Chapter 157 – Exchange
Ye Wei couldn’t even imagine how big of an impact his answer made. In every Runemaster Union’s branch, Runemasters and Grand-Runemasters gathered together to discuss this news. The word spread quickly from city to city and even from region to region. The name of Ye Wei was in everyone’s minds and on everyone’s lips.
“This fellow Runemaster Ye Wei possesses great amount of knowledge! If the opportunity comes up, we should definitely ask him for some advices!” A group of Runemasters were discussing the recent news through their badges.
“This question was on the jade wall for so many years and no one was able to solve it. After this breakthrough, someone will eventually be able to find all seven vermillion essence runes left by the Vermilion Emperor!? Do you think the rumor is true regarding the powerful stance these seven runes together would make?”
“I am not sure that this Ye Wei will be able to find the second rune so easily.”
“I wish I would be able to solve this problem, but it would require so much time to learn all the runes from the book, to go through each one of them. Just to find the first one it probably took almost ten years. The second one will be even harder and more time consuming!”
“Maybe Ye Wei has a different method? Maybe he found another way? We need to just wait and see.”
“Zhou dynasty? That is like, the countryside? That is the last place I would expect to see a skilled Runemaster… I heard that there are only a handful of Grand-Runemasters are based there.”
“Well, have you forgotten about the Black Cloud dynasty? It was less developed than Zhou dynasty is now, before that person surfaced, and now that place is swarmed by Grand-Runemasters, it is basically the capital of Runemasters…”
“The younger generation of Runemasters is really talented, aren’t they?”
Ye Wei was not aware of all the talks, confusion and excitement that were going on around his newfound fame and the answer submitted by him. He was more delighted with the reward that he got from finding just one rune.
‘What can I buy with five million contribution tokens?’
‘It is not enough for me to get the powerful stances, formulas… Damn, not even these pills… I need more contribution tokens!’ Ye Wei was not interested in things on the list that he could afford.
‘First, I should probably spent my contribution tokens on Nourish Soul pills as they only cost five hundred thousands token each. I need them to restore my Sentient. But I also need to save some tokens and spend them on either practical gadgets or Qi stones to charge the iron talisman!’ Thought Ye Wei, trying to make the best out of the reward he earned.
Suddenly a girl in a white silk dress appeared in front of Ye Wei’s eyes. Her smile was warmer than last time. Ye Wei however didn’t realise right away that it was not a hologram and actually a real person in front of him, sent from the union’s headquarter, she was the dedicated contact person for Ye Wei.
Ye Wei’s sudden influx of contribution tokens also had effect on her. She was aware that the richer the Runemasters the more powerful they were.
“Hello!” said Ye Wei, a little bit surprised by the new face and sudden gentleness.
“You can call me, Xiao Ying,” answered girl in a sweet, friendly voice.
“Nice to meet you, Xiao Ying. I would like to buy few things with my contribution tokens, please.” Said Ye Wei while browsing through the available items.
“I will be glad to assist you. What do you wish to purchase?” Smiled Xiao Ying, showcased her cute dimples, and lightly nodded.
“I need one Nourish Soul pill, fifty of high grade Qi stones… I will also be needing two deception scrolls… And…”
‘Yea! It makes more and more sense for me to get a deception scrolls, not only will I be able escape under its effect, I can even perform a counterstrike if I pair it with the iron talisman…’ Ye Wei was already calculating how he could deal with more powerful demons if he was to run into one.
While he was browsing through the various scrolls, one of them caught his attention, ‘Instant Shadow Scroll!?’
The Instant Shadow Scroll contained a specialized stance, its power was blood-bound, could only be used by the person who bought the scroll.
Intrigued by the scroll’s name, Ye Wei took the time to read the item’s description. “Instant Shadow Scroll: upon activation, the scroll will create an energy vortex, an interspatial gateway. The user will be able to re-enter the normal realm anywhere within two hundred kilometers distance from where the scroll was activated.”
‘The stance contained by this type of scrolls are going to be useful if I ever get hunted by demon kings or maybe even demon sovereigns…’
“I didn’t even know I needed this scroll before now! I’ll take one of these, thank you!”
Ye Wei shifted his focus onto the price of the scroll. It was way more than he expected, one point five million contribution tokens.
He felt a little bit uneasy, he just received the tokens and didn’t want to spend all of them at once.
Although the scroll was very expensive, for Ye Wei it represented a great importance to obtain something like Instant Shadow scroll, and he was actually willing to spend as many tokens for it as needed, for the fact that this stance could become a true lifesaver in dangerous situations.
“Also an Instant Shadow scroll, please!”
“A Nourish Soul pill for five hundred thousand tokens, fifty high grade Qi stones for five hundred thousand contribution tokens, two deception scrolls for six hundred thousand contribution tokens, and one Instant Shadow scroll for one point five million tokens. Do you wish to purchase anything else?” Xiao Ying listed all of the ordered goods.
