EBE Chapter 430 The Bookworm and the Painter, the Red Pavilion and the Golden Bell
Chapter 430 The Bookworm and the Painter, the Red Pavilion and the Golden Bell
"We are sorry for not welcoming our distinguished guests properly."
The lady in the purple dress smiled and chatted, her eyes crinkling with gentle curves. She was polite yet maintained a perfect distance without appearing distant.
She asked softly, "Would you like me to give you a brief introduction so that you can have a general understanding of this Wanxing Alliance branch?"
"That is exactly what I wish for," Chu Lengyu replied politely in return.
Don't underestimate this guy just because he's a mere artist. The fact that he's guarding the entrance and exit signifies a lot. It shows real skill and connections!
The more she thought about it, the more brilliant the arrangement seemed.
"Honored guest, please follow me." The lady in the purple dress turned slightly to the side and made an inviting gesture, leading Chu Lengyu inside.
As she walked, she said, "As you probably already know, this is the location of the Myriad Star Alliance branch, which connects to all realms and encompasses everything. Whether it is cultivation resources or rare magic treasures, it has everything, just waiting for the destined person to come and find it."
Her tone was calm and natural, as if she were stating a well-known fact.
With a wave of his hand, a traditional Chinese ink painting map appeared before him.
"The first floor is divided into eight areas according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) orientation. In addition to the six main areas that sell cultivation techniques, elixirs, magic weapons, talismans, formations, and miscellaneous items, there are also special trading areas and consignment areas."
At this point, the lady in the purple dress became more serious. She turned her head slightly and asked, "Distinguished guest, you have come with a token and may freely choose one item from the six districts. Do you have a preferred item in mind?"
It was only after hearing this that Chu Lengyu understood why the Myriad Stars Alliance was willing to hold this grand gathering of heroes on Jingu Island and so generously offer rewards.
There is so much information that can be revealed in these transactions.
The Myriad Stars Alliance's move suggests they are intentionally searching for something.
But this had nothing to do with her. She was just an ordinary Foundation Establishment disciple from a second-rate sect, and she would return home after the goods were delivered.
Chu Lengyu did think it over carefully before making her decision.
She looked up and said, "Let's look at the pills first, then the formation. Please lead the way, young lady."
As the most commonly used consumables, the quality and variety of elixirs can often directly reflect the level and foundation of a power.
The formation was another major focus for her.
The array formations on Jingu Island are extraordinary. Chu Lengyu wanted to take this opportunity to speculate on the types of array formations that might exist on the island. This was both for her own safety and out of curiosity about the Dao of array formations.
Upon hearing this, the lady in the purple dress raised a gentle smile, bright and elegant: "This way, esteemed guest."
As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Lengyu felt the scene before her suddenly change.
The empty hall in front was instantly replaced by rows of pill shelves, which were filled with all kinds of pills and emitted a faint medicinal fragrance.
Scattered guests wandered among them, some pausing to gaze, others conversing in hushed tones, while various elegantly painted ladies accompanied them, offering guidance and introductions.
Chu Lengyu couldn't help but feel a little surprised. She wanted to look down at her feet to see if there were any hidden mechanisms or passages, but she ultimately resisted the urge.
She was completely unaware of this instantaneous shift; in the blink of an eye, her position had changed.
The lady in the purple dress seemed to see through Chu Lengyu's doubts.
She spoke first, her voice gentle, "Honorable guest, the divination method on the first floor is only for teleportation and has no binding methods. The Myriad Star Alliance has always treated people with sincerity and would never harm any guest."
Upon hearing this, Chu Lengyu simply smiled faintly, ignoring the words.
Even so, she had to admit that the methods of the Myriad Star Alliance were truly astonishing.
The lady in the purple dress smiled gently, reached out and pushed a jade slip steadily in front of Chu Lengyu.
"This is a list of medicinal pills. If you have any that you wish to obtain, please inform me and I will fetch them for you immediately."
Chu Lengyu nodded slightly, took the jade slip, and then focused her mind to study it carefully.
The jade slip contained a wide variety of elixirs, a dazzling array that was hard to look away from.
From basic pills to third-tier pills, there are nearly ten thousand names and descriptions of pills, as numerous as the stars in the sky.
She browsed slowly, and found everything here, from proper cultivation pills and healing pills to less common poison pills and even those with severe side effects.
Even rare elixirs like the Five Elements Pill and the Ascension Pill are just ordinary goods here, casually displayed and available for anyone to choose from.
Chu Lengyu's gaze lingered on the third-tier Five Elements Pill for a moment, taking note of its price.
