Chapter 167

Chapter 167: Heavenly Price

Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Ye Xu and Lin Qianmo took their seats. Ye Xian’er poured tea for the two.

After a moment, Lin Qianmo slowly spoke, saying, "Actually, Junior has troubled Senior today, but Junior has made an appointment with the Dao King and the Great Emperors from various realms beforehand."

Ye Xu remained calm and quietly listened to Lin Qianmo’s words.

In fact, from the moment he stepped into Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, he had already perceived the ins and outs of the matter.

It was known to all that the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion was greedy for wealth and profit, a big profiteer, who wanted to use Lin Qianmo’s relationship to discuss the price of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest with Ye Xu.

"These fellows are really cunning," Ye Xu laughed and said.

"Senior, the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest is extremely important. Even from ancient times to the present, no one has ever known its whereabouts. Does Senior know about it?"

Lin Qianmo said solemnly, her eyes carrying a trace of doubt.

It was not that she distrusted Ye Xu, but the legend of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest was truly too mysterious, making one have to be cautious.

Know that this universe had already experienced six great eras.

Primal Chaos (Chaos), Era of Primordial Beings, Nether Antiquity, Distant Past, Remote Antiquity, and Ancient Times.

Now was the seventh era.

The birth of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest dated back to the Era of Primordial Beings, and it had never been exposed to the world’s eyes; its value was unimaginable.

"Just let them come over."

Ye Xu looked at Lin Qianmo, laughed, and said, "I have said, there is nothing in this world that I do not know."

"What about the price?"

Lin Qianmo was about to speak but hesitated.

"Face, of course, I will give it to you."

Ye Xu smiled and said, "But if I don’t rip these fellows off a bit, that would really disappoint their sincerity."

"…"

Lin Qianmo was at a loss; it seemed Senior still intended to demand an exorbitant price.

"Don’t worry, I’ll make them willingly pay the money and at the same time be extremely grateful to you."

Ye Xu said lightly, knowing Lin Qianmo’s thoughts, he had planned this long ago.

"Yes."

Lin Qianmo could only brace herself and sent a message to the Dao King and others.

Outside Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, there was a splendid tavern.

The Dao King sat alone by the window, pouring and drinking for himself; gazing at his back, it was full of loneliness and aloofness.

The Great Emperors from various realms gathered together, waiting for Lin Qianmo’s news.

"There is news."

Suddenly, the communication spirit stone of Mystic Law Sect’s Great Emperor lit up, there was a surge of magical energy, and Lin Qianmo’s voice came from it.

"The matter has been settled. Senior has agreed to give me face. Dear friends, come quickly."

"Succeeded?"

A Great Emperor was overjoyed.

"Don’t be happy too soon; the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is not an easy-to-deal-with old undying," solemnly said the Empress of the Holy Mother Palace.

"Go."

Dao King wasted no words; as the sound came, he had already vanished.

The crowd immediately followed after.

When they arrived at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion again, Dao King’s footsteps paused slightly, as if he remembered something, and his brows slightly furrowed.

This was his second time entering Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Why do I feel like I’m entering a terrifyingly dangerous place?" a Great Emperor said mischievously.

Although it was a joke, his words made everyone fall silent.

The stronger their cultivation, the more they could feel the terror of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Everyone, please enter."

Lin Qianmo walked over and led everyone into Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Inside Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, it was empty except for one stool.

"Qianmo, you sit down first," Ye Xu’s voice came.

Lin Qianmo’s gaze stirred slightly. There was only one stool; once she sat down, Dao King and the others would have to stand. But Ye Xu specifically had her sit down, clearly aiming to humble the emperors’ pride.

"Thank you, Senior," said Lin Qianmo.

Lin Qianmo calmly sat down.

Seeing this scene, the emperors all frowned tightly, and anger surfaced in many of their eyes.

Regardless of their sects behind them, just based on their strength, wherever they went, they could receive the respect they deserved.

Only Heaven’s Secret Pavilion completely ignored them.

