It Doesn't Matter, I'll Make a Move

After Li Ming learned that Sun Xiaochuan had suddenly changed his mind and intended to force the Li Clan down a dead end, helplessness filled his heart, and he simply steeled himself.

"It's not that our Li Clan can't offer benefits. We've only suffered because we have no way to make contact with a high-grade alchemist. This time, Sun Xiaochuan has pushed us too far again and again. We might as well give up the profits and invite Brother Zhao Li's teacher to make a move."

"If there's truly no other way, that is all we can do. But if you do, I'm afraid you'll be treated as someone with ulterior motives."

Li Lei could tell that his son was no longer casually making friends with that young man named Zhao Li. He feared Li Ming had already come to regard him as family and a close friend.

If they truly did as he said, it would be hard for others not to think that their previous friendship had not been a deliberate approach made with some purpose in mind. At that point, he feared they would not even be able to remain friends.

Hearing this, Li Ming lowered his head. Only after a while did he speak.

"Father, I'll have to trouble you to deal with that old fellow for a while. I'll go see Zhao Li and ask him directly."

"Go."

Li Lei nodded. Seeing Li Ming withdraw, he merely stared blankly at his son's back. As for Sun Xiaochuan, what was there to entertain? Right now, they were already meat on another's chopping block, fish under the knife, with no control over their own fate.

"If I were a Dou Sect, I could at least inherit some of the old master's connections, and there would even be a chance of dragging Sun Xiaochuan down with us. Sigh, what exactly did Father encounter in the Ruins? Why has he always kept silent about it?"

Unable to figure it out, only a sigh remained in the room.

Li Ming arrived at Zhao Li's residence. Seeing that the door was open, he called out twice, but no one answered.

He then walked in and saw that the room was clean and tidy. On the table was a note and a jade bottle, but the person himself was nowhere to be seen.

Li Ming grabbed the note and read it.

"Brother Li, you all are busy with your affairs, so I won't disturb you. I'll take my leave here. The jade bottle contains a Dou Spirit Pill as thanks. I hope it can help Brother Li save a little time on the road to becoming strong and rise another level."

After Li Ming finished reading, his vision went dark. Despair rose in his heart, and he slumped back into a chair.

The housekeeper arrived belatedly. Seeing Li Ming like this, he told him about Zhao Li's departure. Li Ming shook the note in his hand and said weakly, "I already know."

The housekeeper withdrew. Li Ming's eyes were lifeless as he muttered to himself.

"Could it truly be that the heavens want to destroy my Li Clan?"

Just then, a frivolous voice rang out, and Li Ming sprang to his feet with a jolt.

"Oh? Who's this? Why do you look like you've lost your soul? Ah, so it's Big Brother Li Ming. Don't tell me some young lady has stolen your soul away?"

Li Ming looked toward the voice and saw Zhao Li by the window, hands behind his back, holding something, watching him with a beaming smile.

"Brother Zhao Li! You didn't leave! That's wonderful."

Seeing Zhao Li, Li Ming was delighted. He even forgot Zhao Li's teasing, though he faintly felt that something was off.

A moment later, he realized it. Zhao Li was outside the window, clearly standing in the air with his hands behind his back.

Li Ming looked as though he had seen a ghost. His eyes went wide, and even his words began to stammer.

"Standing in the air... you, you, you're a Dou... Dou Sect!"

Seeing Li Ming trembling all over and about to bow in reverence, Zhao Li waved a hand to stop him and asked with a smile.

"What? Don't recognize me anymore? Didn't you drag me off to stroll around Heavenly Profound Night Market last night? Why are you acting like this now? Aren't you going to invite me in to sit?"

Li Ming had been casually immobilized by Zhao Li, and his heart grew even more shocked. With such an ability, he was undoubtedly a Dou Sect expert.

Hearing Zhao Li say this, he quickly came back to his senses and managed to adjust his state of mind a little.

"Please come in. This room was originally left for you."

Although he knew this was Zhao Li, he was still somewhat restrained in the end.

Zhao Li was also a little helpless. He really did regard Li Ming as a good friend. But he also knew that awe toward the strong could not be erased in a short while, so he did not continue teasing Li Ming.

