Chapter 12: Shadowless Fury (A Stubborn Plea for Support and Recommendations)

Little Flower returned to the forbidden zone, in even worse shape this time—his lips were so swollen and red they looked like two sausages hanging from his face.

He wasn’t alone; he’d brought two friends along.

On his left was Youyu.

When the two, each from a minor family, first realized that the library was inside the forbidden zone, they had both been startled, even wanting to distance themselves from Little Flower at once, afraid of getting entangled in any misfortune. But upon further reflection, they realized that the events of the forbidden zone were nearly thirty years past and no longer such a big deal. Moreover, Little Flower’s boss could reside here, enjoyed privileges exempting him from classes, and was free to do as he pleased—it was clear they had encountered someone extraordinary.

Besides, just a day ago, Little Flower was being tormented daily, at least five or six times each day. Yet after just a few pointers from this boss, using a simple strategy, he’d managed to defeat three challengers in a row today…

A true master.

With certain intentions, Zuo Fang and Youyu asked Little Flower for an introduction. Little Flower got along well with them and felt it hard to refuse, so he brought them along, first seeking Du Gu Bieli’s permission, and after receiving it, used his pass to let them in.

But upon meeting the man himself, Youyu and Zuo Fang could not help but feel sorely disappointed. “This is the boss?”

“He’s nothing like I imagined…”

“To say nothing of anything else, just his stature isn’t imposing enough. He looks quite ordinary…”

“His demeanor is nothing special either—not the air of someone with a powerful background…”

“….”

“Boss,” Little Flower said excitedly, recounting the three battles of the day. Xiaomei, Wawa, Wolf, and Su Xiruo all gathered around, cheering and applauding from time to time.

Du Gu Bieli listened and began to comment, but to save Little Flower’s face in front of his friends, he kept it brief, summarizing only the key points to watch for: to go all out in every battle, not to be distracted, and so forth.

Little Flower listened intently, but Zuo Fang and Youyu had long grown tired of such advice—elders in their own families had told them the same things since childhood. In their hearts, they thought, “It’s nothing special…”

“You there, boy, are you inside?”

A voice, angry and impatient, spoke from outside the room.

Su Xiruo reacted first, asking in surprise, “What’s up with Uncle? He sounds upset.”

Du Gu Bieli rose, about to head out, when Wuying burst in like fire and wind, speaking directly and without preamble, “Everything else can wait. Focus all your time on forging soldiers. I want you to craft a qualified battle automaton in the shortest possible time, even if it’s just one.”

After saying this, he seemed to notice for the first time that the room was full, with two outsiders present. At once, his expression grew solemn and he said in a deep voice, “This is a sacred mission the Academy has entrusted to you. The burden is heavy, but you must not shirk it. As long as you satisfy the Academy, I guarantee I will make sure you are satisfied as well.”

Wuying?

Zuo Fang and Youyu could no longer sit still.

A person’s reputation precedes them. The moment they heard this elder reveal his name, they knew exactly who he was. They leapt to their feet without hesitation, eager to greet him, but dared not interrupt.

Wuying shot them a glare and asked with a drawn-out tone, “Who are these two skulking about?”

Zuo Fang and Youyu fell silent.

Du Gu Bieli smiled and introduced them, “Students from the first-level class, friends of Little Flower, with good character.”

“Oh, good character—but how’s their cultivation?” Wuying sat down without ceremony, taking the seat Youyu had just vacated. Youyu felt his breath grow short, a pressure weighing on his mind, and instinctively stepped back to stand beside Zuo Fang.

Du Gu Bieli said nothing, looking to Little Flower. Little Flower hesitated, then answered softly, “They’re very strong, much stronger than me. In the daily open challenges, they win far more than they lose…”

“Hmm, sounds acceptable. Seems they have potential and are worth nurturing. I’ll let Coldbane know.” Wuying spoke offhandedly, ignoring Zuo Fang and Youyu’s simultaneous delight, and then solemnly reminded, “What I just told you—take it seriously, and don’t delay. Whether I lose face or not depends on you.”

