Chapter 624: Best

In but a single order, the crowd dispersed, leaving only the main players. Amber, Uriah, Rachel, and Caspar climbed the stone staircase under the pale silver light radiated by the palace. Night had fallen, and symbols on the tall columns had lit up to illuminate the area.

Needless to say, the beautiful atmosphere drew no attention. Liam caught the glances the dispersing crowd threw at him but was eventually forced to focus on the four staring intently at the yellow pill in his palm.

Rank 3 resources weren’t common. They couldn’t be, but the four were used to being around them due to their status.

However, alchemy wasn’t popular in the Great Quiet Desert, and the pill in question was exceptional in its own right. Inspecting it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those experts, so they indulged.

As for Liam, he was more interested in the politics of it all for once.

’Who is winning here?’ Liam wondered.

The Dark Heaven Tribe had ripped off both Invincible Oasis and Red Sandstorm Tribes, but none of that had involved resources at the level of branching experts.

A rank 3 pill had been born from that clash, but its purpose was to undo a loss, and everyone but the Invincible Oasis Tribe had paid something to make it possible.

On a purely numerical level, the Aetacia region’s overall wealth had decreased, with all its main parties and Liam losing something.

Yet, the winner became obvious when the equation expanded beyond numbers.

Even just restoring the status quo would imply immense gains for the Dark Heaven Tribe. With another branching expert added to its ranks and an enemy at the same level gone, it had become the region’s strongest force by far, a position that promised exponential benefits.

The Red Sandstorm Tribe could level the playing field. That was actually its role, the reason why the other two Tribes hadn’t suppressed it.

Still, the Invincible Oasis Tribe had suffered a major blow, while the Dark Heaven Tribe was helping restore the Red Sandstorm Tribe’s power. The latter could easily decide to team up to take over the former.

It wouldn’t be a partnership on equal terms, but being an underling could be far more beneficial in an environment with fewer players. If no other contenders existed, the Red Sandstorm Tribe could be better off as the Dark Heaven Tribe’s subservient force.

It was simple math. Fewer players meant a bigger split of the available resources. The Red Sandstorm Tribe had even been inferior in the first place, so its status wouldn’t change much.

’Does the Red Sandstorm Tribe know about Andrew’s death?’ Liam considered. ’Are Uriah and Amber waiting for the celebration to announce it?’

Liam actually didn’t know. He hadn’t asked, but that was probably his best and last opportunity to. His plans might change depending on the answer. After all, he didn’t want the Dark Heaven Tribe to make meaningful political decisions without the full picture.

Dwelling on those thoughts became impossible when four pairs of eyes landed on Liam, with Caspar actually being the one to step forward.

"Master Dark Wanderer," Caspar called respectfully, gulping. "Will this ... Heavenly Blossom truly regrow my arm and meridians?"

Caspar had almost sounded subservient, and Liam had to glance at Uriah and Amber to understand the change. A strange glint had joined the pair of husband and wife’s gazes, signifying genuine respect for a fellow master.

Liam should have honestly stopped being surprised long ago. He had seen the effects his concoctions had on audiences multiple times already. Grace literally wouldn’t let him do it unless he asked for compensation.

Still, as much as Liam had learned to feel pride in his efforts, his great Master remained his north star. He respected Master Vermillion, but watching Horace Rauret concoct had simply been a superior experience.

The great Horace Rauret projected his greatness by merely explaining alchemical topics. He was a different breed. In Liam’s mind, anything less wasn’t worthy of being shocked about.

"You’ll have to reopen the injury," Liam explained. "Completely. Cut away more of the stump if needed. It will also take more than a day to regrow everything and weeks for the arm to go back to normal."

Liam was being vague on purpose. Despite having direct experience, branching experts might take longer to regrow body parts. He was also unique, making his testimony unreliable.

Yet, Liam was certain about one thing.

"It will hurt," Liam warned. "A lot. To this day, that’s the greatest physical pain I have ever experienced by far."

Everyone picked up on what that meant, with Amber commenting on it. "You haven’t told us you have been in need of the Heavenly Blossom, too."

