Chapter 330.1: I Must Consider
The box that Sun Qingxue took out was white and flawless, and made of jade that was warm and delicate. It was smooth with no markings on it; the box was like a whole piece of jade with no discernible opening.
At the part that would normally be home to the keyhole, there was only a circular rune in the form of a variety of coloured spots. After she gave it to Yang Chen, Sun Qingxue had something to say as well, “The Sovereign said that it is very important to thank you, and that you shouldn’t let other people see the contents.”
Yang Chen understood what she was trying to say. This was another reward from the Blue Cloud Sect for finding the Eighth Metal True Secret Art. It was not like such a big sect to owe someone and delay repaying the debt by three years. Perhaps this item was the reason.
“What is inside of it?” Yang Chen asked casually. He would naturally accept a reward that he had earned for himself. Had he not gone to the lengths of making a Heart Oath? This reward was well deserved, and the Blue Cloud Sect’s behaviour only served to prove it.
“I don’t know,” Sun Qingxue shook her head. “The Sovereign would not say, and Master would not tell me either.” It had admittedly made her feel a little wronged. She was delivering the item, but could not know what it was?
Yang Chen knew that the reward was well deserved. The Eighth Metal True Secret Art was not a common essence cultivation method. On the same level, its power was at least twice as powerful as ordinary cultivation methods. This kind of powerful method, if equipped with enough Eighth Metal True Essence, could definitely bring more masters to the Blue Cloud Sect. In some ways, the Eighth Metal True Secret Art was not much worse than even the Questioning Inner Heart Pills.
However, the jade box was tightly sealed and even Sun Qingxue did not know what was inside of it. This was a little strange. Moreover, he was told to not let other people see the contents. These “other people” should be referring to the Pure Yang Palace or the Green Jade Immortal Island, but there shouldn’t be a problem with showing it to Sun Qingxue.
Yang Chen’s spiritual power immediately activated the rune when he placed his finger on it.
Yang Chen knew that the Blue Cloud Sect would not place a trap within. Firstly, Sun Qingxue was right next to him, and secondly, he had not yet handed over the Questing Inner Heart Pills. Moreover, Blue Cloud Sect’s leadership was very cautious, and would never make such a mistake.
*Kacha*
The rune shined before breaking, turning into a mess of scattered fragments. The jade box surprisingly was very easy to open.
The rune had been there for security reasons, and clearly no one else had opened the jade box before Yang Chen. The rune functioned like a wax seal, and would break upon opening the box.
And inside the jade box was… another, smaller jade box! The difference this time was that the gap between the boxes was engraved with a dense array method. A warmth could be felt even through the two-fold array.
He could feel something familiar in the warmth. Yang Chen did not even need to open the jade box to know what it held. A fire seed… of sixth grade!
Purple Heart Profound Fire, a sixth grade third-fire. It was a full grade higher than the True Sun Fire, and it was now in his hands.
The True Sun Fire of the fifth grade had helped Yang Chen step into the realm of Great Principle Golden Immortal in his past life. What heights could he reach now?
What was more important was that the Purple Heart Profound Fire was an higher grade version of the fourth grade Purple Heart Fire, whose fire seed Yang Chen’s master Gao Yue held.
The Blue Cloud Sect must have calculated Yang Chen’s attitude toward his master. This reward was probably meant for both of them.
To annoy Gao Yue was to provoke Yang Chen, and conversely, to please Gao Yue was to please Yang Chen. In this matter, Blue Cloud Sect had hit the bullseye.
But what if they had judged incorrectly? Even if Yang Chen did not want to share the fire seed with his Master, he would still need a lot himself. It was a bet the the Blue Cloud Sect could not lose.
The gift made Yang Chen pleasantly surprised. It was unexpected but it was very much welcome. The Blue Cloud Sect didn’t need to say out loud what their intentions were. From where he had found all the 2nd grade Questioning Inner Heart Pills, perhaps he could find one or two more? Haha…
Sun Qingxue was a wood attribute cultivator, and naturally was not fond of such strong flames. Realizing that it was a sixth grade fire seed, she completely lost interest. Her task finished, she pulled Yang Chen along to go touring.
Meanwhile, at Meiqing Mountain many things were now different. The new mountain gate’s reconstruction was finished, and it was in many ways different from the previous one. After Yang Chen took Sun Qingxue for a short walk, he did not dare waste any more time. After all, Sect Master Lu and the head of the palace were waiting for them. So, the two quickly returned to the main hall.
He didn’t know what Sect Master Lu and the head of the palace had discussed. But it seemed that both sides had some doubts, and so a conclusion hadn’t been reached as of now. The two sides took the opportunity of their return to suspend their talks, and then exempted them.
In the evening, Sect Master Lu and his entourage were arranged to stay in a luxurious residence for important guests, and Yang Chen was called to the Blue Vault Mountain Immortal’s Cave to discuss official business.
“Has the Blue Cloud Sect given you the remuneration for the alchemy?” asked the head of the palace.
Yang Chen nodded in admission. However, he did not reveal the Purple Heart Profound Fire as the time was not suitable. Moreover, he had taken a Heart Oath and thus could not provide them with a satisfactory explanation for it.
“Then you may refine the Questioning Heart Pills for them,” sighed the master of the palace. After directing Yang Chen on this matter, the palace master told him that the two partied had not finished negotiation today. “Sect Master Lu said that they were interested in the Inner Sensing Pills, and want to buy the pill recipe from my sect. I have not promised them anything yet.”
Accompanying the master of the palace in welcoming the Blue Cloud Sect, were the dacheng stage masters Wang Yong and the old tree demon Gui Shanyou, even Hall Master Xu Chengxin had the role of running errands. It was such an important affair that even the other elders were not told what had been discussed, until they heard it from the palace head himself.
Yang Chen and the others pondered on the unknown conditions proposed by the Blue Cloud Sect, which even the palace master was unwilling to agree with. They found it strange, but they found it stranger yet that the Blue Cloud Sect hadn’t simply taken the Inner Sensing Pill’s recipe from the hands of the monster race. It made Yang Chen sigh in regret.
“Yang Chen, what is your estimate on this?” asked the head of the palace, after indulging for a while. “If we gave the Blue Cloud Sect the pill recipe, how long do you think it will be before they will be able to refine the Grade-2 Inner Sensing Pill? ”