Chapter 266: A Beneficial Deal For Both Sides
Chapter 266: A Beneficial Deal For Both Sides
The moment the seven flawless pills finished condensing, the tension holding Rhain’s body upright finally snapped.
His shoulders sagged, and a heavy breath escaped his lips.
Cold sweat had completely soaked through the collar of his torn dark robes, and the pallor of his face had deepened.
Refining a Mystic-Grade pill was never easy.
But compared to the very first time he had attempted it to refine the Spirit-Ascension Star Lily that had nearly torn his consciousness apart, this had been somewhat manageable.
His Soul Power had multiplied several times over since then, and he had refined Mystic-Grade elixirs more than once.
Combined with the Purple Moon Mystic Furnace suppressing the elemental clashes that would have otherwise demanded twice the mental strain, he had managed to pull off the impossible even in his current, horrific condition.
He raised his hand, and the seven glowing white pills floated gently into a jade bottle that materialized from his spatial ring.
Then, without a single second of hesitation, he flicked his wrist.
The jade bottle sailed across the bamboo grove.
Qaylus instinctively caught it, his sharp eyes widening as the intoxicating fragrance seeped through the jade against his palm.
"Consider these a token of my gratitude," Rhain said, "For agreeing to protect my life."
The entire bamboo grove stared at Qaylus’s hands in a state of shock.
Seven flawless Mystic-Grade pills.
Even a highly flawed Mystic-Grade pill fetched astronomical prices at exclusive auctions.
A flawless one could easily cost over a hundred million Aetherium Crystals.
Rhain had just casually handed over seven hundred million Aetherium Crystals as a simple ’thank you’ gift.
"How..." Qaylus finally spoke. He looked at the nineteen-year-old youth sitting before him, his sharp, authoritative features completely stripped of their previous skepticism. His voice carried genuine bewilderment. "How can you possibly achieve all of this at such a young age?"
Every pair of eyes in the grove turned toward Rhain, waiting.
Rhain slowly pushed himself to his feet.
"I cannot explain it clearly, Dean Qaylus," Rhain replied. "My comprehension has always been unusually strong. Things that take others years to grasp, I understand in days. Beyond that, there is nothing to say."
It was a clear brush-off.
And before anyone could press the matter, Rhain deliberately shifted the topic.
"Dean Qaylus," Rhain spoke, his dark grey eyes narrowing with a calculating light. "If the Valdris Royal Academy is willing to provide the raw herbs, I can guarantee a return of three flawless Mystic-Grade pills for every single batch you supply."
Three flawless pills per batch!
For a Grandmaster Alchemist, extracting even three highly flawed pills from a batch of Mystic-Grade herbs required a miracle blessed by the gods.
It was the theoretical ceiling of alchemical efficiency.
And Rhain was offering them a guaranteed three flawless pills per batch!
Since each flawless pill was easily ten times more valuable than the best pills other Grandmaster Alchemists could produce, the profit the Valdris Royal Academy stood to gain from this deal was unimaginably vast.
It would elevate their foundation to a level that even the Imperial Family would envy.
Rhain didn’t stop there. He shifted his gaze directly toward the Old Dean, who was sitting quietly on the wooden stump.
"Old Dean," Rhain’s voice turned profound. "I can see that you only have a few decades of lifespan left."
The words made Carmilla and Seraphine flinch.
For ordinary cultivators, a few decades could be a considerable time.
But for a Monarch Realm powerhouse, whose lifespan spanned around 1000 years, a few decades was nothing more than a fleeting moment.
"I also know," Rhain continued fearlessly, "that it is definitively impossible for you to reach the middle stage of the Monarch Realm within that short period of time using conventional means."
The Old Dean’s ancient, tranquil eyes flickered with a sharp, piercing light.
"Although I cannot do it right now," Rhain declared, his voice carrying his confidence. "In the future, I will be able to refine Emperor-Grade pills. Pills that can help you break through that final bottleneck."
Old Dean’s aura flickered imperceptibly around him.
It was a temptation that struck him very deeply.
After living for such a long time, and reaching the apex of power level, no one would want to die.
"In exchange," Rhain stated, laying his ultimate card on the table, "all I ask is that the Valdris Royal Academy vows to unconditionally protect my life, and the lives of my people currently residing in the Outer Frontier."
Dean Qaylus and the Old Dean exchanged a long, deeply meaningful glance.
The investment was astronomically high, but the potential returns—flawless Mystic-Grade pills, limitless wealth, and an Emperor-Grade pill that could extend a Monarch’s life, were simply too earth-shattering to ignore.
The political risk of offending the Solathane Emperor suddenly seemed like a completely acceptable price to pay.