After entering the room, Zhao Li unfurled the notice he had torn down earlier in front of the Spatial Wormhole and placed it before Li Ming. Staring at him without blinking, he asked.

"Big Brother Li, want to tell me what this is about?"

Li Ming had spoken decisively before, but now that the moment had arrived, he found it somewhat hard to speak. Although Zhao Li was very strong, he also did not want to drag him in for no reason, and only kept kowtowing.

Seeing this, Zhao Li tossed the notice onto the table and sat down on his own. Seeing the note in Li Ming's hand, he spoke casually.

"Big Brother Li, if you think this is your Li Clan's business and that there's no need for me to get involved, then I'll leave. In any case, there's no use in me staying here. You weren't around earlier, but now this can count as my formal farewell."

Li Ming seemed not to have expected Zhao Li to say this. Once those words came out, his body stiffened, then he forced a smile.

"Zhao Li, Brother Zhao Li, uh, brother, you should have seen the announcement too. When my grandfather was young, he went to explore some Ruins. After returning heavily injured, his body grew weaker day by day, and he's nearly at the end of his life. We have no choice but to search for an alchemist or a Seventh-Grade Pill. Perhaps that can still preserve his life. That's why we've been seeking alchemists everywhere."

Li Ming explained the reason behind the notice, then thought of what had happened yesterday and felt somewhat embarrassed.

"You still remember what I asked you last night, right? I did intend to ask a little about your background. From time to time, whether intentionally or not, you always show some extraordinary behavior. To be able to teach such an outstanding disciple as you, your master must be very extraordinary. That's why I took advantage of having drunk wine to ask you about him. I hope you won't mind."

Zhao Li smiled and said bluntly.

"Big Brother Li, you look like such an honest person, so why do you have so many little schemes? Wouldn't it have been fine to just say this directly? All these twists and turns—I thought you admired my teacher."

Li Ming was embarrassed and somewhat afraid to look at Zhao Li. But with Sun Xiaochuan's pressure there, he looked toward Zhao Li, expectation in his eyes.

"Brother Zhao Li, if your teacher is willing to make a move, my Li Clan is willing to give up half the profits from operating the Spatial Wormhole, along with a Medicine Cauldron from the Heaven Cauldron Ranking."

"Oh? Half the profits from a Spatial Wormhole is already enough to invite a Seventh-Grade Alchemist. Why do you still look so despairing?"

Zhao Li was somewhat puzzled. Although he had never operated one before, judging by Sky's Edge City, half the income was already an enormous fortune. Even a Seventh-Grade Alchemist would be tempted by such wealth.

Li Ming sighed when he heard that.

"But we have no way to get in touch with an alchemist. In a place like Tianxuan City, how could there be that many Seventh-Grade Alchemists? All we can do is wait by the Spatial Wormhole and hope some alchemist happens to pass through."

Zhao Li understood. He really had not thought of that. Even in Holy Pill City, there were not many Seventh-Grade Alchemists.

Li Ming went on, but this time, Zhao Li could sense the anger in his words.

"My Li Clan originally had a guest elder, but he was old. After he passed away, his disciple ran off. Now that disciple already has the ability to refine Seventh-Grade Pills. To be honest, I went to ask him for help last time, and the offer was fifty percent of the profits. But that old bastard came over today and suddenly changed his mind, opening his mouth to demand eighty percent. Fuck, that old dog has gone too far."

Even after saying that, Li Ming still had not vented enough, so he cursed again. He had put up with Sun Xiaochuan for a long time.

After cursing, Li Ming looked at Zhao Li again. He was still somewhat reserved, but with an adorable expression, he asked expectantly, "Brother Zhao Li, could you contact your master and ask him to help us this once? Don't worry, we'll prepare the Medicinal Ingredients ourselves, and the share we mentioned before won't be any less."

Seeing Li Ming acting cute and wheedling like that, Zhao Li wished he had a camera to record him with, so Li Ming could take a good look at himself.

Zhao Li pondered briefly, then shook his head.

"My master is very far away. I'm afraid he won't be able to get here anytime soon. Besides, the old master's injuries are urgent. Dragging this out isn't a solution. As for refining a Seventh-Grade Pill, there's no need for my master to act."