"My eyes are clouded. Which one of you is Little Jiang? Come here."
The old man spoke only after everyone from the great families had left.
"That would be me, Senior."
Jiang Ping walked over.
His eyes were more than just clouded. His hair was so thin it had almost all fallen out, his body was covered in wrinkles, and his face was full of age spots.
In a word, death was at his door!
That was part of the reason the experts from the great families feared him.
And Jiang Ping had heard a departing Golden Core cultivator mutter that the old man was not only close to the grave but had no descendants and was all alone.
Of course, even with all those buffs stacked together, it still wasn't enough. He needed a background and influence too.
The old man's greatest backing was the Martial Saint standing behind him.
He was Jiang Saint's teacher, revered as Master Xie!
Xie Wuji took three jade bottles from his robes and placed them on the table. "Take them. These contain three kinds of Supreme Qi. They're rather hard to come by."
Jiang Ping looked at the jade bottles on the table and hesitated.
Everyone else had come with contracts to negotiate terms. Who gave away resources right off the bat?
"What must I give in return?" Jiang Ping couldn't help asking.
Xie Wuji waved a hand and continued to himself, "That leaves three more. One of them hasn't matured yet, but the deal is already settled, so there are only two left to find."
"Hmm, it seems I'll still have to go speak with a certain family." He pondered, his brow faintly furrowed.
"I'll add two!"
Just then, another guest arrived, and Jiang Ping knew him too, in a manner of