21 Chapter 21 (1/2)

Gao Guanyu remained impassive through it all. No expression of surprise or worry could be seen on his face which completely showed how able and adept he was at dealing with things like these.

If this man was born on Earth, there was no doubt that Gao Guanyu would have made a great poker player.

”If that is what you need, Master Clark. I know exactly where to take you. Please let me be your guide.” Gao Guanyu replied without any questions asked on his part.

This had only increased the admiration that Clark felt towards this good learned man of culture.

”Thank you, Master Gao.” Clark uttered his thanks and the two then marched quietly away from the center of ruckus in the Pill Pavilion.

The halls started wide before it quickly narrowed to lead the pair towards the most inner sanctum of the establishment.

They passed several doors and upon the fifth of such gates, Clark expected nothing less but to see more extravagant products on display.

Alas, his prediction came surprisingly flawed the moment this fifth door opened.

'WTF!' Clark may have left the words unspoken but the stupefied expression on his face revealed exactly how he felt.

”Is this place big enough for the trade you had in mind, Master Clark?” Gao Guanyu almost smiled at his would be customer's reaction.

Still, the same rigid discipline he marked unto the bones and souls of his pill apprentices held the smile from coming into form.

The slight curve of this old man's lips vanished before it could even be witnessed by anyone else but himself alone.

”Nancy... what person could create something like this?” Clark once again asked his ever present lady aide.

”It would have to be at least level 40 and above, host. Aspirants can begin to touch the edges of the Dao of Space and with enough proficiency on this specific field, one could even fashion a world of their own design.” Nancy easily erased Clark's doubts.

'Aspirant Realm again!' Clark thought as he realized how powerful it was in comparison to the current him. The Master of the Demonic Sword Sect and now the maker of this huge space.

Both were experts that had already spent thousands of years cultivating.

'No matter, with how fast my current level up is going, i would also reach that kind of strength soon!' Clark smiled and took his eyes from the ceiling that went as far as the natural sky on earth.

What differed in here was that the clouds were replaced with rocky misshapen shapes as if they were inside a cave dwelling and not in some part of the Pill Pavilion any longer.

Other than that, an unnatural light shone from above to show the hidden treasures that laid dormant within this mystical vault.

Clark could see huge monuments and curious pagoda artifacts that reached at least 3 thousand feet in height.

Every single one of these ginormous products was brimming with so much power that breathing normally became even a chore for Mortal Shedding Realms like Clark and Gao Guanyu.

Perhaps an uncultivated mortal would have long suffocated before the presence of these peerless relics.

”Yes, this place should be more than enough for my purpose Master Gao.” Clark took a full 60 breaths before uttering any reply.

Gao Guanyu on the other hand was content on watching the sense of awe that passed by his customer's countenance.

He was not at all worried that this middle aged man was a thief or had some devious scheme in mind since the formation technique within this place could even trap a 10th Stage Aspirant Cultivator.

”I'm all ears about the business you bring for me tonight, Master Clark.” Gao Guanyu smiled, taking away a few years from his wrinkled mien.

Although he was confident that with his guest's prior reaction, Master Clark could not have possibly bring him the kind of trade that he had expected.

Otherwise a secret realm like this would have never surprised Master Clark that easily. However, Gao Guanyu was still a professional through and through.

His disappointments never leaked one bit and of course, the same courtesy he had for his guest remained constant all through out.

”Then please follow me in order to find out, Master Gao.” Clark responded and led the way forward into a large circular clearing.

There were lots of miscellaneous items on the side that ranged from flying swords to broken discarded pieces of what had been compete before.

Twisted shards and rusty trinkets was a common scene on this realm as these two were akin to the sands on the vast azure beaches of treasures.

'Can you scan for hidden special loot in here, Nancy?' Clark asked as he'd hoped that there must have been at least one rare find in this collection of both junks and fortune.

'Affirmative, host.' Nancy affirmed which halted Clark's steps completely.

He remembered that Nancy would not help him locate the magical plants and herbs in these lands unless he bought an upgrade from the system beforehand.

'So what changed?' Clark was curious to find out. Alas, his partner in here found his actions pretty peculiar also.

”What's the matter, Master Clark?”

”Ahhh... Nothing. I just realized that the face on that statue seem so familiar.” Clark threw the most common of excuses and pointed on a random giant monument around them.

”Hmmm... Indeed, he is. Adur, The Fallen God of War. A pity.” Gao Guanyu shook his head as he also took some time to gaze at the hulking lifelike statue just to their left.

It depicted of a man that held a pair of big axes on his hands.

He was a handsome devil and his stone face exuded an excitement for battle, a wide fearless grin, that may have likely joined him along the many legends that he had written in his long adventurous life.

The battle hunger was still strong and palpable even in the cold unfeeling monument that represented him in death.

”Why is that?” Clark asked.

”I don't know, Master Clark. But... I just thought that the gods above us would have it easier than us mere mortals. Instead...”

Gao Guanyu halted and looked once more at the heroic figure of the Fallen God of War.

”...it appears that they are also fighting tooth and nail up there. Just like we all do in here.”

The old Pill Grand Master smiled sadly and this time, it was him who resumed their walk into the glade amidst this forest of sundry antiques. The short walk grew solemn after that.

”Is what he said true, Nancy? Can gods really die?” Clark asked in confusion.

”Affirmative, host. Anything that has life can also perish. And the conflict amongst gods could even be bloodier and more merciless than that of mortals.” Nancy answered in a serious voice.

”What are they fighting about? Don't tell me they're all vying for the power of faith? Is that it?”

”Affirmative, host. The power of faith. The supreme energy in all of creation.”

'Well damn! Was the first xianxia author an immortal or a god himself? How could the details in here be so precisely accurate as it was written in the many web novels i read?!'

Clark was astounded but gained no refuge in his queries. Fifteen breaths elapsed and the two has finally arrived at an open space suitable enough for Clark's needs.

Nancy also took this moment to report her findings.

'Found 69 unidentified items, host.'

'Show me.' Clark commanded.

”BOINK!” Images one after another passed through Clark's perusal. Glass fragments, crumpled paper, torn map, and the like.

It was safe to say that at first glance, none of these items would pass anything else but trash.

'Maybe this things has not yet been appraised or was identified incorrectly by the masters of the Liquid Poison Sect.' Clark was excited to get this inside information from Nancy.

”Can i look around and perhaps buy a couple of unnecessary rabbles in here, Master Gao?” Clark asked nonchalantly, hiding his intentions quite deeply.

”I'm sorry, Master Clark. But all the items in here hasn't been fully appraised yet so...” Gao Guanyu offered an apologetic smile.

”I see. I understand.” Clark had a pretty smile on his face but deep inside was a whole nother matter entirely.

'FUCK! What the hell was that, Nancy? Why lead me on and dangle a carrot in front like I'm some kind of stupid rabbit or something?' Clark fumed.

'The system is only giving free knowledge, host. It has revealed, at no cost to you whatsoever, that there are 69 hidden items in here that may or may not be relics from powerful entities.