She thought of Nangong Xue, who was studying alchemy day and night in the alchemy room. Chu Lengyu had long seen what she was working on, and she even had a high-grade third-level Five Elements Pill in her own hands, but she was just struggling to find a suitable opportunity to make it appear.
But now, with the Wanxingmeng channel, this matter seems to have become much simpler.
Chu Lengyu made a mental note of this matter and planned to find a suitable opportunity to tell Nangong Xue about it, so that she would no longer have to put in so much effort to study it.
Chu Lengyu felt more and more that the Myriad Star Alliance was unfathomable.
This terror did not stem from the luxurious and grand scenery of Jingu Island, but from the seemingly ordinary list of elixirs in his hand.
At this moment, she was in a corner on the first floor, her gaze sweeping over the dazzling array of pills, but a chill involuntarily rose in her heart.
This vermilion building has eighteen floors, and the Golden Island in front of us is just a branch that the Myriad Star Alliance built over several years.
When there are enough interconnected worlds, no matter what difficulties we encounter, we can always find a solution within a vast array of possibilities.
Therefore, she was filled with awe for the unknown in the starry sea.
There must be many great horrors hidden there that she is unaware of, something even more terrifying than the eleventh plague god.
She suddenly looked up at the lady in the purple dress and asked, "How do I get to the second floor?"
A complex expression flashed across the woman in the purple dress's face at this question.
She wasn't surprised that anyone would ask such a question, because at least half of the guests who entered the first floor would curiously inquire about how to get upstairs.
However, she was surprised by the tone of the girl's question, as if she was already certain that the way to "go upstairs" was not the usual way.
The lady in the purple dress straightened her posture slightly and replied, "Your Excellency is quite perceptive. To be honest, the first floor is actually a separate little world, and there is no 'staircase' leading to the second floor."
Chu Lengyu then revealed a surprised expression.
"If distinguished guests wish to ascend to the second floor, there are three common pathways," the lady in the purple dress continued. "The first is to reach the Nascent Soul realm in one's own cultivation, or to be personally led by a Nascent Soul cultivator; the second is to spend more than 50 million spirit stones on the first floor; and the third is to possess a special status recognized by the building."
Chu Lengyu listened quietly, wondering if the second floor was another independent little world.
But then she shook her head, dismissing the idea.
The forces of space are mutually exclusive, making it virtually impossible to fit another independent small world into such a confined space.
The lady in the purple dress hesitated slightly, paused, and then said, "However, there is now a fourth way, which is to win ten victories in the Heroes' Tournament. The reward for these ten victories can be chosen on the second floor."
Upon hearing this, Chu Lengyu was greatly surprised.
Is it really that hard to get ten wins? And there are rewards for tier four and above?
She voiced her doubts directly, and the lady in the purple dress chuckled and replied, "How difficult it is, I have no idea. However, the Master once said that the Vice Master of the Thousand Mist Sect is quite a remarkable person."
Chu Lengyu's heart stirred, recalling that on the way here, the elder of the Hundred Swords Pavilion had mentioned that the deputy sect leader of the Thousand Mist Sect was surnamed Wei.
She had long understood that this so-called "Heroes Gathering" was clearly a scheme orchestrated by the Qianlan Sect itself, with outsiders merely serving as pawns. After all, without comparison, how could the excellence of the Qianlan Sect disciples be highlighted?
She recalled how easily she had defeated three incompetent fools, and thought this competition was nothing special, but unexpectedly, she learned this information from the lady in the purple dress.
It seems that the Wei family is determined to obtain the invitation. If they win too many consecutive games, they will inevitably attract suppression from the Qianlan Sect, led by the Wei family.
Chu Lengyu frowned slightly, then relaxed and said with a smile, "I see. The four methods you mentioned are all out of my reach."
The lady in the purple dress nodded slightly upon hearing this.
In her eyes, this girl in the early stage of Foundation Establishment clearly came from the second-rate sect Hundred Swords Pavilion, judging from her clothes.
Although she managed to win three games by sheer luck, standing out at this gathering of heroes could be fatal.
Presumably, some people have already started to take notice of her. Knowing when to quit while you're ahead is the best course of action.
As for outsiders hoping to achieve five, eight, or even the legendary ten wins, that is undoubtedly a pipe dream.
Just as Chu Lengyu put down the jade slip in her hand, intending to go to the array area to investigate, a clear bell suddenly rang out, breaking the surrounding tranquility.
Chu Lengyu noticed that the woman in the purple dress's expression changed instantly.
