Chapter 11: A Thousand Silver Each Time
/ KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas
Li Rou wanted to help Fifth Elder out of his current situation, but although willing, she was powerless to render her assistance.
Over the years, she had spent all of her money on purchasing medicinal materials to help her son strengthen his constitution.
Combined with her son’s recent expenditures on medicinal materials for the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid, all of her savings only amounted to a bit over one hundred silver.
“What’s wrong, Fifth Elder? Don’t you dare to bet with Seventh Elder?”
Sixth Elder Li Ping laughed with a complacent expression.
Just as Li Ting was about to ask the other elders for a loan.
“Seventh Elder, I’ll take you up on that five hundred silver bet!”
A voice sounded from afar.
Following this voice came a young couple walking together hand in hand.
The one who spoke earlier was the youth.
The youth had sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes; he was extremely handsome with a graceful bearing.
It was indeed Duan Ling Tian!
“Ninth Elder, after spending most of your money on your son in these years, could it be that you still have five hundred silver left?”
Seventh Elder Li Kun ridiculed while take a deep glance at Li Rou.
Li Rou’s eyebrows creased slightly and she sighed lightly in her heart.
“Greetings, Patriarch, Grand Elder, and all Elders.”
Duan Ling Tian walked up the high platform while holding Ke Er’s hand and lightly bowed to the Li family higher-ups.
Patriarch Li Nan Feng glanced at Duan Ling Tian with an expression of shock. The last time he saw him was a month ago.
At that time, Li Rou was in a rage and was punishing Seventh Elder’s son, Li Xin.
At that time, Duan Ling Tian was just a sickly person.
But Duan Ling Tian seemed like a completely different person now!
“Third level of the Body Tempering stage...Duan Ling Tian, you actually broke through to the third level of the Body Tempering stage!”
When Li Nan Feng instinctively checked up on Duan Ling Tian’s cultivation, his pupils shrank and his face had an expression of disbelief.
Lin Nan Feng’s shocked exclamation was like a rock falling into a pool and causing a thousand waves.
Instantly, everyone on the platform had their gazes on Duan Ling Tian.
After a brief moment, everyone on the platform except for Li Rou and Li Ting had expressions of disbelief.
“If memory serves me right, a month ago when he was severely injured by Li Xin, he wasn’t even a martial artist yet!”
“In only one month, this Duan Ling Tian went from being from an ordinary person to completing body tempering and subsequently reached the third level of the Body Tempering stage....I’m not seeing things, am I?”
“You’re not seeing things; he really is at the third level of the Body Tempering stage. Seems like he must have obtained some fortuitous gain!”
......
Including Seventh Elder, most of the Elders were all struck dumb.
The scene in front of them was something that took them quite a while to react to.
Grand Elder Li Huo opened his eyes and looked at Duan Ling Tian with an intrigued expression.
Li Kun drew in a breath of cold air.
Duan Ling Tian breaking through to the third level of the Body Tempering stage was something that exceeded his expectations.
However, once he thought about the difference between the third level and the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage, he felt at ease once again.
In his opinion, whether Duan Ling Tian was at the second level or the third level of the Body Tempering stage made no difference to his son Li Jie
“Duan Ling Tian, you said earlier that you’re willing to bet five hundred silver with me?”
Li Kun looked at Duan Ling Tian as he asked.
“Yes.”
Duan Ling Tian nodded.
“But to the best of my knowledge, Ninth Elder has spent most of her money on you in the past few years, so I’m afraid her savings are not enough to amount to five hundred silver.”
Li Kun said.
His face had a complacent expression as he waited for Duan Ling Tian to yield.
“You’re right, my family really can’t gather five hundred silver.”
Duan Ling Tian nodded.
The financial situation of his family was something that even he knew about.
It was also for this reason that he wanted to cheat Li Kun of his five hundred silver.
“Duan Ling Tian, the bet between me, Fifth Elder, and Sixth Elder are done using presently available money. The money must be passed over to the Patriarch so that he may bear witness....If you think you can make a bet without actually having the money to back it up, you are wrong.”
Li Kun smiled mockingly.
“Did I say I was going to place the bet without having the money first? Do you think I am like you?”
Disdainfully glancing at Li Kun and ignoring his eyes that were seemingly flaming, Duan Ling Tian let go of the young girl’s hand and lightly said, “Ke Er, go to my mother.”
The young girl cleverly nodded and went to stand beside Li Rou.
“Ninth Elder, you have such good fortune!”
Some of the elders glanced at the young girl and congratulated Li Rou one after the other.
All of them noticed that the young girl would grow up to be a drop dead gorgeous beauty on par with Li Rou.
Li Rou smiled in response to the elders’ congratulations.
Beside her, the young girl’s face had long ago flushed red from embarrassment.
<“What is Tian planning to do?”>
Watching her son going against Seventh Elder Li Kun, Li Rou’s eyes flashed with a sliver of doubt.
It was getting tougher to understand her son.
“Then let me see how you, Duan Ling Tian, produce five hundred silver today. If I’m not wrong, even Fifth Elder isn’t able to produce another five hundred silver .”
Li Kun glanced at Duan Ling Tian in disdain.
Just when Li Ting was about to take out his last three hundred silver, Duan Ling Tian’s reply not only interrupted his actions but also caused him to have an astounded expression on his face.
“Don’t worry, Seventh Elder, I’m not planning on borrowing money from Fifth Elder....”
Said Duan Ling Tian, under gazes of disbelief from the Li family higher ups. He then walked to the front of Grand Elder.
