Chapter 114: Buying Loyalty

BOOM!

As the eagle landed heavily onto the peak, cracking the solid stone beneath its talons, the man hopped down.

The other six Core Formation experts took a subconscious step back.

At their level, the gap between the middle and late stages of the Core Formation Realm was a massive chasm.

However, the muscular giant completely ignored the other six experts.

The moment the muscular man’s eyes landed on Aldric, he cupped his massive fists, "Master Aldric, I hope I am not late, I came as fast as my mount could fly!"

Aldric offered a polite smile, but he didn’t exchange pleasantries.

Instead, his expression turned incredibly solemn.

He turned sideways, fully presenting Rhain to the seven gathered powerhouses. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"My friends," Aldric spoke, "I did not summon you here for my own needs. I summoned you on behalf of my Master."

All seven of them turned their gazes to Rhain.

Aldric’s Master?

Aldric was a prestigious Master Rank Alchemist! For a Master Rank to willingly call someone ’Master’, this person had to be a Grandmaster Rank Alchemist...

"Junior Vulcan greets the esteemed Senior!" the muscular man hurriedly bowed.

The other six experts also fell in line one by one, quickly bowing their heads.

In front of a supreme alchemical god, even their Core Formation cultivation felt as insignificant as dust.

If they accidentally offended a being of this caliber, not even fleeing to the ends of the continent would save their lives.

"Stand up," Rhain said without committing any emotion. "There is no need to be so polite. Excessive formalities are just a waste of time

The seven Core Formation experts slowly straightened up, but their postures remained low.

Rhain let his gaze move slowly across all seven of them.

"Aldric has already informed you that I require your services for a certain matter," Rhain stated with authority, "I am not a man who expects loyalty for free. Those who prove useful to me will be rewarded with resources your respective sects and clans couldn’t provide in ten lifetimes."

With a casual flip of his palm, a flash of light burst from his spatial ring.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Six exquisitely crafted bottles materialized in the air.

With a gentle flick of his fingers, the six bottles shot forward like streaks of light, hovering perfectly motionless in front of the six Core Formation experts who had arrived earlier.

"Take them," Rhain ordered calmly. "Consider this a minor greeting gift."

The six experts hesitated for a fraction of a second before carefully reaching out to grasp the bottles.

One of the experts, an old man in grey robes, couldn’t suppress his curiosity.

With trembling fingers, he gently popped the cork off his bottle.

Whoosh—!

The moment the seal broke, an intoxicating medicinal fragrance exploded across the mountain peak.

"T-This...!" The grey-robed old man gasped.

He carefully tipped the bottle, letting a vibrant, glowing pill roll onto his palm.

The other five experts instantly leaned in, their breathing stopping altogether.

Resting on the old man’s palm was a flawless pill radiating a one-hundred-percent purity.

And etched beautifully across its surface was the mesmerizing, leaf-like swirl of a perfect Pill Vein.

"An Epic-Grade pill!" another expert cried out. "A flawlessly pure Epic-Grade pill with a Pill Vein! My Gods... even the royal family wouldn’t be so extravagant!"

"And he just... he just handed six of them out as a minor greeting gift?"

The six Core Formation experts were entirely shaken to their cores.

Their previous awe spiked into an almost fanatical reverence.

Without a single second of hesitation, all six of them bowed deeply.

"We thank the esteemed Senior for this supreme gift!" they shouted in unison.

Standing at the edge of the group, Vulcan watched the scene unfold with widened eyes.

He stared at the flawless Epic-Grade pills resting in the hands of the other experts, his massive chest heaving with heavy breaths.

He had traveled at breakneck speed the moment Aldric’s message arrived, hoping to secure a supreme opportunity for himself.

But as the seconds ticked by, Vulcan realized something entirely agonizing.

He looked at his own massive, empty hands.

No jade bottle had floated toward him.

Vulcan swallowed hard, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his temple. He looked at the calm, indifferent man standing before him, his heart pounding like a war drum.

"E-Esteemed Senior..." Vulcan stammered, entirely losing the dominating aura of a late-stage Core Formation expert. "Did... did Junior offend you in some way? Why is it that only I was excluded from the Senior’s profound grace?"

SCREECH—!

Before Rhain could even answer the giant’s anxious question, the massive blue eagle standing beside Vulcan suddenly let out a sharp, piercing shriek.

It clicked its curved beak, snapping the air with a look that was visibly dissatisfied.

Vulcan chuckled awkwardly, reaching out to gently pat the massive beast’s neck.

"Forgive my companion, Grandmaster," Vulcan explained, looking slightly embarrassed. "Kiki is... well, Kiki is also asking for a pill. This gluttonous bird has an incredibly sharp nose for top-tier elixirs."

Rhain simply smiled faintly.

He didn’t take offense. Instead, he took a slow step forward, completely unfazed by the ferocious pressure radiating from the high-level beast.

He raised his hand and gently stroked the blue eagle’s big, feathered head.

Surprisingly, the proud beast didn’t resist. Sensing the profound, natural authority and the lingering scent of flawless medicinal essence on Rhain’s hands, Kiki actually leaned into the touch, letting out a low, docile coo.

"I didn’t know Kiki was going to come today," Rhain chuckled, "If I had known, I would have prepared a pill specifically for it as well."

Rhain then turned his dark grey eyes toward Vulcan.

"The same goes for you," Rhain stated. "I did not prepare anything tailored to your specific cultivation path or your beast today. But wait for a while. I will personally refine pills that will be perfectly suitable for both of you."

Vulcan’s eyes stretched so wide they looked as if they might pop out of his skull.

A custom-refined pill from a Grandmaster?

A Pill Venied Epic-Grade pill was already enough to drive a Core Formation expert insane, but a pill specifically tailored for a cultivator.

That was an opportunity money and status simply could not buy!

"Hahaha!" Vulcan let out a booming, joyous laugh, his previous anxiety completely swept away by overwhelming honor. He cupped his massive fists, his eyes burning with fanatical reverence. "Senior is too kind! I am extremely honored! But the pills can be discussed later! Please, Senior, tell us the reason you summoned us all here today. Whatever you want, consider it done!"

The other six experts nodded vigorously in agreement.

Rhain simply shook his head.

"You will know the reason in exactly one week," Rhain replied indifferently. "Until then, you will remain hidden in the city and wait."

The seven Core Formation experts exchanged curious glances.

But not a single one of them dared to voice an objection.

How could they possibly complain?

Just getting the opportunity to serve a Grandmaster Alchemist was already a fortune accumulated over lifetimes.

And considering they had just received flawless Epic-Grade pills merely for showing up, waiting a single week was nothing!

"We will follow Senior’s command!" all seven experts shouted simultaneously.

Having settled the mercenaries, Rhain turned his attention back to his disciple.

"Aldric."

"Master!" Aldric immediately stepped forward.

"I need a few more herbs," Rhain ordered.

"I need a few more materials," Rhain instructed. "The ones you provided previously were sufficient, but I require a few specific kinds now. Not much in quantity, but each of them are Epic-Grade."

He explained the precise quantity, and quality of each pill.

"This disciple understands," Aldric bowed solemnly. "I will have them prepared for you within three days."

"Good," Rhain gave a satisfied nod.

After his arrangments were completed, Rhain left the mountain peak.

A few more arrangements were left before he could execute his main plan.