Heavenly Jewel Change

“I hope that you will never let this Immortal Deity Technique fall in any other’s hands, especially the Heavenly Demon Sect. Of course, that is just in terms of sales or gifting, if you take a disciple of your own in the future, that is not part of the restriction.”

Zhou Weiqing was momentarily puzzled, but after a moment of thought, he instantly understood what Shangguan Tianyang meant.

They must think that my success in cultivating the Immortal Deity Technique comes from my Demonic Change, and fear that if the Heavenly Demon Sect gains this Immortal Deity Technique, they would become insanely strong. No wonder Shangguan Tianyang would give such a request.

If Zhou Weiqing didn’t try to squeeze more gains from such a situation, he would not be Zhou Weiqing. As soon as he understood Shangguan Tianyang’s apprehension, he immediately said with a hesitant, dismayed tone: “Uncle, that’s not part of our original agreement… since it’s an additional request…”

Upon hearing his words, Shangguan Tianyue couldn’t help but cry out angrily: “You little brat, with your useless technique, we’re already being very kind to continue the trade with you, and you’re still trying to con us further?!”

Zhou Weiqing instantly said in a depressed tone: “Future father in law, don’t think that I am taking advantage of you all, on the other hand I have taken a huge loss. Originally, you said that as long as I defeat Shangguan Xue’er, you will marry Bing’er to me. Now, it has turned to me breaking through all thirty Death Acupuncture Points… I would be more than willing to give up all my gains from this trade, and agree to your additional request if you agree to let me bring Bing’er away with me. In comparison with Bing’er, what use do I have for a Legendary Set?”

“You…” Shangguan Tianyue was at a momentary loss for words.

Shangguan Tianyue smiled faintly and said: “So, what do you want then?”

Zhou Weiqing grinned and said: “The Heaven’s Expanse Palace is the greatest of the Great Saint Lands, and has the support of the strongest empire in the whole mainland behind it, naturally it is the most wealthy. I also won’t be too greedy and make things difficult for uncle, how about giving me a few Socketing Scrolls? I won’t ask for much, how about a hundred?”

Shangguan Tianyue almost vomited out a mouth of blood from anger, shouting: “A hundred?! Why don’t you say a thousand?? You think the Socketing Scrolls grow like cabbages?!”

After all, a Socketing Scroll was actually more valuable than any Grandmaster Consolidating Equipment Scroll; although not as expensive to craft as a Zong Stage Consolidating Equipment Scroll, in terms of market value, it was pretty much equal, since it was extremely useful to most. For Zhou Weiqing to ask for a hundred at once, that was definitely an exorbitant, otherworldly price.

Shangguan Tianyang smiled faintly and said: “Ten pieces. Weiqing, being overly greedy can often result in the reverse.”

Instantly, Zhou Weiqing said: “Alright, ten pieces sounds good. Deal!”

These Socketing Scrolls were still of great use to Zhou Weiqing. Long ago, he had used a single Socketing Scroll to add an additional socket on his Overlord Bow, thus allowing him to imbue two Skills when he shot his arrows, greatly improving his versatility in combat. Although the Overlord Bow was ultimately constrained by its grade, and no matter how many Sockets he added to it, it would never reach the same stage as a God Tier Consolidating Equipment, but with Zhou Weiqing’s Alexandrite’s Cat’s Eye and his many Attributes, along with his various powerful highly rated Skills, the more Skills the Overlord Bow could imbue, the greater his combat prowess would be, not to mention his flexibility as well.

Of course, with Zhou Weiqing’s current Heavenly Energy, it was actually still optimum for him to only imbue a single Skill per arrow, lest his Heavenly Energy run out too quickly. However, his Heavenly Energy could only grow from here on.

“Longyin, bring him to the Heavenly Jewel Consolidating Equipment Pavilion.” Shangguan Tianyang waved towards them and gave his instructions quickly. To continue bargaining with this wily young rascal, even he was getting a headache.

This little rascal was so cunning, yet always knowing his limits and not being irritating, always seeming to be able to push to the point to gain the maximum possible. This was definitely not something that anyone could accomplish.

Shangguan Longyin agreed respectfully, and before Zhou Weiqing could react, Shangguan Longyin had brought him along in a teleport once more.

Shangguan Tianyang said: “Second Brother, send someone to inform all of the three Great Saint Lands disciples, especially our own Heaven’s Expanse Palace, and the Passion Valley, that no one is to take action against the Fei Li Battle Team, especially Zhou Weiqing.”

Shangguan Tianyue started momentarily, looking to his big brother curiously.

Shangguan Tianyang said exasperatedly: “Oh just go on ahead, as if you wouldn’t do the same without me telling you? Don’t I know you well enough? Just from your actions just now, I can already tell that you are liking that cunning little son-in-law of yours more and more. Hmph, as if I couldn’t tell from your chiming in with such perfect harmony with him and setting him up.”

Shangguan Tianyue gave an embarrassed grin, and did not speak further, quickly turning and disappearing into a flash of gold light.

…

It was an easy trip to leave the Heaven’s Expanse Palace; once again Zhou Weiqing went through the two teleports with Shangguan Longyin, and they were soon back at the white mist area.

After leaving the Heaven’s Expanse Palace, Shangguan Longyin clapped Zhou Weiqing on the shoulder and said with a faint smile on his face: “Weiqing, do not disappoint the two Palace Masters and their kindness.”

Zhou Weiqing smiled back and said: “No matter what, the Heaven’s Expanse Palace will always be Bing’er’s maiden home…”

Between intelligent people, it was not necessary to speak too much.

