Chapter 1422: Nanxuan Manor
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
The Nanxuan family clan's manor was located south of Scarlet Yang Capital. It was situated on the best spirit mountain in the southern region and spanned a large area. Its size was almost equivalent to a city.
There were tall walls erected around it, and all sorts of rare vegetation could be seen peeking out of the walls, their pleasant fragrance filling the area. In fact, with the Nanxuan family clan's power, it would have been easy to establish a manor in the most flourishing district in the Scarlet Yang continent; however, Nanxuan Jue enjoyed peace and quiet, which was why he chose the mountain to the south.
As there was a spiritual root located under the ground, the spirit energy in the region was extremely rich. The Nanxuan family clan even planted a special herbal garden and augmented it with array formations. In it was all sorts of spiritual vegetation that contended in beauty and fascination. And elsewhere, there was an Earth fire dragon root that was used by Nanxuan Jue for his artifact refinement.
When Yi Yun arrived above the Nanxuan family manor, he swept it with his perception. He marveled at the how rich of a wonderland it was. It was extremely apt for being the base of a manor.
"Who's there? Flying is banned within fifty kilometers of our Nanxuan family clan. Quickly descend!"
Yi Yun did not conceal his aura. His mid-stage Supremacy cultivation level was very eye-catching. From afar, a Nanxuan family clan expert noticed Yi Yun approaching and came forward. He was a slightly plump middle-aged man. Although his cultivation level had reached the Supremacy realm, his foundation appeared rather normal.
"I'm here to purchase a ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit. I have already received permission from Miss Nanxuan Luoyue."
"So it's you. She did mention it."
The middle-aged man was Nanxuan Luoyue's elder cousin, Nanxuan Changyue. He was very protective of his cousin and he was aware of the sale of the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit. Although Nanxuan Luoyue had agreed to it, but he was against the idea. Besides, he could tell that Uncle Lian did not wish to do the sale.
"I'll escort you to the guest hall where you can wait." Nanxuan Changyue's voice sounded a little cold.
Yi Yun did not mind it. He followed Nanxuan Changyue into the guest hall and saw a few spirit boats parked outside as he entered. They looked luxurious, with beautiful interior design. All of them had different emblems, implying that they belonged to different factions. Furthermore, they were no ordinary factions.
When Yi Yun stepped into the guest hall, he saw four people sitting inside. One of them was a beautiful woman with a young girl beside her. Another group was a Daoist-looking middle-aged priest. He had a young Daoist priest with him. Although the young Daoist priest was dressed in plain attire like an ascetic, it did not hide his good looks. He was truly a gentlemanly and handsome youth.
"Junior Sister Caiyun, let me have the weapon that Patriarch Nanxuan is refining. I want to step into the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield next year. With a handy divine weapon, I would get double the results for half the effort. Junior Sister Caiyun, if you are willing to forfeit it, the Divine Emptiness Palace will definitely compensate you handsomely," the middle-aged Daoist priest said with a smile.
However, the corner of the middle-aged beauty's mouth curled upwards and revealed a look of contempt. "What handsome compensation? You want me to let you take a divine weapon refined by Senior Nanxuan on nothing but empty promises? My disciple will naturally be heading to the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield next year as well. If my disciple obtains the divine weapon refined by Senior Nanxuan, she will also undergo a quantum leap in strength. How can I hand over my disciple's opportunity to your disciple? Senior Nanxuan has been doing less refinements in recent years. I know that it was only because Senior Nanxuan obtained a supreme-grade material that he became inspired to refine a weapon in seclusion. I am bent on having that weapon. If you want to compete, be prepared to pay the price!"
The beauty was overbearing and showed no intention of standing down.
The Daoist priest stroked his whisk and said, "In that case, we shall compete fair and square!"
Although they were Daoist priests, they were extremely rich. Besides, they had come fully prepared to contend for the divine weapon.
At that moment, the handsome young man noticed Nanxuan Changyue bring Yi Yun in. He immediately came forward beaming. "Perfected Changyue, might I know when Senior Nanxuan will come out of seclusion?"
Nanxuan Changyue said, "Patriarch has already been in seclusion for more than a month. According to his previous estimates, it shouldn't take more than twenty days or so for him to exit seclusion."
After Nanxuan Changyue said that, he stopped entertaining Yi Yun. There were four people in the hall, each with their own seats. There were also tea and pastry beside each seat. As for Yi Yun, Nanxuan Changyue did not even be bother with him. He did not even offer him a seat, much less tea and pastry.
Instantly, Yi Yun appeared rather out of place. The middle-aged Daoist priest took a glance at Yi Yun and said with a frown, "Perfected Changyue, is this sir here for Senior Nanxuan's new work? We have already been in line for one of Senior Nanxuan's works for years."
