Only after sending Ao Xue here did Gan Lin leave. Daybreak Merchants Union’s wish to meet with Long Chen was something that he had the freedom to deal with himself, and it was not Gan Lin’s place to interfere.
It was evident that Ao Xue was annoyed at being sent here. The more she looked at Long Chen’s smiley face, the fury in her heart burnt stronger.
“Manager Zhao said that our Daybreak Merchants Union has acquired a new Spirit Recovery Fruit, and asks if you need it.”
She gazed at Long Chen indifferently, speaking in a low voice.
She had been working well in Daybreak Merchant Unions, but for some reason had been ordered to come all the way here just to tell Long Chen this information. This was a little difficult for her to stomach.
She could not understand why Manager Zhao would go so far just for Long Chen.
“I need it, of course I need it!”
Long Chen had always been a spoilt child, and he had no second thoughts about saving up the hundred or so Spirit Jades he had in his possession for future use.
“When I get stronger, obtaining these things isn’t going to be a problem. It’s better to buy more items while I can and get spirit medicines for my darling so that she can live longer.”
While thinking all this, Long Chen noticed that Ao Xue was glaring at him with all the hatred she could muster. He was a fearless person and paid no mind to her, arrogantly ordering her, “Miss Ao Xue, show me the way.”
Before coming here, Manager Zhao had repeatedly reminded her not to be rude to Long Chen. Ao Xue was in no position to disregard the order, and no matter how difficult Long Chen got, she could only grit her teeth and endure it.
“Youngster, the moment I get an opportunity, I’ll definitely skin you! You only obtained a few more Metal Hearts, and for some reason, Manager Zhao thinks you’re a treasure! I’ll definitely find a chance to prove that this Long Chen or whatever can’t even be compared to me!”
Heart full of hatred, Ao Xue was silent as she walked ahead, expression dark.
“This doll doesn’t look half bad, though she’s horribly gloomy. I guess my Lingxi is the prettiest after all…”
Behind Ao Xue, Long Chen made gestures at her while speaking in a low voice. This was all to Lingxi’s pleasure, and she giggled and could not stop laughing.
If Ao Xue heard Long Chen’s words, she would definitely have tried to kill Long Chen right there and then.
However, that gloomy look on Ao Xue really had Long Chen on his guard.
“I don’t know what Manager Zhao is trying to do. If it’s just a Spirit Recovery Fruit, he could have just gotten Ao Xue to bring it to me rather than go to the trouble of bringing me here. Could he still be trying to rope me in?”
Right behind Ao Xue, Long Chen admired her slim and delicate body and lilting steps as he pondered inwardly about how he should handle Manager Zhao later.
It was now noon, and there were fewer customers at Daybreak Merchants Union than usual. When Long Chen arrived, Manager Zhao was already there to give him a warm welcome, hugging Long Chen and then patting his back, “Long Chen, my boy, you’re finally here!”
“To be so eager for no reason, he must have some evil intentions.”
Within the Lingxi Sword, Lingxi’s curled her lips, annoyed at Manager Zhao’s behaviour.
Long Chen enthusiastically answered Manager Zhao, who then brought him into the VIP room. He gestured to Long Chen to have a seat, and let Ao Xue, whose expression was dark, to pour them some tea. He was all smiles while he gazed at Long Chen.
“I heard that you managed to kill an expert of the Human Dan Realm at the Initial Mastery Stage. Have you already reached the Human Dan Realm?”
The moment she heard Manager Zhao get straight to the point and spout such earth-shattering words, Ao Xue poured the tea outside the cup in her surprise.
“I’m sorry, Manager, I was much too careless…”
Manager Zhao wasn’t in a good position to get angry in front of Long Chen and was about to send her outside, but Long Chen waved his hand and arrogantly glanced at Ao Xue, “Don’t go yet. You dirtied this place, so isn’t it your duty to clean it up?”
“You-!”
Ao Xue was right about to storm away, but Manager Zhao quickly spoke up, “Ao Xue, clean it up.”
Upon hearing Manager Zhao’s calm voice, Ao Xue did not dare disobey and could only glare at Long Chen, gritting her teeth and doing as asked.
Seeing her trying to suppress how wronged she was feeling, Long Chen felt exceptionally smug.
The previous time he had come to Daybreak Merchants Union, this person had had her nose in the air, which had made him quite annoyed. Now, he was finally able to make her feel the same way.
After all this, Long Chen began to speak with Manager Zhao.
“Manager Zhao, it’s true that I’ve already reached the Deity Dan Realm. However, whatever you’ve heard about me killing Huang Feiyang are just lies that someone spread to slander me. If I really did kill Senior Brother Huang, I wouldn’t be free of injuries and be able to speak with you like this.”
Manager Zhao himself was disbelieving of the news of Long Chen killing Huang Feiyang. After all, Long Chen had only just entered the Human Dan Realm.
However, even if he had not killed Huang Feiyang, this did not affect how highly he regarded Long Chen. He took out a large wooden box with red silk fabric inside, within which were actually two Spirit Recovery Fruits.
Seeing these two Spirit Recovery Fruits, Lingxi’s eyes glistened, but Long Chen looked unhappy.
“Long Chen, my boy, here are the Spirit Recovery Fruits you wanted.”
The Spirit Jades in Long Chen’s cosmos pouch were hardly enough to pay for two Spirit Recovery Fruits, and he could only sigh in regret, “Manager Zhao, with my finances right now, I can only buy a single Soul Diffusion Fruit, and definitely not two Spirit Recovery Fruits.”
