"I don't understand your question," said Jiang Chen.
Crimson Moon curled her lips. Without humming and hawing, she said directly, "Other people think you held back the fact that you'd developed your extraordinary meridians so that your rival would look down on you. But I know that's not true."
Her bright eyes sharpened.
"Are you insinuating that I can develop extraordinary meridians while in the Reaching Heaven State?" Jiang Chen smiled lightly.
"Yes. I'm certain you can," Crimson Moon said certainly.
"So what if I can?"
Crimson Moon kept her silence for a few seconds, then said directly, "Teach me how."
"If I'm really so great, able to develop extraordinary meridians in the Reaching Heaven State, why should I help you? We're not even friends."
Jiang Chen raised the Golden Dragon Card in his hand and said, "If it's a business transaction, I'm afraid you can't afford it."
"We can discuss it," said Crimson Moon.
"Yeah?"
Something suddenly occurred to Jiang Chen. He smiled cunningly and said, "I want you to break up with Ning Haotian and be my fiancée."
He thought he would see anger and surprise on her face, but he didn't. Crimson Moon didn't speak for a while.
"No, that won't do. My father won't agree."
"Oh?"
Although he had been declined, he could read between the lines. He said, "You mean if your father agrees, you'll break up with Ning Haotian immediately, no hesitation? What about your love?"
"I've only seen him a few times," said Crimson Moon.
"But you defended him so strongly last time."
"He's my fiancée. He has gained the recognition of the royal family. No matter whether I'm his fiancée or a princess, I have to defend him!"
Jiang Chen felt like he knew the princess better.
"There is no room for discussion then. Why should I help the fiancée of my enemy?" said Jiang Chen.
Crimson Moon had no answer for his question, but she really wanted his method.
If this was true, she wouldn't have to hold down her state anymore. She would be able to break through to the Reaching Heaven State and complete the development of her extraordinary meridians rapidly by also taking advantage of the benefits of a Reaching Heaven State.
His method would work better than any magical panacea.
"What else do you want?" said Crimson Moon.
"I don't want to do business with you. You have to offer me something that could intrigue me, Your Highness," Jiang Chen said, using her title sarcastically.
Crimson Moon frowned, thinking hard. It looked like she had finally made a decision after a good while. She said, "I have a treasure map. We can go treasure hunting together after I become a Reaching Heaven State."
"A treasure map? That's the best way to get something for nothing. I didn't expect Your Highness to use this trick," Jiang Chen smiled disdainfully.
"I swear in the name of my identity as a princess. I'm not trying to cheat you," Crimson Moon was agitated.
"Okay. If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me, too. My way only works for those who break through to the Reaching Heaven State with none of their extraordinary meridians developed."
He saw how Crimson Moon's expression changed. He continued, "This means if I'm cheating you, you'll be a Reaching Heaven State without any extraordinary meridians developed."
He told her the situation she had worried about the most. He shrugged his shoulders when he didn't get any response from her.
"Think about it. If you trust me, break through to the Reaching Heaven State, then come talk with me. I can swear in no one's name."
Jiang Chen went back to the box. Ying Wushuang and Yi Qing were still sitting there silently. Neither of them was talkative, so the atmosphere was quite dull.
He didn't care. He sat down beside Ying Wushuang and said, "Anything interesting?"
"No. The chamber of commerce usually keeps the good stuff until they have quite a few of them. Then they'll invite the big groups in the Sacred City to an auction with restricted access," said Ying Wushuang.
She was right. Not even the last auction item was good enough to intrigue Jiang Chen.
Crimson Moon and Yi Qing left right after the auction ended.
Jiang Chen and Ying Wushuang were still waiting in the box.
"Those things you want to buy, what are they for?"
"I can't enter the Soothing Lake, can I? People practice there only to manipulate their halos of heaven freely. I can build practice equipment with better effects, but I'll need most of the things listed on the parchment to refine panaceas and develop my extraordinary meridians."
"You know how to refine panaceas?" Ying Wushuang was very surprised.
"Yeah, a little," said Jiang Chen with a smile.
At this moment, the steward that had received them went into the box with some other staff. He was being very kind, since he was sure that this time, Jiang Chen wouldn't just ask for information, but would buy things.
The chamber of commerce had everything Jiang Chen wanted. The total price was 20 million middle-grade yuan stones.
Most of them were raw materials. After Jiang Chen processed them, the finished products would have a value dozens of times greater, although they were for his own use.
Jiang Chen paid the bill with the Golden Dragon Card without bargaining.
