When Li Ming learned that Sun Xiaochuan had suddenly changed his mind and was pushing the Li Family to ruin, he felt helpless but braced himself.
"It's not that my Li Family can't offer benefits, but we're struggling to connect with high-level Alchemists. This time, Sun Xiaochuan has been pushing us too far. Why don't we offer the benefits to ask Zhao Li's Master for help?"
"If it comes down to it, that's the only way. But if we do that, I'm afraid you'll be seen as someone with ulterior motives."
Li Lei could tell that his son's relationship with the young man named Zhao Li was no longer just a casual acquaintance; he probably considered him a close friend or relative.
If they really did as he suggested, it would be hard for people not to think that their previous acquaintance was deliberate and had an ulterior motive. By then, they probably wouldn't even be able to be friends anymore.
Hearing this, Li Ming lowered his head. After a while, he spoke.
"Father, please handle that old fellow for me. I'll go see Zhao Li and ask him directly."
"Go."
Li Lei nodded. Seeing Li Ming leave, he just stared blankly at Li Ming's retreating back. As for Sun Xiaochuan, what was there to entertain? They were already like fish on a chopping block, completely at his mercy.
If I were a Dou Sect expert, I could at least inherit some of the old man's connections and have a chance to fight Sun Xiaochuan to the death. Sigh, what exactly did Father encounter in the Ruins? He's been completely silent about it.
Unable to figure it out, only a sigh remained in the room.
...
Li Ming arrived at Zhao Li's residence. Seeing the door open, he called out a couple of times but received no response.
He then walked in and saw that the room was clean and tidy. There was a note and a jade bottle on the table, but the person was nowhere to be seen.
Li Ming grabbed the note and started reading it.
"Brother Li, you are busy with your affairs, so I won't bother you. I'll take my leave now. The jade bottle contains a Dou Spirit Pill as a token of my gratitude. I hope it can help Brother Li save some time on the path to becoming a strong expert and reach a higher level."
After reading it, Li Ming felt his vision go dark and despair filled his heart. He slumped onto a chair.
The butler arrived late. Seeing Li Ming's state, he explained that Zhao Li had left. Li Ming shook the note in his hand and said weakly, "I already know."
The butler withdrew. Li Ming's eyes were vacant as he muttered to himself.
"Could it be that heaven is set on destroying my Li Family?"
Just then, a lighthearted voice came. Li Ming jolted up.
"Oh, who is this? Why do you look like you've lost your soul? Ah, it turns out to be Brother Li Ming. Could it be that your soul was captured by some young lady?"
Li Ming looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zhao Li by the window, with his hands behind his back, holding something, and smiling at him.
"Brother Zhao Li! You didn't leave! That's great!"
Seeing Zhao Li, Li Ming was overjoyed, forgetting even Zhao Li's teasing. However, he felt something was off.
He then realized that Zhao Li was outside the window, clearly standing in the air with his hands behind his back.
Li Ming looked as if he had seen a ghost, his eyes wide, and he stammered.
"Standing in the air... You, you, you are a Dou... Dou Sect!"
Seeing Li Ming trembling and about to bow and salute, Zhao Li waved his hand to stop him and asked with a smile.
"What? Don't you recognize me? Didn't you abduct me to wander the Heavenly Profound Night Market last night? Why do you look like this now? Aren't you going to invite me in to sit down?"
Li Ming was restrained by Zhao Li's casual gesture, and his heart was even more terrified. Such ability could only belong to a Dou Sect expert.
Hearing Zhao Li's words, he quickly recovered and adjusted his state of mind slightly.
"Please come in quickly. This room was originally reserved for you."
Although he knew this was Zhao Li, he was still a bit reserved.
Zhao Li was also a little helpless. He truly considered Li Ming a good friend. However, he also knew that the reverence for a strong expert couldn't be eliminated in a short time, so he didn't continue to tease Li Ming.
Entering the room, Zhao Li unfolded the notice he had taken down from in front of the Spatial Wormhole and placed it in front of Li Ming. He stared at him intently and asked.
