Eternal Cultivation of Alchemy
chapter-2080

Two men in their late 20s sat inside a restaurant, watching the duel from the window that showed directly down below. The news of the Twin Sabers of the Reverend Sixghost being found had been spread around, and they were all beginning to hear it one by one.

"Those Sabers were found? How long has it been since it was found?"

"Over a hundred thousand years, apparently. Honestly, I was beginning to believe they were fake."

"Don't people from other continents come to enter the secret realm as well?"

"They do! I personally took part in one when I was eligible to enter and was immediately forced out in just 2 months because some bastards from the Rosesteel continent decided to attack me."

"Well, I'm glad it was someone from our continent who found it. And quite benevolent too. Apparently, he gave it back to the Twin Saber sect as well."

"Yes. Also… doesn't this alchemist we're watching have a similar name?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, he's Dawnblade too. They have the same name. What a coincidence."

"Do you think… perhaps… they're the same person?"

"… can't be, right?"

Similar conversations took place all around as everyone began noticing the similarity between the names of the man who was found in an alchemy duel down at the city center and the man who had recovered the sabers for the Twin Saber sect.

People who knew of Dawn Apothecary and were returning customers noted that the alchemist had been gone for around a year before this, exactly around the time when the secret realm had finally opened up.

This news spread like wildfire as well, and before long, everyone was aware of the possibility that the alchemist in the duel before them today was someone from the Blue Silk sect.

* * * * * *

"Huh? So the Blue Silk sect got him in the end," Silvermist said. "I wonder how he found those Sabers."

"It was about time that sect got a hold of him," Grimsight said from the side. He looked at Alex far away, understanding finally the puzzle surrounding the Saber aura that had lingered around him.

"Do you remember this Reverend Sixghost fellow?" Silvermist asked.

"Somewhat," Grimsight explained. "I do think I fought along with him a few times when he was around the Saber God. He was a favorite of the Saber God, on path to be a Saber Sage, if I remember correctly. He was even taught the Saber God's signature technique."

"I see," Silvermist said. "Do you know why the Saber God died? Was it a demon attack?"

"I'm not sure," Grimsight said. "If anything, I'd guess it was that failed Demon Killing sword, but I can't be certain."

Silvermist simply raised an eyebrow. "That's a bad way to go from what I hear," he said, turning his head toward Alex. "This kid is good enough to find a treasure left behind by Sixghost, huh? Let's see how good he is at Alchemy then."

* * * * * *

Fang Yuxie couldn't believe her ears. Alex had been the one to find the sabers? And here she had thought he was simply thrown out of the secret realm early.

Rocksoul had a look of pure shock and well. Wang Yanwei, on the other hand, didn't seem to care much about the situation. She was only worried about her sect.

* * * * * *

Alex greeted Alchemist Ming as he walked in.

"You seemed plenty confident back then. Are you confident today as well?" Alchemist Ming asked him.

"I can only say that my confidence has neither waxed, nor waned," Alex replied.

The alchemist scoffed and sat to the side. "I'll make sure to remove it entirely by the end of the duel," he said.

Alex said nothing and focused on his own match. He sat around for a few minutes, preparing. Only then did the judges arrive. He was sure the duel would start now, but before even that, the guild master Bluehorn walked right up to him.

"Are you a member of the Blue Silk sect?" he asked directly.

Alex was taken aback. "What makes you say that senior?" he asked.

"Yes or no?" the man demanded.

Alex looked at the man a bit and at the two other alchemists that had flown in behind them. He thought for a moment and nodded. "I am," he said.

"You lied to me," Bluehorn said.

"Only by omission," he said. "You simply assumed I was not a part of the sect."

Alchemist Ming to the side was beginning to hear the full conversation and was in a state of half confusion and half shock.

"When did you take the test? I know you failed the first time. It was news all around," the sect master said.

"I passed that time. While everyone assumed I was recovering from my failure, I was instead admitted into the sect," Alex said. "But I must ask, how did you figure it out?"

Blackfrost walked up to Alex and explained the situation outside of the barrier. The barrier stopped all sound and aura, so Alex hadn't realized anything had happened.

The more Alchemist Ming heard about what Alex had done or was associated with, the more flustered he became. How could this be?

"Oh! The news about the secret realm finally arrived?" Alex asked before his face formed an annoyed look. "Quite an annoying timing though. I was hoping to earn a lot from the bets. They won't bet against me so much now that they know my background and what I've done."

Both Blackfrost and Bluehorn couldn't help but look at each other, both wondering if they had heard that right.

"I see why you are so confident now," Alchemist Ming said. "You are certain that if you lose, your sect will help you out. Guild masters, this duel cannot happen. He means to use his sect to challenge the outcome when he loses."

Bluehorn almost wanted to accept that and shut the whole thing down. Unfortunately, they had made an oath with the terms, so the duel could not be stopped.

He stayed quiet for a bit, thinking through the terms of the duel, hoping to see if there was an exploit for Alex to use. But before he could even get through the first term, Alex spoke up.

"I swear to heaven that I will not get the Blue Silk sect involved in our duel, regardless of the outcome," he said. "Is that enough?"

The deep rumbling of energy sounded around them and they felt it with their Spiritual sense and Divine sense as the oath settled onto Alex.

The alchemists were stunned at the oath. "You're… really not going to get the Blue Silk sect involved?" Bluehorn asked.

Alex chuckled a bit. "Guild Master, how long have I been in the sect? And how long has your guild been attacking my store? Has anything happened to your guild in between?" Bluehorn slowly shook his head, the understanding of what Alex had just said dawning on him. If anything was to happen for what he had done, it would've happened long ago.

Blackfrost had always known about that, so he just nodded.

"If you guys are satisfied with my answer, can we begin the duel?" Alex asked. "I have been waiting for a long time, and I'm sure the audiences are ready for it as well."