Novel Full Chapter 1103 - 1103: Spending like Crazy!
The night had barely lifted when the soft crunch of footsteps echoed outside Kent’s bamboo pavilion. The cauldron that hovered at his side rumbled faintly, sensing a presence. Kent, seated cross-legged inside, opened his eyes before the door even creaked.
Vice Matriarch Kim entered without ceremony. Her usually severe face was shadowed, her gaze carrying the weight of sleepless hours. She stood tall, but her hands were clasped tightly, as though she held something she did not want to show.
“Kent King,” she said evenly. “We need to talk.”
Kent rose slowly, his wives stirring in the background, and Fatty Ben rubbing his eyes with a grunt. The cauldron drifted closer to him like a loyal beast. “Vice Matriarch Kim,” he replied with calm courtesy, “what matter drags you here before the sun?”
Her eyes flickered to the cauldron, then to the glass vial on the table where the potion still shimmered faintly, arcs of lightning dancing inside. “You know why I’m here. That potion.”
Kent’s lips curved faintly, but his tone was sharp. “Then you already know the price.”
She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “What price?”
“Three thousand Academy points,” Kent said without hesitation, his voice ringing clear. “And entry into the Memory Pond.”
The room froze for a heartbeat. Fatty Ben dropped his cup of tea, sputtering. Amelia raised her brows, a small smirk tugging her lips, while Bai Qi’s fingers tightened around her sleeve in surprise.
Kim’s gaze sharpened like a blade. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, to everyone’s shock, she nodded once. “Agreed.”
Even Kent’s wives stiffened. Sophia blinked. “You… agreed? Just like that?”
The Vice Matriarch’s lips pressed into a thin line. “The Academy cannot afford to let such a potion slip into the hands of a rival faction. The prince’s envoy will come again, or worse—his enemies will. Better we secure it within the mountain. Three thousand points and the pond are steep, but for this brew, even that is a bargain.”
Fatty Ben nearly choked. “Three thousand points—a bargain?! Mother of dumplings, do you know how many steamed buns that is?!”
Lucy smacked him on the arm. “Shut up, Fatty. This is history.”
Kent, however, remained calm, though his eyes flickered with satisfaction. He lifted the vial slowly, placing it into Kim’s outstretched hand. The faint hum of the potion vibrated through the room, and even the Vice Matriarch, seasoned as she was, shivered slightly as the lightning inside the glass sparked against her skin.
“You made the right choice,” Kent said simply. “But remember—this was not charity. This was a transaction.”
Kim’s eyes lingered on him, her voice low. “I know what I saw, Kent King. You may fool the others, but not me. That potion was more than gold. Perhaps more than divine. I don’t know what you are, or what that flame is, but…” Her tone softened for the first time. “…be careful. Power like yours draws storms.”
Without another word, she turned and left, her robes whispering against the bamboo floor.
The room exhaled.
Fatty Ben burst out, “Brother Kent, you’re too terrifying! Three thousand points! And the Memory Pond! You just—just robbed the Academy itself!”
Amelia’s smirk deepened. “Not robbed. Negotiated.”
Lily folded her arms, her sharp eyes narrowing. “Now we will see who dares to mock you again.”
Kent only shrugged lightly, his gaze steady. “Words mean nothing. Results are the only truth. Now—let’s use what we’ve earned.”
–
Next day Noon…
Kent led his household across the long marble bridge toward the Academy Library. The structure loomed ahead, vast and towering, its walls carved from white jade and inlaid with glowing runes. Tall doors stood open, guarded by disciples in golden robes who bowed as Kent passed, their eyes lingering nervously on the hovering cauldron at his side.
Inside, shelves stretched to the ceiling, each glowing faintly with wards. Tomes, scrolls, jade slips—all humming with restrained power. The scent of ink, parchment, and spirit qi filled the air.
Fatty Ben’s eyes widened as if he had walked into a hall of endless feasts. “By the ancestors… so many books. Brother Kent, look at that row! And that one! And—look! That one’s glowing! Glowing!”
Lucy tugged his ear sharply. “Idiot, these are spell manuals, not pastries.”
Amelia stepped forward, her gaze already sharp and scanning. “Where are the restricted sections?” she asked the disciple-keeper.
The keeper, a nervous boy with spectacles, stammered. “R-restricted shelves require Academy tokens… advanced spells cost more… heavenly-grade techniques may cost thousands.”
Kent reached into his robe, drawing out the newly awarded Academy Token, its golden surface shimmering faintly. He placed it calmly on the counter. “Three thousand points. Open the gates.”
The boy’s jaw dropped. “T-three thousand?!” He scrambled, bowing so low his spectacles nearly fell. “Y-yes, of course! Please, this way!”
The group followed him deeper into the library, past the outer shelves of common manuals and into the heart of the restricted section. Doors of bronze creaked open, revealing rows of jade slips that glowed faintly, each locked in stasis fields.
“This,” the boy whispered reverently, “is where the mountain keeps its treasures. Sword arts, spell formations, lost alchemy formulas, even beast-binding chants. Choose what you wish—so long as you have points, the Academy obeys.”
Fatty Ben’s jaw nearly unhinged. “Brother Kent, we can buy anything!”
Kent’s gaze swept the shelves calmly. “Not anything. Only what we need.”
He moved to one shelf, his hand brushing across the glowing slips. His eyes lingered on a crimson one.
Moon breaking Sword Art – a technique said to cut even through the fabric of space.
Next, his hand paused on a silver slip.
Night Whisper Divine Steps – movement like teleportation, scattering afterimages like starlight.
Then another—dark jade, ominous.
Wind Blasting Palm – a strike to shatter reality itself.
Each one pulsed faintly as if recognizing him.
Kent plucked them calmly, sliding them into his sleeve. “We will take these.”
Amelia’s eyes shone. “With these, our foundation grows unshakable.”
Lin Lin whispered softly, her gaze on an alchemy slip. “Grand Beasts Codex… with this, I can rival even ancient masters.”
Kent nodded once. “Then take it.”
One by one, his wives and allies selected what suited them best, their hands trembling as they touched techniques they had only dreamed of. Each slip absorbed tokens, points vanishing with soft chimes, until only a fraction of Kent’s wealth remained.
Fatty Ben looked at the glowing shelves with teary-eyes. “So many left behind… Brother Kent, are we really leaving them? Just like that?”
Kent smirked faintly. “Points will come again. Opportunities will come again. We are not here to hoard—we are here to ascend.”
The group filed out of the restricted section, their hearts pounding, their spirits blazing-brighter than ever.
As they left, the disciple-keeper whispered to another, awestruck. “Three thousand points… spent in a single sweep. Who is this Kent King?”
The whisper spread quickly through the library, then through the Academy itself.
But a pair of eyes were watching Kent with murderous intent as Kent walked away.
Kent stopped suddenly, but didn’t turn back. “Interesting. Seems like the Royals need to be kept in place.”