Before long, Shangguan Longyin had brought Zhou Weiqing to the Heavenly Jewel Island Consolidating Equipment Pavilion once more. This time, they did not stop at the bottom levels, directly heading to the top level of the Consolidating Equipment Pavilion.

Shangguan Longyin said: “I will get someone to summon your Fei Li Battle Team Leader here; his God Tier Consolidating Equipment Scroll will be much more difficult than your three, after all it needs to be custom designed. Yours should be much easier in comparison, since you already have the designs and we do not lack the materials. In any case, this should all take some time, so I suggest that all of your Fei Li Battle Team members can stay in the Heavenly Jewel Island for this period of time. I will arrange for someone to arrange for their food and lodging. You can stay here in the Consolidating Equipment Pavilion, the Masters have already agreed to allow you to watch and learn as they create your Consolidating Equipment Scrolls.

To a lower level Consolidating Equipment Master, designing and the actual creation of the Scrolls were equally important. However, to the high level Consolidating Equipment Masters, especially at the God Tier Stage, the design was of utmost importance and difficulty.

This was also the reason why the Founder of Zhou Weiqing’s Consolidating Equipment Master sect had been exhausted to death after designing that Legendary Set.

In any case, since Zhou Weiqing had the designs, it would be much easier for the three Consolidating Equipment Scrolls to be created. However, Zhou Weiqing had not told Shangguan Longyin that in creating Scrolls for him, only one was necessary, not ten. This would not only save a great amount of materials, but also a lot of time. The reason he had not mentioned it thus far was firstly, to keep some of his own secrets, and more so to keep something in hand to bargain with the God Tier Consolidating Equipment Masters.

Zhou Weiqing was extremely clear that although these God Tier Consolidating Equipment Masters stayed in the Heavenly Jewel Island, they did not actually belong to the Heaven’s Expanse Palace, and the Heaven’s Expanse Palace did not have much restricting power on them, as they were in more of a collaborative relationship than master / subordinate type relationship. As such, these God Tier Consolidating Equipment Masters had a unique, independent standing in the Heavenly Jewel Island.

…

The Consolidating Equipment Pavilion Fourth Level was very different from the levels below. Here, there was no wide halls and displays, only a single corridor. Along the corridor, there were a total of four doors, simple and without any decorations. In total, there were ten white clad guards of over sixty years of age guarding the doors.

Seeing Shangguan Longyin, the ten guards bowed slightly, but their faces remained impassive.

Among the ten white clad guards, Zhou Weiqing recognized a few of them; the Upper Level Zong Stage Spatial Heavenly Jewel Masters who had been in charge of activating their entry to the Lustre Spatial Realm. That was to say, all of the ten guards here should be nine-Jeweled powerhouses!

Although there shouldn’t be any Heavenly King Stage powerhouses amongst them, but this was after all the Heavenly Jewel Island. Furthermore… ten Upper Level Zong Stage Heavenly Jewel Masters! What kind of terrifying power was that? On the mainland, just ten of them alone could easily invade and take over a city by themselves.

Upper Level Zong Stage, a powerhouse that could rival a Battalion of trained and experienced soldiers. Even though the soldiers might be good at working together, if they did not have any Heavenly Jewel Masters amongst them, an Upper Level Zong Stage Master could still destroy an entire Battalion without much trouble.

Shangguan Longyin turned to the leading white clad guard and asked: “Are the three Masters here?”

The guard nodded, saying: “They are in their individual labs.”

Shangguan Longyin said: “Could I trouble Bro Ji to report to the Masters, tell them that I have brought the previously mentioned designs.”

The white clad guard nodded before turning and entering one of the doors.

From Shangguan Longyin’s attitude towards that guard, Zhou Weiqing could clearly see that his previous guess had been wrong, and that this white clad guard should definitely be of the Heavenly King Stage. In the Heavenly Jewel Master world, power was status, and barring those who had close relations, those of different power would not speak in such equal tones to each other. Indeed… the Heavenly Jewel Island, the Heaven’s Expanse Palace was a place with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. 1

It did not take long, and that Heavenly King Stage guard walked back out, saying: “The three Masters invite Bro Shangguan in.”

“Thank you.” Only then did Shangguan Longyin bring Zhou Weiqing into that same door.

As they entered the door, Zhou Weiqing could see the floor was paved with an unknown type of stone. The stone was glittering and translucent, as if carved from white jade. Upon entering, he could smell a strange scent, as if a mix from countless of different plants.

This was another wide hall, extremely broad, almost five hundred square metres in size. In the dead center of the hall, there was a massive table, almost five metres wide and ten metres long, filled with many different objects. All around the hall were different sorts of treasures, plants and ores, strewn about messily.

Standing around the table stood three people; they seemed to be discussing something, and none of them looked up as Zhou Weiqing and Shangguan Longyin approached.

Shangguan Longyin bowed towards the three respectfully, then whispered to Zhou Weiqing: “Previously, I have already mentioned everything about our deals to the three Masters. You can just hand over your designs to the three Masters. I have already sent someone to bring your Team Leader here as well.”

“Thank you Senior.” Zhou Weiqing had a very favourable impression of Shangguan Longyin, and this thanks of his was truly heartfelt.

Shangguan Longyin retreated silently from the room, while Zhou Weiqing stepped forward slowly. He was extremely curious about the God Tier Consolidating Equipment Masters, and more so, about how they would create the God Tier Consolidating Equipment Scrolls. As compared to the joy of gaining three Legendary Set pieces, Zhou Weiqing was actually more excited about the opportunity to witness and learn from these three God Tier Consolidating Equipment Masters. That was truly the most priceless thing he would gain.