Chapter 197: Expert Transaction

All Novels || Martial God
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Mao Lieguang, the second-ranked Innate expert in Kairong Country's Masters Hall.

Among the top ten Innate experts in the entire Kairong Country, aside from the Kairong Country Imperial Family's Old Ancestor, who was always in seclusion and rumored to have reached the Single-Line Sky Realm, he was truly the undisputed number one.

Such a figure was not only acclaimed as number one in Kairong Country but also undoubtedly ranked among the top few in the Hundred Scattered Heavens Realm within the sphere of influence of Kairong Country's many nations.

It was precisely because he possessed such formidable strength that he was able to mentor a disciple like Cheng Fu, who was also in the Innate Realm.

However, on this day, Mao Lieguang's near-invincible myth among his peers was shattered.

Before his confrontation with He Yiming, no one had expected that the victor would be decided so cleanly and decisively in just one move.

The gap between them was not a gap in moves, nor a gap in experience, but a tangible gap in power.

Two forces representing sharp Metal Element power collided most intensely in an instant, and the result was Mao Lieguang's utter defeat.

On the ground, cracks suddenly appeared, spreading out from Mao Lieguang's feet like a spider web.

Accompanied by a bone-chilling sound, it drew everyone's gaze firmly to this spot.

The cracks seemed to continue endlessly, finally spreading past the gate of Shaoming Residence. Under the dumbfounded gaze of everyone, this gate began to sway precariously.

At this point, these people belatedly realized that although the confrontation between these two Innate experts appeared unremarkable, the destructive power they unleashed was unimaginably vast.

Some who had been fortunate enough to witness He Yiming and Cheng Fu's earlier engagement also sighed inwardly, thinking, as expected of a higher-level Innate clash. Although it lacked the flashiness of Cheng Fu and his group, the hidden destruction was even greater. In terms of heart-stopping intensity, it was even slightly superior.

Shui Xuanjin sighed deeply. With a sweep of his large sleeve, the entire gate swayed and then collapsed with a crash.

The whole area was instantly filled with dust. When the dust dissipated, the onlookers who had been peeking suddenly discovered that the three Innate masters who had been standing in the middle, and even Yuan Lixun who was nearby, had disappeared.

And despite their full attention, they had no idea how these people had left.

These people looked at each other, their hearts chilling, and quietly left this troublesome place.

However, the news of the two Innate experts' contest immediately spread like wildfire.

Although it was merely a private clash, the speed at which this news spread even surpassed that of He Yiming's national battle with Cheng Fu.

He Yiming's name was finally firmly etched in the hearts of all Innate experts within Kairong Country's sphere of influence, in an even more powerful stance.

※※※※

Inside Shaoming Residence, He Yiming and Yuan Lixun sat quietly by the courtyard. Across from them were Shui Xuanjin and the previously arrogant Mao Lieguang.

However, to He Yiming and Yuan Lixun's surprise, Mao Lieguang now showed no trace of his former arrogance. Instead, he was smiling, like a harmless, amiable old man.

He Yiming sighed with emotion. In this vast world, there truly are all sorts of wonders.

Although Mao Lieguang and Cheng Fu were master and disciple, their personalities were completely opposite.

Once Cheng Fu was defeated, he immediately turned and left. However, on Cheng Fu, there seemed to be a persistent unwillingness to admit defeat. He Yiming could even be certain that after Cheng Fu returned, he would diligently cultivate and might even enter a second epiphany, thus greatly increasing his strength.

But after Mao Lieguang's defeat, not only did he not feel ashamed, but he immediately changed his cold expression from earlier, as if nothing had happened, and sat down with him, smiling amiably. Furthermore, his words immediately became exceptionally polite, showing him unexpected respect.

Such behavior greatly lowered He Yiming's opinion of him, and he mostly ignored the topics Mao Lieguang brought up. Because after witnessing his conduct, He Yiming was certain that Mao Lieguang's cultivation in martial arts had reached its end in this lifetime, and he would never be able to advance further.

However, no matter how much He Yiming despised this person's actions and character, he was too embarrassed to show it in front of him.

