Chapter 25
Chapter 25
“To tell you the truth, I wish to make a trade with you!” Cangxuan stated his purpose directly.
“Oh?”
Zhou Ming feigned confusion. “What kind of trade?”
“Sever your connection with the Divine Ember Queen.” Cangxuan’s gaze traveled between Zhou Ming and Qianying. “As compensation, you may choose any three pieces of Celestial Spirit equipment. What do you say?”
“Ding!”
[System: You have triggered the hidden quest [Trade] (Difficulty: D). Accept?]
Since a trade was a mutually beneficial exchange between equals, whether to accept was purely a personal decision. The system consequently assigned it a low difficulty rating.
Listening to their conversation, Qianying frowned slightly. She looked toward Zhou Ming as if she wanted to say something, then held back.
“The Dark Faction is certainly generous!”
Zhou Ming’s expression did not change. “Unfortunately, your sincerity falls short.”
“My sincerity falls short?” Cangxuan’s eyes flickered. “Three Celestial Spirit items of your own choosing would give a newly arrived adventurer an extraordinary advantage. Is that not sufficient proof of my sincerity?”
His tone softened. “Perhaps you don’t understand the strength of Celestial Spirit equipment. It stands three full ranks above that Radiant sword in your hand!”
…
Zhou Ming had no words.
With Qianying’s help, Silver equipment could become Radiant. If she enhanced a Radiant item, it would end up only one rank below this so-called Celestial Spirit gear!
I treat you like a Demon God, and you take me for an idiot?
“Shouldn’t you be offering god-tier equipment in exchange?” Zhou Ming asked curiously.
“…God-tier equipment?”
Cangxuan gave him an ambiguous smile. “If that is what you want, I can oblige. You may choose any single piece of equipment that even god-tier experts would fight over. The only reason I did not offer it was my concern that you would be unable to hold on to it!”
“Ding!”
[System: Attention! The terms of [Trade] have changed!]
“The Dark Faction is certainly generous!”
Zhou Ming clicked his tongue in admiration, then shook his head. “Unfortunately, your sincerity still falls short.”
“Ding!”
[System: [Abyssal Sword Demon · Cangxuan]’s affinity toward you has increased by 5. Current: 55, Friendly!]
“Are you playing with me?”
Anger entered Cangxuan’s voice. Black mist surged around him, bringing intense pressure.
“Let me guess what you’re thinking.” Zhou Ming’s expression gradually turned cold as he exposed the scheme without mercy. “Once I lose Qianying’s protection, any god-tier expert can control me as they please. When that happens, I won’t be able to keep the God-Demon Orb or the god-tier equipment.”
There were two reasons god-tier experts did not currently dare make trouble for him. Most were bound by the wager, and any ordinary group of two or three might not be Qianying’s match.
How could Zhou Ming possibly fail to understand that?
…
Cangxuan fell silent for a moment, then relaxed his expression. “Zhouyou Shijie, you may not fully understand your present situation.”
“What do you mean?”
“Because of the God-Demon Orb and the Divine Ember Queen, you have already offended the entire Light Faction!” Cangxuan emphasized each word. “If you refuse my trade now, you will offend the entire Dark Faction as well!”
In his view, the offer of Celestial Spirit equipment was not stingy. Those items were simply the strongest rewards Zhouyou Shijie could realistically keep without attracting even more covetous eyes.
…
Zhou Ming gave no response.
Clearly, the courteous portion of their negotiation had ended. Now came the threats.
“Do you understand what it means to offend both great factions?” Cangxuan stared directly at him and answered his own question. “It means… making an enemy of the entire world!”
To the greatest experts on the continent, an item beyond god tier was a supreme treasure.
Yet such a treasure was held by a weak adventurer!
That was Zhouyou Shijie’s greatest problem.
Cangxuan’s body abruptly shook. Black mist billowed from him and spread backward, shattering the void. Within the fractured darkness, countless pairs of terrifying eyes faintly appeared, sending chills down the spine.
The atmosphere drew taut as a bowstring.
“Every Demon God is watching!”
Cangxuan’s verbal assault reached its peak. “Now you may choose. This trade… will you accept it?”
“Zhouyou Shijie, if you…” Qianying could not stop herself from speaking, but Zhou Ming raised a hand and cut her off.
“You’re wrong!”
Zhou Ming straightened his back and faced the beings who might stand far beyond his ability to resist.
He had always possessed a rebellious streak.
Kindness could persuade him. Force never would.
“What do you mean?” Cangxuan asked, puzzled.
