Chapter 824: You, Are Back!

"When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Back then, how glorious were the divine realm experts? Yet they vanished into thin air overnight. How can you and I escape the tide of this era?" said Zhong Zizhen.

"Speaking of which, the sudden change of ownership at the Medicine King Hall back then was equally mysterious. Even now, no one can figure out the reason. It seems there are indeed many things in this divine domain that you and I cannot control!" sighed the old man.

Zhong Zizhen's expression shifted slightly, but he could only nod helplessly.

Just then, ripples spread across the space before them, and a pale yellow paper crane pierced through the void, arriving in front of Zhong Zizhen.

The paper crane flapped its wings, as if telling Zhong Zizhen something.

"It seems you have a guest. I'll take my leave now," said the old man.

Zhong Zizhen waved his hand and said, "Stay and enjoy your tea for a while. I'll be right back. After losing so many days in a row, I need to win one back."

With that, Zhong Zizhen took a step and vanished from the spot.

Outside the island, an old man stood with his hands at his sides, looking very respectful.

If outsiders knew, they would be utterly astonished.

This old man was none other than the Grand Elder of Tianyuan Merchant Guild, who had given Ye Yuan the golden token—a powerhouse at the eighth level of the Dao Profound realm!

Yet before the Soul Martial God King, he dared not even breathe loudly.

Suddenly, the space twisted, and a middle-aged man slowly stepped out from the void.

"Li Yao of Tianyuan Merchant Guild pays respects to the Soul Martial God King!" The Grand Elder bowed in salute.

Zhong Zizhen clasped his hands behind his back and said indifferently, "Speak. I've been in a bad mood these past two days. If you don't give me a good reason, don't blame me for going to have a word with Zhuo Yuhai."

Although Zhong Zizhen's alchemy skills were extraordinary, very few people sought him to refine pills.

He had a strange temper and rarely took action. If annoyed, he might even kill people, and without any reason at all.

In the end, not only would the pill not be refined, but one might also lose one's life.

Zhuo Yuhai, whom Zhong Zizhen mentioned, was naturally the general president of Tianyuan Merchant Guild. Li Yao knew that Zhong Zizhen had agreed to meet him mostly out of respect for the general president.

Hearing Zhong Zizhen's words, Li Yao's heart skipped a beat.

Of all times, why did he have to pick this moment when the fiend was in a bad mood?

"Actually, the one who entrusted us, Tianyuan Merchant Guild, to deliver this message is a young master of a ninth-grade sacred land from the White Martial Domain, named Ye Yuan. He said he is an old acquaintance of yours and that if we delivered the message, you would definitely agree to refine pills for him," Li Yao said respectfully.

With these words, Li Yao essentially threw Ye Yuan under the bus.

Facing a powerhouse like the Soul Martial God King, Li Yao had to tread carefully. So his implication was that Tianyuan Merchant Guild was merely passing on a message and had nothing to do with anything else.

If it weren't for the allure of Ye Yuan's two pill formulas and the desire to befriend this future alchemy prodigy, how could Li Yao, as the Grand Elder, have personally come to visit Zhong Zizhen?

Hearing this, Zhong Zizhen frowned again. "Do you think I'm so idle as to be an old acquaintance of a young master from a ninth-grade sacred land? But I am somewhat curious—what benefits did that young master give you to make you come find me in person?"

An extremely dangerous feeling surged from the bottom of his heart. Clearly, Zhong Zizhen was truly angry.

Li Yao's expression changed, and he cursed Ye Yuan inwardly.

He had been bewitched to believe that Ye Yuan had a connection with the Soul Martial God King! When Zhong Zizhen heard Ye Yuan's name, he didn't react at all; instead, he flew into a rage.

However, he had agreed to make this trip out of a sliver of hope.

Ye Yuan's alchemy talent was too monstrous, not on the same level as ordinary young geniuses.

For that reason alone, it was possible that he really did know the Soul Martial God King!

Perhaps Ye Yuan was even Zhong Zizhen's disciple.

But now, it was all bullshit!

The entire Tianyuan Merchant Guild had been screwed over by Ye Yuan.

How could the esteemed Soul Martial God King refine pills for a nobody young master from a ninth-grade sacred land?

Li Yao quickly bowed and said, "Please calm down, sir! He asked me to bring you a message. He said that once you hear it, you will definitely agree to refine pills for him!"

Zhong Zizhen said impatiently, "Get lost. I don't have the patience to listen to your nonsense!"

With that, the space twisted again, and Zhong Zizhen turned to leave.

Li Yao was frantic. If Zhong Zizhen left, Tianyuan Merchant Guild would be caught in a lose-lose situation.

Ye Yuan could casually produce two such incredible pill formulas, so he clearly had many more.

Once Ye Yuan was offended, not only would this deal fall through, but future cooperation would likely be completely off the table.

"Return to hang the grave pines, through ages know his heart! Could that kid be deceiving me?"

In his desperation, Li Yao muttered a few words under his breath. He believed that with the Soul Martial God King's hearing, he would surely catch the words.

If he still didn't react, then Li Yao would have no choice but to leave.

Li Yao was essentially grasping at straws, but to his surprise, as soon as he muttered, Zhong Zizhen's figure froze, and the space returned to normal.

"What did you just say? Say it again!" Zhong Zizhen frowned.

"To answer you, sir, the young man asked me to convey: 'Return to hang the grave pines, through ages know his heart'!" Li Yao quickly said.

Zhong Zizhen's face darkened, and a look of extreme complexity appeared in his eyes.

After a moment of silence, Zhong Zizhen suddenly asked, "Are you sure the person who asked you to deliver this message is a young master of a ninth-grade sacred land?"

Li Yao nodded. "Absolutely certain! However, this young man seems different from ordinary geniuses."

"Oh? How so? Tell me more." Zhong Zizhen's expression had returned to normal, and Li Yao couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Seeing that Zhong Zizhen was asking, Li Yao didn't dare hide anything and gave a rough account of Ye Yuan's situation.

Tianyuan Merchant Guild had been keeping tabs on Ye Yuan's news, so the Grand Elder knew quite a bit.

After listening, Zhong Zizhen suddenly said, "Leave the spirit herbs and you can go!"

Li Yao was startled, still not quite coming to his senses.

Zhong Zizhen's face darkened. "Didn't you hear me?"

Li Yao shuddered and quickly took out a storage ring, tossing it to Zhong Zizhen.

Zhong Zizhen took the storage ring and turned to leave.

"Who exactly is this Ye Yuan, that he actually made the Soul Martial God King agree to refine pills for him? And the Soul Martial God King's refining fees are exorbitant, often several times the value of the pill. This time, he didn't even ask for a price!" Li Yao was shocked.

In Li Yao's impression, Ye Yuan became even more mysterious.

...

Zhong Zizhen's figure reappeared in the pavilion.

"So slow! I never expected you to be so long-winded with someone," said the old man, sipping tea with a smile.

Zhong Zizhen smiled bitterly. "Song Qiuyu, I won't keep you this time. Let's duel another day!"

The old man was slightly surprised but didn't say much. He nodded and left directly.

After the old man left, Zhong Zizhen gazed into the distance, slightly dazed, and said, "You, are back!"