Chapter Forty-Seven: The Thunder Attribute Flame

Zhang Xiao was not particularly worried about the Warriors’ Guild. What they likely desired was the secret recipe for Fire-Braised Blade, after all, it was well-known that the Fire-Braised Blade was tremendously beneficial for purifying impurities within the body. However, Zhang Xiao did not possess the secret recipe, and even if he did, he would never hand it over to the Warriors’ Guild—that kind of foolish act of aiding the enemy was beneath him.

The next morning, clad once again in his black magical robe, Zhang Xiao entered an inn. His reappearance immediately stirred the various factions within the city of Rocadolay into action. The leaders of the major powers in the city gathered at the inn where Zhang Xiao was staying, yet none dared to make the first move. No one knew what kind of temperament this mage had; without certainty, no one was willing to recklessly disturb him.

Zhang Xiao was fully aware of the commotion outside, but he remained unhurried. Sitting quietly in his room, he began to meditate. Eventually, someone grew impatient and was willing to take the plunge.

Kale, captain of the Fire Phoenix Mercenary Group—one of the three major mercenary bands in Rocadolay’s main city—approached Zhang Xiao’s room accompanied by a warrior. Kale’s haste stemmed from the fact that the warrior behind him had tasted the Fire-Braised Blade at a tavern that night. This warrior, originally a second-tier member of the group, had experienced a dramatic surge in physical attributes overnight, elevating him almost to the level of a first-tier warrior. The amplifying effect of the Fire-Braised Blade made Kale covetous. Even if he couldn’t recruit the mage himself, he hoped to at least exchange for a jar of the Fire-Braised Blade from Zhang Xiao.

Suppressing his excitement, Kale reached Zhang Xiao’s door. Before he could knock, the door quietly opened, revealing Zhang Xiao seated inside, wearing a faint, enigmatic smile.

“Greetings, esteemed mage. I am Kale. May I come in?” Kale wisely refrained from boasting about his faction or the strength of his mercenary group—such displays were meaningless to someone like Zhang Xiao and might only provoke aversion. Zhang Xiao nodded and gestured to a chair nearby.

“Please sit, Mr. Kale. My time is limited, so speak your mind,” Zhang Xiao said. Though Kale had heard from the warrior behind him that Zhang Xiao was straightforward in the tavern, this frankness still caught him off guard. Nonetheless, he pressed on.

“I wish to invite you to join our mercenary group, mage. Rest assured, I will pay you a salary amounting to one-third of the group’s monthly income.” To most, this was a considerable sum, but to Zhang Xiao, it was trivial. His expression remained unchanged as he asked, “Is that all?”

Kale’s heart sank, but he persisted. “I understand you may not be interested in our mercenary group, but we are…”

“Enough, Mr. Kale. My terms are simple: I seek Strange Flames. I am willing to trade three hundred jars of Fire-Braised Blade for Strange Flames, but they must not be of the dark attribute. If you cannot meet this, then please leave,” Zhang Xiao interrupted.

When Kale heard of the three hundred jars, his eyes nearly turned green with envy. Considering the exorbitant price fetched by just half a jar at the auction, Zhang Xiao was essentially sitting atop a mountain of gold. No wonder he was indifferent to Kale’s generous offer. Resigned, Kale turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, after encountering rejection from Zhang Xiao, Kale became a hot commodity. Various factions began to court him, offering handsome prices for any information he might have gleaned from Zhang Xiao. Kale quickly made a handsome profit.

Strange Flames! This news caused many present to fret. Strange Flames were not ordinary commodities; they were rare and serendipitous, almost impossible to find. Upon hearing this, many factions left in frustration.

Zhang Xiao’s mind reached out, sensing the departing crowd, but he was not surprised. If Strange Flames were so easily found, he himself would not be so troubled. The remaining factions were either still unwilling to give up or hoped to exchange some Fire-Braised Blade for it. When Zhang Xiao reiterated that Fire-Braised Blade was only exchanged for Strange Flames, even they departed, and the once bustling inn fell silent.

“Young master, look—everyone’s gone. What shall we do?” Purple Yan appeared from the Mystical Heavenly Talisman, her brow furrowed as she watched the departing crowd.

“Heh, it’s alright, Yan’er. These are just small fish and dishes; the real catch hasn’t arrived yet. No need to rush,” Zhang Xiao said calmly. The Warriors’ Guild’s craving for the Fire-Braised Blade was no small matter. He doubted the other guilds would remain indifferent once they heard the news.

Sure enough, as night fell, Zhang Xiao asked the innkeeper to prepare a table laden with food and drink. Just as the dishes were set, a man clad in simple leather armor strode into the inn and headed toward Zhang Xiao’s room.

