Chương 88: The meaning of sacrifice

Of course, Zhen Chen wanted to have fun at my wedding. Should have known... in hindsight.

"Why is everyone so boring? Come on people! A duel, a few insults, or at least a man chocking on his poison? Have fun and live a little!" Zhen urged the guests, who seemed quite pale and ready to run. Fenghue coughed, trying to hide her laughter in a polite way. Didn't quite work, not for the Venerable guests. Instead, I clapped my hands and the star groups filled in, to perform dances and acrobatics, with and without weapons.

It was pretty fun, watching young women twist their bodies in exotic ways, or climbing on their sisters to create human-made sculptures, or something... body pyramids, maybe? Lina Peng performed an aerial concert like a real fairy, using a flute, for some reason. Elder Fang demonstrated a dozen different Tier 0 talismans, each with a different element transformation, mostly for the auction house guests, who seemed quite interested as such a versatile product.

I wasn't going to sell shadow talismans or other assassination tools, but flashy spells on command would sell anyway. Even people on the Central Continent used talismans a lot, exactly to provide a wide range of counters to a potential enemy. I could already write Tier 3 talismans with Core blood from the beasts, but I only made a few, since it was work. And I preferred not to work. Or if I did work... I did a kind of work so fun it seemed like vacation time.

For some reason, scamming people was also included in the fun work list, and Ancestor Peng was my favorite target today.

"Venerable Peng, it's such an honor to have you as my guest at my wedding. Do you happen to have more pretty women to give away? Lina was such an amazing gift! Her training with the flute is superb!" I praised the old man, and just watched as his fists clenched so hard his fingers creaked.

"... If you say so, Venerable Tian. I must say your cultivation speed is amazing. Did you discover a secret method?" he asked, exactly like I wanted him to. I rubbed my fingers.

"My old friend, information is precious. Look at your girl Lina, already in the 3rd Core level. Those kinds of Tier 3 pills are indeed hard to make, and even harder to buy." I deflected on my chosen course. Ancestor Peng sighed, feeling he was about to be scammed again. But his face was also his noose. He sat down at my table, and placed three storage bags in front of me, offering his precious collection for me to peruse. I placed a single pill on a golden plate.

"This is a Tier 3 Foundation Consolidation pill. Has 50% chance of repairing a cracked Foundation, and no side effects. Drinking this Healing Milk with it increases the repair chance to 60%, but only for women due to Yin interaction. Together... they are worth 15000 spirit stones. How many do you want, for your clan only. Resale is not allowed." I could see the man calculate things.

"I can take 20 such pills, Venerable Tian." I placed another pill on a silver plate.

"This is a Tier 3 Mange pill. Core cultivators get a 10% increase in power, permanently. Its value is 20000 spirit stones. I would prefer no resale, but concessions can be made." Venerable Peng frowned. Another pill he never heard of.

"Lina, have you taken this?" he asked to make sure.

"I did, Ancestor. Exactly 10%, as our Venerable Alchemist says. One person can eat up to 5 of them for 50% extra strength. I just lack money..." Lina answered in a flat voice. Before he could answer I placed another pill, on a copper plate.

"This is a Tier 3 Dao Vision pill. Taking one while at Peak Core Realm gives you 20% chance at the Nascent Soul, with no side effects. However, old cultivators may fail even so, so the cut-off age is around 300 to 330 years old. Its value is exactly one Tier 4 spirit fruit or equivalent. No resale here." The man poked the pill with visible astonishment.

"Soul pill, in Tier 3? Does it really work?" he asked with suspicion. I pointed to the side.

"Did you not notice Venerables Zhang, Sun and Moon? These lovely fairies ascended since my last wedding. Quite a welcome addition to the Frozen Pavilion's strength."

"As did yourself..." the Ancestor noticed quite smartly.

"Eh, I am... only working here. And getting married occasionally, if a woman finds me pleasant." I answered with a wide grin.

"With three Venerable fairies at once no less, they must find you extremely pleasant. Or feeling grateful for your pills." he observed with a sad voice. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"Exploring the world of true Alchemy is also expensive, Venerable Peng. Especially for someone attempting Tier 4 pills. So... ready to make your offer?" I asked in a secretive voice. The man sighed and pushed two storage bags forward.

"Take my money, Venerable Tian! I can only hope those percents work in my clan's favor." I checked my loot, finding 3 Tier 4 fruits, 300000 spirit stones and another Tier 4 sword. Luckily, I had enough pills to trade for this, and took back the silver plate with the Mange pill.

"These pills are my inventions, Venerable Peng. If I find them on people outside your clan, I won't be happy. Now! What girls did you say you were going to give me as wedding presents? Good skills too, I hope!" I demanded in a cheerful note at the end. The man sighed and raised a finger, making two young angels rise from his clan's table and bow in front of me.

"Lina seemed well taken care of, so these two descendants of mine should also benefit from your guidance, Venerable Tian. I'll let you discover their skills at your pleasure." he said in a polite voice, and stored his expensive pills away.

