What Makes Him the Top of the Four Wastes of the Jia Ma Empire

"Old Fama, do you even need to ask? An alchemist whose talent surpasses Gu He's—if we don't forge a good relationship with someone like that, then who is worth forging one with?"

Though Fama's stare made him somewhat uncomfortable, Jia Xing Tian still voiced his thoughts.

Listening to Jia Xing Tian, Fama could not help but laugh. "Hehe, good. As it happens, there's an opportunity to befriend him right now. That's why I came to see you this time."

A bad feeling suddenly rose in Jia Xing Tian's heart. "Old Fama, just say it. What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Hehe, it's simple. That young friend wants to go to Canaan Academy early for further study. With his talent, getting into Canaan Academy won't be a problem. The only thing he lacks is a way to reach Canaan Academy. You understand what I mean, right?"

Jia Xing Tian frowned. "If he wants to go to Canaan Academy, can't he just wait another two years? Canaan Academy recruits once every three years. Since his talent isn't a problem, wouldn't it be enough for him to go then?"

Fama smiled. "But he wants to go during this period. According to him, going to Canaan Academy two years later would no longer mean much to him. That's why I came looking for you."

Jia Xing Tian sighed, rising to look beyond the imperial palace. "Sigh, Old Fama, though I also want to befriend this alchemist, you know that place, Black Education, isn't exactly safe for me either. And the royal family has only one Dou Huang expert—me. If anything happened to me, I'm afraid the Gamma Empire Royal Family would be in danger."

The smile faded from Fama's face. "Old Jia, after all these years, why are you still so timid? I'd believe you if you said the Black Corner Region was dangerous, but this time you're only escorting someone. It's not like I'm asking you to buy cultivation methods and Dou Techniques there and bring them back. What danger could that pose to a high-level Dou Huang like you?"

"Honestly, if this had been Yun Shan, that old relic Hai Bodong, or even little Yun Yun, do you believe that as long as I told them about that kid's request, they would all be willing to help him?"

"I saw how the Misty Cloud Sect rose after Gu He became a Sixth-grade Alchemist. That was why I wanted the royal family to have a Sixth-grade Alchemist too, so the Misty Cloud Sect wouldn't dominate alone. And this is how you repay me?"

"It's only one trip to the Black Corner Region. Ask yourself honestly—with your strength, what are the odds of something happening to you?"

Jia Xing Tian smiled helplessly. "Old Fama, with my strength, the chances of something happening in a place like the Black Corner Region are indeed low. But if something really did happen to me, the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family would be finished. I truly don't dare gamble on that."

"Forget about the Black Corner Region. If I were really ruthless enough to take a gamble and make a trip there, the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family wouldn't have only Mysterious-tier cultivation methods and Dou Techniques. And don't think too highly of Yun Shan either. He isn't weaker than me, yet after all these years, isn't Extreme Wind: Meteor Kill—that Mysterious-tier high-grade Dou Technique comparable to an Earth-tier technique—still one of the Misty Cloud Sect higher-ups' trump cards? That old fellow isn't much better off than I am. Only Hai Bodong, who has been out of sight all year round, might agree to do something like this for you."

"Still, fortunes have always been sought amid danger, and lost amid danger too. Hai Bodong's strength is tied to his willingness to take risks, but he hasn't been seen in all these years. He has probably long since died on some dangerous venture. The only reason no one says so is because his corpse hasn't been found. If his body were discovered someday, the Mietel Family would likely become the lowest-ranked of the three great families before long."

Fama sighed. "Old Jia, you can't put it that way. That old fellow Hai Bodong has always had sharp judgment. I can sense that if he ever truly saw an opportunity, he might go farther than any of us in the future."

"Hmph, how far could he possibly go? At his age and with his strength, even if he were fortunate enough to break through, at most he'd become a Dou Zong. Could he possibly befriend a Dou Zun expert and expect a Dou Zun expert to do him favors?"

Fama opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

"Hmph, you think it can't be done either, don't you? Hai Bodong is too much of a gambler. If he succeeds, naturally that would be fine—but if he fails, the entire Mietel Family might be buried with him. And even if he wins, how far can he truly go? Dou Zong is ultimately the limit for old fellows like us."

Jia Xing Tian stroked his beard. As the Top of the Four Wastes of the Jia Ma Empire, he would absolutely never invest in any project that carried even the slightest risk.

"Old Jia, that youth is the most talented person I've ever seen. I can almost say for certain that as long as he grows up, his Alchemy Skill will definitely surpass Gu He's. In the future, he may even become a seventh-grade alchemist."

Jia Xing Tian shook his head. "No need to say more, Old Fama. My mind is made up. If he wants to use the Jia Ma Empire's resources or the royal treasury, I can open it for him at any time. As long as he marries Yao Ye, letting him take whatever he wants isn't impossible."

"But if he wants me to take him to the Black Corner Region, forget it. A genius ultimately needs time to grow. And over that long period of growth, who knows what might happen in the future?"

"If he wants to grow under my royal family's protection, I can guarantee his safety. But what he wants is to go to a place like the Black Corner Region. Someone whose bones reveal such an adventurous nature will find it far too difficult to grow up. On that long road to becoming strong, one mishap along the way would be enough to make this still-unformed genius fall."

"Old Jia, this kid's talent differs from everyone else's. His growth may not be as slow as you think."

Fama continued explaining, but Jia Xing Tian merely kept shaking his head. "Can he grow to Pill King Gu He's level within three to five years? If he truly has that kind of talent, then it's not as if I can't take even a little risk."

"Old Jia, aren't you making things difficult for him? Forget Alchemy Skill—even reaching the Dou Wang level of cultivation can't be done in three to five years. And that kid has to cultivate Dou Qi while also studying alchemy. You might as well ask him to reach Dou Huang within three to five years."

"That's exactly why I don't want to do it, Old Fama. A genius needs time and resources to grow. So long as his talent is high enough, everything can proceed step by step. I won't begrudge that genius sufficient resources. If his talent is truly high enough, then after marrying Yao Ye, having a few concubines would be acceptable too. But he chooses to take a risky path, and he wants to drag me into taking that risk as well. That is not the kind of genius I need."

As Jia Xing Tian spoke, Fama knew there was no point in hoping for his help any longer. "You old fellow, I'm definitely going to help him. Aren't you afraid I'll go tell the Misty Cloud Sect about his talent?"

Jia Xing Tian chuckled. "Go ahead. Or rather, that might be even better. If a genius joins the Misty Cloud Sect, he will inevitably compete with Gu He for resources to some extent. Then both of their Alchemy Skills will improve more slowly, which would instead weaken the Misty Cloud Sect to some degree."

Fama opened his mouth, but ultimately could only let out a helpless sigh. "Old Jia, you'll regret this."

"Perhaps. But that will at least be several decades from now."