Chapter 1371 – Mystery

Zhen Ling was currently sitting on a mat with Huang Daoran in front of her. The two were currently in Flying Phoenix Mountain, formerly known as the Pink Cloud Ridge. It was a territory that was first claimed by the Zhen Family's ancestors. This mountain was originally mined for its black iron ore. But now that the black iron ore has been mined out, it has become the headquarters of the Zhen Family.

Unknown to the outside, besides black iron ores, this mountain also has a spirit vein. It wasn't a high-grade vein, only a medium-grade one. Moreover, the spirit vein was very remote. The Zhen Family used a magic formation to lock in the spiritual qi of the vein. This way, outsiders wouldn't know that there was a spirit vein here.

After several generations of development, it can be said that Flying Phoenix Mountain was densely covered with formations. Additionally, there were countless mechanisms hidden in the mining tunnels all throughout the mountain. The mountain was quite defensible. It wasn't any inferior to the sect headquarters of medium-level sects.

Because of his relationship with the Zhen Family, Huang Daoran generally cultivated in the spirit vein. Besides Huang Daoran, there were also about a dozen Nascent Soul Experts cultivating there. These were all Elders of the family.

Of these people, naturally it was Huang Daoran who was at the head. The reason for this was: first, Huang Daoran's strength, and second was Huang Daoran's relationship with the Zhen Family. Huang Daoran became the guest elder of the Pink Clouds Pavilion because of the Zhen Family. Right now, he was no longer a guest elder of the Pink Clouds Pavilion. Instead, he held the position of Supreme Elder of the Zhen Family. This showed how extraordinary his status in the family was.

Zhen Ling looked at Huang Daoran and said, "Uncle Huang, I've already prepared Zhao Hai's money. However, I have no way to contact him. What do I do?"

Huang Daoran shook his head and said, "Zhao Hai has been cultivating recently. Although he appeared in the Six Realms Battlefield some time ago, he immediately went back to seclude himself. Maybe he's practicing some techniques. It's better to not disturb him."

Zhen Ling looked at Huang Daoran's appearance and said, "Uncle Huang, Zhao Hai is getting stronger and stronger. If he really becomes a Transcending Tribulation Expert, do you think he would turn on us?"

Huang Daoran looked at Zhen Ling, then he smiled faintly and said, "Little Ling, you can rest assured, Little Hai isn't that kind of person. I know that it's been a long time since you began doing business and looked at people's nature. Therefore, you wouldn't believe me easily. You have come in contact with Zhao Hai twice, so you haven't known him yet. But you don't have to worry. Little Hai isn't like what you think."

Zhen Ling looked confused at Huang Daoran. She didn't understand what he meant and why he was confident in Zhao Hai. Huang Daoran just smiled faintly and said, "Little Ling, the World of Cultivation is a place where the weak prey on the strong. But this is also the kind of place that fosters people that take sentiments heavily. To defend the people in the Lock Mountain Range, Zhao Hai decided to face me directly. You could see from this point how sentimental he is. And in addition to your shared benefits, he is also my disciple. Although I haven't taught him anything, his identity allows him to act in the Cultivation Realm and do business with you. If he turns on us once he gets strong, then he would no longer have any place in the Cultivation Realm. Most importantly, we have a partnership with the Profound Clear Sect. Don't think that the sect is good just because they cooperated with us. They would provide us with protection, but they also get angry much quicker than us. If Zhao Hai turns on us, the Profound Clear Sect wouldn't let him off. When the time comes, besides the Machine Field, Zhao Hai would find it very hard to gain a foothold anywhere."

Zhen Ling couldn't help but nod. What Huang Daoran said was reasonable. She also agreed with some points that Huang Daoran presented. She did business with other people for so many years that she found it hard to trust people. She only believed in benefits. Back when she became the Pavilion Master of the Pink Clouds Pavilion, a lot of people were protesting. But after she provided the merchant group with a lot of profits, those people shut their mouths. This was because their benefits were now tied up with her.

