Chapter 499: Lending A Helping Hand
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
From the conversation Ye Mo overheard, he found out that Saint Ancestor Bloodsaber was actually a grand elder of the Door of Desolation’s Inner Peak. She had high status, and her Blood Devil Saber was a Celestial Weapon. She was looking for a sheath to suppress its excessive devilish aura.
To impress the Saint Ancestor Bloodsaber, many organizations of various sizes were trying to find the sheath she required. So the price of the Black Crystal Stone had increased sharply.
“Well, that’s quite a surprise.” Ye Mo frowned. “Turns out I have bad timing. It won’t be easy for me to find any Black Crystal Stones right now.”
“What are you looking for, brother?” a crafty looking man approached Ye Mo and smiled at him. He had a very ugly smile. “Let me know and I’ll show you the way. I only need some tips for it.”
“Are you an employee of the Divine Treasure Guild?” Ye Mo asked.
“No such luck,” the man said. “To be honest, I’m just a little thug. But I know this place very well. If you find it troublesome to navigate, you could consider hiring me as your guide. You have to know that within the Divine Treasure Guild, there are a lot of secrets and many things aren’t as they appear.”
“Oh?” Ye Mo was astonished to hear that.
“Brother, my name is Zhao Xin,” the man said. “From my many years of experience observing people, I can see that you are probably here for some Black Crystal Stones. Am I right?”
When the man saw Ye Mo hesitate, he kept speaking, “I guarantee that you won’t be able to buy any here.”
“Oh? And why is that?” Ye Mo asked as he handed over a bill worth 1,000 Mixed Energy Pills to Zhao Xin.
In the Zone of Desolation, gold, silver, or precious stones were worthless. Only the Mixed Energy Pill was used as a common currency. Currency exchange centers where everywhere, exchanging bills for Mixed Energy Pills. So bills based on Mixed Energy Pills were also used as a form of currency here.
After accepting the bill from Ye Mo, Zhao Xin’s eyes locked on the number written on the bill. He quickly pocketed it before speaking, “Because now, all the Black Crystal Stones have been reserved by the various powers and organizations. No matter how much you’re willing to pay, they won’t sell any to you.”
“The Treasure Trade Gathering will start in a few days,” Zhao Xin suggested. “The large clans of the Zone of Desolation will all gather here at the Desolate City. Everyone will be fighting over Black Crystal Stone, and maybe then you can talk to them. They might be willing to sell you some.”
“I see.” Ye Mo nodded. “But what exactly is the Treasure Trade Gathering?”
“The Treasure Trade Gathering is a once a year event here in the Desolate City,” Zhao Xin said. “But people like us won’t even be granted entry. It’s a gathering for the major forces to meet up and trade.” He had an expression of longing on his face.
“Only individuals of a certain status and renown in the Zone of Desolation can enter,” Zhao Xin said. “On top of that, they also need to have some acceptable treasures in hand before they can enter. If I can enter even once, I can die happy.”
“Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you’re here scamming others again?” a furious voice called. “p.i.s.s off”
Zhao Xin’s face paled. In a fl.u.s.tered manner, he spoke to Ye Mo, “Brother, I won’t be saying much more. If I don’t leave, he’ll break my leg. The last time he caught me, I spent half a month bedridden. I nearly starved to death. Thank you for your Mixed Energy Pills.”
He turned to leave, but right as he was about to run, Ye Mo grabbed his shoulder.
“Brother, no, I mean lord, please, I’m not a scammer,” Zhao Xin said. “Please spare me.” It didn’t feel like a hand grabbing his shoulder, more like an iron pincher. He couldn’t budge Ye Mo.
“Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you’re trying to flee?” A middle-aged man rushed over. He was dressed lavishly, a shopkeeper in the Divine Treasure Guild. “Since you dared to come back to my Divine Treasure Guild, I won’t stop at breaking your legs.”
“Uncle Wu, please spare me this once,” Zhao Xin pleaded pitifully. “I haven’t been meeting your daughter, right?”
“My daughter must have been blind to like you,” the man called Uncle Wu said disdainfully. “Just look at yourself. What good are you? You spend all your time scamming people here at Divine Treasure Guild. Don’t you have anything better to do with your life?”
He waved his hand and two guards appeared behind him. Both of them were at the True Energy Realm. He then commanded, “Beat him up. Let’s see if he still dares come back after this.”
“Shopkeeper, he is my friend,” Ye Mo said calmly. “Are you commanding your men to beat my friend up?”
When Uncle Wu heard that, he looked at Ye Mo doubtfully. With his years of experience observing people, he could see that Ye Mo was also a wealthy and respectable man. And the weapon hanging on his back was quite extraordinary.
“Respected customer, how can you be his friend?” Uncle Wu feigned a polite smile on his face and said.
“I don’t need your opinion on who I make friends with,” Ye Mo spoke coldly.
Zhao Xin shot Ye Mo a grateful look. Even his back seemed straighter.
“Fine, fine,” Uncle Wu threw Ye Mo a cold gaze before leaving with the two guards.
“Many thanks!” When the three left, Zhao Xin cupped his fists and thanked Ye Mo.
“The origin energy within your body is rather thick,” Ye Mo said. “Though you’re only at Energy Shaping Ninth Realm, your foundation is rather good. So you are probably a talented cultivator as well. How did you end up as a scammer here?”
“How could I dare call myself a talented cultivator before you?” Zhao Xin said. “I come from a poor family, and my mother’s been sick for a very long time. It’s hard to find money for her medicines. I can only cultivate sparingly, and don’t even know a single martial technique yet.”
Ye Mo was shocked to hear it. He only cultivated sparingly, but he could reach Energy Shaping Ninth Realm. Many geniuses only reached the True Energy Realm with the help of medicines. But this Zhao Xin clearly had no cultivation resources or teacher’s guidance.
If he wasn’t a genius, what could he be?
Moreover, his foundations were truly stable. With guidance and help, it wouldn’t be hard for him to improve his cultivation.
“Zhao Xin, how far away is the Treasure Trade Gathering?” Ye Mo asked.
“Two more days.”
“I have 10,000 Mixed Energy Pills here.” Ye Mo handed him a bill. “Go treat your mother’s illness with it. Two days later, I’ll bring you to the Treasure Trade Gathering.” Ye Mo left without saying anything else.
Zhao Xin stared at the bill blankly, unable to recover from his daze.
“10,000 Mixed Energy Pills,” he said quietly. “And he’s bringing me to the Treasure Trade Gathering? Did I hear him wrong?”
Everyone encounters hards.h.i.+p at some point in their life. And help that might seem like nothing to the helper had the potential to completely changing the life of the person being helped. And now, Ye Mo was acting as the helper.