“I’m not making an enemy of the world. The world is making an enemy of me,” Zhou Ming replied as if it were nothing. “I’ve done nothing wrong, so why should I admit defeat?”
“Arrogant!”
“Do you truly believe we have no way to deal with you?”
“When darkness sweeps across the world again, you will be the first person I kill!”
…
The gathered Demon Gods rebuked him from within the shattered void.
“You’ve got nerve, brat!”
Whether Cangxuan felt anger or admiration was impossible to tell. He waved a hand, dispersing the black mist, then turned to leave.
“I’d like to see what you possess that could possibly challenge the entire world!”
“Ding!”
[System: [Abyssal Sword Demon · Cangxuan]’s affinity toward you has increased by 5. Current: 60, Friendly!]
“Demon God, please wait!” Zhou Ming called out.
Cangxuan turned back in confusion. “Having regrets?”
“The Divine Ember Queen and the God-Demon Orb are not available for trade!”
Zhou Ming took the Pet Capture Stone from his clothes. “But I do have an exceptionally rare item that was extremely difficult to obtain. I’d like to use it as the stake in a wager with you…”
“Not interested.” Cangxuan could not be bothered.
“Are you afraid?” Zhou Ming asked.
Cangxuan continued walking without looking back. “Such a crude provocation will not work on me!”
“Then it appears you don’t even have the courage to wager against me!” Zhou Ming continued.
Cangxuan stopped.
Several seconds later, he turned around. “What do you want to bet on?”
“It’s simple!”
Zhou Ming kept his answer concise. “I haven’t activated my Talent yet. We’ll wager on what rank it will be.”
“You intend to profit from me through the wager while also putting yourself under pressure!” Cangxuan saw through his plan with ease and sneered. “Brat, did you truly think your petty schemes could escape my eyes?”
“Ding!”
[System: [Abyssal Sword Demon · Cangxuan]’s affinity toward you has increased by 5. Current: 65, Friendly!]
Zhou Ming had no words.
He had wanted to complain about this for a while now.
Why did Cangxuan’s affinity keep rising whenever Zhou Ming taunted him to his face?
Was there something wrong with this guy?
“Just tell me whether you dare take the wager!” Zhou Ming challenged.
“As you wish!”
Cangxuan did not refuse. He studied Zhou Ming from head to toe before saying, “S Rank, though there is an extremely small chance you could obtain SS Rank.”
His estimate was that low?
Zhou Ming found it difficult to believe.
Truthfully, he naturally hoped to obtain the highest-ranked Talent possible. This wager was partly an attempt to borrow a Demon God’s judgment and estimate what heights he could reach within the Talent Trial.
“I wager that your Talent will be S Rank,” Cangxuan declared. “That should leave you at least a sliver of hope for victory!”
Zhou Ming nodded. “Then I wager that I’ll obtain an SS-Rank Talent or higher!”
“…Or higher?”
Cangxuan nearly wondered if he had heard correctly. “Do you understand what SSS Rank represents? Even after using the God-Demon Orb to develop a custom-created class, reaching such a height within the trial would still be harder than ascending to the heavens!”
“How will I know unless I try?” Zhou Ming refused to yield.
“Ding!”
[System: Congratulations! You have received the hidden quest [Wager] (Difficulty: S)!]
[Wager] (Difficulty: S)
[Description: Obtaining a Talent depends on both strength and luck.]
[Quest Requirement: Obtain a Talent of at least SS Rank in the Talent Trial.]
[Quest Reward: One Rare A-Rank item.]
[Failure Penalty: Lose the Pet Capture Stone.]
…
“Then I shall await the result!”
Cangxuan gave Zhou Ming a long look before striding away.
Watching the Demon God’s back, Zhou Ming thought for a moment, then called out, “After today, we’re enemies, not friends. The next time we meet, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!”
Clang!
Cangxuan abruptly drew his sword and slashed to the side.
Unstoppable sword energy tore across the Gobi, crushing everything in its path. In an instant, it carved a ravine thousands of meters long and too deep to see the bottom.
The dense sword intent made Zhou Ming’s skin sting.
Cangxuan returned the greatsword to his back. Killing intent assaulted Zhou Ming from every direction.
“You believe you can kill me?”
“How will I know unless I try?” Zhou Ming replied casually.
“Delusional arrogance!”
Cangxuan strode away. “You will never have the opportunity in this lifetime!”
“Ding!”
[System: [Abyssal Sword Demon · Cangxuan]’s affinity toward you has increased by 3. Current: 68, Friendly!]
Zhou Ming fell silent.
There was something wrong with him!
There was definitely something wrong with him!
…