He naturally disliked the potential of another competitor. Nanxuan Jue's works were just too popular. Most people had to reserve them years in advance. And the reservation was only the right to purchase. One had to know the price before they knew if they could buy it.
"Patriarch's weapon will naturally not be sold to him," said Nanxuan Changyue nonchalantly, without any inclination to elaborate. It made everyone else in the hall heave a sigh of relief. It was good that he was not a competitor. Furthermore, judging from Nanxuan Changyue's attitude, he clearly did not like Yi Yun. It was unknown, then, why he was there.
At that moment, Yi Yun suddenly asked, "I heard that you were discussing the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield. Were the spots your sects received to enter the ancient battlefield handed out by the White Lunar Divine Empire?"
Yi Yun suddenly posed this question when the original discussion was about weapon refinement. It left the quartet taken aback as the beautiful woman said, "Of course, do you think we just picked it up?"
"In that case, a spot will not be for sale even if a sufficient price is paid?" asked Yi Yun again.
The woman chuckled seductively when she heard that. "A spot is so precious, so how can it be sold to others? Besides, the spot was handed down by the White Lunar Divine Empire, who would dare sell it? Why, don't tell me you plan on heading to the ancient battlefield?"
"I do have such plans." Yi Yun nodded.
The woman gave Yi Yun a look with a faint smile. "For someone your age, a spot isn't easily acquired."
Many people entered the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield every time but in fact, the young elites held the advantage in the ancient battlefield. Based on his disguised look, Yi Yun had a mid-stage cultivation level. He looked like a mortal in his thirties, so he was unlikely to be a young genius. Even if he could head to the ancient battlefield, he seemed unlikely to attain much.
Yi Yun smiled without answering. He had only asked in passing to confirm his guesses. Speaking any further was pointless.
He looked at Nanxuan Changyue and asked, "Perfect Changyue, what's the matter? Has my ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit not been prepared yet?"
He had only come to purchase a herb. He would leave the moment he received it. Furthermore, he was not blind, he could clearly see the reluctance plastered all over Nanxuan Changyue's face. He did not want to sell the herb to him.
If he tried to say the herb really wasn't for sale, Yi Yun would definitely press the issue. After all, he had given them a drop of the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood and had given them some form of payment. Then again, Yi Yun did not know if the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood would have any effect on Nanxuan Luoyue.
Upon seeing Yi Yun rush him, Nanxuan Changyue turned even more unhappy. He didn't even want to sell it in the first place.
"What's the rush? My Nanxuan family clan has numerous treasured herbs. The ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit was collected many years ago. It will take time for us to find it."
Upon hearing Nanxuan Changyue words, Yi Yun pricked up his brows. Was the punk planning on using an excuse to shun him?
"I'm naturally in no rush. However, that ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit was previously arranged by Miss Luoyue to be given to me. Is there a need to take so long to find a strain of herb?"
Upon hearing Yi Yun mention Nanxuan Luoyue, Nanxuan Changyue turned even more displeased. Not only was Yi Yun being ungrateful towards his cousin's promise, he was even using it to threaten him like it was a royal decree!
Before he said a word, the beautiful woman said, "Fellow Daoist, when you seek the help of others, you should be more polite. We have waited years to buy a weapon from Senior Nanxuan and might not even manage to buy it. You are here to buy their treasured possession but yet, you act so oppressively…"
The woman had spoken up, of course, to get into Nanxuan Changyue's good books. In order to express her friendship towards the Nanxuan family clan, she had stepped forward to reprimand Yi Yun.
When the woman said that, a fiery flash suddenly lit up in the guest hall. It was the light from a voice transmission that was for Nanxuan Changyue.
Nanxuan Changyue's expression changed the moment he received the voice transmission talisman.
"Oh? Patriarch?"
Nanxuan Changyue's words stirred the hearts of everyone. Nanxuan Jue had exited seclusion? Nanxuan Changyue had just said that Nanxuan Jue would take another twenty days to exit seclusion. Why was he already out? Had he already refined the supreme-grade material into a peerless divine weapon?
The quartet were feeling puzzled when they heard a series of footsteps coming from outside. Then, they heard Nanxuan Jue's voice with bold undertones.
"Haha, Friend, for you to come from afar, you must have waited long. I'm truly sorry for my lateness and poor hospitality!"
With that said, a white-robed elder of indeterminate age walked into the guest hall beaming. Behind him was the silver-masked elder and an extremely beautiful girl with fair skin that suffused a healthy pink glow. She was none other than Nanxuan Luoyue!