"The Dao comes but once, Venerable Peng. The Foundation can be healed, or not. There are no second chances there. Also, younger people heal better than old ones. The cut-off age should be around 100 years of age." I produced as a disclaimer after sales. The young women remained bowed and silent, but that was fine too.

"Lina, take your cousins to your room. The song and dance part is over anyway." I told Lina Peng, who nodded and escorted the free recruits to her room. A minute later, Venerable Hong from the Blue Lotus sat at my table, with his own storage bag as escrow. I checked his goods, which were much poorer than Venerable Peng.

"Venerable... we haven't seen each other since that big battle outside Blue Lotus. What pills do you need?"

"I want 10 pills for Foundation and 5 for Core strength. We don't have a Tier 4 herb... anymore." he spoke with a feeling of having been robbed, then offered to buy back his goods. The Blue Lotus was more special than a regular Tier 4 herb, but I won't tell him.

"I remember there was a crippled Elder in the sect. Hand crushed... this pill will heal him, with lots of food to support the regeneration. Also... the sect should have many more Foundation disciples by now. I never used those sect points from my technique." Venerable Hong sighed, and took the high-grade Tier 3 pill.

"If you want to come back, or even just visit, the Blue Lotus is also your home, Venerable Tian. And Venerable Gong too, for that matter. What happened back then was unfortunate, but we never wanted to hurt you..." he offered as apology, then bowed and flew away. Fenghue snorted under her veil, likely not pleased at this poorly-veiled attempt at stealing me away from her sect.

"See, Sect Master? If you kick me out, I still have a place to go now. What do you say, Nana? Should we return to the Blue Lotus? Our value seems to have grown after our ascensions." I said with a joking tone. Na Gong frowned, thinking for a long minute until Sakura got worried and shook her hand.

"Sister? You can't leave!" Qin Lin sighed, and held a finger up.

"Blue Lotus has too few fairies to interest husband. As long as you keep him happy, he won't leave... right?" she asked in a blackmail tone. My Lin has grown up! Learning blackmail while only a teenager! I felt so proud. Three Venerables from the auction houses nodded to each other and walked in front of my table, the bowed... very little. They knew well their own power was more than simple cultivation.

"Venerable Tian, many of your pills have been sold at auction in our houses. But not these new pills you have invented. Did they need field testing, until now?" the first man asked with an accurate guess.

"Exactly! An alchemist selling failed products ruins his reputation. I have worked long and hard to perfect these new pills, and ensure no side effects. Hundreds of fairies have returned to health in the last months, even from grievous injuries or lost limbs. Disciple Gen here was found missing all four limbs and thought a hopeless case. Yet now the limbs are back... if still needing recuperation and training to regain full strength."

I spoke in a pleasant voice, and floated Gen up front as the poster girl for the Regrowth pills. The three auction Venerables examined Gen for a long minute, taking stock of the weak limbs, looking like having just popped out.

"Very impressive, Venerable Tian. I am certain there will be many rich clients that have family members in need of regrowing limbs and other body parts, at a high price. Shall we discuss this starting price now?" the third Venerable proposed with a scammy voice. Pef grinned back, glad to have found a new scam target.

"The Tier 1 pill is called Restoration. Initial price is 300 spirit stones. The Tier 2 pill is called Regrowth, and was used successfully on this flying beauty. Starting price is 4000 spirit stones. As for the Tier 3 pill... I haven't figured out a good price, but the name is Regeneration. It has additional skin tone and beautification effects, like turning back a decade. Even Venerables benefit from those secondary effects. Maybe 30000 spirit stones... as a low start."

I whispered like I had a face-saving elixir at a bargain price.

"We'll take all such pills you can sell, Venerable Alchemist! Split into three bags... for different towns." the first guest spoke too soon, not even allowing the others to negotiate the price a little. Since I expected this, I pushed three bags forward.

"A million stones each, if you please. And keep an eye out for rare herbs and lingerie fit for a fairy. My wives have soft skin, wouldn't want anything coarse and rough touching such natural wonders..." I explained while making grabby fingers.

"Might be too late for that..." a female voice muttered in the background. With a glare at the impatient first guest, the auction Venerables dropped their heavy stone bags on my table and collected the new pills for their houses. I held up a full glass of Star Wine and drank it in one go.

"Wedding is over! Time for my nuptial room!" I proclaimed like a horny groom, then hugged Fenghue in public.

"My husband... everyone go! Sisters, help me calm down the horny beast!" Fenghue pleaded as my grabby hands sneaked under her red dress. Sun and Moon jumped on me, wrestling with me to gain control. The guests ran away with a glint in their eyes, having gained gossip for the next century. The Elders stayed a few seconds longer, until my head sneaked under their Sect Master's red dress, and ran off with happy giggles.

Sakura took my little wives away, while Zhen watched in fascination as the Sect Master moaned aloud, still at the wedding table.

"I'll sacrifice myself a few rounds, for the greater good." Nana offered and undressed herself to sate my lust, since the virgin fairies had no chance.