If he could settle things through an exchange of benefits and have the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect help him hunt for a Spirit Ring, he wouldn't owe them a favor or become too deeply tied to the sect.
"Sect Master Ning, to be frank, I've reached Level 60. I only need a Spirit Ring to advance to Spirit Emperor. That should meet your requirements, shouldn't it?"
Ning Fengzhi's eyes lit up.
He would advance as soon as he absorbed a Spirit Ring, so it wouldn't take long.
Deep down, he still hoped Qin Yuan would carry out the mission. He couldn't quite trust anyone else.
"That's wonderful."
Ning Fengzhi took out some documents and handed them to Qin Yuan. "To be frank, that batch of Gem Raw Material is worth two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and it came from the Black Market. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can't bring this kind of matter into the open, but whoever killed one of our disciples must pay the price."
"Brother, I, Ning, have always played by the rules. But someone's bullied me, so tell me, don't they deserve a lesson?"
It probably wouldn't be as simple as teaching them a lesson.
Qin Yuan wasn't a fool. How could he not see what Ning Fengzhi was thinking?
He hadn't received any high-level missions lately, and now Ning Fengzhi had brought one right to his door. There was no reason to pass it up.
After obtaining the Virtual Reality Saber Technique and Divine Slaughter's Domain, Qin Yuan still hadn't had a chance to test them in real combat. This was the perfect opportunity.
Qin Yuan played along. "In my opinion, people like that deserve to die. Sect Master Ning is simply too kind. If it were me, I'd wipe out his entire family."
Ning Fengzhi gave an awkward laugh. He hadn't expected the other man to be so accommodating, which saved him from having to hint at it.
"There's no need to slaughter his entire family. It's enough to make the people who did wrong pay the price."
"Brother Qin, since you're willing to help me, I won't hold anything back. I have two tasks for you. First, avenge the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple. Once it's done, I'll prepare a generous reward."
"Second, it would be ideal if you could recover the Gem Raw Material. If you bring it back, I'll give you an additional payment equal to twenty percent of its value."
[Three Star Commission Mission detected: Accept Ning Fengzhi's commission to avenge the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple. Complete the mission to receive Method of Detoxification] [Unrated commission mission detected: Accept Ning Fengzhi's commission to recover the Gem Raw Material for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.] [The mission's completion level will determine its rating and corresponding reward. Maximum mission rating: Four Star.]
The system had actually classified them as two separate missions, and he could complete both at once and receive two rewards.
With exceptional luck, the second mission could count as a Four Star mission.
Still, Qin Yuan didn't think the process would go smoothly.
How much Gem Raw Material could there be?
After the thieves stole it, they could smuggle it away bit by bit, like ants carrying food. There'd be no way to track it down.
Qin Yuan knew Four Star missions offered generous rewards, but he wasn't about to waste his cultivation time chasing a perfect result.
Once he killed the thieves, he'd recover the Gem Raw Material if he could. Whatever he managed to retrieve would be enough. He wanted to complete the mission efficiently.
Besides, the reward for the first Three Star mission was something he urgently needed. It would make things easier when he dealt with Dugu Bo later.
"Sect Master Ning, Gem Raw Material can easily be split up and moved. I can only bring back whatever I manage to find, so I hope you're prepared for that," Qin Yuan said.
To the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a mere two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins' worth of Gem Raw Material was nothing. Ning Fengzhi had only brought it up because he wanted to offer Qin Yuan a bigger reward and make it easier to win him over.
After Ning Fengzhi agreed, Qin Yuan continued, "Sect Master Ning, I don't need a reward for this mission. Or rather, I'd like to receive my reward another way."
"Miss Rongrong has probably told you about my Soul Ring Configuration. Although I can absorb Spirit Rings beyond the usual limits, it comes with plenty of trouble. For example, my Sixth Spirit Ring needs to come from a Spirit Beast between thirty-five and forty thousand years old."
"If possible, I'd like your sect to help me hunt for my Sixth Spirit Ring. If the mission's reward isn't enough, I'll make up the difference."
Hunting a thirty-five-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast would be a daunting task for most people, but for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, with its many experts, it was nothing special.
Ning Fengzhi had no reason to refuse, but he was still willing to pay the agreed reward.
Qin Yuan didn't want to owe him a favor. After some back and forth, the two sides eventually compromised: Ning Fengzhi would pay the additional reward for any Gem Raw Material Qin Yuan recovered, while the reward for hunting down the thieves would be covered by the Spirit Ring.
"Speaking of absorbing Spirit Rings beyond the usual limits, Brother, could you tell the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect how you do it?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
As soon as he said it, he realized he'd been too blunt and quickly amended, "If it's your secret, you don't have to tell us."
He beckoned. "Waiter, bring the food!"
The method of absorbing Spirit Rings beyond the usual limits had always existed in basic Soul Master theory. It was just that no one dared to try it, or the success rate was extremely low.
Qin Yuan placed a book in front of Ning Fengzhi. "Sect Master Ning, the Great Dao is Simple. All the strange tales in the Soul Master World ultimately come down to the basic theories in this book. Take absorbing Spirit Rings beyond the usual limits, for example. The method varies from person to person, and my method is unique to me. No one else can do it."
After the banquet, as Qin Yuan was leaving, Ning Fengzhi told him, "Someone will come to your shop tomorrow to borrow you. Be ready."
After Qin Yuan left, Ning Fengzhi turned to Sword Douluo. "Uncle Jian, what do you think?"
Chen Xin said, "He showed no signs of lying. Perhaps the Great Dao is Simple really is the truth of cultivation. Sect Master, this old man has found some new inspiration and will be going into seclusion for a while. If anything comes up, have Old Bone accompany you."
"Uncle Jian, did what he said really help your cultivation?" Ning Fengzhi asked, astonished.
Chen Xin gave a rueful smile. "Yes. I've overcomplicated many things, and there are even things I understand less clearly than an ordinary person. Sword Dao is about cultivation, not how much Soul Power one has."
"My father used to say, 'A true master must always keep the heart of an apprentice.' He knew long ago that the truth of the Great Dao could be found among ordinary people. If my insight is right, I may have a chance to break through to the next level."
Ning Fengzhi didn't dare delay.
The stronger Chen Xin became, the greater the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's influence would be.
The two of them hurried back to the sect.
As for the book Qin Yuan had left behind, Ning Fengzhi kept picking it up and flipping through it. It contained only basic theories, nothing special. But on closer thought, even the most advanced theories of the present day had gradually evolved from the basics.
Perhaps the book contained the truth behind the evolution of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.
For a time, Ning Fengzhi couldn't put the book down. He kept turning its pages, hoping to find a way to break through the impasse.
Golden Saber Shop.
"Boss, you've taken another commission. Want me to help?" Chen Ze scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.
The shop had come to him through Qin Yuan's connections, but Chen Ze had been the one running it and making money while Qin Yuan stuck to his old line of work, risking his life.
How could Chen Ze keep coasting along?
Before you continue