Her cooperation with Zhao Hai was also for benefits. She doesn't believe that Zhao Hai really regarded Huang Daoran as a master. The two were at their throats before. Then suddenly, Huang Daoran took him in as a disciple. How could a master-disciple relationship be fostered so easily? The entire premise was dubious.

Huang Daoran looked at Zhen Ling's expression and couldn't help but secretly sigh. He really didn't want Zhen Ling to be like this. She rarely believed in people, only in benefits. This wasn't good.

Huang Daoran also knew why Zhen Ling was behaving like this. Zhen Ling has been in the business world for too long. Businessmen in the Cultivation Realm used all kinds of methods to achieve their goals. Betrayal was very common. It can be said that Zhen Ling has seen the ugliest side of humanity for many years. Therefore, she no longer believed in human nature, only business profits.

Huang Daoran smiled faintly and said, "Little Ling, I hope that you can get along with Zhao Hai. There are a lot of people in the Cultivation Realm who couldn't compare to him. In just two years after ascending, he was already able to achieve so much. Moreover, he has a lot of relations in the Machine Field. Back when we were fighting, everyone in the Lock Mountain Range was even willing to follow him in order to fight me. You can see from this what kind of person Zhao Hai is. The people you have been in contact with all these years are all trash. You shouldn't bunch Zhao Hai with them."

Zhen Ling didn't oppose Huang Daoran's words. She nodded and said, "Uncle Huang, you don't have to worry. But how do we take care of Zhao Hai's money?"

Huang Daoran smiled faintly and said, "You use it first. There's no need to be too polite with him. I'm sure he won't mind."

Zhen Ling nodded, then she said, "Uncle Huang, what do you think about Zhao Hai's current strength? Is he really not a Transcending Tribulation Expert?"

Huang Daoran nodded and said, "Little Hai wouldn't lie about this matter. He should have yet to overcome his tribulation. The Cultivation Method that he practices is very special, even I couldn't figure out what attribute it is. However, it seems like he doesn't study the flying sword techniques of the Cultivation Realm. Although his flying swords are ever-transforming, they still appear disorderly."

Zhen Ling nodded and said, "It seems like this cultivation method allowed Zhao Hai to achieve his accomplishments in a short period of time. I just don't know where he got it."

Huang Daoran nodded and said, "His cultivation method is really strange. Saying that it came from the lower realms seems unjustified. It's impossible for the lower realms to produce a cultivation method of that calibre. However, Zhao Hai's actions from the moment he ascended to the Machine Field can be traced. It's impossible for him to find a formidable method just a short time after ascending. This is really strange."

Zhen Ling knit her brows and said, "It's truly strange. But if things continue like this, do you think those people will come looking for Zhao Hai?"

When Zhen Ling said that, Huang Daoran's expression couldn't help but change. He frowned and said, "Those people? I don't think so. Those people didn't even bat an eye towards the Profound Clear Sect. What makes you think that Little Hai is qualified?"

Zhen Ling looked at Huang Daoran, then she smiled faintly and said, "Uncle Huang, you said it yourself. How many people in the World of Cultivation are like Zhao Hai? Ascending in less than two years but are able to face you? If he doesn't have the qualifications, then who does?"

Huang Daoran frowned and said, "But Little Hai has yet to become a Transcending Tribulation Expert. But you're also correct. If we think about Little Hai's strength, although he has yet to become a Transcending Tribulation Expert, he could attract the attention of those people. In the past, those people didn't look at the Machine Field. Perhaps Zhao Hai would be the first."

Zhen Ling nodded, "I heard that those selected would be in danger. Uncle Huang, weren't you selected in the past?"

Huang Daoran nodded, then he sighed and said, "That time was much more dangerous than my tribulation. In just two months, I already received two wounds. The third wound I received almost couldn't be cured."

Zhen Ling knit her brows and said, "It's that dangerous?"

