Chapter 33: One Hundred and Eleven Thousand Gold Coins

Lord Si An spoke, “To obtain the title of Honored Marquis, one must achieve great merit! If you carefully read through the Merit Exchange Codex, you will find that acquiring the title of Honored Marquis requires a staggering two hundred thousand merit points!”

“Is there no other way?” Dongbo Xueying, of course, had already read the codex thoroughly.

But two hundred thousand merit points seemed so distant.

The missions he could currently take were all of the Black Iron rank, granting only ten to a hundred merit points! Even a hundred merit points came at the risk of life and consumed a great deal of time.

A single mission granting a hundred merit points would need to be completed two hundred times to accumulate the required two hundred thousand points!

Even if each mission took just two months… without rest, he could complete only six missions a year, meaning it would take over thirty years to accumulate the required amount! Moreover, the list of Black Iron-ranked missions provided by the Longshan Pavilion was limited—where would he find so many missions that exactly awarded a hundred merit points?

“Is there no other way?” Dongbo Xueying asked urgently.

“There is none,” Lord Si An shook his head. “The title of Honored Marquis cannot be obtained through shortcuts—it can only be earned through great deeds. Even Title-ranked warriors must endure numerous life-and-death trials to accumulate such vast merit. That is why the Honored Marquis is held in such high esteem—because behind the title stands a Title-ranked warrior who has repeatedly risked their life.”

“Hmph.”

Dongbo Xueying closed his eyes.

Father…

Father… what should I do?

How I wish I could storm into the Mo Yang Clan and rescue my father directly! Yet the Mo Yang Clan, as an ancient family with a thousand-year legacy, is filled with powerful experts. That Mo Yang Chenbai alone, wielding his Alchemical Armor, can match a Title-ranked warrior! Not to mention other formidable forces, and even that Pseudo-Transcendent! Though a Pseudo-Transcendent, he could likely kill me with a single strike.

“To obtain two hundred thousand merit points, doing these missions now would be the most foolish choice,” Dongbo Xueying mused. “I have only recently awakened my Ancient Bloodline. My body is continuously growing stronger under the nourishment of Mana, and my Mana is advancing rapidly. My strength is improving significantly every day.”

“At my current state, I can already rival a Starfall-ranked warrior. It won’t be long before I can match a Silver Moon-ranked warrior, even a Title-ranked warrior!” Dongbo Xueying thought to himself.

“At that time, I will obtain the Bronze Token and directly accept Bronze-ranked missions. Those missions grant at least a thousand merit points, and some dangerous ones even ten thousand. Completing just two of those would be enough.” He contemplated.

“Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay chopping wood. Only by enhancing my strength first can I complete missions more efficiently!”

He understood this was the fastest way to accumulate the two hundred thousand merit points.

But…

What about my father?

Would my father survive until that day?

…

The atmosphere in the living room was heavy.

The armrest was reduced to splinters scattered across the floor. Dongbo Xueying sat silently on the chair, while beside him, Lord Si An could only silently sip his tea.

“I cannot rescue my father,” Dongbo Xueying’s voice was hoarse. “But is there any way to ensure his survival?”

“Although Mo Yang Chenbai has sent people to torment him, he has also continuously had Alchemists from the workshop heal him with spells. I believe he won’t allow your father to die,” Lord Si An said.

“Only ‘believe’ he won’t?”

Dongbo Xueying clenched his teeth. “My father’s life must not remain in Mo Yang Chenbai’s hands! Moreover, my father has been doing hard labor for several years already. Mo Yang Chenbai might lose interest in tormenting him at any moment, and when that happens, my father’s life could be in grave danger.”

“I must ensure my father’s survival,” Dongbo Xueying looked at Lord Si An. “With enough gold coins, even Transcendent experts can be hired! I believe in the power of gold.”

Gold had the magical allure to entice countless people.

“Lord Si An, how many gold coins would it take to ensure my father’s safety?” Dongbo Xueying said. If he could throw out ten million gold coins at once, even Transcendent experts might smile and assist in rescuing and protecting his father. Yet obviously, the amount of gold required to hire a Transcendent being… was beyond Dongbo Xueying’s reach.

“Gold coins?” Lord Si An pondered for a moment. “If you, my Lord, have sufficient gold coins, I might have a plan that could work.”

“Please tell me,” Dongbo Xueying urged.

“When I previously helped you investigate your parents’ situation, I discovered that the Alchemical Workshop where your father is held is an extremely important core workshop of the Mo Yang Clan. The head of this workshop is a highly skilled Alchemical Master! His magical prowess is at the Silver Moon level, and his expertise in alchemy is even greater. His status within the Mo Yang Clan surpasses even that of Mo Yang Chen and Mo Yang Chenbai,” Lord Si An explained.

