Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 506 - Cooperation

Elder Tian Xing stared at Liu Wuxie in astonishment. Liu Wuxie had anticipated his every thought and even revealed that he was merely a messenger, with the true request coming from someone else.

"You're a monster! You're right that everyone has been trying to replicate the Spirit Restoration Pill, but they all failed without any exception." Elder Tian Xing looked dejected, unable to gain any advantage in their conversation.

Two days ago, the spiritual herbs and Bi Gongyu's refinement method were made public. Despite everyone having access to the same materials and steps, no one could replicate the Spirit Restoration Pill. This failure suggested that the key lay in the refining technique itself.

"The sect master sent you, didn't he?" Liu Wuxie shifted the conversation, making it clear he had no intention of sharing the refinement method. He had no reason to compromise his advantage, especially when he could monopolize the market and secure a steady income from the Spirit Restoration Pill.

"Yes, the sect master wishes to meet you," Elder Tian Xing confirmed, his expression turning serious. It was rare for the sect master to summon an elite disciple, especially one as recent to the sect as Liu Wuxie.

"When will we meet?" Liu Wuxie also wished to meet the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's sect master. He had joined the sect because of one person, but he hadn't seen that person in the past year.

"Now!" Elder Tian Xing stood up. He didn't even drink the tea and wanted to take Liu Wuxie to the sect master.

The two left the abode with Elder Tian Xing leading Liu Wuxie through the buildings. Despite being in the sect for a year, this was the first time Liu Wuxie entered the main hall.

Liu Wuxie executed Ghost Eye and spread his divine sense, capturing the surroundings. The central peak's environment was ten-odd times better than others because the spiritual energy here was dense.

Clouds floated overhead, and this place was decorated like a paradise.

They walked steadily, mainly because Elder Tian Xing wanted Liu Wuxie to familiarize himself with the surroundings as he might come here often in the future.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, they finally reached the summit. Standing here gave a feeling as though Liu Wuxie was overlooking the world.

The central peak was the tallest mountain in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, reaching tens of thousands of feet high.

Layers of white clouds floated beneath their feet, and this place resembled a celestial realm. The main hall looked grand, like a pavilion that stood on the summit.

They were greeted by the imposing grandeur of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Golden light illuminated the entrance, where the words "Heavenly Treasure Pavilion" were engraved in powerful, penetrating strokes on a wooden plaque. This majestic display commanded reverence and respect, making it clear that this was the sacred heart of the sect.

"You can go in alone!" Elder Tian Xing was only responsible for bringing Liu Wuxie there.

After bowing to Elder Tian Xing, Liu Wuxie strode into the main hall. The ground was paved with rare white elephant jade, which exuded luxury, and strange patterns were engraved on the surrounding stone walls.

Four pillars were erected in four directions, each supporting the statue of a divine beast: the Azure Dragon of the East, the Black Tortoise of the West, the Vermilion Bird of the South, and the White Tiger of the North.

A vast energy surged from the main hall, which felt like a door that couldn't be opened. No one knew what was in the depths of the hall.

Only the sect master of each generation had the privilege to enter this place, and everyone else could only enter through the main door.

As Liu Wuxie entered the hall, he found it empty. Without the sect master's summons, no one would dare to enter, nor would anyone intrude without prior notice.

"Liu Wuxie pays his respect to the sect master!" Liu Wuxie cupped his fists together.

When Liu Wuxie finished his words, space began to distort roughly ten meters ahead, and a person walked out from the spatial rift.

"It's a thought projection," Liu Wuxie realized, startled. Despite being a mere projection, it had the intelligence and presence of the actual body.

"I’ve heard much about you from Ying’er. You’ve certainly lived up to her praises," Mu Tianli's voice echoed from the sect master's seat. He gestured for Liu Wuxie to take a seat.

However, Liu Wuxie remained standing at the center of the hall, maintaining his position.

"I owe my accomplishments to Lady Mu, and I'm grateful to her," Liu Wuxie said. He told the truth because the Xue Clan would've killed him if Mu Yueying hadn't intervened in Azure Billow City.

Mu Yueying had also repeatedly helped him resolve his crisis after he had moved to Imperial City.

"You should know why I called you here today," Mu Tianli went straight into the topic as he disliked beating around the bush.

"I do!" Liu Wuxie nodded.

"What do you think of it?" Mu Tianli asked.

"I'll follow the sect master's arrangements." The two seemed to speak in riddles, but that didn't affect their communication.

"You're smart!" Mu Tianli burst into laughter and leaned back in the chair, a smile hanging on his lips.

Liu Wuxie frowned slightly. It wasn’t about being smart but rather about being strategic. The Spirit Restoration Pill was too conspicuous and would attract attention if promoted broadly. However, involving the sect would change the dynamics entirely.

