Chapter 179 – Virtuous Lord
“It is so late, why is Owner Qian here. Perhaps you have some urgent matters?” Seeing the person within the residence, he immediately asked with surprise.
This person was the owner of the Qian house, Qian Chao.
“Mister Qian, the reason why I am here is actually to tell you some good news. The people underneath me have finally bought a stalk of the Ice Silver Grass that mister wanted from another store. However, it would be best for mister to see it personally and see if it is really of use.” Qian Chao immediately stood up and spoke with smiles.
“If your words are true, then I will really have to have a look.” Hearing what was said, Liu Ming was naturally very happy.
Only then did Qian Chao pull out a wooden box from his sleeve and pass it over with a smile.
Liu Ming received the wooden box and opened it. From within, a faint silver Spirit Grass with three leaves could be seen. It seemed to give off a slight cold air.
Seeing this, a few serious expressions flashed across Liu Ming’s face. With a flash in his hand, a silver needle of several inches appeared.
Liu Ming used one hand to hold the wooden box and two fingers of his other hand to hold the silver needle. He stabbed into one of the the leaves of the spirit grass…
Hiss.
The moment the silver needle pierced through the light silver leaf, a cold feeling immediately traveled through the needle and to his fingers.
After a blur of his fingers, Liu Ming pulled the silver needle back out of the spirit grass and swept his gaze in front of him.
The front half of the silver needle was surprisingly covered in a layer of frost.
“Not bad, this is at least an Ice Silver Grass with fifty years of aging. It is enough to treat my niece. This time, I have really troubled Owner Qian. I will be impolite and take it.” After observing the situation on the needle carefully, Liu Ming relaxed and spoke. At the same time, the needle between his fingers disappeared with a flash.
“Hehe, as long as this Spirit Grass is useful, it’s great. This item was the reward the madam promised you when you saved her. I only found it now, so I still need to apologize to mister.” Qian Chao spoke with a laugh.
“Owner Qian is too polite. What I did before was just a convenient matter in the passing..” Liu Ming replied modestly. After putting the lid back onto the box, he put the Ice Silver Grass away carefully.
“Actually, I have another reason for coming this time. I don’t know whether I should mention it or not.” Seeing Liu Ming put the wooden box away, Qian Chao could not help but have his smile grow wider.
“Oh, there is no harm if Owner Qian says what he wants.” Hearing what was said, Liu Ming quickly thought a little and spoke without his expression changing at all.
“From the madam, I heard that Mister Qian also knows a few things about our Hundred Spirit House. However, I wonder how mister feels about them?” Qian Chao suddenly became serious, and asked a question.
“What Owner Qian is saying is…” Liu Ming squinted his eyes and asked a question.
“Not hiding anything from mister, I learned from Elder Mian that not only is Mister Qian’s Fa Li impressive, even his medical knowledge is not below the elder. Mister is a man with such talents, the Hundred Spirit House seeks these talented people. So the reason why I have personally came over this time was to formally invite mister to become a guest of the Hundred Spirit House. All of the costs and expenditures can be compared to the highest treatment.” Qian Chao spoke the truth directly and frankly.
“Join the Hundred Spirit House? Perhaps I will be disappointing Owner Qian, I still do not have this idea.” Hearing what was said, Liu Ming furrowed his brows and replied.
“Why is that? Mister wants to spend a long time living in Xuanjing, perhaps joining one of the factions within Xuanjing is going to occur sooner or later since you are a Loose Cultivator. I am not boasting, even if the treatment of Hundred Spirit House to their guests is not the best within the entire Xuanjing, we are ranked at least in the top five. As long as mister joins the Hundred Spirit House, not only will you receive a decent amount of Spirit Stones as an offering, but our house can also help you collect any pulls or weaponry if you lack any. Also, our constraints of the guests can be considered very loose. If the guest feels that the mission he has received is too dangerous and may die, he has the power to deny it. I will not make any guest do something that is absolutely impossible. After all, looking at my personality, the reason a power like us requires guests is mainly used to scare people. The occasions of actually having guests personally act are actually not frequent.” Qian Chao did not feel surprised at all and instead spoke with a smile.
“Since Owner Qian is so sincere, I will not hide anything anymore and say everything I want to say. Regarding the treatment of the Hundred Spirit House to its guests, I have also heard a little from fellow Mian; it is indeed not bad. The reason why I am unwilling to agree, is that the Hundred Spirit House has just provoked a powerful enemy, otherwise, the lady and the young master would not be attacked near Xuanjing. The reason I came to Xuanjing this time was to manage some private affairs. I do not want to be purposely involved in trouble, so I can avoid wasting a large portion of my energy.” Liu Ming replied slowly.