“Cultivation can’t be rushed. You know that better than I do,” Du Gu Bieli replied calmly, unaffected and clear-minded. “Progress can only be made step by step. Aiming too high—”

“Sigh…” Wuying looked as if he wished he could tear out his hair and go bald on the spot. He interrupted with a long sigh, “Just listen to me and you’ll understand. This is a grievance I simply can’t swallow…”

He then recounted his experience.

He had been urged by the Grand Dean to negotiate with the Tongtian Auction House for the purchase of battle automatons. From the name alone, it was clear this auction house was a major force, operating across the Five Wilds, specializing in acquisitions and auctions. In the vast world of the Wilds, craftsmen were rare, so battle automatons were few and far between, far from widespread. The majority of cultivators could only sigh in longing and still relied on their fists to survive.

Statistics showed that the total number of qualified craftsmen in the Wilds barely exceeded ten thousand. Including their disciples, the number scarcely topped a hundred thousand. For a world with billions of people, their scarcity was plain to see.

Crafting a battle automaton took days, and required great effort and care; it was not something that could be produced with a few casual attempts.

In short—scarcity.

Even major powers and great families found it difficult to purchase battle automatons. Some had the resources but couldn’t buy any—simply because they lacked connections.

The Tongtian Auction House, however, had what others did not: ties to most craftsmen. As soon as a battle automaton was finished, it was basically funneled into their hands. With such an extensive network, if the East Wilds lacked something, they could bring it in from the West or South, making them highly valued.

Butterfly Academy, wanting to strengthen its foundations, naturally turned to Tongtian Auction House for help. After a long wait, they finally received a reply.

This was only because of the Butterfly Queen’s influence.

When Wuying went to negotiate, the initial discussions went smoothly, but when it came to the actual exchange of interests, there was a problem.

Tongtian Auction House’s asking price was exorbitant—so high that even Wuying could not accept it. What’s more, beyond the stated terms, there were additional conditions—one being that the Queen herself was required to appear publicly, elevating the auction house’s status.

Some might think this was nothing—just show up, say a few words, and leave, no real loss.

But Wuying could not accept it—nor could he make such a decision on his own. To him, it was an insult, a challenge to the Queen.

The Queen was one of the Six Monarchs of the East Wilds, wielding great power and prestige, the very symbol of local authority. The Tongtian Auction House, no matter how far-reaching its influence, was still not part of the mainstream. For them to ask the Queen to humble herself was absurd.

When it involved the Queen, such a request was no longer a joke.

Wuying lost his temper on the spot—nearly slaughtering everyone present. The auction house, frightened, withdrew the extra conditions and asked only for a promise: that should they encounter trouble in the future, the Academy would offer assistance.

With this, recalling the Grand Dean’s earnest hopes, Wuying reluctantly agreed. Yet the other party then complained that they could not promise when the next batch of battle automatons would be assembled and delivered to the East Wilds. Wuying considered this—craftsmen were rare, and they could not spend their entire lives forging, so production was naturally pitifully low. He understood and agreed.

Thus, they reached a tentative agreement.

But not long after Wuying returned, he heard from a certain source that the Asura Academy had just acquired a batch of battle automatons—also from the Tongtian Auction House.

Wuying, a man of dignity, flew into a rage and rushed over to the auction house to demand an explanation. The auction house insisted that the batch had been promised to Asura Academy long before.

“Then wait for the next batch,” they said. Helpless, Wuying could only swallow his anger and return. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, until his thoughts turned to Du Gu Bieli, prompting this visit.

The bitterness of being manipulated, with nowhere to vent his anger, left him pained and furious. Seeing Su Xiruo and the others exchanging glances, Du Gu Bieli could only sigh and say, “I can’t promise, but I will do my best.”

“Don’t let me down,” Wuying said dejectedly, rising and muttering angrily as he walked out, “If only I weren’t in the wrong, I’d have slaughtered them until the rivers ran red…”