That was no accusation or probing question. Amber had sounded positively intrigued, her statement serving as an advertisement for the pill in Liam’s palm.

"I blew my arm as a rooting expert," Liam explained shortly, showing his left arm.

Before sad memories could resurface, a soft hand took Liam’s, lowering his arm before caressing it affectionately. Rachel clung to him modestly, smiling sweetly as she looked up at him.

"Honey, you haven’t told me that story yet," Rachel exclaimed. "Will you indulge little Sister tonight, too?"

Everyone knew what Rachel was implying, leading to different reactions, with Caspar having the most intense.

Rumors had obviously spread, and Caspar had seen Liam and Rachel together already. The meeting among the Tribes’ leaders had even added validity to that union, but much was still uncertain.

That had everything to do with Rachel’s character. She was so famously whimsical that no one would be surprised if she lost interest in Liam after going out of her way to act as his lover.

Yet, Caspar caught Amber’s approving smile. He saw the seething but silent anger in the twitching vein on Uriah’s temple.

Most importantly, Caspar witnessed Liam’s complete disregard for the stunning beauty on his arm. Liam was utterly unfazed, seemingly not even noticing Rachel, leading to an unbelievable explanation.

The daughter of the Dark Heaven Tribe was truly in love. The jewel of the Great Quiet Desert had found her match, and she was actually the suitor.

Newfound respect toward Liam surged inside Caspar, not as a cultivator, but as a man. Liam had succeeded where countless had failed miserably. He had put a leash on the woman who had made leading men on her whole identity.

Of course, plenty of partial misunderstandings were at play. Even Liam’s indifference was mere trained deafness to Rachel’s shenanigans. Rather than the beauty caressing him, his thoughts were on the burly bundle of seething rage.

’Why isn’t he shouting?’ Liam cursed internally. ’I can’t be the one to push her away in this situation.’

The optics would be terrible if Liam rejected Rachel in front of Caspar, but help didn’t arrive, forcing him to be the one to push the situation forward.

"The sooner you take it," Liam stated, urging Caspar to refocus on the pill on his palm. "The better it is."

The strategy worked. Caspar finally seized the Heavenly Blossom, inspecting it between his fingers, when Amber intervened.

"Young Master Caspar," Amber called. "You can undergo the treatment in one of the Tribe’s secluded areas. If you would follow me."

"My thanks," Caspar responded, performing a series of nods, the deepest aimed at Liam, before he and Amber disappeared into the palace.

The deadly glare arrived at that point. Uriah was finally about to blow, but no deafening cry escaped his lips. Nothing did. He lost against the timid but happy smile his daughter threw at him while still clinging to Liam.

Uriah’s teeth seemed on the verge of breaking from how tense his jaw was, but he still turned to head inside the palace. Despite his fury, he was showing acceptance.

If losing the only possible ally wasn’t enough, that silent departure created another problem for Liam. He knew the silver cauldron was for him, but he couldn’t just store a rank 3 item without explicit permission or actual negotiations.

"Uriah, the cauldron-" Liam called, and shouts finally arrived.

"What?!" Uriah cried, his head snapping back to Liam, the air and stone staircase shaking under its weight. "Is the best the Dark Heaven Tribe has to offer unsatisfactory? Will you doom us to eternal shame by rejecting us?"

The overbearing, unreasonable, and extreme response was completely out of place given what Liam had tried to ask, but only one answer was possible there.

"No," Liam said, and Uriah uttered a snort that sounded more like a growl before disappearing into the palace.

As had always happened after Liam shared his rank 3 venom, his only option was to accept whatever the Tribe gave him. He was about to store the silver cauldron when he smelled a trap in the air, bringing his gaze to the woman to his left.

Rachel didn’t say anything, but her caresses turned into a tight hug that pressed Liam’s arm against her chest. She even rested her chin on his shoulder, her smile deepening, her cheeks flushing.

"What?" Liam asked.

"Honey finally accepted the best the Tribe has to offer," Rachel giggled sweetly.

Liam’s brain short-circuited. He tried to pull the plug completely, wanting no function to remain active, but nothing could stop a catastrophic realization from descending on him.