Chapter 146. What Is Everyone Supposed to Eat?
One thousand five hundred battle rits?
Xu Yuan’s expression shifted slightly. That was no small number.
Battle rits could not be traded directly, but they could be exchanged for goods and then handed over in private. It was technically exploiting a loophole, though one that had long been tacitly permitted by the Shangyang Residence.
‘With my current cultivation, I can protect myself in the Level Four zone without issue. But if I want to earn battle rits, I still have to rely on the broader situation, on how the conflict develops, and whether I can find the right opportunity. As for how much I can gain, that is far from certain...’
‘But if I get these battle rits, I won’t need to sche any further. At the very least, they will be enough to carry all the way to the Extraordinary ridians. In that case, taking on a short-term job would not be a bad deal.’
Still, what exactly was Qin Chuan after, to be taking this so seriously?
After all, his monthly stipend alone was worth one or two hundred battle rits.
At that thought, Xu Yuan spoke and asked, “Even if Bai Jinwu is killed, the total battle rits gained will not amount to even three thousand, correct? May I ask what it is that Chief Overseer Qin truly wants?”
“Battle Overseer Xu really is cautious. Very well, there is nothing to hide here.”
Qin Chuan smiled and explained, “You know as well as I do that the ridian-Opening Pill works best below the Sixth ridian. From the Sixth ridian to the Seventh ridian, its effects are already much weaker. And from the Eighth ridian up to the Extraordinary ridians, it becos completely useless.”
Xu Yuan nodded. That was indeed true.
It was like using a bucket to pour water into a vat. As the vat gradually grew larger, the bucket stayed the sa. In the end, it could no longer stir even the slightest ripple.
“Battle Overseer Xu, have you ever heard of the Kaiyuan Pill? A single Kaiyuan Pill can help open one of the remaining bottlenecks in the Extraordinary ridians.”
“In other words, as long as an eight-ridian martial artist has one Kaiyuan Pill, there is hope of breaking through into the Extraordinary ridians realm!”
As he spoke, a trace of burning desire appeared in his eyes.
“The Kaiyuan Pill?”
Xu Yuan gave a slight nod. He had heard of it before. Supposedly, its dicinal formula was extrely complex, and all of its ingredients were both expensive and scarce.
It could be said that every ti the Shangyang Residence refined a Kaiyuan Pill, it had to spend a great deal of ti accumulating the necessary materials.
“That is right. I received inside information that in two months, the Residence will begin refining the Kaiyuan Pill.” Qin Chuan’s gaze burned with heat.
“The Kaiyuan Pill is precious, and the number of available spots is limited. But if I can render a great service in the Level Four zone, one that changes the entire situation, then with the help of so of my connections, I will be able to secure one.”
“So that is how it is.”
Xu Yuan imdiately understood, though he could not help feeling a little sour inside.
Sure enough, no matter where one went, there were always those damned people with connections.
He had no one backing him from above. Even if he killed Bai Jinwu, all he would get would be battle rits or so other reward.
But Qin Chuan was different. With rit to his na and people to pull strings for him behind the scenes, he could maximize the fruits of victory to the greatest extent possible.
After thinking it over, Xu Yuan felt there was no real problem, so he said, “Since Chief Overseer Qin has spoken so frankly, I cannot very well refuse to show him face. I accept this matter.”
“Good. Battle Overseer Xu is a straightforward man.”
Qin Chuan laughed and clapped his hands. Then, as if rembering sothing, he asked, “By the way, Battle Overseer Xu, do you have a definite estimate of your progress? Will you be able to break through within two months?”
After pondering for a mont, Xu Yuan replied,
“Probably in a little over half a month. This matter is urgent, after all. It would be best not to drag it out too long, lest the Bai Family find an opening.”
In truth, breaking through to the Eighth ridian within two months was already the fastest pace Qin Chuan had dared imagine.
After all, only about a month had passed since Xu Yuan broke through to the Seventh ridian. Under normal circumstances, taking two or three years would have been entirely ordinary.
But operating under the notion that “the world of geniuses is beyond the grasp of common n,” he had asked the question only as a tentative probe.
If Xu Yuan could not do it within two months, then the Residence would have no choice but to send another eight-ridian martial artist.
Yet the mont he heard that answer, he still froze for a long while. Then he blurted out in disbelief,
“Heavens above! Only half a month?”
Xu Yuan rely nodded calmly.
If Qin Chuan ever learned that by then, what Xu Yuan would be breaking through to was not the Eighth ridian, but the Extraordinary ridians, what kind of expression would he make?
Just imagining it gave Xu Yuan an inexplicable sense of anticipation.
“Good, good indeed!”
Qin Chuan ca back to himself, his complexion visibly flushing with excitent. “The sooner this is done, the better. Then I shall wait on Battle Overseer Xu’s progress.”
