Chapter 621: Forced Purchase

Priest?!

Meiying Venerable opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

She then bowed and said faintly, “I will take my leave now.”

Watching Meiying Venerable depart, the Divine Lord let out a long, sorrowful sigh.

After leaving the main hall, Meiying Venerable headed toward a side hall in the Divine Palace. Halfway there, a voice tinged with delight called out, “Ying, is that you?”

Upon hearing this voice, the great Venerable could no longer contain herself. Tears welled in her eyes, and in a blur of motion, she rushed into the side hall.

“Mother-Concubine, Ying’er has returned.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Qin Ya followed Mo Cang to a pavilion within the Divine Palace to rest.

As they talked, Qin Ya came to understand the significance of the Celestial Nobility title and was astonished. He never expected the Divine Lord to grant him such a reward, and he had a faint feeling that things were not so simple.

Even though he had helped expose Wu Ruidi, a reward this great seemed excessive. ‘Just what is the Divine Lord plotting?’

The thought gave him a headache.

The Divine Palace was filled with countless experts, and the Divine Lord himself was unfathomable. With his current meager cultivation, there was nothing he could do even if someone was scheming against him.

‘I should just focus on my cultivation for now.’

Qin Ya let out a long sigh and immediately began his cultivation.

Seeing this, Mo Cang closed his eyes to rest as well.

Before long, a man in a black robe with a somewhat effeminate face appeared in the pavilion, holding a Golden Scroll.

“Qin Ya, hear the Divine Intent!”

The shrill words snapped Qin Ya and Mo Cang back to their senses.

Qin Ya slowly rose. “I am here.”

The man’s brow furrowed when he saw that Qin Ya didn’t kneel to receive the Divine Intent. But then he recalled the Divine Lord’s special instructions and his expression softened. He slowly unfurled the scroll in his hand and recited, “Qin Ya of Meiying County, a man of wisdom and courage…”

Kneeling to the side, Mo Cang was inwardly stunned.

‘To be exempt from kneeling when receiving Divine Intent… tsk, that’s a privilege only a Celestial Marquis has! The Divine Lord’s favor towards this Qin Ya is a bit excessive.’

A pang of jealousy struck him at the thought.

The Divine Intent was simple. It began with a series of praises, then officially bestowed upon him the title of Celestial Nobility and transferred ownership of Wu Ruidi’s former territory to Qin Ya.

“Qin Tianjue, accept the Seal.”

The effeminate man handed a purple Seal to Qin Ya, his tone turning obsequious. “Congratulations, Qin Tianjue, on your ascension.”

‘Tsk, tsk. To receive such favor at his age… his future is limitless.’

‘I must build a good relationship with him now, before he’s fully grown in power.’

Qin Ya smiled faintly. “Thank the Divine Lord for me.”

The effeminate man then looked at Mo Cang. “You must be Mo Cang?”

“I am.”

The man took out another Golden Scroll and said, “Mo Cang, hear the Divine Intent.”

Mo Cang’s face lit up with joy. “I am listening.”

Because Mo Cang had rendered a meritorious service by exposing Wu Ruidi for selling Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder, he received many rewards and became one of the eight hundred New Nobles of the Divine Capital.

Though his rewards couldn’t compare to Qin Ya’s, they were still exceptionally generous.

This only deepened Qin Ya’s suspicion that the Divine Lord had ulterior motives. He knew that when it came to exposing Wu Ruidi’s sale of the Bone Creation and Reshaping Powder, the person who had contributed the most wasn’t him, and it wasn’t Meiying Venerable. It was Mo Cang.

If it weren’t for him, how would they have known the Wu Family was involved in such a thing?

Qin Ya’s role, by comparison, had merely been to add fuel to the fire at the very end.

Yet his reward was even greater than Mo Cang’s.

‘There must be another reason for this. But what could it be?’

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he thought of Meiying Venerable.

‘Could it be…?’

After the effeminate man left, Mo Cang couldn’t calm his excitement for a long time.

He grabbed Qin Ya and said enthusiastically, “Come, Qin Tianjue! You just arrived in the Divine Capital, so you must not be familiar with your surroundings. Let me show you around! We can grab a meal on the way to celebrate us joining the nobility, haha!”

“Well… all right.”

Mo Cang was so enthusiastic that Qin Ya didn’t have the heart to spoil his mood.

Now that their statuses were completely different, the two of them had more privileges. After reporting to the Divine Lord, they left the Divine Palace and headed to a bustling commercial district.

Whether it was Elixirs, weapons, or entertainment, this place had it all.

The two of them went to the most luxurious Restaurant in the district.

“Here, bring two bottles of your best wine.”

“Yes, and bring us the bear paws, the Golden Roc Wings… bring it all out!”

The other patrons frowned at the scene. ‘Who is this new money trying to show off?’

But if the man had money to burn, it was none of their business.

Not long after, a young man with a group of guards walked up. He glanced at Mo Cang, his eyes lit up, and he said, “Well, isn’t this Elder Mo Cang of the Mo Family? To think I’d run into you here. It must be fate.”

Mo Cang’s excellent mood instantly soured the moment he saw the young man.

“Young Master Lin.”

“No need for such courtesy, Elder Mo Cang. Please, sit.”

The Lin Family’s young master appeared amicable enough, but Mo Cang’s expression had been cold from the moment he arrived. This puzzled Qin Ya, who was watching from the side.

He didn’t ask any questions, however, choosing to wait and see how things would unfold.

“Elder Mo Cang, have you given any more thought to that matter we discussed?”

The question came suddenly from the young master of the Lin Family.

Mo Cang’s expression changed at his words. “Lin He, I’ve told you many times. I will never sell the Lark. Give up.”

The Lark was Mo Cang’s personal Spiritual Artifact. It was an extraordinary item he had acquired in some ruins, and it was the very reason Lin He constantly hounded him.

“Hmph, Mo Cang, this is already the fourth time you’ve refused me.”

Lin He’s face fell, his amicable demeanor vanishing completely. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his guards began to subtly surround Mo Cang.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s four times, ten times, or a hundred. My answer will always be the same: I’m not selling. So please, stop bothering me.”

“I admire your resolve.”

Lin He said coolly, his tone then dropping. “But my patience is limited. I hope you won’t test its limits any further.”

“Fifty million Primordial Stones plus a Spirit Sword. Are you selling or not?”

“Not selling.”

“You’re forcing my hand.”

Lin He’s eyes flashed as powerful streams of True Essence sparked between his fingers.

“Oh? You want to take it by force?”

Mo Cang’s tone was tinged with amusement. He then took out a cyan Seal and said, “I wonder if you’ll still have the guts after seeing this.”