You can be shameless, but I still have my dignity.

Fortunately, Shui Xuanjin was there. This old fox, being over two hundred years old, was not alive for nothing. His words flowed eloquently and vividly. With him present and willing to expend effort, it was difficult for the atmosphere not to be lively.

Under Shui Xuanjin's subtle questioning, He Yiming selectively recounted his trip to Hengshan Mountain.

Upon learning that He Yiming was not only the Nation Protecting Master of Tianluo Country but also an Innate Elder of the reclusive Hengshan Mountain, Mao Lieguang's attitude became even more amiable.

Although He Yiming understood Shui Xuanjin's good intentions, he didn't mind borrowing Hengshan Mountain's name.

"Brother He, how is Elder Yu Jinglei of your esteemed sect?" Mao Lieguang asked, his eyes glinting.

He Yiming smiled slightly, but inwardly he felt disdain. Having just suffered a setback at his hands, he was now trying to act like a brother.

However, since the other party was asking about Yu Jinglei, he couldn't very well refuse to speak. So he spouted nonsense, "Uncle Yu eats three large bowls of rice at each meal and is very healthy. Thank you, Brother Mao, for your concern."

Mao Lieguang chuckled, extremely suspicious in his heart. Did an Innate expert still need to eat rice at every meal? Could it be that Yu Jinglei's health was failing, which was why He Yiming was spouting nonsense?

However, looking at He Yiming's expression, he couldn't make up his mind at all.

Although the Hengshan Mountain lineage was deep in the mountains, it was actually within the sphere of influence of Kairong Country. The Kairong Country imperial family had long coveted the resources on Hengshan Mountain.

Especially the Medicine Garden with thousands of years of history and the powerful Pill Refining Room, both of which were envied by any force.

However, Hengshan Mountain not only had many Innate experts, but more terrifyingly, it also had a Single-Line Sky Realm expert, which was enough to make anyone who wanted to meddle think twice.

"Brother Mao, have you met Uncle Yu before?"

Under He Yiming's half-smiling gaze, Mao Lieguang gave two awkward laughs and said, "Brother He, when I was young, I met Elder Yu twice, so I'm very concerned."

He Yiming nodded slightly, no longer paying attention to this person.

However, Mao Lieguang seemed unwilling to give up, still chuckling, "Brother He, it is said that the Hengshan Mountain lineage has not produced any new Innate masters in this Sixty-Year Cycle. Your visit to the mountain this time is undoubtedly a timely help to them. You must have gained a lot, right?"

He Yiming became even more displeased in his heart. Listening to his tone, he had become someone who took advantage of others' misfortune.

He gave a cold smile and said, "Brother Mao's information seems to be outdated."

Mao Lieguang was startled and asked hesitantly, "Brother He, what do you mean by that?"

He Yiming said expressionlessly, "A new Innate elder has long since been born in the Hengshan Mountain lineage. My trip this time was merely icing on the cake; it's hardly 'timely help'."

Mao Lieguang was instantly dumbfounded. His face changed several times, and he grew even more suspicious.

He Yiming hadn't lied, he had just reversed the order of events. This way, even if Mao Lieguang and the others knew that Lu Zhengyi had entered the Innate realm, they would never associate it with him.

Shui Xuanjin burst into laughter, his heart growing happier the more he listened.

Tianluo Country was now tied to He Yiming, and He Yiming was an elder of Hengshan Mountain. So, the stronger Hengshan Mountain was, the more stable Tianluo Country's position would be. At this moment, he wished there were as many Innate elders in Hengshan Mountain as possible.

"Brother Mao, now that Brother He has arrived, we can discuss the proper business."

He Yiming's eyes narrowed slightly. So Shui Xuanjin had called him back, and it was indeed related to this Innate master from Kairong Country. He wondered if they were unwilling to accept defeat and wanted another national battle and wager.

Mao Lieguang laughed twice as if waking from a dream and said, "Brother He, this old man's visit this time is actually to give you an invitation."

"Invitation?" He Yiming asked suspiciously, "Does your esteemed country have any great joyous event recently?"