“Come in. We’ve been waiting long enough,” Zhang Xiao’s voice made the man pause, his expression unreadable. Entering the room, he saw the spread before Zhang Xiao and sat across from him.

“Let’s be straightforward. I represent the Warriors’ Guild. I believe you know why I’m here. We have some Strange Flames, but our guild leader insists we must have not only the finished product but also the secret recipe.”

Zhang Xiao was surprised by the man’s frankness but smiled coldly. “I have no secret recipe. Only three hundred jars of finished product. If you don’t want them, I’ll give them to someone else.”

At these words, a gleam of resolve flashed in the man’s eyes, and a murderous intent surged forth. Others might have been shaken by such a deadly aura, but Zhang Xiao was different. His days in the Scarlet Blood Ridge had taught him what warriors were and what unyielding spirit meant. Such threats were mere child’s play to him.

Gently tracing his finger across the wine glass, Zhang Xiao tore a tiny spatial rift, swallowing the glass whole. The man’s eyes widened in astonishment; the rumors were true—Zhang Xiao indeed possessed the power of a seventh-level mage. This complicated matters.

His expression shifted, replaced by a radiant smile. “Very well! We’ll take the three hundred jars of Fire-Braised Blade. How about we make the trade now at the guild?”

“It seems you have no intention of bargaining,” Zhang Xiao said. “Compared to your companion, you must be more sincere. Why not come have a drink?”

At these words, the man’s expression changed. A figure emerged from the shadows—a woman clad in tight black attire that perfectly showcased her voluptuous figure. Beneath her chestnut hair, her eyes gleamed like a cat’s.

“Damn it! The Assassins’ Guild is stirring trouble again,” the warrior’s face darkened as he cursed.

“Hmph! Such treasures shouldn’t belong solely to your Warriors’ Guild, should they, esteemed mage? We of the Assassins’ Guild are very interested in your brew. I’ve brought Strange Flames as well. Let’s see if we can trade now,” the sultry female assassin said, revealing a crystal box containing a writhing azure Strange Flame.

A wind-element Strange Flame! Zhang Xiao had never seen one before. He carefully examined it, and just then, the door opened again. An elderly man entered.

Upon seeing the elder, the warrior from the Warriors’ Guild immediately exclaimed in surprise, “This brew has nothing to do with you alchemists? Is the Alchemists’ Guild meddling as well?”

The elder wore an expression more pitiable than a cry, smiling wryly. “You should be hoping our Alchemists’ Guild can decipher the brewing method for this concoction. Then your Warriors’ Guild would also benefit.”

The warrior’s face darkened instantly. Zhang Xiao chuckled, “I have only three hundred jars. If you all want them, I’ll have to split them—one hundred jars each. No more, no less.”

Of course, Zhang Xiao was not speaking the full truth, but the scene exceeded even his expectations. If he could obtain Strange Flames from these three groups, it would surely help him break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Hearing this, the beautiful assassin giggled softly and leaned toward Zhang Xiao. He shifted subtly to avoid her, smiling.

“Since this lady has brought me the Strange Flame, here are one hundred jars of Fire-Braised Blade for you,” Zhang Xiao said, pocketing the wind-element Strange Flame and tossing a storage sack to the sulking assassin.

The assassin immediately withdrew a jar of Fire-Braised Blade, chuckling, “Heh, drinks on me!” She tore open the seal, releasing a strong aroma. Though Zhang Xiao knew they wanted to test the brew’s authenticity, he was unreserved, pouring full glasses for the warrior and the alchemist.

Zhang Xiao himself didn’t hesitate, taking the jar and drinking deeply, much to the assassin’s irritation as she stomped her foot. When Zhang Xiao set down the jar, she snatched it, only to find it half-empty, breaking her heart.

The warrior drank in one gulp, his expression shifting. As rumored, the brew made the entire body feel aflame, refining the flesh and igniting the internal fighting spirit for tempering. He winced, regretting his earlier hesitation that reduced the potential three hundred jars to just one hundred.

The old alchemist’s method was stranger; he poured the brew into various flasks, flicked a small flame beneath, and quickly evaporated the liquid into gas. Inhaling deeply, the elder drained it all. Zhang Xiao was uncertain whether this would have any effect, but seeing the elder’s satisfied face eased his concerns.

The elder then produced a crystal box and tossed it to Zhang Xiao. “Good stuff. I’ll take one hundred jars.”

Zhang Xiao examined the box—it contained a wood-element Strange Flame. Smiling inwardly, he handed over one hundred jars.

At this, the warrior could no longer contain himself, producing a crystal box with a silver Strange Flame inside. Zhang Xiao was startled and thought, “No wonder the Warriors’ Guild is reluctant to trade easily—this is a thunder-element Strange Flame.”

Due to family matters, the second update will be posted in the evening. Though a bit late, it will not be short—your support and bookmarks are greatly appreciated.