He had made a point of looking into Xu Yuan beforehand. Xu Yuan’s reputation was fairly solid. Though this ti Qin Chuan was paying a painful price and even paying in advance, as long as the matter succeeded, it would all be worth it.
...
Qin Chuan’s plan might have been excellent, but would things really develop according to the course he envisioned?
Level Four zone, Bai Family encampnt, Chief Overseer’s residence.
A few days earlier, Bai Jinwu had quietly arrived there and t with Chief Overseer Zhao Wuji.
Ever since his failed attempt to assassinate Xu Yuan last ti, he had been viciously reprimanded by the higher-ups, and he had remained bitter about it ever since.
After returning, he had carefully investigated Xu Yuan’s background. What he found was simply terrifying.
From a re nial worker to a seven-ridian battle overseer of his current standing, it had taken Xu Yuan little more than a year in total.
Was that even sothing a human being could accomplish?
At the sa ti, Bai Jinwu regretted more and more that he had failed to take Xu Yuan down in that earlier encounter.
Bai Jinwu had always believed that the opportunity back then had been exceptionally rare, but he himself had still underestimated his opponent.
“Soon. I can feel it. In another half month, I will train my Cloud-Treading Step to Major Mastery. Then what advantage will Xu Yuan still have?”
A vicious light flashed through Bai Jinwu’s eyes. “When that ti cos, whether it is Xu Yuan or Qin Chuan, both of them will be settled in one stroke. My Bai Family will still be able to turn things around!”
...
In the blink of an eye, nearly half a month passed.
November 14.
Qin Chuan was waiting for Xu Yuan to break through to the Eighth ridian, while Bai Jinwu was waiting for his chance. Both sides were deliberately exercising restraint, so the density of major clashes had not been high these past days.
However, among the lower-tier martial artists, especially those below the Sixth ridian, the fighting had been extrely brutal.
Both sides had been trading lives in savage bloodshed.
Among the one- to three-ridian martial artists below, half of them had to be replaced every few days. Even among the four- to six-ridian martial artists, casualties were common.
However, on the several streets under Xu Yuan’s control, Qin Chuan had intentionally assigned him relatively easier areas as a gesture of goodwill and favor, greatly reducing the casualties on his side.
After all, battle overseers were noble seven-ridian figures and had never regarded the lives of their subordinates as worthy of concern, but the Shangyang Residence determined their monthly stipends based on casualty rates.
So the casualties on a given street were also considered part of a battle overseer’s performance.
As for Qin Chuan’s obvious favoritism, the battle overseer surnad Zhang said nothing, but Han Li and Yang Cang were deeply dissatisfied.
Especially since the two of them had once been Xu Yuan’s superiors. Watching him now receive treatnt that even they had never enjoyed left them utterly eaten up with envy.
To put it simply: they only hated that such treatnt had not fallen on themselves.
On this day, the two t in a restaurant.
The mont Han Li sat down, he raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, then said angrily, “This is utterly outrageous!”
“How long has Xu Yuan even been in the Level Four zone? And now he is already standing over our heads?”
Yang Cang’s expression was equally dark. Then he suddenly said, “This matter is not simple. Chief Overseer Qin is not the sort to show courtesy for no reason.”
Hearing that, Han Li turned to him. “What do you an?”
Yang Cang continued, “A few days ago, I heard that Bai Jinwu secretly ca to the Level Four zone...”
Han Li was startled. “Bai Jinwu? That is soone at the chief overseer level. He actually dared co over? Wouldn’t that break the balance?”
Yang Cang said heavily, “Chief Overseer Qin is most likely planning to make a move on him. Otherwise, if the Bai Family really strikes first, they will lose the initiative.”
Han Li suddenly understood. “So he brought in Xu Yuan because Xu Yuan is the strongest fighter?”
Yang Cang nodded. “That should be it.”
Han Li frowned. The more he thought about it, the worse it tasted. He said, “No. We cannot miss this operation. Otherwise, it will be hard to get another chance like this.”
Yang Cang was tempted as well, but still worried. “But if we do this, Chief Overseer Qin will probably be displeased.”
Han Li gave a cold snort. “What is there to fear? We will wait and watch their movents. If Xu Yuan cannot hold out at the end, then we step in. What could Chief Overseer Qin possibly say then?”
Yang Cang’s eyes lit up. “Excellent plan.”
As he spoke, the two clinked their wine cups together and drank deeply.
Why was it that every good thing always seed to fall to Xu Yuan?
They were all seven-ridian martial artists. No matter how big the gap was, how much greater could it really be?
Han Li and Yang Cang were convinced that this ti, Qin Chuan wanted to cut them out entirely and enjoy all the fruits of victory by himself.
But if he took everything for himself, then what was everyone else supposed to eat?
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