<b>Chapter 1299: Old Zhu</b>
In recent days, Li Qiye was preeminent among the humans. Many even thought that he had the highest chance of becoming an Immortal Emperor for his race. The humans here had high hopes for him.
Bao Yujiang wanted to earn Li Qiye's favor. Although he said he wanted to introduce Li Qiye to his grandmaster, this was only to attract him so that he might join his own ranks.
In his eyes, his grandmaster would certainly become an Immortal Emperor. As his granddisciple, he was qualified to lead a legion. If he could have someone as strong as Li Qiye as his underling, it would increase his power and status later on.
Li Qiye only maintained his smile and continued to drink his ghostblood wine.
Yujiang felt disrespected at Li Qiye's lack of response. Even though he wasn't considered a genius, his backing was quite immense and allowed him to do whatever he pleased regardless of the location. But now, this public lack of sensibility from Li Qiye left him in a tough spot, worsening his mood.
Even though he didn't retaliate, he scowled with an angry expression.
“Well, this can be considered a missed opportunity. How unfortunate, it will be prohibitively difficult to get the same chance in the future.” Mu Shaolong shook his head when he saw Li Qiye's lack of consideration. Of course, he wouldn't interfere with Bao Yujiang's matter.
“Brother Bao, you should come to the Jade Sea some time, I'll be your guide.” After noticing that Yujiang was recruiting, a smart youth immediately tried to please him.
“Virtuous Nephew, the doors to our Sacredheart Gate will always be open to you.” Even an old paragon withdrew his strong display in order to earn some points.
The young ones wanted to become his friends or at least underlings if possible. As for the older generation, it was too much for paragons like them to work under Yujiang. Nevertheless, they were still willing to lower their own status in order to befriend him.
Meng Zhentian was coming into being in this generation. In the eyes of the inhabitants of Heaven Spirit, it was certain that he would become an Immortal Emperor.
True to his name, he was powerful enough. Some even said that one would be hard-pressed to find a worthy foe for him in the entire nine worlds.
For many, it was easier to befriend an emperor before they ascended the throne than try to establish a relationship afterward.
Just having the tiniest relationship with an emperor or becoming one of their soldiers was not only a fast way towards success, even their sects would ride their coattails towards glory.
Meanwhile, Li Qiye was only interested in the Lunargrasp Fairy. As for this Meng Zhentian and Bao Yujiang, he didn't place them in his sight at all, so he no longer paid attention to them. Instead, he looked at the time and then outside.
At this time, his food was served. Li Qiye didn't look at it for long before he asked the waiter: “Your old man isn't here today to sell stuff?”
“Sir, are you talking about Old Chu?” The waiter smiled: “The number of visitors has recently skyrocketed. He is usually very punctual, maybe something is holding him up.”
Right after the waiter finished speaking, a clank came from outside the door as a person came in.
The waiter cheerfully told Li Qiye: “Speaking of the devil, Old Chu is here.”
Li Qiye shifted his gaze towards the door. A person with a complete human skeleton was walking in. He wore a wide robe while carrying a big wooden trunk. He himself was just a tiny skeleton. Appearance wise, he wasn't that special.
However, it was rare to see a complete skeleton on Bones Island; it was much rarer than seeing living beings.
Li Qiye's smile widened after seeing this little skeleton.
“Clang, clang, clang!” Old Chu came inside and rang his bell. A hoarse voice came from his chest: “Immemorial secret bones, heaven-seer divine gaze, the hand of an immortal… Everything is on sale!”
The first-timers were very curious when they saw this little merchant. As for those who had been here before, they were very cautious of Old Chu, but they were curious nonetheless.
“Immemorial secret bones, heaven-seer divine gaze, the hand of an immortal?” A regular visitor couldn't help but ask: “Old Chu, are you selling counterfeits?”
“Counterfeits?” Old Chu stared at this cultivator. Despite not having eyes, his attitude was clear. He retorted: “My reputation has been gold-clad for nine reincarnations, I would never sell counterfeits.”