Mao Lieguang shook his head slightly and said, "There is no great joyous event, but the envoys from Tufan Kingdom have visited Kairong, and a total of eight Innate masters have come."

He Yiming's previously smiling face instantly froze, and his eyes held an indescribable look of surprise.

If he hadn't misheard, Mao Lieguang seemed to have said twelve Innate masters.

He quickly calculated in his mind. There were ten Innate masters in the Kairong Country Masters Hall, and now eight more had arrived. This meant that within Kairong Country, there were suddenly nearly twenty Innate experts.

He stared blankly at Shui Xuanjin, his gaze asking silently, when did those rare Innate masters become so worthless...

Shui Xuanjin quickly coughed and said, "Brother He, Tufan Kingdom is one of the three great powers in our Northwest Countries. The number of Innate experts they possess is no less than Kairong, and this time, half of them are actually Nation Protecting Masters from various small countries under Tufan Kingdom's jurisdiction."

He Yiming was then relieved, but still asked, "Why are so many of them gathered together?"

Mao Lieguang said with a beaming smile, "These Innate masters are here to bring large quantities of rare goods and invite masters from our various countries to trade."

"That's right, things that can be traded there include various rare medicinal herbs, refined Treasure Tools, and the alchemists from both countries will also refine some Energy Golden Pills on site. Every Innate master present will receive one to share," Shui Xuanjin said solemnly. "These are good things for disciples to consume. In ordinary times, if you want to purchase them, it's not easy to acquire them without a certain price."

"Energy Golden Pills?" He Yiming smiled dismissively.

If it were Limit Golden Pills, He Yiming would be moved, but Energy Golden Pills held little attraction for him now. Because of Hengshan Mountain's thousands of years of accumulation, the quantity of Energy Golden Pills was already quite substantial. Furthermore, he himself had successfully refined two batches with different main ingredients, so how could he still take them seriously?

His expression was immediately noticed by the two Innate experts. Mao Lieguang said with a wry smile, "Brother He is an elder of Hengshan Mountain, so naturally, he wouldn't care for Energy Golden Pills, but we are very much concerned about them."

Shui Xuanjin also nodded secretly. As reclusive sects, most of them had their own inherited Medicine Gardens that were thousands of years old. And more importantly, all these sects shared a common characteristic: their mountain gates were basically located deep in the mountains, far from ordinary people.

There, it was absolutely not a desolate land, but a blessed land filled with Heaven and Earth Qi.

Cultivating in that environment, even for those not of the Innate stage, brought great benefits, far incomparable to the outside world. As long as one possessed extraordinary talent, they could rely on their own efforts to cultivate to the Tenth Level of Inner Strength.

Therefore, although they could refine a large quantity of Energy Golden Pills, their demand for this pill was conversely the smallest. Accumulating over time, the quantity naturally became more and more considerable.

Shui Xuanjin suddenly smiled and said, "Brother He, if you have extra Energy Golden Pills, you can exchange them for what you want with other masters at the master's trade fair."

He Yiming's heart suddenly fluttered. He asked in a deep voice, "Are even Treasure Tools traded there?"

"Of course, but you understand the value of Treasure Tools. It's not easy to exchange for such a level of treasure."

He Yiming frowned slightly. He gave a wry smile and said, "Unfortunately, this humble one doesn't have any extra Energy Golden Pills, nor any rare or Strange Treasures, so I'll have to give up this opportunity."

In fact, he did have a treasure on him. The White Giant Stone hidden in the Mountain Valley was definitely an unknown treasure. However, He Yiming would absolutely not use it easily without understanding its origin and purpose.

"An innocent man is guilty because he possesses a treasure." This principle was repeatedly emphasized by old Master He Wude when they first hunted the Gold-Crowned Python in He Family Village, making it difficult for him to forget.

A hint of surprise flashed across Mao Lieguang's face, and he turned to look at Shui Xuanjin.

This veteran master of Tianluo Country burst into laughter and said, "Brother He, you're joking. Since you are the Nation Protecting Master of Tianluo Country, then all the rare treasures searched for by the entire nation belong to you. I will accompany you to the national treasury later to select some things. We can't let others underestimate our Tianluo Country."

