In Zhuo Star City within the Redmoon Immortal Realm, Wu Yuan appeared in a courtyard of the Zhuo Family residence. Several servants guided him courteously into the garden, where a pavilion stood a short distance from the entrance.
“Li Xia, congratulations on your admittance into the Dragon Star Immortal Sect as a hereditary disciple,” Zhuo Haiyue said, emerging from the pavilion with a warm smile.
Wu Yuan arched an eyebrow.
Today, Zhuo Haiyue was not clad in her customary silver armor, but in flowing red robes. Her gaze, previously icy and domineering, now held a touch of feminine grace.
She was still as stunning as ever. Yet, there was a noticeable shift in her demeanor. Where once she exuded an aura of intimidation, there was now a charm that captivated the hearts of men.
“Your Highness,” Wu Yuan gave a slight bow.
“Haha, no need for formalities,” Zhuo Haiyue chuckled, her delicate hands reaching out to support Wu Yuan.
Wu Yuan stiffened at her unexpected touch, lifting his gaze to meet hers.
Before him was a face of unparalleled beauty, with eyes so clear that they seemed to peer into the depths of his soul.
But despite her allure, Wu Yuan’s heart remained unswayed. Everyone was innately attracted to beauty, but few powerful immortal cultivators lost their senses over mere infatuation.
Wu Yuan straightened up.
“As I have mentioned before, we are friends. There is no need for such formalities between us. From now on, you may address me as Haiyue.”
A flicker of confusion crossed Wu Yuan’s heart. Haiyue? Such an address denoted that they were equals.
“Do not dwell on it too much,” Zhuo Haiyue appeared to be speaking earnestly, with a slight smile. “I admire your character. Given your talent and personality, I believe you have the potential to rise to great heights within the Dragon Star Immortal Sect.”
“It is perfectly normal for us to interact as equals,” Zhuo Haiyue continued. “Don’t forget, you are no longer a loose cultivator, but a hereditary disciple of the Dragon Star Immortal Sect.”
At this, Wu Yuan was immediately struck by a realization.
Indeed! Becoming a hereditary disciple of the Dragon Star Immortal Sect was equivalent to ascending to the heavens in a single step. He was destined to become a member of the elite circle of geniuses in the immortal continent.
Wu Yuan also acknowledged that the shift in Zhuo Haiyue’s attitude stemmed not solely from his change in status, but also from their initial meeting.
There were numerous other geniuses like him on the vast immortal continent, and even more when considering the other immortal continents of the Silvermist Immortal Nation.
Wu Yuan was confident in his abilities, but he was also clear-headed and knew that he couldn’t be too arrogant.
“Very well then, I will take the liberty of calling you Haiyue,” Wu Yuan said with a slight smile, continuing to maintain a humble demeanor.
Wu Yuan was acutely aware that his current standing was still far lower compared to Zhuo Haiyue’s.
Zhuo Haiyue responded with an enchanting smile, “That’s more like it.”
“I owe my admission into the Immortal Sect to your guidance and support, Haiyue,” Wu Yuan expressed his gratitude earnestly.
While it was possible that Wu Yuan could have secured a place in a large sect on his own, becoming a hereditary disciple of a top first-rate sect would have been a far more challenging endeavor without Zhuo Haiyue’s support. Hence, he acknowledged that her efforts played a huge role.
“It is not my doing,” Zhuo Haiyue shook her head. “Your success, whether in building your reputation or passing the sect’s recruitment assessment, ultimately depended on your own abilities.”
“The most important factor is your own strength. Only when you possess sufficient strength can my assistance truly be of value.”
Zhuo Haiyue continued, “No matter how capable I may be, your status as a hereditary disciple of the Dragon Star Immortal Sect isn’t determined by me. It is your talent that impressed the upper echelons of the sect.”
Wu Yuan merely smiled in response.
“Let us not talk about the past,” Zhuo Haiyue changed the topic. “I invited you here today to celebrate this achievement. Shall we head to the Drunken Immortal Tavern?”
And so, the two of them departed from the Zhuo residence in a silver chariot, making their way to the luxurious tavern in Zhuo Star City. The Drunken Immortal Tavern was a large establishment, bustling with guests and renowned for its exquisite delicacies.
Along the way, they didn’t encounter any trouble. Upon arriving at the tavern, they were ushered into the Immortal Banquet Hall. They didn’t have to wait for long before plates of rare and exotic dishes were laid before them.
“This is the liver of a Void True Dragon. This is the marrow blood of a Fire Phoenix. And this is the Blood Mineral Essence Fluid, a product local to a world governed by the Bloodforge Devil Hall…” Zhuo Haiyue introduced each delicacy with the expertise of a connoisseur, showcasing her profound knowledge of immortal cuisine.
Meanwhile, Wu Yuan nodded along blankly. While he was well-versed in cultivation, his understanding of such matters was lacking.
“This… must be incredibly costly.” He couldn’t help but comment.
Even before mentioning anything else, a Void True Dragon was a True Dragon at the Elysian Field phase, how rare was that?