Dongbo Xueying’s eyes lit up. A powerful Alchemical Master… someone every ancient family would revere.

“He controls the entire workshop! Within the workshop, this Alchemical Master’s word is law,” Lord Si An continued. “If he is willing to help your father, it would be effortless for him to ensure your father’s safety, even preventing further torment.”

“Then we must ask him for help,” Dongbo Xueying urged.

“This Alchemical Master has extremely high standards. A small amount of gold might not even impress him,” Lord Si An said. “I believe offering ten thousand gold coins should have a decent chance. If you can provide eleven thousand gold coins… I will personally handle this matter for you. Eleven thousand gold coins—ten thousand to bribe the Alchemical Master, and one thousand as a fee for the Longshan Pavilion personnel involved in this operation.”

“If the attempt fails, the ten thousand gold coins will be returned, but the one thousand won’t,” Lord Si An added.

The Longshan Pavilion’s intelligence network spanned the entire land.

Moreover, the Longshan Pavilion was established not only for surveillance but also to serve the world’s powerful warriors. Such a somewhat shady task wouldn’t be considered a violation.

“Eleven thousand gold coins? Fine.”

Dongbo Xueying flipped his hand, and a thick stack of gold notes appeared. “These are banknotes from the Imperial Bank, totaling eleven thousand!”

Lord Si An was startled.

Goodness!

Eleven thousand gold coins!

He had just pulled them out so easily. Remember, when Bai Yuanzhi sought a disciple and demanded a tuition fee of five thousand gold coins, it was because he would be responsible for the disciple’s entire life. Yet in the end, Dongbo Xueying had only offered the Heart of the Silver Moon beast, not five thousand gold coins! Because accumulating such a vast amount of gold was truly, truly difficult.

Although it seemed quick to earn gold by slaying the Silver Moon Wolf King and the Shadow Leopard…

Even Title-ranked knights wouldn’t risk earning such quick gold… because they might encounter beasts beyond their strength, leading to their deaths! In fact, during his encounter with the Shadow Leopard, Dongbo Xueying had nearly lost his life.

Generally, accumulating such vast amounts of gold required adventurers to take risks in dangerous places or to venture into the Ruin Mountains to fight for their lives.

Without risking one’s life, earning such a vast amount of gold was extremely difficult.

The eleven thousand gold coins Dongbo Xueying presented included over seven thousand coins from selling the Silver Moon Wolf King’s pelt and other valuable materials from the beast, as well as coins he had taken from defeating the Cutlass Alliance! Dongbo Xueying had only about twelve thousand gold coins in total, and he had now spent eleven thousand of them.

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you news within a month. Rest assured, this matter is practically guaranteed. These mages, these Alchemical Masters… they all value gold greatly. Their experiments consume a lot of materials. Ten thousand gold coins to ensure the safety of a worker within the workshop should be feasible,” Lord Si An assured.

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

If it failed, he would simply add more gold!

His victory over the Silver Moon Wolf King had spread far and wide, so merchants had approached him to purchase the wolf’s pelt and other materials. However, although he had already dissected and processed the Shadow Leopard’s corpse, he had not yet sold it.

“Thank you, Lord Si An,” Dongbo Xueying said. “If this matter succeeds, I, Dongbo Xueying, will never forget this favor you’ve done for me.”

“Haha, no worries,” Lord Si An laughed upon hearing Dongbo Xueying’s words. By successfully handling this matter, Dongbo Xueying would surely remember him. At present, Dongbo Xueying’s favor might not mean much, but if he ever became a Title-ranked warrior in the future, it would be a different story.

…

The Longshan Pavilion’s internal network was extensive, and Lord Si An quickly contacted the head of the Longshan Pavilion in Duoyu Prefecture of the Eastern Province. The matter was then handed over to that leader.

Although the Mo Yang Clan held absolute power in Duoyu Prefecture, the Longshan Pavilion remained independent!

The Longshan Pavilion was not a force that ordinary families could influence. For instance, Lord Si An of the Longshan Pavilion in Yishui City could openly call the matriarch of the Si Clan, Si Lianghong, an old witch, without fear of retaliation from the Si Clan, partly due to his own grudges with them.

Of course, the top-tier families, such as the Changfeng Clan—the number one family in Anyang Province—might find even the Longshan Pavilion in other regions unyielding. However, within Anyang Province, the Longshan Pavilion would have to yield.

