Chapter 29: Exchange of Benefits

  The alchemist bent down his stiff body, picked up the package full of medicine, and then paused for a long time before slowly straightening up. A heavy sigh came from deep within the hood.

  He first checked if the medicine bottle was damaged, and after feeling relieved, he brushed off the dust on the outside of the package, before taking slow steps towards the Bai Liang Pavilion.

  Lei Ga stood in the tavern, thoughtfully staring at the alchemist as if he were watching a snail taking a stroll.

  Of course, alchemists aren't snails.

  At the first lesson, Xie Pu had already reminded them of the importance of alchemists. Although alchemists did not have aura fluctuations and appeared to be no different from ordinary civilians on the surface, the value they created could make a guild, or even a country, stand at the top of the pyramid.

  No one is foolish enough to offend an alchemist, because even if the alchemist has no power to bind a chicken, there will always be the support of the lord and nobles behind him. The higher the level of the alchemist, the greater the favor he receives, and the more unforgivable it is to offend him.

  However, Leiga vaguely felt that the terror displayed by those three strong bandit mercenaries seemed to have another reason.

  The alchemist had not yet reached the front gate when Xie Pu couldn't help but come out from behind the bar and quickly went to greet him.

  "Xu Ling Tian, is it really you?"

  Xie Pu's gaze first fell on the alchemist's bulging package in his arms, and the wrinkles on his face immediately turned into a smile. "It's really you!"

  The potions at the Crow's Rest Inn were all made by this alchemist, only each time they were delivered through a crow. Shep had not seen Xu Lingtian in person for a long time. If it weren't for the special mark on the package, he wouldn't have recognized him at all.

  "Long time no see, Mr. Shep..."

  The alchemist's voice was old and tired, with a slightly stiff pronunciation at the end of each word, sounding as if he hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time.

  Shep ushered him into the tavern and over to the spot Reg had just wiped down.

  "Hey buddy, bring out our best wine!"

  Xie Pu Chong slightly furrowed his brow and waved his hand.

  "Deer whip wine?" Le Ga asked with his arms around him.

  "Don't bother."

  Xu Lingtian weakly waved his hand, the withered joints visible under his thin skin. Leiga was worried that he would shake off his fingers.

  The withered hands fell back and dropped the hood, revealing Xu Lingtian's head full of silver hair and a pale face.

  That face had no blood color, not the kind of sickness, but weakness, a pale and listless complexion. It was like a plant that had been transplanted into soil it couldn't adapt to, withering away from lack of some essential thing.

  His silver hair was uneven and unkempt, lacking luster. Some areas seemed to have been burned by fire, and the traces of scorching could still be seen today.

  What struck Lelouch as strange was that the alchemist's appearance did not match his actual age, he looked only tired but by no means an old man on his last legs.

  "Please take these medicines."

  Xu Lingtian pushed the package in front of him to Xie Pu.

  Xie Pu's eyes gleamed with profound meaning as he nodded, understanding that Xu Lingtian had come in person, absolutely not just for the sake of trading medicine. He must have been moved by the conditions opened up in his letter, yet feared it was a trap, so he used the excuse of delivering the medicine to personally test the waters.

  With a clear conscience, Xie Pu put the medicine that Xu Lingtian had pushed over to one side, without even giving it a glance, and smiled hypocritically: "Thank you." But he absolutely didn't mention the letter.

  These medicinal pellets were carefully refined by Xu Lingtian using the finest herbs, and could be sold for at least a hundred gold coins in any major city's auction house. Being taken away so lightly by Xie Pu, Xu Lingtian couldn't help but open his mouth slightly.

  But he immediately closed his mouth and cautiously swept a glance at Lega standing not far away with the corner of his eye.

  "Oh, forgot to introduce, this is our store's new partner, Leka."

  After introducing his companion, Xie Pu turned to Lei Ga and said: "This is the former Maple Snow Kingdom's War Bear Claw Guild's chief alchemist, Xu Ling Tian."

  Chief Alchemist of the Maple Snow Kingdom's War Bear Claw Guild!

  Lei Ga calmly nodded in response to Ling Tian's greeting, but his heart was shocked. A alchemist of such a noble status, how could he live in a place like Crow Ridge?

  Xu Lingtian also politely returned the courtesy to Zhao Lei, without showing any disdain due to his humble status as a tavern servant. However, when Xie Pu mentioned his previous title, he looked slightly embarrassed.

  "I'm just an alchemist who's been permanently expelled... they say I made a mistake with the king's medicine..."

  "Hahaha!"

  Xie Pu burst out laughing, "The kings of the four major kingdoms are all idiots, especially the King of Fengxue is the most idiotic!"

  Xu Lingtian revealed a subtle and timely smile.

  Xu Lingtian's tone was as if he were talking about someone else's misfortune, but Leika felt that "being expelled" wasn't the main reason for his haggard appearance.

  "Mr. Shepherd, there are some things... we should discuss behind closed doors."

  Xu Lingtian deliberately lowered his voice.