“No, thank you. I wish to keep the remaining two million contribution tokens for when I need them.” Answered Ye Wei thoughtfully. “Xiao Ying, how long will it take for me to receive my order?”
“What do you mean how long?” Xiao Ying froze for a moment in surprise.
“Eh?” Ye Wei became confused.
Xiao Ying chuckled apologetically, “I am sorry. I forgot to tell you that when you make an order for more than one million contribution tokens and the total weight does not exceed thirty pounds, the Runemaster Union can send it to you through our teleportation system. You only need to inject your Qi into the badge for identification and enable the locating system. After pressing the purple button on the bottom right of the badge, a portal will open up on your end and the shipment will be with you in just a blink of an eye.” She patiently explained, aware that it was the first time Ye Wei ordered expensive items.
His mouth dropped in surprise. ‘Who could have imagined that the Runemaster Union’s badge had such feature.’ Following Xiao Ying’s directions, Ye Wei was able to access the runic teleportation array.
“Whoosh!” The purple runes from the badge flew forth and continuously transformed, shining in bright blinding light.
The air compressed, became thicker, twisting and twirling, and suddenly the items appeared inside.
They were the items Ye Wei just ordered, the scroll, the stones and the pills.
“That was quick! Thank you for your aid Xiao Ying!” Ye Wei said politely, he then bade farewell and closed down his badge.
***
Thousands of miles away, a magnificent conglomeration of palaces stretched across the vale. The headquarter of Runamester’s Union was one of the most beautiful places visited by numerous people.
Billions of people were heading to different directions between tables and chairs, trying to coexist, coordinate themselves in the palace, rushing around to process affairs of different dynasty’s union branch.
Inside one of the palaces, a group of young ladies spoke continuously to their badges and occasionally smiled politely, there were a thousand of these girls.
Inside the crowd, one of the young ladies was wearing a white silk dress, wrapped in ribbons. Her glossy black hair reached down to her waist. She stretched her back, extended her slim but curvy body, her perky breasts popped out while smiling.
“Xiao Ying, what are you so happy about?” the girl on Xiao Ying’s left asked, surprised her friend’s sudden positive outburst.
“I met today a three star Runemaster that all of a sudden spent almost three million contribution tokens! Can’t believe I was assigned to help someone so resourceful!” A smile spread widely across Xiao Ying’s cheerful face. Even though she was also a Runemaster, clerking at the Runemaster Union headquarters and helping other fellow colleagues was her part-time job.
“A three star Runemaster that spent three million contribution tokens in one go? You are so lucky!” The girl in green was struggling to keep her face straight from envy. “And I was assigned to help a seven star Runemaster who doesn’t spend more than fifty thousand contribution tokens like… ever. Every trade with him takes at least half a day to complete… I wish I would be assigned to someone less boring than this…”
“Can you imagine that he was only sixteen years old? It was truly an amazing work shift!” Xiao Ying wrapped her slender arm around her friend in green with a smile, “How do you feel about having lunch together? My treat!”
“Sixteen year old? Three star Runemaster? Isn’t it the one everyone is talking about? Who was able to find the first vermillion rune essence? He is truly talented! What does he look like? Is he cute?” The girls kept gossiping as they wiggled their way through the crowd.
Xiao Ying smiled shyly while being dragged out of the building by her friend.
***
Meanwhile, at the City Lord’s mansion, Ye Wei went through all the items that he purchased, swallowed the Nourish Sou pill and began to cultivate. He needed to heal his sentient as soon as possible, there was no time to spare.
The essence from the Nourish Soul pill slowly entered his system, spreading through his body, healing his Sentient’s injuries.
As Ye Wei expected, the Nourish Soul pill mended, strengthened his Sentient swiftly and effectively.
‘The five-hundred contribution tokens were not wasted, I can feel how this is different to all other pills I have been taking.’ Thought Ye Wei as he noticed that his cultivation was improving and his body was taking in the primal energy from the surroundings.
After more than two hours of cultivation, Ye Wei finally felt fully recovered. He felt more powerful than before the fight with Tu Fusheng, furthermore the Mystic Mount’s presence in his Sentient also became stronger. The fatigue he felt after searching for the vermilion essence rune evaporated, Ye Wei was feeling refreshed and healed.
Although feeling fresh, he decided to not spend his energy looking for the second rune, as he knew how difficult it will be and he needed all his strength for now.
Ye Wei started recharging the iron talisman with the fifty Qi stones that he just acquired.
The grooves on the iron talisman slowly lit up, as more and more Qi was consumed by it under Ye Wei’s guidance.
‘The amount of Qi required to charge the talisman fully increased after every discharge. This is the fourth time I charge the talisman and I don’t think I will be able to charge it without using these high grade Qi stones. They are quite expensive and difficult to find, and even then one high grade Qi stone only fills in two or three grooves. I need to be more careful with this.’
‘It will take more than thirty high grade Qi stones this time. I need to save up some contribution tokens. Who knows how much more I will need in the future…’