"Brother Li, why don't you tell me what's going on with this?"
Li Ming had spoken straightforwardly before, but when it came down to it, he found it difficult to speak. Although Zhao Li was very strong, he didn't want to involve him for no reason. He just kept lowering his head.
Seeing this, Zhao Li threw the notice on the table, sat down on his own, and seeing the note in Li Ming's hand, he said casually.
"Brother Li, if you think this is your Li Family's business and you don't need me to get involved, then I'll leave. Anyway, there's no point in me staying here. Since you weren't here earlier, consider this a formal farewell now."
Li Ming seemed not to have expected Zhao Li to say that. As soon as he spoke, his body stiffened, and then he forced a smile.
"Zhao Li... Brother Zhao Li... Uh, brother, you must have seen the announcement. My grandfather explored some Ruins when he was young and came back seriously injured. His health has been getting weaker day by day and he's almost at the end of his life. We have to find an Alchemist or a Seventh Grade Pill, perhaps to save his life. That's why we've been seeking Alchemists everywhere."
Li Ming explained the matter of the announcement. Then he remembered what happened yesterday and felt a little embarrassed.
"You remember what I asked you last night, right? I also wanted to inquire about your background. You always have some extraordinary actions, intentionally or unintentionally. A Master who can teach such an outstanding disciple must be very remarkable. That's why I took advantage of being drunk to ask you about him. I hope you don't mind."
Zhao Li smiled and said straightforwardly.
"Brother Li, you seem like an honest person, but why are you so calculating? Wouldn't it have been better to just tell me directly? With so many twists and turns, I thought you admired my Master."
Li Ming was embarrassed and didn't dare to look at Zhao Li much, but the pressure from Sun Xiaochuan was there. He looked at Zhao Li with anticipation in his eyes.
"Brother Zhao Li, if your Master is willing to help, my Li Family is willing to give up half of the profits from managing the Spatial Wormhole, and also give him a Medicine Cauldron from the Heaven Cauldron Ranking."
"Oh? Half the profits from the Spatial Wormhole are enough to invite a Seventh-Grade Alchemist. Why do you still look so despairing?"
Zhao Li was a little puzzled. Although he hadn't managed it, according to Sky's Edge City, half the profits were already a huge fortune. This wealth would even tempt a Seventh-Grade Alchemist.
Li Ming sighed when he heard that.
"But we can't get in touch with any Alchemists. Where are you going to find that many Seventh-Grade Alchemists in a place like Tianxuan City? We can only wait by the Spatial Wormhole and hope an Alchemist happens to pass by."
Zhao Li understood. He hadn't thought of that angle. Even in Holy Pill City, there weren't many Seventh-Grade Alchemists.
Li Ming continued speaking, but this time, Zhao Li could sense the anger in his words.
"Originally, our Li Family had an Elder, but he was old and passed away. After that, his apprentice ran off. He can now refine Seventh-Grade Pills. To be honest, I went to ask him for help last time and offered him fifty percent of the profits. But that old guy came today and suddenly changed his mind, demanding eighty percent. Damn it, that old dog is really going too far."
Li Ming wasn't satisfied just saying that and cursed again. He had been enduring Sun Xiaochuan for a long time.
After cursing, Li Ming looked at Zhao Li again, still a bit reserved, but with a hopeful, almost pleading look on his face, he asked,
"Brother Zhao Li, can you contact your Master and ask him to help us out this one time? Don't worry, we'll prepare the Medicinal Ingredients ourselves, and the profit share we discussed before won't be less."
Seeing Li Ming's act of trying to charm and appeal to him, Zhao Li wished he had a camera to record it and let Li Ming watch it himself.
Zhao Li pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
"My Master is very far away. I'm afraid he can't get here anytime soon. Besides, the old gentleman's injuries are serious, and delaying isn't a solution. As for refining Seventh-Grade Pills, my Master doesn't need to do it."
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