But neither the Si Clan nor the Mo Yang Clan possessed such power.

…

In the Eastern Province, within Duoyu Prefecture, at the Dongxiang Lake Alchemical Workshop.

Dongxiang Lake was a remarkably beautiful lake, its surface as still as a mirror. Beside the lake stood a massive, fortress-like workshop, enclosed and fortified. At the center of the workshop stood a towering mage tower—the domain of the Alchemical Master Xu Guangqing. Though only a Silver Moon-ranked mage, Xu Guangqing was the greatest alchemist in all of Duoyu Prefecture!

Though other, more powerful families had invited him, the Mo Yang Clan had successfully recruited Xu Guangqing, who even held the status of an “external clan elder” within the clan’s Elder Council.

The reason Xu Guangqing was willing to join the Mo Yang Clan was largely due to his hometown being in Duoyu Prefecture. Otherwise, he might not have joined at all.

“Clang, clang, clang~~” Beside the blazing gears, a middle-aged man, shirtless and drenched in sweat, was exerting himself to push a heavy lever. It was Dongbo Lie. Around him, more workers toiled.

“Work faster!”

“You were once a Sky-tier Knight. Use more strength!” The overseers occasionally cast glances at Dongbo Lie, sometimes lashing out with a whip.

Dongbo Lie had grown thinner.

He remained silent, continuing his labor.

Day and night of grueling, exhausting work, along with occasional punishments and torture, made each day feel endless—like a living nightmare. Yet Dongbo Lie gritted his teeth and endured, for he had not given up hope. He still had yearnings—his wife, his two sons… so many things bound him to life. He must survive.

Even if it meant living like a dog, he would live!

“Master.”

“Master.”

Suddenly, the overseers around him all shuddered, bowing respectfully. The workers nearby were startled.

A black-haired elder in a red robe strolled in leisurely. Everyone stood in reverent silence, for this man was a clan elder and the undisputed master of the entire workshop—the Alchemical Master Xu Guangqing!

“I need some people to assist me in some experiments recently,” Xu Guangqing said casually. “Those who accept my experiments can be exempted from this labor and will earn more wages.”

Everyone held their breath.

An Alchemical Master’s experiment?

The overseers’ faces paled. Who in their right mind would volunteer?

“Are there any prisoners here?” Xu Guangqing frowned when no one volunteered. Some of the workers were regular clan workers with some freedom, but prisoners could be treated however he wished.

“Reporting to the Master, there are over two thousand prisoners here,” the head overseer immediately replied.

“Bring me the list of all prisoners, along with their strength levels. I will choose some for the experiments,” Xu Guangqing ordered.

“Yes, Master.”

The overseer leader respectfully complied.

That very day, twelve unfortunate prisoners were selected to undergo the Master’s experiments, including two Sky-tier Knight prisoners, five Earth-tier Knight prisoners, and five ordinary Knight prisoners! As the other workers watched with pity, the selected prisoners, filled with fear, despair, or numbness, approached the Alchemical Master.

“You, Dongbo Lie? Stay behind,” Xu Guangqing instructed.

The other prisoners left, and Dongbo Lie, clad in tattered clothes, stood nervously.

Xu Guangqing flipped through a scroll, saying casually, “Dongbo Lie, someone has paid ten thousand gold coins to ensure your survival. From today onward, you will serve as my assistant. You won’t need to do the fine work; my apprentices lack the strength for heavy labor, so you will handle that.”

“Assistant?” Dongbo Lie was stunned.

“Just stay here under my protection. No one dares to enter my mage tower,” Xu Guangqing instructed. “You are to remain obediently within the mage tower from now on, not stepping outside. My disciples will assign your tasks. You may go now.”

“Yes, Master,” Dongbo Lie replied, dazed and unable to believe it.

Had this nightmare-like hellish existence truly ended?

Being an experimental assistant was far easier than the grueling labor in the workshop.

“Hmm, the metal ratio seems off?” Xu Guangqing frowned, carefully contemplating the scroll. To him, this was a trivial matter. He was quite willing to accept ten thousand gold coins. Of course, he would not take the money without delivering results, especially since the payment came from the Longshan Pavilion! Accepting money from the Longshan Pavilion meant he must fulfill his duty.

As for Mo Yang Chenbai?

A clan knight relying on Alchemical Armor—Xu Guangqing paid him no heed. He, a master capable of continuously producing numerous treasures, was the true foundation upon which the clan relied.

“It seems I must conduct more experiments. Hmm, the materials are insufficient again. Hmph, those elders in the clan always restrict my material supply,” Xu Guangqing muttered, frowning.