Seeing Long Chen so pitifully poor, Ao Xue at the side peeked at him in contempt. She had originally been a little afraid of him after hearing that he had killed an expert who was at the Initial Mastery stage of the Human Dan Realm, only to find out it was just an unfounded rumour.
“This stinking little kid only entered the Human Dan Realm. What’s there to be proud of? In just a few days, I’ll be able to enter the Human Dan Realm too. When that happens, let’s see whether you or I will be stronger!”
Manager Zhao’s high regard of Long Chen made Ao Xue feel quite jealous.
Upon seeing the suffering look on Long Chen’s face, Manager Zhao burst out in laughter, “Didn’t I say this before? We’ve met twice already, so we can be considered friends. How about this, you can buy one from me, and I’ll give you the other one for free?”
Manager Zhao only admired Long Chen talents, and he was giving Long Chen way too many benefits.
Long Chen was well aware that it was impossible for him to leave the Lingwu Family as of yet, so he contemplated rejecting Manager Zhao’s offer.
Seeing Long Chen still hesitating, Manager Zhao’s eyes twinkled and he stared straight at Long Chen, “Let’s do this instead. If you do something for me, I’ll gift you these Spirit Recovery Fruits, and this won’t be counted as a favour from me to you. How about it?”
“What can I do for you, Manager Zhao?”
While saying this, Zhao Tianfang’s expression was serious. Long Chen guessed that this was his real intentions for inviting him here. If not, he wouldn’t go to the trouble of getting Ao Xue to guide him here.
Zhao Tianfang gave a slight smile and instructed Ao Xue, who was at the side, to leave the room. After which, he took out a cosmos pouch and retrieved a crystal that was about the size of an infant’s fist.
Long Chen stared and found that this crystal was completely blue. It was a rhombus with two sides that were impossibly sharp, and on the surface of this blue crystal, there were even traces of lightning flickering. Blue flames were also emitted from this crystal.
“Thunder Flame Crystal?”
Within the Lingxi Sword, Lingxi’s excited voice could be heard.
Long Chen was now physically very close to Manager Zhao, and after hearing Lingxi shout ‘Thunder Flame Crystal’, he did not dare say much. However, he could tell that this crystal was definitely something good.
“Do you know what this?” Manager Zhao questioned.
Long Chen shook his head, “No.”
“This item is called… the Thunder Flame Crystal.”
He spun the Thunder Flame Crystal in his palm, eyes fixed on it. His next words were full of emotion as he spoke, “This Thunder Flame Crystal is a precious treasure of the heavens and the earth. It has no grade, and as long as one merges one’s body with it, our body will then have the power to control thunder and fire. This power is used to temper the body and is considerably effective. Once you fuse with over ten Thunder Flame Crystals, you will then possess the Thunder Flame Physique!”
Long Chen looked at the Thunder Flame Crystal in shock, “I just have to fuse with it? Don’t I need to cultivate at all?”
Didn’t this mean this item was even more convenient than Origin Reversion, which he had recently obtained?
The Constitution battle technique, Origin Reversion, had been refined only after a whole day and night.
“Of course not,” Manager Zhao shook his head. “The number of Thunder Flame Crystals you can fuse with depends on your talent and body. As long as you can fuse with over ten crystals, you will obtain the Thunder Flame Physique. Those who have the added bonus of power using thunder and flames are then called Thunder Flame Cultivators!”
Thunder Flame Cultivator?
That didn’t sound half bad.
Only now did Long Chen come to the realisation that the world he knew was much too small. He had just obtained the Origin Reverting Fruit, and now there was this Thunder Flame Crystal, which were all incredible items.
Zhao Tianfang had mentioned that he needed Long Chen to do something, and yet had taken out this Thunder Flame Crystal. What was it for?
Long Chen suspiciously asked, “Manager Zhao, what does this Thunder Flame Crystal have to do with me?”
Now that they were back to the main question, Manager Zhao laughed and looked closely at Long Chen. “To be honest, I really think highly of you. I would like to test your talent and have you try and see how many Thunder Flame Crystals you can fuse into your body!”
Long Chen suddenly felt like he had struck gold, disbelief apparent on his face.
This Manager Zhao had first said that he wanted Long Chen to do something for him. Long Chen had wondered how difficult it could be, but it turned out to be a huge opportunity for him.
Manager Zhao merely wanted to rope Long Chen into Daybreak Merchants Union, and yet had repeatedly given Long Chen immense benefits. Long Chen hesitated and wondered if he should accept it, taking into account the restraints that would be put on him if he agreed. Upon seeing him hesitating, Manager Zhao explained seriously, “Long Chen, don’t think it’ll be an easy task to fuse with the Thunder Flame Crystal. It has a violent force that will cause one’s body to explode if one cannot take it. If your body can’t withstand even one Thunder Flame Crystal, there is a high possibility of you dying. This is why it won’t be an easy task for you to obtain these two Spirit Recovery Fruits. Think this through carefully.”
While Long Chen was still pondering, Lingxi suddenly exclaimed, “Quick, say yes.”
Lingxi was experienced and was extremely clear about Long Chen’s condition. Hence, upon hearing her say this, Long Chen hesitated no longer and nodded resolutely, “One can only find treasures in dangerous places. Since Manager Zhao thinks so highly of me, I definitely have to try this Thunder Flame Crystal no matter what!”