Finally, the Old Dean gave a slow, firm nod.
"We agree," Qaylus turned back to Rhain. "We will dispatch a specialized team of Domain Masters to the Outer Frontier immediately. They will protect the people you wish. With our elites stationed there, the Royal Family will not dare to harm them easily."
Hearing those words, Rhain finally let out a quiet exhale.
The danger to the Azure Cloud Sect and his roots had been temporarily averted.
"I thank you, Dean Qaylus, Old Dean," Rhain offered a respectful bow. "I will repay this debt in the future."
"Do not be so hasty with your thanks, Rhain," Qaylus interjected, "I have one additional condition."
Everyone turned their heads toward Qaylus, not knowing what the stringent Dean could possibly demand after securing such a massive profit.
"I have an additional condition," Qaylus demanded, "You must additionally teach our Academy’s Grandmaster Alchemists exactly how you achieve this flawless purity during refinement."
Rhain frowned slightly.
During the negotiations at the Celestial Elixir Pavilion, Lyra had offered him the exact same condition, and he had flatly, brutally refused it.
But this time, the situation was fundamentally different.
He was under someone else’s roof, seeking shelter from the wrath of an entire dynasty.
He couldn’t be as rigid as before.
After thinking for a brief moment, Rhain gave a single nod.
"I accept."
Qaylus nodded, a smile spread across his sharp features.
"Then we have an agreement, Grandmaster Korryn."
-------------------
The group departed the bamboo grove shortly after, escorted by Academy attendants toward the guest pavilions that had been hastily prepared for them.
The moment they were far enough from the Old Dean’s sanctuary, the carefully maintained composure of the Stormveil group completely collapsed.
"Little thief."
Carmilla, walking beside Rhain, leaned in with that familiar, playful grin. "You really know how to hide deeply. You have been with us for so long, and all I knew was that you possessed a Heavenly Flame. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that the legendary Grandmaster Korryn who turned our city upside down was you all along."
Behind them, Liana let out a long, incredulous sigh.
"So that’s why!" Liana exclaimed, her emerald eyes wide. "Now I understand why Manager Vulcan was so ready to give me that ridiculous ninety-nine percent discount with just a single word from you! You owned the Pavilion the entire time!"
She turned to Seris with a slightly betrayed pout. "You must have known this already, Sister Seris! And yet you never told me!"
Seris heard Liana’s acquisition, and could only offer a helpless, apologetic smile, "I’m sorry, Sister Liana! I really wanted to tell you, but my husband strictly asked me not to reveal his secret to anyone. I couldn’t go against his words."
Elara Thunderwood let out a long, shuddering exhale, a graceful smile returning to her beautiful face.
"Now I know why my intuition was telling me to save you at any cost," Elara murmured, her highly intelligent blue eyes looking at Rhain with profound admiration. "I am incredibly fortunate that I decided to take that gamble."
Matriarch Seraphine smiled warmly, her sharp eyes regarding Rhain with overwhelming satisfaction. "To think that my little son-in-law was already such a monumental figure. Lyra is truly very fortunate to marry you."
"Hmph!"
Lyra, trailing behind them, crossed her arms and let out a fierce, angry snort, turning her face away from her mother.
Seraphine completely ignored her daughter’s outburst and continued.
"Rhain, since we are now family, if you wish, my Emberford Noble Family will provide your Celestial Elixir Pavilion with premium estates across all our territories to open your branch shops... completely free of any cost."
Rhain’s dark grey eyes flashed with genuine happiness. Free real estate in prime commercial sectors was a massive boon for his upcoming expansion.
"I thank you for your generosity, Matriarch," Rhain replied politely.
Seraphine smiled warmly and waved her hand. "Please, Rhain. Stop using such distant words like ’Matriarch’. Since the marriage pact is sealed, you should directly call me ’mother-in-law’, or simply ’mother’ from now on."
"Ahem!"
Rhain suddenly coughed, a rare wave of embarrassment appearing over his usually placid face.
Behind them, Lyra’s face burned as red as her hair, and she gave another aggressive, humiliated snort. "Hmph!"
High Preceptor Amarantha and the other four High Preceptors were also beaming with joy.
Knowing that the greatest martial prodigy in their history was also the legendary Grandmaster Korryn filled them with an overwhelming sense of pride.
They crowded around him, expressing their endless admiration.
Rhain simply responded to their praises with modest, polite nods.
But as the lively conversation continued, Rhain’s gaze drifted toward Carmilla.
Despite her playful teasing, her face was still a sickly, ghostly white, and her aura was dangerously weak.
"Dean," Rhain spoke, his tone turning serious. "What exactly happened to you? Why is your condition like this?"