Ice Spirit Cold Spring

"To be honest, I came here today to ask you two seniors to help me purchase some ice spirit cold spring."

Nalan Sheng had no intention of beating around the bush and stated his purpose outright.

"Ice spirit cold spring?"

Frank's expression shifted slightly. "That is an exceedingly rare treasure of heaven and earth. The last time I saw any was at a major auction several years ago."

"I know how rare it is, which is precisely why I came to ask for your help."

Nalan Sheng looked utterly sincere. "Whether you can find it or not, the Nalan Family will remember this favor."

With Nalan Sheng having gone that far, Frank could hardly say anything more. He turned to Otto and asked, "Old fellow, as Vice President, you've always handled the Black Rock Alchemist Guild's trading affairs. You should know who has some of that stuff, shouldn't you?"

"I do happen to know where to find ice spirit cold spring, but its owner has a peculiar temper."

Otto nodded reflexively, then gave Nalan Sheng a warning. "Young friend Nalan, if you want to get ice spirit cold spring from him, you had better prepare to bleed your purse dry."

"Rest assured, senior. As long as he is willing to sell his ice spirit cold spring, money is no object."

Halfway through, Nalan Sheng feigned curiosity and asked, "But might I ask who this person is?"

"His name is Gute. Although he is only a third-grade alchemist, his collection of treasures of heaven and earth is enough to make any alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire green with envy."

Otto could not help sighing. "If he weren't Pill King Gu He's elder brother, his Treasure Vault would probably have been looted clean long ago."

"Since he and Elder Gu He are brothers, this should be easy enough."

"No! Absolutely not!"

Hearing Nalan Sheng say that, Otto hurriedly waved his hands. "Young friend Nalan, I know Gu He is a guest elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, and your Nalan Family has close ties with the sect.

"But you must never mention Gu He's name in front of Gute. What he hates most is being compared to Gu He.

"The moment anyone mentions Gu He's name in front of him, he flies into a rage and throws them out.

"If you really anger him, then no matter how fine an item you offer, you will probably find it very difficult to trade for his ice spirit cold spring."

"Thank you for the warning, senior."

Nalan Sheng cupped his hands toward Otto. "May I ask whether Senior Gute is currently in Black Rock City?"

"He is."

Otto nodded with a smile. "If you need the ice spirit cold spring urgently, I can take you to see that old fellow right now."

"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, senior."

"Frank, I doubt you want to see that nuisance, do you? I'll take young friend Nalan and his companion over, then."

"Go on! Go on!"

The corner of Frank's mouth twitched, and he looked rather helpless. "Oh, and don't forget to pass on a message for me. Tell him to stay away from the Alchemist Guild unless he has business here. I don't want to find the guild hall without a single alchemist in sight."

Frank said this because Gute loved collecting treasures of heaven and earth, to the point of being utterly obsessed.

Whenever someone acquired a rare treasure of heaven and earth, Gute would find a way to get his hands on it and put it in his Treasure Vault.

Although Gute would never kill anyone to seize their treasures, he would relentlessly pester those who possessed them until they had no choice but to trade with him.

Even Frank and Otto had suffered at Gute's hands, let alone the other alchemists in the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild.

That was precisely why third-grade alchemists were almost never seen in the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild's hall. Gute's pestering had scared them all away.

"Ha ha!"

Seeing Frank's helpless expression, Otto could not help laughing. He turned to Nalan Sheng and said, "Young friend Nalan, let's go!"

Under Otto's guidance, Nalan Sheng and Xiao Yi Xian soon left the Alchemist Guild and finally stopped before an odd building tucked into a corner in the south of the city.

Bang!!!

The instant Otto reached the odd building's entrance, its tightly shut door flew open, and a cloud of black powder erupted from inside.

As though he had expected this, Otto raised his sleeve and swept it outward, sending every bit of black powder flying back inside.

As the black powder slowly dispersed, a filthy, cluttered hall came into view.

Otto shook his head helplessly, then turned to explain to Nalan Sheng and Xiao Yi Xian, "That fellow is always fond of making things to play tricks on people. That black powder wasn't exactly poison, but if it gets on your skin, it will make you itch terribly.

"Remember to stay close to me, and don't touch anything in the rooms, or you might trigger one of his traps."

"Understood."

Nalan Sheng and Xiao Yi Xian nodded solemnly.

"Then let's go!"

With that, Otto led the way into the odd building.

Seeing this, Nalan Sheng and Xiao Yi Xian followed closely behind him.

Bang!!!

The instant all three of them entered, the odd building's door slammed shut again, plunging the hall into darkness.

As they proceeded, Nalan Sheng and Xiao Yi Xian encountered several more rounds of bizarre attacks, but Otto dealt with them all effortlessly.

After all, Otto was not only a fourth-grade alchemist but also a Dou Ling expert. Ordinary traps and mechanisms could not harm him.

Soon, the three reached the odd building's top floor and stopped before a wooden door.

"Gute, open up! I know you're in there."

"No! I won't! Don't disturb my slee-"

Bang!

Before Gute could finish, Otto kicked the wooden door to pieces.

"Damn! You old bastard, you're actually serious!"

With a startled cry, an extremely disheveled old man in gray emerged from behind the door, his face full of displeasure.

When the gray-robed old man saw Nalan Sheng and Xiao Yi Xian, he immediately grew wary. He glared at Otto and demanded, "It's one thing for an old bastard like you to come here yourself, but why did you bring outsiders? What are you up to?"

"This junior, Nalan Sheng, pays his respects

"to Senior Gute!"

Before Otto could explain, Nalan Sheng stepped forward and cupped his hands. "I came here today hoping to trade for the ice spirit cold spring in your possession."

"Ice spirit cold spring?"

Gute's expression shifted slightly, and he shook his head without hesitation. "No, no. You've come to the wrong person. I don't have that stuff."