“Grand Elder, I know that because you usually have to cultivate and refine medicine, your body probably has many hidden injuries....How bout I help give you a massage and then you give me five hundred silver as payment. What say you?”
Duan Ling Tian looked at Li Huo and faintly smiled.
“Tian, don’t cause trouble!”
Li Rou’s face distorted.
In the Li family, Grand Elder’s status was even above the Patriarch. Seeing her son being conceited in front of the Grand Elder, she felt angry and worried.
Hidden injuries?
Grand Elder was a Grade Nine Alchemist; if he really had any hidden injuries, he would have treated himself already.
Just when the Patriarch and all the higher ups were expecting Grand Elder to be furious.
“You want five hundred silver only for giving me a massage? Kid, you really know how to demand an exorbitant price.”
Li Huo glanced at Duan Ling Tian with an intrigued expression, lightly smiling.
“Grand Elder, how about I give you the massage first....After it’s done, you judge the effect yourself and pay me according to how much you think it’s worth.”
Duan Ling Tian made nothing of what Li Huo had said.
Hearing what Duan Ling Tian said aroused Li Huo’s interest.
“OK, I’m curious about what you’re capable of, kid.”
The only reason he agreed was because Duan Ling Tian had changed so much in the past month.
In one month’s time, breaking through to the third level of the Body Tempering stage from an ordinary person was something truly unbelievable.
As a Grade Nine Alchemist, he was well aware.
A normal person would be unable to completely transform into a third level Body Tempering martial artist in a mere month’s time even if that person had an unending supply of body tempering medicinal pills.
The present Duan Ling Tian was covered in mystery.
Moreover, his body really did have hidden injuries which had worried him for all these years, so he wanted to give Duan Ling Tian’s massage a try.
Seeing Duan Ling Tian standing behind Li Huo and placing his hand on his shoulders, most of the Li family elders had odd expressions on their faces.
They thought that Ninth Elder’s son was dreaming. If a casual massage could really earn five hundred silver, they would resign from being elders to go be masseuses.
Seeing this scene, the corner of Li Kun’s mouth curled into a cold smile.
Not respecting hierarchy and playing tricks on the Grand Elder!
Not only would Grand Elder be furious, it would also be a crime against the Li family!
In his opinion, Duan Ling Tian was out of luck.
Li Jie and the surrounding Li family disciples in the Martial Arts Practice Hall were unable to hear what was said on the high platform, so they did not know what was happening.
Seeing Duan Ling Tian standing behind Grand Elder and giving him a massage, their eyes nearly dimmed and they almost blacked out!
What was Duan Ling Tian doing? Did he think that giving a massage to the Grand Elder would make the Grand Elder bestow him with the strength to defeat Li Jie?
“F**K! What is this Duan Ling Tian doing?!”
“Instead of getting into the arena as soon as he arrived, he’s busy flattering the elders. Is he trying to win favor from the Grand Elder because he’s worried that Li Jie will beat him up too badly?”
“I think you’re right. Seems like the only possible explanation.”
......
Duan Ling Tian’s action caused anger in the masses.
“Grand Elder, while I’m massaging, please don’t circulate your Origin Energy.”
Said Duan Ling Tian to Li Huo. Using force in his hands, he started kneading Li Huo’s shoulders....
At this moment, a segment of memories flashed by in his mind.
This segment of memories belonged to Rebirth Martial Emperor; it was a very ingenious massaging technique. This technique was made to treat the side effects present on the bodies of low-grade alchemists.
Just now when he saw Grand Elder for the first time, Duan Ling Tian noticed from the light black spot between his eyebrows that he was suffering from side effects.
This kind of side effect usually presented itself on low-grade alchemist who had to research the methods of refining medicine by themselves.
Usually these side effects would not cause any discomfort, but when the alchemist circulates Origin Energy, there will be some pain in the body. On rare occasions, this pain would hurt so badly that it would feel like a knife was being twisted inside one’s heart and living would be no better than dying.
Duan Ling Tian learned all of this from Rebirth Martial Emperor’s memories.
Rebirth Martial Emperor, being a formidable alchemist himself, had researched the art of refining medicine to mastery, so there was nothing he wasn’t capable of.
Abruptly, the movement of Duan Ling Tian’s hands that were kneading Li Huo’s shoulders increased in speed!
Li Huo’s expression changed from being tranquil and he started to tremble.
Soon after, he clenched his teeth with a ferocious expression on his face as if he was dealing with extremely intense pain.
The Li family higher-ups on the platform all felt chills go down their spines....
How painful could it be to cause the formidable Grand Elder to have such an expression?
Fifteen minutes later, Duan Ling Tian stopped while sweating heavily.
“Hu!”
At this moment, Li Huo spat out a mouthful of foul air. After slowly opening hi eyes, they shone like there was an array of stars inside. He seemed as if he had grown ten years younger.
Origin Energy was circulating smoothly throughout his body, causing him to feel a pleasant feeling like never before!
In the past, circulating his Origin Energy would reopen his hidden injuries, but at this moment it seemed as if those hidden injuries had disappeared.
“Grand Elder, you still need to receive two more massages after this to fully treat the hidden injuries on your body. Now, how do you feel, Grand Elder? How much do you think you should give me as payment?”
Duan Ling Tian smiled faintly.
Li Huo laughed loudly, readily taking out a bunch of silver bills.
“Take one thousand silver for now. Later on, each time you give me a massage, I’ll give you a thousand more like this time....What say you?”