He Yiming was overjoyed. He had not expected that being the Nation Protecting Master would come with such a privilege.

Mao Lieguang laughed heartily, his expression completely different from his initial one. No one could associate him with the grim individual he had been, and from his demeanor, no one would have imagined that he had just been defeated by He Yiming.

Even after the banquet ended, the smile on his face had not receded.

Before He Yiming left, he looked at this independent and extraordinary Innate expert, and a sudden sense of dread surged from the bottom of his heart.

A person without shame is invincible. So, what happens when an Innate expert gives up their shame?

※※※※

He Yiming's return was also an incredibly significant event for the Tianluo Country imperial family.

When Shui Xuanjin and He Yiming arrived at the Imperial Treasury in the backyard of the Imperial City, Crown Prince Yu Xiaoyi had already been waiting for a long time.

Yu Xiaoyi, who held great power in Tianluo Country, showed considerable respect in front of the two Innate experts. He opened the treasury door, and after the two Innate masters entered, he gently closed it, not even entering himself.

The only one allowed to accompany them into the Imperial Treasury was Xue Lie, Shui Xuanjin's chief disciple.

"Brother He, this Imperial Treasury was specially built for me by my old friend. All the things found in Tianluo Country that are useful to Innate masters are here. Even some strange things with unknown origins are mostly here," Shui Xuanjin said proudly. "This Imperial Treasury has always been organized and cleaned by Lie'er. Besides the Kingdom Lord, no one else is allowed inside."

He Yiming's gaze swept around the Imperial Treasury twice, inwardly surprised.

His eyesight was now far superior to what it once was. In just a moment, he had already seen many good things in the Imperial Treasury.

Here, there were not only a considerable number of specially processed Spirit Grass and Spirit Medicine, but also several pieces of protective gear and weapons shimmering with strange light. In addition, there were many strange minerals that He Yiming couldn't name. Although He Yiming couldn't identify all of them, the Refined Steel Magnetic Mother among them was certainly not unfamiliar.

Sighing deeply, He Yiming said, "Brother Shui, your collection is truly abundant, it has greatly broadened my horizons."

Shui Xuanjin chuckled. "Actually, the Nation Protecting Master of every country has a similar Imperial Treasury. It's just that mine has been built for a longer time, and I've collected a bit more." He gestured with his hand and suddenly said loudly, "Brother He, from now on, this Imperial Treasury belongs to you."

Xue Lie stood beside him with his hands hanging down, as if he hadn't heard a word, his expression unchanged.

He Yiming was startled and quickly said, "Brother Shui, I didn't mean that."

Shui Xuanjin waved his hand and said with a smile, "Since you know that this old brother's lifespan is not long, there's no need to decline. Although these things are good, I don't have the ability to take them to the underworld. Moreover, these things can only unleash their greatest potential in the hands of an Innate expert. Looking at the entire Tianluo, you are the only one qualified to receive them."

He Yiming opened his mouth, remained silent for a long time, and finally said, "Since that is the case, then this humble one will accept it, feeling unworthy."

Shui Xuanjin burst into laughter, his laughter filled with relief, but also a hint of lingering attachment and reluctance.

Regardless of who, regardless of the reason, handing over hundreds of years of cherished possessions like this would evoke similar feelings.

And He Yiming, who received this grand gift, also sighed inwardly.

Shui Xuanjin's approach was identical to Yuan Chengzhi's: both used benefits to tie him to their cause.

Although the price they paid was different, and their values were worlds apart, there was no doubt that they both held the same intentions.

By accepting this gift, he simultaneously bore the corresponding responsibility. It was truly an unclear account as to who actually benefited more in the end.

"Brother He, let's pick some things and get ready to go." A strange gleam flashed across Shui Xuanjin's face. "This will be the last Innate gathering this old man attends in his life. We must bring some good things so as not to be underestimated."

He Yiming looked up, and thinking of the old man's short remaining lifespan, his heart unexpectedly felt a pang of sorrow.

All Novels || Martial God

Chapter 198: An Unexpected Encounter