"My respected guest, do you still need the spiritual herbs you asked about last time?"
"Yep, I need them, but didn't you tell me you wouldn't have those for two years?" Jiang Chen asked curiously.
"My guest, I didn't know who you were back then, so the price and the time I told you weren't our best offer. If you still need them, we'll collect all of them in three months for 50 million middle-grade yuan stones."
"Three months? Are you sure?" Jiang Chen was very tempted.
"Fifty million? What are you trying to buy?" Ying Wushuang was shocked by the price.
If the spiritual herbs cost so much, how much would the panaceas refined from them be worth?
The spiritual herbs were only part of the worth of the panaceas. The alchemist's technique was far more important.
An alchemist who could refine panaceas from spiritual herbs worth 50 million had to be a master. Even revered practitioners would need panaceas. The price of the panaceas could be hundreds of times higher than average.
"I'll give you the list," said Jiang Chen resolutely. Even if the Hero Palace disagreed with the purchase, he would buy them.
He would pay anything for the antidote of the Death Warrant Flower.
Ying Wushuang didn't speak. Jiang Chen paid the full amount in her presence.
Although he had bought many things, he still had much of that month's quota left. Ten million upper-grade yuan stones were equivalent to 100 million middle-grade yuan stones.
There's no way the Hero Palace knows about my other abilities. They just don't want me to buy expensive antiques with the scholarship to accumulate my wealth.
One hundred million. If I spend each month's quota by purchasing raw materials, I'll be able to accumulate an astounding wealth by selling whatever I refine.
The dividend of selling the panaceas the Natural Law School gave him wouldn't compare to this at all.
He put the raw materials into the mustardseed ring and returned to the Hero Palace with Ying Wushuang.
The next day, the fight between Jiang Chen and Shui Chun was reported by the Sacred City Daily as the headline. A life-or-death fight between two disciples of the Hero Palace was big news.
Unfortunately, the Hero Palace wasn't open to anyone, so the local people would only learn the outcome from the paper.
Jiang Chen wasn't an unknown name to them. If his rival hadn't been Shui Chun, but an average guy from the Hero Palace, there would be some suspense.
But when they saw his opponent was Shui Chun, they couldn't help feel pity for him.
People on the Fighting Power List were the best of the best of the Hero Palace!
"I don't understand your question," said Jiang Chen.
Crimson Moon curled her lips. Without humming and hawing, she said directly, "Other people think you held back the fact that you'd developed your extraordinary meridians so that your rival would look down on you. But I know that's not true."
Her bright eyes sharpened.
"Are you insinuating that I can develop extraordinary meridians while in the Reaching Heaven State?" Jiang Chen smiled lightly.
"Yes. I'm certain you can," Crimson Moon said certainly.
"So what if I can?"
Crimson Moon kept her silence for a few seconds, then said directly, "Teach me how."
"If I'm really so great, able to develop extraordinary meridians in the Reaching Heaven State, why should I help you? We're not even friends."
Jiang Chen raised the Golden Dragon Card in his hand and said, "If it's a business transaction, I'm afraid you can't afford it."
"We can discuss it," said Crimson Moon.
"Yeah?"
Something suddenly occurred to Jiang Chen. He smiled cunningly and said, "I want you to break up with Ning Haotian and be my fiancée."
He thought he would see anger and surprise on her face, but he didn't. Crimson Moon didn't speak for a while.
"No, that won't do. My father won't agree."
"Oh?"
Although he had been declined, he could read between the lines. He said, "You mean if your father agrees, you'll break up with Ning Haotian immediately, no hesitation? What about your love?"
"I've only seen him a few times," said Crimson Moon.
"But you defended him so strongly last time."
"He's my fiancée. He has gained the recognition of the royal family. No matter whether I'm his fiancée or a princess, I have to defend him!"
Jiang Chen felt like he knew the princess better.
"There is no room for discussion then. Why should I help the fiancée of my enemy?" said Jiang Chen.
Crimson Moon had no answer for his question, but she really wanted his method.
If this was true, she wouldn't have to hold down her state anymore. She would be able to break through to the Reaching Heaven State and complete the development of her extraordinary meridians rapidly by also taking advantage of the benefits of a Reaching Heaven State.
His method would work better than any magical panacea.
"What else do you want?" said Crimson Moon.
"I don't want to do business with you. You have to offer me something that could intrigue me, Your Highness," Jiang Chen said, using her title sarcastically.
Crimson Moon frowned, thinking hard. It looked like she had finally made a decision after a good while. She said, "I have a treasure map. We can go treasure hunting together after I become a Reaching Heaven State."
