Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Assembly (2) – Robbing a Golden Core Cultivator

The assembly occurred inside a four-story restaurant. Nonetheless, it wasn’t on one of many common flooring the place individuals went to get pleasure from their meals; it was in a basement.

I adopted Solar Liang as he approached the attendant of the institution.

“Octopus head,” Solar Liang whispered.

It was a peculiar factor to say, however the attendant instantly understood the which means.

“For the three of you?” the attendant requested.

Solar Liang merely nodded, patiently ready because the attendant entered the storage room and returned with three wood crates.

Uncertain of what was inside, I adopted Solar Liang’s lead with out questioning. He handed one of many crates to me and one other to Solar Shi.

“These are particular robes and masks that may conceal your cultivation and id,” Solar Liang defined.

The cultivation-hiding facet solely labored for these within the Basis Institution realm and under. Nonetheless, Solar Liang nonetheless obtained a gown for himself, because it got here with a masks that successfully hid his face.

We proceeded to a room on the again and donned the clothes. It consisted of lengthy, darkish robes generally worn by cultivators. The robes had hoods, and the masks coated all the things besides the eyes. The masks have been additionally black.

After donning the suitable apparel for the assembly, the three of us proceeded to a different room the place we encountered a person wearing the identical clothes, ready by the door.

“Token, please,” the person stated in an detached tone.

I had no clue what he meant by “token,” and Solar Shi appeared equally perplexed. Nonetheless, Solar Liang reached into his pocket and retrieved a shiny, golden token. As quickly because the particular person on the door noticed it, he instantly bowed.

“This Junior pays respects to Elder. I apologize for my earlier phrases.”

Clearly, energy and affect commanded respect, and it grew to become evident that Solar Liang was much more enigmatic than I had initially believed.

Following his show of the token, I frightened that I must current certainly one of my very own. Nonetheless, the person stated nothing and, regardless of not extending any apologies to us, handled each me and Solar Shi in a well mannered way.

Undoubtedly, he should have been intimidated by Solar Liang’s energy and affect. Since he had no information of who we have been, it was wiser for him to not provoke us. In any case, we have been each below Solar Liang’s safety.

“Do not shit your pants,” I assumed, glancing on the particular person earlier than getting into.

An expansive tunnel constructed totally of stone lay forward of us. It wasn’t slim sufficient to induce any emotions of discomfort. Actually, it was fairly spacious, probably geared up with a number of different exits in case of any unexpected circumstances.

The lighting was dim, with only some blue torches affixed to the partitions. These torches have been particular, designed to burn for an prolonged interval.

That was the extent of my information about this place. The whole lot else remained a mysterious realm to me, and with every step, quite a few ideas raced by my thoughts. I took solace in the truth that Solar Liang accompanied me, understanding that nobody would dare to impress him.

The tunnel led us to a room with a desk within the center and round twelve chairs. Contained in the room, three individuals already donned the identical apparel as us.

They briefly glanced at me and Solar Liang, unable to discern our faces or cultivation ranges. Nonetheless, Solar Shi attracted extra consideration.

As a baby, he was naturally shorter in stature. The cultivators there probably assumed he was a small-sized grownup, contemplating it extremely inconceivable for a kid to own Basis Institution cultivation.

The gathering was supposed solely for people of that energy realm, but Solar Liang managed to infiltrate me and Solar Shi, because of his affect.

None of us spoke, opting as a substitute to pick three adjoining chairs and take our seats. With every passing minute, extra cultivators entered the room. After thirty minutes, everybody had arrived.

Though the chairs shaped a circle across the desk, one chair stood barely other than the remaining, reserved for the organizer of the gathering.

His face remained hidden, however his voice bore the tone of an aged particular person.

“I recognize all of you for being right here,” he stated, tapping his fingers on the desk. “During this gathering, disregard my cultivation. I pledge that nobody shall bully the weak.”

Did they possess information of his cultivation stage? Solar Liang had talked about a pal attending the assembly. May this be that particular person? It might make sense for the organizer to be one realm above the attendees, guaranteeing security and preserving anonymity for everybody current.

“Effectively, let the trades start!”

“I’ve this three-hundred-year-old White Mushroom I obtained from the highlands of the north. Anybody ?”

“I discovered this mysterious tablet inside an historic web site…”

“An egg from an unknown creature.”

The cultivators started inserting their objects on the desk. Some had particular requests, reminiscent of a Basis Institution tablet, however nobody within the room possessed one or was prepared to commerce for what was supplied.

“It appears Basis drugs are uncommon… I had no concept as a result of the cultivation novels I learn had totally different settings,” I mused.

After some time, it was lastly my flip. All eyes turned in the direction of me, and I needed to endure the burden of their gaze. Reality be instructed, my fingers have been sweating, and a part of me wished to flee. It felt like being trapped in a cage with hungry lions.

“I’ve an historic scroll. It describes a spot, probably a treasure location, however elements of it are written in a language I do not perceive,” I defined, retrieving an previous scroll from my pocket.

All of the cultivators within the room have been intrigued by the point out of treasures, however none have been prepared to commerce with me. I understood their hesitation.

It was only a piece of paper that probably held one thing helpful, however what if it led to nothing? They’d be freely giving their items for a mere fairy story.

Nonetheless, the organizer of the occasion confirmed curiosity.

“Could I see the scroll?” he requested.

I noticed no purpose to refuse, so I handed him the scroll.

The cultivator started studying, and I watched intently for his response. Judging by his expression, the scroll was much more helpful than I had anticipated.

“I can give you three thousand low-grade religious stones. Would that suffice?” he proposed.

For some purpose, my intestine feeling instructed me the person was attempting to deceive me.

“However…”

“No ‘buts.’ That is all I can supply. Take it or depart it. The scroll will stay with me free of charge.”

That struck a nerve! The identical man who claimed he would not enable others to abuse their energy within the assembly was now doing simply that. Anger coursed by my veins, however there was little I may do to cease him.

Simply as I used to be about to reluctantly settle for his pitiful supply, a voice echoed, “Outdated pal, is that this the way you deal with my companions?” n)-o.-V./e/-L-(b(-I(-n

“S-Solar?”

As I had suspected, Solar Liang and the person have been pals, and Solar Liang was not going to let him bully me for some unknown purpose.

“Tremendous. What would you like? This scroll is extra helpful than I anticipated.”

That was my likelihood to show the tables on him!

“5 thousand low-grade religious stones and the most effective alchemy cultivation artwork you possess.”

“Rattling…” the golden core cultivator winced, feeling his pockets bleed.