SWNOVELXO Chapter 317: Exchange
Chapter 317: Exchange
“Can’t I visit you for no reason?”
Shui Yingyue’s beautiful eyes looked at him with a hint of reproach. Xu Lian remained silent, not knowing what to say.
To say that they had no feelings for each other would be inaccurate. After all, they had lived as husband and wife for a whole year. As the saying went, “One day as husband and wife creates a bond that lasts for hundreds of days,” let alone an entire year.
But to say that their bond was deep would also be inaccurate. Both of them were rational individuals who preferred logic over emotion, so neither of them put too much importance on their past relationship.
Xu Lian sighed helplessly. “You might as well cut to the chase. This is making me uncomfortable.”
But Shui Yingyue didn’t speak. Instead, she walked directly into the room where he resided and turned to face him earnestly. “Since we stopped communicating fifty-six years ago, I’ve continued my cultivation within the Shui family. In all that time, I have not sought another partner, nor do I plan to. I’ve accepted that you are my only destiny partner.”
After a moment of hesitation, Xu Lian followed her inside and closed the door behind him.
Several hours later, he observed that Shui Yingyue’s affection level toward him remained firmly at 80 – a testament to her steadfast nature and overwhelming rationality.
And so, just like in the Hundred Boats Secret Realm, the two of them resumed their life as husband and wife.
A few days later, Shui Yingyue finally revealed the purpose of her visit. “One reason I’m here is because of our bond as partners. It’s been fifty-six years; it’s time to let go of the grievances of the past.”
“I’ve already moved on,” Xu Lian nodded. Truth be told, being alone in Wuguang City had become unbearably lonely. Having a woman around made a noticeable difference – it felt nice.
“The other reason,” Shui Yingyue continued, “is that the Shui family sent me. They still want the fifty Luminous Treasures you have.”
Xu Lian was astonished. The Shui Family was really persistent. Fifty-six years had passed, yet they still coveted the fifty luminous treasures in his possession.
“What does the Shui family need so many luminous treasures for?” he asked curiously.
He had tested the power of each treasure individually and found them to be equivalent to the weapons used by Origin Tracing Realm cultivators-not even close to Sage-level artifacts. Clearly, the Shui family didn’t intend to use them as weapons. There had to be some hidden significance that he wasn’t aware of.
Shui Yingyue shook her head. “I don’t know either, but one thing is for sure: with the divine laws of a divine kingdom protecting you, these treasures are of little value to you. You’re guarding Wuguang City for the Origin Tracing Light, aren’t you? Why not exchange them with the Shui family for the Origin Tracing Light?”
Xu Lian thought about it. “What’s the price? How would the exchange work?”
“One for one,” Shui Yingyue replied. “Fifty Luminous Treasures for fifty beams of Origin Tracing Light.”
Xu Lian immediately declined the offer. “No deal. That doesn’t satisfy me.”
Shui Yingyue frowned. “Then how do you propose we make the exchange?”
Xu Lian thought for a moment. He still needed 151 Beams of Origin Tracing Light to advance to the ninth stage of Origin Tracing and eventually break into the Sage Realm.
“Three for one,” he declared. “Fifty Luminous Treasures for 150 beams of Origin Tracing Light, and the Shui family must also provide me with Sage Realm cultivation resources.”
Shui Yingyue’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Xu Lian knew that his offer was outrageous, but that was the point. By starting high, he left ample room for negotiation. Rarity determined value, and after the events in the Hundred Boats Secret Realm, many luminous treasures had flooded the outside world, making them less scarce. Even if he refused the Shui family, they could always acquire more from other geniuses.
After a long pause, Shui Yingyue replied, “Your demands are impossible! Resources for Sage Realm cultivation? Not even a fraction of those can be provided. These are the most important cultivation materials for top tier factions, they cannot be given away. And 150 Beams of Origin Tracing Light? That’s also unrealistic. As someone at the Origin Tracing Realm, you should understand their worth.”
“The highest authority granted to me by the Shui family allows fifty Luminous Treasures to be exchanged for seventy beams of Origin Tracing Light. Anything beyond that is out of the question.”
At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled. “As a Nine Heaven Holy Son, your talent is unparalleled, and with the divine laws protecting you, your future achievements are limitless. Haven’t the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands provided you with Origin Tracing Light?”
“They have,” Xu Lian admitted casually, “but my consumption of Origin Tracing Light far exceeds that of ordinary cultivators. What they’ve allocated for me isn’t enough, so I’m out here looking for more.”
“Seventy beams of Origin Tracing Light is too little. It doesn’t meet my expectations.”
However, he didn’t reject the offer outright. If he stayed in Wuguang City and waited for the Origin Tracing Light to appear every eight to ten years, it would take him seven hundred years to gather seventy beams. If he could secure seventy beams through an exchange with the Shui family, he could advance to the Sage Realm seven hundred years earlier. Deep down, he was tempted.
However, he still hadn’t figured out the true purpose of the Luminous Treasures. What if he needed them in the future? Selling them now might leave him at a disadvantage.
Shui Yingyue pressed, “Can’t you lower the price for the sake of our partnership?”
Xu Lian chuckled. “Then can you negotiate with the Shui family to give me more Origin Tracing Light for the sake of our partnership?”
Once again, Shui Yingyue was left speechless. Realizing that further negotiations were futile, they dropped the subject.
They spent a few more days together as husband and wife.
Finally, Shui Yingyue prepared to leave. “The factions of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and the Divine Thunder Sect are currently locked in a power struggle. It wouldn’t be wise for me to stay here too long, lest the Divine Thunder Sect faction misinterpret my presence and drag the Shui family into this conflict.”
Xu Lian felt no attachment to her departure. “Then go ahead.”
Shui Yingyue handed him a sound transmission talisman. “The Shui family’s best offer is seventy beams of Origin Tracing Light. If you change your mind, you can always contact me.”
Xu Lian accepted the talisman and watched as she vanished across space, clearly escorted by a powerful member of the Shui Family-her Return to Void Cultivation Base alone wasn’t sufficient for spatial travel.
“It seems that seventy beams of Origin Tracing Light is the Shui Family’s bottom line. There’s little chance they’ll raise their offer any further.”
Xu Lian thought about the situation. Selling to the Shui Family was not entirely out of the question, but he wasn’t in a rush. He decided to wait until he had gathered eighty-one beams of Origin Tracing Light. If the Shui family still hadn’t increased their offer by then, it would confirm the treasures’ true value. At that point, selling them wouldn’t be a bad decision.
Some time passed.
Suddenly, another figure appeared in Wuguang City. The moment he arrived, an overwhelming aura surged forth, shaking the entire city.
This newcomer was a young man resembling a towering warrior, his unruly hair fluttering in the wind. Wearing a shining battledress and wielding a massive halberd, he exuded the presence of a god of war descending upon the mortal realm.
“Who approaches? State your name!” Xu Lian barked, quickly rising from the dilapidated city lord’s residence and appearing high in the sky to confront the intruder.
Even without asking, Xu Lian could guess – the individual undoubtedly hailed from one of the three major factions: the Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Holy Land, or the Fuyao Holy Land.
The young man’s expression remained indifferent. “Divine Thunder Sect, Holy Son from three thousand years ago – Gu Ran. Peak Ninth Stage of the Origin Tracing Realm.”
Xu Lian examined the battle robe and halberd the man was wearing. The overwhelming pressure emanating from both items confirmed that they were supreme artifacts. Impressive. The Divine Thunder Sect had truly spared no expense in dealing with him.