Wei Li was at the peak of the Core Formation realm and had already started touching upon the laws of the Grand Dao, but his interaction was faint at the mont, almost like trying to grasp smoke with bare hands. This ant that whatever interactions he had and whatever accumulations said interactions brought were insufficient for him to start knocking on the doors of the Palace Realm, let alone beco a quasi Palace Realm expert.
So what soone like him needed right now was anything and everything that could help him deepen and lengthen his interaction with the profundities of the Grand Dao, to the point that he could start to actively sense it instead of it happening passively and vaguely. And for that, he either needed to be in a place or be in possession of a treasure imbued with the powers of the Grand Dao so dense that the aura of the Grand Dao would constantly envelop his body, soul, spirit, and essence, gradually tempering them until they could endure and perceive its presence more clearly, or he needed to strengthen his soul to heighten its sensitivity to those profundities.
For Wei Li, given his standing within the Vast Blue and the fact that he had no other backing outside of the rchant company, he could forget about having access to the forr. So his only option was the latter. But treasures that strengthened the soul were not easy to co by either, given how highly sought after they were, which only served to increase their rarity and price.
So, before today, his only real option was to bitterly cultivate and gradually build up his perception, which, going by his very generous estimate, would have taken him at least ten years before he accumulated enough sensitivity to reach the quasi Palace stage, and then who knows how long before he actually had enough to try for the Palace Realm.
But with the spirit pearl peony, he could save a lot of ti. Not to ntion, Wei Li instinctively felt that these spirit pearl peonies were different in quality from so of those he had interacted with when doing inventory, so who knows what other added effects they had. It could be a treasured panacea that not only strengthened his soul but could also enhance his comprehension of the Grand Dao even further or repair sothing within him.
He smiled wryly as he felt completely seen through by this mysterious guest. He felt that Yang Qing had obviously seen through not only his current cultivation state but also his desperation.
With how things were in the Vast Blue and the uncertainty of it all, the quicker he reached the Palace Realm, the better. And he felt Yang Qing knew that.
Hopefully the cost is sothing I can pay, he thought worriedly.
His wry smile imdiately lted away as he adopted a more solemn expression when he cupped his fists at Yang Qing and bowed deeply. "I shalessly accept your gracious offer, Senior. Should you need anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask, as long as it does not cross my moral lines," he firmly declared.
"Do not worry, I will not ask for anything too difficult," Yang Qing slowly and softly said as he moved his hands and picked out one of the spirit pearl peonies, which he handed over to Wei Li. "All I need is information."
Yang Qing chuckled when he saw Wei Li’s expression freeze along with his hands.
"Not about the Vast Blue," Yang Qing continued, smiling amusedly.
"What information do you need, then?" Wei Li asked wearily, not completely taking the peony.
"Bits of information here and there. Mostly interesting rumors or any information you find intriguing," Yang Qing casually said.
Before Wei Li could ask what counted as interesting or intriguing (which his puzzled face showed he wanted to), Yang Qing interjected.
"I have not introduced myself yet, have I?" Yang Qing warmly said as he stood up, cupping his fists at Wei Li, which seed to have startled him even more than the seventy-three peonies that appeared out of thin air.
"My na is Yang Qing, a judge of the Order. It is a pleasure to et you, Wei Li," said Yang Qing, smiling warmly at the flabbergasted Wei Li. Of all the identities he assud Yang Qing might wear, a judge of the Order had definitely not been amongst them.
Fear struck him, and his body got caught between trying to bow, prostrate, and apologize for sothing he did not know, only feeling that the right move here was to apologize. After all, he was dealing with a big shot. This was a figure from one of the most powerful organizations on the continent.
Yes, they had soone from the Jade Leaf Academy present, which was also an ancient organization of worthy repute and prestige, but there was always a difference in intimidation when you faced a civil official versus a battle-hardened soldier, even when both held the sa rank.
The Jade Leaf Academy was a scholar’s paradise, while the Order... well, the Order was an executioner’s paradise. Wei Li would never openly admit that, as he still very much valued his ager life, but he genuinely feared the Order more than even the two Holy Lands, given the forr’s reputation of hanging a sword over the entire continent and actually even daring to use it a couple of tis. Well, not a couple... maybe a thousand.
A judge. Zongying was right; I really have the worst luck, he thought bitterly, using every ounce of strength and willpower he had to keep his knees from failing him. Just as he was about to give the deepest bow of his life and beg for his life for daring to covet items from soone from the Order, he felt Yang Qing’s hand gently hold him up by the shoulders to stop the act.
"There is no need for that," Yang Qing gently said. "And this is yours," he added as he gently pressed the peony onto Wei Li’s stiffened hands, who ended up subconsciously holding onto the peony as though he were a puppet having his limb strings pulled.
"Good," Yang Qing said as he patted Wei Li’s shoulder, who looked more like a stiffened ghostly corpse than a human at the mont, given how pale and frozen he was.
"As for the information..." Yang Qing casually continued, taking his seat and going along as though Wei Li was fully functional and normal (which he was not; he looked like his soul had left him).
"Any information would do, from things you think that the Order would be genuinely interested in knowing to, uhm..." Yang Qing paused as he held his chin thoughtfully, "gossip and rumors about strange treasures, lost ruins appearing, or just rumor-worthy information that a bard or a gossip monger would trade their entire wealth to have. It doesn’t have to be substantive, it just has to be interesting," said Yang Qing.
"See, it is not that hard of an ask, is it?" Yang Qing gently said, smiling at the befuddled Wei Li. "So what do you say? Care to be my source of information? I could give you more peonies or even the Green Fla Tree’s sap if the information is good."
Wei Li’s mind completely left him as he offered a gibberish reply, which Yang Qing took to be a yes, even though no legible word ca out of Wei Li’s mouth. It was more of a grunt and a raspy, labored breath from soone who looked like they were struggling to breathe.
Wei Li’s mind returned when he found himself at the bottom of the stairs, about to take the corner leading to the platform’s ground floor.
"How did I get here?" he muttered raspily and in confusion, his confused eyes subconsciously falling on the spirit pearl peony cradled in his hands.
"Huh?" He stared at it for what felt like an eternity before finally putting it away with care as he slowly made his way to the platform, looking lost and confused; his eyes kept darting over to Yang Qing’s seating.
Yang Qing, in the anwhile, was joyously celebrating the newest mber of his abode.
"From now on, your na is Yang Ning, in the hopes that you may be a source of rest and tranquility," he warmly said to the Resting Root Spirit Oak sapling still perched on his left pinky, which released more dazzling light at Yang Qing’s statent.
"Hope he is okay," he murmured concernedly when he saw Wei Li almost run into one of the seats as he made his way to the platform.
In truth, Yang Qing did not even need him as an informant. He had just made the offer so Wei Li would not feel burdened by the peony. He always found it weird how cultivators found it easier to plunder sothing than to receive it for free, especially if it was precious. The more precious it was, the more uncomfortable and paranoid they would be that there was sothing wrong with it, which would only make them more reluctant to accept it.
Him giving Wei Li the spirit pearl peony was more whimsical than calculated. He felt happy about the successful bid, and in that spirit, he felt generous. Not to ntion, handing out one peony was not even that much of a loss for him.
Still, having thought that, it was not bad having a rchant as an informant. Their trade was in goods and information, and both these things were handy to Yang Qing, especially the latter, given he had to expand his information network beyond what had been handed to him during his orientation into the palace courts.
Maybe I could even have him as a connection for Ma Yuan when he starts out, Yang Qing thought, but he imdiately shook his head, dismissing the thought. Li Gang would be better.
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