“So it is like that. It seems that it is because Mister Qian still does not really like the situation of our Hundred Spirit House as of right now. If that is true, then Mister Qian will not have to worry too much. I have already found out who is behind all of the enemies against the Hundred Spirit House recently; it is all due to the Gathering Wealth Building who are against us. As the old saying says it well: two of a trade are enemies. Also, if you put our businesses together, perhaps it is enough to be responsible for around twenty to thirty percent of all the cultivation resources in Xuanjing, so we naturally fight a lot. I myself also have a deep grudge with the manager of the Gathering Wealth Building, Mu Yingcheng. However, even though it is like this, we two businesses were unable to get rid of each other in so many years. It is true that one of the reasons is because our powers are almost equal, but the main reason is still that our two businesses have other backings that will not allow either business to fail. So mister does not need to worry about the problems the Hundred Spirit House encounters at all. As long as we wait for the great auction next month to begin successfully, our house will have the power to suppress the Gathering Wealth Building. I believe that the opposition will not come provoke us in the next few years.” Qian Chao began to explain in detail in a flash.
“There are backings? For such a powerful force to still have a backing, I think that person must have a powerful background. I wonder if Owner Qian is willing to tell me a little?” After hearing what was said, Liu Ming asked with some surprise.
“That naturally is not a problem. Actually, for a force in Xuanjing to survive, it must have some backing. Otherwise how could it really stand firm in Xuanjing. Since the Hundred Spirit House and the Gathering Wealth Building are opponents, the backings behind us are something everyone knows, so there is no need to hide them. The person backing our Hundred Spirit House is actually the younger brother of the current emperor, the ‘Third Marquis.’ A third of all of our profits must be handed over to the Third Marquis. As for the Gathering Wealth Building, their backing is the current day Ninth Prince. However, they are different than our house; on the surface, it is the manager Mu Yingcheng managing everything but he is actually just a servant of the Ninth Prince. The entire Gathering Wealth Building is actually just the Ninth Prince’s private property. So no matter how hard we two businesses fight, we will never destroy each other. Even our backings would not let such a matter happen.” Qian Chao explained seriously.
“The Third Marquis, perhaps you are talking about that third marquis who helped the current day emperor ascend to the throne and is known as the Virtuous Lord?” Liu Ming’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. However, he asked without revealing anything on his face.
“Oh, who would have thought that Mister Qian has also heard of what the Third Marquis was known as years ago. Then this should be easier to handle; it is indeed this Virtuous Lord. Has mister Qian changed his mind and become willing to become a guest of our House?” Qian Chao asked with some surprise.
“Since the troubles that the Hundred Spirit House are facing against are temporary and you also have the backing of the Third Marquis, the Virtuous Lord, if I still say that I decline, perhaps I really will make Owner Qian unhappy. I can agree to join the Hundred Spirit House. However, before I do there are two conditions that I hope Owner Qian will agree to.” Liu Ming whispered to himself silently a little before focusing his attention and speaking softly.
“Feel free to speak of any conditions Mister Qian has.” Hearing what was said, Qian Chao was delighted and hurriedly asked.
“First, I can only join the Hundred Spirit House as a guest for the period of time I am at Xuanjing. If I leave Xuanjing one day, my identity as a guest will naturally become invalid. However, Owner Qian does not need to worry, I will be in Xuanjing for at least two to three years, possibly even five to six years. Secondly, for the payment as a guest of the Hundred Spirit House, other than Spirit Stone offerings every month, I also want to learn some alchemy. So, I hope you can recommend me to an Alchemist for me to learn some alchemy. Of course, I also understand that real masters of alchemy do not normally accept disciples, so all I want is the recommendation of the Hundred Spirit House. I personally have ways of persuading the alchemist. However, the alchemists recommended by the house must have great attainment in alchemy and can create pills that can be used by Spirit Masters or above.” Liu Ming spoke slowly.
“What? Mister Qian wants to learn alchemy?” Liu Ming’s word made Qian Chao greatly surprised.
“What? Am I not allowed to learn?” Hearing such, Liu Ming raised both of his eyebrows.
“That naturally is untrue. It is just that even though I am not a Spirit Apostle, I know that alchemy is almost the hardest skill a cultivator can learn. As for the cultivators that are really willing to spend time in practicing such a skill, there are almost none. However, if mister is really interested in alchemy, our Hundred Spirit House really does have some connections with a few alchemists and can recommend you. However, for an alchemist who can create pills that are for Spirit Master or above, they are rare even in the various great sects. As for inside Xuanjing, perhaps there is only one person with such skill. However, this alchemist has an extremely weird temperament. Even though our House has done business with him several times, such as helping auction his pills, we really do not have too big of an assurance that he will be willing to teach mister the art of alchemy.” Qian Chao replied after hesitating a little.
“That does not matter. As long as Owner Qian can let me meet him once, that will suffice. I will handle the matter of learning alchemy myself.” Liu Ming instead beamed after hearing what was said.
“Good, if it is like that, I am able to agree with the two conditions Mister has stated.” This time, Qian Chao only thought for a moment before agreeing with his teeth clenched.
“Then Qian Ming pays his respects to the Owner.” Liu Ming smiled a little, and bowed to Qian Chao.