  Xie Pu wiped off his smile and waved at Lei Jia, "Close up shop, we're not doing business today."

  Lei Ga inserted the door plug and then stood back in his original position.

  Xu Lingtian slightly furrowed his brow, "Mr. Xiepu, this is a serious matter, can we discuss it just between the two of us..."

  "Lei Ga can stay, I trust him as much as I trust my own hands." Xie Pu said solemnly.

  "In that case..."

  Xu Lingtian hesitated for a moment, then pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from under his tawny gray cloak. The paper had obviously been crumpled many times and was stained with dust, medicine, and some unknown substances, clearly having been thrown away and picked up again.

  Xu Lingtian carefully unfolded the paper strip and spread it out on the bright new desktop, as if afraid that the line of small characters on the paper would run away.

  Lei Ga couldn't help but take a few steps closer and saw that on it was written:

  "Moon Devil Grass exchange can help you." Signed: Xie Pu.

  "Do you know?"

  Xu Lingtian's voice suddenly became serious, "The Moon Demon Grass is a forbidden herb. With this note, I can report to the Lord that you are making false accusations and have ulterior motives!"

  Xie Pu smiled lightly. Xu Lingtian was a highly skilled alchemist, but not a qualified negotiator. His probing intentions were too obvious, and saying such harsh words was just to retreat in order to advance, leaving room for himself.

  Xie Pu didn't rush to respond to Xu Lingtian's words, but instead turned his head to pay attention to Leiga's expression. Seeing that Leiga's elegant face was also calm and unruffled, he nodded in satisfaction and said softly, "The second class has begun."

  "What?"

  Xu Lingtian looked at Xie Pu with a puzzled expression, his eyes, which were normally dull, filled with anxiety and unease.

  "It doesn't matter."

  Xie Pu shifted his gaze back to Xu Lingtian's face, "You just said report to Lord Leader?"

  Xu Lingtian pursed his lips and said, "I just want to say that I have this right."

  "Of course, no one can deny you this right. You were once the chief alchemist of the former Maple Snow Kingdom's War Bear Claw Guild, even if it was because of a mistake in medicine that caused the deterioration of the king's crippled hand and led to your expulsion. However, you still have some powerful friends on the Four Kingdoms continent. But, you've forgotten that this is Crow Ridge."

  Xie Pu smiled lightly, "Wuya Ridge has no lord, this is a gathering place for bandits and mercenaries, outlaws and convicts, as well as exiles like you."

  The last sentence seemed to have stabbed the alchemist's heart, and Xu Lingtian swallowed hard. It was undeniable that Xie Pu had spoken the truth; if he really wanted to accuse Xie Pu, he would have to submit a request to the local lord, but Wuya Ridge didn't have one. In other words, even if he publicized Xie Pu's letter, no one would care, and he would only end up being suspected of hiding the Moon Demon Grass himself.

  Xie Pu smiled and said, "Actually, Crow Ridge wasn't like this before. This used to be the border trade pearl of Senyan Kingdom and Fengxue Kingdom, and where we are sitting now is the center of the town. Twenty years ago, the lord of Crow Ridge ruled over a fiefdom of five hundred miles in circumference, with eight villages besides the central town——but now, the town is desolate, the surrounding villages have been reduced to three, and the rest have all been flattened."

  "I know..."

  It seems that Xu Lingtian remembered something and said with a lot of feeling: "Twenty years ago, the two most powerful guilds on the Four Kings Continent went to war, causing all four kingdoms to be in a state of panic, as if it was the end of the world. The lord of Wuyaqing not only failed to stop the spread of fear but also took advantage of the situation to extort and plunder, sucking the blood marrow from every passerby's body. The heavy taxes crushed this once prosperous and glorious border pearl. Civilians began to flee in large numbers, and after most people had run away, the lord of Wuyaqing was unable to guard the old town alone and could only take his family and treasures to move to the inner land. Unfortunately..."

  He suddenly realized that what he said had nothing to do with "accusation", and hastily closed his mouth, looking at Xie Pu, seeing that Xie Pu didn't mean to make things difficult for him, only then did he slightly calm down.

  Xie Pu nodded and continued to tell the story: "Unfortunately, a group of notorious mercenaries had already received the news and set up an ambush at the town entrance. The lord and his temporarily recruited warriors were caught off guard and immediately defeated. The mercenaries killed the lord and all his descendants, sparing not even the newborn baby. The massacre lasted from dawn till deep night, with the sound of the lord's women being raped and wailing in despair still echoing. Blood stained the Black Crow Ridge red, seeping into the broken cobblestones below, turning them into the dark color they are today. For twenty years, those mercenaries who committed heinous crimes either died or escaped, but Black Crow Ridge never regained its vitality."

  Xie Pu stared straight into Xu Lingtian's eyes and said coldly: "There is no morality here, no law, only naked interest exchange."

  He pushed the crumpled paper back in front of Xu Lingtian, "Let's see if you want to exchange."