The most excessive part was that Lin Qianmo, a quasi-emperor whose cultivation was inferior to theirs, could sit at the same level as the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Master, guests coming to your door; must we really stand to do business with you?" the Great Emperor of Empress Nuwa Palace said with ice-cold eyes, instantly causing the temperature in Heaven’s Secret Pavilion to drop sharply.

Empress Nuwa Palace was the descendant of Empress Nuwa. Though not a direct bloodline, they were still of divine and demon heritage. She had never endured such humiliation.

"Dao King, you are an old customer, you can explain to them why I treat you this way," Ye Xu fixed his gaze on Dao King.

"The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion knows everything. All of your thoughts were fully pierced through by the master the instant you stepped into Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. As for what is in your hearts, only the master knows," Dao King said flatly.

…

Mystic Law Sect’s Great Emperor and the others felt a chill in their hearts.

Why hadn’t anyone informed them in advance that the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion could see through thoughts?

Therefore, didn’t all their plans to take advantage get fully exposed before Ye Xu’s eyes?

"Very well put."

At once, a stool appeared beneath Dao King by Ye Xu’s will. "Dao King, have a seat. Xian’er, pour our Daoist friend Dao King a cup of tea."

This scene resembled a child being rewarded by the teacher for a correct answer.

Though clearly aware Ye Xu intended to humiliate him, Dao King sat down nonetheless.

"Master, even with heaven-defying courage, none of us would dare take advantage of you," said the Mystic Law Sect’s Great Emperor, his face tense and deeply agitated.

The Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest matter had been personally ordered by his sect master. If it got botched, his fate would be predictable.

"No matter."

Ye Xu smiled warmly, unconcerned. "Sending Lin Qianmo to discuss this with me was a shrewd move indeed."

"In consideration of Lin Qianmo’s face, I shall grant you a twenty percent discount."

Hearing this, the group rejoiced. Only Dao King remained silent beside them, his expression immovable and frosty as ice.

"Whether this is really a discount or a fleecing depends solely on him…"

Dao King thought. Yet he dismissed the notion instantly.

Ye Xu glanced at him but saw no need to press him further. After all, this was indeed his game. He controlled both the initiative and pricing—nobody would ever know the true cost.

"We owe much to Miss Lin…"

The emperors gazed at Lin Qianmo with noticeably softened expressions. Ye Xu’s words had made it clear: the credit lay solely with her.

"It appears bringing her into our group wasn’t unnecessary after all," the Mystic Law Sect’s Great Emperor said, visibly pleased.

"Master," Dao King spoke up, silencing the others instantly, "since terms are settled, what price must we pay for the intelligence on the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest?"

Heaven’s Secret Pavilion fell utterly silent.

"We’ve settled only on the discount," Ye Xu eyed him sidelong. "The actual cost depends on what specific intelligence you seek."

"After all, if you desire all information concerning the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest, the price would be astronomical."

"By my estimation, even if every sect depleted their entire fortunes, affording it would remain near impossible."

Ye Xu had already checked: obtaining all intelligence on the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest demanded three hundred million heavenly secrets points. An utterly stupefying sum—Ye Xu himself had been profoundly shocked upon first learning it.

To put it in perspective, his own Creation Heart Sutra cultivation method cost only one hundred million heavenly secrets points. Three hundred million for the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest? Sheer extortion.

"How much exactly?"

The Great Emperor of Yama Court, refusing to yield, pushed on bitterly.

"Selling your entire Yama Court territory wouldn’t come remotely close."

An Emperor Venerable’s magical treasure typically ran between four to five hundred thousand heavenly secrets points.

One immortal artifact, however, hovered around ten million.

Thus, they would require over thirty immortal artifacts. How many factions in the Lower Realm even possessed an immortal artifact, let alone thirty?

Crucially, even acquiring all the intelligence guaranteed nothing. Information wasn’t omnipotent.

These words extinguished every spark of hope among the emperors.

"Naturally," smiled Ye Xu amiably, "you could acquire one-seventh of the intelligence—my personal recommendation."

Having already spent over a million heavenly secrets points, he possessed the foundational knowledge. He knew the most fundamental aspects of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest.

"One-seventh?"

Dao King’s brows stirred faintly. "Master, what does that imply?"

"Could it be… the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest is divided into seven locations?"