Chapter 203: Chapter 160: Cooperating with Evil Spirits

At this point, the Rabbit Heroine didn’t need to speak any further, leaving all negotiation to the Pharmacist’s Wish, who once held a high position.

After two quarters of verbal sparring, the Pharmacist’s Wish secured the following gains:

Advance withdrawal of next month’s Great Guardian dividends, about 50,000 Spiritual Jade;

Thirty bottles of Blood Replenishing Pills;

Five books of the Wolf Bite Saber Technique produced by the Wolf Cave Secret Realm, modifying the attack module, with the third strike causing a 150% heavy hit;

One Secret Technique Manual: Power Generation.

Among these, the most precious is naturally the Secret Technique Book, which can be resold for a price of three to four hundred thousand, compared to which the others are insignificant extras.

Yan Qing was quite surprised that the monthly dividend of the Great Guardian was only fifty thousand, but this was merely the profit share from Changle City and the Demon Slaying Hall, while the Great Guardian himself distributes the earnings from personally clearing the Wolf Cave Secret Realm.

After all, it’s a poor locale, the Wolf’s Den has nothing but meat, and collecting rent yields only this much money.

Of course, this was not enough. The Pharmacist’s Wish and Prajna argued longest over the distribution of benefits after clearing the front hall:

If any treasure chest or Foundation Establishment inheritance is discovered, and if there are more than three items, they are entitled to choose one, and their choice is second in order; if there are five or more items, they can select two, at second and fifth choice.

Yes, the true goal of the Pharmacist’s Wish was indeed to secure the selection order of treasures and inheritance!

What talk of sharing equally, how could three items be divided at that time? Or five items? If not determined now, Prajna’s group would have far too much room to interpret then!

Normally, once a noticeable landmark in the Secret Realm is cleared, nearby there may appear a treasure chest, and the treasure chests appearing in the Fourth-Turn Secret Realm are practically unimaginable, Secret Technique Books and the like are mundane, even a Foundation Establishment Pill could appear! Even if the inheritance of Si Wuxie isn’t acquired, sharing a Fourth-Turn treasure chest is worth the trip!

One can only imagine how firmly Prajna’s group clung to this condition, even swearing that the treasure chest after breaking through the Central Courtyard would allow them priority selection; they almost broke off negotiations at one point, but the Rabbit Heroine and Pharmacist’s Wish stood completely united, refusing to negotiate if not agreed. After many negotiations, they finally accepted this condition, only reducing the employment fee of three Secret Technique Manuals to one.

Of course, there’s always a possibility they could turn hostile, collaborating with the Three Great Guardians is essentially bargaining with the tiger.

During the process, the Blood Phase repeatedly tried to obstruct, and when Prajna agreed to the Pharmacist’s Wish’s most stringent conditions, the Blood Phase even stormed off in anger. Prajna apologized to the Pharmacist’s Wish, then followed outside to bring the employment fee.

Only three people remained in the conference room, Beiyou approached them across the table, spreading out a blank sheet of paper.

"Do you mind if I draw?"

"I don’t mind."

Beiyou picked up a bowl, placing minerals and various miscellaneous things inside to grind ink, even dipping a fingernail in to taste the ink. He soaked his brush in the bowl filled with pigment, sweeping colors across the paper.

"Blood Phase is a bit too much in his act, right?" He suddenly said, "But he’s naturally impulsive and irritable, just usually hides it well. He seems to be putting on an act, but is actually venting."

Seeing Pharmacist’s Wish’s surprised expression, he smiled, "What? Haven’t you already realized the three of us are friends? Why so astonished."

"...I thought you’d say allies," Pharmacist’s Wish replied slowly, "Friends are luxuries, even outside the mountain."

"Allies are actually friends. If only a few people qualify to stand equal with you, argue with you, trade with you, naturally you’ll become friends. Outsiders lack friends because there are many substitutes: parents, partners, children; but mountain folk aren’t qualified to have such luxuries. Without friends, they have only enemies in sight." Beiyou said softly, "Facing the world alone is too lonely."

Beiyou’s appearance was disheveled, his voice raspy with a rural accent, likely from spending too long at Shu Dao Mountain, causing their accent to differ from the Central Plains, appearing like a reclusive rural artisan. Yet the pride and loneliness in his words immediately recalled his identity.

He’s stood atop Shu Dao Mountain, beneath his throne lay countless corpses, his path more savage than those of the Rabbit Heroine and Pharmacist’s Wish, filled with blood and fire.

"Then that conflict at the village gate was a deliberate act for us to see?" the Rabbit Heroine asked.

"Half and half. You, Female Knight, see clearly that the Blood Phase won’t bend to softness, words with him are wasted effort, he must be woken with a jolt." Beiyou blinked: "Of course, provided you have tools like the Return Order."

"Even if we killed his brother?"

"I’m just friends with him, not his brother. Those who can’t survive, in my eyes, are all the same—parents, wives, children, let alone just a friend’s brother? Things that are too fragile are not worth investing too much emotion in. This flaw of the Blood Phase can never be corrected, which is something I particularly dislike."

