Chapter 826: Chapter 614: Elder Jiu Jin
In regard to the Wisteria Secret Cache, both Yuan Ci and Jiu Jin are very invested.
Upon receiving Zi Di’s response, Yuan Ci immediately utilized secret channels to convey the latest news to Jiu Jin.
Jiu Jin felt surprised that Yuan Ci had quickly found an owner of the Wisteria Level Zero Secret Order.
Jiu Jin naturally wanted to inquire about Zi Di’s information.
Yuan Ci did not conceal anything from him and shared how he rescued Zi Di.
Upon hearing that Zi Di is a Necromancer, Elder Jiu Jin couldn’t help but be cautious: "So, we can’t exclude the possibility that this is a ruse by the empire’s spy, can we?"
Elder Yuan Ci snorted coldly: "He personally crafted the Level Zero Secret Order right in front of me."
Elder Jiu Jin shook his head: "The contract for the Level Zero Secret Order is very strong, related to the Demon God. But since it’s a contract, it certainly can be broken. As you know, the empire’s spies have never given up on seeking the Wisteria Secret Cache."
"Moreover, he’s a Necromancer..."
"Sigh, I almost got taken away by people from the Holy Bright Empire back then. It was with the help of the Alchemy Guild and proving my insignificance to the Guild that I escaped danger."
"If this is a trap set by the Holy Bright Empire’s spy, meeting the Necromancer alone would be the best proof. It might be substantiated, the Alchemy Guild won’t have any justification to protect me anymore, and I’d be finished!"
Elder Yuan Ci snorted coldly again: "Jiu Jin, you’re still the same as before, too hesitant."
"You think I haven’t thought of this possibility?"
"But then what?"
"Given the current situation, you know better than I do. I got this information from you."
"The Royal Family is about to comprehensively regulate the Ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake. Perhaps the lake bed can’t be managed, but let me clearly tell you, the Wisteria Secret Cache is on the same level as the Slippery Ice No.!"
"By then, even if we gather 5 Wisteria Secret Orders, we won’t be able to retrieve the Wisteria Secret Cache, wouldn’t you regret it?"
Elder Jiu Jin fell silent.
Elder Yuan Ci looked at the communication device before him, seemingly able to see through Elder Jiu Jin’s heart, subtly curling his lips: "The Ghost Vine Mage might be a spy, or he might not be."
"From the current perspective, we have to thank his appearance. After all, with him added, we’ve finally gathered 5 Wisteria Secret Orders, haven’t we?"
"The timing of his appearance is indeed coincidental, but what of it?!"
"The place where the Wisteria Secret Cache is placed is the secret camp of our Wisteria Chamber of Commerce, our home ground. Outside, it’s the Ice Lake."
"How many people can the empire’s spy send?"
"I’ve already decided to take a gamble on this risk and reward!"
Jiu Jin gritted his teeth and secretly thought: "Yuan Ci became a wanted criminal, like a street rat, hiding in the Ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake, hiding in the Royal Capital all these years, life is tough. I’m different; I have a normal life, and I’m still a high-ranking elder of the Alchemy Guild..."
Jiu Jin hesitated for a long time, but ultimately the Wisteria Secret Cache attracted him more. He gritted his teeth and said: "Okay, if I win this gamble, I won’t need to work so hard anymore."
"I want to meet the Ghost Vine Mage personally; I want to see him with my own eyes!"
Yuan Ci laughed heartily: "It’s a coincidence, Ghost Vine also wants to communicate with you personally."
A personal meeting carries risks, but it is absolutely necessary.
Regarding this point, not only Zi Di but also Jiu Jin are very clear. Yuan Ci understands even more: this is the crucial step to gaining preliminary trust between each other, which cannot be omitted.
Thus, very soon, in an abandoned Alchemy Laboratory, hosted by Yuan Ci personally, Zi Di and Jiu Jin met.
Jiu Jin was an old Snow Elf, with a goat beard, wearing round-frame glasses.
His face was full of wrinkles and showed a weathered complexion, reflecting his life journey focused on diligence and hard work.
Zi Di had already acquired some intel on Jiu Jin before arriving, understanding inside that despite Jiu Jin’s bloodline and qualification reaching the Golden Level, it wasn’t exceptional. Without the backing of the Wisteria Chamber of Commerce, he would find it difficult to become an elder of the Alchemy Guild.
His achievements in alchemy weren’t profound either; he studied the field of alchemy runes.
And in this field, it almost requires the least alchemy skill.
Zi Di sized him up while Jiu Jin showed apparent discontent: "I’ve already risked coming to meet you, Ghost Vine Mage, aren’t you going to drop your hood? At the very least, show some sincerity, wouldn’t you?"
Zi Di chuckled: "Sorry, I just don’t want to be redundant. You know, I’m a Necromancer; for my own safety, I won’t expose my true face."
Though she spoke thus, Zi Di still lowered the hood, revealing her "true appearance".
The image she portrayed was that of a regular middle-aged Human Race male.
The Deception and Disguise Skill and Anti-Intelligence Prophecy Skill made her flawless in front of Jiu Jin.
Jiu Jin squinted his eyes, quietly used an alchemy tool, and after a moment, he reluctantly abandoned all efforts.
All his investigation results yielded the human appearance that Zi Di displayed.
This was obviously impossible.
Regarding this, Elder Jiu Jin was fully aware.
He shrugged: "At the very least, you’ve demonstrated your ability in forgery."
"Perhaps you can directly infiltrate the prison and easily take away Shi Liu."
Zi Di slightly shook her head, "Although I am an Undead Mage, in essence, I am still a mage and will not rush recklessly into danger."
