Chapter 149: Mr. Ziyang

"To have the Spirit Returning Bracelet praised so highly by Fairy Gu, its status will surely soar. I thank you most sincerely!" The stall owner stood up and bowed deeply to Gu Yixiang.

Although the Green Feather Studio did not command the same reputation for artifact forging as the Profound Sun Palace, it had produced an anomaly in Gu Yixiang. Her mastery of arrays was widely regarded as the finest among all women in the Profound Gate. Her praise alone was enough to add significant luster to the Spirit Returning Bracelet.

"So it is Master Ziyang. Pardon my lack of recognition! I am not offering empty flattery, but merely speaking the truth. It is simply a pity that a treasure like the Spirit Returning Bracelet must be put up for trade. Yet, if not for dire circumstances, who would willingly part with such an item?" Gu Yixiang tried to soften her tone.

The muscles on Ziyang’s face twitched slightly. "With your discernment, Fairy, how could you not know who the owner of the Spirit Returning Bracelet is? Why bother sparing my feelings? I originally intended to forge a protective artifact to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, but I became obsessed with the craft. I spent over three hundred years scouring for rare treasures to forge this bracelet. Is there anyone in the Profound Gate who does not know of this folly? It is absurd!"

He let out a heavy sigh. "I regret losing myself in mere playthings and squandering my prime years for cultivation. Now, with the Heavenly Tribulation imminent and my cultivation stagnant, I fear this bracelet will be my undoing. I do not mind being the butt of a joke—I only hope this bracelet can be traded for a single Tribulation-Avoiding Pill, to buy myself a hundred years of arduous cultivation..."

By the end, Ziyang looked utterly dejected.

Mentioning a matter of life and death made even Gu Yixiang somber. She lamented, "While the Treasure Exchange Conference does not lack magical items, pills like the Tribulation-Avoiding Pill are rarely seen. If the Pill King were present, perhaps we could find a glimmer of hope."

"Don't even mention the Pill King; his whereabouts are always a mystery. Even if I found him and convinced him to refine the pill for me, where would I find the materials?" Ziyang gave a self-deprecating laugh, his eyes fixed on the bracelet. "My entire fortune is invested in this piece; I have no resources left to exchange for ingredients."

Lin Xiaobao thought to himself: Even if you had the materials, the Pill King might not be able to refine a Tribulation-Avoiding Pill! Old Mo had once mentioned that it was a pill with an incredibly low success rate, which was exactly why it was so difficult to come by in the Profound Gate.

The so-called Tribulation-Avoiding Pill was made from rare herbs. It offered no benefit to one’s cultivation or physical refinement; its sole purpose was to suppress a person’s aura so that the Heavenly Tribulation could not lock onto them. Depending on the grade of the pill, the time bought would vary. However, even the lowest grade of such a pill could delay the tribulation by a hundred years.

Perhaps a century was insufficient compared to the three hundred years Ziyang had wasted, but it at least offered a glimmer of hope—far better than his current resignation to fate.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiaobao couldn't help but think of his master, Lin Tian. Now that he had reached the realm of the Dao Heart, his five-hundred-year cycle for the Heavenly Tribulation had begun its countdown. Seeing Ziyang’s predicament, Lin Xiaobao did not want his master to follow in those footsteps. It seemed he would need to make preparations for his master’s cultivation. A Tribulation-Avoiding Pill was a necessity; though Lin Tian’s talent might make it unnecessary, it was better to be prepared than sorry.

With that thought, he bade farewell to Master Ziyang and began to pay careful attention to any herbs that could boost cultivation or be used to refine the pill.

"Sigh, Master Ziyang was once a man of great renown in the Profound Gate. To see him fall to such a state is truly chilling. The Heavenly Dao is heartless indeed," Gu Yixiang sighed as she walked alongside Lin Xiaobao.

Lin Xiaobao paused, smiling. "Fairy, you have a heart of gold. But I see that Master Ziyang has a robust aura; he is certainly not fated for a short life. You need not worry about him."

In truth, Gu Yixiang’s display was partly genuine concern, but also a test of Lin Xiaobao’s character. Hearing his reply, she felt much more at ease. "It seems you have a kind heart, young man!"

"Don't say that. If he didn't have that bracelet, no one could save him!" Helping others was fine, but for someone unrelated to him, Lin Xiaobao would never offer unconditional aid. He didn't consider himself a villain, but he certainly wasn't a saint, and the title of "benevolent man" was even further from his reach.

"You speak of pills as if you are wealthy and powerful. Why not give me two Tribulation-Avoiding Pills? After all, I did help you on the way here!" Gu Yixiang teased.

"You're ruining your image! You are completely shattering the ethereal, otherworldly persona I had of you. How can I feel safe introducing you to Brother Chen like this?" Lin Xiaobao joked back.

Although they hadn't known each other long, Lin Xiaobao felt no sense of estrangement with her, as if they were old friends. Their conversation felt natural and sincere.

"Who asked you to introduce me?" Gu Yixiang laughed. "Don't try to dodge the question. Do you really have any Tribulation-Avoiding Pills? I can trade with you. Two of my junior sisters are also facing their tribulation soon; while their situation isn't as desperate as Ziyang’s, it is not very optimistic."

"You really need them?" Seeing that she wasn't joking, Lin Xiaobao stopped in his tracks.

"Yes. I came to the conference hoping for a bit of luck," Gu Yixiang said, becoming serious. "But don't worry, I won't let you suffer a loss."

Lin Xiaobao shrugged. "To be honest, I don't have any on me. But I can ask that old geezer Qin Feng. If he has any, I can borrow a few to help out. He shouldn't refuse."

"Alright then!" Gu Yixiang didn't know Lin Xiaobao well and assumed he was just hiding his identity as an alchemist, so she pressed no further.

Seeing her expression, Lin Xiaobao realized her misunderstanding. He transmitted his voice: "Fairy, I am not lying to you. I am truly penniless and have no pills. But even if Qin Feng doesn't have any, I will trade for enough ingredients to refine a batch and give you two. That should suffice, right?"

Seeing his sincerity, Gu Yixiang felt a touch of guilt for her earlier doubt. She smiled, "That's more like it! At least my efforts in caring for you weren't in vain."

"Of course!" Lin Xiaobao smiled as he saw her beam. "I already refined two for that sister-in-law of mine, so I naturally have to refine two for you. I can't play favorites, can I?"

Though he spoke to her with the playful tone of a junior teasing his elder, Gu Yixiang felt no discomfort at all. "Good then. You should go and make sure your Brother Chen doesn't play favorites either!"

Lin Xiaobao hadn't expected the usually gentle and refined Gu Yixiang to have such a bold side. He immediately changed the subject. "Let's go find Qin Feng and see if he has any first!"