Beiyou’s tone was calm, but Pharmacist’s Wish and Yan Qing felt chills down their spines.

Things that are easy to break aren’t worth cherishing. He seems to live in a world full of fragile items that would break with just a touch. Over time, he grew more indifferent to things that might break. Only those equal to himself and unbreakable deserve his special attention.

"Got off track. I actually meant to tell you that there’s a truth to what Prajna said: activating Foundation Establishment heritage is our lifelong wish." Beiyou continued, "The oldest Prajna has been here almost fifteen years, I’ve been here for seven, and I’m already at the Peak of the Third Transformation—no relatives, no home, no country. I seek nothing but Foundation Establishment, and until we find Si Wuxie’s legacy, we won’t rest even in death."

"Why are you specifically telling this to us?" Pharmacist’s Wish asked.

"Because I can see that you’re here for the Foundation Establishment heritage." Beiyou said idly while drawing, "I feel it’s only fair to give you reassurance, that at least everyone can cooperate until we clear the Secret Realm. You also want to use us to activate the heritage, right?"

A word spot on.

Since they couldn’t eliminate the Three Great Guardians, leveraging them to attack the Secret Realm was the only option. Both Pharmacist’s Wish and Yan Qing were actually prepared to turn on them after activating the heritage, especially since betraying these Demonic Messengers wouldn’t weigh on their conscience.

"If you find it too difficult or have no interest in competing, as long as you clear the foyer, you can leave Shu Dao Mountain, and I’ll help to hold back the Blood Phase." Beiyou said, "While the Return Order is good, there’s no need to waste it, right? Besides... not everyone has a Return Order."

"Is this a threat?" Pharmacist’s Wish asked calmly, "But how can we be sure you’ll keep your word?"

"Just by her." Beiyou pointed to the Rabbit Heroine, smiling, "If I break my promise, the Blood Phase will likely be killed by her. I’m not helping you, but helping the Blood Phase."

"Why do you think so?"

Not only was the Rabbit Heroine curious, but Yan Qing was curious too. At that time, he had merely put the Bingzi Pepper Forest in storage, not yet taken it out.

"Your eyes," Beiyou pointed at his own eyes, "Though you’ve shown the Return Order, I’ve never seen shame or displeasure in them, only eternal calm, forever reflecting crimson killing intent. From the start, you’ve never thought of running away... if your weapon didn’t lack Demonic Qi, I’d doubt if you’re one of us."

Pharmacist’s Wish snorted coldly, "My sister loathes evil, how could she be like you?"

Yan Qing thought it was too imaginative to guess someone’s character based on their eyes. He was just playing a simple game, lagging enough to require joystick control, not some fully virtual immersive future game that supports such eye contact feature. As for reflecting crimson killing intent... could they be seeing their own red-highlighted selves in the low-level’s eyes?

Seeing Beiyou put down the brush, the Rabbit Heroine looked down, "You haven’t finished drawing yet."

The canvas hardly looked like a painting at all, just blobs of color scattered around, making it impossible to analyze what he was painting.

"Painting a picture takes a long time. Maybe by the day we overcome Corpse Bone Forest, the painting will be finished." Beiyou said faintly, "Perhaps this will be the last painting I create in Shu Dao Mountain."

Just then, Prajna returned with the agreed payment. The other three in the conference room silently hid the recent exchange and agreed to attempt tackling Corpse Bone Forest tonight.

After Pharmacist’s Wish and Rabbit Heroine left, Prajna looked at Beiyou, "You weren’t taking liberties again, were you?"

"Who knows?" Beiyou walked to the window, gazing at the distant sunset sinking into the mountains and sea.

"I thought they’d be more impulsive given their young age and gender, but each is more astute than the other." Prajna sighed, "Now, what we should worry about is the roots of that little brat. Once we clear the foyer and Central Courtyard, will she call people to snatch it?"

"Unless Foundation Establishment arrives personally, what is there to fear?" Beiyou said, "If even Foundation Establishment plots against us, what chance do we have to survive?"

"...True." Prajna nodded, "As long as Foundation Establishment doesn’t personally intervene, those two alone can’t stir up trouble. After so many years of guarding in vain, it’s finally time to see the results."

Below, respectful greetings suddenly sounded. Beiyou looked down and saw Pharmacist’s Wish and the Rabbit Heroine exiting Demon Slaying Hall. As if sensing his gaze, the Rabbit Heroine suddenly turned to glance at him while bouncing away.

Her face was quite cute, her movements adorable, but Beiyou couldn’t help but feel a chill pass through him... he was right, when he and Prajna blocked the Blood Phase, the young girl’s eyes indeed showed a trace of disappointment.

It was as if some evil spirit was gazing at the world through her eyes, just waiting for a chance to stir up chaos!

(This new cover on the app is indeed somewhat blurry and not very clear, so it’s best to switch back to the old cover. This cover actually comes from the launch event, original image is provided here. By the way, "Pharmacist’s Manual" is half price for the last day, if you haven’t bought it yet, maybe wait until tomorrow for the full price!)