"The jailbreak must be carefully planned."
Next, the two of them exchanged a few more words, forming a preliminary impression of each other.
Elder Jiu Jin, of course, maintained a strong suspicion towards Zi Di, but he did not show it openly.
Zi Di, on the other hand, subtly verified Yuan Ci’s words through Jiu Jin, but she did not fully believe them.
She also attempted to subtly inquire about intelligence from this alchemy elder.
But in many areas, Jiu Jin kept his lips sealed, clearly stating, "As an elder of the Alchemy Guild, I am bound by contracts and cannot freely disclose advanced secrets."
"Once an enemy exploits the kingdom’s secrets I might inadvertently leak, my latter half of life would be ruined! All the achievements I’ve worked hard for most of my life would dissipate completely."
Zi Di could only focus on asking about the Purple Vine Secret Stash.
In this regard, Jiu Jin tried his best to explain, as success or failure depended on it.
"You must not harbor any fluke mindsets."
"This time, the super magic array constructed is extremely powerful. It uses the alchemy rooms, mage towers, and the Holy Temple point locations inside and outside the Ice Lake as its foundation, almost perfectly integrating into the Ice Lake’s environment, not affected by the laws of time."
"This huge project has been in motion since the year His Majesty the King ascended to the throne. Our Alchemy Guild has been the main force in its construction, dispatching a large number of mages annually for related work. I have participated many times myself."
"But it’s only now that the interconnection of the point locations reveals something unusual."
"Since it has already been seen through, the royal family has officially revealed this grand plan. However, as of now, it’s only limited to high-level people like me."
"His Majesty the King truly has unparalleled talent and vision, I feel ashamed of my previous underestimation."
"This is truly an unprecedented grand undertaking, the key lies in the royal family enduring in silence until the time when they could no longer hide it, only then did they reveal it."
At this point, Elder Jiu Jin shook his head in admiration, filled with respect and praise for the contemporary Ice Sculpture King.
The next moment, Elder Yuan Ci, without hesitation, ruined the moment by saying, "Alright, stop performing. No matter how patriotic you appear, if you are arrested now for privately meeting with an Undead Mage, the kingdom will not forgive you."
Elder Jiu Jin’s expression froze immediately.
Zi Di remained expressionless, changing the subject to dispel the awkward atmosphere. She asked, "Regarding the rescue of Shi Liu, what power can Elder Jiu Jin contribute?"
Elder Jiu Jin hurriedly waved his hand, "How can I get involved in such matters? If investigated, I wouldn’t be able to keep my position as an elder of the Alchemy Guild!"
Zi Di snorted coldly, "You are an elder of the Alchemy Guild, high and prestigious, so your actions are far more convenient than ours. Rescuing Shi Liu is beneficial for all of us. If a Level 0 secret order is lost, all our efforts will go to waste."
Elder Jiu Jin shook his head, his attitude firm but his tone softened, "I really am powerless. Shi Liu is imprisoned within the Ice Prison, the most important dungeon in the Royal Capital, with strict defenses. The magic array of the Ice Prison can draw power from the Ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake, with both Ice Element and Time Element defensive powers."
"I am merely an elder of the Alchemy Guild, how can I influence the guards of the Ice Prison?"
"But rest assured, since I choose not to interfere, based on the contributions you two have made, when it comes time to distribute the secret stash, you can take a larger share, can’t you?"
"I will never raise any objections!"
"Of course, if you find acting now lacks confidence, my opinion is to wait for Cong Mang’s arrival."
Zi Di glanced at Yuan Ci, "What plan do you have regarding the jailbreak?"
Yuan Ci smiled, "Indeed, I have one, and we might not need to wait for Cong Mang to join us."
"Are you sure?" Elder Jiu Jin frowned, naturally hoping the action would have a higher success rate.
Yuan Ci nodded to him, "I have some confidence."
Soon after, the three of them left the secret chamber in various ways.
Upon returning to the Alchemy Guild, Elder Jiu Jin was summoned by the Guild Master.
Upon seeing the Guild Master, he also noticed another person in the room.
Elder Jiu Jin smiled, taking the initiative to bow, "Guild Master, Master Hua Ni."
Hua Ni was a female Snow Elf, a master-level figure in the magic potion domain. She glanced at Jiu Jin indifferently, without saying a word, appearing quite arrogant.
The Guild Master smiled and said, "During this period, with the paving and inspection of the magic array, you have indeed had a hard time, Elder Jiu Jin."
Elder Jiu Jin quickly expressed that although exhausted, it was his duty and he was willing to contribute his share to the nation.
The Guild Master continued, "The current focus of the Guild is hosting this Warm Snow Cup Alchemy Competition. But with the completion of the major project of laying out the Ice Lake Array, we can finally spare some effort to handle some peripheral matters."
"Elder Jiu Jin, do you know which kind of magic potion is currently the hottest selling in the kingdom?"
Hearing this, Elder Jiu Jin’s eyes flashed sharply, and he immediately replied, "It’s the Dragon Power Riding Potion."
The Alchemy Guild of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom, of course, had been aware of the booming sales of the Dragon Power Riding Potion. But due to previous insufficient manpower and other considerations, they hadn’t taken action.
The Guild Master continued, "I won’t beat around the bush, Elder Jiu Jin. The market for riding potions is huge, and we can’t let an outside mercenary group take it over."
"Therefore, I will appoint you as the leader, bringing a team of people, representing our Guild to capture the market share of the riding potion."
"In the kingdom’s magic potion market, our Guild has always been the overlord. This Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps is getting a bit too bold; go give them a profound lesson."