C13 Refuse

Immortal Sword Jiulong was taken aback.

So was Wang Yipao, even more so.

"I think it's feasible. With Yipao's capabilities, he's only a bit behind right now. If he catches up with his training, he'll be on par with any pro player," Immortal Sword Jiulong declared with conviction.

Wang Yipao pondered for a mere three seconds.

Yes, just three seconds before he delivered his verdict.

"I'm not going."

"Why?" Both were puzzled.

Wang Yipao just shrugged, offering no explanation.

His rise was largely due to two other special accounts he managed, a detail he wasn't about to reveal to anyone.

Seeing Wang Yipao's reluctance to elaborate, they didn't press the issue further.

"By the way, now that Yipao has taken up alchemy as a side gig, Divine Wind must be kicking themselves," Immortal Sword Jiulong mused as he assisted Wang Yipao with leveling up, intent on forging a strong alliance.

He had it on good authority that Divine Wind had indeed cut ties with Wang Yipao.

Knowing this, Immortal Sword Jiulong was all the more eager to win over the alchemist.

If not this time, there would always be another opportunity.

For now, he focused on building rapport.

Immortal Sword Jiulong wasn't one to easily throw in the towel.

"Plenty have regrets. Just recently, I snagged a magical treasure from one of their own," Wang Yipao casually mentioned as he leveled up and crafted pills with ease, even yawning in the process. That's the perk of being in a club—having someone weaken monsters for you to finish off.

And this time, it was on the house.

Wang Yipao was more than happy to reap the benefits.

"Haha, they must be really—holy smokes, a magical treasure!" Immortal Sword Jiulong's eyes bulged.

Magic treasures were rare in Immortal Sword.

Yet, this guy had the audacity to loot one from Divine Wind.

His swift retribution after leaving Divine Wind was unmatched!

He even whipped out a magic treasure. Dude, did you put a BUFF on your luck or what?

"Let's not even mention that I've advanced to the Qi Refining Stage and joined the Small Sword Sect. That's their biggest regret," Wang Yipao said with a nonchalant air.

"The Small Sword Sect... Yipao, you've really outdone yourself. I heard no one has completed their mission yet. Their cultivation techniques must be pretty impressive, huh?"

"Exactly. Currently, I'm the sole disciple there. Managed to snag a Profound Level cultivation technique, although it's just a fragment."

"Profound Level cultivation technique? Man, you're something else... Big bro, my bad, I'm at a loss for words with the way you're showing off! By the way, why didn't you mention you had a Profound Level cultivation technique earlier?" Immortal Sword Jiulong's eyes bulged, his expression a mix of disbelief and despair.

A Profound Level cultivation technique, even a fragment, is still a Profound Level technique!

We haven't even caught a glimpse of one, and you've already got it?

And the Small Sword Sect's perks are that good?

Why does it seem like all the good fortune is piling up on you?

An alchemist side gig, a fragment of a Profound Level technique... are you hiding any other earth-shattering, ghost-weeping secrets?

"Yipao, name your price. How does one get into the Small Sword Sect? And that brown scorpion poison—how can I get my hands on it?" Immortal Sword Jiulong was visibly excited.

He was clearly intrigued and ready to send someone to check out the Small Sword Sect.

"That Profound Level technique is a one-time deal for the first entrant, so forget about it. But if you're serious about sending someone to the Small Sword Sect, there are some high-grade Yellow Level techniques available. They're actually quite decent. Interested?"

"Definitely!"

"What's your offer?"

"How does 20,000 sound?"

20,000 for a piece of information was astronomical.

Especially in the early stages of the game.

Immortal Sword Jiulong had given it a lot of thought and decided he should really get to know Wang Yipao better, hence the hefty price tag.

Maybe someday he could persuade the other party to join Immortal Sword.

For an average Joe, he'd only shell out 5,000 tops.

He was well aware that other factions had Yellow Level high-grade techniques; there was no need to limit his options to the Small Sword Sect.

Sending someone to the Small Sword Sect was simply because it was uncharted territory for them. They wanted to see if they could unlock some new NPCs or something, which meant the value wasn't as high.

"Wow, you're quite the generous one. Alright, here's my map share. It's marked where the brown scorpions are. Those creatures drop brown scorpion poison." Without a formal contract, Wang Yipao freely shared the map.

Clearly, he wasn't concerned about Immortal Sword Jiulong reneging on the deal.

If they did, Wang Yipao would just find an excuse to rightfully claim the Secret Realm key from them.

It was a win-win strategy.

Immortal Sword Shui Jing shot Wang Yipao a fierce look: "You've got some nerve. You were supposed to give 5,000, but you actually took 20,000."

"Nazi, in this world, having a thick skin is the only truth. Everything else is mere illusion," Wang Yipao said with the air of a sage. As soon as the money hit his account, his expression blossomed. "See, I got laid off, no money. Just making a little extra on the side. Who doesn't like a bit of bonus cash?"

The siblings nearby didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This guy could switch faces faster than anyone.

Hold on? What did you just call me?

"You're the Nazi!" Immortal Sword Shui Jing's face flushed with anger, and she nearly took up arms against Wang Yipao.

Three days flew by in no time.

By then, Wang Yipao had indeed reached the level of a Qi Refining alchemy apprentice.

The pills he concocted were in such high demand that the folks from Immortal Sword were practically fighting over them.

"Hey, Yipao, don't you think the yield of your pills is a bit on the low side? There's hardly enough to go around!"

Some were visibly upset at the shortage.

Clearly, they had snagged a few less pills than they should have. These pills were life-savers in the Secret Realm—nobody would ever complain about having too many. Unfortunately, the supply of finished products was limited, and Wang Yipao's Qi Refining alchemy skills had only just improved yesterday. He would have to enter the Secret Realm and refine more pills on the go.

At this point, he was thoroughly seen as the team's pill-dispensing nurse. Yet, Wang Yipao's cultivation had indeed advanced in recent days. He had mastered the fifth level of the Ghost Shadow Mantra and cultivated the Three Swords Skill to the second level, granting him the power of the eighth grade in Qi Refining.

To break through to the Foundation Stage, he'd need a manual with a five-level technique; without it, reaching the Foundation Stage was out of the question. The four from Immortal Sword were all at the peak of Qi Refining, but advancing to the Foundation Stage was no simple feat—it required meeting numerous conditions. The Secret Realm for the Foundation Stage offered them a potential fast track to this breakthrough.

If it weren't for the fact that they weren't the only group eligible for the Secret Realm, Immortal Sword wouldn't dream of giving a slot to Wang Yipao—even with his alchemist status. The stakes were high, as it involved the number of people who could make it to the Foundation Stage. But with competition now in the mix, they had no choice but to partner with Wang Yipao.

With the aid of his pills, they at least stood a slightly better chance of success than other teams.

"You've arrived?"

"Immortal Sword actually brought along someone who hasn't fully mastered Qi Refining?"

"Ha! Really? I've got to see who this is."

"What? You?"

"Yipao?!"