The golden bell hanging outside the vermilion pavilion swayed gently in the breeze, emitting a clear and melodious tinkling sound.
The moment the bell rang, the people discussing matters in the upstairs private room stopped talking and fell into an eerie silence.
Inside the private room, only two people sat around an antique square table.
These two individuals possessed extraordinary bearing, exuding the authority and composure of those in positions of power in every gesture.
Even Wei Wuxin, the little princess of the Wei family, could only stand obediently to the side at this moment, serving like a maid.
As the bell rang, the two people at the table stared at each other simultaneously.
Wei Wuxin recalled the special meaning behind the bell and couldn't help but cast a surprised and suspicious gaze at his uncle, Wei Zi, who was also the vice sect leader of the Qianlan Sect.
"My visit today is top secret." Wei Zi's eyes burned with anger, as if he might explode at any moment. He stared intently at the person opposite him and said, word by word, "Master Tang, do you have an explanation?"
The person sitting opposite him was the person in charge of the Wanxing Alliance branch, the one surnamed Tang.
Unlike Weiz's anger, Master Tang remained calm and composed.
He took a sip of the fragrant tea on the table and said leisurely, "The information was definitely not leaked from me, Tang. Vice Sect Leader Wei should also know this. If it were really leaked, how could the bell only ring once and then stop abruptly?"
Tang, the sect leader, chuckled, his tone extremely confident: "In the entire Minghai Realm, what could possibly be even a fraction as precious as it? Vice Sect Leader Wei, wouldn't you agree?"
But Weiz kept his eyes fixed on Master Tang, his hawk-like eyes seeming to see right through him.
Seeing that Master Tang remained calm and fearless, Wei Zi slowly suppressed his anger and indifferently ordered, "Wuxin, go outside and take a look. If you find any suspicious people, execute them first and report later. Show no mercy."
"Yes, Uncle." Upon hearing this, Wei Wuxin immediately responded and left the room, but he was secretly surprised by the unprecedented solemnity on his uncle's face.
She wore an exquisite jade pendant at her waist, which allowed her to move freely within the vermilion tower. With a flick of her wrist, she would be randomly teleported outside the tower.
The Zhu Lou is the territory of Tang, the leader of the Wanxing Alliance. Since the bell has rung, the investigation inside must have already begun, so there's no need for her to waste her energy.
The area outside the building is where the Thousand Mist Sect truly resides.
As soon as Wei Wuxin appeared, several figures flew over and surrounded her, acting as her protectors.
She said solemnly, "The bell has rung. A demon spy has infiltrated Jingu Island. Send someone to inform the elders to be on guard. If anything happens, you will all be held accountable."
"Yes, my lord."
Her gaze swept downwards and she happened to see a young girl walking out from under the plaque that read "Wealth Comes from All Directions".
Clearly, it was another outsider who had managed to secure three consecutive victories by sheer luck.
His subordinate hurriedly relayed the details via telepathy.
After listening, Wei Wuxin sneered, "So it's the Yang family. Such trash dares to beg the Qianlan Sect to take them in. That idiot from the Meng family accepts anyone who comes, truly ruining their reputation!"
His subordinates remained silent.
A year ago, Tianhuo Island was destroyed. Although it was not under the jurisdiction of Qianlan Sect, it still shocked the sect.
A year has passed and all is calm, finally I can relax.
Although the Yang family of Tianhuo Island was destroyed, they still have relatives by marriage and disciples who have been traveling around for the past year.
The participation of Yang Can and his group in the Heroes' Gathering was a form of pledge of allegiance.
But he actually lost to a naive young girl.
Fearing something might happen inside the building and that she would be locked up and not allowed to leave, Chu Lengyu had no time to choose. She hurriedly grabbed a bottle of high-quality pills and left the towering building.
When she returned to the edge of ring number eighteen, she discovered that someone was already waiting on the stage.
The challenger was none other than the merman boy they had met before.
The elders of the Hundred Swords Pavilion had already arrived at the arena and were waiting to the side.
Upon seeing Chu Lengyu return, he immediately criticized her with a cold face: "Who allowed you to go on stage to fight? What kind of behavior is this! This is an important matter that cannot be delayed. Come here at once."
In reality, he was nervously transmitting his voice: "There are demons here, let's leave quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Lengyu abruptly raised her head.
She recalled the vague sensations she had when she first arrived on the island.
There is currently only one type of demon in this world that can cause her to waver.
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As an aside: I first chose the name Wei Wuxin, and then Wei Zi. Zi means compassionate but without heart.