Huang Daoran forced a smile and said, "It's more dangerous than you think. The weakest person that could go there is a Nascent Soul Expert. And those Nascent Soul experts would have their own special means. Even if they face a Transcending Tribulation Expert, they wouldn't suffer too much. If it weren't for those Buddhists, then I'm afraid things would be more miserable."

Zhen Ling frowned, "Then what do we do if Zhao Hai really gets picked by those people? If something happens to him, then our business would be greatly affected."

Huang Daoran sighed and said, "We can only hope that Little Hai can increase his strength. At the very least, he could protect himself. Nobody could stop those people if they decided to pick someone."

Zhen Ling replied, "Uncle Huang, should we think of something now? If something happens to Zhao Hai, we would face trouble."

Huang Daoran smiled bitterly and said, "The spirit wine that Little Hai provides us isn't something that anyone can get. Little Hai said that the wine is produced on the planet he acquired. But after asking some people, it seems like the planet is shared with his friends. Moreover, it is currently uninhabited. Most importantly, that planet is not suitable for humans to live in. I think Little Hai wasn't telling us the truth. He must have gotten those spirit wines in another place. He also wouldn't easily reveal the production method of the spirit wine. After all, the profit involved in it is too great."

Zhen Ling nodded. She could understand this point. Spirit wine is too profitable. If she was in Zhao Hai's shoes, she also wouldn't tell other people even if they were her partners.

Huang Daoran smiled bitterly and said, "Even if those people want to call Zhao Hai, they would have to wait until he comes out of seclusion. When Little Hai heads out, he would definitely come and find me. When that time comes, we can ask him for more wine. You can then control how many to sell. I believe that once Little Hai comes out of seclusion, he would be stronger compared to before. Even if he went to that place, he shouldn't suffer any accidents. I'm confident in his ability."

Zhen Ling nodded, then she said, "Alright, we can only do that. Uncle Huang, I'll leave first. If Zhao Hai comes, make sure to tell me."

Huang Daoran nodded. Zhen Ling stood up and gave Huang Daoran a bow before leaving. As Huang Daoran looked at Zhen Ling's departing back, he sighed and said, "I hope Little Hai can get stronger, or else…." He sighed after speaking up to this point.

Huang Daoran and Zhen Ling's dialogue was actually recorded by Cai'er. Cai'er paid great attention to Huang Daoran. After all, even if nobody from the Machine Field could threaten Zhao Hai, the same wasn't true with Huang Daoran. Huang Daoran was from the Cultivation Realm. He's friends with Feng Baiming who's an elder of the Profound Clear Sect. Huang Daoran might not be a threat to Zhao Hai, but the Profound Clear Sect was. Therefore, Cai'er paid attention to Huang Daoran in order to collect information.

Zhen Ling and Huang Daoran's conversation just now was special. They kept mentioning a certain place. It seems like that place was very dangerous. Even someone as strong as Huang Daoran was injured in that place. It's highly probable for Zhao Hai to be summoned to such a dangerous place. This wasn't good news for Zhao Hai.

More importantly, Huang Daoran seems to be hinting towards an unknown group in the World of Cultivation. That influence was very powerful, being able to pick people freely without anyone objecting. Such power and influence couldn't compare to common powers in the six realms.

Besides these, Huang Daoran also mentioned the Buddhists. Moreover, from his words, that place doesn't only involve the World of Cultivation? Where's that? This caused Cai'er to be somewhat worried.

Zhao Hai was clueless about these matters. He was currently in seclusion to practice the Imperial Water Technique. This technique is a spell-type technique.

These spell-type techniques were actually the same spells that Cultivators use. It was a kind of attack that didn't use weapons and only utilizes spiritual force. In the World of Cultivation, these spells were also highly valued. This was especially true for Rogue Cultivators. This was because they don't have enough money to buy powerful equipment. Therefore, they could only use spells . If they use spells well, then their offensive strength would be extraordinary.

But besides the Imperial Water Technique, there were also other spell-type techniques among the 18 Buddhist Techniques. These were the Beast Controlling Technique, Happiness and Fear Sound Technique, Sword Breath Technique, and the Cloning Technique.