“Hmph, stop with your trickery. Last time, I bought a piece of bone from a Thundervoid Kui, but it was completely useless and almost killed me.” The cultivator snorted.
Old Chu explained with a smile: “Oh, that Thundervoid Kui bone? You didn't buy its blood, this type of bone requires the blood of the beast as well before it is able to divert a thunder tribulation.”
The smile of a skeleton like this was a macabre sight.
“Then why didn't you tell me this when I bought the bone?” The cultivator was quite dissatisfied.
Old Chu asked: “My bad, I didn't have the goods last time, but I thought you knew. Now that I think about it, I just so happen to have some Thundervoid Kui blood, do you want a bottle?”
The old cultivator wanted to vomit blood. He had been swindled by Old Chu once, but he couldn't do anything about it. No one would recklessly attack the skeletons on this island.
“What are the immemorial secret bones?” Mu Shaolong's curiosity was piqued.
Old Chu looked over at Shaolong and somewhat mysteriously spoke: “Can't say, can't say. When you buy it, you will learn its magical effects right away.”
“How much?” Shaolong was from the Celestial Pavilion, so money was not a problem for him.
“My business has but a single rule: I only accept longevity blood, nothing else.” Old Chu shook his head in response.
Some first-timers exchanged glances. Longevity blood was too precious for cultivators, especially the older ones.
“How much? One bottle?” Shaolong was very interested in the bones.
“From you?” Old Chu shook his head again: “Your blood won't do. I need at least one bottle of longevity blood from a supreme Godking for this deal.” [1. Don't know if Supreme is a rank for Godking or just a regular adjective. Leaving it as an adjective for now until the author indicates otherwise.]
“Longevity blood of a Godking?!” Shaolong was startled after hearing this. Despite having deep pockets, he couldn't come up with this type of item.
When one reached the level of Godking, they wouldn't easily extract their own longevity blood.
“What about the hand of an immortal?” Yujiang felt like asking.
Old Chu happily answered: “Not expensive at all, just ten drops of Immortal Emperor Longevity Blood.”
The crowd's expression changed. Ten drops of imperial blood was priceless. Just one drop alone could make a man beyond wealthy. Not even an imperial lineage could necessarily produce ten drops.
Someone who had been here before asked: “Old Chu, why are your goods so expensive this time around?”
Old Chu replied: “The situation has changed. The artifact of immortality has come out and the Bonesea is surging. Recently, I obtained a number of treasures, but in reality, it is everyone's fortune.”
Despite this, this sky-high price was not something that they could afford.
“Give me a box of protection talismans.” While the others were asking if Old Chu had other items, Li Qiye knew exactly what he wanted.
“Coming. Sir, what kind of protection talisman do you want?” Old Chu started to beam after finding a customer. His skeletal expression was incredibly lifelike.
Li Qiye didn't say anything; instead, he put a small bottle on the table. Old Chu took it and shook it next to his ear. His expression turned serious right away. He opened his wooden box and carefully looked inside before taking out an antique box with an old smell. He placed it before Li Qiye and said in a serious manner: “Sir, these are the talismans that you wanted.”
Li Qiye didn't bother checking the contents and casually stored this box away in his robes.
“Old Chu, you still have more talismans?” One of his old customers asked with surprise: “I thought you ran out a while ago?”
Old Chu bragged: “Hehehe, because of the phenomenon going on at the Bonesea right now, I risked my old life to and found a batch of the best talismans. Do you want some?”
A junior asked in response: “What are these protection talismans?”
“It's a talisman for the Bonesea that protects the body from potential attacks.” The cultivator stared at Old Chu, wondering if he should buy some or not.
“Can his talismans actually protect people in the Bonesea?” Many eyes lit up after hearing this. After all, everyone wanted to go to the Bonesea.
A cultivator palpitating from excitement asked: “Give me a box, what's the price?”
Old Chu responded: “One bottle of longevity blood.”
The cultivator hesitated for a moment before taking out his own longevity blood and handing it to Old Chu.
The old man took out a wooden box from the trunk and handed it to him. The cultivator looked at it and asked: “How come mine is different?”
His box was drastically different from Li Qiye's.