turn around and support Land Whale King, the situation would become dire. Therefore, Chu Yun deliberately said he could part with two Immortal Pouches.
If he had immediately said he would give up all three, the wise Immortal Pouch King, putting himself in Chu Yun’s shoes, would have found it suspect. Keeping one for personal use and selling the other two seemed more reasonable, a move that temporarily appeased the Immortal Pouch King.
“Strength. It’s all about strength. If I possessed King level strength, capable of standing against Land Whale King, I wouldn’t be in such a passive position,” Chu Yun couldn’t help but feel a surge of desire for power. However, it became increasingly difficult for Monster Tamers to advance further into the later stages. Especially in his situation, reaching the early stage of Marquis had depleted all his past life experiences and present life fortunate encounters. He needed a vast amount of accumulation.
But accumulation was a process that required time. And with a great enemy approaching, Chu Yun lacked time the most.
“I will also be attending this Academy Assembly. Let’s travel together,” the Immortal Pouch King said immediately after learning of Chu Yun’s destination. Traveling alone was certainly free and leisurely, but he was eager to obtain the three Upper grade Immortal PouchesChu Yun possessed, wishing he could have them that very moment.
Time was running short. The Academy Assembly was scheduled to begin in five days. Various forces were rising like clouds, all converging towards a single destination. This spectacle was no less grand than the opening of the Dragon Gate World.
Chu Yun first spent more than a day traveling to Tiange Academy to request a letter of recommendation from the Headmaster.
Each Academy had a limited number of recommendation slots. Even Feng Bole, the Headmaster of Tiange Academy, only had four.
Chu Yun secured all of them. Two were given to the Sleeping Old Man and Yu Ya. The remaining two slots were unceremoniously divided between the Wine King and the Immortal Pouch King.
Fortunately, Chu Yun possessed a letter of recommendation from Mansha Yuanzhu, otherwise, it would truly not have been enough.
Then, they spent three days traveling. Along the way, they used the Gem Secret Passage five or six times, constantly teleporting and then flying at high speeds. They finally arrived at the venue just in time.
Unlike the scattered nature of Wanderer factions, Academy alliances were more cohesive, possessing a unified headquarters.
The alliance headquarters covered an area of tens of thousands of acres, extremely vast. In this renowned location, countless buildings stood – pavilions and towers, exuding an ancient charm.
Hundreds of families arranged like a Go board, twelve streets like vegetable fields. The compact and rigorous structure, the meticulously crafted layout, and the grand scale did not appear ostentatious. The interspersed forests, the distant chime of bells, the flowing streams, and the white walls and grey tiles created a sense of natural harmony, elegance, and tranquility.
Even various kinds of Monster Tamers, upon arriving here, formed streams of people. The slight clamor of voices could not drown out the spiritual essence of the place.
Walking through the bustling streets, Chu Yun secretly compared.
Unlike the Wanderer Assembly, the Dragon Gate World was filled with fiery passion, clashes, and disputes. However, the Academy Assembly was gentle and refined. Even the most short-tempered individuals seemed to have a refreshing spring poured into their hearts here, soothing their inner anger and making them calm and peaceful.
This was the legacy left by the Book Emperor, filled with an aura of peace, education, and civilization.
“Quick, someone up ahead is displaying a Beacon Smoke Wolf egg. Let’s go see!”
“What? It’s a Beacon Smoke Wolf, which possesses both smoke and fire attributes, capable of offense and defense? Such Demonic Beasts are rare. They intend to trade it.”
“Beacon Smoke Wolf? I’m in need of such a Demonic Beast…”
“I don’t need a Beacon Smoke Wolf myself, but during the Academy Assembly, such exchange activities are very common. I’ll still go and take a look.”
The crowd around them suddenly surged. The news spread quickly, and people with their own objectives rushed forward.
The Academy Assembly, unlike the Wanderer Assembly, where might makes right and strong combat power prevails, operated on different principles.
The Academy Assembly rejected all forms of conflict. It emphasized communication and exchange. The items exchanged covered all aspects, including Demonic Beast eggs, Demonic Plant seeds, Demon Soldiers, as well as Prescriptions, Weapon Forging insights, rare Cultivation Methods, treasure maps, and even gossip.
The Academy Assembly was essentially a colossal trade fair. During this period, Monster Tamers discarded items they no longer needed in exchange for what they required.
“The stretch of road ahead is the Trade Street. If you have any unused treasures, you can go to the pavilions there, find the Academy personnel, pay a certain amount of Tiangang Stone Coins, rent a shop, and conduct your trades,” Wine King explained to Chu Yun and Erlang Tian Jun.
However, he was unaware that Chu Yun had been here before in his previous life and was very familiar with the place. Among the people around him, only Erlang Tian Jun was visiting for the first time.