“It’s not too expensive. This is the Redmoon Immortal Realm, not the real world. We are just tasting the flavors, not eating the real thing, so the price is only one percent that of the real world, some even less.” Zhuo Haiyue chuckled. “If these were real, my heart would ache for a long time after each meal. But in Redmoon Immortal Realm? It’s acceptable.”
“And besides,” Zhuo Haiyue added mischievously, “the ethercrystal spent on today’s celebration is not mine, but yours!”
“Mine?” Wu Yuan was taken aback. When had he acquired such a wealth of ethercrystals? Though he didn’t know the true cost of the feast, calculating the prices of each dish based on one percent of the real-world prices, Wu Yuan estimated that this meal would cost at least a hundred thousand catties of ethercrystal, or even more.
A moment later, Little Moon’s voice resonated within Wu Yuan’s mind. “Esteemed Li Xia, you have received 21 million catties of ethercrystal from Zhuo Haiyue in your immortal realm account.”
It was a funds transfer message.
“Haiyue, this?” Wu Yuan was taken aback.
21 million catties of ethercrystal? Heavens! This was a staggering amount.
“You’ve received it?” Zhuo Haiyue asked, a faint smile playing on her lips, “Do you recall my wager with Gu Sixing?”
Wu Yuan nodded silently.
“We won 30 million catties,” Zhuo Haiyue said, “I have disbursed 9 million catties of ethercrystal on this feast, and the rest is yours.”
“That is too generous. And besides, you won the bet, not me,” Wu Yuan shook his head.
Without hesitation, Wu Yuan instructed Little Moon to return the amount to the sender.
Soon, it was Zhuo Haiyue’s turn to be taken aback, “Why are you returning it to me?”
“Haiyue,” Wu Yuan shook his head with a smile, “An undeserved reward should not be accepted. While this ethercrystal is indeed valuable, it does not rightfully belong to me. You should keep it.”
How could Wu Yuan not understand?
The winner of the bet? Based on Zhuo Haiyue’s words after the event, it was highly probable that both parties were merely putting on a show, and Gu Sixing likely never sent her the 30 million.
Furthermore, even if it was a genuine bet, it was Zhuo Haiyue who had placed the wager, and he was not part of it.
Certainly, Wu Yuan would love to be rich. He had read the immortal slip, and the more he learned about the Dragon Star Immortal Sect, the more he understood the principle of ethercrystal flowing out like water. The few hundred thousand catties of ethercrystal he possessed were woefully inadequate for his cultivation needs!
However, Wu Yuan was well aware of one thing — gifts from destiny came with a price tag.
Was Zhuo Haiyue assisting him all this time out of pure friendship?
Bullshit! If Wu Yuan genuinely believed so, then he was a fool!
Previously, Zhuo Haiyue held the upper hand, and Wu Yuan’s life was in her palms. Thus, Wu Yuan could only go with the flow and follow her directives.
Fortunately, the outcome had been favorable. Therefore, Wu Yuan harbored a modicum of gratitude towards Zhuo Haiyue.
Yet, this did not mean Wu Yuan let down his guard. Most importantly, Wu Yuan now had the power to say no.
“We are friends,” Zhuo Haiyue’s brow furrowed slightly.
“True friendship is about mutual assistance, not one party giving time and time again while the other takes it for granted,” Wu Yuan smiled, “I appreciate your aid thus far. If you require assistance in the future, simply ask, and I shall do my best to help. But there’s no need to discuss this sum of ethercrystal any further.” Wu Yuan spoke candidly.
“Very well, then I’ll be taking advantage of you this time,” Zhuo Haiyue resumed her smile, “But as a friend, you must at least accept a modest congratulatory gift.”
Soon, Wu Yuan received a message informing him that one million catties of ethercrystal had been deposited into his account.
“Alright, I’ll accept this gift,” Wu Yuan chuckled, knowing that he would be slighting Zhuo Haiyue if he refused once more.
Considering his current standing, this hefty sum was a generous gesture, but still within reason.
“In the future, I may require your assistance and cooperation when venturing into extraterrestrial worlds. I hope you don’t reject my invitation then,” Zhuo Haiyue smiled.
“As long as you don’t find my strength lacking,” Wu Yuan replied, meeting her smile with his own.
Extraterrestrial worlds? Wu Yuan had no idea what they were. Nevertheless, he agreed without hesitation.
“By the way, have you heard back from Sword Immortal Dong Yang?” Zhuo Haiyue inquired, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.
“No,” Wu Yuan shook his head.
“I see. Be patient for now. Sword Immortal Dong Yang is the strongest sword immortal born in the immortal continent in the past ten million years. Many covet his inheritance.”
“Once he overcomes his ninth Tribulation, his strength would be elevated to unprecedented levels, possibly approaching that of Immortal Redmoon,” Zhuo Haiyue explained.
“Approaching Immortal Redmoon?” Wu Yuan was astonished.
“Indeed,” Zhuo Haiyue confirmed. “Sword Immortal Dong Yang’s strength is widely acknowledged. However, surviving the ninth Tribulation is difficult, with slim chances of success.”