A short while later, Wu Yifan hurried back with the red card in hand.
His previously mild expression had now shifted to astonishment, tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible fear. Huo Yuhao noticed every one of these changes.
"Honored guest, this stored-value card was issued by the Star Luo Empire several thousand years ago, but there are some things in it that we cannot retrieve for you, because..."
Wu Yifan deliberated for a while before finally speaking, slowly and hesitantly.
"Hm? Are you saying those old fellows in my sect lied to me?!" Huo Yuhao abruptly rose to his feet and demanded angrily, two crimson flames of light all but bursting from his eyes.
"They told me this would cover my tuition at Shrek Academy for the next few years. If I can't withdraw what's inside, do those old fellows expect me to live on the northwest wind?!"
Powerful spiritual fluctuations spread through the office, and the temperature in the room grew somewhat scorching.
As a steward of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, Wu Yifan was himself a formidable Soul Master of Soul King rank. Yet even he could not help being secretly astonished by Huo Yuhao's powerful spiritual fluctuations.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao had staged this display for Wu Yifan. Ever since Wu Yifan entered the office, there had been a hint of awe in the way he looked at Huo Yuhao. That meant he had uncovered some of the card's background-or, rather, discovered which organization it belonged to.
The Body Sect!
Thus, Huo Yuhao deliberately pretended to be a direct-line disciple of the Body Sect, releasing his Flame God Eyes martial soul to intentionally mislead Wu Yifan.
Judging by the look in Wu Yifan's eyes now, he apparently believed that Huo Yuhao came from the Body Sect.
"Honored guest, please don't be angry." Wu Yifan wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurriedly explained.
"I only meant that some of the things associated with this stored-value card cannot be retrieved. This card not only holds over three million Gold Soul Coins, but also serves as the key to a secret vault. However, that vault is in Star Luo City, the imperial capital of the Star Luo Empire. Our Treasure Gathering Pavilion here in Shrek City cannot retrieve its contents for you."
Huo Yuhao, however, had no interest in the rest of what Wu Yifan said. Only three glittering golden words remained in his mind.
Three million coins!
Forget it, I shouldn't be called Gao Qiqiang. I should be Wang Duoyu! Three million, oh, three million-enough to spend for a lifetime and still never run dry!
"Steward Wu, I'd like to know the exact balance on this card." Huo Yuhao forcibly suppressed his excitement and spoke calmly.
"A total of three million four hundred and seventy thousand Gold Soul Coins," Wu Yifan replied respectfully.
"Excellent. Thank you for your help, Steward Wu. To show my appreciation, I have a major business deal to discuss with the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. How about having you handle it?"
With that, Huo Yuhao took a list out of his Storage Soul Tool. It was densely packed with the names of medicinal herbs, and right at the top were the two precious ingredients used to refine the Blood Lotus Pill: blood lotus essence and ice spirit flame grass.
"This is the list of medicinal herbs I need to purchase. Have someone tally the quantities, then give me a quote. Also, here's a design drawing. Sorry for the trouble, but please find craftsmen from the Sun Moon Empire to cast me a cauldron out of rare metals with extremely high heat resistance."
Wu Yifan picked up the list and read it carefully, and delight immediately appeared on his face.
Most of these medicinal herbs were common varieties. Only the few at the very top either came from other parts of the continent or required more specialized apothecaries to select them. They would take some time to procure, but everything could still be gathered within three months.
Since Huo Yuhao had specifically requested that he handle this deal, he could receive a commission of at least ten percent-a substantial income for him.
That was without even counting the cauldron cast from rare metals. Rare metals from the Sun Moon Empire were extremely expensive, and shipping them to the original territories of the Douluo Continent was subject to even stricter controls. He was certain to make another handsome profit there.
"Thank you, Young Master Gao. You are always welcome at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion."
"Mm. Transfer all the Soul Coins on this card to a new card and give it to me. Deduct the cost of purchasing these herbs and casting the cauldron from it as well. That will be all." Huo Yuhao nodded, his eyes gleaming.
Thanks to the Body Sect, and thanks to the Star Dou Great Forest-he had finally achieved financial freedom!
After seeing Huo Yuhao off, Steward Wu came to the door of an office on the top floor of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion and knocked lightly.
Knock, knock, knock!
A short while later, a gentle voice came from within the office.
"Come in!"
Steward Wu lightly brushed the dust from his clothes and straightened his appearance before opening the office door and entering.
Behind a broad ebony desk sat an elderly woman with crane-white hair and a youthful face. She was the master of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, as well as a senior elder of Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion: Elder Lin, Lin Huiqun.
The Treasure Gathering Pavilion was a property of Shrek Academy, but it did not fall under the academy's authority. It answered only to the Sea God Pavilion Meeting. Aside from that, Elder Lin alone normally held control over all its affairs.
"Elder Lin, a new student from the academy came by just now. His name was Gao Qiqiang," Steward Wu said respectfully. "But he was holding a stored-value card belonging to the Body Sect from several thousand years ago, and he came to our Treasure Gathering Pavilion to redeem it."
"A card from the Body Sect?!" Elder Lin exclaimed in surprise. "That's impossible. There are no direct-line heirs of the Body Sect in the academy. That old fellow Du Busi keeps every inheritor of a body martial soul close at hand, guarding them like precious treasures. He would never send them to the academy."
"But that student does indeed possess a body martial soul, and it's his eyes," Steward Wu hurriedly said. "I personally confirmed that. There's absolutely no mistaking it."
"Eyes? Heh, I think I know whom you mean." Elder Lin laughed and shook her head. "Gao Qiqiang, Gao Qiqiang-what a sly little brat! Hahahaha!"
"Elder Lin, you know who he is?" Steward Wu asked in surprise.
"Yes, I do. But that's an academy secret, so I can't tell you for now." Elder Lin waved a hand, and a sharp glint suddenly flashed through her eyes.
"Little Wu, pass down instructions to spread this news into the Heaven Dou Empire. Let those old fellows in the Body Sect hear a few rumors. When they come to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion in the Heaven Dou Empire to buy information, set the price at five million!"
"Five million?!" The corner of Steward Wu's mouth twitched, and he inwardly gave Elder Lin a thumbs-up.
No wonder Shrek Academy had put Elder Lin in charge of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. She really knew how to do business. Five million for a piece of half-true, half-false information-her heart was far too black.
In his hotel room, Huo Yuhao placed the three Mystic Water Pills, the wood-attribute Soul Bone, and some supplementary pill-refining materials he had purchased from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion on the table.
Then the Black Ring flashed, and Yao Lao appeared. He looked over the many materials on the table, inspected the quality of the supplementary ingredients, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good, Yuhao. This time, I'll use a Medicine Cauldron to refine the Origin Pill. As you watch from the side, make sure you carefully grasp the process as well. Once your Medicine Cauldron has been cast, I'll teach you how to refine pills."
Huo Yuhao nodded and respectfully cupped his hands in salute. "Please begin, Teacher!"
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