Chapter 574: Jewel

Liam’s long, detailed explanation would have taken the greatest liar in the world to concoct or dismiss, especially when he had spoken with such confidence.

Knowledge obviously wasn’t everything. Alchemy had great practical demands, but it was truly rare for a cultivator to possess such extensive theory without corresponding skills, or any skills at all.

Still, the last statement had a far heavier impact than any confidence or knowledge could express. Unbreakable, unwavering, and bottomless faith backed it, as if Liam’s entire existence revolved around it.

Truth was, things went even deeper than that for Liam, far deeper, down to the very core of his being. His gratitude toward his great Master knew no bounds, and words would never be able to convey it. Only his aura could offer insights that still fell short of the true magnitude of that feeling.

With that, the playing field changed. Liam hadn’t brought up any proof of his origin, so the suspicion was still strong, but something overcame it.

Laurel matched Liam’s gaze but was the first to divert her eyes in thought. Liam might have created that problem, but he could also be the solution, as well as an opportunity that couldn’t be disregarded easily.

The opportunity caused division, as shown by Laurel’s following seating arrangements. She led Caspar to the table, sitting again on the Dark Heaven Tribe’s opposite side, but farther from the Invincible Oasis Tribe compared to earlier.

Branching experts led the Tribes, so Laurel was very interested in fixing Caspar and restoring his full power. That was the only way to at least attempt to contend with the other two.

Dealing with the damage was the issue now. Jacob and Chester’s actions had pushed Liam to the Dark Heaven Tribe. He was even a perfect fit with his alchemy and branching stage, creating a loss that mere rooting experts shouldn’t have been able to cause.

The political repercussions could very well be immense. The Dark Heaven Tribe’s power had skyrocketed, and the management of the entire Aetacia region and beyond would change because of that.

It would be natural to curse Jacob and Chester in that predicament. If they had been alive, their Tribes might have even disowned them.

However, there was another side to the matter, one that Liam couldn’t possibly know about. Both the Invincible Oasis and the Red Sandstorm Tribes had prepared for a similar catastrophe long ago, and the reason was pouring Liam drinks.

Rachel was a famous troublemaker, and not of the funny kind. She had inflicted real loss and caused meaningful damage for years, and her skills, Tribe, and parents’ overprotective nature had always bailed her out of any punishment.

Still, that wasn’t entirely organic. At least, the Invincible Oasis and Red Sandstorm Tribes were willing to let that continue. They even rejoiced that Rachel had been born inside a family that treasured her so much, since the alternative would have been catastrophic.

Rachel was a true jewel worth more than countless treasures. She was young, a genuinely stunning beauty, the likes that only appeared every few centuries, and her pedigree was incredible.

Marrying Rachel would instantly bring a leadership position in her Tribe, the support of two masters in the noble arts, and rights of succession, on top of a wife no man could ever tire of lusting for.

Rachel was the key to set any cultivator for life, which was why the Invisible Oasis and the Red Sandstorm Tribes didn’t want to see that currency spent. If she had been born in a more cynical family, the Dark Heaven Tribe could have even aimed to add a leafing expert to its ranks by giving her away.

The dreaded time seemed to have ultimately arrived, with some fears coming to fruition. Yet, Liam wasn’t the worst that could have happened. He was bad news, but he could be managed.

Sadly for the Invincible Oasis Tribe, the only possible ally in that project had already taken the bait.

"A Brown Heart is unfindable here," Laurel revealed, already moving to the negotiation phase. "Even if I were to reach for forces in less harsh environments, they’d never part with a rank 3 ingredient, no matter what I were to offer them."

’I expected that,’ Liam cursed internally, ’But still ...’

The Brown Heart was the Heavenly Blossom’s main ingredient and part of the reason behind its rarity. It basically was the core of a tree that had grown for centuries in Qi-dense areas, soaking in that energy.

Liam had yet to see a single tree since his teleport, and chances were those conditions didn’t exist in the Great Quiet Desert. The issue probably even increased the Brown Heart’s rarity in the southern region, making forces that owned it unwilling to sell it at any price.

But alchemy was limitless, and Liam had already expected the problem, so his brain had long since started looking for solutions.

’Tweaking the recipe would have been easier if a complementary ingredient were the issue,’ Liam sighed internally. ’However, replacing the Brown Heart is akin to creating a completely different product. It’s possible, but the time to complete it and test it on people would defeat the purpose here.’

The only flaw the Heavenly Blossom had beyond its rarity came in the form of a deadline. If a body spent too long with a missing piece, it would adjust to its absence, so the product wouldn’t know what to fix.

’It’s a bit of a waste,’ Liam considered, ’But I guess there is a way. I do have one rank 2 Heavenly Blossom after all.’

"I have a solution for the Brown Heart," Liam promised. "It will take more batches of the other ingredients, but it’s possible."

Another intense stare between Liam and Laurel unfolded, and she diverted her eyes first again, only to focus on Uriah and Amber, wearing a smile. "The Red Sandstorm Tribe congratulates the Dark Heaven Tribe on finding such a skilled master. Shall we discuss compensation for insulting you now?"