"Thank you for your compliments!" Liu Wuxie replied courteously.

"You're perceptive, so let's get straight to the point. The sect has received a flood of orders for the Spirit Restoration Pill, and Bi Gongyu alone can't meet the demand," Mu Tianli said, his expression serious. The order volume was overwhelming, and it was clear that neither Bi Gongyu nor anyone else could manage it alone.

"Does the sect master want my refinement technique?" Liu Wuxie asked, his frown deepening.

"I know you've been working with shops in nearby cities, but those shops are greedy. They'll eventually hoard your pills for themselves. I’m not here to ask for your refinement technique. Instead, I want to discuss a partnership," Mu Tianli's words made Liu Wuxie break out in a cold sweat. He hadn't anticipated the sect master’s awareness of every detail.

"And how does the sect master propose we cooperate?" Liu Wuxie asked, maintaining his composure. Staying calm was essential in navigating such high-stakes negotiations.

"You supply the pills, and I’ll handle the ingredients and sales channels. We’ll split the profits 50:50. How does that sound?" Mu Tianli proposed. The local pharmacies had offered a 30:70 split, and Liu Wuxie knew they were unreliable and might hoard the pills.

Although Liu Wuxie would be giving up a bit more compared to the local shops, the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion offered a far safer and more stable partnership. Even with a 50% split, the benefits outweighed the risks. The ingredients accounted for about 10% of the profits, meaning Liu Wuxie would end up with a larger share of the remaining 50%. Essentially, he was still coming out ahead compared to other offers.

Liu Wuxie wondered why the sect would go to such lengths to favor him, and he couldn’t help but think Mu Yueying might be a factor. Nevertheless, the deal was advantageous from every angle.

"I have no reason to refuse the offer!" Liu Wuxie rubbed his nose. With the sect master putting it this way, he found it hard to refuse.

Although Liu Wuxie had no intentions of monopolizing the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's market, everyone knew that the Spirit Restoration Pill originated from him. If he operated two separate sales models, this was the same as telling everyone that there was an issue with the sect's unity.

"Since you've agreed, Let's discuss how we should operate. How many Spirit Restoration Pills can you produce daily?" Mu Tianli didn't like to beat around the bush and went straight into the topic since Liu Wuxie had agreed.

It felt strange that the sect master was negotiating with a disciple like him, and such an event was rare in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion since its establishment.

"I need some alchemists that I can trust and are loyal to me." Bi Gongyu could only produce a hundred pills by himself daily, which was far from enough to meet the market demand.

Although Liu Wuxie had agreed to cooperate with the sect in alchemy, he had no plans of giving up the spiritual talisman market. After all, he would have something to fall back on even if his cooperation with the sect fell apart.

"I have prepared them for you, and they're my people. They're loyal, and I've told them to listen to your arrangements." Mu Tianli handed Liu Wuxie a list of alchemists from the Treasure Pill Peak.

The list included seven people, and Liu Wuxie kept it. He planned to hand it to Bi Gongyu for arrangement.

"We'll provide a thousand Spirit Restoration Pills five days from now!" Liu Wuxie gave a figure now that he had the alchemists to do the job.

"A thousand?" Mu Tianli seemed troubled by that number because it was still insufficient to satisfy the market. After all, this was a golden opportunity for the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion to surpass the Azure Crimson Gate.

"Aside from the Spirit Restoration Pill, I will also provide Heavenly Blood Pills. They're higher grade compared to the Blood Pill," Liu Wuxie said, which finally brought a smile to Mu Tianli's face.

The Heavenly Treasure Pavilion would have a higher chance of snatching the Azure Crimson Gate's market with these pills.

"Good. It looks like Ying'er didn't misjudge you," Mu Tianli slapped his thigh.

"However, I have a condition." Liu Wuxie was calm and showed no pride despite receiving the sect master's praise.

"Speak!" Mu Tianli looked amicable and didn't treat Liu Wuxie as a mere disciple.

"I don't want all the resources to be spirit stones. If I want something specific, the sect will have to find it for me and deduct the cost from my share." Earning money wasn't Liu Wuxie's goal because his goal was to raise his cultivation, and spirit stones wouldn't greatly help him despite the amount.

"Alright!" Mu Tianli agreed to Liu Wuxie's terms. The conversation became more casual after that, which was surprising because even sect elders would feel uneasy under the sect master's aura in the True Profound Realm.

However, there was no discomfort on Liu Wuxie's face because the Heavenly Dao Book had neutralized and absorbed the aura.

"Sect master, I have a personal question to ask," Liu Wuxie stood up after discussing their partnership.

"You're wondering about Ying'er’s whereabouts?!" Mu Tianli asked, his surprise evident. Liu Wuxie had been silent on the matter since his arrival, and Mu Tianli hadn’t expected him to bring it up.