Chapter 39 Conflict

Inside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

After Mr. Wu led the group into the main hall, the attendants immediately brought tea and water, serving them with meticulous care. As Lu Jin took his seat with the others, a wave of mental power suddenly radiated outward: he could clearly sense several powerful auras stationed on the upper floors of the pavilion.

Among these formidable presences, one aura was particularly elusive, causing his brow to knit slightly.

Mental power?

As he probed, that elusive aura also spread through the unseen spaces of the hall, eventually clashing silently with his own mental perception! However, this was the Drunken Immortal Pavilion; he knew little of this place, so he immediately retracted his focus and kept his expression as calm as a deep well.

Huh?

The moment he withdrew his mind, an elderly figure sitting cross-legged on the top floor of the pavilion suddenly opened his eyes!

Could a master alchemist have arrived at my pavilion? That mental power was quite strange: it was majestic yet scattered, as if it had never undergone formal training, yet it seemed to contain a terrifying, destructive potential…

While the elder wondered, his mental power spread out once more. This time, he moved with caution, discarding his previous blatant approach for something more subtle.

Inside the hall, Mr. Wu wore a smile that did not reach his eyes. “May I ask what Heaven-tier medicinal herb Young Master Song is looking for? My Drunken Immortal Pavilion has clearly marked prices: as long as we have the information, we will surely provide it.”

Song Wen spoke immediately: “My father was heavily wounded by the people of Carefree Valley. To treat him, we must find the Heaven-tier spiritual medicine known as Pure Yang Nectar Ginseng. I wonder if you have information on its whereabouts, Mr. Wu?”

“Pure Yang Nectar Ginseng?” Mr. Wu frowned. “That ginseng is classified as a Heaven-tier herb first because of its powerful efficacy, and second because its growth conditions are extremely harsh. Its numbers are incredibly rare!”

“However, Xianwu Island does have news of it. According to our records, the Huangque Pharmacist once obtained a stalk from a crevice in the Solar-Pole Stone on this island.”

“That piece of news is free. I wonder if Young Master Song would like to know the current whereabouts of the Huangque Pharmacist?”

Song Wen knit his brow and said, “Please name your price, sir!”

Mr. Wu nodded. “The Huangque Pharmacist’s tracks are erratic, but my pavilion can lock onto his location. For this intelligence, I will charge you twenty thousand Spirit Stones: consider it a friendly gesture.”

Gulp!

Song Wen’s expression shifted violently at the price; he couldn’t help but swallow hard. “Twenty thousand Spirit Stones? This…”

Mr. Wu’s smile remained fixed. “What? Is Young Master Song dissatisfied with the price? My pavilion does business fairly with both the young and the old. If you are unhappy, we can simply cancel the transaction.”

Song Wen suppressed the fury in his heart. This pavilion wanted twenty thousand just for a piece of information; why didn’t they just become bandits! But his father’s injuries were critical: without that ginseng, his life was in grave danger!

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but look at Long Xiwei, his teeth gritting in rage. It was all because of her! If her valley’s experts hadn’t clashed with his father, they wouldn’t be in this desperate state!

Facing his murderous glare, Long Xiwei simply turned her head away, ignoring him completely.

“No! Mr. Wu, you misunderstand. To find the location of a Heaven-tier herb for twenty thousand stones… my Song family must thank you instead!”

Mr. Wu chuckled. “In that case, we have a deal!”

Hearing their conversation, Long Xiwei and Lu Jin exchanged a look. Lu Jin could see a trace of complexity in her eyes. They had come specifically to find the Huangque Pharmacist, yet they hadn’t expected their enemy to also be seeking the pharmacist for the ginseng.

“And you two, what information do you require?” Mr. Wu turned his gaze toward them.

Long Xiwei looked at Lu Jin but said nothing. Lu Jin understood her meaning: twenty thousand Spirit Stones was not a small sum! In Carefree Valley, her monthly allowance was only a hundred stones. Furthermore, she clearly didn’t believe Lu Jin could produce such a fortune.

Lu Jin smiled and turned to Mr. Wu: “To be honest, I have also come here seeking the Huangque Pharmacist.”

“Oh? That is quite a coincidence!” Mr. Wu smiled. “In that case, the price for you is also twenty thousand Spirit Stones.”

Song Wen’s face twisted. “What? You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!”

Long Xiwei replied coldly: “We came for the pharmacist in the first place. Who said you’re the only ones allowed to look for him?”

Song Wen’s eyes turned icy. He laughed: “Good, good, good! Since you’re looking too, you’d better be careful on the road!”

Long Xiwei glanced at him, said nothing, and then looked at Lu Jin. “Young Master Lu, twenty thousand is too much. Perhaps we should find another way…” She was clearly looking out for him.

“Heh. What? Can’t afford it? If you’re broke, why bother coming to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion?” Song Wen immediately began his mockery. “Long Xiwei, the man you found isn’t much after all. No cultivation, no Spirit Stones. I just don’t understand…”

PA!

Suddenly, the crisp sound of another slap rang out. Song Wen’s already swollen face grew even larger!

“Brat! You’ve insulted our Young Master time and time again. This debt, we will remember it!” the three Song family elders shouted almost in unison. They were furious, but inside this pavilion, they could only restrain themselves!

“Oh? Will you remember it? Being remembered by a bunch of useless trash isn’t exactly something to be proud of,” Lu Jin said indifferently. His words turned their faces the color of pig liver.

“Hitting someone inside my pavilion… brat, do you not know the rules?” Seeing Lu Jin strike someone right in front of him, Mr. Wu’s expression darkened. He still looked like a smiling tiger, but a chilling glint surfaced in his eyes.

“When someone insults me, what else should I do if not hit them?” Lu Jin raised an eyebrow and asked back with a cold laugh.

“This is the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!” Lu Jin’s defiance made Mr. Wu’s tone turn frosty. As he spoke, a powerful aura began to permeate the air from his body!

In his eyes, Lu Jin not only disrespected the pavilion but was also likely unable to pay the twenty thousand stones. Since he wasn’t a friend and couldn’t be a customer, there was no need to show him any face.

“Hmph. Brat, you truly don’t know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth! To dare offend Mr. Wu of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion is simply seeking death!” Seeing Mr. Wu’s attitude, Song Wen and his group were filled with malicious glee.

“Mr. Wu, this brat clearly holds no regard for your pavilion. Unlike us, no matter how much humiliation we face, we endure it. Our hearts are with you and the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!” This flattery made Mr. Wu feel quite comfortable. He gave a cold laugh and looked at Lu Jin.

“Since you are not buying information, please pay a fine of five thousand Spirit Stones. You have broken the pavilion’s rules, and the fine is clearly marked: no one is cheated.”

Hearing this, Long Xiwei couldn’t take it anymore. Her previous wariness vanished in an instant! “Five thousand stones? Why don’t you just become a bandit!”

“They were the ones who provoked us first. Mr. Wu, you were here in person; you must distinguish right from wrong! The reputation of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion cannot be ruined in your hands!”

These words made Mr. Wu’s expression turn even colder. He looked down on her with a raised eyebrow: “Are you teaching me how to do my job?”

“If you do not hand over five thousand Spirit Stones today, do not even think about stepping out of this pavilion!”