"Patriarch, Uncle Lian. Luoyue, why are you all here…" Nanxuan Changyue was stumped. He was most perplexed about Nanxuan Jue. The divine weapon was only about seventy percent done but he had already exited seclusion. That could decrease the quality of the weapon by one tier.
Nanxuan Jue nodded when he saw Nanxuan Changyue. Although Nanxuan Changyue's talent was ordinary, he handled the miscellaneous family matters diligently.
And at that moment, the beautiful woman and the Daoist priest, as well as their disciples, immediately stood up. They never expected Nanxuan Jue to come personally. One had to know that even when a weapon was done refining, Nanxuan Jue would not necessarily appear to do the trade himself.
The beautiful woman smiled and said, "Patriarch Nanxuan, that's very polite of you. We have not waited for long. Besides, haven't you been refining the weapon in seclusion? It's only normal that you can't extend your hospitality, so how can you be blamed?"
However, the woman never expected that Nanxuan Jue's eyes would just sweep past them. He seemed to pause for a moment of thought before recalling their identities. Then, he said with a faint smile, "Oh, are you here too?"
Uh…
The woman's voice paused instantly. Her beaming smile that looked like a blossoming flower froze as well. She even felt her face burning. She realized that Nanxuan Jue was not talking to her.
But immediately, she continued maintaining her somewhat awkward smile and said, "That's right. We have been waiting for the successful refinement of your divine weapon."
As she said this, her thoughts raced. She recalled Nanxuan Jue's gaze. He was clearly not looking at them but at the middle-aged scholar who had not been welcomed.
Back when she saw Nanxuan Jue's passionate smile, she should have noticed something amiss. When had he ever been so affectionate towards people like them? He was clearly there for the middle-aged scholar. But from the attitude Nanxuan Changyue had, the man did not appear to be an honored guest!
The mood in the guest hall turned awkward once again. When Nanxuan Jue saw Yi Yun standing in a corner, he immediately frowned.
"Changyue, why didn't you offer our guest a seat?"
Nanxuan Changyue was momentarily unable to react. He looked at Yi Yun in a daze and suddenly realized that Nanxuan Jue's words upon entering the hall were meant for Yi Yun.
It was not that he was slow but that his thoughts were revolving around the question of Nanxuan Jue's exiting of seclusion. He had missed the implications of Nanxuan Jue's words.
Now, on second thought, since when had the patriarch been so polite to others? Those that came to seek the patriarch's works were all polite, bringing sizable gifts. And towards these people, Nanxuan Jue would rarely be more than indifferent, much less greet them personally.
This mid-stage Supremacy had actually made Nanxuan Jue welcome him personally with such a polite greeting. It was even possible that… Nanxuan Jue had exited seclusion because of this matter!
To welcome the scholar, he was willing to let the weapon he was refining drop in grade. What was happening…
Nanxuan Changyue was flabbergasted. He even forgot that Nanxuan Jue was reprimanding him.
Noticing Nanxuan Changyue's inaction, Nanxuan Jue's brows knitted tighter. "What are you waiting for?"
"Ah…" Nanxuan Changyue snapped out of his daze. "Oh, okay."
Seeing his patriarch unhappy, Nanxuan Changyue quickly prepared a seat and tea for Yi Yun. He was still feeling baffled about everything that was happening.
"Take out the Ravenjade Shangjing Tea. Why are you so muddleheaded today?" Seeing Nanxuan Changyue offer ordinary tea for guests, Nanxuan Jue said this with greater displeasure. Nanxuan Changyue would typically be able to read the situation so why did he appear so clumsy today?
"Yes, I'll fetch it now." Nanxuan Changyue changed the tea leaves with a bitter face. Nanxuan Jue was a tea lover. The few bags of Ravenjade Shangjing Tea were Nanxuan Jue's prized collection for millennia. Even he rarely drank it. So why would he think to offer such precious tea? Of course, Nanxuan Changyue did not dare say those words aloud.
"Senior Nanxuan, you are too kind. The tea from before is already good enough."
Yi Yun could tell that the ordinary tea was prepared for guests of the Nanxuan family. It was not ordinary either but Nanxuan Jue's standards were too high.
"Haha, this grandnephew of mine lacks sense. Sorry for slighting you, my friend. Please tolerate our lack of hospitality." Nanxuan Jue cupped his fists. Be it the Nanxuan family clan or Nanxuan Jue, Nanxuan Luoyue was was their beloved daughter. Ignoring the benefits the drop of blood had given Nanxuan Luoyue, just Yi Yun's ability to determine her body's condition through a strand of hair was an ability that demanded Nanxuan Jue's respect of Yi Yun.