"A treasure map? That's the best way to get something for nothing. I didn't expect Your Highness to use this trick," Jiang Chen smiled disdainfully.
"I swear in the name of my identity as a princess. I'm not trying to cheat you," Crimson Moon was agitated.
"Okay. If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me, too. My way only works for those who break through to the Reaching Heaven State with none of their extraordinary meridians developed."
He saw how Crimson Moon's expression changed. He continued, "This means if I'm cheating you, you'll be a Reaching Heaven State without any extraordinary meridians developed."
He told her the situation she had worried about the most. He shrugged his shoulders when he didn't get any response from her.
"Think about it. If you trust me, break through to the Reaching Heaven State, then come talk with me. I can swear in no one's name."
Jiang Chen went back to the box. Ying Wushuang and Yi Qing were still sitting there silently. Neither of them was talkative, so the atmosphere was quite dull.
He didn't care. He sat down beside Ying Wushuang and said, "Anything interesting?"
"No. The chamber of commerce usually keeps the good stuff until they have quite a few of them. Then they'll invite the big groups in the Sacred City to an auction with restricted access," said Ying Wushuang.
She was right. Not even the last auction item was good enough to intrigue Jiang Chen.
Crimson Moon and Yi Qing left right after the auction ended.
Jiang Chen and Ying Wushuang were still waiting in the box.
"Those things you want to buy, what are they for?"
"I can't enter the Soothing Lake, can I? People practice there only to manipulate their halos of heaven freely. I can build practice equipment with better effects, but I'll need most of the things listed on the parchment to refine panaceas and develop my extraordinary meridians."
"You know how to refine panaceas?" Ying Wushuang was very surprised.
"Yeah, a little," said Jiang Chen with a smile.
At this moment, the steward that had received them went into the box with some other staff. He was being very kind, since he was sure that this time, Jiang Chen wouldn't just ask for information, but would buy things.
The chamber of commerce had everything Jiang Chen wanted. The total price was 20 million middle-grade yuan stones.
Most of them were raw materials. After Jiang Chen processed them, the finished products would have a value dozens of times greater, although they were for his own use.
Jiang Chen paid the bill with the Golden Dragon Card without bargaining.
"My respected guest, do you still need the spiritual herbs you asked about last time?"
"Yep, I need them, but didn't you tell me you wouldn't have those for two years?" Jiang Chen asked curiously.
"My guest, I didn't know who you were back then, so the price and the time I told you weren't our best offer. If you still need them, we'll collect all of them in three months for 50 million middle-grade yuan stones."
"Three months? Are you sure?" Jiang Chen was very tempted.
"Fifty million? What are you trying to buy?" Ying Wushuang was shocked by the price.
If the spiritual herbs cost so much, how much would the panaceas refined from them be worth?
The spiritual herbs were only part of the worth of the panaceas. The alchemist's technique was far more important.
An alchemist who could refine panaceas from spiritual herbs worth 50 million had to be a master. Even revered practitioners would need panaceas. The price of the panaceas could be hundreds of times higher than average.
"I'll give you the list," said Jiang Chen resolutely. Even if the Hero Palace disagreed with the purchase, he would buy them.
He would pay anything for the antidote of the Death Warrant Flower.
Ying Wushuang didn't speak. Jiang Chen paid the full amount in her presence.
Although he had bought many things, he still had much of that month's quota left. Ten million upper-grade yuan stones were equivalent to 100 million middle-grade yuan stones.
There's no way the Hero Palace knows about my other abilities. They just don't want me to buy expensive antiques with the scholarship to accumulate my wealth.
One hundred million. If I spend each month's quota by purchasing raw materials, I'll be able to accumulate an astounding wealth by selling whatever I refine.
The dividend of selling the panaceas the Natural Law School gave him wouldn't compare to this at all.
He put the raw materials into the mustardseed ring and returned to the Hero Palace with Ying Wushuang.
The next day, the fight between Jiang Chen and Shui Chun was reported by the Sacred City Daily as the headline. A life-or-death fight between two disciples of the Hero Palace was big news.
Unfortunately, the Hero Palace wasn't open to anyone, so the local people would only learn the outcome from the paper.
Jiang Chen wasn't an unknown name to them. If his rival hadn't been Shui Chun, but an average guy from the Hero Palace, there would be some suspense.
But when they saw his opponent was Shui Chun, they couldn't help feel pity for him.
People on the Fighting Power List were the best of the best of the Hero Palace!
